Earlier this week in a twitter chat led by GNC, we were obviously discussing supplements. I realized, I take a lot of supplements, and people here might think I’m nuts! Fortunately, Bess and Cait didn’t think I was nuts, they were simply intrigued by the fact that I am a walking vitamin store, and wondered why I take what I take, they encouraged me to blog about it, and here I am.
If you’ve read my about me section, you know that 7 years ago I had gastric bypass surgery. I had a botched gastric bypass surgery. My surgeon left me with a smaller stomach pouch than was was expected or reasonable. Due to the fact that I could not eat for many months, and the surgeon was reticent to put me on IV nutrition, parts of my healing insides turned to scar tissue. On top of that, a part of my duodenum, which is a major part of your waste and nutrition system; especially important due to its ability to aid in b-12 synthesis in your body, was left useless. In normal Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery, this is completely bypassed, mine was not quite successful.
Inside my body, I am not quite the same as everyone else. Do you know how people often argue, “we all bleed the same color” I really don’t. Because my iron is normally so low, leading to a lack of hemoglobin in my blood, I bleed just slightly lighter than everyone else. To keep myself from bleeding pink and keeling over, I have to adhere to a strict vitamin regimen. I have to take the equivalent of what would be a megadose to most people. I am the Courtney Love of GNC.
There are also vitamins that my body makes and uses quite well, but I supplement because I am a woman of childbearing age who is very active.
The minute I shot out this IG, I recieved 3 picture tweets in response of other’s vites.
Here is my regimen
- Magnesium 500mg/day
- Iron a script and it’s 60mg/day
- B-12 once weekly injections 1cc
- fenugreek-10 tablets/day (on and off)
- brewer’s yeast 10 tablets/day (on and off)
- Prenatals
- DHA for pregnancy and nursing
- calcium 1000mg (x2) my bod does NOT do this one well
- D3 1000mg
- in the winter I take ONE vitamin E tablet ONE. you can OD on these for reals. My doc told me to take it in the winter for my eczema.
- Vitamin C in the summer because I am practically transparent and it helps your body amp up your natural sunblock (which I still wear a crapton of)
- gingko biloba when I am not preggers or nursing.
- probiotics-in the process of changing this one-not happy with the one I am on
Overwhelmed? Don’t be. This is just my life from now on. I am used to it, but I will tell you, DO NOT GET GASTRIC BYPASS if you can avoid it. If you’re 500lbs and you are knocking on death’s door, I would pull out all the stops too, but if you can still wear clothes from mainstream stores, if your health can be improved on its own, if you have ANY OTHER OPTION IN THE WORLD, take it.
Even if you’d have asked me three years ago if I’d do it again, I’d have told you yes. Not anymore. Not after two, very scary pregnancies, 7 years of of blood transfusions, iron infusions, passing out, light-headedness, vertigo, nausea, and my inability to digest ice cream to this day. You know all of those lovely sweets I make? I can eat the tiniest slice before I am doubled over in pain, room spinning, heart racing. Every race I run, every 10+mi run I go on, I dread having to take a gu packet or the like. If my heart isn’t already racing from the run, it races from the sugar. I don’t grab gatorade at stations, I am the loser asking for water. Nuun is my lifesaver.
I do believe in vitamins for people who aren’t bereft of a normal intestinal system. Most of us DO NOT get all we need from food. That’s the ideal, but it’s also unlikely. I have both my husband and my son on a multi, a fish oil, and a vitamin D. ESPECIALLY because my husband and my son both have darker skin, and though it’s soooo pretty to look at, vitamin d doesn’t see it. It sees a barrier. Melanin is the kevlar vest to vitamin D. The peanut is on vitamin d drops as well, and she makes the FUNNIEST face when I drop it on her tongue. That’s a reason right there to give it!!
I would also add that in personal experience, adding an amino acid heavy shake after a long run has made a huge difference in my recovery. I use it as a recovery MEAL. I like 2:1:1 recovery by Optimum . Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it tastes good. After you run 15 miles? That shake blended with a banana? Oh yeah. that. I have never made protein pudding with it, but I assume it would be AWESOME.
Do you use supplements?
Favorite recovery?
*please consult your physician before you start ANY supplement routine. Every single body is different in its needs.
Earlier this week in a twitter chat led by GNC, we were obviously discussing supplements. I realized, I take a lot of supplements, and people here might think I’m nuts! Fortunately, Bess and Cait didn’t think I was nuts, they were simply intrigued by the fact that I am a walking vitamin store, and wondered why I take what I take, they encouraged me to blog about it, and here I am.
If you’ve read my about me section, you know that 7 years ago I had gastric bypass surgery. I had a botched gastric bypass surgery. My surgeon left me with a smaller stomach pouch than was was expected or reasonable. Due to the fact that I could not eat for many months, and the surgeon was reticent to put me on IV nutrition, parts of my healing insides turned to scar tissue. On top of that, a part of my duodenum, which is a major part of your waste and nutrition system; especially important due to its ability to aid in b-12 synthesis in your body, was left useless. In normal Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery, this is completely bypassed, mine was not quite successful.
Inside my body, I am not quite the same as everyone else. Do you know how people often argue, “we all bleed the same color” I really don’t. Because my iron is normally so low, leading to a lack of hemoglobin in my blood, I bleed just slightly lighter than everyone else. To keep myself from bleeding pink and keeling over, I have to adhere to a strict vitamin regimen. I have to take the equivalent of what would be a megadose to most people. I am the Courtney Love of GNC.
There are also vitamins that my body makes and uses quite well, but I supplement because I am a woman of childbearing age who is very active.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be. This is just my life from now on. I am used to it, but I will tell you, DO NOT GET GASTRIC BYPASS if you can avoid it. If you’re 500lbs and you are knocking on death’s door, I would pull out all the stops too, but if you can still wear clothes from mainstream stores, if your health can be improved on its own, if you have ANY OTHER OPTION IN THE WORLD, take it.
Even if you’d have asked me three years ago if I’d do it again, I’d have told you yes. Not anymore. Not after two, very scary pregnancies, 7 years of of blood transfusions, iron infusions, passing out, light-headedness, vertigo, nausea, and my inability to digest ice cream to this day. You know all of those lovely sweets I make? I can eat the tiniest slice before I am doubled over in pain, room spinning, heart racing. Every race I run, every 10+mi run I go on, I dread having to take a gu packet or the like. If my heart isn’t already racing from the run, it races from the sugar. I don’t grab gatorade at stations, I am the loser asking for water. Nuun is my lifesaver.
I do believe in vitamins for people who aren’t bereft of a normal intestinal system. Most of us DO NOT get all we need from food. That’s the ideal, but it’s also unlikely. I have both my husband and my son on a multi, a fish oil, and a vitamin D. ESPECIALLY because my husband and my son both have darker skin, and though it’s soooo pretty to look at, vitamin d doesn’t see it. It sees a barrier. Melanin is the kevlar vest to vitamin D. The peanut is on vitamin d drops as well, and she makes the FUNNIEST face when I drop it on her tongue. That’s a reason right there to give it!!
I would also add that in personal experience, adding an amino acid heavy shake after a long run has made a huge difference in my recovery. I use it as a recovery MEAL. I like 2:1:1 recovery by Optimum . Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it tastes good. After you run 15 miles? That shake blended with a banana? Oh yeah. that. I have never made protein pudding with it, but I assume it would be AWESOME.
Do you use supplements?
Favorite recovery?
*please consult your physician before you start ANY supplement routine. Every single body is different in its needs.