Truscifi Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I know there are lots of people here who take vitamins and supplements - please help! My PA/naturalist/whatever suggested I start taking Vit C, Vit E, curcumin, and hyaluronic acid. I looked at the health food store and the website Vitacost and there were so many brands of vitamins! I am feeling very overwhelmed. So what are the Hive recommendations for a relatively inexpensive, quality brand? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Rite Aid, Walgreens. Don't over think this part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cani e porci Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I've had great luck with Vitacost's own brand of vitamins. I've never been disappointed, and they're usually less expensive than I can find in stores where I live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Ok. Deep breath. Just pick a store brand and go with it, huh? The Vitacost brand is cheaper than what I saw in the health food store, but I didn't even think to just look at Walgreen's. I guess I'll do that tomorrow. Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoNative Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We really like Garden of Life vitamins because they are whole food vitamins, not synthetic.... Melody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeerkatMama Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 We really like Garden of Life vitamins because they are whole food vitamins, not synthetic.... Melody :iagree: Synthetic will wreck long term havoc in your body. Whole food vitamins are what you should look for. Garden of Life is also what I take primarily, but I take others as well depending on the ingredients (way too much to explain here on what that means). :) I can typically find good, quality brands at iherb.com and Vitamin Shoppe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 I know the difference between natural and synthetic, but what is the deal with whole food vitamins? What is the difference between them and all natural? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sutekiwa Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Garden of Life vitamins is my favorite brand:) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonK Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I love shopping for my vitamins at iherb. They have free shipping over $40 and great prices. They carry good quality vitamins and people rate and review them as well. Also, you will hae quick shipping and great customer service too. (I don't work for them, I just order lots of vitamins :D) http://www.iherb.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 The only vitamins I will take are Juice Plus. They are not isolated vitamins, but a whole food supplement. https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/Welcome.soa I notice a huge difference when my kids take them. We don't do the business aspect of it just the vitamins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 My doctor (western, but with an alternative bent) has me take Thorne vitamins. I take the Basic Detox blend. It contains curcumin, among other things. I think it is a good product. Don't order from their website though. Amazon has a better price. They are not the cheapest option, so you may find a better deal elsewhere. I opt for these because I trust my doctor's judgment on these things, and she has - literally - saved my life when many other docs had misdiagnosed me and sentenced me to a life with a disease I did not have (M.S., by the way, and I did not have it, but did endure quite a few years of treatment due to the multiple misdiagnoses). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I take NOW Special Twos. I absolutely love them. I can really feel the difference between when I take them and when I don't. I linked to the NOW site, so you can see the ingredients and stuff, but I think the pricing is better on Amazon, and it's Prime eligible, if you're a member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra in FL Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Just a reminder: please be careful giving males multi-vitamins w/ iron. Since they don't menstruate, sometimes the iron can build up from taking supplemental iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Just a reminder: please be careful giving males multi-vitamins w/ iron. Since they don't menstruate, sometimes the iron can build up from taking supplemental iron. Thanks for this. Would this apply to women who don't menstruate as well? I'm guessing that would be a yes. I've never considered that point, and it's a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenoraddict Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Actually, I would seriously overthink this. As with everything, you get what you pay for. Try this test from Supplementquality.com: "Some manufacturers claim that many brands of vitamin tablets are so hard that they go through the body undissolved, and quote nurses who find vitamin pills in the bedpans of their patients. While this can happen, here's a simple "acid test" you can apply to find out if your multi—or any other pill!—dissolves properly: 1. Place approximately one cup of white vinegar in a small bowl and warm it to 98 degrees or so by placing it inside a larger bowl of water that you "top up" several times with warm water from the tap. (The goal is to keep the vinegar reasonably close to 98 degrees for half an hour.) 2. Drop your multi-vitamin (or other pill) into the vinegar, and jostle it about every five minutes or so by gently shaking or swirling the cup. While you can also stir the mix with a wooden stick or toothpick, be careful not to touch the tablet itself. 3. The tablet should dissolve within 30 minutes. (This is the USP standard for all pharmaceutical tablets.) If it doesn't dissolve within a full hour, it's not doing you much good. Get another brand!" Some good brands are Nature's Way, Solaray, Nature's Plus, Doctor's Best. I've found the lowest prices anywhere at Vitacost.