Everywhere we go, we are assaulted by claims of “Enriched with Vitamin C!”, “Added B vitamins!”, “More Vitamin A than the leading brand!”, and so on. We all know that vitamins and minerals are essential to the proper balance and function of our bodies, but which supplements are vital and necessary to our health and well being, and which might we avoid, lest we end up with an expensive bathroom trip? Here are my top five choices for essential supplements:
Calcium – According to the National Institute of Health, the recommended total calcium intake is 1,000 mg a day for women between 25 and 50 years of age, 1,200 – 1,500 for pregnant or lactating women, and 1,500 mg per day for postmenopausal women. The average calcium consumption among North American women is currently only 600 mg per day. I take a calcium magnesium supplement and find that it really helps me with nighttime leg cramps.
This past weekend, I competed in my first triathlon. The race course consisted of 1.5K swim, 40K bike, and 10K run. I can’t tell you how much fun I had. From learning how to swim and cycle in the first place to learning how to rip off a wetsuit and clipping in to the bike, tackling a triathlon promises adventure for everyone who dares to do it. The craziest part for me was definitely the swim. Imagine humans swimming over and into each other. I was smacked on the back, legs, arms, head, and face. Thankfully, I got out in about 39 minutes. I managed to develop “ulnar palsy” (temporary numbness in the ring and pinky finger from pinching on the ulnar nerve while cycling) and acquire several bumps, scrapes and bruises — and that’s just from the biking!
The triathlon took me 3 hours and 2 minutes to complete and I estimate that I burned 2,000 calories! In fact, once I got my appetite back I was hungry all day! Clearly, my metabolism was on overdrive!
In this kind of race, good nutrition is paramount to have a strong finish. But if you just focus on what you do during the event, you’re too late. You need to fuel well all during your training to maximize the benefits. Most importantly, you need to take care to deliver the right nutrients 1-2 days before the competition. That’s what this article is all about.
Still think you can’t afford to eat healthy? Think again! Hands down one of my greatest pet peeves is when people say they can’t afford to eat healthy. Whether it’s choosing a $1 candy bar in lieu of a 17 cent banana or buying a $3 coffee instead of a 50 cent low fat yogurt, people make food choices every day that don’t make nutrition a priority. But would you ever think that salmon, which is rich in omega-3 healthy fats to promote heart health and brain health, would be cheaper than hot dogs made with who knows what?
Check out this table that cost-compares sources of protein. Salmon comes out well above hot dogs, ground beef and ham for “cost per pound.”
These days, the old adage “a penny for your thoughts” would have some people asking for a refund, especially when it comes to nutrition. I bet everyone reading this can come up with at least one example of “bad” nutrition advice they received at one time or another. (I’d love to get your examples in the comments section.)
Mistakes happen and every once in awhile you are bound to get some bad information. But when your personal health and wellness is on the line there’s no room for confusion. We’re all busy and have limited time to read and educate ourselves. Who doesn’t want a straightforward answer to their nutrition questions?
So, here are a few tips for finding credible information:
Use the Internet with caution. When it comes to nutrition, you have to remember that anyone can post anything on the Internet and make it look appealing without any evidence of proof. Beware of the snake oil salesman lurking on the Internet, making promises about products, supplements, potions, and pills.
Grocery shopping can be such a pain. We have more choices than ever before. My friend told me she was “overwhelmed” by the eggs at a recent shopping trip – eggs! Evidently, there are too many varieties (whole grain, omega-3, cage-free, etc.).
We’d also like to keep food costs down, which is not always easy, but increasingly important in this economy. But I worry that the economic recession is going to drive well-meaning people into a nutrition recession, too. Don’t let this happen to you. It is possible to save money on your grocery bill without sacrificing nutrition and I’m going to tell you how in this video.
Everywhere we go, we are assaulted by claims of “Enriched with Vitamin C!”, “Added B vitamins!”, “More Vitamin A than the leading brand!”, and so on. We all know that vitamins and minerals are essential to the proper balance and function of our bodies, but which supplements are vital and necessary to our health and well being, and which might we avoid, lest we end up with an expensive bathroom trip? Here are my top five choices for essential supplements:
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