While supplements are never a substitute for a healthy diet, let’s face it, we don’t eat perfectly 100% of the time. In addition, the modern food industry has problematically damaged and altered the quality of some of our foods making them less nutrient dense than they used to be.

Everyday stress, overwhelm and exposure to environmental stressors – like toxins in our food, water and air – can deplete our bodies of nutrients faster than we can replenish them. Daily supplements then become a great insurance policy against phytochemical decline.

So what exactly should we be taking?

To multivitamin or to not? The answer can vary a lot depending on your situation. A multivitamin isn’t necessarily a bad idea but you should be striving to get the majority of your nutrients from your food. If your gut health is in check, your microbiome is balanced and your diet is rich in a variety of healthy whole foods, taking a multivitamin in theory could just be resulting in expensive pee (meaning an excess the body doesn’t need is going to be eliminated). But assuming you’re new to your journey and don’t have a great baseline diet yet, a multivitamin can be a good choice.

Supplement choices are vast and can be overwhelming. Your integrative doctor or naturopath can recommend quality brands but if you are sifting through the aisles on your own there are a few key things to remember. Always look for high quality supplements that are non-GMO, free of fillers, additives and known allergens like soy or gluten. Also, try to choose plant based rather than synthetic sources whenever possible. Natural is better.

Health food stores or high quality food stores, like Whole Foods, are good choices when shopping for supplements and will have knowledgeable staff on hand to help make the right choices. Reputable online stores are another source and many carry top brands otherwise sold by licensed physicians like Metagenics, Integrative Therapeutics and Pure Encapsulations.

My Top 4 Recommendations:

Vitamin D3 – even those living in perpetually sunny climates may not have enough Vitamin D. Vitamin D levels can be easily tested by your doctor to get an adequate representation of your levels but the typical daily recommended intake is 2000-4000 international units. Look for a Vitamin D3 with added Vitamin K2 to aid absorption and lessen the risk of calcium being redirected from the bones to the arteries and soft tissues.

My recommendation: Thorne Research - Vitamin D-1,000

Available through a practitioner or quality online source.

Omega 3 Fatty Acid - our bodies cannot make essential fatty acids on their own so we must get this nutrient from our food. Yet most of our diets are lacking in adequate amounts of the foods that contain this EFA which prevents inflammation and boosts cellular health. While commonly sold as a fish oil supplement, excellent plant-based alternatives are available and prevent any unpleasant fishy aftertaste. Dosage is generally based on body weight so consult the dosage guideline provided with the product.

My recommendation: Pure Life Science - Pure Form Omega Natural

Magnesium – magnesium supports healthy bones, detoxifies, balances mood and aids in restful sleep. Look for magnesium glycinate unless you struggle with constipation in which case supplementing with magnesium citrate can help.

My recommendation: Integrative Therapeutics - Magnesium Glyncinate

Available through a practitioner or quality online source.

Probiotic – probiotics help preserve a healthy gut environment by increasing the amount of our friendly bacteria and keeping the unfriendly bacteria at bay. If possible, work with a functional medicine practitioner or naturopath to have your gut bacteria checked through a simple stool test. Testing will give you an idea of the balance of bacteria in your system and allow you to look for a probiotic high in the good bacteria you are lacking. In addition, look for a probiotic with a specialized delivery system that allows safe transport of the probiotic cells to the intestine without first being compromised by stomach acid. Take one to two probiotics daily with food.

My recommendation: Solluna by Kimberly Snyder - Feel Good SBO+ Probiotics