It amazes me how the Health and Fitness industry, just like every other industry, continues to change and grow as time goes by and new information, practices and testimonies come forth. One of my biggest pet peeves though, is how noisy this industry has become, with inexperienced individuals jumping online to make their voices heard and share practices they aren’t even committed to themselves. It’s hard to know who to trust and who actually cares about your health versus those who are simply trying to grow their platform.
For me, health will always be more than the latest trend to jump onto. It is also much more than simply looking good or “appearing healthy” on the outside. True health is about feeling great, strong and capable internally and having your outer appearance naturally reflect that wellness to the world around you. When your body functions and performs the way it is designed to, it’s hard to not emanate that joy and glow to the onlooking world! I believe that to “have health” truly is to “have wealth” and, as anyone who has personally experienced their body being unwell will know, when your body is happy and thriving, you are automatically set up to live a happier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
As a Wellness Entrepreneur, Pilates Expert, Business Owner, Social Media Personality, wife and mom, I know how busy life can be and the effort it takes to prioritize my own health. I’ve been committed to my personal health journey since I was 21 years old when doctors could no longer provide answers to what I was experiencing. Since then I have continued to do my own research, implement simple lifestyle changes, and ensure that I am doing everything I can to keep my body strong and healthy to live out the life I know I was made for.
Because health will always be a topic of interest for me, I am constantly reading new material and diving into new topics of conversation. I was recently reading a book that spoke about the supplement world and I was left with some pretty interesting thoughts to chew on. The book emphasized how supplements were, in essence, a “shortcut for the lazy.” This perspective intrigued me and after spending more time doing personal research, I was left with an awareness that some people view supplements as a cheat sheet to achieving optimal health.
While I can appreciate this newfound perspective on supplements, I know it is a much bigger conversation to have. Supplements, in my opinion, are exactly what their name states - something that you supplement into your diet and routine to support your overall health and functioning. They are meant to be an addition to one’s health routine - not the foundation of it.
I am a supplement user and know countless individuals in my own Health and Fitness world who are also committed to and have invested in quality supplements for long periods of their lives. Personally, I believe supplements have their own brilliant place in a comprehensive wellness routine; exercise and fitness target wellness from the outside in, while supplementation targets health from the inside out.
I am realizing more that supplements, just like anything else, also have a “best-case scenario” experience. There are many variables that come into play, including the time of day, what foods you take alongside your supplements, which beverages increase nutrient absorption, which beverages inhibit absorption, the impact of smoking, etc.
Supplementation may be viewed as an easy “guarantee” of certain nutrients or health benefits but the reality is, just like anything else health and fitness related, the user needs to have a basic level of knowledge around what they are doing and how to maximize their results and experience. A few things I am intentional about include being aware of which practices in my life work together for my overall health and which practices are counter-acting or unable to work together to help me get the results I am working towards.
When it comes to what I eat and drink, I am aware, now more than ever, that a woman’s body functions differently and has different needs compared to a man’s! (See my last blog post for a recent change I've made to one of my 3-year-long routines!) I have been introduced to a world where understanding the unique differences between men's and women’s nutrient needs and fasting routines has given me the insight I need to sharpen up my own routine and make simple changes that cater to my physiological needs as a woman. Now that I am aware of the importance of changing routines with the new information that is always coming out, here are some of my favorite tips around supplementation.
- Our bodies need 13 vitamins to function properly. Yes, you read that right, 13! 9 of those vitamins are water-soluble and the other 4 are fat-soluble. Just by knowing which vitamins are water-soluble and which are fat-soluble, you can increase the impact of each vitamin you take simply by pairing that vitamin with the food or drinks that best work alongside them! Being intentional to take your vitamins either with water or with healthy fats (like coconut oil in your coffee or greek yogurt at breakfast, etc) allows you to increase the nutrient absorption your body receives from that supplement and therefore impact your overall health. ~ See the chart at the end of this blog for the categorization of the 13 vitamins!
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Alongside knowing WHAT to take your vitamins with, some vitamins are actually better for your morning routine, while others are most effective as part of your nightly routine. This means that WHEN you take your vitamins also matters!
As a general rule of thumb, water-soluble vitamins (see chart below) are taken best in the morning, on an empty stomach, and as their categorization suggests, with water.
Multivitamins, prenatal vitamins and certain fat-soluble vitamins are also great for being part of your morning routine. They work best when taken alongside a meal or snack that contains healthy fat. This could be avocado toast, eggs, cream in your coffee, chia pudding, etc. There are lots of fun options to pair your fat-soluble vitamins with!
Vitamin E, specifically, is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that is best taken at nighttime! This is because of vitamin E’s neuroprotective effect, which means it works towards the recovery and regeneration of the nervous system, including the cells and function of your body. If you take Vitamin E in the evening, it is absorbed by your body while you sleep, providing extra support to help care for and repair your body while you rest.
- Another valuable tip for those of us who use supplements to strengthen our routine is to be aware that stress plays a role in nutrient absorption! It’s crazy to think about but since stress affects your body, it is important to note that stress can impact your digestive function and therefore, result in you receiving less from the vitamins and supplements you are taking. By knowing this truth and intentionally incorporating healthy stress-management strategies in your life, you can impact your mental health and your physical health! This is a two-for-one strategy that will drive an impact on both your short-term and long-term health journey!
To all of you who are following along and hungry to learn new tips and tricks to improve your overall health and routines, I am proud of and grateful for you! You are invested in making a difference in your life and I hope you will quickly see how small changes result in large transformations.
I’ve put together a quick supplement reference chart to help you know WHAT to pair your vitamins with and WHEN is ideal to take your vitamin supplements in order to get the most from them.
Type of Vitamin |
Category |
Best Time of Day to Take |
What to Take it With |
| Multivitamins | Varies | Morning | Meal/Snack with Healthy Fats |
| Prenatal Vitamins | Varies | Morning | Depends on Morning Sickness - Usually best with a Meal/Snack with Healthy Fats |
| Vitamin C | Water-Soluble | Any Time | Water |
| B Vitamins | All 8 B Vitamins are Water-soluble | Morning | Water and a meal/snack |
| Vitamins A, D, K | Fat-Soluble | Morning or Evening | Meal/Snack with Healthy Fats |
| Vitamin E | Fat-Soluble | Evening | Meal/Snack with Healthy Fats |
Resources:
https://www.activeiron.com/blog/best-time-to-take-vitamins/
