Evolve, Health

5 supplements your body needs

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Supplements have been growing more popular in the health and fitness industry. The trouble is, there are so many out there, it can be difficult to know which ones are right for you.

It’s always best to get the majority of your nutrients from real food, but sometimes food alone can’t provide enough of these essential vitamins and minerals. This is where supplements come in. Supplements can help provide nutrients that you may be lacking in your diet, either because you are choosing not to eat the food source, or because you aren’t able to eat enough of it.

Keep reading to learn more about the supplements that can benefit the average person’s health. Remember, always consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet.

Fish Oil

The American diet is heavy in saturated fats. While these fats aren’t necessarily unhealthy, the human body performs better when there is a balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in the diet. 

Fish oil supplements provide your needed daily value of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, so your body can work at its best. Additionally, fish oil supplements have been shown to support eye, heart and skin health, and they can help reduce inflammation in the body.

For best absorption, take your fish oil supplement with dinner or before bed.

Greens

It’s always best to consume your vegetables from whole food sources. However, there are occasions, either because of holidays, travel, or just unexpected changes in our dinner plans, when we don’t get in all of our servings of vegetables for the day.

Greens supplements are for these occasional days when you don’t get in enough veggies, so you can stay on track with your nutrition goals and your body can still work at its best. 

Protein

Protein supplements are a lot like greens supplements – they are for those days when you don’t get enough of the macronutrient from food sources. On those days when your diet is off, either because of holidays or because you just haven’t made it to the grocery store for the week yet, or if you are an athlete who struggles to get enough protein into your diet, protein supplements are a great solution. Protein powder is an easy way to drink the nutrients you need so you can stay on track with your nutrition goals and keep your body performing at its best.

Multivitamn

It’s nearly impossible to have a perfect diet – to get in all the daily values of micronutrients we need would take way too much time and focus. Taking a daily multivitamin helps protect you from a multitude of nutrient deficiencies that are more commonly found in people who choose not to take this daily supplement.

Vitamin D

We all know spending time in the sun is important for our health. But with office jobs, stay-at-home orders, and sunscreen, it can be difficult to get enough sunshine in our lives. Vitamin D supplements can help. These supplements help strengthen our immune system and promote healthy bones and teeth, especially for children and older adults.

Not all supplements are created equal. Because of different laws and regulations, or lack thereof, in different countries, some companies are selling supplements that are not as high of quality and/or do not deliver the benefits they promise. For this reason, I recommend always doing your research about the company you purchase from, or, let me do the work for you. I work with Nature’s Sunshine, a reputable company that has been making quality supplements for over 50 years. If you are interested in purchasing a supplement, use this link to get 25% off your order!

Supplementation is a holistic way to take charge of your health. These five supplements listed above are ones the average person can benefit from using. However, if you are interested in learning more about your specific health and supplement needs, consider scheduling an appointment for a ZYTO scan.

ZYTO scans help us to look at an overall picture of your health. Based on that information, I am able to recommend supplements that will best help bring your body back into balance. It’s a more personalized and in-depth approach to holistic health that can help you feel and perform at your best.

If you are interested in scheduling a ZYTO scan, you can learn more & sign up for a FREE consultation here.

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Evolve, Health

What is a ZYTO scan?

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Holistic wellness and medicine is gaining prominence in the medical and health community, and supplements are one of the main products at its core. However, with little regulation on these products, especially in the United States, and with so many supplements to choose from, it can be difficult to know what you need and what is actually going to work.

This is where ZYTO scans come into the equation.

ZYTO is an international company focused on producing software designed to give insight and guidance for health and wellness decisions. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Vaughn Cook, ZYTO is one of the leaders of biocommunicaton technology in the world.

My story

I have to admit, I was greatly skeptical of the ZYTO software the first time I came in contact with it. I had been struggling with chronic health issues for eight years, and it had gotten to the point that my digressing health consumed much of my energy and time. After multiple doctors had failed to successfully treat my diagnoses, or even realize what was wrong, I tried the ZYTO scan as a last ditch effort to improve my health.

After spending much of my life being poked and prodded with needles and more invasive procedures, the idea of having my health problems understood simply by placing my hand on a cradle seemed much too simplistic. When the scan was finished, I was given a long list of supplements recommended to bring my body to a more balanced state. Because neither the scan nor the supplements were covered by insurance, I disappointedly handed over hundreds of dollars that day with little hope that anything in my life would change.

