Food Not Supplements

Have you ever counted the number of supplements you take and thought it excessive? Have you ever wondered if you were wasting your money, or mixing things that shouldn’t be mixed?  I’ve taken as many as 20 pills at once and wondered what my stomach must be going through digesting all that at once.

The supplement market is booming with sales through the roof.  Totally unregulated, these companies can make any promise they want. Most prey upon unsuspecting, many times desperate people.   I am one of those people who has purchased so much stuff on my quest to be healthy.  I have taken enzymes, herbal supplements, hormone replacements, vitamins, shakes and the list goes on.  I have spent a small fortune on this stuff and taken it unquestionably.

I’ve been to several nutritionists and doctors, each with their own list of stuff for me to buy and take.  Each sold me on the magic pill to solve my problems.  It didn’t matter that I was asking them for help in fixing my dietary habits.  It didn’t matter that I said I wanted to get my health on track through food choices.  Each time I was told that wasn’t possible without supplementation.   I even remember going once to JennyCraig and telling them no thanks when I looked at the ingredients in their food. At that time I was already cooking from scratch with whole foods.  They became extremely unsure and defensive when I asked to see the ingredient list for their foods.

When I started to do research about supplements, I became quite disturbed.  I could actually be doing far more harm than good by taking all this stuff.  It was time I faced the thing I was trying to avoid. My food choices were horrible and no amount of supplementation could ever fix that.  There were just way too many pills going into my body and it had to stop.   My first step was to get a true picture of what my body needed, or was lacking.  I went to an anti-aging doctor and had a full battery of tests, including blood, saliva and urine analysis. Then a profile was created to show my levels of vitamins, minerals, cholesterol, hormones, etc.

Through that process, I learned exactly what supplementation, if any my body needed.  I learned that many of the vitamins we take just pass through our bodies without absorption, literally money down the toilet.  I learned most people are Vitamin D deficient and it is a fallacy  to think the sun alone will take care of that.  I learned that you can indeed get what your body needs from food, but it can’t be genetically altered, or hormone laden.

I buy whole food whenever possible. I buy grass fed, hormone free meat. I have eliminated almost all dairy. I do eat hormone free fresh mozzarella.  Not sure I can give that up.  Whenever possible I buy the goat version.  I take Vitamin D (with K2 to insure absorption) and two herbal supplements to support my adrenals which are in late stage adrenal fatigue.  I drink one PowerShake a day (organic full fat coconut milk 8oz, handful of organic (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry whatever I have), half organic banana, tsp vanilla, two ice cubes) and one “green” whole food shake (Purium) made with two scoops of greens mixed with water.   That’s it. All the rest comes from good, clean, delicious food. I cook all my meals and they do not come in cans, bags or jars.

I am sleeping slightly better and when I recheck my levels (every 6 months), I’ve been mostly in good levels.   Vitamin D was hard to get in range and my hormones have had some fluctuations, but otherwise I’m in a good place.  I’m urging you to take inventory of your pills. What are you putting in your body today?   If you are swallowing a ton of pills, it’s time to pause, learn and change.

Author: Laura Kump

I'm on a mission to reclaim my health. Life and a high stress job led me to forming many unhealthy habits, leaving me living in fear for my future self. Using a science based plan, I made small changes that have helped me achieve better health and fitness and put me on the path to meet my goals. As a certified health coach, I make healthy living accessible for all by keeping it simple. Many times health can feel overly complicated, but I've found ways to show people that small targeted changes can empower them to live healthier lifestyles. For instance, traffic light eating can totally change your lives. Knowledge is a super power and I look forward to sharing it with you. View all posts by Laura Kump