The Vitamin Shop Bible

It’s time to talk arthritis. It’s not actually a vitamin, though it does fall into the “nutrient” category, and many people take glucosamine supplements for better health (specifically with arthritis).

Personally, I don’t see glucosamine as a necessary supplement. As far as arthritis goes, the best method is to take omega 3 fatty acids, which you can find anywhere that sells vitamins online. Omega 3’s are a great source of amino acids. Typical foods that contain omega 3’s are nuts, eggs, almonds, many meats, and almost all fish sources. You can even find some omega 3’s hidden in a top quality weight loss shake!

In terms of affordability, omega 3’s can be pricier than glucosamine, but really, who cares about price when it comes to good health?! I’d rather be healthier longer, with less medical bills, than go without omega 3’s for a month. Glucosamine not so much, I guess everyone draws the line somewhere.

Usually my vitamins are somewhat metaphorical. Aroma therapy, shopping, life’s little ups that have the same effect on me as a good vitamin.

But this month’s vitamin is actually a real vitamin. It’s sunshine!

That’s right, sunshine is one of the 13 essential vitamins. It’s Vitamin D. Summer technically hasn’t begun yet, but out here in Cali, it’s as hot as ever in the valley and the canyons (thank God I live near the beach!) and there’s plenty of hot sun to be had by all.

Just fifteen minutes in the sun each day, gives a person a potent dose of vitamin D, more than you could ever get in an average multivitamin, not that you shouldn’t be taking a multivitamin as well! Just don’t take an average one.

Anyway, there can be too much of a good thing, so its a pretty good idea to use some sunscreen if you plan on spending more than an hour in the hot, hot sun. When choosing sunscreens, make sure to pick one that protects your skin from both UVB and UVA rays. Many lotions only protect UVB rays, which prevents the burn but does not stop the sun from doing DNA damage and causing cancer!

Most of what I’m spewing I learned at Mark Sisson’s health blog, the Daily Apple. He’s got some great stuff on the Primal Blueprint, which is similar to the paleo diet, except a little more extensive– and I believe– better.

I’ll admit, I’ve had a Butterfinger or two in my day. You wouldn’t think it, considering I keep my body tight and trimmed, but when the urge strikes, I’ll snag up three or four candy bars and munch them down on the way to a ball game, or church, or even before a date. I read somewhere Carmen Electra does the same, though that’s an odd comparison. And my boobs aren’t anywhere near the size of hers.

But heath bars, and wathcamacallits, and Hershey’s Symphony bars do not a thin girl make. So I’ve had to substitute. I believe in the no sugar craze, which isn’t actually a craze so much as a way of living, so recently I’ve been hunting down the best of the sugar free chocolates. Atkins makes a line of “sugar free” diet bars, though they taste more like those chalky power bars you can buy at the climbing gym or in the germaphobe stores. Not ideal.

Believe it or not, I found the best source of healthy sugar free chocolate to be luxury chocolatiers. Godiva makes a line of sugar free chocolates that are almost as good as the real ones. Better than Godiva, there is a Dutch chocolatier in my neighborhood who has the most wonderful sugar free dark chocolate and vanilla truffles. Very well made, and not too pricey!

Some people are concerned about the artificial sweeteners in these chocolates. I must say, I’m a bit wary, it’s so hard to tell what is hype, what is poorly formed statistics, and what is scientifically true. For this reason, I limit the amount of sugar-free chocolate I eat every day. A single bar, or three truffles, or if it’s plain old chocolate, just an ounce or two.

I’m not trying to press out washboard abs or anything, but I really do want to stay thin. I’ll wait till I’m married to switch back to the Butterfingers (if my husband lets me!).

And now for the health posts! Visit the best multivitamins or orac value to get your nutritional goodies!

Books are like a vitamin of the spirit. You absorb them into your mind like your body absorbs vitamin C.