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Vit C, Vit E, curcumin, and hyaluronic acid. Here's some info I have: Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – 500-1000 mg daily If you’re prone to heartburn or acid reflux, avoid ascorbic acid – and opt for Ester-C. Ester-C is a patented form of bio-available vitamin C. Bio-available means best-absorbed. Vitamin E This vitamin does its best work when combined with other nutrients. Vitamins E, C, beta-carotene, and selenium appear to work as a team. Consumption of vitamin-E rich foods is associated with a lower risk for cancers of the colon, stomach, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and breast. Take 400 IU of vitamin E a day. Take d-alpha, NOT dl-alpha Vitamin E is most effective when taken with selenium. Vitamin E is usually deficient in even well-balanced diets. Some recommend up to 800 IUs daily – but most suggest 400 IU If you’re taking as much as 400 IU a day, you may want to stop taking it before surgery. If your multi contains 400 IU, ask the anesthetist or your doctor if this amount is safe for you to continue right up until surgery. The PDR for Nutritional Supplements suggests that people who are already on blood thinning medications should not take much more than 100 IU of vitamin E a day. Curcumin aka Turmeric - Personally, when I'm good and disciplined, I just take regular turmeric mixed with black pepper and olive oil. But if you need to take the supplement, here's some info. To be assimilated by the body, turmeric must be mixed with black pepper and dissolved in olive, canola, or linseed oil. All of us should regularly consume at least a teaspoon of turmeric every day, with a generous pinch of pepper and olive oil. You can use it in your salad dressings, cooking, vegetables, and soups In store-bought curry mixes, turmeric represents only 20% of the total, so it’s better to obtain turmeric directly. Because powdered turmeric is a powerful blood-cleansing herb, don’t overdo it. Research has shown that turmeric in capsules is poorly absorbed by the digestive system. When turmeric is not mixed with pepper or ginger, it does not pass the intestinal barrier. Pepper increases the body’s absorption of turmeric by 2000 percent CAUTION: Some brands of turmeric powder and supplements have been found to be contaminated with heavy metals themselves. Make sure to obtain a high quality brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hyaluronic Acid - not to be nosy, but was this recommended to you for joint/arthritis pain? Again, sharing info that I have. This is from a very good book, 456 Most Powerful Healing Secrets. I don't have any experience with this, nor do I know anyone who does. Vitacost and/or amazon may have some helpful reviews. She writes: "As we age, we begin to 'dry up'. Our joints become creaky and painful, our eyes get dry leading to glaucoma, and our skin gets more wrinkled. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a protein that helps our tissues retain moisture. It's the normal lubricant in our joints. Inflammation breaks down HA molecules into smaller, less effective, pieces. As our HA declines, and enzyme that breaks it down increases resulting in still less HA than when we were young. (My thoughts: I just read "inflammation". Have lots of info on that ... there are ways to reduce it - good fish oil, healthy diet, etc.) Preliminary research suggests that people using HA may experience a slow-down or even reversal of arthritis pain. When HA is present in a joint - even if that joint has very little cartilage - it cushions the joint, which, in turn, reduces pain. This makes sense, because HA is a very long molecule that rolls into a ball like yarn and has a natural electrical charge that causes it to resist compression. It actually suspends the body and allows the joint to glide. In addition to its unique cushioning ability, HA naturally breaks down into glucosamine. For that reason, if you're taking glucosamine sulfate for your arthritis pain, it should not be necessary to take it along with HA. You're already getting it. The theory behind using HA for joint pain makes a lot of sense to me. I've heard of a number of testimonials about it from reputable people and read quite a bit about it. But there aren't many studies on oral HA. HA injections, we know, do work. And they're not the same. There are a number of studies on HA injections for arthritis in the knee. All but two of them had positive results. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for oral HA. There are few studies on this form of HA. We can't assume that if one form works the other one will as well. HA breaks down when it's taken orally. If an HA product can be made that survives through the stomach, it may be an effective alternative to injections. So far, studies do not indicate that this has been accomplished. There are testimonials, but not research published in peer-reviewed journals. One doctor conducted a 2-month double-blind study at his own expense using 2 mg of oral HA a day with people who had arthritis in the knee. I spoke with him after the study was finished, and he wasn't satisfied with the results. He believes that the amount of HA he used wasn't sufficient. The participants who took higher doses of HA had a greater improvement than those on a smaller dose, but these improvements were not dramatic. This doctor believes that we don't have enough information to know the optimum dose for oral HA, and that the issue of purity has not yet been established. These are major concerns that I share. There's another problem - a discrepancy between various forms of HA. Some companies say their product has a high molecular weight, others say theirs has a low molecular weight. Some are powdered substances, containing collagen made from the sternums of young chickens, while others are a liquid made in labs from bacteria. Each claims to be superior to the other. The benefits of HA are not necessarily related to its molecular weight or viscosity. There may be something else in it - like co-factors - that are responsible for its efficacy. This assumes that HA does work. Rather than get into an argument over which product is better, I'm waiting for the researchers and the manufacturers to duke it out in scientific studies. Meanwhile, there's a simple and inexpensive oral therapy for arthritis pain. It's called magnesium. She then goes into a bit more detail about too much calcium contributing to arthritis, which I very