The Supplement Revolution: Rethinking Our Approach to Total Body Health 

The Supplement Revolution: Rethinking Our Approach to Total Body Health 

For years, the approach to supplements has been simple: wander down store aisles, chase social media trends, or copy a friend’s regimen. Science and technology have evolved, and its time our approach to supplements does too. 

The reality is, current nutritional practices don’t account for individual biochemistry. While DNA provides a starting point, your current biochemical state is largely driven by genetic expression based on lifestyle and environment.[1] If you present symptoms to three nutritionists, you’ll likely get three different recommendations–and even more varied recommendations for supplementation. This scattergun approach often overlooks your individual biology. 

Fad diets are a glaring example of this ineffective one-size-fits-all mentality. Despite strong evidence linking diet to chronic diseases, advice remains contradictory. For instance, saturated fats are both demonized and praised in discussions about cardiovascular and metabolic health [2,3]. The controversy extends to fruit juice – some studies link it to increased cancer rates [4], while others tout its health benefits [5,6]. Add to this the sway of industry interests over food guidelines, and it’s clear: USDA standards, relying on population averages, fail to address personal needs [7]. 

Genetics play a secondary role compared to the microbiome in the health impacts of nutrition. A substantial twin study revealed significant variability in metabolic responses to identical meals [8]. The microbiome’s influence is vast, affecting everything from neurotransmitter production to immunity and metabolism [8]. Nutrition should ideally account for individual biochemistry, driven largely by the microbiome, not one-size-fits-all guidelines. 

Thanks to advancements in science and technology, we are entering a groundbreaking era of precision health. In this era, every individual has the power to manage their unique nutritional needs effectively. 

Personalized supplements are the future, transcending mere questionnaires. Our bodies are complex ecosystems, signaling our specific nutrient requirements based on our unique inner environments. With the right tools, we can tailor our supplement routines to these signals. 

Viome, a pioneering health tech company, is leading this revolution with its personalized supplement system. It starts with their Full Body Intelligence Test – the most comprehensive at-home microbiome analysis available. This test analyzes your gut microbiome, oral microbiome, and cellular health by looking at RNA gene expression. It identifies and illuminates how your unique lifestyle, particularly what you eat, impacts your health, setting the stage for personalized health solutions that address root causes and improve microbiome health with personalized nutrition for better digestion.  

 Viome’s supplements stand apart, crafted with intentional, premium ingredients in dosages tailored to your test results. You also get individualized insights and personalized nutritional recommendations. They will even create a custom supplement formula and personalized biotics. This is total body wellness in your own hands.   

 To fully embrace this new supplement paradigm, let’s debunk four key misconceptions

  1. Whole Foods Provide All Nutrient Needs
    While essential, whole foods often fall short in modern diets. Nutrient depletion from agricultural practices, cooking methods, and processing means supplementation is necessary to fill these gaps [9]. Beyond nutrition, environmental toxins, stress, and aging all necessitate supplementation. [10]
  2. One Dosage Fits All
    The truth is, optimal nutrient levels are deeply personal, influenced by your unique biology, health status, microbiome, and lifestyle [11]. Personalized health testing is crucial for pinpointing these needs.
  3. More is Better
    Precision trumps quantity in supplementation. Your body is a complex chemistry ecosystem. Throwing in a mix of general supplements is inefficient–and ineffective. At times, it can even become dangerous. 12]. Understanding your body’s chemistry at a molecular level is key to determining the right mix of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and more.
  4. Your Needs Don’t Change
    Our health is dynamic, influenced by a myriad of factors like diet, exercise, stress, and even our partners [13]. Regular testing allows your supplements to adapt to your evolving health needs.

Understanding what works for your body as a baseline is essential to strategically evolving and improving your health over time. Viome’s Precision Supplements delivers this via a formula tailored to your test results. With a blend of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, botanicals, probiotics, and fibers, they offer a truly customized approach to health. 

The key lies in precision testing and customization. Viome equips people with the tools to understand their health at a genetic level and formulates supplements and probiotics that cater to their unique biology, lifestyle, and health changes. This is personalized supplementation – the future of optimizing our health. 

