5-Day Miracle Vitamin Plan

There are “energy centers” in your body that need to be fueled with the right key vitamins, in order for you to feel your most energized and vibrant. A lack of proper vitamins and nutrition can lead to you feeling run down and depleted. While taking a high quality multi-vitamin can be good nutritional insurance, it is better to focus on creating a lifestyle of eating vitamin-filled, whole foods in a complete nutritional package, rather than taking dozens of different individual vitamin supplements.

I designed this Miracle Vitamin Plan to include vitamins to jumpstart your energy in five different key “energy centers” which will benefit you the most. Focus on getting these vitamins into your body every day, via these and other supercharged foods, and you’ll start to notice a big difference in your energy levels in just five days.

DAY #1: Lungs

Lungs are a key organ for boosting and maintaining your energy, as they are responsible for taking in oxygen required for all aerobic metabolism in the body. Even a slight change in lung function can lower oxygen levels, which can cause severe fatigue. To boost lung energy get an infusion of vitamin E, which some research suggests may improve or support lung function.

A great way to reach the daily recommendation of vitamin E is to combine: ½ cup sunflower seeds, ¾ cup dried apricots and ½ cup hazelnuts. These are easy food to pack in your purse for on the go, or to store at work when you feel like a snack. Sunflower seeds are delicious on green salads, and add a nice crunch.

I recommend storing your sunflower seeds and hazelnuts in the fridge, which will help keep their natural oils fresh, prevent rancidity and ensure you are getting the maximum amount of nutrition from them.

DAY #2: Brain

Your brain is the ultimate energy center, since it drives all bodily functions related to energy, including your respiratory rate, heart functions, hormones, and sleep.

Vitamin D (which is actually truly a hormone) is key for helping your brain function at its peak. You can obtain vitamin D from sun exposure and certain foods. One of the best super food sourcesfor vitamin D is mushrooms. Like humans, mushrooms produce vitamin D when exposed to light.

Portobello mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D. Look out for the brand Dole at the grocery store, which sells Portobellos grown under UV light. Just one cup, or about two of them meet the government’s daily recommendation of 400 IUs. Maitake and shitake mushrooms also contain vitamin D, and to a much lesser extent, white button mushrooms do as well.

For an easy dinner, try marinating Portobello mushroom caps in a mixture of 1/3 cup low-sodium tamari, 2 cloves of minced garlic and ¼ cup cooking wine for at least an hour, spooning the mixture over the mushrooms so it really soaks in, then baking covered in a baking dish for 35-40 minutes at 375 degrees. Pair with salad and veggies or a starch as a meat replacement. Besides being high in Vitamin D, Portobello mushrooms are also a great source of protein.

DAY #3: Intestines

Though you may not think of your intestines when you’re thinking of energy, but they are an absolutely key “energy center”. If your intestines and digestive tract are sluggish or backed up, you are not going to feel energized. The intestines are the front line in getting energy from your food into your cells, which supply your body with energy. To promote the health of your intestines, you need a sufficient amount of the B vitamins.

It is important to note that B vitamins are water-soluble rather than fat-soluble, which means you can’t store them in your fat cells to use later; you need to include them in your diet regularly.

A super source of B vitamins is nutritional yeast, which is an inexpensive primary product that you can find at health food stores. It is different than the yeast for baking you might be familiar with, and find in packets. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy nut-like taste & is rich in the B-complex vitamins, and supplies a complete protein source. 1 ½ Tbs. has 40 calories and supplies over 100% of your daily value of most types of B vitamins. Sprinkle it on salads, or directly on veggies raw or after cooking. It works particularly great on steamed broccoli as a cheese replacement. Store your nutritional yeast in the cupboard.

DAY #4: Liver

The liver is key for detoxifying the body. This contributes to energy, for if your body isn’t properly detoxing itself and ridding itself of toxins, you can start to feel run down. The liver is where most vitamin K is stored and it needs vitamin K to function optimally.

The best way to infuse your body with vitamin K is through the leafy green, kale. One cup kale has an incredible almost 700% of the daily recommendation. There are different kale types you can explore, including Lacinato/Tuscan kale and curly kale.

