Adding New Vitamins and Supplements to Your Regimen? What to Consider Posted By : hea123

In today’s world, advice for how to live a healthy life can be found in many places. Whether it is a feature story on your favorite news program, a commercial on the radio, or an article in health magazine or on a website, suggestions for how to improve a person’s overall health are everywhere. While the focus on nutrition and health is seen as a positive development by many individuals, it is important to become as knowledgeable as possible as you make changes in your lifestyle to live a healthier life.



When introducing a new vitamin or supplement into your daily regimen, it is always a good idea to read the label carefully, talk with your doctor, and do your homework about what it is you are taking. This is a good guideline even if you have been leading a healthy life for years and would consider yourself a savvy supplement-taker.



The labels of vitamins and supplements can be confusing to the average consumer. In some cases, rather than being labeled in common measurements that we are all familiar with, certain vitamins and supplements are measured in milligrams or even micrograms. Ask your health care provider any questions you may have, and conduct your own research to ensure that everything checks out.



Many people who are just getting started on a supplement routine or regimen do not have a clear idea about how best to take vitamins and supplements. In many cases, it can come down to the time of day, or whether or not you have an empty stomach. Some vitamins and supplements utilized for building muscle are recommended to be taken a certain amount of time before a workout. Information such as this can help an individual to maximize the effectiveness of the specific supplement or vitamin in question. Regardless of the addition to your regimen, it is still important that you do your homework and find out if a particular vitamin or supplement is right for you.



Take some time to learn whether or not the vitamin or supplement you are considering can interact with other substances in your system. Some specifications will be apparent on the labels themselves, but some others may not. Take yourself on a little fact finding mission to learn all that you can.





Pregnant and breastfeeding women and those about to have surgical procedures performed should do some extra research. If you are pregnant or nursing, be especially careful about what you take. A good rule of thumb is to rule out any vitamins and supplements until your doctor says “okay”. What you consume can pass directly through breast milk to your baby if you are nursing, and can pass through your bloodstream to your baby if you are pregnant. Also, if you are about to undergo surgery, take as many precautions as possible as far as what you ingest prior to the procedure. While this may seem obvious to some, it is important to take any necessary steps to ensuring overall safety.



The rapid increase in knowledge about the many benefits of vitamins and supplements is exciting. Hopefully, as the public becomes more informed about how certain vitamins and supplements can improve life, more individuals will alter their lifestyle and become committed to proper nutrition. Regular exercise and changes in eating habits are also major components to becoming healthier. However, if those lifestyle changes can be achieved, adding the proper vitamins and supplements to your regimen can put yourself in an even better position to living a happy and healthy life. As long as you take the time to ask questions and do a bit of homework yourself, you should be on the right track to improving your overall health by adding the best vitamins and supplements for you to your daily regimen.

Arianna Jordan is a freelance writer and blogger who writes about health and fitness, often focusing on specific products such as vitamins and supplements.