Sources 

  1. S. M. Rappaport, Plos One 11, e0154387 (2016). 
  2. D. J. Ströher, M. F. de Oliveira, P. Martinez-Oliveira, B. C. Pilar, M. D. P. Cattelan, E. Rodrigues, K. Bertolin, P. B. D. Gonçalves, J. da C. E. Piccoli, and V. Manfredini, J Med Food 23, 689 (2020). 
  3. T. Tholstrup, C. Ehnholm, M. Jauhiainen, M. Petersen, C.-E. Høy, P. Lund, and B. Sandström, Am J Clin Nutrition 79, 564 (2004). 
  4. ?3. E. Chazelas, B. Srour, E. Desmetz, E. Kesse-Guyot, C. Julia, V. Deschamps, N. Druesne-Pecollo, P. Galan, S. Hercberg, P. Latino-Martel, M. Deschasaux, and M. Touvier, Bmj 366, l2408 (2019). 
  5. T. A. Khan, L. Chiavaroli, A. Zurbau, and J. L. Sievenpiper, Eur J Clin Nutr 73, 1556 (2019). 
  6. R. Clemens, A. Drewnowski, M. G. Ferruzzi, C. D. Toner, and D. Welland, Adv Nutrition Int Rev J 6, 236S (2015). 
  7. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov. 
  8. S. E. Berry, A. M. Valdes, D. A. Drew, F. Asnicar, M. Mazidi, J. Wolf, J. Capdevila, G. Hadjigeorgiou, R. Davies, H. A. Khatib, C. Bonnett, S. Ganesh, E. Bakker, D. Hart, M. Mangino, J. Merino, I. Linenberg, P. Wyatt, J. M. Ordovas, C. D. Gardner, L. M. Delahanty, A. T. Chan, N. Segata, P. W. Franks, and T. D. Spector, Nat Med 26, 964 (2020). 
  9. ELD Initiative. (2015). Report for policy and decision makers: Reaping economic and environmental benefits from sustainable land management. Available from www.eld-initiative.org. 
  10. Front. Sustain. Food Syst.,Nutrition and Sustainable Diets 04 Sec.(2021) 
  11. Lawrence J. Appel, Erin D. Michos, Christine M. Mitchell, et al; for the STURDY Collaborative Research Group. Ann Intern Med.2021;174:145-156. (2021) 
  12. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/mixing-medications-and-dietary-supplements-can-endanger-your-health 
  13. Ammar, M., Heni, S., Tira, M.S. et al. Eur J Clin Nutr 77, 189–194 (2023). 

The Key To Staying Active In The Winter 

It’s getting colder outside, which means that for many of us, our fitness routines are starting to look a little different. I’ll just come out and say it: it’s hard to stay in shape when it’s dark at 4:30 pm and freezing cold outside. 

Unsurprisingly, studies show that most people are less active during the colder months. I guess we humans just like to hibernate in the winter[1][2].  

But the problem is… we’re not bears. 

As humans, we need to move, and we need to keep moving each and every season. When we don’t, we start to gain weight, our respiratory endurance takes a hit, and we lose strength and flexibility. And perhaps worst of all, we get depressed. That winter slump isn’t only due to the lack of daylight; your body likes to move so it can produce endorphins[3]. 

On the other hand, when we keep moving all year, we’re much more likely to stay physically fit, and studies support physical activity for warding off the doom and gloom of seasonal affective disorder (SAD)[4].

So, instead of giving in to the darkness this winter, let’s talk about some simple and effective ways to stay active, healthy, and, dare I say… happy this winter. 

How To Keep Moving This Winter

Woman doing an online workout

Online Workouts

Online exercise programs have been around for a while, but since the pandemic, you can find almost every type of workout available at your fingertips. Even those classes you thought would never go virtual have likely made their way into an online platform. 

While there’s something special about exercising with the community, online workouts are a great failsafe when the snow’s got you locked in or, frankly, when you just aren’t feeling the social vibes. I’d say if the clock hits five and you start feeling that siren song of the sofa, have one or two online workouts in your back pocket that you can bang out before calling it a day. 

Plan Ahead To Get Outside

Look, I know that some climates are truly foreboding in the winter, but if you plan ahead, you can still find some pockets of time for an outdoor adventure. During the week, you may not be able to sneak away for a couple of hours, but if you plan it just right, you may be able to make it out for a hike on a sunny winter day. 

Gearing up can also make weathering the cold a lot more enjoyable. Grab some boots, gloves, and a heavy coat if you know the winter chill is coming. You may be surprised how the cold becomes much more bearable when you’ve layered yourself up. 

And if you need a little motivation, studies show that outdoor activity during the colder months results in burning more energy (calories) than at other times of the year. Why? It takes additional energy to heat your body[5][3].

 Pro tip: make your outdoor adventure something special; a beautiful mountain hike or a walk by a serene lake will get your engines running a lot faster than a walk around the neighborhood. 

Winter hike in the mountains

Body Weight HIIT Workouts

We’ve all been there: snowed in with no way to get out, and you feel like you’re just about to crawl out of your skin. Your body is screaming, “Move me!” but your mind is saying, “Where?!”

