Shop
Here are some of my favourite tried-and-true products. I only recommend products I use or have used myself and think are excellent.
This should be used as a guide, not a shopping list: not every item will be right for you—your personal circumstances determine your needs. Please book a consult if you’re unsure.
At no extra cost to you, some of these are affiliate links, which help support me to produce free content for you.
Tools, Tests & Tracking
Red light therapy (Low Level Laser Therapy)
-
My red light - the BioMax 300 - is part of my daily morning routine: I LOVE sitting in front of it in the morning with my coffee and my journal. I’ll sometimes even travel with it in the winter.
Cutting-edge medicine based on ancient principles. NASA first developed red light technology to grow plants in space, then later to treat wounds in space. Today, RLT is starting to be used widely in medicine in Europe and Asia. There are >3000 research papers on its benefits, including anti-cancer, anti-aging, athletic recovery, sleep, mitochondrial health (ie. energy), metabolism, mood, etc.
Scientific paper index here.
I love and use red light myself almost daily, and recommend it for clients, especially for injuries, skin health and low mood.
I like PlatinumLED’s BioMax lights because they recapitulate 5 of the most potent therapeutic, “bioactive” wavelengths from sunlight, while other devices tend toward 2-3 wavelengths.
They are also more powerful (key for efficacy! the cheap ones aren’t) and very durable.
Blue light-blocking glasses
-
Discount codes Pines gets you 15% off store-wide.
A must-have if you use screens a lot, especially at night, or if you struggle to wind down or sleep at night. They filter the intense blue wavelengths from screens and lights, reducing eye strain + nervous system stress incredibly.
I use a clear pair during the day when on my computer for long periods, and I don’t get eye strain or headaches from prolonged computer use anymore.
I also use an orange pair in the evening (about 2 hours before bed) - this sends a strong signal to my body to prepare for sleep by preventing the destruction of melatonin by blue light and bright light.Clients often tell me they find the orange glasses very relaxing in the evenings and enjoy wearing them.
I like Bon Charge - they’re excellent quality and they have many styles to choose from. (Whereever you buy them, be sure to buy a quality pair - many of the cheap ones do not actually block blue light.)
Science paper here.
Oura: Sleep & Recovery Tracking
-
Chances are, you’ve seen the Oura Ring on fingers everywhere…from famous doctors and scientists (ie. Dr Peter Attia, Mark Hyman, Rhonda Patrick, etc) to C-Suites to Olympians. Entire pro sports teams wear them. They provide real-time sleep and recovery data that can truly revolutionize your health by attuning you to how your habits, foods and supplements affect your body. I recommend them to anyone who will listen. :)
I like the Oura ring because it’s super durable, waterproof and, unlike the watches, emits very little EMF, which is a growing, hotly-contested health concern.
Their customer service is also great - they’re very responsive and will replace it free of charge and very quickly if the battery life wanes, as long as it’s within warranty (which I’ve done twice in 5 years).
If you prefer to wear a watch instead or want more of a fitness tracker, I recommend the Whoop, or one of the Garmin or Apple watches - they tend to be the most accurate.
Note that the Oura is NOT a great fitness tracker, but you can get step count and activity tracking data from it. They’re working continuously to improve these features.
NutriSense Continuous Glucose Monitoring
-
Use code “marypines” for a discount.
Want to learn some really interesting things about your metabolism AND optimize for lower blood sugar? Do a CGM experiment.
I think this is essential for anyone who 1. wants to dial in their nutrition, 2. has higher blood sugar (often >45yo) or 3. who is struggling with their weight.
Why? Because EVERYONE reacts differently to different foods/habits. Sometimes lowering blood sugar isn’t just about doing the obvious - it can be really surprising!
I'd advise getting 2 sensors, each of which lasts 2 weeks. Establish your baselines with the first sensor. This will allow you to see what spikes your blood sugar and what doesn’t / what helps mitigate spikes. Then, perhaps after after a month of tweaking your lifestyle habits, apply the second one and see how things have changed. (Please book a consult if you’d like guidance on what to change.)
This experiment seriously changed how and when I eat and drink! I found my blood sugar spiked to things I didn’t expect (ie. oat milk in my coffee) and not to others (red wine at night!), and that timing made all the difference…
CGM experiments can truly impart fascinating, deeply personalized insights that really help optimize your diet and lifestyle in ways unique to your physiology.
