As any health conscious person will tell you, vitamins are a useful way to fill in the gaps in your nutrition and ensure you get the things you need to feel your best. But for some, simply taking vitamins isn’t enough. There are many different factors that go into choosing and taking vitamins, and sometimes figuring it out can be complicated.
As a store that sells vitamins in Poplar Bluff, MO, we get a lot of questions related to vitamin dosage, ingredients, instructions and other variables. If you want to start taking the right vitamins but don’t know where to begin, you might want to consider these five different factors that can affect which vitamins you take, and how you take them. Read on to learn the main things we’ve experienced while selling vitamins in Poplar Bluff, MO.
- Find the right dosage: For most people, a simple multivitamin prescribed for men, women or children will do the trick. But if you plan on taking specific supplements or have a particular health issue, the percentage of a certain vitamin that your body requires or can handle might be drastically different from the norm. If you think this might apply to you, consult a professional before starting any new vitamins or supplements.
- Check the ingredients: If you choose to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, cannot properly digest grains or have any other dietary restrictions, picking a vitamin and supplement regimen becomes a bit more difficult. Things like fish oil or iron supplements might not align with your beliefs or digestive system, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be healthy. There are plenty of alternatives out there, so just ask a vitamin expert or medical professional for advice or suggestions, or do some online research.
- Accompany properly: Many vitamins require you to take them with or without food or water, or at a certain time each day. Once you incorporate vitamins into your daily routine, meeting these requirements becomes easy to accomplish. Be careful, as taking a vitamin on an empty stomach could lead to heavy nausea.
- Track changes: If you make any changes to your vitamin or supplement regimen, be sure to make note of that on your calendar or in your diary. That way, if your health changes for better or worse, you’ll be able to narrow down which vitamin caused the change.
- Ask a professional: No matter how much research you do on your own, there might still be things about taking vitamins you aren’t sure about, or questions you need answered. And unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are more concerned with selling you things than in helping you achieve the best possible health. If you have any questions about your vitamin regimen, ask a trusted medical professional, or an employee at a reputable health food store.
- Be well rounded: And finally, remember that taking vitamins does not give you a pass to have an unhealthy diet or avoid exercise. Taking vitamins is just one part of a healthy lifestyle, and you should never lean on them alone too heavily.