CycleBalance Basics
So you made some health goals, now what?
Of course, physical activity and a leaner, greener diet are key, but what about the vitamins and supplements you’ve heard about? There are so many brands and products, where do you begin? Without taking 50 pills per day, how do you get the most benefit for your money? Maybe you’ve thought, “I’m confused and don’t know where to start,” so many times that you’ve ended up not taking anything.
As a functional medicine pharmacist, I have heard all these concerns over the years (and shared them myself).
While no one product can do everything, you are too busy to juggle a huge regimen. No supplement–no matter how amazing–does any good in the bottle; you have to be able to consistently incorporate it into your day to get the benefits.
Enter: CycleBalance Basics.
I have rounded up categories that are a foundational backbone of any wellness regimen, with the best bang for your buck. To narrow it down further, I have sourced high-quality products, with standard pill options and powder/liquid products (if tablets and capsules are difficult for you to take).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
You might think of fish oil as something your parents take for heart health (and sure, it’s great for that), but there are plenty of benefits for younger people, too.
Omegas are beneficial anywhere you want to be moisturized (like hair and skin) and in any process you want to slip and slide (signals traveling through the brain to support focus and cognition, smooth movement in your joints, blood flowing freely through healthy vessels).
These healthy fats also balance oil production, keep your skin hydrated, and minimize signs of aging (not that you need to worry about that yet, of course).
I can’t omit fertility! Omegas may be beneficial for multiple aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). One 2022 study even called omegas “a feasible and inexpensive modifiable risk factor to improve fertility.”
Discuss adding an omega with your provider if you have a history of bleeding.
Probiotic
You’ve probably heard the buzz around probiotics and gut health, and for good reason: the more we learn about the microbiome, the more we learn about its impact on other areas (mental health, metabolism, reproductive tract health, to name a few).
There are so many strains and products on the market that it can be difficult to select one, but don’t let that stop you from adding one on-board! Any high-quality probiotic is likely better than no probiotic at all.
Inositol
This nutrient might be one you’re less familiar with (unless you follow me on instagram, where I talk about it non-stop).
Inositol improves insulin sensitivity and helps glucose get out of the blood and into cells.
It regulates hormones such as insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH; a hormone made in the brain that sends signals to the ovaries or testes), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
While you may not be overly concerned about your insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels now, none of the 30 million people in America with diabetes woke up with the disease all of a sudden one morning–it developed over years. Furthermore, post-meal blood sugar spikes cause significant inflammation. (Think of inflammation as a wall your body has to knock down to re-stabilize itself and keep going: eventually your body is not able to knock the wall down as easily or completely. The goal is to give yourself fewer walls to knock down to maintain optimal health longer. Blood sugar regulation goes hand-in-hand with longevity!)
Of course, with its effect on blood sugar and metabolic parameters, inositol is beneficial in PCOS. Many studies have shown that fertility can be improved in these women by addressing the underlying insulin resistance.
Multivitamin
This one is straightforward: our diets aren’t perfect, so a multivitamin is a great way to ensure you get some of the necessities easily.
Magnesium
This nutrient is needed for about 300 functions in your body, including nerve transmission, muscle and blood vessel function, bone health, and glucose/insulin metabolism. It has even been helpful in menstrual cramps. If you’ve tried an over-the-counter magnesium before and then experienced GI discomfort (especially cramps and diarrhea), you might be hesitant to try it again, understandably. If you’re prone to constipation, however, increased GI motility might not be the worst thing.
There are several forms (or “salts”) of magnesium, and the bisglycinate form is generally easier on the tummy.
Talk to your provider before starting magnesium if you have a history of kidney disease.
And there you have it: a simplified approach for supplements! Now that you understand more about each of the categories, you can:
Tailor each to meet your needs (for example, going with a women’s health probiotic instead of a more general one or a fish oil with more DHA to further support focus and cognition)
Add on a product to further address a certain concern (like N-acetylcysteine for immune health or DIM for healthy hormone break-down)
Keep it simple and stick with the CycleBalance Basics.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.