Supplements

[FiddleFit]

Hi!

On the advice of a few different sources, I've purchased some "necessary" supplements. I eat quite well, and feel like I get as much nutrition as is possible through food. Now that I have these bottles of potions in front of me, I'm rather disconcerted by the quantity of stuff I'm supposed to be taking. I'm a perfectly healthy 36 year old female - why does my kitchen counter look like it belongs to an 86 year old woman in poor health?? Here's what I've got, and the recommended dosages:

1. general multivitamin - 1/day

2. bee pollen tablets - 500mg: 1x2 times/day (total: 1000mg)

3. triple fish oil - 1000mg: 1x2 times/day (total: 2000mg)

4. conjugated linoleic acid - 600mg: 2x3 times/day (total: 3600mg)

5. calcium magnesium with vit d - I take only 1 per day because I feel I get enough of this from food sources (total: 333mg cal, 167mg mag, and 133IU vit d)

6. evening primrose oil with vit e - 1000mg: 1x2-4 times/day (total: 2000-4000mg)

7. ground flax seed - 1-2tbsp/day in my food (smoothie, oatmeal, etc)

With this regimen I feel like I'm popping pills all day long. I'm also concerned that it's overkill. What do you all think? Are all of these really necessary? Might some of these duplicate each other? Or, might some of these interact or cancel out each other?

I'd love your opinions on this. I'm feeling like a hypochondriac!

Cheers,
Sandra

 

[amyg]

Why are you taking any of them? I'm missing something when you say "I'm supposed to be taking these"... ??

 

[FiddleFit]

Hi Amy,

Because these are supposedly healthy things to take to enhance our well-being. They contain anti-oxidants, trace minerals, vitamins, healthy fat - elements and quantities that are supposedly hard to come by in a typical North American diet. I'm trying to take preventative measures to keep myself healthy in the long run.

Cheers,
Sandra

 

[amyg]

I was curious if anyone who had actually seen you face to face (and wasn't selling any pills) recommended them.

Your comment about it looking like you are a sickly 85 year old when you look at all the bottles hit home with me! I did the exact same thing you have done last winter. I had I think about 10 pills. I thought I was doing myself a favor! But one day I just stopped, and went back to a simple multi-vitamin and glucosamine/chondroitin daily.

I have felt *so* much better without the pills, I don't know anymore if they help or hurt! I perhaps was taking them at the wrong times or something... but I never once felt energized or felt like I benefitted from any of it!

I have tried to really up my fruit and veggie intake, and I stopped eating meat other than fish, and I have flax in my oatmeal. That's about it. I also switched from cow's milk to soy milk. This was all after reading Eat to Live, and struggling for a few months with eating enough food in general to sustain my busy schedule.

I had a bad few months there, and I was taking the pills at the same time. I cannot make any claim that they are related AT ALL, but for me, I feel much better off without the supplements.

HTH somehow!

 

[Flyweight]

You should be able to get a lot of that with a well-balanced diet. Eat more fish. Grind up some flax seeds and add that to your food. Take a multivitamin. You have better uses for your money. And why try to complicate your life?

 

[saia11]

Hi Sandra,
I recently read an article written by Dr. Andrew Weil and his advice on supplements for the "normal" and "healthy" (as you describe yourself)premenopausal woman was:
1) a good quality multi-vitamin
2) Calcium and Magnesium
3) Fish oil (or the equivalent fatty-acid supplement)
4) Folic Acid
5) a separate vitamin D, he mentioned, and I have read in many sources, that we are just beginning to find out all that vitamin D does for our bodies and that the current RDA is NOT enough, especially in the winter.

HTH
Mattea

 

[Jetsetter]

I use Usana. It's alittle pricey but I never cut back when it concerns my health.

Your correct Mattea Vitamin has recently been said to use higher dosage but make sure it says D3.

 

[kathryn]

Mattea Vitamin has recently been said to use
>higher dosage but make sure it says D3.


Unless you are a vegetarian or vegan, then you'd want D2. (just an FYI)