What supplements/extra nutrional stuff do you take?

[OceanAnnie]

I try to remember my multi -vitamin. It's hit or miss for me.

I recently started taking a low dose aspirin (not really a supplement). I have bee pretty good about taking Vitamin D3 daily.

Today I just started eating flax seed on my oatmeal and other stuff.

What "extras" do you take for your health?

 

[ILoveToRun]

I'm bad about taking things daily. I have to take a pill every 12 hours with a full meal which is really hard because it's hard to eat a meal 12 hours apart. I end up doing this at 10 since it just works best but it sucks eating everyday at 10. Also, I can't take it with calcium within a few hours so at about 4pm I try to take my multivitamin but it's hard to remember sometimes.

I would suggest setting an alarm on your phone everyday to remind you, it's helped me a lot.

I'm all about keeping a nutritious diet by adding as much nutrition as I can. I don't eat well all the time because I have a big love for beef, fries and soda but I try super hard to add good things to my diet.

I like to eat an antioxidant mix of walnuts, extra dark chocolate, dried cranberries (I dry my own so they're not sweetened), and other random stuff but those are my three go to items in the mix.

Also, I try to eat as many superfoods as I can. So if I get a salad, I make sure it's spinach or baby kales instead of lettuce. Or, in any pasta I have, I add at least spinach to it, or other things if possible. I have a rule to eat one tomato, plain or slightly salted, a day. Things like this. I'm all about what I eat, not how much I eat.

I have also heard numerous times that there's far better nutrition in organic fruits and vegetable than conventional so lately, I've been trying really hard to do so. Luckily for me, I live in the mecca for organics so they're not much more and sometimes the prices are even less! I feel better about it though, regardless of whether it's actually any better.

My doctor once told me to sleep in complete darkness. She told me this is so that your body can produce melatonin (which is a very good thing) that it otherwise wouldn't do with any light while you sleep.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Flaxseed, GNC multi-vitamin, Vitamin D, cinnamon

 

[luvwinnie]

I'm very low on D, so right now taking 50,000 IU twice a week. I was taking B12, but it didn't help enough, so now I have to get monthly shots. I take a baby aspirin and CoQ10 and B2 for migraines. I am on many meds too. So annoying to remember it all.

 

[Bilberry]

I try to get most of my nutrients by eating well. There are a few items though where it is tough to obtain what is needed through diet and a modern life style so ~

*6000ius of vitamin D3 for a testing value above 50ng/ml
*Some fish oil
*Kelp for iodine
*Vitamin K2 which has helped to keep me cavity free for a number of years, and is thought to help with preventing heart disease.

"Latest Study on Vitamin K and Coronary Heart Disease"

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/03/latest-study-on-vitamin-k-and-coronary.html

 

[MIGrandma]

I take pre- and pro-biotics from Shaklee, also glucose regulation complex.

And a daily multi-vitamin.

 

[Pakey]

Calcium
Vitamin D
flax seed (which I hate)

 

[st4rrab0vemybed]

Multi-Vitamin and Vitamin D.

 

[charming23]

I take a multi vitamin, D3, and Centrum Pronutrients Fruit and Veggies everyday

 

[Nature Mom]

I try to eat healthy and get as many good nutrients that I can from my food, but I have some chronic health conditions and can use all the help I can get. I take:

Vit. D w/ calcium
Folic Acid
Vit. B Complex
Vit. C
Biotin

I also drink a lot of herbal teas...amazing how good you can feel after some real chamomile, lavender, rosehips or other good herbs.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This was out yesterday, just as something to consider.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/04/24/are-vitamins-worth-the-money/

Dr. Manson has been studying the effects of vitamins for years. She cautions that mega-doses of vitamins could be an unhealthy option. “I think it’s very important for the public to understand that more is not necessarily better.” For example: too much iron has been linked to cardiovascular disease. “Also, men may want to avoid higher doses of vitamin E because it was recently linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer,” says Dr. Manson.

And that expected health boost from a multi-vitamin might be more fiction than fact.

