I thought I’d share a quick post on my current prenatal supplementation if you’re interested!
Below is everything I take on the regular to help my baby girl grow big & strong & keep us both healthy. All of these can be taken by men & women (except for the prenatal–you might grow man-boobs gentlemen–hehe kidding) & ladies, you don’t need to be pregnant or breastfeeding! I always thought prenatals were STRICTLY for pregnant women & I had no business taking them. But really, they’re just a great multivitamin for any woman 18-menopause! (come menopause our bodies have a different set of needs in regards to vitamin supplementation)
First things first, that prenatal:
Basic Prenatal – Thorne: This brand is known to use pure quality ingredients, so many multivitamins on the market contain all kinds of fillers & additives & are not giving you what the label claims. Dr. Rhonda Patrick, I follow a lot of her work, dug up numerous studies on the testing of various supplement brands & found this one to be far superior than pretty much all of them on the market! I also liked that this one contained Folate, not Folic Acid. They’re used interchangeably but Folic Acid is the man-made synthetic version whereas Folate is the natural form found in many different foods but most abundantly in leafy vegetables. They’re both forms of Vitamin B9 which is very important during pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects.
Algae Omega – Nordic Naturals: This is the Omega-3 supplement I’m taking to get those precious fatty acids. I didn’t realize my prenatal didn’t have any omega-3’s until my 2nd trimester, which is when I started taking this. I did SO much research on omega-3 fatty acids–I might actually do a separate blog post on this. My OB advised me to take a ‘vegetarian’ capsule because of mercury, which lead me down a giant, endless rabbit hole of omega-3 research. Another supplement, had I known all the benefits, I would have been taking long ago, Especially since I’m not a big fish eater. One serving of this contains 715mg of omega-3’s–390mg of DHA & 195mg of EPA. This is a little lower than I would prefer, so after taking it for a couple months I increased to 1.5 servings.
The above two I take everyday without question. The next four aren’t necessarily in my daily regimen, just when I need a boost.
Vitamin D3 – Nature’s Bounty: It’s summer, my dog Tonky & I have our daily walks & I usually only wear sunscreen on my face for those walks (sunscreen blocks the bodies ability to absorb vitamin D) & my prenatal has some. So most days I get adequate vitamin D, but for those cloudy days, or the days I just don’t spend any time outside, I will take a serving of Vitamin D. 1 soft gel has 125mcg (5,000 IU). Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium–which we all know is important for strong bones (especially as we age). But it also helps with brain health, immune function & may even help prevent cancer formation. So if you live in a sun-less climate or don’t get outdoors much, this one might be worth supplementing!
Cal-Mag Citrate – Thorne: I actually LOVE this product. This is a calcium – magnesium – vitamin C effervescent powder. Magnesium is a SUPER important mineral in our bodies, I won’t go into depth, but it can help with leg cramps, insomnia, high blood pressure, diabetes, migraines (just to name a few) & this particular type, magnesium citrate, can help with regularity, if you know what I mean. 😉 I personally notice a more restful sleep when I take it before bed, and it has definitely been helping with leg cramps. I also like that it has vitamin C & calcium. #win
Green Superfood – Amazing Grass: Ya know those days when, come dinner time you realize you haven’t had a lot of (or any) vegetables all day. 🙄 Asking for a friend… (crickets)…..well, enter green superfoods. Although my prenatal does contain a lot of these nutrients, on those days my diet is lagging, I feel a little less like a POS when I consume this!
Psyllium Husk – Kirkland brand: This is just a straight psyllium husk powder in capsule form. I won’t beat around the bush with this one, it gets you to poop. Hey, things happen when you’re pregnant (even when you’re not pregnant) & sometimes you just need a little help in that department.
So that’s everything I am currently taking to supplement my sometimes not-so-healthy diet!
Comment or message me if you have any questions, I’d love to hear what you use to supplement your diet!