ismael chang ghalimi

Dietary Supplements

As I get more ambitious with my exercise plan, and keep improving my diet, I have started to add some vegetarian supplements to my meals. On top of the Nature’s Way Alive! Rice/Pea Ultra-Shake Vanilla, Nutribiotic Vegan Rice Protein and Benefiber mix that I am using for my morning smoothie, I am taking suggested servings for the following supplements:

• Bio-K Plus CL1285 pro-biotic L. acidophilus, for helping digestion.
• Country Life Activated Charcoal, for helping digestion.
• Danone DanActive, for helping digestion.
• Enzymatic Therapy HDL Booster, niacin to increase HDL level.
• Jarrow Formulas Green Tea 5:1, polyphenols, good antioxidants.
• Nature’s Wonderland Fenugreek Seed, to lower LDL level.
• Nordic Natural EPA, EPA, DHA, and other Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Nutrition Now PB8 pro-biotic acidophilus, for helping digestion.
• Paradise Herbs Resveratrol, 15 mg of resveratrol, an antioxidant.
• Rainbow Light Advanced Enzyme System, for helping digestion.
• Spectrum Essentials Flax Oil, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
• Trader Joe’s Pomegranate White Tea.
• Twinlab Cholesterol Success, four phytosterols to lower LDL level.
• Whole Foods Cal-Mag-Zinc Complete Calcium Formula.
• Whole Foods Complete Exclusive Multivitamin Formula.
• Whole Foods Glucosamine & Chondroitin, for healthy joints.
• Whole Foods Pycnogenol, for reducing the effects of jet lag.
• Whole Foods Standardized Ginger, for helping digestion.
• Whole Foods Standardized Ginkgo Biloba, for improved circulation.
• Whole Foods Standardized Hawthorn, for improved exercise tolerance.
• Whole Foods Triple Ginseng, three types of ginseng, for energy.
• Whole Foods Vitamin D3 1000 IU.

Updated on 11/30/2008, 12/21/2008, and 11/8/2009.

Hi Ismael,

It’s interesting that you are taking so many supplements, but this may reflect on your body life-style perhaps. I’ve always resisted supplements, though my diet probably should have dictated differently. I now try to follow (loosely) a GM approach, as it seems a logical way to a healthy diet (as opposed to dieting). I’ve now started with a few supplements, Omega-3, Vitamin B supplement, and the Glucosamine & Chondroitin. The last I use as I do suffer from time to time from a slipped disc, and a few old war wounds to my knees.

All the best
 -Bob

Bob,

A lot of them are to ensure a proper level of cholesterol in order to reduce the risk of heart disease down the road. That being said, my intake of supplements is small compared to what someone like Ray Kurzweil gets on a daily basis: 250 pills, 10 glasses of alkaline water, and 10 cups of green tea.

Best regards
 -Ismael

Hi Ismael,

On the topic of nutrition, take a look at Patrick Holford’s New Optimum Nutrition Bible. A great resource.

For natural substances, try aloe vera drinking juice, which as well as being great for healing and detoxifying, is very beneficial for your digestive system.

Yerba mate, a type of tea drunk in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Southern Brazil is an invigorator of the mind and body, a natural source of nutrition, and a health promoter par excellence. Make a serving of this in the traditional way before exercise, and you will be hitting an average of 25 mph in no time…

A tip on Glucosamine: Glucosamine Hydrochloride works better than Glucosamine Sulphate.

Regards
 -Jason

Jason,

Thanks for the tips. I’ll give them a try.

Best regards
 -Ismael

Ismael,

I have been using Glucosamine & Chondroitin since 2001 because I play volleyball and soccer. I suggest that you include in your diet Pomegranate and Açai berry (only grows in Brazil, but you can get it in the US).

Paul,

I’m already eating pomegranate, but I’ll add açai berry juice.

-Ismael