iPhone blog-short & sweet

Since I'm so late on fulfilling my promise to create a new blog entry, I'm just gonna use my phone so it will actually get written. I'm early to bed to rest while I heal from a recent concussion so the phone will work fine!

Cory requested my view of my top 5 daily vitamins. Karrie i promised you s blog so here goes...

It's really important to be sure you can trust the quality of your supplements! They must be natural not synthetic & must dissolve and be easily assimilated by the body. Too many vitamins get excreted without being digested! The body is very intuitive. There are many who believe our synthetic substances & chemical load on the body are partly to blame for the proliferation of allergies & sensitivities. That said, what are my favorites?

#1 A good food based multi is a must. Check your ingredients. Don't overdose on any oil soluble vitamins like A & E. that can be hard on the liver. If multi's upset your stomach it might be the B vitamins. Take with food or a bit later in the day if the stomach is tender. Or get your B vitamins in an under the tongue form which tends to cause less nausea.

There are some vitamins that the RDA is only representative of the barest minimum amount to keep away disease. Some vitamins can be taken in much greater doses. Vitamin C, D (within limits) & several of the B vitamins are ok to take in higher quantities. I'll post some suggested dosages and the sources for those numbers separately. Be sure to consult with a nutritionist or MD if you have any chronic health concerns. Supplements can interfere with medications or be a problem for some chronic conditions.

#2 Another important daily supplement is vitamin D, an oil soluble vitamin. Many of us are greatly lacking in D. Your dr can order a blood test to see if you are deficient and will suggest a proper dosage. Our constant need for sunscreen protection & our indoor lifestyles have each significantly reduced the amount of vitamin D produced in our bodies by sun exposure. Too much vitamin D results in toxicity resembling sunstroke.

#3 Coenzyme Q10 is one of my favorites. This supplement is beneficial for the nervous system (potentially mitigating the effects of stress) and assisting the cardiovascular system to be healthy. It also is a key player in cellular energy processes and has antioxidant properties too!

#4 Omega 3s & 9s
Omegas are Fatty acids. 3s & 9s seem to be the most beneficial. Most meat eaters get plenty of omega 6s. 3s & 9s are really important to cardiovascular & cellular health. You can get them from eating fish or in supplement form. Vegetarians can take borage oil.

#5 Probiotics
A recent study claimed to have discovered that the average human carries 2-6lbs of macrobiotic life in the form of bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc. Before you freak out & try to lose those pounds by eradicating all of them, be aware that doing so would prove fatal. We are an ecosystem! Some of these bacteria are beneficial & contribute greatly to our well being. Overuse of antibiotics have left many of our digestive systems out of balance which contributes to compromised immune systems. Doctors are now recommending probiotics be administered even during a course of antibiotics. This can prevent secondary infections & antibiotic-caused diarrhea.

Daily use of probiotics improves digestion, keeps candida yeast overgrowth at bay, and many believe it strengthens the immune system.

So that's my top 5 daily supplement recommendations. In addition when fighting off an illness, vitamin C is essential. Most good multi's include vitamin a, b complex, c, e, folate or folic acid (vital for women prior to & during childbearing years), calcium, magnesium & many other essential nutrients.

Above all eat REAL food! There are synergistic elements working together in whole quality foods that bring wellness in ways we can only attempt to duplicate by pulling apart the constituents of these foods to put in a supplement. Eat colorful, fresh, organic whenever possible. Be well & thanks for reading along!