| By Dr Zulfikar BuxI am often asked quite a few questions by patients on vitamin supplements and think this may be the bestDr Zulfikar Buxway to shed some light on the “need to know” of Vitamin supplements. I will also deviate a bit from the field to pay respects to my childhood hero, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.WHAT ARE VITAMINS?Vitamins are substances found in food. Most vitamins are substances the body can’t make on its own but that it needs to work well.Vitamin supplements are pills,Cheap Jerseys From China, capsules, or liquids that have vitamins in them. Supplements are another way (besides food) that people can get vitamins.SHOULD I TAKE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS?You probably do not need to take vitamin supplements. But it probably won’t hurt to take a multivitamin or small doses of individual vitamins.Experts recommend that most adults get their vitamins from food rather than from supplements. That’s because eating vitamin-rich foods has other benefits besides getting you the vitamins you need. Still, there are some cases in which vitamin supplements can be helpful. For example, women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant soon should take certain supplements. This is discussed in more detail below. There are also some groups who might benefit from vitamin supplements. These include:*Adults age 65 and older – Older adults might benefit from taking 600 to 800 units of vitamin D a day. This might help strengthen bones and prevent falls.*People with vitamin deficiencies – A vitamin deficiency is when a person does not have enough of a particular vitamin for good health. People with vitamin deficiencies sometimes need supplements.*People who have had weight loss surgery – People who have had weight loss surgery often can’t get all the vitamins they need from food.*People who do not eat any animal products (called “vegans”) – People who do not eat meat, eggs, milk, or other foods that come from animals sometimes need supplements. If you follow a vegan diet, ask your doctor if you should take any supplements.ARE THERE ANY VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS I SHOULD NOT TAKE?Yes. Here are some vitamins supplements that can cause problems:*Vitamin A – In places where people have good access to healthy food, such as the United States and Europe, doctors recommend against taking vitamin A supplements. That’s because vitamin A supplements might increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and bone fractures. In pregnant women, taking too much vitamin A can harm the baby.*Vitamin E – Doctors recommend against taking vitamin E supplements. Studies suggest that vitamin E supplements might increase the risk of dying.WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO GET THE VITAMINS I NEED FROM FOOD?The best way is to eat a diet that includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains,http://www.airmaxfantasy.us.com/1600-New-Balance/, and not a lot of meats or fatty foods. Some vitamins are found only in animal sources,Andrew Desjardins Jersey, such as meat or eggs. But overall,Wholesale China Jerseys, fruits and vegetables have the highest concentrations of vitamins. Fruits and vegetables also have lots of fibre and other ingredients that promote good health.WHAT IF I WANT TO GET PREGNANT?If you want to get pregnant, take a “prenatal” multivitamin every day that has at least 400 micrograms of folic acid (one of the B vitamins). This helps prevent some birth defects. Start taking the multivitamin at least a month before you start trying to get pregnant.It is important not to take too much of any vitamin during pregnancy, especially vitamin A. Show your doctor or nurse the vitamins you plan to take to make sure the doses are safe for you and your baby.********Shiv Chanderpaul,Cheap Jerseys From China, the hero who batted me through lifeIt’s not often I express my emotions about a personality, but it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t pay respects to a humble fellow who played a part in my upbringing without even knowing it. Growing up cricket was my getaway. It did for me what partying, drinking, smoking; illicit drug use etc., may have done for others.When my family migrated I was 17 and alone here. They had confidence in me and I knew life would be challenging and I had to derive happiness through the challenges. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and cricket was my escape from the harsh realities of life. I watched and followed every innings that Shiv played. Without realizing it, I was marking my ground with the infamous bail every time I took guard,NBA Store, batting in my weird ways, and taking pleasure in defending the ball while others were hitting it out of the grounds. That determination and fighting spirit rubbed off in other aspects in my life and are part of who I am today.I would skip studying the night before an exam to watch Shiv bat; every Shiv innings was my Superbowl all over again. At some stages in life there wasn’t much to look forward to, but Shiv and cricket provided that for me. For all the defended balls, unorthodox stance, humility, and against-all-odds batting that I saw of Shiv, I somehow subconsciously transitioned it to how I approach my cricket and life as a whole.Last weekend I played the typical Shiv innings, but I didn’t take my guard with bail, and I wouldn’t again. It’s my strange way of paying respects to my childhood hero. He is now gone into retirement. I am still following his innings in the Masters Champions League, but I am not a child anymore, and I am prepared for life. My childhood hero did his job to perfection; he helped me along the way and kept me honest.I take my “bails” off to you Shiv. Thank you for the memories and lessons in life! |