MUST SHIP TO A US ADDRESS. Some states require US photo ID to ship. (Canadians beware.)
SelfDecode Functional Genomics Kit
-
Understand what health recommendations are best for your body and why they work for you. Learn the meaningful actions you can take towards prevention and longevity. This test is one of the cornerstones of my work with clients.
IMHO these guys are the best in the business if you’re after thorough, well-researched, health-oriented outcomes: they’re a SCIENCE-based company oriented around precision and accuracy (unlike most of the others). They really go the extra mile to make sure all interpretations of your data and any recommendations made are meaningful and accurate. (For example, they don’t infer outcomes based on single genes, like most companies, but the combinations of genes you carry - EXTREMELY important! This is called “functional genomics.”)
Sign up through the link below for a SelfDecode membership and connect with me to share your results. Once you create an account, you will be prompted to connect with me. (If this doesn’t happen, select “Connect with Professional” on the dashboard and enter my email address as mary@drmarypines.com)
OmegaQuant: Omega-3 index testing
-
Having adequate levels of Omega-3 fats is INCREDIBLY important, especially when it comes to EPA + DHA, which are found in things like fish oil.
Low omega-3 levels are associated with a multitude of health issues such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline, eye disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation and much more.
This “Omega-3 Index” test measures the amount of EPA and DHA in your blood, and gives you a ratio that indicates whether you’re in the risk zone or not. It’s really important and is not something you’ll generally get from your doctor (until it’s too late and it seems you’ve got cardiovascular disease).
If you’re low, the solution is simply to adjust your dietary intake of Omega-3. So easy, and so profoundly preventative!
Nutrition & Supplements
I use an excellent mail-order service called Fullscript* for all excellent quality, basic supplements. You can check out my favourite products here and save $ off standard clinic prices:
*Why Fullscript? They’re sticklers for quality and carry a huge array of high-quality products at competitive prices. It’s also super easy to use: select what you want, check out and your order appears at your mailbox 3-5 days later. You can re-order anytime and at your convenience by revisiting your portal. Only available in USA and Canada.
Other favourites not available on Fullscript:
Fatty15 (Top pick!)
-
A truly HEROIC supplement - this one is truly ground-breaking, and the data are really solid.
So what is it? Fatty15 is a natural fatty acid called "c15" (or pentadecanoic acid) that's WAY out-performing fish oil and other sources of Omega-3 in terms of its efficacy in cellular health. Research is showing that it helps literally ALL kinds of issues - from skin to hormones to immune issues to cognition to blood sugar - bc it is a structural compound that gives cells more resiliency and strength - up to 80% more!! Wow!
It looks like everyone can benefit from taking it. It's already helped me a lot - astonishingly, in just 3 months, it totally corrected my out-of-range cholesterol and lipids, and reduced my blood sugar by a lot. I also slept better. (I spoke with the rep about this today and she said that's typical, and showed me this repository of data, which is frankly astounding.)
I don't easily jump on the bandwagon with new things, especially new-to-market supplements, but when a couple of my favourite and most trusted longevity experts said this stuff "will change your life", I perked up and listened...And I’ve now seen the results myself. And I do really think it can benefit everyone.
If you'd like to try it, you can use this link or enter the code PINES at checkout to get 15% off your first order and 10% off thereafter.
TEDTalk from the lead researcher here.
Spermidine (Top pick!)
-
Asides some of the basics (like magnesium), this is all-time FAVE supplement in the longevity category, and an essential in my toolkit!
Terrible name aside, spermidine is an Incredible yet little-known, natural longevity molecule. Research shows it can prevent or reduce MOST of the classic “hallmarks of aging.” One of its main mechanisms is promoting autophagy (cellular cleanup), much like fasting or exercise do. New data shows anti-cancer activity as well.I like Oxford Bioscience’s formulation because:
1. it is sourced from wheat as opposed to synthetic (so contains an array of accompanying medicinal compounds),
2. it is made in Japan to the highest purity and quality standards, and
3. Oxford Bioscience is a research-based company with great customer service, founded by a wonderful woman (Leslie Kenney).
Most cheap, refined, synthetic Spermidine products lack the longevity benefits this one has, and can often be oxidized (unhealthy). I know because I tried a cheaper version myself - it didn’t have the same effects.Wanna know more? Podcast here.
