If you, like me, hesitate to take pills to supplement your diet, consider creating your own customized vitamin and mineral cocktail to get only the benefits you need without the negative side effects . For years I have found that every pill (including vitamins and medicine ) I take gives me side effects much worse than the benefits. I would much prefer to get the vitamins and/or minerals I need in my food from natural sources like fruit and vegetables, instead of supplementing my diet with pills. As I get older my list of ailments and health issues grows, but I still feel that I would like to treat and/or prevent only these specific issues…
Years ago, I began making breakfast smoothies for my sons to ensure they started their school day off well. Check out one of my earliest posts: http://lorieb.com/2012/01/16/the-joys-of-juicing/ Their smoothies have evolved over the years to suit their needs, but they still love them and it still gives me comfort knowing they are well on their way to their daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every morning.
I have since started making my own customized vitamin and mineral cocktails. To find out which ingredients to use, I researched each of my own personal health issues to find out the recommended vitamin and/or mineral. I then continued the research to find out the best food source for each of the vitamins/minerals on my list. The following chart is customized for my own ailments and health concerns with the vitamin or mineral and the best food source (suitable for a smoothie) to combat each ailment/concern:
| Arthritis | ALA (omega 3) | Spinach, chia seed, flax seed oil | |
| Quercetin | Citrus, green tea, dark cherries/berries | ||
| Collagen | Nuts, seeds, green tea, red/blue berries, vitamin C, gelatin | ||
| Cumin/turmeric | Cumin/turmeric/curry powder | ||
| Bone density | Alkaline minerals | Calcium | Spinach, thyme, molasses, almond milk, dairy products |
| Manganese | Cloves, dark chocolate | ||
| Magnesium | Coriander, dark chocolate, almonds | ||
| Iron | Spinach, molasses | ||
| Potassium | Spinach, avocado, bananas | ||
| Energy | Co-Q10 | Spinach, avocado, parsley, red/blue berries | |
| Cancer | Resveratrol | Dark berries, dark chocolate, red grape skins | |
| Quercetin | See above | ||
| Pterostillbene | Blueberries, spinach | ||
| Menopause | Vitamin D | Almond milk, dairy milk | |
| Ginseng | Ginseng drops/tea | ||
| Phytoestrogens | Flax seed oil, dark cherries | ||
| Memory & Brain Fog | Pterostillbene | See above | |
| Resveratrol | See above | ||
| Omega 3s | See above | ||
| Immune System | Co-Q10 | See above | |
| Quercetin | see above | ||
| Co-ordination | Resveratrol | See above | |
| Cholesterol | Pterostillbene | See above | |
| Digestion | Alkaline minerals | See above | |
| Circulation | Co-Q10 | See above | |
| Toxin Removal (antioxidants) | Alkaline minerals | See above |
My personal, customized cocktail contains fresh organic baby spinach, chia seed, flax seed oil, lemon juice, green tea, dark cherries, blueberries, almond milk, strawberries, cumin or tumeric, molasses, dark chocolate, coriander and avocado. I created my own recipe from the researched ingredients that I like and have easy access to, but there were many more to choose from. Research your own needs, pick your favorite ingredients, and whip up your own delicious customized vitamin and mineral cocktail today!
Lorieb is the mother of three sons, residing in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. She is the proud owner of GARDENS4U, and spends most of her time designing, planting, and restoring gardens. Her other interests include reading and writing. Please check out her website at www.gardens4u.ca