Multi Vitamin ~ how to supply needed vitamins daily?

plenty of companies make multi vitamins from food sources..not all supplements are bad and not all supplements are synthetic. with that said try some herbal infusions..red raspberry leaf, comfrey, oatstraw and nettles are great vitamin , mineral and protein packed herbs to use in long infusions, and wont fill you up so you can eat real food ..alfalfa supplements are great too lots of vitamins and minerals..i am not a smoothie person, i feel most times they end up to sugary with too many fruits to hide the green flavor. and not enough green and many people cant really digest raw food that well. with that said..this is a good smoothie recipe
1/2 cup coconut water
juice from one lime
1 inch peeled fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 cup packed parsley
1 cube frozen greens or 1-2 cups spinach, kale, or greens of choice
1 red delicious apple, cut into chunks
1/2 banana
1 cup ice

happy healing
heather

Comments

  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2018
    I think multi vitamins are a waste.  I agree we should know what we are eating and get what we need via food not vitamins.   One or two specific minerals is one thing but taking multi vitamins each day is another.  I have a neurological disorder that I keep at bay with food and one supplement Magnesium.  I eat lots of magnesium every day but not enough to cover this need,  it's a simple fix that keeps me from taking the nightmare worth of pharmaceutical drugs.   Walter Reed Army Hospital started treating me 30 years ago and have loved using food and herbs and minerals to get this in hand.  Yes the military uses  pharmaceuticals but they are very open to using unconventional sources to get results.  So every other year I haul myself to Washington DC to see the neurology folk.  They clue me in on new ideas they have and I share my own thoughts.  I suggested once moving my records back here but they wanted me to keep going to see them.  I think between my Agent Orange exposure and little quirks that have popped up over the years they really like have me to keep checking in.   Not many that had the kind of exposure that I had that are still around  50 years later.
  • peppypoblano
    peppypoblano Posts: 92
    edited October 2018
    We try to eat a wide variety of beans, grains, nuts, seeds and veggies.  As vegans I try to make sure we're getting enough iron and calcium particularly.  I don't think a regular multi vitamin every day just because is the way to go.   If you are lacking something in particular supplementation might be necessary.  If people would pay more attention to what they are actually putting into their bodies they'd certainly be better off.
  • Johann
    Johann Posts: 16
    edited November 2018
    The problem is most of the people eat what they like, without any diet plan. (diet plans refers not only to sporty people or those who wanna lose fat) Eating what we like is ok as long as we keep some balance. And nutrients might miss if we consume only traditional food. I am not into food supplements and circumspect about this food products.

    What I like to eat are various nuts, drink fat milk, related milk products, some nice smoothies, get some veggies and fruits every day. Many things are still missing in my diet and on my study board, as I am very unhappy with traditional ways to consume food. Even buying veggies and fruits at the farmers market seems not the very best idea (although the only way to get something healthier food) as we learn from which seed companies farmers derive their products.

     
  • Johann
    Johann Posts: 16
    edited November 2018
    @Cherlynn

    @peppypoblano

    Thanks to you both. : )