However, after years of struggling to find help and a cure for my illness, it was only a mere two weeks after taking the supplements that I began to feel a difference. My irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and leaky gut symptoms improved, my headaches and body pain began to fade, and the heaviness I had felt for years started to lift away. I had more energy, a larger appetite, and a new zest for life. My mood improved, as did my capacity to mentally handle tasks that before had been challenging. As time went on, I began to be able to eat foods that before had been restricted from my diet, and I began to chase dreams that I had never thought  possible, such as running across the country last summer.

How does a ZYTO scan work?

So, how does the ZYTO scan work? First, it’s important to recognize that the ZYTO scan is not a diagnostic tool. It is not meant to replace doctors or western medicine, but it is meant to serve alongside these other health modalities to create a holistic wellness program. The hope is that the supplements recommended will help support someone who is pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

To recommend supplements, the scan uses a galvanic skin response, which measures fluctuations in electrical conductivity of the skin. You may be familiar with this technology as it is used in lie detector, or polygraph, tests. Galvanic skin responses have also been used to do psychological research, psychotherapy, media and ad testing, usability testing, and neuroscience. By using a galvanic skin response, the ZYTO technology is able to tell if your body has a positive or negative response to different substances, including different foods, supplements, and health services, such as massage or chiropractic care. The ZYTO software analyzes the responses given to determine which of these foods, supplements and health modalities can help bring the body into a balanced, healthy state.

Is the ZYTO scan for me?

The best thing about a ZYTO scan is it can help anyone, no matter where they are in their health journey. Whether you are currently being treated for a medical diagnosis, working on losing weight or building muscle through personal training and/or nutrition coaching, or just trying to live a healthier lifestyle, the ZYTO scan is a tool that will only benefit your health journey. It serves alongside your current medical and health treatments to better help you achieve your goals and have a healthy lifestyle.

Getting a ZYTO scan

If you are interested in getting a ZYTO scan, or just learning more about the technology and what getting a scan looks like, consider using Evolve. I offer ZYTO scans at a competitive, affordable price because I strongly believe everyone should have access to becoming their healthiest self. I work with Nature’s Sunshine, a reputable supplement company that has been offering affordable, high-quality supplements for 50 years. Most importantly, though, I want to work with you. Getting a scan with Evolve means that your health goals and personal lifestyle will always be taken into account, and the supplements I recommend will always be secondary to suggesting dietary and lifestyle changes that will help you achieve the life you want without having to buy anything. My goal is always to help you become the healthiest, happiest version of yourself through the most natural means possible.

To learn more & schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation, click here.

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Travel

Traveling with chronic illness: What’s in my carry-on bag

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Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking the associated link, I will earn a small commission off of that purchase.

One of the most important things to have on a long flight is a smartly packed carry-on bag.

While doing some online searching, I was surprised to see that there was very little information about things to pack in a carry-on bag for people with different needs. As someone who has dealt with chronic illness for over the last decade, I know that symptoms can, and often do, flare up during travel. Luckily, as an experienced traveler, I have some insight on what someone with chronic illness may need on a long flight.

To be clear, most of the specialty items that I packed were for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but anyone who suffers from any type of gastrointestinal upset or chronic pain could find benefit from these products.

So, here is what I have in my carry-on bag for my upcoming trip to Arizona (a six hour flight with a four hour layover in Denver), including the usual, mundane items everyone has, and a couple of extra special items that I think you may find helpful for your next trip.

1. Book

For a long flight, it’s important to have something to pass the time. I personally enjoy catching up on my reading while flying. Currently, I am reading Brain On Fire: My Month Of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. I haven’t finished it yet, so I can’t give you a formal review, but thus far, it has been truly captivating and difficult to put down. I am very much looking forward to finishing this book during my trip.

2. Magnesium Plus Stick

This balm is a lifesaver. The Magnesium Plus Stick from Jordan Essentials is a lotion bar enhanced with magnesium, peppermint, basil, lavender, and frankincense. It provides fantastic relief for headaches, muscle aches, and other inflammation associated with chronic pain. After rubbing it on, the effects are almost instantaneous. I never go on a trip without it. 

3. Extra supplements/medications

Most of my supplements/medications are packed away in my luggage, but there are a few I like to have on-hand just in case of some pain or stomach upset, or on the off-chance that the airline loses my luggage. I have extra doses of all of my essential pills in my carry-on, as well as a few extras, just in case. 

For general health and wellness, I use an adult multivitamin from Equate. As a nutrition coach, I recommend everyone take a multivitamin daily to make sure they are getting in an adequate micronutrient intake. 