Try making kale salad as a different kind of salad from a traditional mixed green or romaine salad. Strip the kale leaves off the dense middle stalk, tearing them into small pieces (which makes for easier digestion). For one head of kale, use a dressing of 2 Tbs. of nutritional yeast (see Day #3), fresh lemon juice and ½ of an avocado mashed up (which also contains potassium and fiber), to serve as the fat in lieu of oil. Mix these three ingredients together then work through the kale- clean hands work best!

DAY #5: Thyroid

The thyroid is a gland that part of the endocrine system that controls your metabolism. Having a boosted metabolism contributes to energy, as well as weight loss.

The best booster for the thyroid is actually not a vitamin, it is a chemical element called iodine, which helps your thyroid functioning at optimum levels. A fantastic source of iodine are sea vegetables, including kombu or kelp. Only 1 gram contains three times the daily recommended intake of iodine, which is 150 mcg. You might not be familiar with these vegetables from the sea, but you can find them in the Asian section of health stores. Another great quality about these vegetables is that they not only high in iodine, but also trace minerals, and are fairly low in sodium, so they won’t contribute to bloat while adding a salty taste to dishes.

The best way to work with them is to soak them in water first, to reconstitute them. Then you can cut them into pieces and add them to soups or salads. You can even “hide” them by pureeing them directly into soups if the sight of them is off-putting to you or your family. You’ll get the benefit, and remember a little bit goes a long way. The iodine won’t be destroyed by heat, so don’t be afraid to cook it.

Essential Vitamins for Digestive Health

Essential Vitamins for Digestive Health

Your digestive health depends on essential vitamins — vitamins your body doesn't make. Find out how to add them to your diet and when you may need a vitamin supplement.

By Chris Iliades, MD

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Essential vitamins are termed "essential" because your body needs them but can't make them. Since the body doesn't produce them naturally, you need to get these vitamins from the foods you eat or from vitamin supplements.

All essential vitamins are important for digestive health, just as they are for the rest of your body, but some play specific roles in digestion. In most cases, you can get the nutrients you need from a healthy diet, but it may not hurt to take a multivitamin supplement and an extra supplement of vitamin D.

The B Vitamins for Digestive Health

B vitamins are essential for digestive health. They are also water-soluble. Translation: You can't store them away in your fat cells to use later; you need to make them a regular part of your diet. B vitamins are mainly involved in getting energy from the food you eat into your cells.

Here are some top B vitamins:

• Folic acid. Not getting enough of this vitamin has been linked to birth defects, so many foods are now fortified with folic acid. This B vitamin is especially important for digestive heath because high levels have been shown to lower your risk of colon cancer.
• Vitamin B1. This vitamin, also known as thiamine, helps your body change the carbohydrates in your diet into energy for your cells. Thiamine is also important in the regulation of appetite.
• Vitamin B2. A shortage of this vitamin, which is also known as riboflavin, can result in sores and a swollen tongue and mouth.
• Vitamin B3. Also known as niacin, this vitamin is important for many digestive tractfunctions, including the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and alcohol. Not getting enough niacin can result in a disease known as pellagra, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhea.
• Vitamin B6. The other name for this vitamin is pyridoxine. It is very important in helping your digestive system process all the protein you eat.
• Biotin. This B vitamin helps your digestive system produce cholesterol and process proteins, carbohydrates, and fatty acids. After proteins are broken down, biotin helps digestive health by getting rid of the waste products.

B vitamins can be added to your diet by eating more whole grains, beans, seafood, eggs, dairy products, and lots of leafy green vegetables. Because studies show that many people do not get enough B vitamins in their diet, a daily multivitamin with B supplements is a good idea.

Vitamin C for Digestive Health

Recent research hasn’t supported many of the health claims for vitamin C. Although vitamin C may not be as powerful in preventing colds and infections as once thought, it is still important for healthy teeth and gums, which are important for digestive health. Vitamin C is also important for your digestion because it helps you absorb iron.

If you include good sources of vitamin C in your diet, you shouldn't need any supplement beyond a daily multivitamin. Here are some good dietary sources:

• Citrus fruits
• Berries
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Broccoli
• Fortified cereal

Vitamin D for Digestive Health

If you live in the northern part of the United States or if you don't get out in the sunshine for at least 15 minutes every day, you should consider a vitamin D supplement. Studies show that about one billion people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D. For digestive health, vitamin D helps build strong teeth, and many studies show that being low on vitamin D may increase your risk of colon cancer. You can get this vitamin into your diet by eating:

• Fortified cereal
• Fortified milk and other dairy products
• Eggs
• Liver
• Salmon and tuna

The vitamins and other nutrients you get from a balanced diet are essential for your digestive health and will keep your digestive system working smoothly.

