From B12-D: A Better You

Health Info

I’ve always been one of those people to scoff at taking a pill for an ache or a pain. I don’t mind going to the doctor to find out what’s wrong, but if a pill is their easy answer, I usually prefer to find another doctor, not take the pill.

Aside from stashing a bottle of Pepto in my purse from time to time when my stomach’s acting up, I prefer to figure out the cause of my complaint and make it stop, not just cover it up by swallowing a pill of who-knows-what.

Well that all changed a few years ago when I desperately said yes to taking a shot-in-the-dark medicine for my hand & foot pain. While I don’t pop Advil like candy, I know when enough’s enough, and I’d certainly reached the point of enough.

If you read back then, you know that little pill changed my life. Rather, it gave it back. But it wasn’t just that pill that did the trick. My hematologist suggest I try vitamin b12, even though no test results were saying I needed it for anything. Being a dietitian, I was much more excited by the idea of taking a vitamin than another medication. So I did.

And wouldn’t you know? The pain med-B12 combo is what did the trick. Sure, the pain meds were leading the pack, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I easily noticed when I forgot to take the B12. Even though I’ve always believed that food, vitamins, and minerals were the answer to everything, I was still shocked it could help with something like this.

To this day, that B12 is still helping me get through. I haven’t taken a pain pill in over a year, yet I’m still functioning. Don’t get me wrong- it’s not the same. But a day or two without the B12, and I’m significantly worse. I’m grateful there’s something to help get me by while I’m doing everything I can to have a healthy baby.

Through the years, vitamins and other supplements have gotten me through rough patches without the need to turn to convention medicine. Instead of chronic anti-inflammatories for my knee, I turned to glucosamine and chondroitin. When my hair was falling out, I turned to biotin instead of chemicals. When the husband’s triglycerides were high, I turned him towards omega-3 oils. On days without sunshine, I’m grateful for my chewable vitamin D.

I don’t serve vegetables for dinner because I think they’re pretty. {Ok, that’s a lie. Some vegetables are gorgeous.} I serve vegetables for dinner because they help make my family healthy. They give us the vitamins and minerals we need to help us be our best selves. I haven’t had a cold since college. I have to think my diet has something to do with that. {If I get a cold after pushing publish, this post is getting permanently deleted! Someone go knock on wood!}

Now that I’m pregnant, vitamins are helping both me and my baby be as healthy as we can be. I’ve never been so diligent about taking a multivitamin in my life. But, vitamins are literally helping me be a better me, and hopefully the same for our baby.

In what way to vitamins or minerals help make you a better you? What supplements do you take, if any?

I’m making this post in the Nature Made Blogger Team Contest, and I got some cool free stuff from Nature Made for participating.  Vote for my entry at www.facebook.com/naturemade between 9/20/11 and noon (PT) 9/26/11.

My entry is official live! I made the top 20! Please pretty please go vote on Facebook, up to once a day!