Seniors, Do You Take Vitamins?

I don't agree with your first sentence. This is something which many doctors say also and, a few decades ago, it would have been true but not so nowadays.

Because we import far more foods than we used to and because foods travel long distances and are stored differently and for longer we cannot possibly have any clue about the vitamin content of what we eat these days. What small amount might still be present is often destroyed in the cooking process.

About 20 years ago several members of my family were unwell - not all with the same illnesses but we were all found to be deficient in various nutrients. This was a shock as I thought that we had a well 'balanced diet'. On paper we did but what we were eating was not of the quality that those same foodstuffs would have been when I first became a housewife.

With the advice of a nutritionist we all became well again, cured of sinusitis, joint pains, skin problems, hair falling out, poor sleep pattern and many others things. Since taking the advised nutrients in tablet and capsule form we have not looked back.

When anyone is ill in the family now I check out what deficiencies might be causing this before taking the matter anywhere else.

Most doctors will disagree with my approach and would much prefer that I take chemically made drugs rather than natural supplements. I find that attitude really sad.

I do take supplements, my reason is that I feel my food doesn't contain the correct nutrients, even though I eat a well balanced diet.

I have been very interested in the studys on Vitamin C and D where the swine flu problem is concerned. It's quite interesting what the web sites run by drug company's say about them and what the advocates of supplementation and herbalism say.

I would rather put a vitamin in my mouth than a chemical experiment. I would rather take vitamin D than have a flu jab.

I'm trying hard to stop all processed food in my diet and try to have as much home grown stuff as I can.

I'm an advocate of apple cider vinegar, and we make our own with the cider from our own apples obtained with a small cider press. So it contains good nutrients.

I have always been very interested in the effect our diet has on the body. And I would say that the most sensible thing I've ever heard where diet is concerned was advice given at an in house training session by a young dietitian which was to eat like a rainbow. So what she meant was have as many different colours in your diet as possible of non processed food.

I better stop because I could harp on about this all day; Good question young otter.

When you get a blood workup by your doctor the form you receive back will tell you what vitamins you are missing or are short on, and then the doctor suggests that you just take certain ones.

These days we're told that the vitamins and minerals in the soil are a lot less than past years because of the soil's overuse and it is suggested that we take a one-a-day type vitamin with minerals. I like tunafish and salmon so I'm ok on the oiling of my joints. B12 is suggested for the nerves so you don't get depressed or crying. D is suggested for those who don't get out into the sun a lot (staying away from sunburn or build up of sunburn from prior years) and it also lowers the cholesterol.

Kicking my legs 35 times each before I go to sleep stops any leg cramps (but so did milk) and so does lifting the legs when sitting during the day.

Today's stressful living takes its toll on our body's use of vitamins and minerals, and there's no way of telling what nourishing state our food is in unless we grow our own.

I have fish liver oil and omega 3, also a multi vitamin and mineral when I feel the need, especially if I'm not eating properly for whatever reason.

When I was in Morocco I watched a British program about cold storage of fruits and vegetables, the same system that is used here in the US and how produce loses vitamins from the moment they are picked, transported, stored and get to the grocers cold storage and then put on display. Not even close to what the nutritional books say that a typical apple or orange's vitamin content that is listed in their books. Besides that crops are planted repeatedly in the same soils without giving the fields a chance to rest and build up nutrients, for the most part, and then artificial fertilizers are used on commercial crops. One reason it is recommended to buy locally whenever possible.

I take some vitamins and minerals each day, be careful with vitamin D, although it is good to have a proper level some people may have a liver that is not functioning well enough to take in larger amounts and process it. I use CLA, a fatty acid that is abundant in free-range animals but lacking in those that are kept in feedlots and closed-in poultry houses. CLA helps to heal and build muscle tissue and keeps my muscles from aching especially when I lift or pull on anything.

I live in the USA and there is a debate as to whether vitamins are needed to supplement our diets.

I take Calcium and Vitamin D3 for bone, breast, colon and immune health. B12 for energy metabolism, Magnesium for nerve and muscle function, Papaya Enzyme for digestive aid and Folic acid for cardiovascular health.

I also work out 5 days a week and do not smoke or drink. I just turned 65, look 45, and feel 25.

EDIT: the above post reminded me of low dose aspirin! Yes, you must take this daily.

Hello, I take a tablespoon of Manuka honey (plus 15) every morning , and i have a B12,jab every 6 weeks, , i also take a lot of omega 3 in my ever day healthy diet , i eat lots of veg, an 2 pieces of fruit a day ,,once a week i like a nice fresh Mango, i seem o be ok on that, fingers crossed i will stay ok ,

I take a bunch of supplements. Recently heard some panel of doctors and nutritionists on tv saying that even though we (in the US) have access to a lot of food and ought to be in top nutritional shape, our foods have been genetically altered so badly that they aren't always as healthy as they should be, plus insecticides, the toxins in the water feeding the food sources, and other things destroy a lot of the nutrition that ought to be there. Antibiotics and growth hormones added to farm animal feed to bulk them up. All that stuff that is done to our food. And many people do things like avoid eating vegetables (other than french fries) because they "don't like vegetables." I know people like this personally. I take a multivitamin although at times I consider quitting once I swallow the rest of my supply--but there's stuff I get that I don't know what they are or where else I'd get them (selenium? Manganese? etc.). I take CoQ-10 for my brain, extra calcium and Vit. D-3 because I have the beginnings of osteoporosis and I don't want to have to take Fosamax or anything else, all which have damaging side effects. Itake omega-3 just because so much of the oily fish these days are also high in mercury so I don't eat them as often as I'd like. I take acidolphius to keep my digestive track in good order since I've had problems with it in the past and can't eat yogurt. And I get outside and walk as often as I can, in the sunshine (which is very weak at this time of year so it feels good--I'm still confused as to Vit. D: if I only let my hands get sunshine for 15 mins, does that mean if I exposed like both my legs I'd only need 7.5 mins. of sun exposure? And does how strong the sun is make a difference?).

I remember watching a programme some years ago where it was stated that if we eat lettuce, thinking that it is good for us, then we should grow our own and pick it, wash it and serve it in less than 5 minutes of it being cut, otherwise it will contain nothing of any benefit to our body - all nutrients will have gone from it in that short space of time. I think of that every time I see people tucking into a salad and thinking that it is good for them. Maybe the other components of the salad are but this particular person (a nutritionist who used to appear on T.V.) was adamant that the lettuce was pretty useless as far as nutrition is concerned. Just imagine how long ago those shop bought sandwiches were made!!

I would suggest feeding a premium quality food plus glucosamine and/or MSM. You shouldn't need vitamins if the dog is getting a quality diet.