Healthy Life Plans

According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, half of all Americans take vitamins or dietary supplements every day, but should we really be taking all these pills every day? If you go into any health food store, you’ll see what seems like a never-ending selection of different vitamins and supplements. But lots of people don’t really know what they need, just what they think they need.

CNN asked a group of medical doctors what vitamins they personally take every day, giving you a decent expert opinion about what you should be putting into your body. Each of the doctors gave a slightly varied response, but overall their suggestions matched. So here’s what you should probably be taking:

Coenzyme Q10
A supplement that boosts Coenzyme Q10, which is produced by the human body and is necessary for the basic functioning of cells. When tested on animals, it has been shown to improve their immune systems and fight cancer (and prevent) cancer. People affected by migraine headaches report great improvement after taking Coenzyme Q10 supplements. It also prevents brain problems like Parkinson’s disease because of its antioxidant properties.

Multivitamin
Multivitamin pills contain a wide array of different vitamins and sometimes minerals. But it’s important to select a quality multivitamin. Something derived directly from fruits and vegetables is the key. However it’s important to remember that even the high quality multivitamins probably don’t contain Vitamin D (one of the most important vitamins), so you should take a Vitamin D supplement with your multivitamin.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced naturally by sunlight, but with people afraid of skin cancer and using sunscreen, many Americans lack proper levels of Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis, as well as other conditions. Many American’s don’t get enough Vitamin D (through sunlight, or food), so it’s very important to take a Vitamin D supplement. Only fish is naturally rich in Vitamin D, which makes fish and fish oil very important to your diet.

Magnesium
Only 30% of Americans get the necessary amount of Magnesium through their diet alone. Lack of magnesium may lead to irritability, muscle weakness, and an irregular heartbeat. Just as it’s important to take daily vitamins, it’s also important to take daily minerals, which are a lot less abundant in our foods. Therefore a mineral supplement that contains Magnesium is extremely important. Magnesium in particular can help reduce the symptoms of bipolar disease.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)
People with certain circulatory problems, such as varicose veins, benefit greatly from fish oil. Fish oil stimulates blood circulation, increases the breakdown of fibrin, and can reduce your blood pressure. Omega 3 fish oil can also dramatically decrease your chance of having a heart attack. It also has a big psychological impact that can calm (even cure) anxiety and depression. Diabetics must be careful with fish oil because some tests show reduced glycemic control, so consult your doctor to be safe.

What not to take
Most of the doctors who were interviewed agreed that men should not take high doses of calcium because it could lead to prostate cancer, and women should not take iron because it could lead to heart problems or even a heart attack. This doesn’t mean you should avoid calcium or iron, just don’t take a supplement to get it.