In a perfect world, you would get everything you need nutrition-wise from your diet. You would eat derive all the right amounts of protein, carbs, fat and vitamins, minerals and more from whole foods that were locally and organically grown. You would eat fish, cruciferous vegetables, fruits and more. You would be healthy, bursting with energy, with a fantastic immune system and ready to live until you were 100. But today it’s hard to get everything you need. When was the last time you ate high quality fatty fish? How many veggies do you really have each week? Are you sure you’re getting all the fatty acids and minerals your body can’t produce itself? The problem with people’s diets today are their blind spots. The elements of their diets they don’t know they’re missing out on. Which leads to disease and problems later on in life as your body crumbles in on itself.

So what can you do about it?

Take supplements. Check them out with your doctor first to make sure they’re right for you, but the following list of items will help round out your diet, and make sure you’re hitting all the sweet spots.

Fish Oil – Helps with heart disease

Fish oil is one of the reigning champs when it comes to supplements. Why? Omega-3’s, baby! Proven to be able to reduce HDL cholesterol and blood pressure, these anti-inflammatories are a must for everybody. They can also improve mental cognition and lower your risk of colon and prostate cancer. Kapow!

Glucosamine – Joint Pain

Glucosamine? What’s that? That’s the stuff your body uses to build cartilage. So in effect, by taking this supplement, you’re giving your body all the building blocks it needs to build stronger, healthier joints. Plus it can relieve pain and inflammation. In fact, a recent study revealed that it’s more effective that Tylenol at relieving knee osteoarthritis. How about them apples?

Resveratrol – Cancer Risk

You’re going to love this one. Resveratrol comes from red wine, and is one of the great secrets behind your doctor prescribing a glass a day (forget apples!). This chemical, found in the skin of grapes, interacts directly with the gene that regulates aging, promoting DNA repair in animals, enhancing blood flow to people’s brains, and halting the growth of prostate and colon cancer. So drink up, or take a concentrated supplement form!

Probiotics – Digestive Upset

If you’ve recently taken antibiotics, or have an upset tummy, you need probiotics. Found in yogurt, kefir and other dairy products, probiotics are basically a source of healthy bacteria to help boost the population in your stomach. Without them, you can’t digest effectively. They can help stop diarrhea, ease irritable bowel syndrome, and improve over-all digestion.

EGCG – Extra Body Fat

EGCG comes from green tea. Everybody knows these days that you’re supposed to drink green tea, and this extract is the most active compound to be found in it. Men who took EGCG supplements were found to burn 17% more fat after moderate exercise than men who exercised without the supplement. Plus green tea has been shown in Japanese experiments to just about improve everything in your body, so you should be drinking this stuff or taking the supplement like it’s your business. Which, given that it’s your life, it is.

Shakeology – Just about everything

There’s just too much goodness in this to recount fairly. Seriously, it’s like three trips to the salad bar, containing a kaleidoscope of vitamins, phytochemicals, minerals, carbs, protein and everything. It’s not made by magical fairies in a remote tropical jungle, but it might as well be. Go here to check it out. Seriously, even if you’re skeptical, just go take a quick look. You’ll be glad you did!