I started 2023 with a rather simple goal: to get off my anxiety meds.

But I soon found myself down a DEEP rabbit hole…

For many years, I woke up each day and placed a small piece of white chalky dust into my mouth. It supposedly helped me with anxiety and kept me somewhat balanced. In truth, it never felt “right”.

As the years drew on, this feeling of unease grew.

So, in 2022, I decided enough was enough.

I would wean myself off of them. But first, I had some studying to do.

Because coming off meds is no easy feat. You have to take it seriously.

So I read books and articles, listened to podcasts and interviews, and watched videos et al … as 2022 transitioned into 2023, I felt ready.

The thing is, once you step down a rabbit hole like this, a whole world opens up. 

I pulled threads, one by one, and began to quickly find various parts of my health, mental well-being, productivity, and more I’d like to optimize.

It was this that ignited the idea of [no hustle] in the first place…

… as well as *this video* that explored the various smoothies I turn to each day.

Those smoothies and this article (and its video) are somewhat linked.

Because although all *this* started with a desire to get off meds, I soon realized with the right supplements, I could improve all kinds of aspects of my life — from exercise to greater gut health, brain fog, and much more.

And so, over the coming minutes, I’ll share my daily supplement routine with you, broken up into three phases:

🌅 Morning

☀️ Afternoon

🌇 Evening

I’ll share each supplement I take, as well as why I take it (and the role it plays).

But first, something VERY important 👇👇

a supplements for immune system disclaimer

I am NOT a doctor, medical expert, or anything like that.

What follows isn’t advice. It’s just my personal journey.

Will it help you? Maybe… but then again, maybe not.

Your body, mind, and situation are unique; there’s no simple approach that will “fix” you; not that you need fixing.

And I bring receipts, in the form of three bottles…

The first two contain Rhodiola Rosea and L-Theanine — I added them to my morning coffee (with the CBD drops), as they’re supposed to help reduce stress — the third contains L-Tryptophan, which, if taken before bed, can help improve sleep.

I tried both in 2023, and the results… not good.

• The Rhodiola Rosea and L-Theanine made me feel VERY anxious and on edge, and I knew within days of taking it that it was NOT for me.
• Whereas L-Tryptophan gave me some awful stomach bloating and cramps, likely because I have a yeast intolerance.

The point here? Everything in this article (and any other video, article, or whatever else) can only ever, at best, guide you in the right direction.

I went into 2023 with an open mind and willingness to experiment.

Each month, I’d add one or two supplements to my routine.

I’d monitor my health, feelings, and overall state of mind.

If something worked, I made a note of it. If not, I made a note of that too.

Please do the same 🙏

If you try anything on the back of reading this, do so with intention and purpose. Because you are unique. Your body is. Mind, too.

Treat it as such ❤️

the morning supplements

Before we dive into my morning routine, let me get something clear…

This is not a scientific deep dive — everything here remains at a high level.

For starters, I have no right to go DEEP into these supplements. There are far better people, institutions, and resources for that.

(I link to some of them in the description at the end of this article)

The second reason is to back up my previous point that YOU have to research YOUR situation. If this inspires you to explore your own version of a ‘rabbit hole’, I consider my work done.

So, with that in mind, this is what I take each morning…

CBD DROPS

• Type: Liquid
• Role: Mental Health

My whole journey began in a bid to get off my anxiety meds, so turning to CBD was an obvious choice as studies suggest it can help with anxiety and whatnot.

I add 10 drops to my morning coffee (mint-flavored drops).

A quick note before we move on because on screen right now is a website called EXAMINE … this is where I turn to first for all supplements, ingredients, and whatever else. It’s a great resource that goes deep, but also keeps it “clear” for a non-scientific mind like mine.

I hope it helps you down your rabbit hole as it has me.

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VITAMIN B COMPLEX

• Type: Tablet
• Role: Brain

A fairly standard and “all-around” vitamin that is good to take. Primarily good for cognition and brain health, but each type of B vitamin plays a different role.

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ASHWAGANDHA

• Type: Tablet
• Role: Mental Health

Known as the “king of Ayurvedic herbs”, Ashwagandha works wonders for your anxiety and mental health. 

I start each day with one and bookend it with another in the evening.

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VITAMIN D3 (EVERY SATURDAY)

• Type: Tablet
• Role: Immune System

Depending on where you are in the world, you may not need this (although in reality, most of us are somewhat deficient). Overall, Vitamin D helps your immunity; you can take it daily, or like me, get these super strong kinds that you only need to take once per week (or every two weeks during the summer months).

I should also note that most days, I practice intermittent fasting; I aim for a solid eighteen hours between what I eat the previous day and my smoothie in the afternoon—more on those later.

I say this because I find fasting not only helps my body (and gut health), but my mental clarity and overall wellbeing.

Taking something like Ashgawanda and CBD Oil, for example, seems to work better on an empty stomach and an overall cleansed body. 

This is just my personal experience, but figured it’s worth noting.

the afternoon supplements

Most days, I go all the way to at least 2pm — often somewhere between 3pm-4pm — before I place any food into my mouth. 

Whenever it turns out to be, I always take the following supplements beforehand.

