3 nutrients that could improve your well-being

Vitamins and minerals are advertised as the building blocks of nutrition, and they should be. They give your body the tools it needs to function optimally and stay healthy. Yet there are other substances that are often overlooked, including adaptogens, probiotics, and essential fatty acids.

Let’s see how these three nutritional supplements can help you fight stress and improve your overall physical and mental health.

Adaptogens

Adaptogens are a class of herbs – which includes ginseng, reishi mushrooms and ashwagandha – used in naturopathic and Ayurvedic medicine. They are most often used to balance excessive or insufficient stress and an immune response in the body, thereby promoting increased health and well-being. They also have an array of benefits: “They range from improved cognition and mood to more balanced blood sugar levels, healthier hormones, better focus, deeper sleep, and more,” says Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD, registered dietitian and clinical herbalist in Austin, Texas.

Adding adaptogens to your daily routine could improve your quality of life. “Too many people don’t know about the wonderful effects of adaptogenic herbs on our immune function and overall health,” Volpe says. “Most people would probably rather thrive than just survive.” Preliminary research has linked adaptogenic mushrooms, such as shiitake or reishi, with relaxation and improved immune function.

Add them to your diet: Ginger, cordyceps, and shiitake mushrooms are all adaptogens that can be added to dishes, such as stir-fries. Or look for nutritional supplements or drinks, such as Ka’Chava Superblend, that make it easier to consume adaptogens because they’re part of the mix.

Probiotics

“Probiotics serve as the first line of defense in your gut, helping to keep invaders like bad bacteria, toxic chemicals, and other harmful substances from entering your body through the gut lining,” Volpe says. These live microorganisms can also help you digest your food more easily and efficiently. And they help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut and vagina, which can help ward off infections.

The benefits of probiotics are tied to specific types of bacteria. For example, Lactobacillus is a common genus and one of the most studied probiotics, Volpe says, citing a study in Enzymatic and microbial technology who found that Lactobacillus probiotics can produce several types of bioactive digestive enzymes. “This means they will help you digest your food, reducing symptoms of digestive distress while improving nutrient absorption,” she says. Some of the most common strains of Lactobacillus, L. rhamnosus And L. acidophilusare well-researched probiotics that facilitate better gastrointestinal health and help improve certain health conditions.

Add them to your diet: Although there are dozens of probiotic supplements on the market, none of them will make up for a poor diet on its own. “Your bacteria (in your gut microbiome) are what you eat,” says Colin Zhu, DO, MD, health coach, and chef from Orange County, Calif., who is the founder of TheChefDoc. “Eat fiber and the bacteria that chew on it multiply, which means you get more anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids.” On the other hand, if you don’t eat enough fiber (at least 25-30 grams a day), the fiber-eating bacteria starve and your health can be compromised. As a reminder, you can only get plant fiber.

An easy way to get needed fiber is to consume a nutritional shake such as Ka’Chava Superblend, which includes probiotics. L. rhamnosus And L. acidophilus to help support a healthy gut microbiome, as well as fiber to feed the good bacteria in the gut.

Essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids, which include omega 3 and 6, get their name from the fact that they are crucial for your body. “They help regulate inflammation, and they’re used in cell membrane structure in billions of cells in the body,” Volpe says.

Because your body cannot produce all the essential fatty acids it needs, you must get them from food and/or supplements. Although it’s easy to get omega-6 fatty acids if you follow a standard American diet full of processed foods, it’s harder to get enough omega-3 fatty acids, even if you eat fish. , a common source of omega 3 like EPA. and DHA, several times a week, notes Volpe. Other sources include chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts, and green vegetables.

To make sure you’re getting enough, follow a plant-based diet and take 250 milligrams of pollutant-free long-chain omega-3 supplements daily (derived from yeast or algae) that contain EPA and sodium. DHA. “Studies have shown that these preserve brain function and structure,” says Dr. Zhu.

Add them to your diet: The National Institutes of Health recommend consuming 1.1 to 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Eating two to three ounces of fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines can help you get essential fatty acids. But they don’t need to come solely from animal sources — chia and flax can also provide these nutritional benefits, and they may be easier to consume in a nutritious drink. For example, the essential fatty acids from these herbal ingredients are included in Ka’Chava Superblend.

Food versus supplement

Eating the right foods and taking a supplement or two are ways to get these nutrients in your diet. What if you could find all three in powder form, like Ka’Chava? Could this be an effective way to consume these nutrients?

It is possible, especially since the main advantage is convenience. There may also be a surprising benefit. “From a gut health nutrition perspective, it is beneficial and recommended for people to consume probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids with food. So taking them in powder form can work well because the powder can be easily mixed into a smoothie or other food,” says Volpe, who has no connection to Ka’Chava.

The caveat, though? One size never fits all. “Some people may have adverse reactions to probiotics, even to certain types of adaptogens,” Volpe says. “If you have a medical condition or are on medication, consult your doctor and even a registered dietitian to determine if probiotics and adaptogens are right for you.”

Also keep in mind that powders are designed only to supplement a diet, as foods should always form the basis of your nutritional strategies. “Eat as much as you can from what Mother Nature has already provided, which is whole plant foods,” says Dr. Zhu.