I was always slightly bemused by people taking supplements –what can these little tablets do to help you? If you eat well surely you shouldn’t need anything extra?
This may be the case but in the last few years I have started taking, and been converted to the value of two supplements – and ant to focus on one of those in particular.
Let me just start by clarifying – this is not a sales pitch! I don’t work for Herbalife, Forever Living, Juice Plus or any other company. I don’t believe that taking a tablet every day can get the nutrients of 30 different fruits into your body. You need to eat proper food, a variety of foods and actual foods with lots of colour in them in order to look and feel good. This being said taken in conjunction with a good diet some supplements can add benefit. A multi vitamin is a no brainer just to ensure you get anything you might have missed from your diet that day (like having a protein shake to increase your protein intake). The other supplement with huge benefits in fish oil.
I started taking fish oil a few years ago whilst I was suffering badly with depression. I was on anti-depressants and had tried several types without finding one that suited me. I had never been one to try alternative therapies but I was at a point where I didn’t feel I had anything to lose so I bought a self-help book and tried the things it suggested- including taking a high dose of fish oil.
Obviously it took time and a lot more than just some fish oil to get better but I think it made a difference and I have continued to take the supplement ever since and I notice the drop in my mood if I forget to take it for a few days.
Apart from being proven to a help alleviate depression and anxiety it has shown to potentially have numerous other benefits including: reducing the risk of diabetes / cancer / cardiovascular diseases, improving brain function, increasing your sex drive, improving fertility, improving the condition of skin and hair, helping the immune system and even helping manage your weight.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money- the pots of vitamins which some companies charge £10 plus for will provide nothing that you can’t get from a supermarket own brand. The one thing I would mention about fish oil is it comes in different doses and you need to establish how much you want to take and then work out how many tablets you need to take from there (ideally you want to take as few tablets as possible to hit your daily dose). You can buy fish oil in a bottle (in case you don’t like taking tablets) however be warned fish oil in this form TASTES LIKE FISH OIL.
If you are considering taking any supplements I’d recommend this be something you look at.
Heather Sherwood Fitness 