VITAMEATAVEGAMIN

 Vitamin Supplement Breakdown

Why.

Why have I started taking a combination of vitamins and supplements. I do not know. It feels right. It feels like the time to.

Why have I decided to share this. I do not know. It feels right. It feels like the time to.

Historical Information

Growing up, I was always given a multivitamin, whether it be the venerable Flintstone Kids, or the big purple one my Grandma would give me. I've dabbled off and on with multivitamins over the years, but never stuck to anything. During both my wife's pregnancies, she was strongly encouraged to take a good prenatal vitamin, and we feel it did her (and the boys) a lot of good.
Currently, while I feel we eat a variety of foods, I think my total nutritional intake is not as complete as it could be.

Let's Break Down the Goods

I currently take three groups of pills, a multivitamin and two additional supplements; Zinc and Ashwagandha. All of these are from "Garden of Life". Where you get your supplements, and how they are made is important. 

I also drink a small Protein Shake in the morning, and it provides some vitamins and minerals as well. Working on seeing if there is a better alternative out there though.

The Multi: VITAMIN CODE - Family (They have a "Men's" but there is no major difference.)
The Zinc: VITAMIN CODE - Raw Zinc
The Ash: ORGANICS - Ashwagandha 

Between them, this is my daily intake (Not including whatever I may get from just eating normally).
I am a big consumer of whole milk, and 100% Cranberry and/or Grape Juice. I drink water too, just not as much as I should.

It should be noted that I am supposed to take 4 multivitamin pills a day, but I only take two. So I  have adjusted the amounts properly.

	Family	Protein Shake	Raw Zinc	Ashwagadha	Total
Biotin	15	7.5			22.5	mcg
Calcium		650			650	mg
Chromium	17.5	8.8			26.3	mcg
Copper		0.23			0.23	mg
Folate	200	100			300	mcg
Iodine		38			38	mcg
Iron	0.9	4.5			5.4	mg
Lycopene	125				125	mcg
Magnesium		105			105	mg
Manganese	1.15	0.58			1.73	mg
Molybdenum	22.5	11.3			33.8	mcg
Niacin	10.4	4			14.4	mg
Pantothenic Acid	7.5	1.3			8.8	mg
Phosphorus		630			630	mg
Potassium		450			450	mg
Riboflavin (B2)	2.25	0.33			2.58	mg
Selenium	27.5	14			41.5	mcg
Thiamin (B1)	2.4	0.3			2.7	mg
Vanadium	5				5	mcg
Vitamin A	630	230			860	mcg
Vitamin B12	20.05	0.6			20.65	mcg
Vitamin B6	2.55	0.43			2.98	mg
Vitamin C	45	23	60		128	mg
Vitamin D (D3)	25	5			30	mcg
Vitamin E	7.5	3.8			11.3	mg
Vitamin K (K1)	60	30			90	mcg
Vitamin K2	10				10	mcg
Zinc	3.85	2.8	30		36.65	mg
Ashwagandha				600	600	mg
Ginger Root				50	50	mg
Trace Mineral Blend			150		150	mg
Probiotic Blend	15		60	4	79	mg
Organic Fruit & Veg Blend	332.5		166		498.5	mg
AntiOx & Immune Sup Blend	5				5	mg

What does all that mean?
I don't know.

But I can say this. I feel good.

I don't know if it is mostly mental, mostly physical, or some combination of both. I can say this, however. I feel as though if my Grandma would be proud. She instilled upon me her knowledge of nutrition and cooking, as she was respected home economics teacher, and a proud "home maker", from a time when a home maker was revered and celebrated. I would go as far as to call her a professional home maker.  She spoke to me many times about proper nutrition, and taking care of ones health.

In making this list, and trying to "boost my stats", I was reminded of the story she told me of research done in the 50's or 60's, where researchers tried to supply a persons daily nutritional needs solely through pills. While they were given every vitamin, mineral, etc. they needed, subjects still became weak and lost weight. The end result was, "You just need some good fat sometimes." Food as a whole was important. How you processed your vitamins and minerals was important. She was never one to skimp on butter or trim too much fat off the meat.

Well. That's all I have to say about that.

2024.5

Up to speed

What has this year brought me? New experiences, new habits and new hobbies?

or...

The same old same old....

Here I am, well over halfway through the year, and just over two years from my last post. I know it's cliché, but the older I get, the more time really does seem to fly. So, in the last two years there has been some changes, mostly here recently. 

I have reached the age of 40, and to be honest, it really reset me in a way I didn't expect. What I mean is, I have never really put a lot of thought into age, or more specifically, age related milestones/goals. 16, 18, 20, 25, 30... all those age milestones came and went, and I really never thought twice about them. Age is a construct invented by the Jedi.

Then 40 approached... then came and went. 

At first, four decades (14,610 days btw) hit me like any other day, but the more I thought about it, the more it... something... weighed on me. I think I am finding 40 significant because I remember my Dad turning 40. (For reference, that would have made me 9-10). Not that I compare where I am to where he was, or at least my child like thought of where he was, but I guess because now I am where he was then. What I mean to say is, 40 has felt like a transition from adolescence/young adult hood to actual adulthood. The in the moment, or "live for today" mentality that many young adults naturally have is starting to be replaced with a "what if?", "do I have enough time?, or a "what about tomorrow?", thought process. I have moved from a "what do I need to do to survive?", to a "what do I need to do for my family to survive... today... tomorrow... for future generations?" It has just been an odd process, as I didn't actively or knowingly realize this thought process was changing until it did.

Ok, enough of that.

So... what's been going on?

Changes

I'll go into detail about some of the following a little more in future posts

• Job Change - After 15 years of working on the Service Crew and almost 21 years in the Distribution & Collection Department, I have altered my career path and taken a job as a Water Plant Operator (Trainee, currently). Still with the same company, just a different department. Later this October will be 21 years at CCUA. I honestly should have made the jump years ago. I took a hard pay cut, but should break even in a few months, and be on a path to make a little more in the long run.
• Finances - I have altered the way I view money. I used to be (and still kind of am...) a bury your money in a mason jar kind of person. I have branched out into investing, and even a little bit into crypto. Nothing crazy, just an semi-idle way to increase our long term finances. The biggest change however, is the move from using debit cards to 100% credit card transactions. I refuse to spend money for free (debit) if there is an option to get cash/rewards back.
• Health - No more Red Bull. I was a pretty avid 20 oz a day Red Bull drinker. Not because I necessarily needed the "energy", but because I truly enjoyed the taste. Well, I transitioned from the regular Red Bull to a smaller size of their sugar free cans. Then I just stopped. Additionally, I have been on the regular with vitamins and supplements. I take a well rounded multivitamin, Zinc, and Ashwagandha on the daily. All from Garden of Life (your source is important.) I'm trying to get back to the gym, but no luck so far. A general awareness of what I put in my body has been worked on as well.
• Family - Not to get into too much detail, but since 2022, I have lost a Grandma and an Uncle. I have watched/felt a transition in the family line that I can't quite put to words, but may have contributed to my mental change and way of thinking mentioned previously. My boys are getting older, and starting to form there own little social worlds. We are all in good health, but the family dynamic is changing (in a growing and good way).

Well, I guess that about wraps it up for now. I think I have put all I wanted to down in writing. I plan on being more active (he said, again for the 15th time) through the end of the year, and into 2025...

So here to that! :)