KIN Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 My dh, kids and myself have been taking fish oil supplements and vitamins. We aren't using the stuff from Wal-Mart, rather we use Nordic Naturals fish oil, Rainbow Light vitamins for dh and kids, and I take Super Mom vitamins. I order most of this from vitacost.com, which is the cheapest I can find on the net. But, as I'm totaling my current order I'm thinking if I would cut this stuff from my budget, it would save quite a bit! What says the hive mind? Am I ultimately saving money b/c I'm keeping us healthy or is this money down the drain? Hmm, along these same lines - is it worth it to use natural soap, natural shampoo, and natural deodorant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Am I ultimately saving money b/c I'm keeping us healthy or is this money down the drain? Hmm, along these same lines - is it worth it to use natural soap, natural shampoo, and natural deodorant? IMO, the answer to the first question is yes. I don't take "vitamins" per se, but I do take cod liver oil and other "superfoods" in order to get vitamins naturally. And I absolutely think it has been worth the cost because of what it has saved us in terms of being sick. Now, as to the second part, I like some natural body care products (and really dislike some that I have tried) but I can't say that I can honestly tell any benefit from them over the standard stuff. If you can get them at a good price, go for it. But if something in your budget needs to go, personally I would ditch those long before I ditched my cod liver oil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Well, here's my experience. I take 5-HTP for mood reasons. When I don't take it, my stomach is upset all day long and I go into "shrieking harridan" mode at the snap of a finger. I started out taking Natrol, which is a premium brand and one of the most expensive, because I only wanted to buy one bottle to see how it worked, so I bought whatever GNC had. It worked and I was happy with it, so I took it for awhile, got comfortable with dosage and routine, and then bought a cheap brand (Jarrow) from Vitacost. Within a few days, I noticed that it wasn't having its intended effects, and I was upset because I thought I'd developed a tolerance but didn't want to up the dosage. It took about three weeks of this before I realized it was the brand. I might as well have been taking empty capsules. I switched back and haven't had any problems since. I've also had problems with generic OTC meds not working as intended too, so I'm pretty convinced that these things are money well spent. Our health is worth the extra outlay, IMO. As for natural deodorants, etc., I do believe strongly in their value, but I also need them to actually work. If I can't find a natural option that works for me, I'll use a conventional one (while still searching for a natural one). I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm vain enough to have weak standards on this :001_rolleyes: On the kids, though, I only use natural things. I loooove California Baby stuff, and Vitaglo.com has it cheaply and with free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Oh, also, there are frequently discount codes for Vitacost, and they participate in the Ebates program with something like a 5% rebate. If you're not a member of Ebates, you get either a $5 or $10 bonus for signing up, plus any ebates you earn. That should help take a little of the sting out of it! ETA link: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/vitacost.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 IMO, the answer to the first question is yes. I don't take "vitamins" per se, but I do take cod liver oil and other "superfoods" in order to get vitamins naturally. And I absolutely think it has been worth the cost because of what it has saved us in terms of being sick. :iagree: But then again, we usually do when it comes to nutritional questions ;) We also use RBLite, also. It is a food-source vitamin which means the nutrients are in a form the body can use (unlike vitamins from synthetic sources). In fact it tastes like seaweed :tongue_smilie: It is probably very similar to the "superfoods" you have been using. KIN, it is time for me to reorder, so I appreciate the low-cost vitamin resource. Are you using the "one-a-day" formulas? If not, this may save you a few dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Oh, also, there are frequently discount codes for Vitacost, and they participate in the Ebates program with something like a 5% rebate. If you're not a member of Ebates, you get either a $5 or $10 bonus for signing up, plus any ebates you earn. That should help take a little of the sting out of it! ETA link: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/vitacost.com Sweet! TYVM :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 We also use RBLite, also. It is a food-source vitamin which means the nutrients are in a form the body can use (unlike vitamins from synthetic sources). In fact it tastes like seaweed :tongue_smilie: It is probably very similar to the "superfoods" you have been using. Neat, I'll have to look into that. As much as I believe in superfoods, I have to admit the idea of popping a pill rather than forcing down various powders, liquids, and sludges sounds pretty nice. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIN Posted October 25, 2008 Author Share Posted October 25, 2008 We also use RBLite, also. It is a food-source vitamin which means the nutrients are in a form the body can use (unlike vitamins from synthetic sources). In fact it tastes like seaweed O.K., I gotta ask - where do you get this or where can I find more information on it? As long as I'm spending the money I might as well check out all the options, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 You get what you pay for. If you invest in the good stuff, you get better returns, imo. My family takes the more expensive "health food" supplements. Have you read the labels on those and then compared them to what you can buy at the grocery? Biiiiiiiiig difference. The same goes for natural body products. If you don't want all kinds of yucky chemicals in and on your body, the extra money is worth it. I believe that spending the extra money for healthy and safer things results in better health (and therefore reduced medical expenditures). I have seen the difference since we went organic/all natural. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIN Posted October 25, 2008 Author Share Posted October 25, 2008 Oh, also, there are frequently discount codes for Vitacost, and they participate in the Ebates program with something like a 5% rebate. If you're not a member of Ebates, you get either a $5 or $10 bonus for signing up, plus any ebates you earn. That should help take a little of the sting out of it! I just saved $17.00 from a discount code, thanks! I'm off to check out the Ebates thing. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 O.K., I gotta ask - where do you get this or where can I find more information on it? As long as I'm spending the money I might as well check out all the options, LOL! I am looking at them right now, and was tempted to ask your opinion (if it isn't a thread hyjack.) Here is the Kids' vitamin I use In the past I have used the Prenatal Vitamins, but I am no longer pregnant or nursing, so I am considering either the basic women's multivitamin or the "Nutritional System". Which one would you choose? ETA I just realised the "Nutritional System" is six a day. Don't know about that one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Neat, I'll have to look into that. As much as I believe in superfoods, I have to admit the idea of popping a pill rather than forcing down various powders, liquids, and sludges sounds pretty nice. :D FWIW, the liquids and sludges are generally considered to be more effective, in part because they're fresher. If you can stand to take them, you're probably better off. That said, I take the pills myself. I'm trying to psych myself up to take the liquid CLO, but...I just don't know if I can do it! I'm a gagger. Actually, I'm gagging a little just typing this, for pete's sake. Sweet! TYVM :001_smile: I just saved $17.00 from a discount code, thanks! I'm off to check out the Ebates thing. Thanks! You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. Don't buy anything online without checking RetailMeNot and Ebates first. I love those sites! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 FWIW, the liquids and sludges are generally considered to be more effective, in part because they're fresher. If you can stand to take them, you're probably better off. That said, I take the pills myself. I'm trying to psych myself up to take the liquid CLO, but...I just don't know if I can do it! I'm a gagger. Actually, I'm gagging a little just typing this, for pete's sake. You're a better woman than me. I take my CLO in capsules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIN Posted October 25, 2008 Author Share Posted October 25, 2008 I am looking at them right now, and was tempted to ask your opinion (if it isn't a thread hyjack.) Here is the Kids' vitamin I use In the past I have used the Prenatal Vitamins, but I am no longer pregnant or nursing, so I am considering either the basic women's multivitamin or the "Nutritional System". Which one would you choose? ETA I just realised the "Nutritional System" is six a day. Don't know about that one... That is the same vitamin my kids use. :) I've used Rainbow Light's basic women's mulitvitamin, but I'm now using SuperMom vitamins. I really like them better. They have more "green" foods. I'll see if I can find a