Hello HEALers! I have to say that this summer is turning out to be a hectic one, and I haven’t been able to post quite as much as I like, but I hope you’re still enjoying the recipes and nutrition tips.  Everyone once in a while I like to throw in a personal story, or at least share how I lead a ‘healthy’ life, and that’s what I’m going to do today.

I’m a firm believer in getting nutrients from food, hence most of my recipes; however, there are some nutrients that I still like to supplement because it really helps.

Probiotic:

I’ve talked about the importance of gut health before, but in a nutshell, a probiotic is full of GOOD bacteria which is critical for a number of reasons:

• They fend off the bad bacteria, helping to prevent flus and colds.  I didn’t get a single cold over the entire winter and knock on wood, haven’t yet in 2013.
• They keep things moving in the digestive process, by stimulating intestinal peristalsis.  Let’s face it, good poops are SUPER satisfying and also incredibly detoxifying as you’re eliminating the garbage you don’t want to keep in your body
• Keep us happy, as serotonin (a happy hormone) is produced in the gut.  I like to think I’m a pretty happy person!

B Complex:

I lead a pretty darn hectic life!  With a busy schedule can come added levels of stress, which means my adrenal glands could use some extra help.  The adrenals regulate many hormone levels, including cortisol.  Adrenal fatigue is something I will do a whole other post on, but in the simplest way, after prolonged levels of stress, the adrenals can get tired.  B Vitamins, especially B5, are essential for the function of the entire nervous system and support the adrenals in time of stress.

Sidenote: B Vitamins are water soluble, so you will pee out any excess.  If you start taking them, don’t be surprised if your pee turns BRIGHT yellow!

Vitamin C:

Similar to the above about B Complex, Vitamin C is also really important for the adrenal glands.  It’s also a serious antioxidant which helps keep us looking young, and works to keep inflammation down.

Omega 3s:

Are you sick of hearing about Omega 3s yet? 🙂 I eat flax and chia every day, and eat salmon about once a week, but since Omega 3s help with so many different things, I figure it can’t hurt to get an extra 1000mg daily.  Here are some of the benefits of Omega 3s:

• They help with dry skin
• They keep our brain functioning properly as every cell membrane is made up of Omega 3 fatty acids.
• They are anti-inflammatory

Have a great weekend!