There are so many incredible health supplements and functional foods out there today. We cant take them all (nor do we want to!) but which ones to choose?
Here’s our Top 5 health supplements for busy families:
1. Wholefood powders
Whilst this is a very broad point, its really up to you what you have and how you use them. In our house, we have a big variety, a few of which are listed below. We like to throw these into smoothies to boost the nutritional content.
- Cacao powder – full of antioxidants, minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron and mixes great into all smoothies
- Medicinal mushroom powders – boost your brain, immune system, reduce stress levels. We use these in porridge, baking, soups, smoothies.
- Moringa Powder – This powerhouse contains 25 x the iron of spinach, 17 x the calcium found in milk and 9 x the protein of yoghurt just to name a few of its benefits! Containing B / C / D / E / K vitamins, amino acids, minerals and more, this one is truly natures multivitamin!
- Collagen – a quick protein boost, especially handy on those mornings when everyones running late as it can be thrown into a cup of tea for a satisfying protein hit for both young and old!
2. CoQ10
This one is a supplement, and is for the adults in the family. In a nutshell, our Naturopath describes it like petrol. Just like a car wont go without petrol, our cells wont go (far) without CoQ10. It provides every cell (except your hair and nails) in he body with ‘petrol’ so that it can function healthfully and energetically.
3. Magnesium
This one is great both as a supplement, and also as a cream. As a cream, its wonderful not just for sore muscles, but also for massaging into children (and adults!) to help them find their way to a deeper, peaceful sleep. Taken internally, magnesium will help to boost literally hundreds of functions in your body. Everything from muscles, to energy production to happier hormones benefits from magnesium. It’s an absolute powerhouse of a nutrient!
4. Essential Oils
A busy household (ours anyway) does well for burning oils to promote a more peaceful home in amongst all the busy chaos. We use a mix of electric diffusers and candle based oil burners. If you have young children, then the candle-free electronic diffusers will no doubt be the best option. We have a wide variety of oils and essential oil blends. Whenever you use essential oils, ensure they are exactly this – ‘pure’ essential oils, not ‘aromatic’ (synthetic) oils. The former gives health benefits, whilst the latter gives toxins! Some of our morning time faves include lemon myrtle, tangerine and jasmine to get us all up and going calmly. Night time faves include lavender, rose, sandalwood and sweet orange.
5. Good Fats
A must! Busy brains need good fats, and busy lives need focused brains, not to mention calm and nourished nervous systems. The right fats will help give you both! Good fats are easily obtained through the diet (think avocados, eggs, hemp seeds, chia seeds, macadamia oil, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, seafood, nuts, etc). They are also boosted easily with supplements. Fish oils, algae oil & cod liver oil are all fantastic, depending on your needs. For brain boosting, look for a higher ‘DHA’ component on your fish oils (they’ll always show an ‘EPA’ and a ‘DHA’ component). DHA is also great for growing kids as its a wonderful brain nutrient. Cod liver oil contains natural sources of both vitamin A and vitamin D – two great nutrients for immune health. In our house, we’re big fans of including stacks of good fats into our smoothies, extra dollops into our soups and other cooking too.
From good oils, to electric diffusers, to supplements and creams, we stock all of these things at Saltuary! If you’re keen on sneaking in a whole lotta goodness without much trouble, come on in for some inspiration!