PHS Article 1 - One supplement to rule them all.

Image 1 - It's about to get weird in here. But first, time to focus

Supplements

Anyone who has turned their attention to their physical health in the last 14,000 years is aware that the average Western diet is kinda garbage.

It needs significant adaptation/supplementation just to keep up with seasonal changes, let alone support a healthy lifestyle (especially if you want anything more than a "dad bod").

We don't have enough this...

Don't do enough that...

Extra Vitamin D in winter...

Electrolytes in summer...

And with all the intolerances and deficiencies that seem to be part of everyday life now, it seems crucial to make sure we get our physical health right.

So how do we do that? How do we improve our diets in a simple and cost-effective way, to have a lasting and positive affect on our overall wellbeing?

This article explores these questions, and provides a perspective on:

• why supplements are good & even necessary to maintain proper physical health

• the number 1 supplement to take, and why

• the value proper supplementation can bring to our relationships, work, and our everyday lives.

Okay so let's start with the boring bits - the definitions.

The boring bits

Supplements are defined as:

"... products designed to give you nutrients that might be missing from your diet... common examples of supplements include ... vitamin C, iron and calcium... fish oil capsules... and herbal supplements."

So the same way that grandma can take her calcium supplements, vegan Renée can take her iron supplements, and you can drink your herbal tea, supplements can provide your body with the boost it needs, especially if it isn't getting enough goodness from your diet.

(rant incoming - skip to the next section if you don't want to hear me whinge)

I want to harp on this point briefly because some people have this idea that supplements are only for "health freaks" or "gym-bros", and worry that if you take a health supplement, you may as well be injecting steroids directly into your anus...

And while I understand the fear around trying something new, I want to dispell the idea that supplements are somehow "bad" or "wrong" just because they come in capsule/powder form... because:

a) your food already comes in capsule form - e.g. all meat at all supermarkets...

b) your diet is probably already "bad" or "wrong" anyway - McNuggets is not food

c) supplements come in a variety of forms - some artificial, some herbal

d) are you really going to let fear dictate your decisions around physical health? really??

Admittedly, there have been some scary stories in pop-culture regarding the negative side effects of certain performance enhancing drugs (rip zyzz - the swolest of the swole).

However, there is a difference between taking these drugs (in the quantity he was taking them) vs. basic dietary supplementation - and since it affects the quality of your physical health, I would argue it's worth educating yourself.

So, to start off with, let's learn about (arguably) the best supplement in the world, and why I think everyone should take it.

But first, a quick detour through my personal journey to understand how this miracle pill found its way to me.

Image 2 - Sccrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Oh cool, story time.

My personal journey - Stress is a bitch

For me, this learning process started when I was around 15, probably because I was a big chubby chungus in high school.

Image 3 - Yikes

Becoming body-conscious at that age was pretty common, and I would say I was no different from anyone else at the time. But combining my overweight body-consciousness, some issues at home, and a fair amount of hormonal teen angst, I became motivated to improve my physical health - so I joined my local gym.

And while I learned and got results by the sticking to the basics for a few years (splitting lifts, calorie deficits/surplus', protein/creatine/bcaa's), I'd say the biggest shift in my learning journey came much later in life, when I learned about "bio-hacking" for the first time around 12 or so years later.

That was when I really started to understand that my body was a powerhouse fueled by hormones, and managing the balance between these hormones could not only improve my results, but also improve my mood, energy, sleep, skin, hair, and confidence.

So you wanna know what makes me such a happy & shiny person?

I started by getting my body right.

And then, incidentally, this helped me get my mind right.

Ashwagandha - The one supplement to rule them all

Image 4 - Ashwagandha - the "king of Ayurvedic herbs" (also known as Withania somnifera)

Ashwagandha is a small shrub plant with yellow flowers native to India and North Africa, and extracts from the plant's roots and leaves have been used for thousands of years as part of Ayurveda, a natural form of Indian medicine, to treat a vareity of conditions.

Many of its health benefits are attributed to its high concentration of withanolides, which have been shown to fight inflammation and tumor growth.

Ashwagandha's health benefits include:

1) May help reduce stress and anxiety in the body - primarily through reducing the activity of cortisol (the stress hormone) throughout your body.

2) May benefit athletic performance - studies have shown that ashwagandha can enhance maximum oxygen consumption levels (VO2 max), increasing strength and reducing fatigue during intense exercise.

3) May reduce symptoms of some mental health conditions - depression and anxiety conditions in particular, ashwagandha has been shown to significantly improve symptoms and overall patient outlook.

4) May help boost testosterone and increase fertility in men - ashwagandha has been shown to increase male fertility and testosterone levels across various studies, likely due to the reduction of cortisol levels and the flow on effect of that on testosterone levels.

5) May also reduce blood sugar levels and inflammation, while improving brain function, including memory and focus, and promoting restful sleep

Really, what more could you ask for?

And if that wasn't already cool enough:

• it's relatively safe (because its a herbal supplement)

• has no known negative side effects (unless you're pregnant or already taking certain cancer medications)

• can be taken with food, or on an empty stomach

• is relatively inexpensive (seriously, look it up)

• is accessible in many forms and dosages, so you can adjust according to your preferences

Conclusion

Physical health is an important part of our overall wellbeing, but in our fast-paced modern world, we often neglect it, choose the easy option (McNuggets), or let fear drive our decisions ("all supplements are bad").

But the cost of doing so is great, and we may be missing out on all the benefits our body has to offer, simply because we dismiss supplements as something reserved for "health freaks".

But why not become a "health freak"?? Especially when the cost is so low, and the benefits are so high. Why not feel like your body is your best friend, and work together with it to make sure it has everything it needs to give you everything you need?!

The most impactful change to my physical health in recent years has been exactly this - understanding and implementing proper supplementation, to ensure my body has what it needs, to ensure I can then get my mind and energy right.

And the effect of even one of these supplements is so significant (albeit, it is the king of these supplements), that I'm willing to put in the effort to write this article and communicate this to you.

Because health is wealth.

How do you look after your body?