Those of you who know me would agree when I say that I am a little overly structured, over the top, type A, boarder line OCD, and can be a bit much at times. Ok, the “little”, “borderline” and “can be” are understatements. I admit it. And it’s more like AAA. Fine..I accept. But really…who’s perfect?
So with this said, I tend to do everything in order, with structure, and am totally in control of myself and my surroundings (except when I’m in a car and someone beeps at me, drives 5 miles an hour, or cuts/flips me off – then it all goes to shit – lol).
There’s a pattern I stick to everyday when it comes to working, eating, training, etc. Everything is mapped out the night/week before and I know exactly what/where I’m going to be/doing generally at all times. Sounds boring? Yeah. It has its moments.
So this structured life of mine always starts in the morning. Obviously. I do the same thing every morning. Wake up, kiss Ella, put up a pot of coffee, splash cold water on my face, brush my teeth, walk her, give her a treat, pat her on the ass, pour a cup and take a dose of thermos. Ten minutes later, I’m wired, awake and ready for my morning cardio. I return from cardio, make my 6 egg whites, put 2 peices of ezekiel bread in the toaster, pour another cup, and try really hard to remember to take my supplements. Now, I usually take a multi (2 pills), calcium (500mg), vitamin D (1000 IU), and two omega 3 chews.
The key words here – “try” and “usually” – because for some reason I’ve been having a hard time remembering to take them lately. And it’s really bugging me. “Structure” and “Hard Time Remembering” don’t work well together. Because I’m training for a show and my diet is minuscule (another understatement), I need to make sure that I’m getting the important nutrients and minerals missing from it. So supplementation is the way. Right?
Well, in my case… right. But only because of my modified diet. But in the case of most of you…wrong.
Many people believe that their foods do not supply adequate vitamins and minerals and take supplements. Often in dangerous doses – mega doses. This sometimes can result in actual harm without them even knowing it.
Rule #1…only a very small amount of vitamins and minerals are needed to maintain health. This is why they are called micronutrients.
Rule #2…if you are eating a healthy well-balance diet from the five main food groups, you are getting all the nutrients and minerals your body needs. Even if you are eating a marginal healthy diet, you’ll get them. End of the rules.
Now here’s the “harmful” effects part regarding the statement two paragraphs ago when it comes to vitamins. “Generally, vitamins function as coenzymes that attach to specific protein substances called apoenzymes in cells to become holoenzymes (enzymes, for short). Each cell has a limited maximum capacity to make apoenzymes, which are quickly saturated with vitamins, making it biochemically impossible for excess vitamins to functions as vitamins”. * So in layman words, when you take an excess of them, they don’t act like vitamins; they act like drugs and have potential dangerous side effects. For example, if you are someone who has a predisposition to heart attacks, you may want to look into taking extra doses of Vitamin E, which inhibits blood coagulation. But if you are not predisposed to heart attacks and you take mega-doses of Vitamin E, it may promote genetically predisposed stroke. Scary stuff.
Just recently it has been found that taking Vitamin E supplements significantly increased the risk of prostate cancer in healthy men even after they stopped taking them. Another study, just released, showed that older women who took a daily vitamin supplement, even just a multivitamin, had an increased risk of dying of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The link between supplement intake and death risk was strongest with iron. Calcium supplements were associated with reduced risk.
There are so many different views and an ongoing studies and findings that discount and support supplementation. They key word here is “ongoing”. The reality is that scientists and nutritionists really don’t conclusively know the benefits or dangers of supplementation. So I will echo the words of Marion Nestle, Nutrition Professor at New York University,”there has been one study after another showing that vitamin supplements either cause harm or do not do any good. It’s hard for me to believe that multivitamins are harmful, but there’s not much evidence that they do good”.
So, you confused yet? Lol. And wondering which supplements you should be taking if any at all? Well, again, most of the 13 vitamins that are essential for human health can be obtained from a healthy balanced diet – with the exception of vitamin D which we get from the sun directly through the skin. But that’s the thing…most people place their health and nutrition last on their daily ‘to do’ list and ignore their diet throughout most of the day. So these bad food choices or, in too many cases, lack of choices (the majority of working adults do not eat enough of the healthy foods that adhere to the dietary guidelines thru the course of the day and usually load up late night with shit) may lead them to some really key vitamin and mineral deficiencies. And as they age, it will smack them in the face.
