5 Essential Supplements for Summer

You may not think of summer as a time to adjust your supplement regime, but you might want to consider this. Usually we are dealing with much hotter weather, more commitments and activities, less sleep, and more energy expended.

All of this could lead to fatigue, losing more electrolytes than normal, and damaged skin. Keep reading to avoid any summertime blues these problems will cause!

After feeling like the whole nation and world has been in a holding pattern for over a year, and never knowing what your next few months will look like, it feels like this summer may be a little more normal than we expected. Perhaps a return to our old summer favorite activities is on the horizon.

This may be welcome news to you, but also may seem overwhelming given the lack of activities and functions we have had to attend in the past year. We think we can help you make the most of this summer, whether you have a busy schedule, or are just gonna dip your toes into some social activities and see how it goes. The last year has been a lot to handle for a variety of reasons, and we encourage you to be honest with yourself about what you are comfortable with.

We think these 5 additions to your daily routine can help you enjoy the next few months more fully, and can keep your mind and body firing on all cylinders.

Keep in mind, you should always talk to your healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your daily routine. Some of them may not be right for you and might have an unexpected reaction with the medication you are taking.

B Vitamins

Sometimes called the “anti-stress” vitamins, these 8 essential vitamins are responsible for a lot in your body! We always want to make sure we are getting enough of them. Diet is always the preferred way to get vitamins and minerals, but the busier we are, the less likely we will be taking the time to eat perfectly and get everything we need from food. 

Vitamin B12 has been studied over and over again to analyze its antidepressant properties, and B6 has also been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression. It has also been shown that depressed patients showed markedly lower levels of B12 than non-depressed patients. Here are all 8 of the B vitamins with some good sources to find them if taking a supplement doesn't interest you!

• B1 (thiamine): Thiamine helps convert nutrients into ATP, your body’s main source of energy. The richest food sources include pork, sunflower seeds and wheat germ 
• B2 (riboflavin): Riboflavin helps convert food into energy (ATP) and also acts as an antioxidant. Foods high in riboflavin include mushrooms, beef, and organ meats
• B3 (niacin): Niacin plays a role in cellular signaling, metabolism and DNA production and repair. Niacin also is turned into tryptophan, the amino acid that is converted into serotonin. Food sources include chicken, tuna and lentils
• B5 (pantothenic acid): Like other B vitamins, pantothenic acid helps your body obtain energy from food and is also involved in hormone and cholesterol production. Liver, fish, yogurt and avocado are all good sources
• B6 (pyridoxine): Pyridoxine is involved in amino acid metabolism, red blood cell production and the creation of neurotransmitters. Foods highest in this vitamin include chickpeas, salmon and potatoes 
• B7 (biotin): Biotin is essential for carbohydrate and fat metabolism and regulates gene expression. Yeast, eggs, salmon, cheese and liver are among the best food sources of biotin 
• B9 (folate): Folate is needed for cell growth, amino acid metabolism, the formation of red and white blood cells and proper cell division. It can be found in foods like leafy greens, liver and beans or in supplements as folic acid 
• B12 (cobalamin): Perhaps the most well-known of all the B vitamins, B12 is vital for neurological function, DNA production and red blood cell development. B12 is found naturally in animal sources like meats, eggs, seafood and dairy.

       Check out our B-complex diffuser which contains all of these and CoQ10!

Vitamin C/Vitamin E

While vitamin C is always a great supplement to take for many reasons. There is one benefit you may not know about. A recent study has shown that daily supplementation with vitamin C and vitamin E significantly reduced the amount of sunburn after excessive UV exposure. Using these two vital minerals along with a strong SPF sunscreen could keep your skin looking young and less damaged even after long summer days at the beach!

Vitamin D

Just because the sun might be out more where you live during the summer, doesn't mean you still don't need to supplement with additional vitamin D. Over 1 billion people are deficient in vitamin D and many scientists declare this is an epidemic in need of more attention. It is the most common deficiency and can be greatly helped by supplementation. You can check your levels by getting blood work done with your healthcare practitioner. If left untreated, this lack of the “sun vitamin” can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, obesity, and diabetes. 

Cordyceps

This supplement gets the award for most disgusting! If you don't believe us, look up a time lapse video of this mushroom on Youtube! Fortunately, the benefits far outweigh the bitter taste and caterpillar murdering behavior of this fungus. Medicinal mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in many areas of the world. Scientists have been studying a lot of these ancient healing techniques over the last decade and hopefully will continue to do so. There is no doubt much to learn from people who do not solely rely on medication to fix all of their problems.

The research into cordyceps has shown 21 clinically proven benefits for human health. Cordyceps is antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, a sexual potentiator, and has anti-ageing effects. It has also been used for a long time as an exercise supplement, and can improve your VO2 max by as much as 11%.

Astaxanthin

You may not have heard of this powerful antioxidant yet, but you are about to! It is quickly gaining popularity and has a lot of recent research to back up some of its extraordinary properties. Astaxanthin is 550 times more effective as an antioxidant than vitamin E, nearly 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C (one of the most important vitamins when it comes to boosting the immune system), and it's also 550 times richer as a source of antioxidants than green tea or other Catechins.

Just like those other two, astaxanthin is very good at protecting and enhancing your immune system and your skin, which needs some extra love this time of year. It can help maintain moisture, prevent wrinkles, and reduce the size of age spots. Salmon is a good source of astaxanthin if you are not too keen on adding anything else to your medicine cabinet.

Takeaway

Well there you have it! Whatever your plans include this summer, we want you to look and feel your best, and hopefully something you read here will help you on your journey to wellness. Remember to always buy vitamins from a reputable brand that is transparent with all of their ingredients!

We hope you have a rejuvenating summer filled with peace and love. Even though that sounds so cliche, we all deserve some of that right now.