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 Yay - that was quick!! I placed my order Sunday, and here it is!

I'm a Virgo, and true to form, I have long been interested in health and practices that support it.  I followed instructions in a little book on yoga on HS, and began taking movement classes by the my late 20s  (ballet, and a few years after that, Tai Chi) 

My dad always had a garden, and we got whole raw milk from the dairy next door.  I continued gardening, eating whole foods, making my own bread and yogurt (still from raw milk), supplemented with vitamins and  minerals from my 20s.

 For most of my supplements, I buy off the shelf or order from the office where I offer massage Reiki and holistic sessions ... but needed more of the Niacinamide for my joints, and wanted to try a time release formula.

I discovered Niacinamide's use for arthritis this spring, as I was experiencing some pain and stiffness in my right hand, after breaking my wrist in a fall last summer. 

New Supplements!

In the 30s and 40s, Dr Kaufman had many of his patients with 'Wear and Tear' arthritis take several thousand milligrams of Niacinamide in divided doses throughout the day, and found it to be an excellent control for the pain. It also helped rebuild collagen - often making joint surgery unnecessary! And then, cortisone became available and popular, and of course more lucrative for the industry - the vitamin B-3 in this form is 13c each, for 1000 mg! 

Niacinamide was the first mega-vitamin used for mental health, and is very supportive in that regard as well, especially for struggling teens. It's removed in milling and heat sensitive, so harder to get even in normal amounts from food. 

I take a B vitamin blend from Thorne daily as well, and liquid B-12.

An allied mineral for joint and bone health is Boron, a trace mineral that's also a cofactor for magnesium metabolism. Boron is key for heart health, the parathyroid, is anti-inflammatory, and can prevent bone loss as we age! It supports health of nerves and immune function as well - - what's not to like? 

Check out This talk Dr Jorges Flecher gave to dentists at a conference on oral health on his own discovery of the importance of Boron  In the US, ~ 23% of the population have some form of arthritis, and most of us get 0-3 mg of Boron daily; in areas getting 10-30 mg of dietary Boron daily, the arthritis rate drops to .5 % ! There's less Boron in arthritic joints than in 'normal' joints. Remember to take this one early in the day, as it tends to increase energy. (I also make Boron water, a free Flechas mentions in his talk.)

In nature, vitamins A and D naturally occur together, and Cod Liver Oil (which i have to my kids!) is still a great source. This one's Icelandic. 

 In the PNW, we are above the 45th parallel, so most folks find taking a higher dose of D  helpful. Both of A and D support the immune and cardiovascular systems, enhance bone health and calcium metabolism. In one 40s study, toddlers who were low in Vitamin D, and beginning to show signs of rickets, would request spoonfuls of CLO, until the condition was corrected!

Though we're near the ocean, the PNW is a goiter belt, so iodine and seaweed can be very supportive of thyroid health,  metabolism, and immune function. I do eat and love seaweed - and discovered I felt better with supplemental iodine in my 20s! 

Resveratol is found in red grapes (one of the reasons drinking Red wine is recommended - and whilst I live in the heart of wine county, I just don't drink much!) It is considered a longevity herb, its use can mimic fasting, and support healthy long life.  Some studies point to consuming it on alternate days - especially on days with higher fat intake, to be most beneficial. It also seems to support the health of our mitochondria, which are key to vitality.

NAC (N Acetyl L Cystine) is an antioxidant which supports health glutathione levels, immune, liver and respiratory function and energy production! It's advised to be sure to drink sufficient water whilst taking this one - 6-8 glasses. I've been having a pinch of sea salt before drinking water, to enhance absorption by the cells! 

Now,  to integrate these into my routine... 

Years ago, I read a lovely tome from our public library which detailed in a few pages each, cutting edge research on individual supplements. At the end of each chapter, the author asked the researcher, 'what supplements do you personally take?' 

Generally: a multi or B complex, vitamins C and E, many also took D and some minerals - and they EACH took whatever they were studying!! 

An MD studying longevity had the longest list of supplements and lifestyle supports like eating whole foods, and exercising daily!' 

I love the easy access lids (I only needed to swap out the Niacinamide top - I keep a few of the extras on hand.

I've recently taken up sprouting again, after seeing info on the enzymes in broccoli sprouts and their anti-carcenogenic effect on cells. I also discovered the Japanese morning exercises (< 10 minutes!) That are a great way to wake up the lymph and begin the day! 

Do you have a favorite supplement and movement routine? I'd love to hear about them!

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