    Yeah, good question if we really need multivitamins every day or not. Of course, it depends on what we do during the day, for example, if we sit in a Office, go to the Gym or do something else.
  • alindsay22
    alindsay22 Posts: 129 ✭✭✭
    edited November 2018
    I’m about to test my children and myself to just get a snapshot of where we are at and then rearrange the diets around the results. It would be interesting to follow up a year later and see how we did.
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited November 2018
    I know food today doesn't have all the nutrition that it had back in the 50's but listening to folks who know this last week explain that oranges sold in the UK have zero Vit. C totally floored me! They then went on and explained what was causing all this. It's how the food is grown and fertilized. More and more of our food is grown in aquaponics and lacks most of the nutrition we usually associate with it. So it is much better to grow your own food or get it from someplace you know and trust. I am in NW Missouri and helped my Amish neighbor build their first biomass greenhouse. They now have over 20 of these and supply produce to a regional grocery chain. So I know I can go to this grocery chain and get locally raised tomatoes and melons even in the winter time. I know they are grown in dirt that is supplied with minerals and other goodies along with compost and other stuff to keep everything tasting great and having nutrients they should have. I am hoping to get a small biomass green house attached to my basement door in a year or two.
  • AndreaDennin
    AndreaDennin Posts: 41 ✭✭✭
    edited November 2018
    As much as I love smoothies, I agree with Heather..I always end up putting too much fruit in. So now I make drinks with mostly greens, protein powder, cabbages, and one fruit or half cup of berries. I always try to do 2x as many greens than fruit. Seems to work, even if it grosses out people at work:)
  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Following Heather's opening with a Smoothie, here's also 1 healthy "Blueberry, Carrot, & Greens prebiotic Shake":

    1 peeled raw white potato coarsely chopped

    1 cucumber coarsely sliced

    1 cup fresh greens (kale, romaine, or spinach)

    1/2 carrot coarsely sliced

    1 cup fresh or frozen Blueberries

    1 cup water

    1 teaspoon Inulin or FOS powder

    sweetener equivalent to 1 Tbsp. sugar (optional). Monk fruit is the best.

    in a NutriBullet (or whatever powerful blender you have) combine everything & blend, until the potato has been liquified & blends well. If the shake is too thick, add more pure & filtered water, and blend to mix. --- Depending on the potato's size, you can get 30 grams PREbiotic fiber incldg. the Inulin. - Most Americans do not get nearly enough Fiber each day, so this will help make your gut & Microbiome happy, and help you keep your GI-tract clean & productive.

  • H_D
    H_D Posts: 384 ✭✭✭

    per my sons request (he is 19) I started making a delicious green drink for my family...2 green apples, 1 cucumber, 3 ribs of celery, a bunch of kale and , bunch of spinach. a whole lemon peeled and a piece of ginger to your taste (we use a thumb) this gives me about 3 - 6 ounce servings with a nice zing at the end :)

    I do find myself in a catch 22 when discussing supplements. Most of us lean towards supplements that are made from organically grown food/animals rather than chemicals and lab created crap or something with a lot of filler.

    We also know that since the 1930's we have had an issue with soil depletion of vitamins and minerals. therefore if you finish the thought..how are the companies testing the supplement products to know what is actually in them, measured.

    Do they actually test the batches or use some kind of algorithms (like an apple historically possess this nutrition so take that number into an equation) Its a rhetorical question for me, I have talked to many supplement companies but it is a line of questioning we all need to start to think about.

    Its this topic specifically that triggered our herbal infusion journey years back. using LONG herbal infusions rather than tea for vitamin/mineral intake from herbs I have grown in soil I have grown provides a powerhouse of bioavailable nutrition to your body. :) a. (I still take supplements though, i have about 4 companies I will source from. MOST supplement companies are subpar at best and that is putting it nicely )


    so here is a little take away for the herbal infusions..infusions are steeped for a long time. boil your water, pour over herbs and cover. (if you use a quart wide mouth mason har its a cup of herbs to a jar of boiling water.) let them sit overnight, strain and use within 2 days..drink up to 4-5 quarts per day for specific medicinal issues and 2-3 quarts per week for overall health..not all herbs should be used in long infusions, it really depends on the taste though, if you can stomach bitter than go for it lol....so if an herb traditionally gets bitter the longer you brew it, dont use it. chamomile is one example..

    some actions and benefits of herbs used in long infusions

    Oatstraw a powerhouse nutritive. calms and steady the nerves while helping remove unwanted emotions, stabilizes blood sugars, supports bone health and skin issues such as eczema. Great source of 6 different B vitamins including folate (this is important for MTHFR genetic expressions) also helps with liver health and arthritis. (great mixed with nettles and RRL) Lots of Vitamin A, E and 6 b vitamins as well as magnesium, iron, calcium, manganese and phosphorus.

