Continuing in the discussion of nutrition I wanted to take a moment to declare my new found love for multi-vitamins. When researching the depletion of good nutrients in supermarket food I started to track mine and James' nutrient intake on a do-it-yourself website - http://nutritiondata.self.com/ . The tracking allows you to input your own recipes and even different name brand cereals and food and calculates your daily caloric and nutritional intake. What the tracking showed me is that even though James and I eat very well with lots of vegetables and almost all homemade food we were still severely lacking in most categories of vitamins and minerals. After a few weeks of tracking I decided it was time to try out a multi-vitamin with Omega-3's and vitamin D specifically. I did a great deal of research online to find the best multi-vitamin with no artificial colorings or ingredients. The best product I found was the GNC Be-wholesome line of vitamins for me and the Mega Men Heart with Co Q-10 for James. The daily package includes Omega-3's, calcium, a multi-vitamin, a Vitamin D pill and an herb pill for skin and nail health. After a few days use of it we were hooked.
James and I both had a great deal more energy and I was waking up in the morning feeling much better rested and wasn't fighting the snooze button to stay in bed. The reason I wanted a pill with Omega-3's is for two reasons: we don't eat enough fish, especially in the winter and I have started to have heart palpitations over the last 2 years or so. The heart skips and starts have required me to cut out almost all caffeine from my diet and I wanted an Omega-3 pill to help strengthen my heart. Since starting the vitamin regimen I have not noticed one time that my heart has skipped (about 3 months time). Vitamin D is also essential for me because I'm so light skinned. I almost always wear sunscreen when I go out and this blocks my body from making its own Vitamin D which is essential for calcium absorption.
A bigger and even better benefit to our daily multi-vitamin regimen has been an extreme turnaround in my digestive system. Without getting too graphic, suffice it to say that my digestive system has been out of whack since birth and has caused me a lot of headache and hassle most of my adult life. I've taken every "good bacteria" in the health food store, I've taken prescription medication that has now been taken off the market due to fatal side-effects and I've been through more than one experimental medication trial - all to no great effect. My doctors would always end my many appointments with a "there's not much we can do for you just try to eat better." Eating better in my mind always meant salads, lay off the junk food and sodas and use everything in moderation, none of which seemed to help (now I know what "eat better" means). The vitamins, however, seem to have eliminated all my problems.
Not only was it tracking our diet that pushed me towards trying a multi-vitamin but the documentary "Foodmatters" really made me think differently about taking medication. The human body is designed to heal itself and with proper nutrition and the right "fuel" for your body it is very possible that we can greatly reduce our trips to the doctor and save money in the long run.
My only tips on picking and taking a multi-vitamin is beware of synthetic ingredients and artificial coloring and additives and always take it with food so your body digests it and absorbs it the same as food. Never replace a meal with vitamins - this will lead to your body not utilizing the pills as they should and potentially smelly B.O. Always drink lots of water as well. When you become better rested and your body doesn't have to work so hard to acquire the nutrients it needs it's much easier to stop the caffeine cravings and drink water instead.
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