Thank you Council For Responsible Nutrition for sponsoring this post. I am proud to be one of the 170 million Americans who take dietary supplements each year!
Being a mom in and of itself can be exhausting, whether it is for one child or four like I have. When you add to it all of the things like sports, dance, music, school, chores, work and everything in between, life can be overwhelming. Of course, that didn’t seem like enough (haha, just kidding)…so I decided to add coaching to the list. So I help coach both of my oldest girls’ softball teams as well.
In order for me to be on top of my game, I have to take care of myself. That means getting enough sleep, eating good, and drinking a lot of liquids. Even when I am doing all of these things (which isn’t all of the time, mind you) I know I am still not getting the balanced nutritional diet that I need. That is why I love supplements like vitamins, hydration drinks, protein drinks and bars, and all of the other things like this that allow me to help fill nutrition gaps and promote overall health and wellness.
When I am out on the field (or in the dugout, rather) I need to be focused, have energy, and be hydrated. Combining good habits with my favorite dietary supplements makes a world of difference for me. You may be wondering what exactly do dietary supplements include?
Dietary supplements include:
- Vitamins and minerals (e.g., multivitamins; single letter vitamins like C, D, and E; calcium, magnesium, and iron; and more)
- Specialty supplements (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, probiotics, melatonin, glucosamine/chondroitin, coenzyme Q-10, and more)
- Herbals/botanicals (e.g., green tea, cranberry, turmeric, Echinacea, ginseng, garlic, ginkgo biloba, and more)
- Sports nutrition products (e.g., protein including powders, drinks and bars; energy drinks and gels; hydration drinks and gels; creatine, amino acids, and more)
- Weight management products (e.g., protein including powders, drinks and bars; green coffee, white kidney bean; garcinia cambogia; bitter orange; medium chain triglyceride oil, and more).
Now you have an idea of what dietary supplements you can take, I want you to read a few facts. A new survey from the Council for Responsible Nutrition found that the majority of U.S. men (73 percent) and women (79 percent) take dietary supplements. That means roughly 3 out of 4 people are already taking some kind of supplement. Dietary supplement users are more likely to engage in healthy habits such as exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet.
I know this is true for me. I already try to eat good and exercise, but when I am taking supplements, it helps to fill those nutrition gaps when I cannot get enough essential nutrients from diet alone. I am sure most of you feel the same way. While they help, dietary supplements are exactly what they say…supplements. They should not be used as a shortcut to achieve peak performance and they are not substitutes for proper training or a good diet.
So if you want to stay on top of your game like me, whether you are coaching, teaching, working, being a parent, or anything else that is on your plate, be sure to look for some dietary supplements next time you are at the store to help you fill those nutrition gaps and help you feel your best!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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