With
so many vitamins, minerals, and supplements available these days, it’s a bit
overwhelming trying to decide what’s best for you. Every body has different
needs, and not everyone will benefit from taking the same vitamin every day. Some
studies have even said multi-vitamins aren’t doing what they claim to be doing
for our bodies after all!
So
how are we supposed to know what to take?
The
best advice is to see your primary care physician, who’s familiar with your personal
health history, and have him or her run tests to see what nutrient levels you might
need to increase.
In
the meantime, Pilates Platinum has done some research and we want to share what
we’ve learned with our readers. Certain vitamins are definitely worth taking,
especially for people with specific conditions. Read on for our picks, and why:
Vitamin
D
Adults
who take Vitamin D supplements can reduce their chance of catching the flu, and
can also improve bone health. Most
adults are deficient in Vitamin D, so check with your physician to the
appropriate dosage, or catch 10-20 minutes of rays a day!
Zinc
Unlike
Vitamin C, which might not actually treat the common cold, Zinc has proven to
do wonders! This mineral is involved in different aspects of your cellular
metabolism and actually interferes with the “replication of rhinoviruses, the
microbes that cause the common cold”. So if you feel a cold coming on, avoid
popping several Vitamin C’s, and suck on a zinc lozenge instead to see results!
Probiotics
The
trillion of bacterial cells that live inside of us are crucial! It’s important
to replenish your body’s bacterial levels, especially after taking antibiotics.
Replenish your system with a probiotic supplement, or by eating a food
naturally rich in probiotics like yogurt. It’s not necessary to take everyday,
but Probiotics have proven to be effective in circumstances where you need to
get your digestive system back on track.
Niacin,
or Vitamin B3
Said
to be an overall “cure” for conditions like high cholesterol and even chronic
headaches! Talk to your doctor first- especially if heart disease runs in your
family. A prescription-strength dose is needed for results.
Garlic
Yes-
yummy, fragrant garlic to the rescue! Garlic is an effective herbal remedy for
high blood pressure, among other things. Taking a garlic supplement, or increasing
the amount of garlic in your recipes, has shown to help reduce high blood pressure
in adults. So before you turn to meds, give this natural option a try!
