As An RD, These Are The Supplements I Actually Recommend For My Mom
As a registered dietitian, I get asked all the time which supplements I actually recommend. And about a year ago, my mom came to me with that very question. She had just retired from a demanding corporate job, and her main goal with her newfound free time was to improve her health.
The next step was refining that goal into specific, actionable steps.
Finding supplements that support your goals
When we hopped on the phone, she already had a solid plan in place for the fitness side of the equation. My mom has always been physically active (think hours of tennis a week and golf in the summer). But strength training was something that took a back seat in recent years. So, she found a personal trainer and signed up for weekly sessions in addition to weekly group classes and solo time in her gym’s weight room.
So where do I come in? She wanted to know how to support her body nutritionally through this increased workload and help on lowering her cholesterol levels, which (weren’t high but) were starting to creep up.
Whey protein supported her new fitness routine
The first supplement I recommended was mindbodygreen’s grass-fed whey protein isolate+. Each serving of this powder provides 25 grams of easily digestible protein with the ideal 2.5 grams of leucine—the amino acid needed to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.*
This (delicious) powder has been a staple in my morning routine for two years now, and I knew my mom would love it. She did.
She loves how versatile it is, mixing it into yogurt with berries, chia seeds, and walnuts for breakfast, or blending it with vanilla almond milk and extra cinnamon for an afternoon pick-me-up (it tastes like dessert).
The satiety benefits of protein surprised her. “I eat breakfast around 8 and I don't feel hungry until lunch,” she tells me. “I work out in the morning after eating, and it makes the workout better. I can work out longer and still have energy left afterward.”*
Plus, not being starving at lunchtime also helps her make healthier choices for her midday meal instead of grabbing whatever’s convenient.
“It also makes it easy to get close to 100 grams of protein a day,” she adds. “I’m skeptical I’d get there otherwise.”
Fiber helped lower cholesterol
The second supplement I suggested was organic fiber+ with prebiotic support to help her cholesterol.*
Fiber plays a well-documented role in supporting healthy cholesterol levels, blood sugar balance, and digestive health. And for my mom, consistency was key.
What sealed the deal? “It’s tasteless and textureless,” she says. “I put it in my morning yogurt or my electrolyte drink after a workout, and I don’t even know it’s there.”
After incorporating it regularly, her cholesterol levels improved, and she’s kept taking it because it’s just that easy. Overall, it's been about a year and a half since she started taking both of these supplements.
The takeaway
It’s absolutely true that you can improve your health at any age. Now in her 60s, my mom is proof of that. Focusing on strength training and nutrition now will help maintain the active lifestyle she loves for years to come.
