Living a long life in good health involves some luck. But it also requires commitment — commitment to a health-promoting lifestyle and behaviors that include nutritious food, regular exercise, and good sleep.
While creating your exercise and sleep routine is personal, getting the proper balance of nutrients for survival is universal. It starts with eating a balanced whole-food diet. However, you may not get all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you need from your food, especially since most edible plants you buy in grocery stores today grow in soil depleted of nutrients.
That’s why many people supplement their diets with herbal and botanical supplements. Figuring out which nutrients you should supplement can be difficult, so in this article, we recommend seven supplements that can support great health and wellness.
Daily Herbal Supplement Routine
Being healthy requires that your body is consistently able to maintain or restore homeostasis, a state where all the body systems needed for survival — physical and mental — are kept in balance while adapting to external conditions and influences. Deficiency in nutrients will disrupt homeostasis and the body’s ability to function properly.
Since your diet alone may not provide all the nutrients required to maintain homeostasis, consider the following seven supplements to fill in the gaps. You can take these supplements daily (unless indicated otherwise) to support your overall well-being. Taking specific supplements simultaneously each day may help you maintain consistent levels in your body for maximum benefits.
1. Black Elderberry Syrup and Black Elderberry Kids Daily Gummies for Immune Support
To maintain an active lifestyle and dodge avoidable illnesses, take Black Elderberry supplements daily. These can be taken any time of day, but mid-morning or mid-afternoon after a meal might be easiest to remember (and also provide a sweet treat between meals).
Black Elderberry is higher in antioxidants than blueberries, cranberries, and mulberries.REF#2836 Black Elderberry Syrup contains the equivalent of 14.5 grams of fresh, organic elderberries per teaspoon. Black Elderberry Kids Daily Gummies contain 3.8 grams per gummy (or contains 429 mg of Elderberry extract and concentrate).
- Frequency: Take daily for general immune support or during periods when you need extra support, such as when traveling or when attending a crowded event.
- Serving size: One teaspoon of syrup for adults; one gummy for children. Since gummy supplements taste like candy, it’s critical to limit consumption to the dose recommended on the label.
- When to take: Take Black Elderberry mid-morning or mid-afternoon, when you are craving a treat, or as a dessert after a meal.
- Best Uses: Take to maintain the body’s natural defense system.
- Safety Concerns: These products are considered safe when taken as directed. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy.
- Recipes: Use elderberry syrup or tonic to sweeten drinks and desserts. Start your morning with a Very Berry Smoothie. Dress your salads with a Black Elderberry Tonic Vinaigrette. Try a Green Berries and Bitters Mocktail. Or make your own Black Elderberry Gummies.
Next, it’s critical to get the nutrients you need for stress support and a healthy inflammatory response.
Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism that helps the body combat infections, injuries, and other threats by sending immune cells to the affected site to neutralize pathogens and remove damaged cells. It’s essential for healing and protection. However, chronic inflammation, often triggered by factors like poor diet, lack of exercise, and chronic stress, can contribute to various health issues.
The stress response, often referred to as the "fight or flight" response, is vital for survival. It prepares the body to react swiftly in the face of immediate threats. However, chronic stress can lead to prolonged activation of the stress response, creating oxidative stress, an imbalance between the production of harmful free radicals and the body's ability to counteract their damaging effects with antioxidants, potentially leading to cellular damage and various health issues.
Ultimately, a well-regulated stress response and a healthy inflammatory response ensure that these responses aid in protection and healing without causing harm.
The next two supplements support healthy inflammatory and stress responses
2. Turmeric Supreme Extra Strength for Overall Wellbeing
Turmeric, a rhizome in the ginger family, contains curcuminoids, turmerones, and polysaccharides, antioxidant compounds that are believed to be responsible for the herb’s beneficial impacts on health.*
In fact, it’s the synergy between these components that is thought to enhance the plant’s overall benefits for well-being.* Turmeric has been extensively studied for its ability to support a healthy inflammatory response with positive results. Gaia includes Black Pepper in our full-specturm Turmeric supplements because Piperine (Black Pepper's active component) has been found in studies to increase the bioavailability of Curcumins by up to 2,000%. REF#2837
Our Turmeric Supreme Extra Strength is a great supplement for maintaining an active lifestyle. Each capsule offers 482 mg of Gaia’s proprietary Turmeric extract blend, 38 mg of curcuminoids, and seven mg of Black Pepper.
- Frequency: Take daily as directed.
- Serving size: Take one capsule one to two times a day. The maximum safe dosage for Curcumin on its own is 12g a day. REF#2838
- When to take: Take this supplement with meals.
- Best Uses: Take to support healthy inflammatory function in healthy individuals.
- Safety Concerns: This is considered safe when taken as directed. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy.
- Recipes: Use Gaia’s Turmeric Boost Restore powder to add the benefits of Turmeric to recipes such as Turrmeric Chai Tea, Mango Turmeric Smoothie, Turmeric Mixed Nuts,
3. Golden Milk for Calm Mind and Body
Golden Milk, a cherished beverage in Ayurveda, combines milk with Turmeric and other spices to help support a calm mind and body. Golden Milk is perfect for a “wind-down” ritual before bed.
Our Golden Milk formula is based on the traditional stress-supporting recipe, containing Turmeric and Ashwagandha, which has been revered for centuries. We combine that with the flavors of date palm fruit, cardamom, vanilla bean, and black pepper to create a delicious way to support both body and mind.
- Frequency: Take daily or a few times weekly to meet your health goals.
- Serving size: Take one teaspoon mixed in with warm milk.
