The 4 Pills To Swallow

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I love it when this happens.  

The other day I thought of an idea for a post.  Then the very next day a few people had questions related to that very same topic.  Kinda psycho psychic if you ask me.

Just so you know, it's not just old folks who have pill boxes like so.  Having this little pill box helps me keep my vitamins and minerals in order.  I keep it out on my kitchen counter so that I can remember, and refill weekly.  So what is inside you may ask?  

 

 

Well...I'll get to that.  But first let me tell you my feelings. 

 I am not an extremist when it comes to anything.  Because balance is everything. 

 So if you are looking for a long list of supplements to take, you are asking the wrong person. 

 I like easy and simple, and affordable.

And the truth is, most supplements end up in the toilet anyway (gross). A huge waste of money if you ask me.   

With that said, I wish I could consume the required amount of vitamins and minerals in the form of food each day, but this is just not possible.  So for safe measure (like an insurance policy), I recommend swallowing at least four supplements.  How simple is that?   

Before we begin, here's a few general tips:  Do not take all of your vitamins at once.  Make sure to spread them out during the day because your body won't be able to absorb them all at once.

 

The 4 Pills You Should Swallow:

1)  Multivitamin.  I am still taking a prenatal vitamin, but will soon run out.  When this happens, I'll just head on over to Walmart and pick a good one out.  I'll make sure it is a big company because big companies are held more accountable.

I'll be looking for a multivitamin with:

*Vitamin A (2300 IU-5000 IU)
*Vitamin B
*Vitamin C
*Vitamin D (1000-1200 total.  Your Calcium supplement should also have Vitamin D)
*Folic Acid
*Iron (18 mg)

Tip:  It is a good idea to split your multivitamin in half, taking 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night. 

2)  Calcium.  But not just Calcium, it must have Magnesium and Vitamin D for absorption. 

A good brand is Nature's Bounty Coral Calcium.  I buy it at Walmart.  Be sure to take calcium with a full glass of water two hours after eating.  Once again, it absorbs better this way. 

3)  Fish Oil.  aka Omega 3 Fatty Acids (DHA & EPA) 

Take about 600 mg with breakfast, not on an empty stomach (or else you will be tasting fish all day).  Fish oil is crucial for heart and brain health, very important!  It also helps to lubricate your joints.  And who doesn't need that?  That leads me to the next supplement.

4)  Glucosamine Chondroitin.  I struggle with joint pain (already) and I don't like it one bit.  In my hips, knees, hands, back, etc.  It comes and goes.  And since I'm a runner, I want to prevent tear down.  Glucosamine is helpful in building and restoring joint function.  Joint pain is something that we will probably all suffer from as we age.  Why not slow this process down? 

If you can't handle remember to swallow vitamins, at least try to force yourself to swallow these four. 

And once you have that down, I can surely suggest a few more.