OMEGA 3 FISH OIL

• Type: Tablet
• Role: Heart/Blood

Another popular supplement, and one that helps with joints and bone health; although I largely take it due to its impact on the heart (and to an extent, the brain). Just a solid addition to any routine.

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BACOPA MONNIERI

• Type: Tablet
• Role: Brain

This is a nootropic herb that’s great for cognition, memory, and brain health. Good for things like brain fog, so ideal to take in the afternoon when you start to lag.

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BETA-ALANINE

• Type: Tablet
• Role: Muscle/Energy

I often go for a run either just before or after I take my afternoon supplements, so this one is good for both an energy boost and overall recovery. It’s a building block of carnosine, which basically aids muscle growth.

As soon as I’ve taken these, I make my smoothie for the day.

Now, I won’t go into all that here as *this video* explains all.

(including WHY I have three different types)

What I will say is that each smoothie has some Creatine Powder and Biomel — the latter is a Gut Enhancer with pre and probiotics (among other things), and this is important as the link between your gut and mind is rather strong.

Now, this article isn’t going to venture into that. Maybe some other time.

What I will say is that it’s a rabbit hole worth venturing down, so if intrigued, check some of the resources I leave at the end of this piece.

the evening supplements

We are now into the evening and post “main meal”.

I like to focus this phase of my day around a pot of tea, but there’s no breakfast tea to be found here, oh no… it’s of the herbal kind, topped up with some specific supplements — the main one being…

ST JOHN’S WORT

• Type: Tea
• Role: Mental Health

This is an anti-depressant herb, which means you cannot take it while you’re on meds to treat anxiety. I waited until I was fully weaned off of my meds and then replaced them with this tea.

It worked, too… I didn’t feel any drop-off.

However, this was all done slowly and carefully.

So don’t just make the switch… be intentional. ALWAYS be intentional!

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ASHWAGANDHA

• Type: Tablet/Powder
• Role: Mental Health

The “king of Ayurvedic herbs” is back, this time I take the powder out of the capsule and add it to my tea—not the greatest of tastes, but the effect is good.

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GINKO BILOBA

• Type: Tablet/Powder
• Role: Brain

Another tablet that I open up and pour the powder into my tea, this herb is said to have positive effects on your brain health; good for things like brain fog and beginning to relax as the day draws to a close.

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LION’S MANE

• Type: Tablet/Powder
• Role: Mental Health

I have to be careful with this one due to it being extracted from a mushroom (and my yeast intolerance), but its small capsule (that I take apart and pour into my tea) doesn’t seem to negatively impact me.

Good news, too, as this little beauty has neuroprotective and antioxidant properties in the brain, which is just fine and dandy if you ask me.

As for the tea itself… well, the St John’s Wort is the main player, but I tend to mix it with either Green Tea, Peppermint, or Liquorice. 

It often comes down to the season, weather, and my overall mood.

The point here is this tea is my time to slow down and reflect.

It acts as a major milestone in my day and helps center me.

Although I’m not quite done because an hour before bed I take some…

ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS (an hour before bed)

• Type: Tablets
• Role: Muscle/Recovery

If you do a decent amount of exercise like I do, recovery is always top of mind, which is where amino acids come in as they overall help you recover.

and taking them before bed is said to improve efficiency overnight.

Does it have a huge difference at bedtime instead of earlier in the day, I’m not sure… but it does seem to positively help me keep up those energy levels while I partake in silly challenges like marathons.

a supplements for immune system conclusion

There you have it… my rather long list of daily supplements.

Is this overkill? You could argue, but it works for me (at least right now).

🧠 Mind 💪 Body 🙏 Spirit

But again, this isn’t about me. This is about YOU 🫵

So please, please please do not *just* dive in.

• Research these supplements (and more).
• Research the role they play and if it’s what you need.

• Research the actual company or brand behind the supplement.

There are always cheaper versions, but they are almost never worth it.

Finally, approach any steps you take as an experiment.

Have an open mind. Try things out. But always measure the results.

If you put something new into your body, take time each day to reflect.

Is it helping? Hurting? Hindering?

Progress as required and pivot as necessary.

Thanks for reading today. If you have any questions about any of the supplements discussed, please leave a comment on THIS VIDEO and I’ll do my best to help.

And check out not only the supplements themselves via the links above but also the resources I’ve added below 👇

Examine.com, in particular, is GREAT, and will fast become your go-to resource.

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Additional Resources

• Examine.com — Sol Orwell and his magic team are always my first pitstop if I ever want to explore a food or supplement. A treasure trove of insights that are well worth bookmarking (if you like to geek out, the pro version is VERY useful and will quickly become the only resource you need).

• Ben Greenfield — my first real foray into bio-hacking (through THIS book), and someone who offers a lot of good insights through the blog and podcast.
• Healthspan — lots of reviews and general information, although focussed on the UK market.
• ConsumerLab — Lots of reviews, tests, and general information to get a feel for if a specific type of supplement (or brand) is the real deal.

hi, i’m turndog and I wrote this article … i am a writer, ghostwriter, anti-hustler & a guy on a mission to ensure you too escape the hustle — come be part of the [no hustle] movement

hi, i’m turndog and I wrote this article … i am a writer, ghostwriter, anti-hustler & a guy on a mission to ensure you too escape the hustle — come be part of the [no hustle] movement