Vitamins—Who Needs ‘Em?
The other day I was refilling my SUNDAY through SATURDAY supplement case when my daughter entered the room. You take ALL those things…every day? she exclaimed. I felt like I was being interrogated and needed to make my case. So, one by one, I explained what each supplement was and why I considered it important to include in my daily regime.
January is the month when many people commit to pursuing better personal health, which often includes taking nutritional supplements. For this reason, most vitamin companies and vendors will offer valuable coupons and steep sale prices to make our purchase of these somewhat costly items easier to swallow—pun intended!
Here’s the long list of the supplements I described to my daughter which I have become convinced are necessary for my optimal wellness:
For General Health
- Multivitamin
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium citrate with Vitamin D (taken 8-10 hours after my multivitamin because the body can only absorb so much calcium at a time)
- Omega-3 Fish Oil
- Probiotic
For Joint Discomfort/Inflammation
- Glucosamin with MSM
- Haluronic acid
- Bromelain
While my supplemental regime may be judged costly at first glance, a single co-pay at my doctor’s office would set me back $30 and my insurance company another $70 or so. In addition, if I can avoid the cost of sick-related downtime on top of that, I’d consider the cost I incur up front to be nominal.
If you take advantage of the January sales to stock up as I do, and if you employ a daily “pill box”—left by the kitchen sink, or somewhere where you can’t ignore it—you will find that you can be consistent in your dosing and set the stage for much improved wellness the whole year through.
In the grand scheme of things, I’d rather invest in my personal health than add to my health provider’s bottom line. How ‘bout you?