“It’s really not of much value and may be a waste of money,” explains Dr. Manson. The experts agree, if you have a balanced diet you likely don’t need a multi-vitamin. In some cases it might even be bad for your health. A recent study found an increased risk of death in older women taking too many mutli-vitamins or other supplements.

So, in the end there’s still no substitute for eating right.

 

[LisaR]

My suggestion is to get tested for anything you are concerned about being deficient in and see if supplementation is necessary.

I use to have a membership to this independent company that tests different vitamins. http://www.consumerlab.com/ I think it is only $20 or $30 a year. My membership just expired. Anyway, it is amazing what they have found in different supplements.

EX: They may look at 10 manufacturers of calcium. Some will have the correct amount of calcium that they are advertising on the bottle but they will also contain other vitamins and minerals that aren't listed. Some had more than what was listed on the bottle and some didn't have enough. And you can't rely on the brand. One brand might have great Vitamin A but they have lead in their Vitamin C.

I found it to be a very informative website and thought it was worth the membership. My conclusion was don't supplement unless you absolutely need to because you never know what is in those pills which aren't monitored by the FDA (not that they would be any safer if they were monitored).

 

[Disneyhenry]

I take a mulit vitamin, another one that has stuff for my hair and nail plus the extra calcium that I need. I take one called system six, that has some tea's and energy boost's that help me not want to munch all day while in front of my computer at work.

 

[Judique]

I'm very low on D, so right now taking 50,000 IU twice a week. I was taking B12, but it didn't help enough, so now I have to get monthly shots. I take a baby aspirin and CoQ10 and B2 for migraines. I am on many meds too. So annoying to remember it all.

I take 200mg of COenzyme Q10 for my heart health as recommended by my physician.

 

[*JoGo*]

Per my bloodwork:
D3 weekly
Chewable C
Baby Aspirin
B12


Vitamin D hinders the absorption of Vitamin C, so if one takes D, they should also take C.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Thank you to all that posted and posted articles on this thread. Lots to think about.

I will say I consulted my doctor before taking any supplements. He drew lab work for me and found I wasn't deficient, but counseled me on what was good for me and what wouldn't harm me.

I don't take more than the daily recommended dosages. Even then I tend to go on the low side.

Per my bloodwork:
D3 weekly
Chewable C
Baby Aspirin
B12


Vitamin D hinders the absorption of Vitamin C, so if one takes D, they should also take C.

I didn't know that! I love oranges and have been eating plenty lately. I'll look into other foods to eat to up my C.

 

[disfan07]

5000mcg B12 (I'm deficient)
Vitamin D/Calcium (again...deficient)
Folic Acid (I'm on Methotrexate which can deplete folic acid)
Biotin (counters some of the side effects of my methotrexate)
Align (I have some major GI problems)

 

[Free4Life11]

Interesting article: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/should-i-take-a-multivitamin/

I've personally stopped taking a multivitamin; however, I still take 30 mg of Zinc each day as it may help with acne.

I've also taken Align probiotic on and off. It does seem to help, but it's expensive and I'm not sure if it's really worth it.

Regarding a Vitamin D...so many people take this, but don't our bodies naturally produce it? I was told that 15 minutes of direct sunlight on the arms and neck, 3 times a week is enough to produce what our body needs.

 

[Shmily1]

I take Reliv Now, Fibrestore, and Ennergize as a smoothie every morning. I don't usually forget to take it. DH takes it too and thinks of it as his morning dessert.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Interesting article: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/should-i-take-a-multivitamin/

I've personally stopped taking a multivitamin; however, I still take 30 mg of Zinc each day as it may help with acne.

I've also taken Align probiotic on and off. It does seem to help, but it's expensive and I'm not sure if it's really worth it.

Regarding a Vitamin D...so many people take this, but don't our bodies naturally produce it? I was told that 15 minutes of direct sunlight on the arms and neck, 3 times a week is enough to produce what our body needs.

DH works outside (as in, in the sun a lot) and I am outside a lot when it is warm. When we had our Vitamin D tested, our numbers barely registered, so we were immediately put on D3 supplements. I guess it varies from person to person, but we definitely weren't making enough on our own, despite our time in the sunshine.