Friday, January 11, 2008

The other part of the equation

Besides healthful teas, I take supplements twice a day. Some I already took; some I've added back. The ones on the tray I take along with 5 prescriptions and the ones on the left are waiting in the wings. Generally the green and brown ones are the cheaper Wal-Mart/grocery store versions and the white ones are from the health food store. I try to put together a few day's worth at once in the little cups. It's much less overwhelming that way, to do it while the tea heats and brews. Otherwise, I just take the meds, calcium, and multi when I am lazy.
Because of the way my thyroid is being treated with mega doses of thyroxine (or as I am in the process of working back up to the proper dosages) and the way it melts bones, I must religiously take extra calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D especially, plus I opt for a complete multi-vitamin twice daily. Because my joints often hurt, particularly while I'm in bed, I take glucosamine; I like that one on the tray because it has D in it, too, but I can't remember where I got it. When that runs out, I have to take a separate D.

Now with this diet, I've added back CLA, L-Carnitine, Pantetheine, and Cayenne from when I did the Fat Flush Plan a few years ago, all stuff I had already, but wasn't taking. Besides Cayenne, the latter bunch is quite expensive, like $30+ a bottle. Ran out and need to buy another bottle of Chromium Picolinate, but at least that one is cheap.

As you can tell, the herbal component is being ignored, mostly because I have to be careful due to my allergies. I have some blue-green algae I should pull back out. I need to look into that and research more.

Here's a less puffy me au naturale with Spenc.er. I love how his long nose matches mine.

So, do you supplement or use herbs? What do you like and can you recommend anything? Or do you think I'm crazy with all this? People come in and laugh at my kitchen counter. You're seeing the new cleaned up version after I tucked the unused ones in a cabinet!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha! Well, you know I supplement, but you just gave me the idea of putting a picture of all the bottles on my site, but that might scare people away!! I'll have to wait until I'm back home as I don't have my camera here.

I don't do herbs as I'm concerned about them contraindicating with my meds. I've had some really awful reactions to Chinese Herbs in particular which makes me nervous. Oh!! I do use passion flower and hops---Nighty Night Tea by Traditional Medicines is lovely for calming---but in general I'm careful with herbs.

And I suppose you also know I'm a natural diet freak. Natural whole foods only. Luckily I really like eating that way and I virtually never feel deprived. I can't drink alcohol any more and that makes me sad. But it wasn't a choice exactly. I stopped tolerating alcohol, so what I miss is how I used to like it because now when I drink it, it just makes me feel shitty. Even in tiny amounts.

Okay, I've rambled a bit---you can tell I'm feeling better! I've been reading you everyday but haven't had the energy to write comments.

Anonymous said...

I don't take that many-- I leave off the calcium as I eat dairy and/or leafy greens every day. But, I do religiously take my Omega 3s, my B vitamin complex, my multivitamin, and a CoQ10. I stopped the gluco/chondro because the antibiotic I take for my rosacea also keeps my rheum. arthritis in check. (Yay, fewer pills). I do take carnitine and chromium picolinate sometimes when I am dieting strictly, but not right now.

Anonymous said...

I only take a prenatal these days, but in the past I've taken B+ and EPO, too. What's interesting is how sometimes I pee a lot of the prenatal out, and others, there's almost no yellow in the toilet at all. Proof that the kid is actually using what I'm taking in my book! (also proof that my diet is crap)

Aunt Becky said...

I actually don't take any herbs (although I did when I was trying to make Alex come out. I think I took red raspberry something or another) and I took Fenugreek when I was trying to increase my milk supply. To this day, I still cannot smell maple syrup without remembering back to that dark time in my life.

I'm thinking about starting on some B vitamins for weight loss, but am unsure of the dosage AND if I can take massive quantities while breastfeeding. I guess I should ask my dad. He's a pharmacist.

Cricket said...

gianna, love the new B-12 Buzz YOU! Do take a pic when you can. It can get kinda funny. Glad you're feeling better!

BLC, I used to take CoQ10, but I must have run out and not restocked. You reminded me I need to get my flax oil capsules out, too.

Oro, glad you're doing the prenatals and they're getting in your system. I tried EPO years ago for endo and it gave me obnoxious gas. I could not do that to myself or others.

becky, I did that stuff when I was lactating, too. I don't do raspberry b/c it's too close to my strawberry allergy, but it is one of those great woman's tonics like EPO. Nice to have an in house source like that.

Anonymous said...

I don't supplement anything.

Unless you count my daily glass or two of red wine??????

Karen @ stiletto

Cricket said...

I'd call that a great supplement and I bet your counters look better than mine.

brite69 said...

I used to take a multi-vitamin, calcium, niacin and iron, but now I am too broke and/or lazy to bother. Since I'm no longer on the lupron, I should start taking the iron again since the girly time causes me to loose so much damned blood. It's not uncommon for me to just pass out during girly time. heh.

Oh! I did take some liquid multiples on a pretty regular basis a year ago. I like taking the liquid better for some reason. Maybe it seems like it's working quicker or something. I want to get back on the multiples...

Val said...

I am currently WAY overstocked w/a liquid supplement called Body Balance; one of my riding buddies convinced me to try it...[I was so enthusiastic that I put myself on their "auto-ship" program, therefore getting several unopened boxes since I'm HORRIBLE about compliance!]
But I am faithful about my fish oil & Ca tabs...

L-Carnitine Info said...

I've been taking herbal supplements continuously but the results have been mixed for me. I have recently been adding more Omega 3s and L-carnitine since I'm trying to get a few pounds off. Getting me to work out on a regular basis is my main problem.