I want to invite you to join me in a 12 week supplement and water challenge. If you are like me, then you have the vitamins, but have been less than consistent in taking them. And water, forget it. I call myself the human camel -- I only drink about 2 glasses per day, if that.
The challenge: Take your vitamins (daily multivitamin and/or specific hair vitamins) every day and drink at least 6 glasses of water a day.
I'm beneficially challenged: I know there are many challenges, but if they work, then the more the better. I figure that by posting how many days per week we've taken our supplements and drank adequate water (I'm pushing for 6 glasses to start and I will work my way up) then we will start a new beneficial longlasting habit.
History of how I became a vitamin believer: (I use to think it was just hype)
What my daughter’s pediatrician said: I took my daughter to her pediatrician. He noticed that her hair was shedding and dull. Dr. Ed suggested that I start giving her regular vitamins and make sure there is zinc in her supplement routine. This got me thinking about how many times I started a mission to take supplements, but just forgot to continue.
SIDEBAR -- The Pediatrician has been better than the specialist: Now Dr. Ed and his wife “also a pediatrician” are excellent. My daughter had very bad eczema. I took her to one a well-named dermatologist. She prescribed a medication that was not covered under my insurance and it cost $100.00 per 3 week supply. The medication didn’t even work that well. April still had red dried skin. But when I took my daughter to her regular pediatric visit and Dr Ed noticed her dry skin. He told me to forget the fancy prescriptions and to use either regular cooking oil or olive oil on her skin – I chose the olive oil. My daughter’s eczema is 100% clear and this summer (disregarding dr.’s advice) she swam and took baths daily and her skin is soft and smooth!
You: The Owner’s Manual: Now back to the supplements. I recently read and excellent book called “You: The Owners Manual.” Since reading this book I’ve improved caring for my body (i.e., I quit smoking – 4 months going strong and have a very powerful exercise regime.) But one of the most important facts of the book is that supplements are very important for one’s overall health and according to www.realage.com “regularly taking vitamin C (1200 mg/day), vitamin E (400 IU/day), calcium (1000-1200 mg/day), vitamin D (400-600 IU/day), folate (400 mcg/day), and vitamin B6 (6 mg/day) can make your RealAge 6 years younger.”
We all know that hair is dead and I've learned from other posts to watch how I say "healthy hair" however, we do want to decrease breakage and shedding. According to http://prodigy.healthology.com/focus_article.asp?f=hairloss&c=hairloss_anddiet&b=
“Nutritional deficiencies can contribute to increased hair shedding by weakening hair shafts that cause breakage to the hair and slow regrowth. Hair problems that are caused by nutritional deficiencies can be corrected by a proper diet. Principal nutrients that are involved include vitamin A, certain B vitamins, the vitamin biotin, vitamin C, copper, iron, zinc, protein, and water.”
Below is a chart of vitamins taken from You: The Owners Manual. Check your supplement to see how it matches up with the chart below. The chart is optimum and the Drs / authors recognize that most supplements are off a little. Nature Made Daily Supplement Vitamins came closest to their optimum list, but they were off a bit too. The only thing I would recommend is to make sure you do not exceed 2,500 IU of vitamin A. The book explains excessive vitamin A in supplement form increases the aging process.
Vitamin and Mineral Chart
A No more than 2,500 IU
Make sure your multivitamin contains less than 2,500 IU (less than 1.6 mg) of vitamin A, because too much vitamin A or beta-carotene ages you.
B6 4 mg a day
B12 800 mcg a day (25 mcg, in a supplement. B12 in a supplement is absorbed much better than the B12 found in f gcood)
C 400 mg a day three times a day (remember it's water-soluble, so you need several doses over the day).
D 400 IU a day if under age 60; 600 IU a day if 60 or over
E 400 to 800 IU a day Reduce this to less than 100 IU a day from supplements if you're taking a statin drug
F (folate) 800 mcg a day (folic acid, folate, or folicin, sometimes listed as vitamin B9)
Thiamin 25 mg
Riboflavin 25 mg
Niacin At least 30 mg a day, preferably more if you're taking a statin drug (check with your doctor)
Biotin 300 mg
Pantothenic acid 10 mg
Minerals
Calcium 600 mg twice a day (1,600 mg total a day for women)
Magnesium 400 mg a day
Selenium 200 mcg a day
Zinc 15 mg
Potassium Four fruits plus a normal diet should do it.
Additional vitamin-like substances that might be taken daily
Lycopene Ten tablespoons of tomato sauce a week (400 mg) should do it
Lutein A leafy green vegetable a day (40 mg) should do it
Alpha lipoic acid Not indicated by data yet
Acetyl-L-carnitine Not indicated by data yet, but if you want it, 1,500 mg a day
Coenzyme Q10 Add 200 mg if you're taking a stating drug.
The reduction in arterial aging with 162.5 mg or greater of aspirin is 36% versus 13 % with 82 mg of aspirin. The side effects are just a little greater with 162 mg. The risk benefit is much better with 162 mg.
I hope you decide to join me in this challenge. Thanks.
