Not too long ago I wrote about the success I was having taking a sleeping supplement. Since then a number of my friends (Hi Nancy!) have inquired about my full supplement regime on my path to health. I change my routine here and there depending how I’m feeling but the following vitamins are generally my go-to base each day:
- 2000 mg Vitamin C
- Omega 3 Fish Oil
- 2000 IU Vitamin D3
- 1 capsule Iron
- 1 capsule B-Complex
- 2 capsules Magnesium
- 1 capsule Multivitamin
When do I take my vitamins?
I generally take all of the vitamins at once with breakfast with the exception of the Vitamin C. For that one, I take 1000 mg in the morning with my other vitamins and 1000 mg in the evening before bed. Most people take magnesium before bed to help with sleep, but for some reason it has the opposite effect on me and gives me insomnia! I suggest trying to take it in the AM and PM and see what works best for you.
Why do I take so many?
Each vitamin supports me in a different way. Ideally we would get all of our nutrients from the foods we eat but there are so many pesticides and soils are so depleted in nutrients that we don’t get everything we need unfortunately. I just try to eat as healthy as I can and add in vitamins to make me feel better. My naturopath recommended a lot of these for me.
Vitamin C is great for supporting the adrenals. If you feel anxious, tired, depressed, on edge, and can’t handle stress you could have adrenal fatigue like me. I’m working to support them with vitamin C, rest, and meditation.
Fish oil is is great for getting your healthy omegas 3s in. Omega 3 is often lacking in our diets and is an essential fatty acid that gives us energy and healthy skin!
Unless you live somewhere sunny year round, you’re probably deficient in vitamin D. I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and Vitamin D really helps me during the long, grey winters.
Not everyone needs to supplement Iron, it will depend on the results of a blood test. On my recent test my levels were really low (11! My naturopath wants my levels at around 70). She recommended I take an iron supplement daily and she will continue checking my iron levels every few months.
B-Complex is a another great vitamin for energy. I’ve really noticed a difference in my energy levels since I added this vitamin to my regime a couple months ago.
Magnesium was also recommended by my naturopath because of the issues I was having with sleep. When I first started taking it I noticed I would fall asleep faster. Now my sleep is better (I still use OrthoSleep but only maybe once a week now), so I’m not sure if that’s because of the magnesium or other lifestyle changes I’ve made. I may try phasing this one out and see if I notice a difference.
I’ve taken multivitamins all my life and think they are great for making sure we have a little of everything we need. Some of the vitamins I get extra of like Vitamin C, but in a multivitamin the dose is usually so low that I need to take extra anyways.
If you are thinking about trying some new supplements, I encourage you to speak with your doctor or naturopath first. I have found this is what works for me, but keep in mind I am not a doctor. I hope you enjoyed! I think I may expand on this post at a later date in terms of brands I like and how my health is improving with these vitamins. 🙂