Eating a wide variety of foods is the best way to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals, and the only way to get the many disease-preventing nutrients you can’t get in a pill. My meal plans are finely tuned to give you optimal nutrition in weight
loss–sized portions. But I understand we all have favorite foods, and there are probably some foods you wouldn’t eat even if someone paid you. If you don’t con- sistently eat a variety of healthy foods, consider adding the following supplements to your healthy diet. Because over-the-counter supplements can interact with some medications and are contraindicated for people with some medical conditions, always speak with your personal physician first before popping anything new.
Multivitamin: The purpose of a multivitamin is to make up for nutritional weaknesses in your diet. Because vitamin and mineral deficiencies can make you prone to some pretty serious diseases, I think it is better to be safe than sorry. That’s why I recommend taking one multivitamin per day simply as an insurance policy. Men and post-menopausal women should look for a brand that does not contain iron—they don’t need it, and too much iron may result in health prob- lems. Women in their childbearing years should look for a brand that contains
18 milligrams of iron. Choose a brand that contains about 100% of the Daily Value (DV)—the amount scientists have determined is necessary for health—for most nutrients listed on the label. Vitamin D is the exception—optimally you should aim for MORE than 100% DV. Our bodies are capable of making vitamin D, but only when our skin is exposed to direct sunlight. Because of the smart use of sun block to reduce the risk of skin cancer, we are facing a surprise epidemic of vita- min D deficiency. The answer is not to go unprotected in the sun. Instead, be sure to take in 1,000 IU to 2,000 IU vitamin D daily. And the easiest way to get a fair chunk of this amount is with a multivitamin.
There are a lot more options for multivitamins today than there were even just a few years ago. If you can’t swallow pills, look for a chewable variety—they make them for adults now, so you don’t have to munch on cartoon characters. If your supplement causes you gastrointestinal upset or constipation, try different brands to see if you can find one that doesn’t affect you. If all supplements cause problems, stop taking them. Just be extra careful to eat a varied diet.
Calcium with vitamin D3: My meal plans are loaded with calcium, but if your doctor recommends an additional calcium supplement, or if you find yourself skimping on the dairy foods, then by all means take a supplement. Just make sure it also comes packaged with vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, the most potent form), which enables the calcium to be absorbed. Recent studies suggest that men should
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