Is it all really necessary?

I'm like a lot of people and often ask myself if all the "extras" are REALLY necessary in order to live a long healthy life. Juicing, eating a diet high in raw foods, extra supplements, exercise - when is it all TOO MUCH? I don't know the answers and can read all the same studies other people read but it really comes down to what YOU believe and to what extent YOU want to feel good and live what you consider a "healthy lifestyle". The definition of "healthy lifestyle" is going to greatly differ with each person you talk to about it.

Up until recently I never really gave a second thought to lunch or dinner at the local fast food place, Taco Bell was one of my favorite places to go late at night after a party.......extra vitamins and supplements, no way - they can be pricey and I figured we get enough of what is "recommended" in what we eat anyway so what's the point in spending the money on those things.

Well, slowly my feelings on all this are changing towards the line of thought that some of it, not all, but some of it is really necessary to add to what you put in your body. Reading various things has convinced me that some of it might just make sense.

Starting today I'm adding the following things to my diet in an effort to aid my body in fighting the chronic illnesses I have been suffering from (Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - commonly referred to as FMS and CFS - some physicians will say they are one in the same, others say they are two separate illnesses that commonly run together:

**Acidophilus Probiotic (liquid form) - this is to aid in healthy intestinal bacteria and help control immune response to inflammation especially if one suffers from Inflammatory Bowel disease

**Spirulina - this powder is packed with vitamins and minerals and is considered a complete protein. It is rich in essential fatty acids. The vitamins you'll get with this powder are B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, as well as vitamins C, D, E and A. There is some controversy to the availability of B12 in this product so taking additional B12 is a good idea. It is a rich source of potassium and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, and zinc. This one supplement strongly supports the immune system and a healthy inflammatory response. With my current condition those two things are very important to keep healthy.

**B3 (Niacin) and B12 - B vitamins help the body to convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is "burned" to produce energy. These B vitamins, also help the body metabolize fats and protein. B complex vitamins are necessary for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly. Niacin also helps the body make various sex and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands and other parts of the body.

**Sea Kelp - As a highly alkaline substance, sea kelp can help restore optimum pH levels in the body. It is an excellent source of iodine therefore sea kelp can improve thyroid function, potentially increasing metabolism, energy and decreasing weight gain. It is also known to provide improved function of the immune system and thyroid gland, improved mental abilities and concentration and provides anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.





All in all I think it can't hurt and if I find that I have an overall better feeling of wellness then it's a good thing. I can say that so far, with just one day into the supplements I can tell I have more energy, that fast. So I'm excited to see how I feel after several days of taking the extra supplements.

While I was at the natural grocery store purchasing my new supplements I was a little overwhelmed with all the options available and being that I don't know a lot about all those different options, felt really out of my element and very out of place. Eventually I will know more as I learn how to transform my habits and choose the better options when I can.

By the way, if you are considering adding Spirulina to your daily diet, be forewarned, that is some nasty stuff - it's horrid! There is no doubt on that! I mixed it with orange juice and just downed it as it is an ugly green color and the less you have to taste the better!

I'm gearing up to clean out our "medicine cabinet" that houses the numerous medications I've been prescribed over the past 6 months - most of which I am not taking now except two - Effexor and Adderall. The effexor was just recently doubled in dosage to help with the FMS pain and the adderall is something I've taken for years for my ADD. My immediate goal is to get off the adderall and eventually get off the Effexor, although it is being used to help me with my FMS I'm thinking that one won't be going away anytime soon.

Stay tuned for pictures of the pharmacy we have going on, before and after pictures of the cabinet as I rid it of the medications - I think even I will be surprised at how many things we have in there - I just opened it earlier and things are spilling out - 99% of the items in there are probably expired or just something I use to take and never removed.