I’ve been super juicing on book vitamins recently, reading voraciously. Like the world is about to end. I started a series of seven novels, each book better than the previous, and I just can’t stop. I’ll probably have read 7000 pages in a month and a half. That’s some heavy vitamin pounding. Can one overdose on books? I think not.

One can overdose on good health, however. It’s called orthorexia nervosa, and it’s no laughing matter. It happens when people get so healthy, they eventually avoid almost all foods based on possible harmful effects. Don’t become an orthorexic! Do a peoplesearch on the subject and find out a bit of info, it would be well worth your time.

The vitamin for this month is an actual vitamin!

I’m celebrating vitamin C!

And no, I’m not talking about the one-hit-wonder pop singer who sang that song about graduation and being “friends forever” a decade ago. I’m talking about citric goodness C. Something found in so many fruits, and yet so under celebrated.

Most people know that C prevents scurvy. Pirates know this, and whoa to the pirate who doesn’t bring along a scontcheon of jam in his sap-belly.

But, Vitamin C is also great for the immune system. The RDA for vitamin C is fairly low, just enough to prevent defficiency, but I suggest going with upwards of 1000mg of C per day. I’ve heard of people who do 10,000mg with their lunch.

C is almost as important as omega 3 vitamins and can be found at the vitamin shop near you. Next month I’ll get back into the spiritual side of things again, but for now, chomp on some oranges!

Okay, I know that sounds silly but it’s Valentine’s day, and I just couldn’t resist a little romance in my post this month.

I was never a particular fan of Valentine’s day, usually because I spent it alone. This year I’ve got a date. I don’t know the guy very well, but he’s kind and a bit cute and he’s not fifteen years older than me which really matters to me at this point in my life.

The point is, regardless of all the Hallmarkery and Russell Stoversdome, there’s something warm about knowing there’s a time when it’s okay to be hopelessly and ridiculously romantic. Guys won’t do silly things for a girl too often. Sure they will when they’re just starting out, before the glitter and charm of a new relationship wears off. But once, you’ve become a couple, the moments of spontaneous affection aren’t as creative.

Which is why Valentines Day, or more specifically hopeless romanticism is such a good vitamin. We don’t need it all the time, but we sure need it at least once a year.

So, Happy Valentine’s Day! And don’t forget to click through to the omega 3 capsules sight. You’ll be able to buy vitamin supplements, even in chocolate flavors!

I have a very loose term of the word “vitamin.”

Strictly speaking there only 13 vitamins. They are the essentials, the stuff your body cannot produce, but needs in order to function and survive. We’re talking A,C,D,E,K, and all your B’s and nothing else. Anything that isn’t one of these lucky 13 is categorized as an herb, a mineral, a nutrient, or even more generically, a supplement.

But my definition of “vitamin” includes all these herbs, supplements, nutrients, and even more.

I would call relaxing music a good vitamin. Or aroma therapy shampoo. I believe a vitamin is ANYTHING our body doesn’t produce that has a beneficial affect on the body’s health and function. Good sex is a good vitamin, for instance.

So, each week/month (depending how often I get around to posting) I will christen one of my favorite “vitamins” on this blog and explain why it’s just as important as good old A, B’s, and C.

This week’s vitamin is: GOOD TOOTHPASTE

Teeth are just so important. Not only to the function, but to the social life. A person with bad oral hygene might as well hang a sign around their neck saying “stay away,” because that’s what other people will do. Many toothpastes help with plaque, but the “fresh breath” aspect will only last a few minutes. The mintiness only masks the food particles which are still rotting and decaying in the mouth, causing all those foul odors. A good toothpaste (I suggest Rembrandt) is more affective at removing those extra particles of left over food, keeping breath fresh longer. Of course, breath also comes from your ACTUAL BREATH, catching the salt of what you have recently digested, which is why no toothpaste can totally eliminate the odors produced from a recent meal of garlic and onions, that requires a little more tact in meal selection when on a date.

So, get the good toothpaste, have healthier teeth, and more boyfriends!