So for these ‘go getters’ I recommend a daily multi every morning. However for some, there may be a need to supplement even further. Specifically those with genetic dispositions to certain diseases, pregnancy, vegetarians or vegans. And for crazy dieters and heavy trainers like me.
Regardless of what you believe, it’s important to be aware of the major Vitamins and Minerals that exist and their direct benefits to your body, as well as the natural food sources where you can obtain them.
Vitamins are broken down to into two groups determined by how they are absorbed by the body. Fat-Soluble and Water-Soluble. So here’s a simple breakdown of the benefits and natural food sources for each.
| Fat-Soluble | Benefits | Food Sources |
| Vitamin A | Skin, Hair, Nails, Gums, Glands, Bones | low-fat skim or skim dairy, greens, yellow/orange fruits and veggies |
| Vitamin D | Teeth and Bones, Absorption of calcium | egg yolks, fish & cod-liver oil, milk, butter, sun exposure |
| Vitamin E | Red blood cell, muscle tissue formation | poultry seafood, seeds, nuts, wheat germ, cereals, eggs |
| Vitamin K | Normal blood clotting, bone metabolism, intestinal bacteria | leafy veggies, oats, wheat bran, potatoes |
| Water-Soluble | Benefits | Food Sources |
| Thiamine (Vit B1) | Promotes metabolism, appetite, digestion, nerve function. | pork, fortified grains, cereals, seafood |
| Riboflavin (Vit B2) | Metabolism, energy to cells, maintains vision. | organ meats, beef, lamb, dark poultry, low-fat dairy, dark veggies.
|
| Niacin (Vit B3) | Digestion, energy, nerve function, cholesterol. | poultry, seafood, seeds, nuts, potatoes, whole grains breads and cereals.
|
| Pantothenic Acid (Vit B5) | Converts food to molecular forms, adrenal hormones. | intestinal bacteria, oil plants, animal foods.
|
| Pyridoxine (Vit B6) | Protein metabolism & absorption, carbohydrate, metabolism, red blood cell formation, nerve function
| meats, fish, poultry, grains, cereal, spinach, sweet potatoes, bananas, prunes, watermelon.
|
| Cobalamin (Vit B12) | Builds genetic material. helps forms red blood cells | meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, low-fat dairy products
|
| Biotin | Metabolism of glucose & intestinal bacteria, formation of fatty acids | intestinal bacteria, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes, veggies.
|
| Folic Acid | Helps make DNA/RNA, red blood cells. | poultry, liver, dark green leafy veggies, red blood cells. legumes, whole grain cereals & breads, orange and grapefruit juice.
|
| Vitamin C | Helps bind cells together,
strengthens blood vessel
walls, antihistaminic against
colds | citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, sweet potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, green/red pepper, plantains, snow peas.
|
There are two major groups when it comes to Minerals – Major Minerals (calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur) and Trace Minerals (iodine, manganese, iron, molybdenum, copper, selenium, zinc, chromium, cobalt, fluoride).
Minerals differ than vitamins in that they are inorganic unlike vitamins which are organic. Minerals can be built directly into biological structures (ie – calcium and bones / iron and hemoglobin). I will only touch upon the major ones; since they are the ones needed in large amounts on a daily basis and are found in large quantities in the body.
Calcium - About 99% of the body’s calcium is in the bones and teeth. Inadequate calcium absorption in children results in rickets (shortening of the bones) and in osteoporosis in adults (softening of the bones). Osteoporosis affects about 25% of women after age 60 and about 7% of men. Many factors affect calcium metabolism like sex, estrogen levels, physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and dietary components like phosphate, fluoride, boron, and magnesium.
Taking allot of calcium supplements may not be the total solution to preventing osteoporosis and an increase in dietary calcium may not mean that it will be absorbed and laid in the bone as opposed to being lost in urine and feces. Generally a healthy adult absorbs 30%-40% of the calcium in an ordinary diet. And the same percentage is true for calcium supplements. Too much calcium supplementation can interfere with iron absorption. Vitamin D may increase calcium absorption but the presence of estrogen is needed for it to be converted into its active form. Physical activity will help increase it as well. Alcohol and cigarette smoking will hinder it.
