Here are some tips to help you get the most from your vitamins
1) dont buy cheap vitamins like COSTCO, CENTRUM or even JAMIESON, let’s call it the best of the worst. Read the labels. usually they have unknown sources, which means your dont know where the raw materials is coming from. They also may have allergens in them (wheat, corn, soy, dairy, sugar, yeast, etc) unless they specifically state they dont. And most importantly cheap vitamins may contain additives; various salts for preservation and stabilization. These additives can make it difficult to digest these vitamins. Buy at the very least a moderate price range, free from additives, chemical preservatives and allergens such as SISU, Natural Factors, Udo’s, EhN or Greens + brand, etc. The most absorbable vitamins and minerals often are in liquid or powder form, not in a compressed horse pill. Professional brands are often recommended by a health professional and especially when you need a product specified for an illness or health condition. Some of these brands are Thorne, Seroyal, Metagenics, NaturePharm, Bio. Professional products are usually only available in specialty health stores and from practitioners. they are more expensive but have well-sourced high quality ingredients. they are also more controlled than other health products. Often times research has been done on them. However self-medicating yourself with combinations herbs and supplements may be dangerous especially if you are on medications or have a health condition, so dont assume they are safe. dont’ be foolish.
2) Take most vitamins and minerals with meals, containing vegetables and whole grains. Take chromium piccolinate 20 minutes prior to meals to help with sugar regulation. Take fats with the fattiest meal as digestion will be preparing to digest fat- this might be lunch or dinner, probably not breakfast.
3) do not take vitamins with coffee or alcohol (within an hour) as these prevent certains vitamins from being absorbed.
4) take herbs between meals so they can be absorbed into blood stream quicker. Also take acidophillus between meals, preferably before bed, as it will have a direct path to your colon.
5) take calcium at night as this is when the body heals and it is the best time to absorb calcium. Liquid calcium may be best absorbed. Look for a high quality brand with magnesium and potentially other minerals too like potassium, boron and silica.
6) do not take calcium with iron as they compete with eachother.
7) take iron with vitamin C and vitamin A (not beta-carotene) as it helps its absorption. Iron on its own can cause deficiency of vitamin A, especially in vegetarians, as Beta Carotene, a water soluble vegetarian form of vitamin A does not replace the fish and dairy lipid soluble pure form of Vitamin A
8)do not take ferrous gluconate. this is an example of a mineral bound to salt that make it unabsorbable and highly constipating. Take iron bound to vitamin C like Iron Citrate or Iron Chelate. You’ll notice you only need to take 40-50 mg per day as opposed to 300mg, and your digestion wont be affected. When your digestions is affected you may becomes constipated, which can cause other problems such as abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating and skin conditions due to a re-circulation of hormones and toxins, as opposed to an elimination of them.
9)If you take Zinc take copper at a ratio of 15:1 as zinc will cause a deficiency in copper over time. Always take zinc on a full stomach as it can cause nausea.
10)Preserve your oils in dark amber bottles in th fridge. do not heat EFAs or Omega 3-6-9. Do not let them be exposed to air or light either as they will rancidify, causing free radicals thereby losing their health benefits. do not take old oils, especially in liquid form.
11) If possible spread out your vitamin intake throughout the day. The best vitamins are not one-a-days as inevitably your body wont be able to use all at once. Water soluble vitamins , in particular, such as antioxidants, B vitamins (including folic acid) and C should be taken several time throughout the day if possible. If not possible, then take with meals but away from coffee, tea an alcohol.
12) fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in the body and therefore dont need to be taken as often throughout the day. B12 is an exception, as it is also stored in the liver and the same rule goes. the best source of vitamin D is from the UV-b rays from the sun. Expose your bare skin to the sun, sans sunscreen for 15-30 minutes depending on how hot it is. Babies and small children need even less time. Basically these rays convert the cholesterol on our skin to vitamin D, how cool is that!
taking your vitamins with some background knowledge can really help you get the most for your money. You will notice better results within 3 months if not sooner.
xox dr millie lytle nd
4 responses so far ↓
milliesays // March 24, 2007 at 2:34 pm |
And several reason why north americans have so so much bone decay, osteroporosis, etc is because we dont get enough vitamin D, which comes from fish oils. We over consume coffee, cola, club soda and other carbonated beverages, which leach calcium and other minerals from our bones due to intense levels of phosphorus and bicarbonate present but also from the demineralization of eroded soils which leads to a lack of minerals in the food we eat. Fortification cannot sufficiently replace these minerals as nutrients in fortified foods are not well utilized. Thirdly, we consider dairy the best source of calcium; though high in calcium it is also high in phosphorus which competes with calcium making it hard to absorb, secondly because dairy is so commonlyl untolerated, calcium, protein and other nutrients in dairy are not absorbable for most people; potentially causing more nutrient deficiencies due side effects like diarrhea. Finally, fluoride in our water could also have something to do with weak bones as it may cause irregular absorption and deposition of calcium, causing calcifications in certains small bones rather than overall calcification of long bones.
milliesays // April 3, 2007 at 8:39 am |
The best time to take acidophilus is at night as the capsules can go to your colon without any obstruction by food; assuming you haven’t just eaten before bed. I recommend 3 capsules of most brands before bed. I would recommend a very good quality probiotics such as HMF variations by Genestra/Seroyal, Udo’s or another professional line. Natural Factors and SISU will do; Jamieson, Swiss, and even lower quality brands wont do. If you’ve just taken antibiotics recently, then defintely take 3 capsules per night of a ‘90 capsules’ bottle, stored in the fridge. that will be a month’s supply. If you have an active yeast or urinary tract infection you also might want to try putting a capsule in your vagina, or breaking it open and covering a panty liner with the powder to treat local infection and stop irritation. this is not a cure, but it does help in many cases.
xox dr millie lyte nd
milliesays // April 3, 2007 at 8:43 am |
the best time of day to take some minerals such as zinc, copper, iron is with a substantial meal. the best time to take calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silica and boron may be at night as the body heals at this time. Usually potassium is taken in the morning and/or at night. never take minerals with alcohol or coffee as these substances cause mineral deficiencies.
xox dr millie lytle nd
milliesays // April 7, 2007 at 12:47 pm |
Take EFAs, Udo’s oil and fish oils with your fattiest meals as your micelles will be working to absorb and use the fat to reduce cholesterol etc. Only take distilled fish oils that are stored in glass bottles, unless encapsulated. that way estrogenic compounds from plastic wont be leaching into your oils, causing more estrogen in your body.