Food and Multivitamins available in the UK or alternatives?

[ufo]

Have read many posts and notice many of the foods, multivitamins etc. that are mentioned are available in the US only.

For those of us in the UK, would it be possible to make some comparisons to help us out?



To get started, I have tried to draw up some suggestions (though would appreciate if others could help me out with some). On all pages I have linked, the ingredients of each item are listed and I would appreciate if someone (or more than one) could check these for me:



One MAJOR difference is that in most of our soft drinks (i.e. Soda / Carbonated / Fizzy drinks) we have SUGAR instead of HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.

I notice that for TTC Boy it mentions that Sugar is a good thing, so are we better off in the UK to keep drinking our fizzy drinks as they have plenty of sugar in them?
Coca Cola UK Ingredients (http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/brands/coca-cola.html)




Foods


Gelatin - Hopefully the same as Jelly (or in the US Jell-O)?
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/sainsburys-price-comparison/Desserts/Hartleys_Sugar_Free_Strawberry_Jelly_23g.html
(Click on Nutrition tab for the Ingredients)

Haribo Gold Jelly Bears - (Click on Ingredients tab)
http://www.germandeli.com/goldbaeren.html
(We can get these from Europe, a main thing I noticed is that ours don't include the use of Corn Syrup like the US ones do)


V-8 Juice - We have this but can only really get the original. Is this okay?
V8 100% vegetable juice - Waitrose+V8+vegetable+juice+original.html?storeId= 10317 (http://www.waitrose.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductView-10317-10001-4829-)

Apple Juice - I noticed on IG that it mentioned Apple Juice was better than Orange Juice, because Apple Juice was alkaline. I don't see that here though. I notice here it mentions Orange Juice is okay for TTC Boy - but know that Orange Juice contains Citric Acid. Can anyone please confirm one way or another?
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=254859608

Orange Juice - We don't get Minute Maid, so we have to make do with other brands. One popular one here is Tropicana. Here are the details:
Tropicana Orange Juice Smooth 1 Litre - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=258215380)
and/or
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=254859499

Mineral Water - Most of our bottled water here contains Calcium, so it's difficult finding one that doesn't. One of the few I can find that is almost Neutral (I think) is Volvic:
Volvic Still Mineral Water (Product Information) (http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Volvic-Still-Mineral-Water/16159011)
On the label of the bottle it states that it is a pH of 7. I have tested it to be sure and it seems about correct.

Soda Water + Lime Cordial
Tesco Soda Water 1Litre - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=254857357)
mixed with
Roses Lime Juice Cordial 1 Litre - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=255887210)
or Soda Water + Lime (Pre-Mixed)
Tesco Soda Water With Lime 1 Litre - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=270996191)

Baking Soda - I think is pretty universal worldwide?






Vitamins + Supplements

One a Day +50 - We have a couple of different 50+ products available to us, the main ones:

Multibionta 50+
Multibionta 50+ (http://www.seven-seas.com/products/multibionta-50-plus)
or
Centrum Advance 50+
Centrum Advance 50+ (http://www.boots.com/en/Centrum-Advance-50-100-tablets_981102/)


Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules - if we can't get the real thing are these any good?
Cider Vinegar Tablets (300mg) | Apple Cider | Holland & Barrett (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=113&prodid=1238)


Potassium Capsules - will be trying to get Potassium mainly from Food, but are these any good?
Holland and Barrett Potassium Capsules (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=52&searchterm=pot)


Wheatgrass Power - About all I can find?
Wheat grass powder Holland and Barrett (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=1813&prodid=1964&)


Zinc Caplets (for Man) - Not sure about some of the ingredients in these?
Tesco Zinc Suppliment 60S - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=263469054)


Coenzyme Q10 (for the Man) - some different alternatives?
Coenzyme Q10 10Mg 30'S - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=251315860)
or
Tesco Coq10 100Mg 30S - Groceries - Tesco Groceries (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=268136331)


Vitamin B-12 + Folic Acid (for the Man) -
Buy Fsc Vitamin B12 1000ug, Capsules Products, Online Pharmacy (http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/fsc-vitamin-b12-1000ug_1_53234.html)



We can purchase FertileCM from certain places here and also am planning to get a hold of some Pre-Seed and mix with some Baking Soda to raise the pH.

Looking more closely at FertileCM I notice that it contains 167% daily value of Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) and also contains Acidophilus. I thought TTC Boy was supposed to try and avoid these things yet FertileCM is supposed to be helpful for TTC Boy?


There are many more food and vitamin comparisons, I will add them in as I go along and maybe we can use this as a useful list for those of us trying to find foods etc. in the UK but need someone to confirm if these so far are okay or not or if I need to try and find alternatives.


Hopefully someone (or more than one person) can please check these for me that they are okay for TTC Boy?

