7 Tips for Adding Supplements to Your Diet

It’s natural to want to be as healthy as possible. A large factor in your overall health is your diet. Unfortunately, many people don’t have a well-rounded nutritional intake. You can offset any deficiencies, boost your energy levels, and strengthen your immune system by taking dietary supplements. Before starting a supplement routine, there are a few tips you should learn.

1. Test Your Blood

From multi-vitamins to calcium and magnesium complex to vitamin C, it can be difficult to know what to purchase. The only way to definitively know what your body needs is to have nutrient testing performed. You can talk to your doctor or order an at-home kit to screen your blood for vitamin and mineral levels.

2. Educate Yourself

Before you put anything into your body, you should educate yourself. Don’t hesitate to talk to doctors or nutritionists about your concerns. Literature can help you recognize signs of deficiencies, potential drug interactions, and side effects. Once you determine what type of supplement you what, read reviews on different brands to find the best one.

3. Read Labels

Carefully read the label of anything you plan to buy. Labels don’t just give you the recommended dosage. They also give you specific directions on how to take the supplement. While there are benefits, extravagant claims may be a red flag. It’s also helpful to clarify the ingredients when comparison shopping.

4. Monitor Dosage

The saying goes that you can’t have too much of a good thing. When it comes to supplements, that isn’t true. Depending on the vitamin or mineral, a surplus can cause problems as mild as indigestion to as extreme as liver damage. Familiarize yourself with the recommended intake. Then you can factor in approximately how much you receive from your diet to determine how much you should get supplementally.

5. Make Schedule

It may be easiest to take all your supplements and medications at the same time, but it isn’t the most effective method. Make a schedule to get the most benefits. Your body can only absorb so much at once. Taking multiple doses together can cause competition and failure to get all nutrients. You should also match the effects with the best time of day. For example, B vitamins are energizing and should be taken in the morning. Supplements have different solubilities. Some should be taken on an empty stomach, while others need to be consumed with food.

6. Store Properly

It’s important to store your pills and powders properly. Bathroom medicine cabinets aren’t the best choice because heat and moisture can disrupt the integrity of the product. Keep track of accessibility. Bottles should be out of reach of children and pets to prevent accidental ingestion.

7. Maintain Healthy Eating

The word supplement means to enhance something. That should be a giveaway that taking dietary vitamins and minerals is meant to enhance your diet. They are not a substitute for healthy eating.

Adding supplements to your routine can be a great option if done correctly. Familiarize yourself with the process and get started today.