As many of you know, I have a special doctor who is truly most interested in preventing health problems in the future for me and my husband.  Recently, Chuck and I attended one of Dr. Leslie Emhoff’s seminars; and this one was about supplements and what we should be taking for optimal health.

 

 

Here is a list of his recommended top five:

1.  Vitamin D3–  This essential vitamin lowers risks of heart disease, cancers, stroke, diabetes, Parkinson’s, weight gain, depression, and death. It may also help reverse muscle mass loss in menopausal women (Sao Paulo). After menopause, both vitamin D and magnesium deficiencies are a problem for women. When taking Vitamin D, we are less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s. Vitamin D deficiency could also be linked to Type 1 diabetes and allergies. 5,000-10,000 IU is his recommendation for daily use.

2. Probiotics – counteract inflammation and produce a ton of micronutrients that your body needs. 80% of your melatonin is produced in your gut; so if your gut is messed up, you have a problem. He suggested 50 billion units. And do not make the mistake I did and take it out of its capsule to pour its contents in your smoothie. Take the capsule whole. I take mine early in the morning.

3. Curcumin (turmeric). This supplement fights inflammation, which they are finding leads to dementia. It helps create cell growth in the brain and can stimulate neuron connections.    It expresses genes, when stress and toxins are a problem. It helps turn on good genes and turn off the bad ones. Suggested use: 500-800 mg extract daily.

4. Magnesium – depletion of this leads to diabetes, fatigue, migraines, osteoporosis, plus many more problems. Magnesium activates over 300 enzymes in our bodies.   Chronic stress and aging lead to lower levels. Highly processed foods add to why our levels are so low today.   It is also further depleted by soft drinks and sweets.   Magnesium affects cellular energy production. The magnesium levels in our bodies are hard to measure because only 1% of it is in our blood.  Make sure it is citrate, so your body will absorb it.  Magnesium oxide does not work at all for me.  I’ve read that other forms of magnesium are a problem, too.  250-700 magnesium citrate at bedtime.

Don’t make my mistake.  I used to take mine in the morning and kept getting sleepy by early afternoon.  It affects your circadian rhythm.  I took magnesium to help me sleep better.  I wrote an earlier post on this called How Our Circadian Rhythms Affect Our Ability to Sleep

5. Vitamin K2 – modulates.  It is the traffic director for calcium.  It keeps it out of your blood stream and directs it into your bones.  It is usually manufactured by probiotics in your gut. We get it naturally from fermented products like sauerkraut. 90-100 mcg a day

Wellness medicine is different from illness medicine.  My doctor refocused his practice not just to diagnose and treat illness, but to also deliver personalized preventative health care. This seminar on what supplements we should be taking was part of his new focus.