- When to take: Take when you need a cup of calm or before bedtime to help induce relaxation.
- Best Uses: Take to support a calm mind and body.
- Safety Concerns: This is considered safe when taken as directed. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy.
- Recipes: Can be added to cookies, popsicles, puddings, smoothies, and more. Create a warm cup of Traditional Golden Milk, chill out with an Iced Golden Milk Latte, or splurge on Golden Milk Cookies.
When life becomes stressful, the mind-body cycle is thrown out of balance. Eating well, exercising, practicing mindfulness exercises, and getting appropriate amounts of sleep can help settle your nervous system so you can enjoy greater energy and well-being. It can also help to take the next two nutritional supplements to support a stabilized mood and energy levels.
4. Ashwagandha Gummies for Mind-Body Balance
Ashwagandha, also known as Indian Ginseng, is a popular adaptogenic herb for supporting a healthy resistance to stress.REF#2839 It tops the list of our favorite herbs for helping anyone experiencing occasional anxiousness to calm down and sense tranquility.
Gaia Herbs offers Ashwagandha Gummies flavored with apples and cinnamon. Each three-gummy serving delivers six grams of Ashwagandha herb and is sweetened with real fruit.
- Frequency: Take daily for one to three months or according to your health provider’s recommendations.
- Serving size: Take three gummies.
- When to take: Take up to twice daily, in the morning and evening.
- Best Uses: Take for stress support.
- Safety Concerns: This is considered safe when taken as directed. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy.
5. Adrenal Health Daily For Energy and Cognition
Adrenal Health® Daily Support combines multiple herbs with health-promoting benefits. It
contains a unique combination of extracts, including Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, Schisandra, and Gaia-grown Oats to help support energy and stress levels.
With the amount of stress in our daily lives, our adrenal glands can easily be thrown out of balance, negatively affecting the functions they support: energy, cognition, and mood. Adrenal Health® Daily Support helps your body cope with stress in a healthy way.
- Frequency: Take daily.
- Serving size: Take two capsules.
- When to take: Take in the morning. For additional support, the same dose can be taken again in the evening.
- Best Uses: Take to support you when you’re feeling overwhelmed or rundown.
- Safety Concerns: This is considered safe when taken as directed. Rhodiola should not be taken by individuals with bipolar disorder. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy or lactation.
Our brain is the epicenter of our thoughts, emotions, memories, and actions. Maintaining good brain health is essential for a fulfilling and vibrant life. A healthy brain supports mental performance, emotional resilience, and the ability to adapt to life's challenges.
When diet and lifestyle changes alone are not enough to support brain health, the next two supplements can help enhance your cognitive capacities and promote overall well-being.
6. Lion's Mane for Overall Neurological Health
Lion’s Mane is one of 10 supplements Gaia produces that feature mushrooms or mushroom blends. Lion’s Mane is prized for its potential to support brain and neurological health.* It is a white mushroom with a cluster of cascading, elongated spines that evoke the image of a majestic lion's mane.
Each capsule of Gaia’s Lion’s Mane contains 450 mg of 100% dried mushroom fruiting body extracts and nothing else — no fillers, starch, or grains. This is the equivalent of 2.5 grams of dried mushrooms. The mushrooms are organically grown and sustainably sourced from a remote, mountainous region in China, far from highly populated cities and industrial manufacturing areas, which enables us to produce the highest level of purity and potency.
- Frequency: Take daily.
- Serving size: Take one capsule.
- When to take: Take at the time of day that works best for you.
- Best Uses: Take to support your overall brain and neurological health.
- Safety Concerns: This is considered safe when taken as directed. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy.
- Recipes: Fresh Lion’s Mane mushrooms are delicious when dry fried and then tossed in a bit of olive oil and garlic or used in any stir fry. Gaia’s Lion’s Mane and Turmeric Powder can be used to make Nourishing Mind Spring Broth.
7. Bacopa to Support Healthy Brain Function
This creeping succulent herb that grows in the wetlands of India and other Asian countries is gaining popularity as an herb that supports brain health.
Since commercially available Bacopa is often contaminated with pesticides, microbes, and heavy metals, Gaia Herbs grows Bacopa in the Gaia Herbs Greenhouse in North Carolina. Our Bacopa capsules offer 350 mg of organic extract.
- Frequency: Take daily.
- Serving size: Take one capsule one to two times daily.
- When to take: Take with meals.
- Best Uses: Take to support healthy brain function.
- Safety Concerns: This product is considered safe when taken as directed. If you have a medical condition or take medications, please consult with your doctor before use. Not for use during pregnancy.
Create Your Own Supplement Routine for Optimal Health
Whether you’re already following a health-conscious lifestyle or seeking to make positive changes, creating a consistent daily routine for taking herbal supplements can significantly contribute to improved vitality and overall well-being.
Most supplements do not need to be taken at a specific time of day, but consistency is important. You might take them based on their purpose, such as taking those you use for energy at breakfast and those you use for stress management before bed. Having a routine not only ensures you receive a regular dose of essential nutrients but also helps you cultivate healthy habits. It also helps you track the effects of the supplements over time, allowing you to make informed decisions about their continued use.
While this daily routine is excellent for individuals in good health who want to maintain that status, it may not be ideal for you. If you want assistance in determining what supplements to consider for your healthcare goals, take the Gaia Matchmaker quiz. It’s a great tool for learning the right mix to meet your unique needs.
You can also try our available bundles, including Magnificent Mushrooms or Rest & Reset. These bundles include cost savings compared to buying separately and are a great way to try out several of our best-selling products without feeling overwhelmed.