Vitamins and
Supplements

 

.
for Health
and Wellness

 




Ian Lloyd
Pharmacist
Peoples Pharmacy

.....I like these types of articles. They are fairly broad in their scope and allow me to ramble on for a while. So which supplements can be helpful in promoting health and wellness? .....Whenever someone asks me a question like this, I usually like to use the comparison of one's health routine to a pyramid. I'm not sure why I use this comparison; probably because it this comparison which is made most often. The Canada Food Guide is a pyramid, or at least it used to be. The US Department of Agriculture still uses a pyramid to promote healthy eating and lifestyles. I think it is a great way to view your health; start with a strong base and add extras on top which create a good overall picture. So what is at the bottom of my pyramid for health and wellness? You guessed it, a multivitamin.
.....Actually, it should be a healthy diet, regular exercise and stress reduction, but today we are thinking about supplements. The more I read about nutrition, the more our societies' dietary habits scare me. Try this little experiment about your own diet; count how many servings of fruits and vegetables you eat per day. One serving equals about 1/2 cup of any kind of fruit or veggie. Then count the number of processed, packaged or convenience foods you have eaten.
.....Hopefully you will not be
unpleasantly surprised.
.....It should come as a shock to no one that my favourite supplement for overall health is a multivitamin. If you do nothing else for your health, take a multivitamin. It would be preferable to get all your nutrients from your diet, but I take one just to make sure. This supplement forms that base of your pyramid.
.....If I were to pick something else to supplement my diet it would be a good essential fatty acid supplement. It is believed that our diets contain too many omega 6 fatty acids. This is thought to lead to inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma or heart disease. By taking more omega 3 fatty acids, it is thought to help reduce this inflammation. Keep in mind this reduction in inflammation is noticed over the long term, not immediately. The next question is what kind of oil to take: fish, flax, hemp, borage, or a blend. I recommend taking a blend of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, and preferably something containing DHA and EPA. The omega-9 fatty acid is found mainly in olive oil and is thought to be helpful in reducing the inflammatory actions of
omega-6 and enhancing the effectiveness of the omega-3s. I also recommend taking a blend of essential fatty acids to ensure you get a good selection of quality fats.
.....It is true that your body can make the larger, more complex EFAs, like DHA and EPA, from the smaller linolenic acid. This process in the body is thought to be inefficient and inhibited by certain nutritional deficiencies, stress, high insulin levels, trans-fats and a large amount of omega-6 fatty acids. People generally don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA and DHA). Actually, it may not be that they are not getting enough omega-3s, but that they are consuming too many omega-6. It is all about the proper balance. It is recommended that we consume a 4:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 EFA; the usual North American diets ratio is between 10:1 and 25:1. This is why supplementing the diet with omega-3 EFA can help general health.
.....Taking extra EFAs may not be for everyone. There may be some side effects seen when taking fish oil capsules; mainly upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea and ‘fishy burps’. Doses of 3 grams, or less, appear to be safe. People who are taking prescription medications to thin their blood, such as warfarin, should speak with their Doctor before taking EFA supplements. These sup
 

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