This post is sponsored by MegaFood®. All opinions are my own, including my love of MegaFood®’s Blood Builder—a vital component of my energy-building protocol—and my appreciation for their commitment to the glyphosate ban.
I grew up vegetarian, and over the years, despite opening up my diet to include any and everything, my plant-centric lifestyle endured—even though I often felt lethargic and tired without good reason. In our family, we learned to derive as many necessary nutrients as possible from the food that we ate: lentils offered protein, citrus boasted vitamin C, nutritional yeast supplied vitamin B-12, and dark leafy greens delivered minerals and chlorophyll.* I relied on these foods for vital sustenance.
It wasn’t until my mother’s battle with cancer that I realized the paramount importance of blood testing to offer a glimpse into my inner biochemistry. And once I got a peek, I was hooked. The specificity of each blood test was wildly alluring—I wanted to know everything I could about what was happening inside the scientific playground of my body. Hormones surged and receded, blood cells rallied and leveled, iron gathered and bound to transferrin.
And, after many years of combatting symptoms of low level fatigue, a new blood test finally revealed my iron levels were low.
My iron levels weren’t low enough for other doctors to flag them, but, my new physician reasoned, this could easily explain why I felt generally low-energy a lot of the time. What’s more, my periods had been heavier over the past few years, which meant I was definitely losing more blood than usual. The doctor prescribed me a strong dose of iron and daily use of the natural laxative senna for the next three months. I immediately took pause.
I knew that iron could be hard on the digestive tract, infamously causing constipation. And I knew that many of the popular natural iron supplements wouldn’t deliver the amount of iron I was recommended to take (around 60mg). I also knew that regular use of senna as a laxative could be habit forming. The threat of messing with my digestive regularity was highly unappealing.
Knowing I needed an iron supplement I could trust—one made with real food—I immediately looked to Blood Builder, by MegaFood.
While I’d heard about Blood Builder before, I was doubly excited because of MegaFood’s commitment, in partnership with the Environmental Working Group (EWG), to ban glyphosate—and their own pledge to certify their products glyphosate residue free. What’s glyphosate, you ask?
Glyphosate is the number one herbicide used globally, yet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified it as “probably carcinogenic in humans” and its use may be linked to lymphoma. A growing number of countries are restricting or planning an outright ban on this dangerous chemical.
MegaFood is currently petitioning the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the use of glyphosate in the US. With this petition, MegaFood underscores its commitment to improving lives as the first supplement brand to have its entire line certified Glyphosate Residue Free by The Detox Project, and aims to raise awareness of the potentially unsafe levels of glyphosate residue found in our foods today. Please take a moment to sign MegaFood’s public petition, which seeks to unite consumers in their right to safe food, and safe families.
Equipped with my glyphosate-free, made with real food Blood Builder, I began my daily iron-boosting protocol. Within a week, my energy levels changed dramatically.* Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get out and hike every day. While I often take my landlords’ beautiful Australian shepherd with me, I used to feel like Lola Bear was dragging me along. After upping my iron, I was not only keeping pace with her—I actually found myself running some stretches of our daily trail.
Even better? I didn’t have any of the typical constipation associated with iron supplements. Because they are crafted with real foods, MegaFood’s supplements offer essential vitamins and minerals and are gentle enough to be taken on an empty stomach. It’s what nature (and digestive tract) intended. I’m thrilled to have added Blood Builder to my daily regimen, and even more excited to have my energy back.*
I’m headed over to sign MegaFood’s petition to ban glyphosate, because we all deserve safe, nourishing foods and supplements. Join me?
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
