While it’s easy to just take a multivitamin and call it a day, there are a few vitamins that your body just doesn’t get enough of even if you eat right and take a high-quality multivitamin daily—especially when living in sun-deprived Canada. Here are a few vitamins worth picking up next time you’re at the drugstore.
Vitamin D
While you can probably get enough Vitamin D from the sun over the summer months if you spend time outside, the rest of the year, the sun just doesn’t shine enough hours of the day to provide your body with the amount you need. This is why many people get the winter blues—the lack of Vitamin D affects our moods. You can test your levels through your doctor if you think you are deficient to get an accurate read on just how much you should be taking.
B Complex
If you’re eating a perfect diet, you probably get all the B vitamins you need, but most of us are eating less than ideally here in North America—making this supplement a good idea. Pregnant women and older adults tend to need more B vitamins than others. The variety of vitamins in a B Complex pill can help with depression, anxiety, energy issues, migraines, metabolism and more.
Magnesium
Even if you eat a perfect diet, you will still be deficient in magnesium. It is the one mineral we all struggle to get enough of, and supplementing with it before bed helps you relax, sleep better, and helps your muscles recover faster after working out. It also helps naturally relieve digestion issues if you’re struggling in that area. Keep in mind, not all magnesium is the same—stick to magnesium glycinate for maximum absorption and none of the side effects other forms of magnesium can have.
Probiotics
While probiotics were all the rage a few years ago, they’re not as talked about these days—yet they’re still just as important. If you suffer from any sort of digestive issue, probiotics should be a daily part of your health regimen long term. If you’re unsure about dosage and which ones are best for your particular health issues, consider seeing a naturopath to get a custom plan in place.
