Studies show that if you are the type of person who takes vitamins, it is likely you will be healthier than the type of person who doesn't. This little factoid was plucked from Michael Pollan. I've read a few of his excellent discourses on food and health and I highly recommend his books. But I think it is difficult to be the kind of person who would take vitamin pills without actually taking them. So I try to remember to take some on occasion.
But what to take? There is plenty of advice out there about which supplements are really necessary. In general, I believe you get what you pay for in terms of quality. Look for the more expensive brands such as Schiff, which is carried in most major grocery stores. It is also not a bad idea to see your doctor for a bloodtest so that you know if you are deficient in Vitamin D, for example. Your doctor might also have specific recommendations for you based on your age, gender, conditions and other factors.
Dr. Barry Sears, creator of the Zone diet, puts fish oil at the top of the list for supplements that absolutely everyone should be taking. It is highly unlikely that you are getting enough Omega-3 oils in your diet. Quality is extremely important when you purchase fish oil, as you want to avoid pollutants such as mercury contamination. I have also taken fish oil capsules which ended up giving me horrible fishy burps. That, my friends, is a total deal-breaker! Now we purchase Carlson Fish Oil (natural lemon flavor added) in a bottle at the local health food store. Mr. Balancing Act and I each take a teaspoonful with breakfast each morning. No aftertaste. No fishy burps.
In addition to fish oil, a plain old multivitamin is not a bad idea. It is like a little extra insurance that all your nutritional bases are covered. You may not need it, but it couldn't hurt. Even if you eat a fabulously pristine diet of locally grown, organic produce and grass-fed, free-range meats, it is possible you are not getting everything your body needs. If you are a woman who is still menstruating, a little iron in your multi is probably fine. If you are a man, you should avoid any extra iron. In general, women tend to get plenty of calcium (which is added to everything from juice to bread to peanutbutter these days) but we are often lacking enough magnesium. I take magnesium separately in order to balance the calcium.
You may have already been told to take Vitamin D by your doctor. It seems that after years of religiously slathering ourselves with sunscreen, we are all deficient in D. Check your multi to make sure you are getting enough D-- I take 2000 units a day, but if you are deficient, you may need more than this. Twenty minutes of sunshine without wearing sunscreen is also recommended now.
It would not be possible to go into every type of supplement available or desirable in this one little blog. Maybe I'll cover some other possibilities in later posts. For now, just consider taking fish oil if you aren't already doing so. And look into becoming the kind of person who takes vitamins, even if you don't actually pop those pills!
But what to take? There is plenty of advice out there about which supplements are really necessary. In general, I believe you get what you pay for in terms of quality. Look for the more expensive brands such as Schiff, which is carried in most major grocery stores. It is also not a bad idea to see your doctor for a bloodtest so that you know if you are deficient in Vitamin D, for example. Your doctor might also have specific recommendations for you based on your age, gender, conditions and other factors.
Dr. Barry Sears, creator of the Zone diet, puts fish oil at the top of the list for supplements that absolutely everyone should be taking. It is highly unlikely that you are getting enough Omega-3 oils in your diet. Quality is extremely important when you purchase fish oil, as you want to avoid pollutants such as mercury contamination. I have also taken fish oil capsules which ended up giving me horrible fishy burps. That, my friends, is a total deal-breaker! Now we purchase Carlson Fish Oil (natural lemon flavor added) in a bottle at the local health food store. Mr. Balancing Act and I each take a teaspoonful with breakfast each morning. No aftertaste. No fishy burps.
In addition to fish oil, a plain old multivitamin is not a bad idea. It is like a little extra insurance that all your nutritional bases are covered. You may not need it, but it couldn't hurt. Even if you eat a fabulously pristine diet of locally grown, organic produce and grass-fed, free-range meats, it is possible you are not getting everything your body needs. If you are a woman who is still menstruating, a little iron in your multi is probably fine. If you are a man, you should avoid any extra iron. In general, women tend to get plenty of calcium (which is added to everything from juice to bread to peanutbutter these days) but we are often lacking enough magnesium. I take magnesium separately in order to balance the calcium.
You may have already been told to take Vitamin D by your doctor. It seems that after years of religiously slathering ourselves with sunscreen, we are all deficient in D. Check your multi to make sure you are getting enough D-- I take 2000 units a day, but if you are deficient, you may need more than this. Twenty minutes of sunshine without wearing sunscreen is also recommended now.
It would not be possible to go into every type of supplement available or desirable in this one little blog. Maybe I'll cover some other possibilities in later posts. For now, just consider taking fish oil if you aren't already doing so. And look into becoming the kind of person who takes vitamins, even if you don't actually pop those pills!
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