How I love all the changes I go through as a woman over 40. Things that just didn’t matter when I was younger are all of a sudden staring me in the face like a frothing pit bull. I am tempted to run from it, but where will that get me? What I have come to realize is that even though I am getting older, I don’t have to look or feel that way. I will do whatever it takes to protect my health and keep me in top form. (I loved the Golden Girls, but I am certainly not ready for the Golden Years!) One of my many strategies for youthful vibrancy is proper supplementation. So, in this post, I share two must-have supplements to help metabolize fat, boost mood, protect bones and more!
VITAMIN D
Bone-up
Vitamin D is critical for protecting us from brittle bones. As women, our bone density loss starts at 35! For men, it begins at 55! Yeah, I know…score another point for men. In order to minimize that loss, Vitamin D is crucial, as it helps the body absorb calcium. As you know, calcium helps keep our bones strong, which will dramatically decrease our risk of osteoporosis. Believe it or not, the darker your skin is, the more likely you are Vitamin D deficient. Guess there’s at least one reason why my Casper-like skin is good!
Cheer Up
Let’s not stop there, Vitamin D is also an amazing MOOD stabilizer. Simply supplementing with Vitamin D3 and receiving a just a touch of sunlight (15- 20 min per day) can help ward off depression. And, I have experienced this first-hand. There was a time where I was feeling blah… just getting through the day, not wanting to do anything and tired all the time. I had my blood work done and sure enough, I was low in Vitamin D. I now take 5,000 IUs every single day.
Recommended dosages are anywhere from 600 to 5,000 IU’s per day. Liquid form is best. And guess what? It tastes just like Double Chocolate Fudge Cake! Okay, not really. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
CHROMIUM
Remember my last article about how easily we start to store body fat as we get older? Well, here is your new best friend…CHROMIUM! Chromium is a mineral that our body uses for every day functions of the body. You usually get your daily supply of chromium from the foods you eat. However, the older we get, the more deficient we become.
Push It Good
Chromium facilitates the movement of blood sugars through our bloodstream and delivers it to our cells to help turn fats, carbs and proteins into energy. Not only is it key in stabilizing weight and accelerating fat metabolism, it also protects you from high cholesterol and coronary artery disease. That means, less chance of heart attacks! Sign me up!
We Love Muscle
Chromium also helps with building muscle, burning stubborn fat stores and helping our body utilize carbs better.
Double Down
Just like our first friend, Vitamin D3, Chromium also slows the loss of calcium. Together these two supplements are a double whammy for bone protection.
If you choose to supplement with Chromium, try a dose of 200 – 1000 mcg, in divided doses. If you prefer to increase your intake of Chromium through diet, go for greens, whole grains, beef, chicken, fruits and some dairy products.
These are just two of the supplements I recommend for women over 40. In my next article, I am going to share with you two more MUST-HAVES. Until then, have a great week!
REFERENCES
Dr. Keith Warton, Medical Director of BodyLogicMD of Pittsburgh
Holick MF. Vitamind D Deficiency.
Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference for Calcium and Vitamin D.
Anderson RA. Chromium in the prevention and control of diabetes.
Cefalu WT, Wang ZQ, Zhang XH et al. Oral chromium picolinate improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
