Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements, Natural Remedies…What to take?!

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!