    Alfalfa because its roots dig deep, very deep into the ground, it pulls up loads of vitamins and minerals (assuming they are still in the ground) is a very powerful nutritive for the body , as well as a digestive enzyme and diuretic. liver detoxifier especially right after a long illness or disease recovery. Also used historically to treat things like obesity, atherosclerosis and heart disease specifically coronary heart disease, also helps manage joint diseases and relieves pain in arthritis, gout, rheumatism., works (Great to use as a pre-meal drink) Reduces blood sugars. helps to restore proper thyroid and pancreas function, alfalfa does have drug interactions to be aware of BEFORE you begin using it. Great for detoxing from alcohol, use externally for wound healing to prevent hemorrhage or bleeding, assuming proper soil is used for growing, Alfalfa is rich in: iron, phosphorus and calcium. contains unsaturated fatty acids, tannins, amino acids, phytoestrogens (couestrol and genistein), cyclic compounds and saponosides. alfalfa plant seeds contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, C, D, E, K, chlorophyll, amino acids and in the leaves of the alfalfa plant there are high levels of niacin, biotin, folic and pantothenic acids. . The concentration of vitamins and accumulation of nutrients in seeds increases during the ripening period of the pod.

    Nettle - what I call the energy of the Earth. adrenal restorative, increases energy, balances hormones, supports immune function, supports kidney function, lung health, osteoporosis circulation issues and digestive functions. Helps keep allergies at bey, an infusion provides lots of protein, trace minerals and all the vitamins we need other than B12

    Comfrey - supports bone health and soft tissue health like tendon, ligament and inflamed tissues in the digestive system and repairs skin inflammation, helps with memory

    Mullein - we all know the benefits of mullein..all about the healthy lungs..so for smokers, bronchitis, asthma, been around smoke that has irritated your lungs..go for mullein infusion

    Red Clover - anti cancer and cancer preventive. hormone regulator, improves memory and brain function, supports healthy reproductive system and great for infertility especially infertility caused by fallopian scarring, abnormal reproductive cells and those that have no other answer.

    Violet is an alterative, lots of minerals and vitamins A and C, supports a healthy overall metabolic function with a focus on detoxing and waste elimination. stimulates the lymph system so it is great to add as you detoxify. helps with skin issues as well because of its ability to detox. Its a great immune supporter and reduces fever as its actions are cooling and soothing. useful in cancer treatment as it promotes tumor shrinkage and can also help clear other growths, lumps, cysts and mastitis.

    Linden is a great anti flu remedy , we drink 2 weeks of the long infusion every time the seasons change.

    Rose Hips are also great..can be tart so mix it with something but great source of vitamin C, heart remedy, great to support healthy connective tissue. contains Vitamin C, Sodium, Vitamin A, Selenium, Riboflavin, Niacin, Phosphorous, Calcium

    A ginger infusion is great to have on hand if you have slow digestive issues, tummy troubles, nausea (great for morning sickness) also ginger is great for an anti inflammatory with a great added benefit of lowering bad cholesterol levels.

    Happy Healing

    Heather

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Heather Duro ok Please be patient 🙂 here, as I'm just starting on Herbs...

    First, I lost the tags off the herbs I bought four years ago. No idea what each of the 4 even is, anymore. And they are bound & determined to dominate... our south-Veggie space (20 by 40 feet). Partly because I have so much else on my plate.

    Second, because it is a FACT that since the 1930's, the world's Top-soils became increasingly sterile, - How can you even know ? that the Herbs & Supplements you buy as you said "i have about 4 companies I will source from" , are even full of minerals ?? - the conundrun I face daily is that the immobile character says "Doesn't matter, your liver will Detox out the chemical minerals along with the Additives, & useless Fillers" . - But I say are you crazy !?

