From boosting your mood, to help with anxiety, to bringing some extra energy to your day, vitamins and supplements can greatly enhance your life!
If you're reading this and you're anything like me, then your mental health is probably not in tip-top shape. If you're also anything like me then you probably have some reservations about using pharmaceuticals as an aid for whatever mental health issues you're struggling with. Your reasons are your own, if it works for you, take them! There is no shame in that! 'Getting help' is 'Getting help' in whatever form you choose. I, however, have chosen to explore other avenues for maintaining a healthy mental state of mind. I've become increasingly more interested in natural remedies for anxiety and depression and here's what I've found through both research and trial and error. These are the top 5 vitamins and supplements you should be taking if you want to put a little more pep in your step!
***I am not a doctor or recommending medical advice to anyone. Please consult your doc if you have concerns or questions about whether or not a certain vitamin or supplement will work for you.***
1) Vitamin D
This is one of those vitamins that is a complete game changer if you're living in the Pacific Northwest, coincidentally where I'm writing from and why this is number one on the list. Vitamin D comes from the sun. If you are from the Pacific Northwest or have visited here in the 'off season' (October-May), then you are no stranger to the clouds and the gray, stormy weather. We are lucky to get a few months of solid sunshine a year and considering Vitamin D comes from the sun and plays such a huge role in our overall mood and happiness, it is a logical conclusion to draw that Pacific Northwesterners are deficient in this, probably explaining the high rates of depression here. Humans weren't made to live in the shadows like this. Most doctors will recommend taking 14,000 IU's of Vitamin D a week. Most vitamin D you will find in stores come in bottles with each capsule being 2,000 IU's. I'll do the math for you, that's one a day, seven days a week.
***Bonus Activity*** If you can afford to do so, go to a doctor and ask about getting lab work done to check your vitamin levels. They can give you a full reading on where you stand so you know what you're working with and where you need to make adjustments in your vitamin levels!
2) Vitamin B
To be fair, Vitamin B is made up of eight different Vitamin B's to make Vitamin B Complex. This is going to be helpful in keeping your energy levels high so you don't get burnt out halfway through the day. It's found in a ton of foods you probably already eat daily, and most multivitamins have at least a few of the vitamin b's in it, but if you find yourself being low energy often and you've ruled out any other underlying medical conditions; Think Thyroid, Then you could benefit from adding a B Complex supplement into your diet. Bonus: It's water soluble so chances are you won't experience any harmful side effects if you end up with too much in your system. You'll just pee it out.
3) Ashwaganda
Alright, I'll be perfectly honest here, this is a fairly new one for me. I started with only taking one capsule a day in the morning as opposed to the label recommended two capsules per day and let me just say, it works. It really works. Ashwaganda is a natural anxiety reducing supplement that aids in the function of proper stress management within the body. I will occasionally take two capsules on a particularly stressful day, and have very little difficulty in navigating tough situations throughout the day. Myself and everyone around me has truly benefited from me having a cool, calm and collected demeanor when push comes to shove.
4) Magnesium
This supplement comes in an array of forms so you can really pick your preference here. You've got powders, sprays, capsules and topical solutions! So many choices! Magnesium is most commonly known for its assistance in aiding with a good nights sleep but it also plays a role in decreasing the effects of PMS. Ladies, I'm talking to you here!
Magnesium also helps with inflammation in the body and lowering blood pressure.
5) SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine)
This has only been available in the USA since 2002, so it's relatively new here but the research and facts to back this up is incredible! Studies found that SAM-e was just as effective as antidepressants in treating patients diagnosed with depression. In other words, if you don't have health insurance and can't get a prescription for the real deal, this is the next best thing. You can get it at your local pharmacy and it'll only run you about $20. Worth it!
At the end of the day, it's most important you find what works for you and incorporate that into your daily routine. After all, you're the one who has to live inside your head!
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