New supplement added into the daily regiment…

Thanx to the suggestion of a friend, I am now taking Spirulina as a daily supplement.  Spirulina was used by the Russian’s in the 2006 Olympic games as a supplement for their athletes.  It is a natural blue-green algae that is suppose to strengthen the immune system, support Cardiovascular endurance, and improve gastrointestinal and digestive health.

Living in Thailand diets are very limited, often you are forced to eat local cuisine which lacks many vital nutrients.

Other daily supplements I take are;

BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids) Complex- is the name given to three of the eight essential amino acids needed to make protein: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are called branched-chain because their structure has a ‘branch’ off the main trunk of the molecule. The combination of these three essential amino acids makes up approximately one-third of skeletal muscle in the human body.

In order to get energy, the body can actually break down muscle to get these BCAAs. Therefore, by supplying them during or after a workout, muscles and other tissues are spared from breakdown, which occurs as a natural part of metabolism.

Potassium Citrate– Potassium is an electrolyte, one of the essential minerals that the body requires for proper metabolism.  When taking Potassium supplements it is important to ensure your not getting “too much” Potassium in your diet.

Ginseng Complex with Royal Jelly– This is a bit of “Traditional Chinese medicine”…lol. Ginseng is considered the king of herbs and is suppose to help general debility, fatigue, energy, mental power, alertness, and to support the immune system.

Fish Oil- helps reduce arthritis, acts as an anti inflammatory, helps prevent age related muscular degeneration, prevents Alzheimer’s, and helps prevent depression.

Calcium-an essential mineral with a wide range of benefits.  While the majority of Calcium is located in the bones and teeth, it is also required for blood coagulation, nerve function, production of energy, the beating of the heart, proper immune function, and muscle contraction.  Calcium also helps prevent the onset of osteoporosis. Dairy products are expensive here in Thailand, and many cheese, milk products are lacking from a typical diet here.

Glucosamine Chondroitin-improves the consistency of the lubricating fluids in joints.  It also reduces the swelling the the joint and decreases the associate pain.  It enhances the body’s ability to repair cartilage and other connective tissues, while improving flexibility.

Multivitamin-The obvious benefit is to prevent deficiency.  Each of the 13 essential vitamins (A,C,D,E,K,B12, and the 7 B-complex vitamins) provide regulation of a crucial function.  Usually we acquire a majority of the vitamins our body needs from food, but when we don’t eat a “balanced diet” we need to supplement our intake.

Superpump 250- A pre-workout supplement that contains creatine and nitric oxide which aids in muscle recovery.  The supplement dilates the blood vessels  giving you “muscle pumps” that will aid in increasing your overall muscle strength and endurance.  The pre-workout supplement also aids in mental focus and explosive energy.

Protein Shake-Helps build muscle mass, while speeding up the recovery time.  I use the protein shake as a meal replacement when I’m trying to lose weight.

Overall—I feel like that is a lot of supplements.  Essentially when people ask me “what is the minimum I should take” I always suggest three.

1. Fish Oil

2. Multivitamin

3. Protein

…With those three–and a good supply of fresh vegetables, fruit, and “clean prepared” food (that means not fried but grilled…etc) you can achieve you health goals.  Anyways—bit of a long entry…but figured it would be interesting to some.