The Importance of Vitamins and Supplements

Many people hear about the importance of taking vitamins and supplements, but they still aren’t taking them – or not taking the right ones. You need to take some just to be sure you’re getting everything you need to stay healthy, and when you visit the chiropractor, it’s possible to go over nutrition and supplements so you are in the know.

Food Comes First

First and foremost, you need to make sure you are eating the right foods. No matter how many vitamins and supplements you take, they aren’t going to replace what you need for food. The right food has thousands of phytochemicals to help you. However, the vitamins and supplements can help to fill in the gaps to what you’re not getting.
For example, maybe you’re lactose intolerant. This means you may not be getting enough Vitamin D – so you can take a supplement for this.

Avoid Deficiencies

When you go to the doctor for your annual physical, they generally want to run blood work on you, and this is designed to see where your deficiencies lie. There may be deficiencies in Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, calcium, potassium, and more. If you aren’t getting enough of these in your food, it can be advantageous to take a supplement – and knowing where you are deficient will help you to get the right ones into your diet.
You can enjoy an array of benefits when you are taking the best vitamins and minerals for you. It can:
–            Ensure you are healthier
–            Help you to avoid snacking throughout the day
–            Reduce your likelihood of being a fast food junkie,
–            Reduce toxicities in your body

Is there such thing as too many supplements?

The quick answer is yes. You want to limit the amount of folic acid that you have in your body as well as vitamin A, B, C, D and the list goes on. If you want to become pregnant, avoid stockpiling vitamin A as it can cause birth defects. Too much vitamin C in your body can result in high levels of toxicity. Most people don’t need iron supplements, or need very low ones, because you’re getting enough from the food you eat.
Supplements likely aren’t going to help you lose weight. They probably aren’t going to help you prevent chronic disease, either. However, they are going to help to balance your immune system and feed your body what it needs to perform better. Simply make sure you know what you are taking and why. You may need a basic multivitamin that gives you a little bit of everything. Then again, you may need something very specific based upon where your deficiencies lie.
Work with a chiropractor when you go in for your next adjustment to find out what they recommend for your vitamins and supplements.