Common Vitamin Mistakes

There's a right way, and a wrong way, to take your daily supplements in order to achieve their maximum health benefits. For example, it is best to take a multivitamin and a fish oil supplement with food because the natural fat in the meals we eat will help absorb the supplements while also keeping your stomach from feeling queasy.

Another popular vitamin, especially during the cold/flu season, is vitamin C. The biggest mistake in using C is taking too much all at once. It's been said that people who take more than 500 mg at one time may experience diarrhea and/or stomach cramping. But most people do like to take 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day. So a good solution is to take a morning dose and an afternoon dose.

B-vitamins, known energy and mood enhancers, are also a popular choice amongst the masses. Due to the fact that they are energy enhancers, taking B-vitamins too late in the day can cause insomnia for some people. So its best to take them in the morning.

The fat soluble vitamins, A -D -E and -K, all require the presence of fat to be optimally absorbed into the body. So take these supplements with food, preferably food with a healthy fat present, like nut butter or avocado. Also helpful to note is that vitamin E and vitamin C play nice together. They "recharge" one another so they stay activated for a longer period of time.

Millions of Americans take calcium these days hoping to strengthen their bones and avoid osteoperosis. However, so many of us take it only in the morning, which is the worst time of day to take calcium. The metabolic processes our bodies go through that create new bones are most active at night. So take your calcium supplement in the evening or before bed. Also, if osteoperosis is an issue for you, ask your doctor about taking vitamin D and magnesium along with your calcium.

The trickiest vitamin of all is iron. Really, you should only take this supplement under the advice of your physician. But if you do use iron, make sure not to take it at the same time as vitamin E. These two block each other, so you will absorb lower levels of each if they are taken together. Wait 2-3 hours in between taking iron and vitamin E. Vitamin C, on the other hand, increases iron's absorption, so it's a good idea to take 100 mg or so of vitamin C with your iron.

No Bake Energy Bites

In our house, these little gems are known as "Bird Seed Balls" and they don't last long! They are sooo yummy and though I'm not sure how much energy they give me, I do know they satisfy my sweet tooth while adding a bit more nutrition than a Reese cup would. They've quickly become my favorite Pinterest find yet.

                        You will need:
1 cup of old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup of a nut butter (peanut, almond, etc.)
1/3 cup of honey
1 cup of coconut flakes
1/2 cup of ground flaxseed
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
1 tsp of vanilla

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and let chill in the refrigerator for about a half hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! These can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, if they last that long!

  *We aren't big on coconut around here, so we omit it and add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. The recipe seems versatile. Play with it, make it your own :)