As you continue on your journey to optimal health and wellbeing, there are some additional tools in our arsenal that could optimize your current state and keep you in the best condition possible, regardless of your age!

These tools are supplements and nutrients. Supplements and nutrients are not like medications; they are actually already present in your body. But, by supplementing them in the right amount, you are actually helping your body reach its optimal efficiency. In fact, nutrients are the very fuel of Optimal Health!

Here are supplement guidelines recommended by Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, in Your Lifebook: Element 21^*:

1. Add Fish Oil. Select either 4oz of fatty fish three times a week, 3-6 walnuts a day, or one to three grams of omega derived from a cold-water artic fish 30 minutes before a meal.
2. Take a Daily Multivitamin. Start with a one-a-day multivitamin specifically designed for your gender and age.
3. Add B Complex Vitamins. The B Complex Vitamins work as a team. Unless you have specific needs, it is usually best to take them in the form of a high-potency B complex formula.
4. Augment with Other Key Vitamins. Add any other necessary vitamins and minerals that are not part of your multivitamin and B Complex.
5. Add Antioxidant Powder.
6. Add Key Minerals. This includes calcium, magnesium, selenium, and zinc.
7. Take an Anti-Inflammatory Package. Inflammation is an area that often goes unnoticed by patients' healthcare providers, but extinguishing the inflammatory flame is a significant part of our core strategic plan to optimize your health.
8. Bonus Round. Ask your healthcare provider about any other key nutrients they recommend.

If you haven’t already watched our transformative video series, featuring Your LifeBook – Elements 01-26, published on CLIENT ANSWERS, we invite you to engage and take a deeper dive into each element. These videos, Your LifeBook, and me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, can give you the tools to empower yourself and move forward in creating optimal health and wellbeing. Check them out!

Now that the temperature has begun its yearly decline, farmer’s markets, produce stands, and gardens are becoming scarce. Are you faced with frequent trips to the grocery store to source produce? Don’t give up on fresh, local produce just yet!

Whether you are an experienced gardener or you have never touched gardening tools, why not spice up your lean and greens with your OWN homegrown vegetables? Who knew the growing season could last a few more weeks?

But, not just any vegetable will survive the frost. Try planting some of these delicious GREEN, and LEAN, vegetables this fall:

• Kohlrabi. A great source of vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, and fiber. On the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan^®, enjoy a ½ cup serving, raw or cooked!
• Radishes. These red bulbs can be harvested within 30 days and are high in vitamin C. They are also one of the low carbohydrate vegetables to choose from so enjoy a ½ cup serving size on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan!
• Turnips. Turnip roots are an excellent source of vitamin C. Did you know that you can even eat the leaves? Turnip leaves are an excellent source of vitamins A and K and folate. Turnips are also low in carbohydrates!
• Mustard Greens. These yummy greens are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, and vitamins A, C, and K. Along with being low in carbohydrates, mustard greens are yet another great vegetable that is harvestable within 30 days of planting. As an added bonus, they add a naturally peppery taste to food! Why add pepper when you can just eat more mustard greens?
• Kale. A cabbage family member, kale is high in both vitamins A and C. It is also a good source of calcium and potassium and one of the moderate carbohydrate greens on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan. The serving size for kale is a ½ cup.

Vegetable gardens have other benefits than just the healthy vegetables that they produce. They are also a source of beauty and tranquility, along with a great healthy activity. Have a happy green fall, and ask me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, about other fall vegetables you can add to your garden this year.

Leading By Example

 "In my professional role as an acupuncturist and massage therapist, I am expected to set an example of good health. I never felt like I set a good enough example because I had been overweight for 30 years."

Laura had been successful in losing weight, but it would all come back one way or another.

 “I would tell my clients that if they lost weight, it would help their problems. But how could they take me seriously when I was not following my own advice?”

At a routine doctor’s visit, Laura’s doctor told her that she exhibited symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

"That was a huge wake-up call for me because I thought I was taking care of myself. I took vitamins and ate healthy foods, but I guess I wasn't doing everything I needed to do."

Laura decided to make a change and found OPTAVIA. She knew the Program was rooted in healthy habits and that her first step on her weight loss journey was to reach a healthy weight. 

"I've lost 80 pounds^*, I now have a healthier BMI, and I learned other habits that help me on a daily basis. I go to bed at a consistent time, I exercise, I drink a lot of water, and I pace my meals and snacks to give me well-balanced blood sugar levels. It's helped me a lot, and I've been able to keep my weight off."

Now Laura is an independent OPTAVIA Coach and uses these tools to help her Clients achieve optimal health.

"That's what I really wanted to be all along, a good example. Now I am, and I'm glad. Thank you, OPTAVIA!”