This Rawsome Vegan Life: MY FAVE VEGAN SUPPLEMENTS

Well, spoiler alert: this was in fact a full-on eating disorder that I was in denial of for a decade. I will be writing more on this in future posts.

Fast forward: I have since thankfully come round to a more reasonable position on the subject of food in general and supplementation in particular. I have found the power of intuitive eating, mindfulness, body-acceptance and self-compassion. I will probably always be vegan (because that decision is political for me) but beyond that, I eat whatever the heck I want now. Maybe it’ll be a smoothie, maybe it’ll be chips. Maybe it’ll be a salad, maybe it’ll be pasta. Maybe it’ll be dates and almond butter, maybe it’ll be chocolate cake. What I eat at any given time depends on how I am feeling and what my body is telling me it needs. Because my body is smart and I actually pay attention to it now, my diet these days ends up being nourishing, satisfying, balanced and vibrant. 

Having said all this, whether it was during my hard core raw vegan days of the past, or my intuitive eating days now: I don’t always hit my RDIs (recommended daily intakes) for every nutrient, vitamin and mineral. I’m not a super human. I don’t eat the same things everyday, I don’t do the same things everyday; so what by body needs and what it’s getting vary. In addition to being vegan, I am a 25 year old person with a uterus who bleeds every month, and I live in a pretty rainy part of the world. I additionally deal with anxiety and depression. We have to consider these factors before approaching supplements. What’s your age? What are the specific conditions of your body? What’s your diet high or low in, because of sensitivities or restrictions? How’s your mood? What’s the sun exposure of the geographic zone you live in? Do you donate blood regularly? 

This is why the supplements we each take depend on who, when, what, and where we are.

An important tip for figuring out what supplements to take or not take is to get your blood checked! It’s a pretty obvious point, but I feel it needs to be said. In the ‘wellness’ world, there is a lot of hype about foods that are super high in This Vitamin and That Vitamin. That’s all fine, but we don’t need to worry about that if our blood work tells us we are already getting enough of This Vitamin and That Vitamin. 

Finally, I will say that supplements will not solve all your problems. Brands might hint that taking that making their adaptogenic mix every morning will turn your life into a Magical Sexy Success World, but let’s be realistic. Ultimately, ‘wellness’ needs to be understood as a holistic, personal, dynamic practice. You will not find wellness in an adaptogenic latte. Wellness is found in the practices of self-compassion, mindfulness, acceptance, and non-judgement. If you’re not doing the work of learning to be gentle with yourself, and honouring your body’s, mind’s, and spirit’s needs: supplements will only take you so far. They are but a slice in the pie of self-care. In addition to taking daily supplements, I meditate regularly, take medication for my anxiety and depression, stretch often for my chronic back pain, and literally organize my life around my personal needs (ex. social time, solo time, work time, rest time…) I recognize these needs change, and that’s OK too! 

Now, let’s get into my fave supplements. Not everyone needs to take these, so know your own particular needs before filling up your shopping cart. QUESTION: Do you take supplements? Why or why not? 

xo,

em