Dietary supplements are hard to trust. There are so many that offer only vague certainty that what’s in them is actually in them and what quantities they actually contain can be difficult to determine. Mislabeling in store bought pills is rampant!
This doesn’t mean that you should stop using these natural supplements. They are a great way to reduce inflammation, promote your metabolism, and can even do things like stave off the effects of anxiety, prevent cancer, or reduce pain. Here are a few ways to include some of the awesome natural supplements into your food.
Turmeric
Turmeric is awesome. It’s an anti-inflammatory that offers a wide variety of possible benefits. That means that it could help everything from lowered cancer risk to delaying diabetes. Luckily it’s also delicious, can be used to make a DIY face mask, and brighten your teeth. A great way to get enough turmeric into your body to have actual effects is by starting your day with golden milk. You can also roast veggies with it, add it to soups, create curries, and all of above. It’s better to eat your turmeric than it is to be stuck with the unknown tablets.
Tart Cherries
Tart cherries are great for you, but can be expensive if purchased out of season or flown in. These particular cherries have a high melatonin content and offer higher than the average cherry anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Because of the limited growing area and less than awesome taste, taking tart cherry juice is a really convenient way to get in year-round benefits. You just straight up drink it (especially great for post-workout), add dried ones to oatmeal in the morning (super awesome with a teaspoon of dark cocoa nibs), or any of these 5 awesome ways to mow through this diet-booster.
Hemp-Based CBD Oils
CBD is the new kid on the scene for dietary supplements. It’s to 2016 what kale was to 2012. It’s a natural cannabinoid that can be derived from the non-psychoactive industrial hemp. It’s anti-inflammatory, legal in all 50 states, antibacterial, and SUPER helpful as a neuroprotectant. It contains a lot of the benefits of marijuana that hippies on the bus talk about, without all the illegality and being high. You can purchase it in pill form, use the oil in food (really make your yogurt awesome with CBD oil, honey, and turmeric), or even vape it. CBD oil has a ton of potential benefits. Take advantage of those by dosing your food and water with a little bit every day. It’s way cheaper than taking a pill.
Ginger and Ginseng
Seriously, skip the tablets, and just eat these power-packed pairs. Ginger helps alleviate nausea, lower blood pressure, and make cramps better. Ginseng does everything from fighting the common cold, to helping combat neurological aging (depending on the variety used). Together they make a great soup, a super tasty tea that can be enjoyed hot or cold, and even come very cheaply in powdered form if you want to make your own supplements at pennies on the dollar.
Eat Local
One of the best things you can do for your body is to eat local, in-season produce. Not only does is it better for the local economy and environment but it is also better for your wallet and health. Eating local in-season produce means eating produce that is at its peak nutritional content, is fresher, and engaged with the community around you. Farmer’s markets (or if your town is lucky enough to have a community market) are often cheaper. If there are no options like this in your area, adding food that can be foraged for, like morel mushrooms in the Northwest, or fishing for lionfish in Florida.
Eating local means your diet will have more emphasis on actual food, like fruit, vegetables, and wild caught meat. This can be a great way to refocus your diet on whole ‘real’ foods. Meaning less reliance on dietary aids to feel full and healthy.
Adding the easy tips outlined here into your diet, you can eliminate a plethora of subpar supplements and have real confidence in whatever your health journey is.
Featured photo credit: Dominique Godbout/https://www.flickr.com/photos/dominiquegodbout/ via flickr.com
