HEALTH
TAKE YOUR VITAMINS
Supplements good for the mind, body and soul
by Erika Bentson
Lastsummer,BrandonHidaka,Overland Park junior, noticed something was wrong when he started feeling lightheaded and dizzy. After some research on the Internet, he found his diet — mostly ground beef and chicken — was responsible for his faint demeanor because he wasn't getting enough vitamin B-6.
Hidaka's vitamin B find led him to
start researching the importance of vitamins in a person's diet, and now he takes several supplements daily, in addition to maintaining a healthier diet.
College students' lives can be hectic, leaving little time to eat and get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Vitamins A to Zinc can help you get healthy and stay that way.
IMMUNE HELP
Taking a multi-vitamin can help improve overall health, but college students will have plenty of opportunities to get sick during the winter months. In communal spaces — like the bar or library — germs spread easily, especially if you don't wash your hands, says Janet Hierl, staff pharmacist at Round Corner Drugstore, 801 Massachusetts St. Add a lack of sleep to the equation and you've got a cold, or worse, the flu.
"Vitamin C is a standard thing to take during the cold and flu season," Heirl says.
Emergen-C packets come in eight flavors and hold 1,000 percent of your daily value for vitamin-C, vitamin-B complexes and 32 other minerals.
If you don't like taking pills, Emergen-C powder packets are a way and different way to get your vitamins, says Aaron Boos, owner of Lawrence Nutrition Center, 4931 W. Sixth St.
Other supplements like Echinacea and Zinc build the immune system and can prevent some infections and can shorten the length of others, Hierl says.
SKIN TIP
Fish oil supplements are good for people with dry skin and even
Fish oil sup good for peop skin and even eczema says Steve Ilardi, associate professor of psychology.
ALCOHOL AIDS
Your extracurricular activities can involve a lot of alcohol, but taking a milk thistle supplement can help protect the liver, says Boes, owner of Lawrence Nutrition Center.
A night of drinking can leave you with a painful hangover. Taking a B-complex vitamin and a garlic capsule can also help your body redistribute vitamins that may have been lost during the dehydration that occurs after drinking. Boos says.
DAILY DOSES
Although vitamins should not to be taken to supplement an
unhealthy diet, there
are a variety of supplements available that can improve health and well-being, says Khosh, naturopathic doctor.
diet, a person can be sure to get the recommended amount of nutrients for the day by taking a daily multi-vitamin, says Jennifer Allen, chiropractor and instructor at the Massage Therapy Training Institute, Kansas City, Mo.
In addition to a balanced
ALREADY ILL?
Multi-vitamins made from organic, whole foods, like the Only One brand, are best because they allow your body to digest them more naturally, says Millspaugh, vitamin buyer at The Merc.
Goldenseal is another supplement that can be helpful when you have already become slick.
"Goldenseal is nature's antibiotic," says Khosh, naturopathic doctor.
DIGESTION AND DIET
If you are looking to improve your diet, try taking a probiotic supplement, says Lowen Millspaugh, vitamin buyer at The Merc.
Because your digestive system gets disrupted from toxins in your environment and unhealthy foods, you don't get as much good bacteria that you would from a healthy, whole food diet, Millspaugh says.
Probiotics add the good bacteria back into your colon that you need to effectively digest your food, says Farhang Khosh, naturopathic doctor at Natural Medical Care, 4842 Quail Crest Place.
Antibiotics can also kill off all the bacteria in our colons, both good and bad, which can also disrupt our digestive systems, Khosh says.
But be careful when buying supplements from large retailers because they may not be as potent as other specialized brands, says Boos, owner of Lawrence Nutrition Center. So be sure to read the back label to see the potency of supplements that you buy.
PICK UP YOUR OWN STASH OF SUPPLEMENTS.
GNC
520 W. 23rd St.
Lawrence Nutrition Center 4931 W. Sixth St.
Wal-Mart
3300 Iowa St.
The Community Mercantile 901 Iowa St.
Round Corner Drugstore 801 Massachusetts St.
Walgreens 400 W.23rd St and 3421 W. Sixth St.
Super Target 3201 Iowa St.
BOOST YOUR MEMORY
Other good supplements for students to add to their diets are fish oil and ginkgo biloba, says Khosh, naturopathic doctor. Eating fish and fish oil improve brain activity and gingko improves blood circulation and delivers more oxygen to the brain, improving memory, Khosh says.
09. 07.2006 JAYPLAY < 05