"I believe that you can, by taking some simple and inexpensive measures, extend your life and your years of well-being. My most important recommendation is that you take vitamins every day in optimun amounts, to supplement the vitamins you receive in your food."

-Linus Pauling, Ph.D., Two-time Nobel Prize Laureate

Nutritional supplements are quite controversial at times, for good reason; there are tens of thousands of them that are heavily marketed, yet only a few have been proven to work. At AMOWC we are committed to suggesting high quality nutritional supplements, and educating you about their optimal therapeutic use. In this toxic day and age of stress and nutrient-depleted foods, you need to supplement your diet with it. Supplements are an integrated as a necessity to maintain or enhance your health, vitality and longevity and fat loss. Supplements are not a substitute for poor nutrition; on the contrary, it is a powerful addition to your lifestyle that offers various benefits to your health.

It’s no secret that your body requires dozens upon dozens of nutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, essential fats, and food chemicals (phytonutrients) – to function optimally and maintain good health. The facts are that most of us are not getting adequate amount of nutrients on a daily basis for short-term and long-term health. Here’s why:

• We eat overly processed foods and fast foods that have been stripped of their original nutrient content.
• We eat foods grown in nutrient-depleted soils. The vegetables, grains, and fruits grown in these fields therefore lose many of their healthful properties.
• Many important nutrients are destroyed in the course of the cooking process.
• We lead stressful lifestyles that increase our bodies’ demand of these diseases.

Your body has a genetic need for certain amounts and balances of nutrients in order to function efficiently. Fail to get what your body needs and degenerative disease is almost assured. Meet that need-the requirement of your Metabolic type-and you run an excellent chance of staying healthy, trim, and energetic for a lifetime. Here are advantages of supplements:

• Help meet daily requirements of nutrients
• Conserve your energy
• Compensate for lack of nutrients in today’s food

Now that you realize the importance of nutrients (supplements), I will list a few of the supplements that are vital to your health and overall fitness goals. Some supplements are good. Many are so-so. Others are completely worthless. Let’s take a look at the supplements that I would recommend for you to include in your transformation and maintenance program.

Supplement#1: Multivitamin/Mineral

Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. Vitamins contribute to good health by regulating the metabolism and assisting the biochemical processes that release energy from digested food. While minerals are vital for every living cell in the planet for proper function and structure. Minerals are also needed for the proper composition of body fluids, the formation of blood and bone, the maintenance of healthy nerve function of blood and bone, and the regulation of muscle tone, including that of muscles of the cardiovascular system. Like minerals, vitamins function as coenzymes, enabling the body to perform its functions, including energy production, growth, and healing. The right kind of multivitamin/mineral, in the right amount, at the right place in the body, at the right time, and in the right form is vital for optimal health.

Supplement#2: Omega-3 Fish Oils

Fatty acids are the basic building blocks of which fats and oils are composed. Contrary to popular myth, the body does need fat. It must be the right kind, however. Essential fatty acids (omega-3 fish oils, krill oil, flaxseed, olive oil, coconut oil...) must be supplied through diet.

Fish oils are one of the best investments you can make to your overall health. Fish oil has a Christmas list of benefits, so I won’t bore you with them with them all, but I will list a few.

• Reduce inflammation (inflammation can cause the body fat due to effects on insulin)
• Balanced blood sugar levels (which reduce cravings)
• Increased energy levels
• Elevated mood
• Accelerated loss of body fat
• Improved skin condition
• Decreased cardiovascular risk
• Reduced symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis
• Reduced appetite

I will mention, most importantly that research has shown that it improves the health of your brain, heart, and eyes. It has also been shown to diminish the effects of depression, arthritis, cancer, and many nervous system-related diseases. With all positive facts, I would greatly recommend supplementing with Omega-3 fatty acids to get all the fat-burning and health benefits.

Supplement#3: Probiotic (HCL - Digestive enzymes)

Probiotics plays an important role in digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients you eat is imperative to reducing body fat and achieving optimal health. Without an adequate amount of HCL (hydrochloric acid), your food and supplements are not broken down. Your body is likely to assimilate and absorb these nutrients.

It’s a waste to eat nutrient dense foods if you can’t metabolize it. The majority of people don’t produce anywhere near enough HCL in their stomachs to metabolize food and supplements. It does no good to consume food and supplements to help with your fitness and health goals if you can’t absorb and assimilate it. It practically assists in all bodily functions.

Supplement#4: Quality Whey Protein

Protein shakes are only to supplement your meal plans. It is a great choice for anyone who is interested in losing weight and toning their body while dealing with a fast-pace society. Nutrition shakes provide a quick convenient way to get in a few of your five-seven meals each day. If chosen correctly, they’re packed with the nutrients necessary to nourish and transform your body. As you see I mentioned, it is it all about choosing the correct protein shake. High quality whey protein should be manufactured from cold processed milk and/or raw organic milk sources, although expensive, are highly effective.

Supplement#5: Fiber

Fiber is often called “nature’s blood sugar stabilizer” since it slows the amount of glucose (sugar) that dumps into your blood stream. This is important when eating for fat loss because insulin, the fat storing hormone, is primarily active when blood glucose is high. It is important to consume around 30grams of fiber each day. Doing this alone can fight belly fat. Fiber along with fats and proteins fights belly fat by slowing down the absorption of sugar in the body, which helps fight belly fat, and helps cleanse the belly bulge (waste) that comes from an overload digestive system. Sprinkling fiber onto high-carb foods slows digestion, thus preventing a surge in fat-storing hormones. Even though fiber is one of the most important nutrients to add to your diet you shouldn’t load up on too much fiber too soon. Here are some of the fiber-rich foods:

• Lentils
• Black beans
• Kidney beans
• Oats, rolled
• Quinoa
• Raspberries

Supplement#6: Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in trace amounts in foods like cheese, butter, and beef. These foods don’t contain enough CLA to have a positive fat loss-effect. CLA is very safe because it’s a naturally occurring fat. This is why CLA is one of the top weight loss supplement choices.

Supplement#7: Branched Chained Amino Acids (BCAAs)

BCAAs can control hunger, boost your energy, and help your muscles recover faster. BCAAs can work wonders if you take enough of them at the right times. The best times to derive all the benefits are around exercise (before and after) and between meals. Important to find BCAA tablets that have high levels of leucine since research shows it’s the most powerful BCAA for burning fat and preserving muscle.

Supplement#8: Vitamin D3

Vitamin D also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” has been associated with endless health benefits so that it may become the “nutrient of the decade.” Normalizing your Vitamin D levels will boost your immune system, increase bone density, protect against a host of diseases such as cancer, and it’ll improve recovery, increase performance, decrease insulin production, and promote fat loss. It really is the closest thing you’ll find to a miracle supplement.

Supplement#9: Green tea

Many scientific studies linked green tea to increased body fat burning, as well as prevention of fat absorption. Green tea extract or green tea can stimulate the metabolism during weight loss phases. You need to make sure that your green tea extract is high in EGCG, which is the most active component.

Note: Workout Supplement Suggestion

Your supplementation before and after you train is essential to get right in order to keep your performance up and help you recover more quickly. It’s best to consume BCAAs and vitamin C before training. Other supplements that are not mandatory but can benefit your workouts are beta-alanine, amino acids, and creatine.