The 5 Most Important Supplements

I usually take a fistful of nutritional supplements every day. In fact, most people are speechless when they see my daily regimen.

I also travel with them — putting each day’s allotment into plastic bags and stuffing them in my suitcase.

But I recently left the States for a four-week medical mission in Tibet and my gear was limited to 50 pounds. So there won’t be room for my usual supplement supply.

So I’ve had to decide…

“If I could only take five supplements, what would they be?”

I only had room for five supplements per day, so they had to be the really important ones.

So here they are. By the way… these are also the ones I recommend you begin with if you’re just starting out — or the ones you can cut back to if you need to save money. Anyway, here goes…

1. A high-quality multi-vitamin

Topping the list is an excellent quality multi-vitamin. This is essential because a multi “fills in the blanks” of your diet (no matter how good it is), so you’re not running dangerously low on the essential nutrients your body needs for optimal functioning.

Be sure to avoid the TV-advertised one-a-days you find in your local drugstore. These are nearly worthless because their ingredients are based on the “bare minimum” official Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), now upgraded to the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).

The RDA evolved from the old Minimum Daily Requirement (MDR) set by the government. This means the nutrients in most of the popular multis contain the minimum doses necessary to prevent nutritional -deficiency diseases, such as scurvy (vitamin C), beriberi (vitamin B1), and others. This certainly is not how to guarantee optimal health.

These mainstream multis are notoriously feeble. For example, Consumer Reports recently concluded that Centrum is the worst vitamin for seniors in its class. (There goes that advertising revenue!)

Consumer Reports also found that The Vitamin Shoppe’s One Daily failed to dissolve in a simulated stomach environment, while containing less vitamin A than its label claims.

You can avoid this pitfall by sticking to high-quality, bioavailable multivitamins that are reasonably priced and lab-tested. One of my favorites is Ultimate Daily Support from Real Advantage, formulated by Dr. William Campbell Douglass. It’s a terrific multi that contains a broad list of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and enzymes that easily are absorbed and quickly bioavailable. This is the multinourishing my body in Tibet.

Another top-notch product is Forward Multi-Nutrient , formulated by Dr. Julian Whitaker, a friend and associate I’ve known for almost 20 years. Julian is a pioneer in the orthomolecular field and alternative medicine and has done so much to legitimize natural healing. He’s also a living legend who was mentored by Dr. Linus Pauling.

2. A quality omega-3 supplement

Fish oil is today’s bestselling supplement — and with good reason. The EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in omega-3 fish oil have profoundly positive effects on human health.

DHA slows your liver’s production of undesirable triglycerides, making it extremely protective against heart disease and diabetes.

In addition, fish oil is incredibly effective at reducing inflammation. It accomplishes this by triggering the release of prostaglandins (natural substances that regulate immunity, inflammation, blood clotting, brain function, plus a host of other essential functions).

There’s not enough room here to list all the healing effects of omega-3. The highlights include: Healing blood vessel walls … keeping the blood thin (thus minimizing clotting) flowing smoothly … lowering blood pressure … stabilizing blood sugar … and brightening your mood.

The American Heart Association recommends a daily dose of 500-1,000 mg of DHA and EPA from fish oil to reduce heart disease — but I think this is a paltry dose. I prefer to take 6,000 to 9,000 iu daily in three equal doses — and find this really helps my arthritis.

There’s just one problem. The huge demand for fish oil is wreaking havoc on marine life. Overfishing is depleting fish stocks and the oceans are on the brink of crisis.

Even oils extracted from krill (tiny, omega-3-rich crustaceans) are troublesome. That’s because krill are at the bottom of the ocean’s food chain — and larger fish depend upon them for life. Harvesting krill deprives all fish of their main food supply.

This is why I prefer to get my omega-3 from marine phytoplankton (also known as “micro algae”) these days.

