Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Take this vitamin or you'll go blind

I love my daughter but boy is it challenging to get her to take a vitamin regularly. I started early with my son and introduced chewables early. Or it could be that formulations are better? I have found "Herbasaurs" by Natures Sunshine and "FloraBear" by Renew Life as a good or should I say "tolerable" daily. The former is the vitamin and the latter is the probiotic. Due to my son's asthma, I have had to retreat to antibiotics several times and his intestinal flora is probably shot. The great thing is that this guy loves fruit and veggies (thank you Lord!) My daughter on the other-hand is a typical teenager with an appetite for the poor carbs found in drive through windows. Have tried several types of multivits with little to no success until recently! New Chapter was the first herbal company I started buying at Whole Foods. I think I stumbled on Zyflammend for a trapezius muscle issue and it opened the herbal world to me. Of course my friendly herbalists Wendy and Jennifer in Clermont Florida taught me the "way of the Herb".

http://www.clermontherbshop.com/

Although I am a big supporter of Natures Sunshine for supplement products, I stumbled on a bottle from New Chapter called Tiny Tabs Multi. Six of these smaller than tictac size tablets is required daily. We are finding that due to the small size, when the palmed tabs are "thrown back", one usually escapes due to it's microscopic size. But at least she really likes them since they are so "cute". Big problem with both kids is the lack of calcium. I will tackle that battle at a later campaign.

Of course the old go to will be Flintstones, Bugs Bunny or someother generic chewable but I just don't trust these companies....maybe since I can't find any great information on them. I don't remember taking any vitamins when I was a kid. (But I also remember frying eggs and spam in a pan soaked with cooking LARD from a big nasty can under the sink....oh, just thinking of those days gives me chest pain!) I believe parents should set examples and teach ritual. Eating right and consuming 5-7 fruits and veggies daily outdoes any multivitamin routine but what child will do that when the parent is eating a donut, having coffee and taking pepsid for morning heartburn. I will never forget my college age nephew lookin his parents in the eye and very arogantly stating....."I am NOT, waking up early just to eat breakfast". I just shook my head and proceeded to "pants" him.