The challenge: Take your vitamins (daily multivitamin and/or specific hair vitamins) every day and drink at least 6 glasses of water a day.
I'm beneficially challenged: I know there are many challenges, but if they work, then the more the better. I figure that by posting how many days per week we've taken our supplements and drank adequate water (I'm pushing for 6 glasses to start and I will work my way up) then we will start a new beneficial longlasting habit.
History of how I became a vitamin believer: (I use to think it was just hype)
What my daughter’s pediatrician said: I took my daughter to her pediatrician. He noticed that her hair was shedding and dull. Dr. Ed suggested that I start giving her regular vitamins and make sure there is zinc in her supplement routine. This got me thinking about how many times I started a mission to take supplements, but just forgot to continue.
SIDEBAR -- The Pediatrician has been better than the specialist: Now Dr. Ed and his wife “also a pediatrician” are excellent. My daughter had very bad eczema. I took her to one a well-named dermatologist. She prescribed a medication that was not covered under my insurance and it cost $100.00 per 3 week supply. The medication didn’t even work that well. April still had red dried skin. But when I took my daughter to her regular pediatric visit and Dr Ed noticed her dry skin. He told me to forget the fancy prescriptions and to use either regular cooking oil or olive oil on her skin – I chose the olive oil. My daughter’s eczema is 100% clear and this summer (disregarding dr.’s advice) she swam and took baths daily and her skin is soft and smooth!
You: The Owner’s Manual: Now back to the supplements. I recently read and excellent book called “You: The Owners Manual.” Since reading this book I’ve improved caring for my body (i.e., I quit smoking – 4 months going strong and have a very powerful exercise regime.) But one of the most important facts of the book is that supplements are very important for one’s overall health and according to www.realage.com “regularly taking vitamin C (1200 mg/day), vitamin E (400 IU/day), calcium (1000-1200 mg/day), vitamin D (400-600 IU/day), folate (400 mcg/day), and vitamin B6 (6 mg/day) can make your RealAge 6 years younger.”
We all know that hair is dead and I've learned from other posts to watch how I say "healthy hair" however, we do want to decrease breakage and shedding. According to http://prodigy.healthology.com/focus_article.asp?f=hairloss&c=hairloss_anddiet&b=
“Nutritional deficiencies can contribute to increased hair shedding by weakening hair shafts that cause breakage to the hair and slow regrowth. Hair problems that are caused by nutritional deficiencies can be corrected by a proper diet. Principal nutrients that are involved include vitamin A, certain B vitamins, the vitamin biotin, vitamin C, copper, iron, zinc, protein, and water.”
Below is a chart of vitamins taken from You: The Owners Manual. Check your supplement to see how it matches up with the chart below. The chart is optimum and the Drs / authors recognize that most supplements are off a little. Nature Made Daily Supplement Vitamins came closest to their optimum list, but they were off a bit too. The only thing I would recommend is to make sure you do not exceed 2,500 IU of vitamin A. The book explains excessive vitamin A in supplement form increases the aging process.
Vitamin and Mineral Chart
A No more than 2,500 IU
Make sure your multivitamin contains less than 2,500 IU (less than 1.6 mg) of vitamin A, because too much vitamin A or beta-carotene ages you.
B6 4 mg a day
B12 800 mcg a day (25 mcg, in a supplement. B12 in a supplement is absorbed much better than the B12 found in f gcood)
C 400 mg a day three times a day (remember it's water-soluble, so you need several doses over the day).
D 400 IU a day if under age 60; 600 IU a day if 60 or over
E 400 to 800 IU a day Reduce this to less than 100 IU a day from supplements if you're taking a statin drug
F (folate) 800 mcg a day (folic acid, folate, or folicin, sometimes listed as vitamin B9)
Thiamin 25 mg
Riboflavin 25 mg
Niacin At least 30 mg a day, preferably more if you're taking a statin drug (check with your doctor)
Biotin 300 mg
Pantothenic acid 10 mg
Minerals
Calcium 600 mg twice a day (1,600 mg total a day for women)
Magnesium 400 mg a day
Selenium 200 mcg a day
Zinc 15 mg
Potassium Four fruits plus a normal diet should do it.
Additional vitamin-like substances that might be taken daily
Lycopene Ten tablespoons of tomato sauce a week (400 mg) should do it
Lutein A leafy green vegetable a day (40 mg) should do it
Alpha lipoic acid Not indicated by data yet
Acetyl-L-carnitine Not indicated by data yet, but if you want it, 1,500 mg a day
Coenzyme Q10 Add 200 mg if you're taking a stating drug.
The reduction in arterial aging with 162.5 mg or greater of aspirin is 36% versus 13 % with 82 mg of aspirin. The side effects are just a little greater with 162 mg. The risk benefit is much better with 162 mg.
I hope you decide to join me in this challenge. Thanks.
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I joked with my co-worker and said I might have to buy an expensive water bottle for $50 or more...that way I would surely drink more water in order to get my money's worth. 
I'm not sure how I'm going to break this down though.
I dont have any yet.
