A Guide to Vitamins

I've heard mixed reviews on vitamin taking.  Some people swear by it, others say it makes them throw up.  I've been experimenting with it for the past few months now-- and I've got to say I like it.

It all started when I still lived in Portland, and my OBGYN suggested that I start taking a daily Vitamin D supplement, because Oregon doesn't see much sunshine in the winter.  I added it along with a good multivitamin to my routine, and started noticing that I had more energy.



Then, a friend suggested taking Folic Acid as a natural way to battle my grey hair.  Since I was 28 at the time, and not happy that I had started to gray-- I took her advice.   After about a month of taking the supplement everyday, I started to notice that my grays were fading.

Convinced by the magical powers of vitamins, I decided to start doing some more research into them-- and came across this article from Lauren Conrad.com that gave me some more insight into the Vitamin world.  I didn't start taking every vitamin on the list... but I did start taking a few.  Here's a list of my vitamin intake each day:

A Good Women's Multi-Vitamin
If you're going to start taking vitamins, but don't know where to start-- this is your starting point.   Make sure you choose a Multi that's made for women.  Those come with more iron and folic acid.  Multivitamins are a good way to supplement your diet, to make sure you're getting everything you need.

Folic Acid
While your multivitamin may have this, I suggest taking a little more.  Folic Acid is good for women wanting to start a family.  But it's also good for those of you who are like me, and prematurely grey.  I promise you, if you take this once a day you will start to notice a difference within a month!

Biotin
This is another good one for your hair.  It's also good for skin and nail health.  I've noticed that when I take one a day, my skin is clear and soft, and my nails are healthy and don't crack as easy.

Vitamin D
I've been taking this since moving to Portland.  My gynecologist suggested it, since Oregon doesn't seen much sun.  But no matter where you live, taking a Vitamin D supplement is a good idea.  It's good for your bones and helps ward of osteoporosis.

Fish Oil
We all need to eat more Omega 3's-- and taking a fish oil tablet is the perfect way to make sure you get your daily dose.  Fish Oil is good for your heart, blood, skin and hair.  According to the Lauren Conrad article, it's also good for helping with painful menstrual cramps!

Calcium-Magnesium
Calcium is good for you bones and teeth-- and if you have a sensitivity to milk products, it's a good idea to take a supplement.

Probiotic
Good for your stomach health.  When I was dealing with insulin resistance, taking probiotics helped with my food digestion and helped with the mind-numbing stomach pains I experienced.  I've been struggling lately to find a great probiotic that I can feel working.  It's been a while since I had a good one.

There are a few other options in the original article, which you can choose to try or not.  It's kind of a trial and error thing I've noticed.  Also, before you start taking tons of vitamins-- you should talk to your doctor.

Do you take any vitamins on a daily basis?