strongly believe, and how most of us are deficient in magnesium. Most of us need more magnesium. HOW MUCH TO TAKE For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (and most of us are deficient - achy joints are one of the many symptoms), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense. The most absorbable forms are: Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Taurate Magnesium Aspartate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Fumirate Avoid: Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Carbonate Magnesium Gluconate Magnesium Sulfate These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. NATURAL SOURCES Almonds Avocado Barley Beans Brazil nuts Brown rice Buckwheat Dark Chocolate Dates Figs Garlic Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens) Kelp Molasses Millet Parsley Pecans Rye Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality) Shrimp Walnuts Whole Grains Wheat bran Wheat germ EPSOM SALTS BATH Taking a bath or a foot soak with Epsom salts is one of the best ways to increase the body’s absorption of magnesium. Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and are easily absorbed by the body. Take a hot bath with up to 2 cups of Epsom salts and 1 cup baking soda (optional) to help draw toxins out of the body. Try to do this once a week, but for no more than 20 minutes. A foot soak can also be very beneficial. Epsom salts are so helpful in bringing relief to: • Arthritis pain, stiffness, soreness, and tightness of joints • Muscle aches, pains and tenderness • Painful bruises, sprains and strains • Pain from over exertion as a result of exercise • Insomnia and Sleep Problems • Stress • Insect Bites and Splinters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 WHAT I LIKE TO AVOID Many “one-a-day†formulas - Theragram-M, Geritol, Centrum usually: • Have such long ingredient lists (a red flag for me!) with synthetic coloring, waxes, and other undesirable ingredients – this is my main reason for avoiding them • Are too low in potency – most one-a-day formulas cannot possibly give you high enough potencies of nutrients. There simply isn’t enough room to pack a lot of nutrients into a single capsule. Do be aware that a good multivitamin and mineral formula requires that you take it in larger quantities – from 3-6 capsules daily. This may seem like a lot, but it’s not. When it comes to herbs, and often minerals and vitamins, most of the time, the quantity and potency is so very, very low, that it really isn’t going to do anything much at all. I prefer to research all the brands and see which has the highest dosage, or I have found that I may need to double or triple the dose. I have to admit that due to financial constraints, I seldom do this these days, unless I'm focusing on a specific health concern. I do believe that nutrition (healthy diet) is first and foremost. • Are often poorly absorbed As Peela here once reminded me: :) Anything that is multi-marketed. Supplements from multi-marketed companies are obviously going to cost much more. The supplements may be good, but remember that you’re paying for a wealth system that may play on people’s greed. Any supplement (usually they are minerals) that has the word “oxideâ€. The oxide form of any is the cheapest source of that mineral. Most of the cheaper brands include oxide to cut down on costs, but these brands do our bodies no good, since they’re barely absorbed. Any supplement that has vitamin E as dl-alpha – dl-alpha is synthetic and junk. Any supplement that has calcium carbonate – ditto, as above Most brands at Walmart, Costco, etc. But this doesn’t always apply. Some brands at these larger stores are fine. You'll have to do your own research to know. Just because the supplement is sold at Walmart or Costco does not that it’s necessarily bad. You need to look at the ingredients. are the same. WHAT I PREFER Bio-available when possible – these are best absorbed. Many bio-available forms are patented and identified on the label. Anything with a short ingredient list – no soybean oil, no sugar, starches, colorings, soy, etc. – the less things in it, the better! With vitacost, you can click on side bar buttons to say that you're looking for something without soy, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE – IF I COULD If I lived in the U.S., I would try my utmost to get as much as I could from Standard Process - which you have to buy from an alternatiave health care practitioner. Standard Process is wonderful. But they don't have every single supplement. They're very specialized. ALKALIZING MULTI VITAMINS AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS Most of us have systems that are overly acidic. Working towards a system that is balanced or more alkaline is the key to overall health. These supplements are said to be very good for alkalizing the body. • http://www.auntiegs.com/index.php 12 Systems Synergistic Multiple – one tablet per meal • Vita Lea (Shaklee) – one tablet with each meal • Bio Strath – One teaspoon with each meal or tablet as indicated – I saw it on vitacost AFTER THAT I prefer searching for good brands on vitacost or amazon – reading reviews, and looking at brands. The following are brands that I like and trust: Carlson’s Nature’s Way Twin Labs KAL Enzymatic Therapy Green Magma – for green, alkalizing drink Solgar Source Naturals Rainbow Light Solaray NOW Swanson UniKey (do a google search) New Chapter Organics Brands I've heard good things about, but have not yet tried, and don’t yet know enough about: Aerobic Life Products Blue-Green Algae Country Life Darwin’s Gaia Herbs Health from the Sun Jarrow Kyo-Green Member’s Mark Metagenics Nature’s Plus Nature’s Sunshine Nordic Naturals Planetary Formulas Pure Encapsulations Puritan’s Pride Shaklee Trace Minerals Research Vitamin World Zone Perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Does anyone know if Trader Joe's carries quality vitamins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZonePerfect Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Negin in Grenada, We're happy to hear we made the cut of brands you trust! What's your favorite ZonePerfect flavor? ~Brittany @ZonePerfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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