Phytoplankton is the plant-based omega-3 food source that supplies krill and other fish with EPA and DHA. Raised in large, land-based tanks, phytoplankton is free of mercury contaminants, heavy metals, and ocean pollution. Its good stuff — and you’re not depriving fish of their food supply.

3. Co-enzyme Q-10

CoQ-10 (also known as ubiquinol) is a nutrient produced by the “energy factories” in your cells called mitochondria. Taking a CoQ-10 supplement boosts the way your cells produce and use energy. It also helps your body burn fat … improves cholesterol ratios … boosts your physical energy levels … and improves thyroid and pancreas functions.

By the way, statins — the widely — (or is it “wildly”?) prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs — actually deplete your body’s natural CoQ-10. Statins block production of cholesterol in the liver, where CoQ-10 is also manufactured. Without sufficient CoQ-10, statins can cause liver damage … irregular heartbeat … muscle weakness … leg cramps … heart attack and stroke (the two potentially fatal conditions that statins are supposed to prevent).

Other medications also can limit your body’s production of CoQ-10, including: Diabetes drugs … antidepressants … female hormone replacement therapy … and blood pressure meds. If you take any of these, you definitely need to supplement with CoQ-10.

When shopping, labels may read “CoQ-10” or “Coenzyme Q-10”, but the more active form will be labeled “QH” or “ubiquinol.” This is a stronger form of CoQ-10, though purchasing that version isn’t essential, especially if price is an issue. Take 100 mg two or three times twice per day, because your body can’t metabolize higher doses.

4. Magnesium citrate

You’ve been hearing about calcium and bone health forever — but did you know that magnesium and calcium are like conjoined twins? Calcium can’t even be absorbed unless magnesium is present. Without it, calcium is much less effective in maintaining your bones and regulating your nerve and muscle tone.

In fact, new research shows that Americans need far more magnesium than the current RDI — and that you should really be consuming twice as much magnesium as calcium for optimal health.

Magnesium may be the most important mineral you can take because it’s a key player in 300 essential bodily functions, and is used by all of your organs. It activates enzymes … powers your energy … and helps your body absorb vitamin D, potassium, and zinc.

The majority of Americans are magnesium-deficient due to the low-quality, processed foods in the typical American diet. Produce grown in mineral-depleted soil won’t provide much magnesium, either.

If you have blood sugar issues, you should know that magnesium helps regulate blood sugar and insulin activity. In addition, magnesium’s ability to relax muscles and nerves makes it one of your best allies in the battle against anxiety … hypertension … restless leg syndrome … sleep disorders … and abnormal heart rhythm.

Consuming magnesium supplements can be challenging, as they tend to be large and difficult to digest. That’s why I like Natural Calm , a fruit-flavored magnesium powder that mixes easily in water. I take it in the evening because of its relaxing effect. Start with a low dose, because it can loosen your stools (not necessarily a bad thing if constipation is a problem). Another alternative is a topically-applied magnesium chloride liquid spray that’s absorbed through the skin, which won’t affect your bowels.

5. Sunshine vitamin D

This is rapidly becoming the miracle vitamin of our time. Every week, it seems, there’s a new finding about D’s marvelous benefits. Most Americans are badly deficient in vitamin D because doctors consider the sun our enemy — and your skin converts solar rays into this essential vitamin.

Numerous studies show that this amazing vitamin is protective against all cancers (even skin cancer and melanoma!) … strengthens bones … prevents and even heals diabetes … protects against heart disease … lowers blood pressure … reverses depression … and elevates mood.

Whenever you can, spend 10-20 minutes sunbathing — without sunscreen. (Your body transforms sunshine into all the vitamin D it needs.) If your access to sunlight is limited by season or geographic location, take 2,000-5,000 iu of a good quality vitamin D supplement daily. (The elderly and African-Americans need higher doses.) Official recommendations call for a scant 600 iu, which is far too low. Just make sure you purchase vitamin D3 (not D2) because the D3 form is 87% more potent than vitamin D2.

No more “supplement overwhelm”

Taking these five supplements should cover all the important bases and provide your body with optimal nutrition (provided you’re eating a healthy diet).

Now I’d like to hear from you. Do you have a favorite supplement that I’ve missed? Do you have a story about how a particular supplement or herbal remedy turned your health around?

Please share whatever’s on your mind about nutritional supplements here so we can all benefit from your experience.