Being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease is no fun, and neither are its symptoms. Let’s face it, it sucks! One of the main issues I had to deal with before I was diagnosed was debilitating fatigue. Even after treatment, though I felt better (far better than what I expected and far sooner), I was still tired – more than I should have been.
That fatigue came from my body being malnourished. Yes, you can live in America and be malnourished. As a matter of fact, according to the The Guardian, 85 percent of Americans lack essential nutrients and suffer with what’s called “hidden hunger”. Webster’s dictionary defines hidden hunger as “A nutritional deficiency caused by lack of balance in an otherwise full diet”.
Why Supplements are Important
I’ll tell you now that if it were not for supplements I would not be able to do what I do in my daily life effectively. Fatigue would set in and without doubt my brain would be so foggy it would resemble the San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge on it’s foggiest day.
Without supplements my brain would be so foggy weather reports would be given about it. Without supplements my brain would be so foggy people would offer me a raincoat from the mist coming from it. Without..well, I think you get it by now (lol). Enough of the one liners already.
Listen, it’s important to get as many of our nutrients from real food as often and as much as possible. Yet, I admit I love a good grass-fed cheeseburger and Lord help me if I get some chili cheese fries.
But if I’m looking to live a life where I have the energy to kick my heels up everyday and to have a healthy, clear thinking brain I can’t eat that all the time and I need to counteract my grass-fed burger and chili cheese fries treat days as well as my overall health with supplements.
Supplements can play a vital role in making sure we get the full spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals we otherwise lack in our diet. They can help take you from “meh” to “yeah!”.
If you decide to add vitamins into your “diet” do your due diligence and make sure what you’re taking is bioavailable (easily absorbed) and free of additives as much as possible. Here are some of my top 7 supplements to help boost energy, fight fatigue, and banish brain fog.
- B Complex – This is a combination of eight vitamins that are essential for converting food into fuel. Low energy, brain fog, and moodiness are common symptoms of B vitamin deficiencies.
- Magnesium – A mineral that has numerous benefits including fighting fatigue, calming nerves, assisting with quality sleep, and cardiovascular disease.
- Chlorella – Is a “super food” that is an algae and helps the body to detox from metals and can be used medicinally to treat such ailments as cancer, reduce the side effects of radiation, boost immunity, and fight fatigue. I take this in pill form or sometimes buy the powder and put it in my smoothies. I notice that for me chlorella also helps curb my appetite as well as helps me from getting bloated. Be sure you buy the purest form of Chlorella as there are some not so pure brands out there.
- Ashwaganda – An herb I can’t live without. This powerful herb revitalizes, helps to lower the stress hormone cortisol, and balances thyroid hormones.
- Bacopa Monnieri – Comes from a plant and is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. Let me tell you, this is a life saver for me, or I should say a brain saver. This powerful plant is tremendously helpful in relieving stress and for combating brain fog and boosting memory.
- Gingko Biloba – Is a plant and is another powerful brain booster that is my second “go-to” for helping fight brain fog. Studies show it assists with opening up blood vessels in the brain thereby allowing better circulation.
- Co Enzyme Q10 – I’m cheating on this one a little because it’s not actually a supplement but rather a substance found in every cell in the human body. Available as a supplement it helps to generate energy between cells. It can improve blood cholesterol levels as well as play a significant role in the use of oxygen and energy production thereby creating more energy in the body.
By adding one or more of these supplements into your daily routine you can expect increased energy, less fatigue, better stress management, less brain fog and clearer thinking, and perhaps even a couple of unwanted pounds shed. Just remember to talk with your health care practitioner before starting any vitamin or supplement regimen. And after you get the go ahead, make sure you read label instructions and be consistent. As I always tell you, consistency is key in making long term changes in your health and happiness.
Cheers, until next time!
