There are so many things our bodies need every day to work optimally. How do we support our body’s essential needs?
What does our body naturally make with the building blocks we give it?
Do age, inflammation, and stress levels make a difference?
Does geographic area and diet play a factor?
Are there certain things everyone needs, period?
These are great questions to ask your provider and it’s always better to test than guess.
Your provider can help you restore balance. This article is designed to give you a jumping off point.
Everyone is different, but those of us living in Utah and those living relatively far from the equator generally need a few specific things.
The first is Vitamin D and its best friend Vitamin K. These two vitamins work together to support immune health, bone and skeletal tissue, vascular health (blood vessels), hormones, and they protect prostate, colon, and breast tissue.
Understand that a Vitamin D supplement that doesn’t include a bioactive Vitamin K to support it, will not be utilized in the body and will be wasted.
Most people that don’t live near the equator are deficient in Vitamin D most months of the year, because our bodies make Vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun. We get very little Vitamin D from our diet. Here in Utah we need to supplement with Vitamin D from roughly September to April to support our body so we have the optimal level of Vitamin D.
Having optimal Vitamin D levels is important for moods, motivation, bone and body pain, blood sugar regulation, keeping our arteries clear, maintaining an optimal weight and many more things. It is possible to overdo this vitamin, so testing your levels and working with your provider to obtain an optimal level is what we recommend.
Magnesium is another mineral almost everyone needs to supplement with, regardless of how far they live from the equator. Stress and our daily lives deplete the body of magnesium readily. It is difficult to get enough in the diet and the consequences of deficiency are not very pleasant. Magnesium is needed for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body. The downstream effects of these enzyme reactions can affect inflammation levels, hormone production, blood sugar balance, digestion, sleep quality, and so much more.
Magnesium is found in dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, cocoa, and whole grains.
There are many types of magnesium and they don’t all work the same way.
Magnesium Glycinate (magnesium chelate, magnesium bisglycinate) is a well absorbed form of magnesium, it can help calm anxiety, help with PMS, cramps, pain, fibrocystic breasts, cravings, and sleep.
Magnesium Threonate distinguishes itself from others in that it was created to cross the blood brain barrier. It may improve learning and memory functions and may be especially beneficial for age-related cognitive decline.
Magnesium chloride can lower anxiety, reduce pain, relaxes muscles, reduces hot flashes, and promotes sleep. It was used topically as an antiseptic. Not only is magnesium chloride a great antimicrobial treatment when given topically, it also delivers magnesium directly into the bloodstream. The skin is a great way to increase magnesium levels and bypass the gut, which is especially beneficial for those with malabsorption or leaky gut. We carry a magnesium gel made with Magnesium Chloride.
Magnesium Citrate is calming and helps bowel motility, a great supplement to take before bed but isn’t absorbed as fully as other forms of magnesium and so isn’t a great option to use to replenish the body’s stores.
Ask your provider if you have any symptoms of low magnesium and which supplement would work best for you.
Pregnenolone is a hormone made in the adrenal glands, not just a hormone, it’s the mother of all the steroid hormones our bodies produce. Stress, inflammation, and age can take a toll on our pregnenolone levels which has a trickle down effect on the other steroid hormones that come from it. Pregnenolone is crucial for fertility and hormone production of DHEA, progesterone, and cortisol. DHEA is a hormone that can convert to testosterone and estrogen. When women go into menopause and their ovaries stop producing hormones, it is the adrenal gland that supplies small amounts of testosterone and estradiol hormones to women. In order to feel healthy, well, and balanced, we need optimal levels of Pregnenolone and DHEA so we have healthy levels of progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen. Each of these hormones protect the body and aid it in many processes. If you are over 40 or have symptoms like fatigue, mood changes, sleep challenges, low libido, and hot flashes, talk with your provider about testing these important hormones.
We believe everyone needs optimal levels of each of these items.
Dr. Johnston has formulated 3 products with the brand H&V Nutraceuticals...
Vitamin D3 & K supplement that contains optimal levels of both Vitamin D and K, if you’re trying to maintain optimal levels.
Ultra Magnesium which has magnesium bisglycinate & threonate to help the body and the mind.
And finally, a DHEA & Pregnenolone formulation. The DHEA & Pregnenolone is great for people who are taking both, but in separate capsules. This is a daily physiological dose of both DHEA & Pregnenolone in only one capsule daily.
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