Nutritional Supplements

IMPORTANT: CONSULT WITH YOUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN BEFORE TAKING ANY NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT TO ENSURE THAT IT CAN BE TAKEN WITH ANY MEDICATIONS THAT YOU MAY BE ON AND THAT NO OTHER CONTRAINDICATIONS EXIST FOR ITS USE IN YOUR SPECIFIC CASE.

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This may sound like a boring one to start with but it's definitely not. When it comes to nutritional supplements, providing our body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to function optimally is a good place to start. The great thing about the Centrum Silver multivitamin-multimineral supplement is that it is perfect for our "aging youthfully" goals. In addition to overall nutritional support for our musculoskeletal system and full body health, there is an emphasis on heart, eye and brain health. Here's the exciting part: a recent randomized, placebo-controlled study testing the effect of a multivitamin/mineral supplement on cognitive function in older adults, which appeared in the Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, used this specifc supplement as their multivitamin/mineral and concluded that "relative to placebo, [using the supplement] resulted in a statistically significant benefit on global cognition ... and this effect was most pronounced in participants with a history of cardiovascular disease ... benefits were also observed for memory and executive function". Instead of guessing if other multivitamin-multimineral supplements would have the same effect, why not take the one used in the study? I now do myself! Of course, as with any supplement, talk to your doctor to ensure it is not contraindicated in your specific case.

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This is another recommendation that may seem boring but, as we age, maintaining joint function becomes more and more difficult but is vitally important to "aging youthfully". Glucosamine has been one of the most studied supplements for this purpose and one that is backed by research. This particular glucosamine supplement also contains chondroitin sulfate, a synergistic agent that works well with glucosamine. As the glucosamine in this supplement is glucosamine hydrochloride, the sulfate portion of the chondroitin may make this a more effective overall supplement. You see, past evidence has suggested that the sulfur in the glucosamine sulfate version of glucosamine is an important component for cartilage maintenance. However, glucosamine sulfate requires salt stabilizers which lower its purity. This means that you would need a bigger dose of glucosamine sulfate to be equivalent to the same dose of glucosamine hydrochloride. I believe this highly researched supplement offers the best of both compounds and may help prevent joint breakdown as we age. As an interesting sidenote, a patient at my chiropractic office recently (at the time of this writing) mentioned that their orthopedic surgeon had recommended a glucosamine supplement but she couldn't immediately recall which one it was and asked what my recommendation was. I suggested this product and we were both surprised that it was, in fact, the same one he had recommended. It seems that other healthcare providers see its value as well! Do not use this product if you have a shellfish allergy, are on Warfarin (Coumadin), or have other contraindications - talk to your healthcare provider to make sure it is appropriate for you.

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This product is listed in the cognitive training portion of this website. In addition to Lion's Mane, which has mounting evidence of possible neuroprotective effects, improvements in certain types of memory and "potential utility in the treatment of motor dysfunction, Alzheimer disease, and other forms of dementia", this product also contains additional mushrooms that may be helpful for a better functioning brain.

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Let me first say that I don't believe everybody needs a protein supplement. If fact, a protein supplement may even be contraindicated in people with certain medical conditions. Also, protein overconsumption may pose certain health risks. However, in some people - those on a calorie restricted diet during weight/fat loss that are trying to maintain a certain protein intake level, those that need a little more protein than average due to bodybuilding, etc, and wish to supplement their diet with a protein powder, this may be the one! A quality whey protein that tastes great and mixes easily at a lower price than similar quality competitors is hard to beat. Click on the picture link to get more information.

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I've saved what may be the most exciting one for last. Ashwagandha is an herb used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine that has caught the attention of the scientific community. With possible beneficial effects ranging from adaptogenic/stress relief, improved congitive function, anti-arthritic effects, physical and mental performance benefits, possible testosterone boosting, muscle and strength building benefits and more! Sound too good to be true? I'm the biggest skeptic in the world and until more research can confirm some of the premliminary findings, we can't say for sure to what degree this works for all of its listed benefits but, due to the information available at this time, I take it myself! Do not take this if you are pregnant or have other contraindications - talk to your healthcare provider. Please note that the product listed in the affiliate link also contains black pepper extract. People with a hypersensitivity to black pepper, certain bleeding disorders, gastrointestinal issues or other potential contraindications to a black pepper supplement should also avoid this product. Again, talk to your qualified health care provider to be sure. If you are cleared to take this supplement, I believe the listed product is a great combination of quality and price, is very highly rated by users, and is worth considering.