link... http://www.beeyoutiful.com/supplements/women-s-health/supermom-180-tablets.html That link tells the most about them, but I do purchase them from this site: http://www.morethanalive.com b/c they have free shipping for orders over $50.00. I order 2 bottles at a time which gets me free shipping and lasts 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 You're a better woman than me. I take my CLO in capsules. Not yet, I'm not! :lol: My main motivation is that the caps I take give me terrible, horrible, nasty *whispering* burps (sorry! possible TMI!) for hours afterward and actually make me a little queasy. I've heard that this can be because the oil in the pills is much older, and possibly a bit rancid, compared with the fresh oil in the bottle. Sooooo, it's kind of "out of the frying, into the fire," you know? I haven't decided yet, anyway. Blech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Not yet, I'm not! :lol: My main motivation is that the caps I take give me terrible, horrible, nasty *whispering* burps (sorry! possible TMI!) for hours afterward and actually make me a little queasy. I've heard that this can be because the oil in the pills is much older, and possibly a bit rancid, compared with the fresh oil in the bottle. Sooooo, it's kind of "out of the frying, into the fire," you know? I haven't decided yet, anyway. Blech. What kind are you using? I haven't had this problem with Spectrum, or Nordic Naturals. Once I bought a cheapie brand and it was awful! :ack2: I think you are right, the oil is probably rancid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Vitamin Shoppe is a discount store that sells brand names for less. http://www.vitaminshoppe.com They have IRL stores as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 I am looking at them right now, and was tempted to ask your opinion (if it isn't a thread hyjack.) That is the same vitamin my kids use. :) I've used Rainbow Light's basic women's mulitvitamin, but I'm now using SuperMom vitamins. I really like them better. They have more "green" foods. I'll see if I can find a link... http://www.beeyoutiful.com/supplements/women-s-health/supermom-180-tablets.html That link tells the most about them, but I do purchase them from this site: www.morethanalive.com b/c they have free shipping for orders over $50.00. I order 2 bottles at a time which gets me free shipping and lasts 6 months. They look great, but I can't swing the price right now. I will definitely keep them in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 FWIW, the liquids and sludges are generally considered to be more effective, in part because they're fresher. If you can stand to take them, you're probably better off. That said, I take the pills myself. I'm trying to psych myself up to take the liquid CLO, but...I just don't know if I can do it! I'm a gagger. Actually, I'm gagging a little just typing this, for pete's sake. If you're gagging just thinking about it, then you should probably stick with the pills! :D But for others contemplating liquid CLO, I would like to recommend the cinnamon flavored version from Blue Ice. The cinnamon masks the fishiness better than any other flavor I've ever tried. I'm not saying it's delicious, but it's do-able! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 What kind are you using? I haven't had this problem with Spectrum, or Nordic Naturals. Once I bought a cheapie brand and it was awful! :ack2: I think you are right, the oil is probably rancid. Erm...well...the GNC brand :blushing: It cost an arm and a leg, so I thought it must be of decent quality, and I'd heard of other people complaining about the same thing, so I thought it was normal. I will absolutely look into the other brands--right away, in fact, because it got so bad I stopped taking them, and I really want to start again. Thanks! If you're gagging just thinking about it, then you should probably stick with the pills! :D But for others contemplating liquid CLO, I would like to recommend the cinnamon flavored version from Blue Ice. The cinnamon masks the fishiness better than any other flavor I've ever tried. I'm not saying it's delicious, but it's do-able! Yeah, but what do you do if you don't like cinnamon either? :lol: I've heard that from others, actually, and figured I'd go that route if I decided to try the liquid. Thanks for the confirmation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Yeah, but what do you do if you don't like cinnamon either? :lol: Well, then you're in trouble! :D Some people like the lemon and/or orange very well, but I like the cinnamon just because it's stronger. I've also heard of people buying unflavored clo, buying a bottle of clove oil, and then adding the clove oil until it masked the taste sufficiently for them. Would that work better for you? Nah, just stick with the pills. If you're buying a good brand, it can't be that much different, right??