8 Vitamins You'll Love and How To Remember To Take Them

Quarantine is admittedly making us feel limited. I like knowing that Coronavirus is not zapping away my power to choose small actions.

Let's talk about micronutrients! It turns out that there is an entire alphabet of vitamins that we should be supplementing our bodies with. Vitamins are vital and you probably want to consider them in your diet. In this article, I will list eight vitamins you want to befriend and tell you the two things I do to remember to take them.

Full disclosure: I am not a doctor. I just care about my health and the one of those around me a lot. I awakened to my body's wisdom in 2016, when I realized that there's a history of diabetes and leukemia on my paternal side of the family and hyperthyroidism on my maternal side. All my blood work resulted in "normal" levels of everything and I never struggled with overweight. Yet, I felt so lousy and often got dizzy; in those days, I ate a lot of burgers, drank a lot of juice, and I couldn't jog two blocks without cramping up! As I prepared to study abroad in Italy that summer, I got motivated to eat cleaner and exercise more. It's been a bumpy road since then, but today I am proud to say that I am the healthiest, fittest, and most balanced I have ever been in my life!

In 2019, I went down the rabbit hole of vitamins and gut health. After listening to some podcasts and reading some articles, I realized micronutrients are super important and began to take them seriously.

Why Are Vitamins Necessary?

Vitamins feed our glands and organs, which make up our dear endocrine system. The endocrine system, like the nervous and immune system, need to run correctly to prevent illnesses and keep us healthy. Within those systems there are "things" that need to be regulated in order to function correctly. You don't need to be a doctor to know that your endocrine system regulates your growth, sexual function and reproduction, heart rate, appetite, sleep, body temperature, and metabolism. When I realized vitamins feed this endocrine system of mine, I was in!

Inner strength, whether mental, emotional, or physical prepares us to take on anything life throws at us. ♥

Dr. Mark Hyman, a leader in functional medicine who proposes that food is the foundation of optimal health, said in an interview with Lewis Howes that chronic illnesses, like heart disease and diabetes, are the result of our bodies being out of balance. The right nourishment will make us less receptive to illnesses and will make our immune system more robust.

Yet, we are vitamin-deficient these days. Our soil is depleted of minerals, processed foods are depleted of nutrients, and the environmental toxins in our surroundings make our bodies thirsty for replenishment. Remember, the food industry is out to make money fast. Our soil is exhausted. Consequently, toxic chemicals are part of the growing process and thus, part of our diet. The food industry is not trying to nourish us.

I see taking my vitamins as a step towards taking my power back and offering my body the gift of balance that it deserves.

My Favorite Vitamins to Take

Here's a list of my the eight staple vitamins I take and why:

• Vitamin D3 (every day): These little gels of sunshine are my favorite! I like taking between 10,000 IU a day. This bottle has 10,000 IU packed in one tiny gel, so that's one gel a day for me. The vitamin D we get from sunshine isn't nearly as much as our body needs. Among its functions, vitamin D3 helps our bodies absorb calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. It supports our immune function, so please complement your Emergen-C with these guys. On days when I've felt something coming down, I go as far as taking 15,000 IU in one day, for 1 or 2 days only. Other benefits include: stronger muscles and bones; a sharper mind.

Fun fact: In Dr. Hyman's online course, I learned that an optimal level of vitamin D is between 50 and 80 nanograms/mL; he suggested 2-4,000 units of Vitamin D supplement. I got my bloodwork done in March 2020, after one year of taking 1-2 5,000 IU gels daily and my value was 45.7 ng/mL. While my levels were within the "normal" range of 30.0 - 100.0 ng/mL, they were below the optimal range. I take 10,000 IU daily now.

"Vitamin D is one of the greatest antivirals to ever be discovered." – Dr. Steven Gundry

Keep in mind that"sufficient", "normal", and "optimal" levels mean different things. My daily intake reflects the fact that I'm striving for optimal health.

• Magnesium Glycinate (every day): I take one capsule daily even though the bottle suggests two. Magnesium is known as the miracle mineral! It promotes the production of ATP, which basically fuels cells' activities. It's pure energy! Constipation, anxiety, insomnia, palpitations, migraines, muscle twitch or cramps, PMS are all signs of magnesium deficiency. I take magnesium to improve my sleep and keep my anxiety and blood sugar levels in check.

• Vitamin B12 & B9 (folate) & B6 (every day): I take one cherry lozenge a day. Next time, I will try this lemon flavor. Thank God for lozenges because the normal pills are bitter and I can't stand their smell! In total, there are eight B vitamins. The bottles linked above only contains three, so if you prefer, you can search for "B complex" to supplement your body with all eight and reap all the benefits. My vitamin B deficiency presents itself with dry lips or rashes, fatigue, trouble sleeping. Vitamin B supports our nerve function, blood and energy production. Specifically, the B vitamins I take (B9 (folate), B12 and B6) reduce inflammation, which relieves potential strain from my heart, brain, and nervous system.

