Five Key Products for your Health Foundation
Establishing a strong foundation for your health is paramount to reducing your risk of disease down the road. The research is clear that nutrition is the greatest determining factor in whether or not you will live a long, healthy life. Taking a few simple steps now will not only help support any immediate health challenges but could potentially save you enormous sums of money in health care costs in the future. I have chosen the five most important products that have the greatest potential to support health and wellness.
High-Quality Omega 3 Fatty Acids: EPA/DHA
Our current diet is greatly deficient in high-quality omega-3’s, especially those rich in EPA and DHA. A balance of healthy omegas is critical to many key areas of our health, including our brain, cardiovascular, and immune systems. This nutrient group is quite possibly the most important addition for the overall population. EPA/DHA greatly reduces the risk of death from heart disease and all causes (1) while promoting cognitive function (2) and protecting brain health (3). Omega 3’s have also shown a significant impact on reducing the risk of certain cancers (4).
I have used various forms of fish oils rich in EPA and DHA, always seeking to find the highest quality product available. Currently, that product is Omega MonoPure EC, an iFOS five-star certified fish oil. The iFOS certification ensures the world’s highest standards for purity, potency, and freshness, which is critical when it comes to fish oil. Sourced in Scandinavia, this form of fish oil is certified non-GMO, sustainable and antibiotic free. Additionally, Omega Monopure incorporates a patented lipid absorption technology called MaxSimil. Basically, this changes the form of the fats, making EPA and DHA smaller and simpler. Doing so allows them to bypass the body’s normal fat digestion process so they are more easily and readily absorbed (24).
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D is a nutrient we’ve known about for a long time, but its story turns out to be far more complex than just preventing rickets, the bone disease that remains a childhood disease in some of the world’s poorest countries. Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system, is anti-inflammatory, and is critical for hormone function. In order for a hormone to bind to our DNA to unlock certain genes, vitamin D is a necessary cofactor that helps it attach. Without it, our hormones don’t function as well. The activity of vitamin D is crucial in every disease from inhibiting cancer (5) and heart disease (6), to mental health (7), recurrent infections (8,9), tooth loss (10), osteoporosis (11), and autoimmunity (12). The importance of maintaining adequate levels can’t be overstated enough.
Sun exposure is the ideal source of vitamin D, but for most of us, sunlight itself is not enough; our bodies require us to obtain vitamin D from other sources. My dosage recommendations for vitamin D are based on research that has clarified the required vitamin D blood levels necessary to significantly reduce the risk of numerous diseases. I have yet to see a patient’s blood level fall in the ideal range of 60-90 ng/mL without supplemental vitamin D. I prefer to use an emulsified form that offers 2,000 IU of D3 per drop because it is highly bioavailable, more affordable, and it is easy to adjust dosage while monitoring blood levels. Quality options are Hi-Po Emulsi-D3 or Bio-D-Mulsion Forte.
Quality Probiotics
As Hippocrates stated more than 2,000 years ago, “all disease begins in the gut”. He knew this without any knowledge of the microbiome, or the functions it serves necessary for life. The microbiome consists of 100+ trillion organisms coming from 35,000+ different microbial species, outnumbering our own cells 10 to 1, and our genetics 360 to 1! These microbes help regulate the immune system, produce digestive enzymes, protect us from pathogens, make B vitamins and vitamin K, regulate metabolism and maintain the barrier function and integrity of the cells lining the GI tract. (13) Unfortunately, the microbiome is under constant attack from a number of enemies, leading to disruption and imbalance, which is known as dysbiosis. Known contributors to dysbiosis include poor dietary choices (14), alcohol (15), pesticides and herbicides (16,17), various food additives (17), GMOs (19), antibiotic overuse (20), stress (21) and a number of environmental toxins (22).
Supporting the gut and microbiome through a balanced plant-based, whole foods diet is number one. In addition, the research is clear that quality supplemental probiotics have positive influences on numerous areas of health (23). I say quality here, as many probiotics available at your local health food store are not manufactured in a way to resist degradation upon entering the stomach. In addition, many of these products don’t have nearly the number of colony forming units (CFU’s) to be clinically effective. I have many quality options available in my online dispensary as different situations may call for certain formulations. That said, when choosing a probiotic for general health, diversity is key, and you want one that contains 30-50 billion CFU’s. Strengtia or ProbioMax DF are excellent options at just 1 capsule per day.
Anti-Oxidants
There are currently over 80,000 chemicals used in North America contributing to a large increase in the number of environmental toxins that one is exposed to. Many of these chemicals and toxins have been designed for convenience and to improve profitability without thought of their long-term effects on human health and the environment. It has been stated that 90% of all chronic and serious illnesses could be prevented if we were able to eliminate the 600 most dangerous environmental toxins (Dr. J. Higgensen, Head of Cancer Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland).
Regardless of how healthy one may think they are, they need anti-oxidant support. Our own anti-oxidant systems are only capable of doing so much, and once that capacity is reached, we have no defense for the damage inflicted by these environmental toxins. Fortunately, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of naturally occurring anti-oxidant compounds known to help support the body in the neutralization and elimination of free radicals created by dangerous chemicals.
We have two excellent options for anti-oxidants. The first is Nanogreens, a tasty greens drink that offers concentrated, high quality, broad spectrum, phytonutrients and anti-oxidants. This is one of our most popular products. Mixing one scoop with water 30 minutes before breakfast or lunch is the best way to use this drink. You may even find that when doing this in the morning you won’t feel the need for coffee or tea.
The other option is Ultimate Antiox Full Spectrum, the most comprehensive anti-oxidant product I have found. This powerhouse formula combines some of nature’s most potent herbs and spices, along with other well-researched antioxidant compounds. These ingredients were selected due to their ability to protect both water-based and lipid-based body structures and compounds, including cell membranes, LDL cholesterol, proteins, and enzymes. A good preventative dose would be 3 capsules with breakfast.
Max B-ND
It is impossible to easily get the complete family of B vitamins and cofactors from our current food supply. Max B-ND is still the highest quality, thoroughly comprehensive B vitamin complex I have found. Every aspect of our health is affected by numerous members of the B family, including but not limited to brain function, heart health, energy levels, nervous system balance, skin, immune, hair, and liver health and detoxification. It is no surprise that this is the number one selling product in the clinic, as patients often experience a greater sense of well being, increased energy levels and improved brain function within a matter of days after starting Max B-ND. I recommend patients start with a half teaspoon mixed in water with breakfast and lunch.
The above are 5 of the most important products to build and maintain a solid health foundation. I can recommend these to every patient and every patient’s family members. In fact, these are also highly recommended for your children. I can confidently say this is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your kids. These products will support their brain function in school, and their energy and coordination for sports or any physical activity. I personally take all of the above and much more.
Of course there are many more products to choose from when maximizing one’s health and minimizing disease risk. This is where I develop a personalized wellness program for most of my patients, taking into account their health goals, family history, personal history, functional diagnosis and how much they want to invest in their health.
If you are taking any prescription medications, please send me an email to determine if there are any contraindications with the above supplements. For example, Nanogreens should not be used while taking a statin.
Please be consistent with your Foundational Health and let me know if you have any questions about the above.