“An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.”

Benjamin Franklin

To start out, this post’s purpose is not to provide medical advice. I am not a medical professional, but I do enjoy discussing healthy topics from time to time, because it is a subject that I have interest in. I also want to share a little more about my lifestyle with you all. Please consult with your physician before making any changes to your current health care routines. I hope you find some inspiration for the new year with this post!

Disclaimer: If you purchase something from the links provided in this post, I may earn a small commission from your purchase. Headquarters by Ship appreciates your support and thanks you!

I am a big supplement person. I get it from my mother; I was raised this way. My mom has always cared about health and taking care of yourself, and those traits have carried on in my sister and I.

In order to live your best life, I believe you have to maintain your health. I try to do that by including supplements in my diet, because we all know, that it is hard to maintain a good balance with just diet alone in today’s world. Also, just like Ben Franklin said, an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.

Since January is a time when most of us are trying to be healthier and start fresh, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of the top 10 supplements that I am currently taking, so here it is! I say currently because, as someone who loves supplements and variety, I change things up occasionally depending on how my body is feeling, but this list does include many staple supplements that I have been taking (almost every day) for years. Many of these supplements have more health benefits than I mention as well, I am just glossing over a few benefits and why I take the specific supplement(s).

I order most of my supplements from Piping Rock, or Puritan’s Pride online. They are vitamin (and other health product) wholesale sites, and I have to say, I have never been disappointed with their service, or with any products I’ve ordered from them over the years (and I have ordered lots… from vitamins, to essential oils, shampoo and conditioners, lotions, face creams, special body oils, etc.). You can basically find anything that you’d get in the vitamin and personal care section of a Whole Foods (or other health care store) on these sites at a much cheaper price!

I have provided links for you all to Amazon because I know most people love the convenience.

Prenatal Vitamins:

Because I’m smack dab in the middle of those child-bearing years. They are also great for hair, skin, and nails. CLICK HERE for prenatal vitamins. 

Fish Oil:

Helps with brain health and helps to reduce inflammation, among other things. Find Omega 3 fish Oil HERE. 

Vitamin C:

Vitamin C is  a good antioxidant and immune booster. It also promotes youthful skin. This is definitely a given to take consistently throughout cold and flu season to help ward off the common cold. CLICK HERE for Vitamin C with Rose Hips and Bioflavonoids.

B-12:

Besides being a good energy and mood booster (we all can use that!), I like taking a B-12 complex because it is good for your skin (helps with cell reproduction), helps decrease fatigue, and helps regulate the nervous system. I prefer my B-12 in a tincture format that you take sublingually, which you can find HERE.

Probiotics:

Because I think everyone can use help with their digestion, and it also provides immune support. Here’s a link for PROBIOTICS.

Antioxidant Powder and Capsules:

Let’s face it, it’s hard to get enough fruits and vegetables in the average, every-day, American diet. I like to rotate between fruit and vegetable antioxidant powders and capsules to make sure that I am getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals.

Doesn’t hurt to get an extra boost to fight some free radicals either, right? I also stepped up my intake of this supplement while I was pregnant, to help grow a healthy baby.

My sister introduced me to the Juice Plus brand, which has great line of antioxidant products for adults and children. The company is actually headquartered in Memphis! She also found out that the Juice Festiv brand of antioxidant capsules sold at Sam’s Club comes from the same source as the Juice Plus products, and they’re a little bit cheaper since it is an off brand.

Bee Products (Bee Pollen, Royal Jelly, and Propolis):

I use these mainly for energy and for an immune booster, but there are so many benefits associated with these products. You can find books, and online articles on each one individually if you’re interested in learning more. One of the reasons I’m interested in beekeeping as a hobby is so I can learn to harvest these miracle products right from my backyard! Not to mention, that bees are also endangered, and essential to all life on Earth.

BEE POLLEN  is very high in protein, and contains all nutrients needed to sustain life. It contains antibiotic properties that help prevent sickness, is good for your skin, and is also a natural allergy remedy. I don’t have any allergies, and it may be because I have been eating bee pollen since childhood.

Tired moms, try some bee pollen. It will change your life!

PROPOLIS is a waxy substance that bees use to seal parts of their hive. It is also Has a very concentrated nutrient content. If I ever start feeling sick, I load myself up with propolis and it almost always takes my cold symptoms away in just a couple days.

ROYAL JELLY is what the queen bee eats to make her bigger and stronger than the rest of the worker bees. The queen bee also has a lot longer lifespan than all other bees. I take this mainly to help me stay young, because it’s great for the skin and cell regeneration. It has many other associated benefits, including possibly helping with fertility, so if you’re interested in learning more, look it up!

You can buy great bee products from Glory Bee or find a local beekeeper in your area who sells their products.

Apple Cider Vinegar:

See previous post on ACV, but I take this mainly to help with inflammation and to regulate my ph.

Tumeric:

I use this supplement mainly to reduce pain and inflammation (I’m starting to feel years of typing and texting in my hands), but there are a lot of other benefits associated with continued use of turmeric.  It’s a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier that supports cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation, and also increases immunity, among other things. Find Tumeric with cur cumin and black pepper extract HERE. 

Smoothie Powders (Protein Powder, Organic Bone Broth, and/or Organic Collagen Powder):

I usually don’t take all of these at once, but I like throwing a serving of one of these three powders in a smoothie from time to time. The COLLAGEN is good for hair, skin, and nails; and the BONE BROTH is good for overall health and vitality.

Okay, so that might have been more than 10 things overall, but it’s so hard to narrow it all down! Can you sense a trend of immune boosters and skin protectors? 🙂

Shop all top supplements here:

A lot of people have told me over the years that I have great skin. While sometimes I tend to disagree, I think that how my skin is holding up so far, is in part because I have been taking most of these supplements for (gasp!) decades.

Can you tell that you have better skin and more energy when you eat healthy and take your vitamins? What are some of your New Years resolutions?

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Cheers to the New Year, to Your Health, and to the Bees!

Ship