Do you have any supplement recommendations for osteoarthritis? 

The usual recommendations include joint health supplements such as glucosamine, cetyl M, chondroitin, and MSM. These supplements can certainly be beneficial but none of them address the primary cause of osteoarthritis. As a result, most users fail to experience miraculous results. 

According to hormone optimization and anti-aging expert Dr. Jonathan Wright the cause of osteoarthritis is a lack of a form of vitamin B3 otherwise known as niacinamide.* Wright states when the cartilage is withering away it’s due to the cells failing to be nourished with enough energy-ATP by their mitochondria. As far back as the 1940s, Wright conveys Dr. William Kaufman used niacinamide with his patients suffering from osteoarthritis and they experienced a huge reduction in pain in three to four weeks and after three to four months of consistent use, the pain was completely eradicated. 

If you want to give this method a shot, Dr. Wright recommends 1500mg of time-released niacinamide in the morning and evening.  Niacinamide also supports skin health and overall energy so it is definitely something I will be giving a shot as I have some osteoarthritis I want to address. I just started using the following brand and will provide an update in a few weeks Niacinamide option. 

In addition, make sure you address excess inflammation if you have any pain in the body as well. If you experience excessive soreness after training or find you are prone to catching colds/flu often you likely have a weakened immune system from in part dealing with excess inflammation. Check out my article on the topic at Addressing inflammation

*Suzanne Somers, A New Way To Age: The most cutting-edge advanced in anti-aging

I am super busy in the morning and often miss breakfast. Do you have any recommendations for a quick morning meal? 

It is hard to beat a power protein shake in the morning to supercharge your day. This is an efficient method to consume a great deal of nutrition in a highly digestible form to avoid any dissipation of energy. It also helps build consistency as it is easy to implement. 

Here is an example of what I have most mornings 

1 scoop of VegiDay or Vega Vanilla protein powder 

3 tablespoons of hemp seeds (loaded with protein, magnesium, zinc, and EFAs) 

1/2 cup of baby spinach (excellent source of nitrates for NO production and heart health) 

1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds (loaded with EFAs and calcium and potassium) 

1/4 cup of frozen broccoli (an easy way to add more healthy greens to your diet) 

1/4 cup of blueberries (antioxidants) 

1/4 cup of strawberries (antioxidants) 

1 block of frozen acai (high in antioxidants) 

1 teaspoon of ginger (excellent for reducing inflammation and improving digestion) 

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon (supports insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal) 

1 teaspoon of beet powder (loaded with nitrates for increases NO production. You can also juice beets and add to the power shake) 

1 teaspoon of pomegranate powder (improves heart health and circulation) 

1 tablespoon of cacao (high in polyphenols) 

3 grams of taurine (for heart health and optimal blood pressure support) 

8oz of coconut/almond milk 

8oz of water 

Put all the ingredients in a strong blender such as a Vitamix and blend for a minute. 

This is a potent power shake, to say the least, and in addition to supplying all the macronutrients I need to get my day going it is loaded with important micronutrients for ultimate nourishment. You won’t be hungry for many hours after this meal.  

If you’re busy in the morning make the power shake the night before and just place it in the fridge. You can put it is a thermos and drink it on the way to work or have it at work. A power shake every morning is a simple method to ensure you are getting high-quality nutrition every day. It sets the tone for the day and mitigates the negatives of some poor food choices later in the day. 

I am interested in adding more plant-based nutrition to my regimen. Are there any vegan cookbooks you recommend? 

My favorite vegan cookbook by far is X-Rated Vegans Vegan Cook Bookby elite strength coach Sabina Skala and friends. Most books on vegan nutrition convey the benefits and then have a few sample recipes at the end. Sabina’s book is all easy to follow recipes with beautiful photos in a hardcover format.  All the meals in the book are not only delicious by very nutritious. An added bonus is Sabina donates 25% of the profit to help two incredible charities. You can purchase her book at her website Plant-based cookbook

Also, check out some of her incredible recipes at Vegan recipes