What you put into your body matters. Our bodies are designed to take in things that fuel our energy levels and our physical and emotional health. Putting the right things into them can make us both happier and healthier.
All of this is wonderful, but knowing what to ingest and when can be more difficult than it seems. There’s a lot of misunderstanding and many myths out there, especially in regards to medicines, supplements, and alcohol. Most of us know what healthy eating looks like (even if we don’t always stick to our goals): The right diet for most people is a diet of whole foods that is light on processed junk and heavy on the vegetables. But alcohol, medicines, and supplements are a whole different story.
Alcohol and your body
Alcohol is a tricky thing. In moderation, it’s enjoyable and can even be good for you. Drinking alcohol regularly (again, in moderation) can help reduce your risk of heart-related problems like heart attacks. Alcohol can prevent kidney stones, too. In fact, studies show that people who enjoy an alcoholic drink from time to time tend to exercise more than their teetotaling counterparts.
In excess, however, alcohol can be a real problem. Drinking too much at once can quite literally kill you, and chronic heavy drinking can lead to all sorts of long-term health problems. Alcohol is full of calories, too, and it can really add to your waistline (especially if you’re drinking booze that’s particularly caloric, like beer).
All of this complicated stuff can be summed up in one simple piece of advice: Enjoy drinking in moderation. Savor your booze, and don’t over-indulge. Head to your local liquor store and stock up on nice wines and low-calorie liquors, but skip the trip to the store for a 30-pack of terrible beer. If you’re drinking decent booze and doing so in moderation, then you’re doing things right.
Drugs and medication
Medications aren’t always “natural,” but they are carefully designed to help us combat sickness or treat symptoms of illnesses and injuries. If you’re using medication properly, you’ll be a healthier person.
That means being smart about your over-the-counter drugs. Read labels, don’t exceed recommended doses, use medicine only for its intended purpose, and never mix medications with each other unless you have explicit permission from your doctor.
Prescription medications can make some people uneasy, but you should always listen to your doctor. If you have concerns, raise them and discuss the issues, but never go off on your own and ignore your doctor’s advice. Take your prescription medications as directed; take the proper daily dose with or without food as instructed, and finish out the full prescription if your doctor says to do so (if you quit taking antibiotics as soon as you feel better, you won’t feel better for long).
Supplements and vitamins
In addition to prescription and over-the-counter medications, there are supplements and vitamins you can take. If you head to your local pharmacy, you’ll find aisles full of supplements, but what should you take?
Start with a multivitamin. While experts debate just how healthy a multivitamin can be, most agree that multivitamins do help our health to some extent (and they certainly can’t hurt). From there, add proven and common supplements like fish oil and fiber as needed.
You may also want to consider CBD. CBD is the next big thing in natural supplements right now, and it’s not hard to see why. Derived from marijuana, CBD is non-psychoactive (which means it won’t get you high). But CBD does have important effects: Studies show that it may reduce anxiety, and a host of other health benefits have also been associated with CBD.
To find CBD, look in local stores or online for quality brand names like Select CBD. You’ll find all sorts of ways to ingest CBD, from edibles to vape pens and oils. CBD is widely legal and has become extremely popular, and it’s easy to see why.
CBD isn’t the only supplement you can consider, of course. Find the ones that make a difference to you. Just be sure to do your research and not to mix too many supplements together without getting guidance from your doctor first.
What you fuel your body with matters. Consider the tips above to ensure your body is getting the proper supplements it needs.