Just the Basics – Try These and See How You Feel!by
Margaret Durst Previously by Margaret Durst: Insulin Resistance – Do You Have It?
Just the basics of nutrition are a concern to many. I find that some very basic nutritional supplements help almost everybody. A good multivitamin is the first basic. What makes a multivitamin good is the quality of the contents along with the technology used to encapsulate or tablet the contents. The better vitamins do not have pharmaceutical glaze, artificial coloring, several kinds of cellulose, nor do they contain synthetic vitamins such as synthetic E or dl-alpha tocopherol. Read your labels. A good multivitamin will have the basic pharmaceutical grade A, B, C, D, and E vitamins in good ratios along with essential trace minerals such as selenium, iodine, copper, manganese and zinc – all in the most easily assimilated form. They should be either with or without iron depending on your needs. A good multivitamin will not cause nausea or constipation – both of which are signs of low quality synthetic vitamins and / or unusable forms of the essential minerals. Another sign of a low quality vitamin is if the first ingredient is calcium carbonate – this automatically limits absorption to 10 percent which is actually a blessing because if it’s that cheap, you don’t need the petroleum based synthetic vitamins in it.
My favorite multivitamins are those tailored to specific body needs. For example, there are vitamins formulated specifically for those with high blood sugar or insulin resistance. There are multiple vitamins for those who have low blood sugar. There are multiples for men that address their specific health issues and multiples specifically for women. Some of the women’s multivitamins are formulated specifically to help with issues of menopause. Multiple vitamins are also formulated for cardiovascular issues, vision health and better hair, skin, and nails. The second basic is omega 3 oil. These oils are essential to our health, yet they are not consistently in our diet. An omega 3 supplement will help with dry skin and dry eyes. It will help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Omega 3’s help brain and nerve function and also promote cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. There are many kinds of omega 3 oils. The best ones do not have a fishy aftertaste. There are super concentrated omega 3 oils for better brain and nerve function and for cardiovascular health. There are omega 3 oils specifically for children. My favorite omega 3 oil is a blend which includes borage oil which is important for hormonal health. The third basic is a digestive enzyme. Enzymes run many of our body processes, yet we find ourselves without enough enzymes for various metabolic functions since most of the food we eat is cooked. Taking a digestive enzyme supplement helps us digest our food, saving our valuable enzyme making ability for metabolic processes. I prefer enzymes with betaine HCL which is a mild hydrochloric acid that is necessary to sterilize our food and break down protein. Those with sensitive stomach linings can take an enzyme without betaine. The fourth basic is a green supplement – there are many different ones from liquid chlorophyll to super blue green algae. These support the body by cleaning, alkalizing, adding trace minerals, and functioning as antioxidants. These basics help compensate for the deficiencies in the average American diet. Try them for 90 days and see if you can tell the difference.
February 22, 2012 Margaret Durst owns The Green House, a vitamin, herb and health food store in Mason, Texas. Copyright © 2012 Margaret Durst
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