I was recently at a naturopathic convention, and one of the speakers put up a slide that I thought was worth sharing:
YOU CAN’T OUT-SUPPLEMENT A SHI**Y DIET AND LIFESTYLE
This may not be the news you want to hear as we head into the holiday season, but…it’s the truth. In almost every lecture at the three-day conference, which covered health issues from heart disease to cancer to infertility, all roads invariably led back to one problem: too much inflammation.
There are many great supplements, backed by lots of research, that help the body deal with inflammation – curcumin, fish oils, berberine, bio-flavanoids, olive oil. The list is long.
But taking a mitt-full of these supplements doesn’t help if you are living a standard North American lifestyle. Too much sugar, not enough greens. Too much stress, not enough sleep. Too much sitting, not enough movement. Too much screen time, not enough people time. It’s a perfect storm for making inflammation.
The basics are the most important, and the prescription is the same for everyone.
Eat generous helpings of produce every day. One easy way to get started is a daily green smoothie. There are recipes abound. Here is my current favourite:
- ½ frozen banana
- 1 peeled orange
- 1 handful curly kale
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 cup almond or coconut milk
- 1 scoop isolated whey protein
Commit to getting into bed earlier. NO TV in the bedroom. Read, journal, meditate or…. but no TV!!!
Move every day. Yes, every day! Everyone has a few minutes. Get outside at lunchtime. Meet a friend after work or in the morning. It’s a kind of miracle.
Turn off the TV, the computer, the iPad and TALK TO A PERSON. Commit to eating as a family. If you’re living on your own, start up a weekly dinner group.
You can spend a fortune on supplements, but just remember: they won’t make up for not taking care of yourself.