UPDATE: There is a new, updated list of my everyday items for Meniere’s disease! Click here to check it out.

For this week’s post, I decided to try something a little bit different. Instead of just writing an article, I thought it would be interesting to show you some of the things I use on a daily basis with Meniere’s Disease.

As a bonus, I’ve included some of my favorite low-sodium snacks as well!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. All supplements can have side effects and negative interactions with prescription medication and other supplements. Talk to your doctor before trying any new supplements!

Everyday Item Breakdown:

1) Bulletproof Upgraded Charcoal Capsules – These activated charcoal capsules work wonders for managing my brain fog after eating a meal that is higher in sodium than I expected.

2) Kirkland Brand (Costco) Diphenhydramine (Generic Benedryl) – Allergies are a big trigger for me. I usually take Cetirazine as a daily antihistamine, but if I am having a hard time sleeping, I will take one of these generic Benedryls.

3) Kirkland Brand (Costco) Cetirizine (Generic Zyrtec) – My daily antihistamine to treat allergies. My allergies trigger my symptoms and cause brain fog. This usually keeps them in check.

4) Optimal Vitamin D3 Liquid  – 2,000 IU Per Drop  – Vitamin D3 is an important supplement and plays a role in so many different bodily functions. We get vitamin D3 from sunlight exposure, but I don’t spend nearly enough time outside so I take it every morning.

5) Natrol Fast Dissolve Melatonin – If I am having trouble sleeping, I will sometimes take Melatonin. This is a rapid dissolve sublingual formulation that works much faster than normal melatonin supplements.

6) ZMA (Zinc/Magnesium supplement) – I take ZMA most days. It contains Zinc, Magnesium Aspartate, and vitamin B6. I take this about 30 minutes before I goto sleep.

7) Onnit Alpha Brain Nootropic Supplement – My preferred Nootropic supplement for brain fog. It helps considerably for several hours. I have written extensively about Alpha Brain.

8) Solaray 2 Stage Time Released Vitamin C – Vitamin C is a good supplement to take, but most of it doesn’t get absorbed. This supplement solves that problem by slowly releasing the Vitamin C over 12 hours.

9) Lacrosse Ball for Trigger Point Massage  – I use lacrosse balls all the time to massage sore muscles in my body. I find releasing physical tension helps to reduce stress.

10) Rad Roller for Massage – A better alternative to lacrosse balls for massage that I also use frequently.

11) Google Nexus 7 Tablet  – My trusty tablet! I use it primarily to read eBooks, but also for surfing the internet, social media, etc. It is incredibly light, has a long battery life, great performance, a high resolution screen and is not expensive.

12) Mind Over Meniere’s: How I Conquered Meniere’s Disease and Learned to Thrive – Of course this list would be incomplete without my new book! It contains my story and all of my strategies for managing Meniere’s disease.

13) Basis Peak Fitness and Sleep Tracker – I love my Basis Peak! It tracks walking, running, cycling, heart rate, sleep cycles, and now has a silent vibrating alarm clock. It also displays the notifications from your smartphone!​

14) Macbook Pro 15 inch – I am a recent Apple convert. I never thought I would make the switch but I have to say, the new Macbook Pros are amazing.

15) Rhodia Dotpad 6″ x 8.25″  – I use these notepads for general note taking and brain storming.

16) Rhodia Dotpad 3.25″ x 4.75″ I use these notepads for lists and creativity exercises

17) Post-it Notes 3″ x 3″ – I use Post-it notes for reminders.

18) Unibal Signo 207 gell pens  – My favorite kind of inexpensive pen. I have dozens all over my house.

19) Jawbone Jambox Bluetooth Speaker – I use my Jambox bluetooth speaker more than any other electronic device I own. I connect it to my smartphone and use it to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, and as a sound therapy machine to play relaxing sounds while I sleep. It has an amazing sound for such a small speaker and a battery that lasts around 8 hours.

20) Sennheiser CX985 In-Ear Headphones – A great set of high fidelity in-ear headphones. Sennheiser is my favorite brand and these do not disappoint.

21) Etymotic Research ER20 ETY-Plugs Hearing Protection Earplugs – Most people don’t know about these, but these ear plugs lower the decibel volume of sound without muffling it. I wear them at concerts and in noisy environments.These lower sound about 20 decibels, though if you search “musicians earplugs” on Amazon, you can find ones that lower it even more.

22) Macks Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs – At night, I often sleep with earplugs in to avoid distractions and get better sleep. It makes my Tinnitus more noticeable but with my tinnitus meditation, I can fall right to sleep.

23) 3″ x 5″ Index Cards – Anytime I think of something I want to remember I grab an index card and write it down. They are incredibly versatile and I keep them all over my house.

My Favorite Low Sodium Snacks:

All of these low sodium snacks are loaded with flavor and were purchased at the local Wholefoods grocery store. I find premium grocery stores always have a better selection of low sodium snacks.

1) Calbee Lightly Salted Snapea Crisps (Link is for the jumbo size) – 50 mg sodium per serving

2) Lundberg Honey Nut Rice Cakes (bulk order) – 10 mg sodium per serving

3) Fresh Ground Organic Peanut Butter from Wholefoods – 0 mg sodium per serving

4) Kettle Unsalted Potato Chips – 10 mg sodium per serving

5) Skinny Pop Black Pepper Popcorn (bulk order) – 75 mg sodium per serving

6) Bulk Organic Raw Almonds from Wholefoods – 0 mg sodium per serving

7) 365 Brand (Wholefoods) Fudge Mint Swirl Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches – 45 mg sodium per serving

8) Green & Black’s Organic 85% Cacao Chocolate bar – 20 mg sodium per serving (Chocolate has caffeine and may not be a good snack for everyone)