Supplements I Take On Hikes

I’m not the kind of person who likes to take supplements just to take supplements. I truly believe in getting as many nutritional benefits straight from food, but sometimes a girl just needs her supplements.

I take very specific supplements based on my personal needs, I take these on the trail and off the trail. In this blog, I break down exactly what I take and why I take it.

Turmeric

On steep declines, my knees start to hurt. So instead of taking Advil (if I can avoid it), I take turmeric since it’s an anti-inflammatory.

I take turmeric on and off the trail! At home, I also have a juicer so I occasionally will add tumeric to my fresh pressed fruit and veggie juices. Even on top of that, I consistently take it in pill form, it’s just easier for me.

Doctors recommend getting 1,000 milligrams per day. Combine it with food like black pepper which contains piperine, which helps the turmeric properties be absorbed into your bloodstream instead of just staying in your gut.

I use the Garden of Life Turmeric tablets.

Omega 3

When I was a kid my parents made me take this in liquid form. It was SO GROSS. If we’re just being honest here. So as an adult I avoided taking it because of the taste.

When I got LASIK, the doctor told me to start taking Omega 3 supplements before my surgery to thicken my tears, it helps with healing. I naturally have dry eyes so I just kept taking it even after the surgery. It’s now been years and I’m still taking it.

As I started hiking more and more, I noticed I have issues with my knees on the trail. After much research I found that Omega 3s work like joint lubricators! So that’s a double win for me.

I take Dr Tobias Omega 3 Fish Oil.

Collagen Protein Powder

As we get older, the amount of collagen our bodies naturally produce decreases. As collagen production decreases, our tendons and ligaments start feeling stiff and swollen.

Ingesting collagen is like greasing a creaky door hinge. It stimulates cartilage growth and comforts and supports weak joints to reduce wear and tear. Studies have shown that collagen is even an effective treatment for osteoarthritis.

I take collagen protein powder as a protein supplement and as a collagen supplement! I take it at home and on the trail.

On the trail I mix it in my morning oatmeal or make tea with it at night.

Ancient Nutrition makes unflavored, vanilla, chocolate and fruity flavored collagen. My favorite is the guava passion fruit.

Probiotics

They help balance the healthy bacteria in your body! When you’re at home, take probiotics that need to be refrigerated. But when hiking, camping and backpacking, bringing probiotics that need refrigeration is not an option, so for those times I opt in to bring probiotics that don’t need a fridge.

At home I take the Garden of Life RAW Probiotics Women. On the trail I take Ancient Nutrition Probiotics Ultimate Once Daily.

Digestive Enzymes

If you have a sensitive stomach, frequent bloating, and other things of this nature, I highly recommend trying digestive enzymes. It helps your body break down food and absorb nutrients from food. Especially on backpacking trips and since the food isn’t fresh, these are so handy!

I take Garden of Life Organic Chewable Enzyme Supplement.

Sugar Bear Hair

They are for hair! Yes, my hair.

Since middle school, I wore my hair shoulder length, it was short. But I went to a get a hair cut in college and the guy basically completely chopped off all of my hair. It was horrible. So in desperation to grow out my hair quickly, I found these supplements with before and after pictures that looked promising, so I tried them and I loved them. My hair grew back quickly and was thicker and stronger. Even during stressful times when my hair tends to start to fall out, these help so much!

I take these in everyday life, I only bring them on longer trips. They’re a multivitamin but they’re specifically designed to help your hair grow faster, stronger, and longer. I’ve been trying to grow my hair out and help make it stronger and thicker.

Here is the link to the Sugar Bear Hair vitamins that I take.

Eye drops

Going back to my dry eyes, I bring eye drops with me on all trips and I use them at home regularly. After LASIK my doctor said not to use eye drops with preservatives, so I’ve continued that since. I use Omega 3 laced eye drops. My eyes get drier at altitude, so generally I bring around four vials per day with me.

I use the Refresh Optive Mega-3 Eye Drops.

Cranberry pills

Ladies, you’re going to really resonate with me here.

I’m prone to UTIs, especially on long backpacking trips. So instead of taking the chance and being miserable, as a precaution, I bring cranberry pills with me on backpacking trips that are longer than three to four days.