If I’m being honest, my health-consciousness over the years has really been motivated by looking my best. I know, how shallow. But it’s true. I ate healthy and exercised because I wanted to lose weight and look better in my clothes. I invested in skincare to avoid breakouts and reduce fine lines.
Like a lot of young, naive people in their 20s, I felt invincible
I cared about my tan and my weight and didn’t spend much time trying to improve my actual health.
Now, well into my 30s, I’ve realized that I need to make sure I not only look healthy, but that I actually am healthy. Not counting the prenatals prescribed by my ob-gyn, I’ve never really been regular about taking vitamins or supplements. A few years ago, I went to the health food store and perused the aisles. I became so overwhelmed with the hundreds of options that I left with a single bottle labeled, “Multivitamin for Women” and hardly ever took it because they were horse pills that made me feel sick to my stomach.
A few months ago, one of those darned Instagram influencers mentioned a vitamin subscription company that they loved called Care/Of (or C/O for short).
Bored one night, I took the bait and swiped up to take the quick quiz
I was greeted with a very fun and friendly website that talked in real people language and asked a few questions like: “Have you taken vitamins in the past?” “What are your health goals?” Each with three quick-answer options.
I then got to choose 3-5 health focus areas out of 12 different options like hair, heart, immunity, energy, brain, etc.
I chose skin, stress, energy, and fitness and was prompted to answer a few more specific multiple choice questions in those categories. After about five minutes, I received their recommendations for my supplement packs. Each one came with a view of the pill or powder (no horse pills in sight), a very brief reason as to why they suggested it, and a price for each. I selected the ones that I wanted (all but vitamin D because there was already a bottle of that in my cabinet).
Soon after, I received the cutest package with an adorable cardboard dispenser of all my daily supplement packets that I was, honestly, excited to display on my counter. Each packet had my daily supplements along with a greeting saying, “Hi Layla,” and a quote or inspiration for the day. Call me silly, but I seriously felt happier before I even downed my first dose, just from the packaging. It was so fun and friendly, and it inspired me to take them each day.
I’ve now been taking my supplements for a few months. Since it’s a subscription service, I’m sent a month’s supply at a time and always have the option to skip a month or delay shipping if I get behind.
So have the vitamins made a difference?
Definitely, yes.
The main thing I noticed was that I no longer feel so drained and frustrated at the end of the day. I feel like I handle stressful situations and have a lot more patience in times when I previously would have lost my marbles with my kids or husband. It was a gradual change that I think I can safely say my entire family appreciates.
While my new happy, less stressed demeanor was the most obvious, I also think my skin looks better and I just feel healthier overall.
Who knows why?
Maybe it’s pure vitamin magic.
Maybe it’s simply the placebo effect because I feel as if I'm actively doing something for my health.
Probably, it’s a bit of both.
And I’m happy about it — and so is my family.
