Vitamin Fanatic

Vitamins are a part of my daily life, I'm not sure when I became such a vitamin fanatic, but it has definitely been a few years now.  Some vitamins come and go depending on sales and some vitamins are a fixed part of my life.  Barely a day goes by that I don't take a multi- vitamin & mineral, I eat fairly healthy but just in case I like to make sure I'm getting whatever my meals didn't provide.  Plus I have a toddler at home and come in contact with a lot of kids, I need all the extra help I can get.  Besides the multi-vitamin there is the B-complex vitamin, I find this almost as important as the multi-vitamin.  B-complex produces energy & helps metabolism.  It also helps with the health of hair & nerves.  I also regularly take an Omega 3-6-9 vitamin, essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are important for the body to function normally, inc. skin, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain and organs. And then when I need an energy boost I take a Q-10 vitamin, and it's also a great antioxidant.  You might read this and think I go over the top, but that's my personality.  Plus, I'm allergic to a lot of fruits and if I don't take the time to cook them, I can't eat them. 

Obviously I don't want to solely rely on vitamin supplements so I also try and find foods that provide them as well.  A book that has helped me along the way is "The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book".  The book provides a description of each vitamin & mineral, it explains the pros and cons behind them, and also provides a list of foods in which you can find them.  One food that helps the body on multiple levels is the avocado, peanuts and spinach are also great.  I'm not the only one in the family that takes vitamins daily, it's a habit I started with my daughter also.  Even at just 2 yrs old there are plenty of multi-vitamins available.  Her favorite seems to be the raspberry flavored SpongeBob multi-vitamin, but she will eat most any of the brands I give her, thanks to the flavors.  Living in a cold country with little sunshine in the winter months she needs the extra help.  One of her friends always seems to have a cold and now that she's in preschool who knows what she'll come in contact with, I like knowing I am doing everything to help.  I also give her a vitamin D drop along with her breakfast to ensure she builds strong bones, again the lack of sun here means less access to it naturally.  She does enjoy drinking milk and it's in things like her cereal and yogurt but like myself why not ensure she is getting enough.  I want her to be accustom to eating healthy and living a nutritious lifestyle.  There are so many unhealthy and overweight adults and children in the world, I like to know I'm doing what I can to help me and my family, and to for come issues later down the road.