• Vitamin C (as much as I can): I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I especially love limes and lemons, so that's my main source of vitamin C. Humans are the only animals that can't produce our own vitamin C, so if you don't find yourself eating enough fruits and veggies, make sure to supplement. More curing a cold, vitamin C helps our production of collagen, which promotes skin elasticity and repairs the ruptures in our blood vessels. In this interview, Dr. Steven Gundry recommends 1,000 mg of timed-release vitamin C daily.

• Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C (three times a week): I take two every other day and my mom takes two every day. This one is a new addition to my vitamin regimen and it's quite cool! Our bodies produce hyaluronic acid (HA) but lose this ability as we age. HA enables our cells to retain moisture, resulting in skin elasticity and joint lubrication. When my mom first suggested this supplement, I thought she wanted it for its skin benefits, she loves face moisturizers that have HA in them! However, that was only part of the reason. She wanted to supplement her body with HA because she suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain in many connective tissues around the body.

Fun fact: High levels of HA are known to promote longevity. This observation was first made in the mountainous village of Yuzurihara, Japan, where healthy 85 and 90 year olds are not uncommon. Their diet consists of lots of potatoes, which support the body's production of HA. Watch this short clip to learn more!

• Maca (at least twice a week): I take this in powder form. I see maca as a snack-booster, so I mix about a teaspoon of it in my yogurt or smoothies. Maca feeds our adrenal glands, the homes of our estrogen and testosterone hormones, and it keeps these in check! Balanced estrogen and testosterone levels help to mitigate high levels of cortisol, the hormone that we release when we are under stress, (which many of us are these days). Maca comes from the root lepidium meyenii that grows in the Andes and it's powerful! It increases stamina and energy levels, strengthens our immune system, stimulates blood circulation, improves memory and focus, and more.

• Olive Leaf Extract (twice a week): The first time I heard about the importance of olive leaf extract was on an interview with cardiologist, Dr. Steven Gundry. Why? Polyphenols! Polyphenols make our brain cells grow, they eliminate free radicals just like antioxidants do, and thus, also reduce inflammation. I'm not adamant about taking this daily because I take B vitamins instead and they have similar effects on my body as olive leaf extract. However, I don't cook with as much olive oil as the Italians, so I like supplement here and there, too!

• Probiotics (three times a week): I chose this bottle because it's reinforced to stay fresh on the shelf. No need for refrigeration. Technically, these aren't vitamins. Probiotics feed the bacteria that live in our gut. We want to feed our bacteria because 90% of the cells that make up the human body are, as Dr. Gundry says, non-human, they are bacteria, fungus, and parasites. I'm still learning the nuances of gut health and the microbiome. What I know for sure, though, is that I don't like being hungry and my gut bacteria most likely doesn't either. I don't want to starve these guys, so my first step is to complement my yogurt intake with probiotic capsules because I don't like sauerkraut nor kimchi.

Pro tip: Capsules are better than pills and gels are better than capsules. Extracts are better than gels.

How To Remember To Take Your Vitamins?

Consistency is a challenge, especially at first.

"Just take your vitamins, it literally takes 2 minutes!" – My friend Anna B.

I always remember this quote whenever I don't feel like taking my vitamins (even though I'm staring at them). Besides taking Anna's advice, I suggest the following:

First, get yourself a container with divisions. Before buying, I recommend you ask a friend or family member. Turns out Mom had one, so I saved money and avoided buying more plastic. Then, once you get your vitamins, spend 3-5 minutes refilling your container on Sunday. I ignore the "days" markers on the container and simply put the number of pills I need in each division. For instance, I plan to take my D3, Magnesium, and B12 everyday, so I put 7 little gels in one division, 7 capsules in the next division, and 7 lozenges in the following division. Lastly, stop to think where you spend most hours of the day. I'm currently working remotely and do so at my desk. I have my vitamins on the corner of my desk, where I stare at them all day . All I have to do is extend my arm to take them. Sometimes I take them all at once after lunch. Other times I take them one by one, in between breaks or while I'm on a call.

Consistency is a skill that we are all capable of developing it one choice at a time. It won't always be perfect but some progress is still progress. Taking my vitamins every day gives me a sense of accomplishment. Knowing I can stay committed to small choices makes me feel happy and trustworthy. This particular choice also makes me feel healthy!

Love yourself and stay safe! xx Sulafa