I used to rattle as I went about my day! I rattled because I was taking so many vitamins and supplements.
Which supplements do you really need?
I took iron for tiredness, calcium for my bones (I had tripped and broken my elbow so terrified about osteoporosis), vitamin c to avoid the flu, magnesium for sore muscles, omega 3&6 for my joints, Perfectil because my nails were flaky and my hair was dry, the list goes on.
I even invested in some little pill boxes to take with me when I went away; and, it was becoming a chore getting through all the different supplements each day.
Drinking tea with your meal will make it more difficult for your body to absorb iron from your food. Best to have the tea a couple of hours later.
Then I started studying nutrition and I started to find out more about the way some of these supplements work (or don’t!)…
For instance did you know that the fatty acids in Omega 3 capsules are no longer active after they have gone through the process to make them into a capsule? A somewhat expensive waste of my money methinks…
Or, where you aware studies have shown that getting your calcium from food is safer than from supplements. Older women taking calcium supplements seem to experience a higher incidence of strokes!!
In fact, taking too much of some vitamins could cause problems? – for instance too much vitamin C can cause diarrhoea and kidney stones. It very easy to overdose if you take a supplement over and above consuming your recommended 5 a day.
Nowadays the only supplement I consider is Vitamin D – as it is very hard (but not impossible) to find vitamin D in food, so I do supplement during winter when getting enough sunlight is difficult.
For all other vitamins and minerals, I am able to achieve the right intake by varying the foods I eat.
It took a fair amount of studying and research to work out what foods deliver which vitamins and which foods can stop some vitamins from working – did you know that drinking tea with your meal can reduce the amount of iron you absorb form you food?
I find it much more enjoyable to get my vitamins from my food (also less hassle and more cost effective).
If you would like some help determining whether your food is providing you with the nutrients you need do contact me – I will use a list of the foods you eat regularly (and possibly blood tests) to tell you whether or not you are taking all the key nutrients you need to feel well and full of verve.