OT - Dietary Supplements

[superjohn]

I'm willing to bet that most moderately wealthy humans will in 30 years or so (HGH bit). It's one of the main reasons a lot of Hollywood people stay so young looking (Halle berry and Jennifer Aniston). And for some, a generous dose of surgery mixed in.

Agreed, it's just that boneyarders aren't going to have the money or time to do the things Hollywood types do. I like a lot of what Joe Rogan has to say but he's also a lab rat, none of us are going to be able to maintain his one hundred thousand dollar a year supplement diet. . . . . . . . . . .I always think a balanced diet of good proteins like chicken, fish, eggs and lean meat with some good starches like rice and potatoes and good veggies like peas, broccoli, asparagus etc. is the best kind of diet. If it's hard for you to always find the time to cook chicken and fish then get a cheap whey protein so you can still get protein throughout the day. Make sure you get a powder with none of the flavoring and additives which will just add sugar and cholesterol which you don't want. I would never cut out the deli meats, ice cream, chips. . .. . . . just view them more as a luxury and don't be in the habit of eating it all the time. I always think a big breakfast is important. Either a large bowl of oatmeal with fruit, yogurt and or nuts/granola mixed in or a couple of eggs with veggies mixed in, I usually add a slice of cheese for flavor. You should ideally have smaller meals throughout the day or just have a smaller portion at lunch and dinner with a few healthy snacks to hold you over. . . . . . . . . . For supplements all I do is Fish Oil, coenzyme q-10 both great for heart health and a good multivitamin. IMO, right up there with eating a balanced diet is strength training. You don't have to go nuts, if you can get 4 days a week of 45 minutes of actual strength training per session then you are in really good shape. It actually means putting in the work and not playing on your phone or watching the TV. No crazy programs or new exercises, just your standard weightlifting exercises that have been done forever. Swimming, running, tennis any type of exercise is good but I've always found that strength training is the best for the body and mind and it seems that most doctors have come around on this. One other food I use in everything is garlic, it makes most everything taste better and is a superfood. . . . . . . If you do these things the drinking and eating the cr@p that really tastes good will be guilt free and won't have you feeling like a sack of .

 

[superjohn]

I yo-yo'd for a long time as well before finally getting on the straight and narrow when I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in my early 30s. My diet was junk and I'd been feeling like a crap for a few years at that point. My body reached a point where it more or less rejected alcohol (drank a lot in college and my early 20s but dialed it down my late 20s). If I had a drink or two I'd immediately get a headache. No buzz, no pleasure - just a headache. I had trouble getting out of bed and getting going in the morning, I was exhausted even after 8-10 hours of sleep some nights. I had all sorts of tests done and the docs found nothing besides HBP - they simply recommended a healthy and active lifestyle. I was maybe 10-15 lbs overweight at this point, nothing huge considering I'm tall.

I really turned the corner when I started preparing healthy food in advance. Two lbs of boneless chicken breast in the crock pot, shred it once it's done, and you've got healthy, quick food in a pinch for the rest of the week. Make 4-6 turkey burgers on Sunday and have those as a snack or dinner when we didn't have time to prepare something more substantial. The other huge change for me was eating a ton of vegetables. Like most people, I never ate anywhere near the recommended amount. Now, I eat tons of shiitake mushrooms, red peppers (supposedly the healthiest pepper), spinach/kale, etc. I snack on baby carrots instead of potato chips. If I want something else crunchy I'll eat plantain chips and some healthy/raw trail mix. Water, tea and black coffee is all I drink these days (I'll never give up my caffeine, damn it).

As for the actual topic, I take Vit D and some times B Complex if I'm feeling lethargic for a few days straight. I also take Trader Joe's glucosamine and chondroitin (may be a placebo effect but I swear this makes a difference for achy knees). I've been taking it since 2009 and every time I think it does nothing and stop taking it, inevitably my body is noticeably more achy until I buy another bottle. I will say that with a truly healthy diet the need for supplements is much lower. I've gone stretches without taking my daily sups and I don't notice a huge difference besides the glucosamine/chondroitin.

I think your advice about cooking a bunch of healthy stuff ahead of time is the best advice. It makes everything so much easier when you have all these premade things that you actually like eating, right there at your fingertips. Tupperware will become your best friend.

 

[Fishy]

If you take a step back, juicing is kind of idiotic.

