Before you buy that supplement...

For many years, I bought all the green powders, drank pre-workout, used all the collagen peptides, tried all the adaptogenic teas- and spent a ridiculous amount of money every month on ‘optimizing my health’…

While also spending lots of mental energy on refining my food intake to ‘healthy’ foods only.

And in all that time, I did not feel more energized, or avoided illnesses, or lifted my max weight.

I just felt consumed by my pursuit of ‘enhancing’ my life.

When I let go of trying to regulate my body through food and movement, I also let go of trying to regulate my health with supplementation from an unregulated industry.

And in turn, I dialed into these things- and not only felt better and stronger, but got more of my time and energy back from all that I put into making myself ‘better’.

Take whatever supplements you want and need, but I humbly suggest trying these four things first; it might save you some energy- and a ton of money too…

Eat actual- and enough- food.

Not supplements (which are regulated as a food item and not a drug- even though they may contain drugs or interfere with other medicines or medical conditions). Or shakes. Good for when you’ve got limited time or resources.  But nothing compares to a meal with protein, carbs and fat.

And if you have the access to a variety of foods, you likely don’t need any kind of supplementation, unless you have a medical condition that requires it.

Take adequate rest days and getting good sleep.

Too many intense workouts and not enough rest raises cortisol levels and messes with melatonin production, which directly impacts sleep.  

Not getting enough sleep leads to slower production of HGH which fuels tissue repair.  This leads to less muscle mass, weaker bones, thinner skin, and a speed increase on your biological.

Drink water over sports drinks.

Do you really need to buy cases of that red drink if you’re not a competing athlete? For most people, drinking enough water will keep your electrolytes balanced.  

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will cover some of the other additives like potassium and magnesium (and that goes back to EATING ENOUGH FOOD). 

Focus on mobility during your exercise routines- and stretch after.

Fancy massage tools feel great.  And.  Regular, intentional movement, with a focus on strength and flexibility, will prevent many of the aches and pains you’re rolling away.

Regular movement also improves sleep which goes back to GETTING ADEQUATE REST.

**As a side note, the wellness industry pushes unnecessary and expensive products to a specific socio economic class that most humans don’t fall into.  Imagine if all that money was spent on creating equitable access to quality foods, healthcare, safe and affordable housing, addressing racism and discrimination?  There’s things we can do as individuals to improve our health, but actual health lies within changing the systems we live in.