    Third, some herbs I do not tolerate at all: example Alfalfa, Ginger,

    Fourth, please be patient re the fact that it may take me over a day, maybe even 2 to 4 to respond, because I am soo buzzzy that things just need to be postponed on a regular basis. - Thankfully you have much more time to write your loong posts here, than do many of us. - Thank you Heather for your freely-shared contributions 🤗 Sincerely Appreciated...

  • H_D
    H_D Posts: 384 ✭✭✭

    if you can no longer identify the herb i would toss them. If you know the 4 names of the herbs you have and just need to match the herb to the name..post some pics I and I am sure lots others can assist in identification and I have over 100 different types of dried herbs in my apothecary (I can play a matching game lol)

    as someone who is in business providing herbs for health concerns it was my duty to talk to companies, find out what their processes are and because I do come from a very science and technical background I started asking HOW they tested their supplements for content. Some used a mathematical equation based on historical contents of food..others not only tested each batch for its make up but also were involved in their soil remediation, or the or growers soil remediation. So knowing that the soil was naturally remediated to me tells me as long as the plants grew healthy all of the nutrients would be there. As to the actual soil testing anything more than N.P.K. I believe is done in a lab. One company I swear by is Gaia (they grow their own herbs right here in North Carolina :) I also use and recommend to my clients Systemic Formula brand supplements, Designs for Health brand, Apex Energetics and Genestra brands (more for homeopathy and gemmotherapy remedies though.) and Dr Chi formulations I love for the most part that is it unless its a specialty product like the algaecal i mentioned earlier.. For dry herbs I use (only organic and I do pay attention to the country of origin) Starwest Botanicals, Frontier Coop or Mountain Rose herbs for what I havent grown myself. every so often I have clients who bring me herbs from their gardens too. Its been over 2 years since Ive purchased though I dont know if any of those companies have changed or been bought out ..(I must have over 200 lbs of dry herbs in the house and office ot running out anytime soon lol)

    we both know if the liver IS compromised at all, it will hinder detox. Also so many people have genetic expression of the MTHFR mutation, this also hinders detox capabilities. So the answer is no longer that simple :)

    If you dont tolerate them then dont use them. But consider WHY you are unable to tolerate something as basic as ginger or alfalfa..that can give you answers too.

    take your time, as will I lol

    Happy Healing

    Heather

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    re Herbal intolerances, re Ginger, & Peppermint: even in childhood, both gave me gastric cramps. But Spearmint & other mints I do fine with.

    Alfalfa: in 2015 the candida-tests showed my sorrowful Leaky-gut had developed a bazillion Intolerances, Alfalfa 1 of the worst. So I'm trying to make the best/easiest Bone Broth, when I get around to it. But I do NOT like cooking so mostly avoid it like the plaque; iow 80+% of my diet I enjoy organic & raw.

  • H_D
    H_D Posts: 384 ✭✭✭

    Consider this..an intolerance or allergy is the bodys way of saying something. Allergies are a symptom of a larger picture. I have had many clients who after not only cleansing the gut but healing the gut and body at the cellular level, reseeding the micro-biome, clearing out the liver and kidney pathways find their intolerances arent there anymore.

    for my chicken or beef broths I do use an electric pressure cooker, takes about 90 minutes to make liquid gold and so good for your gut and overall well being. :) we either drink it for breakfast (rather than coffee) ill make soup with it..add some chicken or some fresh veggies..I use it in almost all my dishes..which is why I guess I make so much of it. its like a ritual ..Monday is broth day.


    Heather

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, that is why I wrote gut-'Intolerance', as opposed to (most often caused by behavioral) Allergy, as of course I know the difference.

    Also neither of us drinks coffee, nor alcoholic crap, etc; - just Herb teas & selected healthy juices. - in the Instant-pot thread apologized for sticking my nose into that discussion, as Pressure-cookers scare me to death so won't have one. - BUT recently I read Bone-Broths that can easily be done in a Crock-pot of which we have no less 3 🙂