We have a great juicer and used to use it very often....but it's so wasteful. You throw away so much after the solid part of the fruit is separated from the juice part.

So....

1) It's wasteful. Lots of money and food out the window - I'd say 40-50% by volume.

2) Alert your dentist that you will be opting for the frequent visitor plan. That is a lot of sugar going past the choppers on a daily basis.

3) Just eat the fruit. You are a marvel of evolution. You can eat a piece of fruit and the juice will be extracted from it just fine. Drinking calories is generally a mistake - it won't fill you up and you'll find something that will.

I don't know anything about supplements. I've never taken a vitamin in my life. I suspect they are almost entirely bunk...maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

Best advice above is just lose weight. Eat less, move more. It's simple physics - burn more than you take in. Weigh yourself every day - forget the nonsense about doing it once a week or once a month...what gets measured gets managed.

 

[methodology]

Udo's oil is better than any fish oil or anything of the like.

Udo Erasmus is the godfather and probably the most knowledgeable person when it comes to essential fatty oils and created Udo's oil.

I have yet to find a product that is better.

 

[Walker11]

Instead of juicing, just get a blender. I have a cheap NutriBullet which I use daily to make a nasty but healthy shake. I wouldn't be able to down the amount of kale/spinach I do unless I had a lot more time and was a far better cook.

 

[8893]

If you take a step back, juicing is kind of idiotic.

We have a great juicer and used to use it very often....but it's so wasteful. You throw away so much after the solid part of the fruit is separated from the juice part.

So....

1) It's wasteful. Lots of money and food out the window - I'd say 40-50% by volume.

2) Alert your dentist that you will be opting for the frequent visitor plan. That is a lot of sugar going past the choppers on a daily basis.

3) Just eat the fruit. You are a marvel of evolution. You can eat a piece of fruit and the juice will be extracted from it just fine. Drinking calories is generally a mistake - it won't fill you up and you'll find something that will.

I don't know anything about supplements. I've never taken a vitamin in my life. I suspect they are almost entirely bunk...maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

Best advice above is just lose weight. Eat less, move more. It's simple physics - burn more than you take in. Weigh yourself every day - forget the nonsense about doing it once a week or once a month...what gets measured gets managed.

I use the juicer for vegetables; the only fruit I add is to make the vegetables more palatable (lemon, lime, green apple; carrots and/or beets also work to add sweetness). I agree that a lot of fruit juice is detrimental and that you are better off just eating fruit. The same is probably true of vegetables (i.e., you'd be better off eating them), but the ones that are the best for you don't taste all that great (like kale, collard greens, etc.), and it's hard to eat as much as you're supposed to. And for me, veggie juice does a great job of giving me instant energy, eliminating hunger, but not filling me up.

 

[Fishy]

Instead of juicing, just get a blender. I have a cheap NutriBullet which I use daily to make a nasty but healthy shake. I wouldn't be able to down the amount of kale/spinach I do unless I had a lot more time and was a far better cook.

A far, far better idea than a juicer....

 

[temery]

@NDakotaHusky

I spent most of my career teaching human biology, and a fair amount of time covering symbiotic relationship. I have no doubt many human illnesses are a result of poor gut health.

With that said, if you are going to go the probiotic route, you should look into prebiotics also. A cup of Yogurt alone isn't going to make much of a difference.

A couple years ago I swapped out my usual morning snack (a lunchables with a 20 oz Diet Coke) with a handful of legumes/nuts and a small Keffer.

As for supplements - most are a complete waste of time and money. Most vitamins and minerals work best when digested and absorbed with with other nutrients.

If eating right isn't in your future, there's alway this: How Fecal Transplants Work

 

[CL82]

Cocaine. Massive amounts of caffeine.

Sometimes I have peasants freeze-dried and turned into a protein powder that I use in smoothies.

Hmmm, that does explain the missing drifters.

 

[boba]

And no one recommends Love Potion? 2 oz a day, once in the morning, once at night, and you'll get all the love you need.

 

[intlzncster]

That is exactly why I respect him


That is why I haven't pulled the trigger. I have not researched Alpha Brain well enough. You sound adamantly against it, do you mind sharing why? And yes, I should have disclosed that he owns shares in Onnit. Everything that is posted in this thread should come with the "do your own research" caveat as well as the "what works for one person, may completely be different for another". In the Internet age, I would hope this is common sense.

