First i must apologise for not posting yesterday or is it today? who knows? Sometimes life just takes over and things don’t go the way we think they will/or should or we would like. Nothing bad just life.
As for this post i am just going to state it has i see it, i usually do anyway.
By now if you are having a fruit and vegetable rich diet you are unlikely to need extra vitamins or minerals, you should be getting all you need. I could end the post there and move on to the next one but like everything there are exceptions to the rule.
If your general practitioner has diagnosed a deficiency and has prescribed a certain vitamin, e.g vitamin B or a mineral e.g iron then you should take it as prescribed. Although it may be a good idea to look at your diet as well and see where changes can be made. I was on the Fibromyalgia forum the other day and one person was saying that they had been diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency, i didn’t know that was possible has we make vitamin D from sunlight and that does not necessarily mean sunshine. So if that is the case then get outside even if it is only to sit in the garden.
Our body is a very finely tuned mechanism and fast, modern living and diets do not provide this machine with all the nutrients that it requires. We are then conned into believing that if we take a supplement of this or that it will be just as good, it won’t, stop it, stop it immediately.
If you want more vitamin C eat oranges, grapefruit, kiwi’s lemons and anything that is grown in sunshine
If you need omega 3 and 6 oils eat fish
If you need vitamin A or D eat fish, dairy
Did you know that when the cream is skimmed of milk you lose the vitamin A and D as well?
Another exception to the rule is this; if you have been sick with an infection and have had to take antibiotics for an extended period of time, which actually changes your gut flora (bacteria) but are necessary anyway or if you have had gastric flu or food poisoning. You will need to take a 3 month supply of multi-vitamins and minerals. I would also recommend full fat probiotic yogurts, if you have had any gastric problems.
Did you know that if you take a multi vitamin and mineral supplement and a cod liver oil supplement you are actually taking twice has much vitamin A and D then your body actually needs on a daily basis? Higher doses of vitamin A can cause irreversible liver damage.
One more for thing you need to know. If you have been prescribed a singular vitamin or mineral i would also add a daily multi vitamin and mineral supplement. The reason being is that our body needs certain nutrients to be able to metabolize other nutrients. Hope that makes sense.
In short do not take them just because you think should but because you need too.
The only people that win when it comes to supplements is the manufacturers who make lots of money from all the sales.
NB i have taken on and off over the years i can’t say they made that much difference either way.
I’m very happy for this information. I have a question. Is it necessary to take a protein supplement when you workout & lift weight daily?
You should eat more protein but these protein supplement cannot be turned into muscle, so the answer to your question is No.
I’m with you on this and often feel that if people spent the money that they do on supplements to buy fresh veggies, they’d be better off.
indeed
I love your post title – “vit-n-mins” – I had to read the beginning of the post before I got it. Very clever to combine the two – they do go together, don’t they?
And also – yeeks supplements are expensive! It’s hard to see how it could possibly cost more to get the same nutrients out of fresh produce. And real food has lots of “minor” – that is, not yet identified – nutrients that nobody realizes they should put in the pills.
My doctor checks what supplements I’m taking annually. When I change anything dramatically, I tell her…like adding megadoses of Vit D3 – hopefully for my bones. But we make sure the high doses aren’t causing any other condition.
I have a nasty little distrust of any pill manufacturer…
There are some supplements that can interfere with prescribed medication and it’s a good idea to have them checked.