A vitamin pill on its own will not give you an energy boost in the afternoon to make up for a skipped meal, but used wisely health supplements can play an important role in your health by complementing your diet. Many New Zealand women rely on health supplements as part of their preventative health-care regime. Herbal medicine is the oldest therapy in world history and almost 80% of the world’s population use herbs  to help support good health.

Can you skip your daily servings of vegetables and fruit and take a health supplement instead? Unfortunately the answer is no. Dietary supplements do not make up for a diet that falls short. Used correctly they can give you a nutritional edge and correct any deficiencies. If you are trying to lose weight a nutritional deficiency will compromise fat burning. Every function in your body depends on chemical reactions in your cells, so without adequate nutrition your body’s energy and vitality is depleted, and this is how many illnesses occur. In conjunction with a healthy varied diet, here are what I consider to be the best supplements available today for women.

Taking a multivitamin has long been considered ‘nutritional insurance’ to cover dietary shortfalls. Environmental and lifestyle stresses can increase the need for essential nutrients to a higher level than can be obtained from the diet. While most people get enough vitamins to avoid the classic deficiency diseases, relatively few get enough of the key vitamins and minerals that may be important in preventing several chronic diseases. These include: Folic acid, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Iodine, Zinc and Selenium. 

Omega fatty acids are essential for health. Your body can't make them so you need to include them in your diet. They have many actions which include lowering cholesterol and reducing inflammation. Omega 3 fats also reduce your risk of heart disease and help with brain, mood and memory function. Although our diet must include two types of essential fatty acids, Omega 6 and Omega 3, most western diets now supply an excess of Omega 6. To help address this imbalance nutritionists recommend an increase in the consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids. Make sure you get a good brand.

Calcium

If you don't like dairy products, calcium supplements offer an easy and inexpensive way to get your daily calcium. Studies have found positive results using calcium for the treatment of PMS symptoms. Calcium significantly reduced mood swings, pain, bloating, depression, back pain and food cravings by 50% in a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Probiotics

Probiotic supplementation will help to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and is beneficial for digestive complaints such as gas, diarrhea, constipation, candida, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach problems and urinary tract infections. Normally found in the intestinal tract of the human body, they play an important role in maintaining good health. Some products such as yoghurt contain beneficial active bacterial cultures, but an acidophilus supplement is even better as it contains a thousand times more active bacteria per gram than yoghurt.

Chromium

Chromium helps to stabilise blood sugar levels and improve the cells’ sensitivity to insulin. Chromium is used extensively as a weight loss supplement as it helps to manage sugar cravings. Take chromium in the morning with breakfast, then again in the afternoon when you normally experience cravings. If you have diabetes check with your physician first.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant and free radical scavenger that cannot be made in the body so must be derived from the diet. Vitamin C is essential for a wide range of processes and functions which occur in the body. Look for a Vitamin C supplement that contains Bioflavonoids which are natural synergists to Vitamin C to help support the immune system and circulation. Vitamin C also aids the absorption of iron and assists tissue repair and wound healing.

Magnesium

Because food processing robs many foods of magnesium, many of us risk getting less than our recommended daily allowance. Unfortunately many people consume a low magnesium diet because of a high intake of refined foods. Magnesium combined with Vitamin B6 can be very effective in reducing PMS symptoms such as menstrual cramps, breast tenderness and mood changes.

Di-indolylmethane

Dim or di-indolylmethane is a powerful phyto-nutrient found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Researchers have long known about its numerous anti-cancer and hormone-balancing effects. To get the therapeutic dose that most health practitioners recommend you’d need to eat more than two kilos of broccoli a day. For women with premenstrual tension, menstrual or menopausal problems, Di-indolylmethane helps to support healthy hormone balance.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola Rosea extract has its origins in Eastern Europe and Asia and has been used in traditional medicine to stimulate the nervous system, lighten your mood and reduce fatigue. There are claims that Rhodiola can help weight loss by activating a hormone sensitive enzyme which plays a key role in the breakdown of body fat. Rhodiloa helps the body adapt to stress. If you are taking anti-depressants or stimulants consult your doctor before taking Rhodiola. Read more and check out the great price.

Resveratrol

It looks like Resveratrol will be the next hot anti-aging supplement. Initial studies on yeast and mice by Harvard researchers have shown promising results. Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes and in red wine and is thought to be a partial explanation for the French paradox, the puzzling fact that people in France tend to enjoy a high-fat diet yet suffer less heart disease than other western countries. Harvard researchers discovered that adding Resveratrol to the diets of obese mice allowed these mice to live 31% longer than a control group not fed Resveratrol.

By Jacquie Dale