I manage my IBS with the supplement form of Magnesium Citrate from NOW supplements, which helps regulate the typical wave pattern of constipation and diarrhea for this disease. 

Insomnia is a very common side-effect of fibromyalgia. When your body is tense, it’s difficult to relax enough to fall asleep. To help with this, instead of taking prescription sleeping pills, I use a Melatonin supplement from Nature Made, the only supplement company regulated in the United States (for all other supplements, I make sure they are from reputable companies approved by foreign governments, like Canada, that regulate supplements; except for Nature Made, the FDA does not regulate any supplement companies in the U.S.). 

When traveling, it can be difficult to get in enough vegetables, which are incredibly important for general health, gastrointestinal function, and inflammatory balance in the body. Just in case I am not able to eat my veggies, I packed my Amazing Grass Green Superfood Capsules, which offer a full serving of vegetables along with probiotics, digestive enzymes, and spirulina. 

I never know when IBS symptoms are going to flare up, especially when traveling, so I always pack some Gas X Extra-Strength Soft Gels in case I need to calm my finicky intestines. On this note, I also packed TUMS, just in case my stomach has any trouble.

The last “just-in-case” medication I packed is Aleve. I always try to relieve my pain symptoms as naturally as possible, but sometimes, when the body aches won’t go away, an anti-inflammatory pill is a good solution. Aleve is my favorite because it won’t irritate my stomach the way ibuprofen will, and it provides pain relief for 12 hours.

4. Electrolyte powder and an empty, reusable water bottle

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to drink enough water. No one wants to be constantly running to (or trying to find) a bathroom. To get the most out of the water I am drinking, I bring Propel electrolyte powders. They help give my body the hydration it needs, and they are low-FODMAP, so they aren’t going to upset my IBS. 

You can’t get through TSA with a bottle of water. However, once you are through, you can fill up an environmentally-friendly, reusable water bottle. I like the Contigo brand of water bottles – the tops lock to reduce spills, they hold a lot of water, and they aren’t too expensive.

5. Protein bars

Everyone gets hungry when they are flying high in the sky. I personally like to pack protein bars to help me feel satiated for a long period of time. Simply Protein peanut butter cookies are not only delicious, but they are made with all-natural ingredients (unlike most protein bars, which are packed full of chemicals and/or sugar). 

6. Neck pillow and eye mask

To rest my aching neck, or to catch a couple minutes of sleep, I like the ZOYLEE twist memory foam travel pillow. It can be formed to different shapes, so no matter how you are sitting, you can find a comfortable place to rest your head.

To block out the light, I use the Alaska Bear natural silk sleep mask. It’s comfortable, stays pretty cool, and protects my eyes from any light trying to break through.

7. Laptop

As a blogger, this is an essential on my trip. I absolutely love my MacBook Air. It has lasted longer than any other laptop I have ever owned, and it still works just as good as the day I bought it. It’s also sleek and lightweight, which makes it perfect for traveling.

To keep my laptop safe, I use the Lalumix plastic hard shell with keyboard cover and screen protector. Sunflowers are my favorite flower, so my choice in decoration was obvious. However, Lalumix has plenty of designs to make anyone happy. 

8. Essential oil roller bottle

High stress situations mean flare ups, both for fibromyalgia and IBS. To help curb this problem, and to keep my cool in general, I use the Jordan Essentials “peace” herbal blend roll-on. It’s a blend of grape seed, orange, ylang ylang, patchouli, clary, and frankincense oils. It is quite simply tranquility packaged in a bottle. 

9. Headphones

Music and podcasts are a necessity on a long trip. I also use these in place of earplugs when I am trying to sleep. I love my JLab Audio JBuds Air Sport True wireless bluetooth earbuds. They have the longest battery life of any bluetooth headphones I have ever owned, and they are sweat resistant, which makes them perfect for running once I get to my destination.

10. Hand sanitizer

We are in the middle of a pandemic – enough said.

11. Peppermint tea

Ordering a cup of hot water, either on the plane or at a coffee shop, is a simple way to bring instant bliss when you have tea on hand. STASH peppermint tea is calming and soothing, not just for the mind, but also for the gastrointestinal tract. 

12. Journal

I am a writer. I never go anywhere without my journal. I personally love this Busy Bee design from Lady Jayne Ltd. because I feel like it captures my personality perfectly. It makes me smile every time I look at it. 

That’s it! I hope you have found this list helpful, whether you struggle with chronic illness or not, to help you create a carry-on bag that provides entertainment, peace of mind, and preparedness for any trip. 

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