Body weight HIIT workouts are the perfect option if you’re looking to expend a lot of energy in a short time with no equipment or outdoor access.

Studies show that HIIT workouts can increase aerobic endurance, maximal oxygen uptake, and anaerobic capacity more than traditional aerobic exercise[6]. Furthermore, HIIT workouts are known for their ability to help you shed excess weight – specifically that unwanted weight that can accumulate around the waist[7]. 

If you’re familiar with HIIT workouts, you may be able to improvise and create your own, but here’s a simple routine if you’re looking for inspiration: 

Time interval (40 seconds on, 20 seconds off), three sets each

Make sure to warm up before you get moving.

  • Jumping jax 
  • Squat jump
  • Burpees
  • Push-ups
  • High knees
  • Lateral jumps

This entire workout should take about 18 minutes, but you can shorten or extend it to your preference. 

Stationary Bikes

Woman resting after a CAROL Bike workout

Stationary bikes are an excellent option for anyone who wants to keep moving regardless of what’s happening outside. While training outdoors has its advantages, there are unique benefits that training on an indoor machine has to offer. Specifically, you can adjust the settings on indoor cardio equipment like bikes to rev up your workout and push yourself beyond what may be available outdoors. Many people even find they can exceed their previous cardio limits by training on equipment, making their outdoor workouts feel like a breeze.

One of my favorite cardio machines is the CAROL bike. There are a lot of stationary bikes out there these days, but this bike is tailor-designed and AI-enhanced to help you optimize your cardio workout in several ways. And the best part is that even if you’re really short on time, you can get a massive cardio workout on this bike in just a couple of minutes. And I’m not exaggerating – it just takes a couple of minutes.

And while I like to tinker around with different workouts now and then, it was the research that really sold me on the CAROL bike – no surprise there. 

In a study evaluating the effectiveness of reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) on cardiometabolic fitness, the CAROL bike crushed it. Participants using the CAROL bike for just eight weeks saw a 62% reduction in risk factors for metabolic syndrome, including reduced blood pressure, waist circumference, triglycerides, and increased HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)[8]. 

And remember how I mentioned that HIIT workouts can enhance your maximum oxygen capacity? Well, the same study found that participants who engaged in CAROL Bike’s REHIT workouts three times per week experienced a 12.3% surge in their VO2 max. For comparison, a traditional 30-minute workout only increases VO2 max 6.9%, so with just 10% of the time investment, CAROL Bike can nearly double your oxygen capacity[8].

CAROL Bike dashboard

Takeaway 

Taking some downtime during the winter months isn’t bad, but we need to toe that delicate line between cutting back a bit and losing our healthy habits. My advice is to stay as active as possible while letting yourself enjoy a little bit of hibernation here and there. 

If you’re looking for ways to stay active during the winter, plenty of options exist. That said, one of the most effective I’ve found is using indoor equipment like the CAROL bike. It’s quick, fun, and highly effective at getting my heart rate up in a short amount of time. 

Enjoy these cooler months ahead, and remember that your cardio fitness won’t be patiently waiting for you in the spring; it needs some love all year round. 

References

  1. https://www.nrpa.org/about-national-recreation-and-park-association/press-room/new-survey-majority-of-u-s-adults-are-less-active-during-the-winter/
  2. Garriga, Antonio, et al. “Impact of seasonality on physical activity: A systematic review.” International journal of environmental research and public health 19.1 (2021): 2.
  3. Stanaszek, Monika, et al. “Effect of Winter Outdoor Physical Activity on Body Composition and Motor Performance of Polish Adult Men.” Healthcare. Vol. 11. No. 16. MDPI, 2023.
  4. Drew, Elaine M., Bridget L. Hanson, and Kevin Huo. “Seasonal affective disorder and engagement in physical activities among adults in Alaska.” International journal of circumpolar health 80.1 (2021): 1906058.
  5. Cepeda, Magda, et al. “Seasonality of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in a middle-aged and elderly population: the Rotterdam study.” Maturitas 110 (2018): 41-50.
  6. Atakan, Muhammed Mustafa, et al. “Evidence-based effects of high-intensity interval training on exercise capacity and health: A review with historical perspective.” International journal of environmental research and public health 18.13 (2021): 7201.
  7. Batacan, Romeo B., et al. “Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies.” British journal of sports medicine 51.6 (2017): 494-503.
  8. Cuddy, Tom F., Joyce S. Ramos, and Lance C. Dalleck. “Reduced exertion high-intensity interval training is more effective at improving cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health than traditional moderate-intensity continuous training.” International journal of environmental research and public health 16.3 (2019): 483. 

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