Heart HealthSupplements – How to Pick a "Whole Food" Supplement for Optimal Health
If you strive for optimal health, consider adding a whole food supplement to your daily regimen. However, you must be a savvy shopper to make sure you select a supplement that lives up to its claims, because many are a waste of money. Things to look for:
- Independent research. This means the company selling the product did not conduct the research.
- Double blind, placebo controlled studies. This means neither the “patient” nor the doctor knew if they were taking the supplement or a sugar pill, which provides more reliable results.
- Research that shows results. If the product claims to raise antioxidant levels and reduce high blood pressure, research studies need to back this up.
- Publication in peer reviewed journals, such as The Journal of the American College of Cardiology or the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
Tired of changes that don't last?
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD
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Where I send people for supplements
Food first, always. When a supplement is worth considering, the front of the bottle is marketing and the supplement facts panel is the actual content. Two bottles at the same price can differ by half in what they deliver.
My dispensary carries practitioner-grade products, most of which aren’t sold direct to consumers, with the reasoning behind each one.
I may earn a commission on dispensary orders.