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 GretaLynne, which superfood product are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 GretaLynne, which superfood product are you using? I take cod liver oil (DHA, EPA, Vits A and D), amla/spirulina powder (Vit C), brewer's yeast (B vits and some minerals). Those are the only ones I take regularly. I add in dessicated liver when the budget allows for it and I'm feeling motivated. I should take wheat germ oil (Vit E) but I don't because it's even more vile and repulsive than cod liver oil. And if I had more money to spend, I would take high vitamin butter oil. But I can't justify a $50 bottle of butter oil right now, so it's a no-go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Interesting thread! I'm not sure why - but it has never occurred to me that there would be "better" qualities of vitamins! Thanks for the interesting replies / info here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 My dh, kids and myself have been taking fish oil supplements and vitamins. We aren't using the stuff from Wal-Mart, rather we use Nordic Naturals fish oil, Rainbow Light vitamins for dh and kids, and I take Super Mom vitamins. I order most of this from vitacost.com, which is the cheapest I can find on the net. But, as I'm totaling my current order I'm thinking if I would cut this stuff from my budget, it would save quite a bit! What says the hive mind? Am I ultimately saving money b/c I'm keeping us healthy or is this money down the drain? Hmm, along these same lines - is it worth it to use natural soap, natural shampoo, and natural deodorant? It's worth it to me--and I get my whole food vitamins from Vitacost, too--because in the year I've been taking them, I have not been sick. Seriously, twice I thought I was getting a cold, got a little stuffy and it lasted 2 days and was gone. That's IT!! My daughter and dh are taking them, too, and no sickness. The one bad cold that went around hit the other kiddos. Now, to be fair, add in the exercise, cutting out caffeine and healthy eating that we're doing...but I really think the supplements I take help me. I don't even take the recommended 3 (4?) per day, only 2 to make them last and because I'm wary of megadosing on anything. I am getting ready to re-evaluate the ones I take and be sure I have enough B-vitamins and fish oil so that during the winter I don't get the blues. :) I consider the few supplements we use to be part of the budget now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 For those looking for a liquid CLO I strongly recommend Nordic Naturals Orange flavor. We mix it in with fruit smoothie and we don't taste anything or have fishie burps. One day I even forgot to add it and the kids told me the smoothie tasted funny. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Youngs Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I LOVE vitacost.com I couldn't afford supplements for our family of 5 without them! We used Nordic Naturals for the boys when they were younger. NN are softer to chew or smaller to learn how to swallow. We all take the Carlson lightly lemon chewable capsules now. I actually "crave" the flavor of the oil. They are a good reputable company and much less $$ than Nordic Naturals. $20 for 300 chewable capsules. Hubby and I take 5 daily and kids take 3 daily. As for a multi-vitamin, just say no. The benefits of eating healthy food are not just in their vitamins and minerals. There are literally thousands of compounds and chemicals in an apple that make it healthy. If you just take 3 of them in a multi, are you going to realize the same benefits? No way...... You will usually see minerals added to a superfood supplement, bc minerals are not as easy to get through diet alone in sufficient amounts. I take the Kyolic Kyo-green Powder in a shot of juice every a.m. It's $25 for 10 oz, which is 115+ days of greens. (it does not taste bad!) Hubby hates drinks, so he takes the Organic Frog Energy chews $9/60/1month. Kids take the Organic Frog children's greens $9/60/1daily. I have tried others, but they just aren't as fresh and potent. We all take Symbiotics plus chewable colostrum daily. I can't tell you how much of a difference this has made in our immune systems. We really do not get sick. Aside from the occasional sniffle, there just are not any sick days for any of us. My oldest son has even "outgrown" or gotten rid of all asthma problems that he was suffering with. We have no health issues, so $100 a month for preventative sure beats spending money monthly on meds. It's an investment in our health and just part of our grocery bill that will not be eliminated. We also eat very healthy, so it's not all the pills. Sorry for the book~ This is my area of expertise, and I find it fascinating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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