Aussie Trace Minerals (low sodium)
-
Electrolytes! SO important! Add them to your water at least once daily, especially if you:
- work out
- sweat or live in a hot environment
- are under stress of any kind
- are sick/getting sick
- are a living humanYou get the point.
Electrolytes help you to actually get hydrated when you drink water, so it’s important to use them at the very least when you exercise.
You can use high quality salt - Himalayan or Celtic Sea - but many people get too much sodium in their diet. Thats why I really like this stuff: it’s sodium-depleted, and contains the full spectrum of other natural minerals (73 of them!) your body needs! It’s made from concentrated ocean water harvested from south of Australia and rigorously tested for purity and heavy metals (their data sheet is super clean, I looked). Just 20 drops a day is all you need.
Note: the electrolytes you can buy at the grocery store for sports (like Nuun) only contain a few minerals - maybe 4-7. But the body operates on over 85(!), including a variety of important ‘trace minerals’ found in very small amounts in natural salts from the earth. So I sometimes buy the tasty sports ones (only for sports), but I support the rest of my mineral consumption by using natural salts or this product if I’m having an otherwise “salty” day (eating plenty of salted food).
Astaxanthin
-
Potent, natural antioxidant found in salmon, krill and others. Neuroprotective, cardioprotective and anti-tumor properties, with therapeutic potential for the prevention or co-treatment of dementia, Alzheimer, Parkinson, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Benefits on skin and eye health as well.
So, this is one of my top picks for overall health, as well as skin and beauty - gives a healthy, rosy glow. The brand I like is a Canadian brand called Regenurex - they extract it from a naturally-sourced strain of freshwater microalgae in Canada under conditions that preserve the integrity of the extract much better than the cheap stuff (which is often made through chemical synthesis and doesn’t have the same health benefits).
Qualia Mind (Caffeine-free)
-
Qualia Mind is my favourite “nootropic”, or cognitive-enhancing supplement.
It combines 28 natural ingredients that have been carefully selected to support mental energy, alertness, attention, concentration, focus, memory, mood, motivation, and overall cognitive performance.
It does this by supporting your body’s own ability to upregulate the production of key neurotransmitters, BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), and other pathways that are critical for optimal brain function.
I take it on days I really need to focus long and hard, and I find it AMAZING. So do many others I’ve spoken to who use it, including busy executives and people who struggle to focus or stay on task for long periods. My mentor actually recommended it to me - he loves it!
Yes, there are many nootropics on the market, but I love this one because:
It contains only natural, mostly plant-derived compounds that are not addictive, and does not contain pharmaceutical-based nootropics that can potentially be harmful long-term (like racetams),
it checks all the boxes in terms of research-backed, natural compounds that boost cognitive performance, and
it isn’t too harsh or intense, unlike some of the others, especially if you dial down the dose.*
*On that note: The recommended dose is 7 capsules, but I find that to be too much for a small person like me, so I take 3-4 and enjoy tremendous benefits.
Learn more about its awesome ingredients here.
Kaha Whey Isolate + Creatine
-
Getting enough protein is HUGELY important to healthy aging.
And actually, the updated recommendation of 1g/lb of body weight of protein PER DAY to prevent muscle loss and optimize health as we age is a LOT!
Eating that much meat would be tough, and not very environmentally sound.
One of the best ways to boost your protein intake is through essential amino acids (expensive and taste nasty) or quality whey protein isolate (absolutely delicious!). Some of the worst ways are through vegan protein powders (like Vega), which 1. tend to have incomplete amino acid profiles, 2. contain aminos our body can’t absorb or which are toxic / inflammatory, and 3. chemical byproducts from the industrial protein extraction process. No bueno.
So, I recommend whey isolate. It’s almost pure protein (“isolate” means isolated from almost all the other stuff that comes with it, including the sugars and fats). This means even people who don’t tolerate dairy are generally fine with it, as it contains no lactose (IF it is high quality and what’s in the bag matches the description).
On that note, not all protein powders are created equal, and a lot of them are full of garbage.
So I love Kaha brand - they’re fanatical about quality sourcing, no garbage and their whey is DELICIOUS - no chalky, nasty taste. I trust the quality of their creatine, greens and whey powders. Their whey is sourced from New Zealand grass-fed cows and is a staple of my mornings. 30g of protein and zero sugar in each scoop! Yum.
(Tip: Get a shaker cup or use a blender to dissolve the whey.)