5 Supplements You Need  , But May Not Have Even Heard About

Ellen Kamhi , PhD, RN, The Natural Nurse, is a medical school instructor, master herbalist and author of THE NATURAL MEDICINE CHEST. Facebook/NaturalNurse

Eating healthy whole foods is the best way to be sure you are getting all the nutrients you may need. Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle often makes it difficult to eat correctly. In addition modern farming methods have depleted many nutrients from the soil. In addition to the ‘every day’ requirements of common vitamins , such as Vitamin B and Vitamin C, there are many other nutrients that the body requires in order to thrive at optimum levels.

1. Quercetin—Quercetin is a naturally occurring bioflavonoid (vitamin C helper) found in many species of plants, including the oak, onion, and blue-green algae. As a bioflavonoid, it has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has been used by alternative practitioners for many years in the treatment of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, asthma, and cataracts. Quercetin blocks inflammation that can otherwise lead to leaky gut syndrome. Quercetin  represents one of nature’s most perfect medicines. By decreasing the rapid opening of mast cells and basophils—white blood cells which release histamines—quercetin stabilizes the gut and decreases permeability. Recommended dosage: 200 mg, 2-3 times daily between meals.

2. Glutamine—The amino acid glutamine is an important nutrient. An increase of L-glutamine in the diet has been shown to support intestinal and overall health.  Glutamine reduces unwanted movement of bacterial forms into general circulation, where they can often end up in the joints and instigate or aggravate arthritis.  Glutamine is used in the synthesis of an important nutrient known as N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG), which is fundamental to the production of the protective mucus lining the digestive and respiratory tracts. Glutamine supplementation also enhances glutathione, an important antioxidant.

3. Glutathione—Glutathione is a tri-peptide, a small protein consisting of three amino acids, that functions as a principle antioxidant, scavenging free radicals and toxins that would otherwise damage and destroy cells. Further, glutathione regulates the activities of other antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin C can also help increase glutathione levels. When the body is overrun by free radicals, supplies of glutathione become depleted. This condition, known as oxidative stress, negatively affects the musculoskeletal, nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Glutathione exerts another protective and scavenging role in concert with the liver, the body’s primary organ of detoxification and internal cleansing. In the liver, glutathione combines with toxins, carcinogens, and waste products as a way of neutralizing them and then more effectively securing their elimination from the body. In addition, glutathione helps red blood cell membranes retain their structure, and must be present for white blood cells to perform their function of immune regulation.

4.  N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine—N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) is a sugar that is important to the formation of a type of mucus, glycocalyx, that protects the delicate intestinal tissues and acts as a first line of defense against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These disease-causing microorganisms attempt to adhere to the cell surface and invade the intestinal walls. NAG also functions as a decoy sugar, attracting and binding dietary lectins, which then prevents them from attaching to the gut. People with a compromised gastrointestinal lining are more likely to experience the irritation caused by food allergies, dietary lectins, and bacterial, fungal, and viral organisms. Also, they are more susceptible to the damage due to aspirin, NSAIDs, and the contents of their own intestines, such as bile acid. Again, elevated levels of circulating immune complexes are the end result, which cause inflammation. NAG promotes the growth of friendly bacteria and is quickly digested by healthy intestinal bacteria.

5. Essential Fatty Acids—The kind of fats and oils that we take into our bodies are of paramount importance in determining the amount of inflammation we experience. A significant reduction in lab indicators of inflammation after using omega-3 fatty acids has been verified in clinical studies. These fatty acids are found in fish oils and certain vegetable oils, such as flaxseed and hemp seed oil. In addition to omega-3 fatty acids, borage seed oil and evening primrose oil, which contain large amounts of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 oil, cause clinical improvement.

6. FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides)– known popularly as “fast food for probiotics.” FOS is a natural sugar found in food sources such as Jerusalem artichokes, onions, barley, honey, asparagus, and garlic. It provides a growth medium for beneficial bacteria in the intestines.