Top 7 Supplements for Women

Every woman needs to know exactly what they need to have in their all-natural medicine cabinet. But, the wide world of supplements is just that. It’s very, very wide. A world unto itself, many of us are confused and a bit lost when it comes to navigating the vast world of natural health and supplementation. I’ve been studying this world for decades now. And I can reassure you, it’s not as complicated as one might think. 

Supplementation is a simple way to bolster your health and prevent trips to the doctor’s office. Because when you’re the one tending to your own health, you realize that you are your best doctor. All you need is a little guidance to begin. And, that’s why I’m here to help. In this article, I’m going to tell you what every woman should have in their bag of supplements, and why. 

A go-to multivitamin

Did you know that once you reach the ripe age of thirty, your body needs nutritional supplementation? Once you pass this age, the mitochondria in your cells need you to supplement to help them function optimally. This is where a therapeutic grade multivitamin comes into play. 

You really can’t go wrong by taking a daily multivitamin. These days, most of us don’t get the nutrition we need from food. There are too many processed food options on the market that most of us wind up eating often. When we do this, we end up selling ourselves short in terms of the kind of nutrition we wind up getting. When this happens, taking a multivitamin is a simple and quick fix. When looking for a good one, I keep an eye out for one that’s going to promote health on all levels.

For example, the range of B vitamins has so many benefits. B1, B2, B3 (niacin), and B6, help both the nervous system and the cardiovascular system function properly. Vitamin K1, magnesium, and CoQ-10 promote and support heart health and play a role in the prevention of heart disease. 

Have you noticed how your vision wanes as you get older? Once I hit 40, I noticed that all of a sudden I needed reading glasses. A good multivitamin will contain all the right vitamins and minerals for eye health, including vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin B3 (Niacin). Taking a good multivitamin will help preserve the health of your eyes as you age—something we all need (and want) to do.

Last but not least, immune system support is an added benefit of a good multivitamin. `When fuelled by all the right nutrients, your body can protect itself and ward off unwanted viruses and bacteria. This will do your body (and mind) some real good as you navigate your way through the winter flu season. And why not give the gift of health to your loved ones? A good multivitamin is a really thoughtful Christmas present for just about everyone on your list!

Women need to make sure the following vitamins and minerals are in their daily multi:

• Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for so much. It’s going to boost your immune system, and keep your mood balanced during the winter when the sun is barely out in the northern hemisphere. Not only will vitamin D decrease your likelihood of getting sick from a cold or flu, it’s also going to decrease hair loss, lessen bone loss, and help alleviate back pain. 

Best food sources of vitamin D: egg yolks, fatty fish, vitamin D fortified foods.

• Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral which plays an important role in your sleep, in your nervous system, and your muscular system. It also helps to balance your blood sugar and even make DNA. The best food sources of magnesium are: spinach, artichokes, nuts, beans, pumpkin, and tofu.

• Calcium

You know that your bones need calcium. But, did you know that women need it even more than men? We women experience bone loss earlier than men. Which is why we need to make sure calcium is a major player in our multivitamin. The best way to get calcium through food is by eating calcium-fortified cereals, drinking milk, and eating dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach, lentils and beans, and nuts and nut butters. 

• Zinc

The older you get, the less zinc you have in your body. It’s an essential mineral for healing wounds, and also for immune support. The best food sources of zinc include: oysters, tahini, pumpkin seeds, spinach, grass-fed beef, brown rice, sardines, and tempeh. 

• Iron

Every woman needs to get adequate amounts of iron in her multivitamin due to the loss of iron that happens during menstruation. Iron also boosts brain function, increases energy, and promotes the production of healthy red blood cells. 

• Folate

Folate, also known as folic acid, is an essential nutrient that aids in nail growth, staves off depression, and even fights inflammation. Pregnant women need a bit more folate than their non-pregnant counterparts. The best folate food sources are: beans, citrus fruits, avocado, and dark, leafy greens. 

• Vitamin B-12

Vitamin B-12 is an essential vitamin for our nerve cells. It also plays an important role in the production of healthy red blood cells. Chicken, beef, eggs, and fish all contain vitamin B-12. 

Turmeric, nature’s favorite anti-inflammatory

Turmeric is nature’s answer to chronic inflammation. Indians have been cooking with it for thousands of years. It’s just a simple root vegetable that’s also been used in Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine (yoga’s sister science). Its star ingredient, curcumin is what makes turmeric a truly powerful supplement for everyone. If you experience any kind of inflammation, as most of us do, turmeric is what you want to take to keep that inflammation in check. This is important, because out of hand inflammation can lead to a number of serious disease processes. 

Heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, joint pain, issues of digestion, and even cancer all arise due to chronic inflammation that’s not gone away over time. Chronic inflammation leads to premature aging, something that can actually be prevented simply by taking a high-quality turmeric supplement daily. The health of your skin, hair, and nails over the long-term can be greatly enhanced by a turmeric supplement. And if you’re prone to joint pain, this is your go-to natural remedy, as turmeric promotes joint health and reduces joint-related pain. 

What you need to look for when buying a turmeric supplement is the star ingredient, curcumin. But, you also need to look for black pepper on the label? Why? Because black pepper makes the curcumin in turmeric that much more effective. It’s really interesting how nature’s medicine cabinet works in harmony with one another to heal. There’s a truly innate intelligence once we discover what it is. 

Gut-solution for digestive health

Many people swear by taking probiotics. And Ayurvedic medicine deems digestive health the most important part of overall health. Probiotics have been proven to solve gut issues, and prevent digestive issues from ever happening in the first place. And whenever you take an antibiotic, you absolutely need to take a probiotic to replenish the healthy gut bacteria that gets wiped out when you take a full round of antibiotics. 

Your digestive health truly is paramount to your overall health. And taking a really good gut solution probiotic is always a good idea, even if you don’t have any current digestive health issues that you know of. And if you do, a great digestive supplement will work wonders. When looking for a probiotic supplement, you want to find one with clinically proven ingredients that promise to support all the keys to healthy digestion. These include regular bowel movements, for starters. Consistent and sustainable weight loss is also a result of maintaining proper gut health. So is a high functioning immune system. And high and sustainable energy levels. 

You really can’t go wrong by taking a high-quality probiotic supplement, and it’s a great idea to get through flu season. 

Greens to boost your nutrient load

Do you eat enough greens in your diet? Chances are, you probably don’t. This is where a really high-quality greens supplement comes into play. Green powders are super easy to consume. All you need to do is add a scoop to a smoothie, a glass of water, or even to a soup, and you have your daily greens recommendation for the day. 

We have a greens supplement that contains 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables. The nutrient-rich superfoods in this green supplement powder help you lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight by boosting your metabolism. In fact, there are eleven different kinds of superfoods in our Greens Nutrition supplement. This means your immune system gets an incredible boost. Fight fatigue with a greens supplement. Lose weight with a greens supplement by controlling hunger and curbing cravings. 

An immune builder

An immune boosting supplement is going to contain high amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C is hands down the most important nutrient for immune health. You need lots of it to ward off unwanted viruses and bacteria. Your body typically needs to take it in supplement form, because it doesn’t make it on its own. You can get loads of vitamin C from the foods you eat. And that’s always my first choice. But, sometimes that’s just not enough—especially during cold and flu season, a.k.a. fall and winter in the northern hemisphere. 

Once November rolls around, I start taking an immune boosting vitamin C supplement, one that contains a huge dose of vitamin C from ascorbic acid, as well as vitamin E and selenium. When certain vitamins and minerals are taken together in the form of an immune boosting supplement, their coming together creates a powerful alchemical effect that increases its efficacy. 

A potent immune boosting supplement needs to include plenty of antioxidants to protect your cells against the free radical damage that occurs simply from being alive in this day and age. There are plenty of antioxidant-rich foods, but just like vitamin C, your body often needs to consume those foods plus a supplement to receive optimum benefits. 

Our immune system often weakens over time, and needs an immune building supplement to boost it back to its normal way of functioning. The ingredients in Applied Science Nutrition’s Immune Support helps your inflammatory response, meaning, the immune system responds more effectively to environmental toxins. It’s an ideal supplement for the winter, and one that I’ll be taking each day. 

Omega-3’s for cognitive health

By now, you probably know just how beneficial a good omega-3 supplement is for your heart and brain. Unless you’re eating loads of salmon and sardines on a daily basis, you’re likely in need of an essential fatty acid supplement. When looking for one, make sure it contains both EPA and DHA. These fatty acids will ensure your heart stays protected. 

Your mental well being also needs EPA and DHA. These essential fatty acids help prevent brain fog, memory loss, and even the more serious diseases of cognition like dementia and Alzheimer’s. In addition to the known benefits having to do with heart health and cognitive health, an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement also promotes joint health. These fatty acids are inherently anti-inflammatory in nature, making them helpful when it comes to arthritis and chronic joint pain. 

Vitamin D

While you can get vitamin D from your multivitamin, you might need a stand alone vitamin D supplement, especially over the winter. We typically don’t get the amount of vitamin D we need from our environment during the winter. And because having enough vitamin D in our body is crucial for warding off flu bugs, it’s an essential supplement for all women. When choosing a vitamin D supplement, look for one that has at least 1,000 mg of this essential nutrient. 

I hope all you beautiful women now have a better idea of what you should be taking on a regular basis. Now, more than ever, we must take control of our health. Sovereignty is always best when it comes to our body! And taking these supplements is a powerful way to take charge!