Nutrition Plan Beginner Part 2: Supplements

If you do take many supplements, a convenient way to store and transport your supplements is a small fishing tackle box (available at sports stores) is my goal to limit supplements. I believe you can obtain most of the nutrition you need from wholesome food. There are some exceptions, but it is quite rare that someone would really benefit from a shopping bag full of supplements, especially the synthetic varieties. However, if you’re looking for an all-inclusive insurance policy, I have formulated one of the best and most comprehensive high quality multivitamins on the market, made from raw whole foods.

Lesson 1: Make sure you get enough vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for optimal health and disease risk reduction. It’s found in food like milk, eggs, fish and fortified orange juice, but you only get an average of 250 to 300 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day from dietary factors alone, which is rarely enough to maintain optimal levels. Recent research has found that it takes 2,000 to 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day to have a significant impact on cancer risk reduction. Fortunately, vitamin D is also made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun.

The major function of vitamin D in your body is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. During the summer months, you will get enough vitamin D from just spending some time outside every day. Your body can produce about 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day with full body exposure, about 5,000 IU with 50 percent of your body exposed, and as much as 1,000 IU with just 10 percent of your body exposed.

In the winter months, though, you will most likely not get enough vitamin D if you live in a place that has low or infrequent amounts of sunshine (such as the southwest U.S.). In that case, I strongly recommend a healthy tanning bed like the Sun Splash.

You can also supplement with cod liver oil, which is high in vitamin D and omega-3 (an essential fatty acid most Americans are in dire need of). Because cod liver oil can vary greatly in quality, I have researched multiple brands and offer the highest quality cod liver oil.

It’s always wise to have your vitamin D level tested, especially prior to taking oral supplements of vitamin D. This is best done by a nutritionally oriented physician. It is very important that they order the correct test as there are two that closely resemble each other: 1,25(OH)D and 25(OH)D.

25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, is the better marker of overall D status. It is this marker that is most strongly associated with overall health.

OPTIMAL 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Values 45-50 ng/ml or 115-128 nmol/l

NORMAL 25-Hydroxyvitamin D lab Values 20-56 ng/ml 50-140 nmol/l

Your vitamin D level should NEVER be below 32 ng/ml.

Any levels below 20 ng/ml are considered serious defiency states and will increase your risk of breast and prostate cancer and autoimmune diseases like MS and rheumatoid arthritis.

Lesson 2: Be careful with Tylenol.

If you take Tylenol regularly, you should be on N-acetyl cysteine to prevent organ damage.

Lesson 3: Smell your vitamins.

It is important to smell your vitamins. If they smell bad, you should not take them. It is your body’s signal that they are not good for you.

If you do take many supplements, a convenient way to store and transport your supplements is a small fishing tackle box (available at sports stores).

Thank you,

Dr. Eliezer Ben-Joseph N.D., D.Sc., M.D.(MA) Medicina Alternativa