I'm not totally against it in principle, just not for me. I do not remember the specifics. I just remember reading some article with reported and/or potential side affects, so I dropped my inquiry into it. Just not worth it for something like that involving the brain. Tons of reported lucid dreams, so it's obviously doing something up there. After a quick google, these reports were common in various forums, "I took alphabrain before they advertised it on the podcast. It will eventually give you bad headaches and restless and sleepless nights. And the withdrawal is like having ADD and constant throbing. With the inability to focus my eyes without advil from them feeling like they will pop. Don't take it. I really wish they would not advertise it."

And there's been very minimal testing done, that's not a great sign. The science behind the claims that they make on the website isn't backed up by all that many peer reviewed studies, nor related to AB's cause and effect results. And since it doesn't have to be FDA approved, there's been no actual inquiry into it's function.

And I'm someone who thinks nootropics are an interesting/burgeoning field. Check out Nootropics • /r/Nootropics. They probably discuss it a number of times.

jmo

 

[CL82]

I've heard doing a turkey and ketchup cleanse can be very helpful.

Limit your diet to this and wait for the beneficial effects.

 

[MexicoHusky]

@NDakotaHusky

I spent most of my career teaching human biology, and a fair amount of time covering symbiotic relationship. I have no doubt many human illnesses are a result of poor gut health.

With that said, if you are going to go the probiotic route, you should look into prebiotics also. A cup of Yogurt alone isn't going to make much of a difference.

A couple years ago I swapped out my usual morning snack (a lunchables with a 20 oz Diet Coke) with a handful of legumes/nuts and a small Keffer.

As for supplements - most are a complete waste of time and money. Most vitamins and minerals work best when digested and absorbed with with other nutrients.

If eating right isn't in your future, there's alway this: How Fecal Transplants Work

Thanks, the probiotic pill i take has a prebiotic component. I've always been a pretty healthy eater. Just too much of it. My morning routine for the past 2 months is as follows.

1 honeycrisp apple
1 banana
1 minneola orange
Probiotic pill and other pills

I feel really great lately. I'm down about 20 lbs as well so that's probably why.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I've heard doing a turkey and ketchup cleanse can be very helpful.

Limit your diet to this and wait for the beneficial effects.

I'm pretty sure eating nothing but the above transforms you into a 10 yr old girl

 

[CL82]

I'm pretty sure eating nothing but the above transforms you into a 10 yr old girl

Them's fighting words...@August_West

 

[August_West]

I've heard doing a turkey and ketchup cleanse can be very helpful.

Limit your diet to this and wait for the beneficial effects.

It didnt help. Made me crap 5 times a day but I seemed to gain no other real world benefit. Plus the Jerk Turkey with Jalapeno ketchup burned me up on the way out.

 

[8893]

Instead of juicing, just get a blender. I have a cheap NutriBullet which I use daily to make a nasty but healthy shake. I wouldn't be able to down the amount of kale/spinach I do unless I had a lot more time and was a far better cook.

The blender is less expensive and more efficient, and it uses more of the vegetable, including the fiber, which can be very important for many (although not remotely my issue). I am probably going that route soon, too, though; but I think the juice extractor produces a much more palatable product for my tastes. My usual is a "green lemonade" that includes kale, cucumbers, parsley/cilantro/or mint, lemon, lime and green apple.

 

[August_West]

The blender is less expensive and more efficient, and it uses more of the vegetable, including the fiber, which can be very important for many (although not remotely my issue). I am probably going that route soon, too, though; but I think the juice extractor produces a much more palatable product for my tastes. My usual is a "green lemonade" that includes kale, cucumbers, parsley/cilantro/or mint, lemon, lime and green apple.

enjoy

Designer 725 Blender | Blendtec

 

[MexicoHusky]

Them's fighting words...@August_West

It didnt help. Made me crap 5 times a day but I seemed to gain no other real world benefit. Plus the Jerk Turkey with Jalapeno ketchup burned me up on the way out.

No uncontrollable urge to play hop-scotch, dress up dollies or have tea parties underwater?

For the record, I still partake in the occasional underwater tea party...so it's cool

 

[August_West]

No uncontrollable urge to play hop-scotch, dress up dollies or have tea parties underwater?

For the record, I still partake in the occasional underwater tea party...so it's cool

Nah. I pee'd sitting down though....

but then again thats nothing new. Im just lazy.

 

[intlzncster]

1) It's wasteful. Lots of money and food out the window - I'd say 40-50% by volume.

