If you’ve made it here, you’ve probably read up the benefits of New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Oil in countering joint pain and inflammation. Today we’re going to dive a bit deeper. This article looks at how to best absorb a supplement into your body so that you get the most benefit from each dose. These hints largely focus on dietary intake, and each can be adapted to your personal routine as you and your doctor see appropriate. 

Consider adding probiotics to your diet

The primary benefit of probiotics is that they work to balance the good bacteria in your gut with the bad. When ratios are correct, you can digest nutrients better and help your body to get the most out of them. 

An easy probiotic to add to your diet is kombucha. This is a tea — typically black tea or green tea — with probiotics added by living enzymes called a Scoby. It’s a unique beverage that is carbonated and because it comes in so many flavors, it has the ability to appeal to a wide variety of pallets. Common flavor boosters include fruits, ginger, and even some seemingly crazy additions like beets — who knew they could be so good in a beverage? 

Pick up kombucha at your local health food store. Warning — kombucha is fermented, which is a taste (and a process) that isn’t for everybody. But, much like beer or coffee, kombucha tends to be an acquired taste.

Eat! Eat! Eat!

No need to feel bad if you prefer to indulge a bit with your GLX3. Eating gets the digestive system going, which helps your body absorb the supplement faster. The nutrients in a supplement or vitamin tend to coincide with the major protein-heavy meals that you eat during a typical day, making your body more ready to get the most value out of what you put into it. The exception, of course, is if your doctor advises you not to take a supplement with food. If you also take an iron supplement, it is typically advised to take it in the morning before you’ve begun your eating cycle for the day.

And for many, it just feels more natural to take a supplement with a meal. You likely already have a glass of water on hand, anyhow!

Combine the supplement with healthy fats

When it comes to what to eat with your supplement, you want to focus on blending foods that go well together with the vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients you’re taking in the pill. Because GLX3 contains Vitamin E Oil and New Zealand Olive Oil, it helps to consume some other healthy fats alongside it. 

If you take GLX3 in the morning, try accompanying it with a serving of avocado toast or a hard-boiled egg. This way, you’re getting healthy fats and proteins to complement the small amount of oil in each dose of the supplement. Around dinnertime, a leafy green salad makes a great companion. If you take the supplement after a workout, it can be beneficial to follow the common 4:1 ratio that helps your body recover after expending vast amounts of energy — four grams of carbs to every one gram of protein. 

In this case, a small serving of pasta with a small piece of lean meat or veggie protein both works great and is super easy to prepare. Add marinara sauce to the pasta and you’re even satisfying that craving for sweetness — it’s a win-win!

But avoid processed meats

Here’s a hint for the next time you walk by that section at the grocery store that can be so tempting — with the salami, the deli trays, and the pre-packaged meals (remember Lunchables?) — keep on walking. Processed meats are laden with preservatives, and regular consumption of these foods can produce high amounts of free radicals in your body.

Free radicals are molecules that negatively impact your body’s cells, leading to damage. Having some is normal, as the daily workings of your metabolism can produce free radicals. But too much is bad news for your body, inside and out. And while the Vitamin E oil in GLX3 works to remove free radicals from your body, it’s always best to keep them out in the first place, so that the supplement can go straight to work on your joints.

And excess amounts of caffeine

Around GLX3 headquarters, we love a good cup of coffee. In fact, many of our best ideas come to us as we sit over a specialty drink in the cafe. But taking a supplement right after a tall latte can actually cause the body to pass some of the benefits through instead of absorbing them. Yes, this is partly because you have to go to the bathroom more often — but more importantly it’s because too much caffeine can prohibit your body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.

So, take your supplement before you brew a pot, or wait until the buzz has worn off a bit. And, avoid drinking “too much coffee” (we’re not going to draw that line for you).