chronic health condition

What are Supplements and How Do I Know Which Ones to Take?

I was sick and sensitive to every kind of food when battling thyroid cancer. And, until I found the right combination of supplements, I wanted to throw up. I spent $80 to $100 on different quality supplements. But every time I took them, I was sick. No matter how much food I ate with them.

People who suffer from chronic conditions are out of balance. They have unbalanced blood sugar and hormones. As a result, they’re super fatigued and are in chronic pain. But they’re not getting any help from their doctor, so they take supplements.

Supplements are nutrients that people use to replace what they are lacking in their diet. They can either be sourced from food or are synthetic. However, some are marketed as essential but contain no substances that impact our bodies.

Yet, people buy these supplements because they were recommended on Instagram. They think it will make them feel amazing, but in reality, they feel no change and actually get sicker. Or maybe you bought a specific brand because it worked for your grandma, and you were surprised when it didn’t work for you. That’s why you need someone who has the expertise and understanding of how nutrients work together.

Here’s a look at how supplements can help with chronic illness and which ones to take.

What are the supplements I should take?

High quality

Many supplements don’t have an active effect when entered the body. One example is magnesium. There are many forms of magnesium, like Magnesium Threonate, which helps cross the blood-brain barrier to help people with anxiety. However, it’s not easy to find that form. So, people often buy magnesium oxide, thinking it’s the magnesium they need for their bodies. And then, suddenly, they have diarrhea, and that’s because the milk of magnesia is for constipation.

Maybe you’ve taken high-quality supplements before and then quickly needed to replace them, so you opt for a cheaper version over the counter. But unfortunately, you could be wasting your money because the lower-quality supplements won’t always have the same ingredients or worse.

Natural combinations

A problem in the last couple of years is that everybody is taking high doses of supplements. It’s good for zinc, for example, as it’s good for the immune system, thyroid health, and blood sugar. However, it drives the level of our copper stores down, and copper is important for joint health connective tissue.

You could be taking 10 different supplements and have no idea they are making you deficient in certain nutrients. So, you need a natural combination of supplements that produce a combined effect greater than their separate effects.

Regulate medication

It can be hard to find balance when you have a thyroid condition and do not have enough thyroid hormone. So, you need to be extra cautious when taking multivitamins and minerals. What happens is that your thyroid meds ad certain minerals like calcium will compete for absorption. So, you could be blocking the absorption of your thyroid medication, which will make you still feel like garbage.

I started taking a supplement and later had my thyroid numbers checked, and everything was up. My tumor markers increased, and I just flatlined. So, you must be super careful if you have a condition. You need to work with someone that can help you figure it out.

If you need help with a chronic condition, please see your healthcare provider for specific health care concerns. I can also help you find the supplements and vitamins you need for your body. Book a free 30-minute call with me so we can talk through your goals, one step at a time.

 

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What exercise should I do if I suffer from a chronic health condition?

It can be difficult to exercise when you have a chronic health condition. For example, I’ve talked to so many people who have a thyroid diagnosis or an auto-immune disorder, and they can’t lose weight or keep gaining weight. And when they do exercise, they tend to overdo it as their bodies need the extra energy to fight their condition.

Those with a chronic health condition suffer from fatigue, depression, anxiety, joint pain, poor gut health, chronic headaches, numbness, or inflammation. So, when they do exercise, they are putting more stress on their body and end up feeling worse.

As someone who has recovered from thyroid cancer, I struggled to lose weight. I thought if I exercised more and took intense classes, it would help me lose weight. However, because of my thyroid condition, I only felt worse. So instead, I had to find different workouts that benefited my body.

Here’s a look at different exercises you can do if you suffer from a chronic health condition:

 

Stretching

Before you put your body through an intense workout, you should first do simple and easy movements. Focus on stretching at night before you get into bed. Create a mini yoga routine or use a foam roller to relax your body for a nice restorative night’s sleep.

Walking

Another option is to take a good nature walk. You don’t have to go to the woods or hike a mountain. I mean just getting outside and taking in that fresh air. Walk around the block, even if it’s just for five minutes. Walking helps us be more mindful and calms our brains, which calms our bodies.

Strength Training

Next, you should strengthen your muscles with a specific regimen of yoga or Pilates. Yoga can help build endurance and help restore our bodies. Then, once your body feels less stressed, I suggest full body, upper or lower body strength training to keep your muscle mass and composition in check.

Interval Training

Finally, I would introduce interval training into your workout when your body is ready. Short bursts of intense exercise will get your heart rate up and then bring it back down again. It will change your body’s ability to handle stress and helps normalize your symptoms.

Go Back to the Basics

Learn from my mistakes. Don’t push your body with intense workouts to lose weight. Instead, take baby steps to strengthen your muscles and build your tolerance. Then, when you start to get a little bit better, and your body feels more restored, I would increase the intensity or duration of your exercise.

Change your daily walk into a jog or exercise for 30 minutes longer. If you follow these exercises, you should notice a big difference in your body and your weight in no time. Make sure you pay attention to your body. If you begin to feel sore or exhausted, it’s a sign that you’re doing too much.

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