My favorite supplements

Growing up, my mom fed us kids vitamins every day, so the habit sort of stuck. Chad's not really into the whole supplement thing, but I'm working on him (he could seriously benefit from some joint pills). Women have special dietary needs that are usually not met by our crummy diets. And when you're pregnant, those needs are even more important. So, here's what I think is hot in the vitamin world right now (and consequently what's in my granny-worthy pill box):

Calcium Citrate: I use the Walmart equivalent of Citracal; this form is much less common on the shelves than its cheaper calcium carbonate cousin (what's in Tums and most bottles that just say "Calcium"). I recently made the switch after my doctor told me that calcium citrate is more easily absorbed by the body, and it doesn't cause constipation like calcium carbonate does (I'll admit, pregnancy bowel issues are not my friend). As always, make sure your calcium supplement also has vitamin D in it, which is essential for absorption.

Folic Acid: If you've ever been pregnant, you probably know that it's recommended you get at least 400mcg of folic acid per day, especially during your first month of pregnancy. Folic acid deficiency has been shown to cause neural tube defects in infants. So, if you think that maybe you might eventually perhaps start trying to get pregnant, start taking this supplement now, since the most crucial window has often passed before you even know you're pregnant.

Omega-3 Fish Oil: Getting your Omega-3's is all the rage lately, but not all fish oils are created equally. The most important elements you're looking for are DHA and EPA, which help with brain growth (this is what they're putting in baby formula to make kids smart). To be effective, you want a supplement where the DHA and EPA content add up to a total of 1000mg. The Nature Made fish oil I was taking said "1000mg" on the front, but the DHA and EPA content only totaled 300mg. Rip off. so, I've ordered a more pure version from Swanson Vitamins, which has good stuff for great prices.

Vitamin C: I don't know if there are benefits to different types of vitamin C. I've heard that you should get the kind with rose hips, but not when you're pregnant or nursing. There are tons of benefits for getting enough vitamin C. It's a no-brainer.

Iron: Getting enough iron is important for all women, and more so when you're pregnant. Apparently it's a key ingredient in making babies. I choose not to take a supplement (see above comment about bowel issues), so I really try to get enough through my diet: meat (liver is by far the most iron-rich meat, but come on; that's gross), enriched cereal, beans, and dark green leafy veggies. Women need 18mg per day (that's more than twice what men need), and pregnant women need 27mg per day. As far as I know, if your mini-wheats say they provide 100% of your daily iron, that should mean it contains 18mg. But, keep in mind that you're body will only absorb a small percentage of that iron (less than 20%), so you're not done with breakfast. Iron is best absorbed in meat form, and along with vitamin C, but absorption suffers when taken with calcium or whole grains (I'm having flash-backs to nursing clinicals and my instructor pointing to my patient's breakfast tray and asking, "Which of these things will interfere with that iron pill?")

Well, I hope I've enlightened you a little. If I've inspired you in any way to jump on the vitamin bandwagon, then I've succeeded. Come on. Everyone's doing it.