Natural food sources are milk, milk products, canned sardines and salmon, tofu, dried beans and peas, peanuts, walnuts, seeds, broccoli, and dark green leafy vegetables (except spinach).
Chloride – Common in the diet in the form of table salt (sodium chloride). It basically helps regulate the balance of acid and alkali in the blood and maintains pressure that causes body fluids to pass through the cellular membranes. It’s also important for digestion, aids the liver in keeping the body clean, keeps you limber by keeping the joints and tendons healthy and helps to distribute hormones.
Natural foods sources are table salt, kelp, olives, rye flour, and seaweed.
Magnesium – Essential for the metabolization of carbohydrates and for burning glucose in the cells for fuel. It aids in the absorption of other nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium and helps the body use B complex vitamins and vitamin C & E. Studies have also shown that it helps to lower cholesterol, reduce plaque in arterial walls, and lowers incident of hypertension and heart disease. Additionally it’s essential for proper functioning of nerves and muscles specifically the muscle that make up cardiac tissue. It’s been known to treat depression, delirium, neuromuscular disorder, epilepsy, alcoholism, nervousness, hand tremors, sensitivity to noise and Parkinson’s disease.
Natural food sources are fresh green veggies, unprocessed wheat germ, soybeans, milk, whole grains, seafood, figs, corn, apples, oil-rich seeds and nuts (almonds) and bananas.
Phosphorus – Is present in every cell of the body, is involved in almost every physiological chemical reaction that occurs in the body and forms part of the body’s DNA and RNA. It’s stored primarily in the bones and teeth and is necessary for proper bone growth, functioning of never impulse, muscle contractions including heart contraction and kidney function. It’s also important for the production of energy, the transportation of fats and fatty acids, and help keeps the pH of the body.
Natural food sources are fish, poultry, meat, legumes, whole grains, eggs, nuts and seeds.
Potassium – Works with sodium to control the amount of water inside and outside the cells. It’s the chief intercellular electrolyte. Potassium is necessary for maintaining heart rhythms, nerve, brain and muscle function. It also helps get rid of body wastes, reduces blood pressure and preserving alkalinity of the body.
Natural food sources are legumes, squash, beef, citrus fruits, potatoes, leafy green veggies, cantaloupe, prunes, watermelon, asparagus, beets, tomatoes, bananas, milk and watercress.
Sodium – Is the primary extracellular electrolyte and works with potassium. It aids in keeping calcium and other minerals in the blood soluble, but too high of an intake depletes potassium and raises blood pressure. Many Americans consume too much sodium in their diet.
Natural food sources are salt, shellfish, bacon, poultry, meat, kelp, organs, carrots, beets, and artichokes.
Sulfur – Is present in all proteins and some amino acids for healthy hair, skin and nails. It helps maintain oxygen balance essential for brain function. It’s found in insulin and works with the B Vitamins for energy metabolism.
Natural food sources are eggs, meat, fish, cheese, legumes, milk and cabbage.
Iron - Although Iron is a trace mineral and not a major mineral, I’m going to touch on it as well since it’s quite important to the overall health of an individual. Iron is essentially found in every cell of the body and is required for life. It transports oxygen in the blood from the lungs to every cell in your body – muscles, bones, nerves, heart, liver, brain, etc. It’s a vital mineral that should not be missed.
Natural food sources are organ meats, oysters, clams dried peaches, egg yolks, leafy green veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, asparagus, dried fruit, molasses, oatmeal, prune juice, potatoes, and sardines.
* Sources -
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Total Nutrition
IFPA, the Book on Sports Nutrition
USA Today, Are Vitamin Supplements Healthy or Deadly – Nanci Hellmich
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. Seriously though, it is chemical. Eating it causes a biochemical chain reaction that leads to a temporary increase in the hormone serotonin. Serotonin is our “feel good” hormone. It helps us feel more relaxed, less anxious, less stressed, and improves our mood. This is the well-known “sugar high”. The key word here is temporary. Once the high is gone, the body desires to return to it. Thus, sugar can become an addiction; and it is a very difficult one to break. What fuels this addiction is the fact that most of the sugar we consume is refined and has no nutritional value. Our hunger is not satisfied. Hunger is a sign from our body that it needs energy to function. After eating sugary foods we will soon be hungry and eat again. We’ve all experienced this. Unfortunately this often means eating more sugar, which keeps this pattern going and the addiction continues.
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