When we think of real health advice given by real people, we think of RealFoodology. RealFoodology is a website run by nutritionist and health guru Courtney Swan. Courtney received her Master’s in Nutrition and now works full time in the field. Her career is actually really interesting, too! She tours with musical artists and makes sure that everyone in the crew is eating well, feeling healthy and energized, and taking all of the proper supplements. Traveling full time can really take a toll on your body, so having someone like Courtney around is key!

There is a very detailed blog on RealFoodology that explains which supplements Courtney takes on the daily and why she recommends them to you! She says that she used to be a supplement queen. Her cabinets were stocked and she had one of those pill boxes labeled for every day of the week. Courtney explains that she gained some knowledge regarding her excessive supplement collection after taking her first nutrition class. Aside from the fact that her collection got expensive and annoying, she was on the way to risking vitamin toxicity. Too much of anything can be bad and over-supplementing will harm your body. The RealFoodology queen has narrowed down her daily supplement intake to just her three favorites. If she’s feeling under the weather or traveling more than normal, of course she will add in some others. But here are her daily go to’s!

Vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 is one the best supplements you can bless your body with! A deficiency in the vitamin can actually lead to irreversible neurological problems and you don’t want to mess with that! Vitamin B12 can be found in animal products such as beef, milk, eggs, and salmon, so if you’re a vegetarian, you are definitely missing out. The vitamin converts carbohydrates into glucose in the body which increases energy levels. It also helps the healthy regulation of the nervous system and maintains a healthy digestive system. The list goes on and on!

Vitamin B12 Benefits Include…

• Increases energy levels
• Boosts mood
• Reduces symptoms of depression and stress
• Stops brain shrinkage
• Good for digestive system
• Protects against heart disease
• Helps in cell reproduction and constant renewal of skin
• Great for hair, skin, and nails
• Protects against cancers

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which makes it a possible risk for vitamin toxicity. However, it is so important to provide your body with vitamin D! It has a long list of cancer fighting benefits and it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D from your diet alone. And yes, we know that your body synthesizes vitamin D from the sun, but between environmental factors and the fact that we’re obsessed with sunscreen, most people are always deficient in this life- changing vitamin. Courtney Swan recommends taking 5,000 IUs in the winter and switching to about 2,000 IUs just a few days a week in the summer.

Vitamin D Benefits Include…

• Promoting healthy and stronger bones
• Boosts immune system levels
• Increase mood levels
• Improving muscle function
• Protecting against cardiovascular disease
• Decreasing risk of type 2 diabetes
• Reducing risk of cancer
• Fighting depression
• Boosting weight loss

Probiotics:

Courtney Swan takes probiotics every morning! Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are actually good for our health! Probiotics are commonly referred to as “good” bacteria. It’s an interesting concept, but it works! Probiotics are a bacteria that we actually encourage in our bodies! Our bodies are full of bacteria, some are good, some are bad. According to RealFoodology and most health experts, probiotics are essential. They help keep our gut and the rest of our body healthy!

Probiotics work in a few different ways. One way they keep us healthy is by replacing good bacteria when our bodies are in need. For example, after taking antibiotics, our bodies lose “good” bacteria. They also work by keeping a proper balance between our “good” and “bad” bacteria. Probiotics are perfect for travelers because they keep your digestive health in check. All sicknesses and diseases start in the gut, so it’s very important to take care of your gut. The artists that Courtney works with do not have time to get sick. Probiotics are the magic trick! Also, when you travel full time, your body is constantly being fed new and different types of food. This makes it easy for stomach problems to creep in. Probiotics keep everything in their moving at the right pace so your metabolism doesn’t have to change just because your schedule and diet do!

Probiotics Benefits Include…

• Aiding in digestion
• Boosting immune system levels
• Consuming bad bacteria
• Creating key nutrients
• Restricting growth of yeast and unhealthy bacteria
• Limiting bouts of lactose intolerance, poor digestion, and diarrhea