That's mostly fiber. Which the body can't digest. There's phytonutrients in there that are good for you though. Which is why I use a a Nutribullet the most. The new one (Nutribullet Rx) pretty much pulverizes everything, so it's effectively a crossover between a juice and a smoothy.

2) Alert your dentist that you will be opting for the frequent visitor plan. That is a lot of sugar going past the choppers on a daily basis.

Use a straw and put it straight down your throat. Brush after.

3) Just eat the fruit. You are a marvel of evolution. You can eat a piece of fruit and the juice will be extracted from it just fine. Drinking calories is generally a mistake - it won't fill you up and you'll find something that will.

It's the greens, roots, seeds etc, more than the fruit, that is important to me. I basically get three large plates of greens a day from it. Which is what I personally feel I need. The fruit adds good flavor, and extra beneficial nutrients to boot.I love fruit and eat a lot of it, but eating that many salads a day would kill me.

 

[tykurez]

We have a Nutribullet as well - use it every morning and have a kale & fruit smoothie with our eggs. Love that thing.

 

[8893]

enjoy

Designer 725 Blender | Blendtec

Nah, I'm going Nutribullet.

 

[August_West]

Nah, I'm going Nutribullet.

Damn, I wanted you to drop some coin again like the Thermometer.

 

[8893]

Damn, I wanted you to drop some coin again like the Thermometer.

That's why I'm not even going to read the link. I have a way of talking myself into the most expensive gadgets.

 

[August_West]

That's why I'm not even going to read the link. I have a way of talking myself into the most expensive gadgets.

The blend tec is the best, Jerry. The best.
3.8 horse power turbo injected blending rocket.

 

[8893]

The blend tec is the best, Jerry. The best.
3.8 horse power turbo injected blending rocket.

The Breville I have is pretty crazy. 1000 watts power up t0 13,000 RPM. They make outstanding kitchen appliances.

 

[Jay-Bone]

My biggest problem is that I drink way too much. Not quite Leaving Las Vegas, but 10+ drinks 3-4 nights a week. I've just recently gotten into the superfood craze the last few years. I smoothie like a son of a bitch with a magic bullet. Its really cheap and works great. My daily smoothie consists of chocolate whey protein, creatine, green superfood, yeast, a grain mix (quinoa, flaxseed, chia, bulgur, maca, hemp seed & wheat germ), honey, cinnamon, ginger, canned pumpkin, lemon juice, lime juice, almond milk, coconut oil, olive oil, greek yogurt, berry mix, oranges, apples, banana, watermelon, grapefruit, pineapple, avocado & kiwi. I swear to god, it doesn't taste bad at all. I hit the salad bar hard too. I get about every veggie with a variety of kale, spinach, arugula, etc. I call it the kitchen sink salad. Make sure you get your salmon and tuna on top of your other proteins. I eat a lot of bean salads and grail mixes in greek yogurt too. I also take fish oil, multivitamin, D, B12, zinc, etc. I guess my m.o. is a little bit of everything good. That balances out my alcoholism and gets me just right.

 

[intlzncster]

I'm a big fan of juicing. Bought a top of the line Breville juice extractor a few years ago (when I started my last run with good habits) and it has been a key for me when I'm doing well. The problem is that it takes a lot of time to make and clean, and you have to get to the store every few days for fresh supply of fresh vegetables. There used to be a Pure juice franchise around the corner from my office and that was a great source for grabbing a couple doses during the week, but they closed a few months ago. Now I need to go a lot farther out of my way to find a place that makes them. I read recently that cold pressed veggie juices are getting a lot of attention from venture capitalists, so I'm expecting see an explosion of them in the next few years.

As mentioned elsewhere, the Nutribullet is quick and easy to clean. Plus the new Rx version pretty much makes a juice out of what used to be a smoothie.

 

[8893]

As mentioned elsewhere, the Nutribullet is quick and easy to clean. Plus the new Rx version pretty much makes a juice out of what used to be a smoothie.

Yes, I've almost pulled the trigger on one a few times in the past few months, but I'm too stubborn knowing how much I dropped on the Breville a few years ago. It will happen soon though. When I bought the Breville it was the best product on the market, and then they improved the design a year or so later to add a blender function. That pissed me off enough; then Nutribullet really upped their game with a cheaper and easier alternative, which I am slowly coming 'round to.