[Cinss]

V8 is the most important drink on the HE diet, you have that in the UK so that is good. Plain water with fresh lemon squeezed in is another good one. Any fruit juice is ok, freshly squeezed would be best. Fizzy drinks or Soda should be avoided especially the "diet" no sugar kinds. You can have sugar but you want to try to keep your blood sugars stable through out the day, you do that by having protein with it. Calcium is good on the HE diet so if it is in your mineral water thats fine. Cordial is just sugar like the fizzy drinks is best to avoid, try fresh lime instead if you want it with soda water. The gelatin you want is plain available at Tesco's, Asda and Sainsbury's, not the jelly you are thinking of it is full of sugar too.

All of the supplements you listed are good. I would also suggest having a look for wheatgrass capsules and/or brewers yeast tablets. And of course folic acid. Fertile CM is great. Pre seed is great (no need for the baking soda, its up to you though).

[ufo]

V8 is the most important drink on the HE diet

It gets a little difficult to stomach after a while. What is it about it that is so important? Can I get what is in it in other ways if I become tired/sick of the drink?



Any fruit juice is ok, freshly squeezed would be best.

You mean a Pure Fruit Juice?


Calcium is good on the HE diet so if it is in your mineral water thats fine.

Had been trying like crazy to find one without much Calcium. That one has small amounts, there are others with larger amounts but since that one was pH of 7 I thought it was maybe the best?


Cordial is just sugar like the fizzy drinks is best to avoid, try fresh lime instead if you want it with soda water.
I thought sugar in reasonable amounts was okay?



The gelatin you want is plain available at Tesco's, Asda and Sainsbury's, not the jelly you are thinking of it is full of sugar too.

Which one should I be looking for from those stores?

Note that the one I mentioned above, it is Sugar-Free.



I would also suggest having a look for wheatgrass capsules

Been trying to find these but struggling. Can only find the powders. Are there any high street stores or supermarkets that carry the capsules? They would be much easier to take than the powder (drink).


brewers yeast tablets

Okay will look out for these. What is their purpose in the diet?



Pre seed is great (no need for the baking soda, its up to you though).

Read elsewhere about raising the pH of Pre Seed to 8 by including some Baking Soda?

[atomic sagebrush]

Hi!

1)re sugar - I don't know that sugar is necessarily GOOD, but it's better than diet!! It's best to have sugar WITH protein rather than just by itself. i think fizzy drinks are ok for blue, I drank them all the time, but the carbonation some people like to avoid.

2)Gelatin IS the same as Jello BUT you want the type without the extra sugar, coloring, etc. You want just the jiggly stuff with no color or flavor, and then mix a packet with fruit juice.

3)Haribo gummies are fine

4)Reg V8 is fine

5)Any fruit juice is fine for TTC a boy. I personally think apple juice is little more than sugar water and I vastly prefer you guys "spend" your calories on things that have lots of nutrients - orange, grape, pomegranate, grapefruit. I do not believe in the acid-alkaline diet and you can read why here :http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-discussion-ttc-boy-girl-home-swaying-info/11684-ph-pickle.html I drank orange juice by the liter when conceiving 2 of my boys. Any brand is fine

6)Don't worry about the calcium in mineral water. But that water looks fine.

7)Water with baking soda/sodium bicarbonate is fine! And baking soda is baking soda.

I am running out of time here so I'll have to do the vitamins another day but just really quickly, don't worry about the Vit C in the Fertile CM or the acidophilus. Nutrients sway blue and acidophilus can help your body absorb and digest nutrients.

Fertile CM may not be good because of another ingredient in there, l-arginine, which some ladies have found dried up their CM. If you want to use it, keep an eye out and if you notice that your CM dries up, you need to drop it.

[atomic sagebrush]

you do not need to mix baking soda with the Preseed, it's up to you.

[NearlyDone]

One thing that confused me as a uk swayer is that we have either 'baking powder' or 'bicarbonate of soda'.....its the bicarbonate of soda that the equivlent of baking soda any vitimins you need should be found in holland and barrett x

[Cinss]

It gets a little difficult to stomach after a while. What is it about it that is so important? Can I get what is in it in other ways if I become tired/sick of the drink?

Its the nutrient value that is important, it is easier for some to drink all the serves of veggies this way rather than eat so many veggies, but if you prefer to eat them its totally fine.




You mean a Pure Fruit Juice?

Yes if you have a juicer you can squeeze your own fresh pure juice (no preservatives or additives that way), but like Atomic said any store bought is fine.



Had been trying like crazy to find one without much Calcium. That one has small amounts, there are others with larger amounts but since that one was pH of 7 I thought it was maybe the best?

Sounds good to me.

I thought sugar in reasonable amounts was okay?

It is but you would be surprised how much is actually in soft drink and cordial and jelly. Seeing as you will be drinking so much juice and water i dont see a "need" for soda or cordial at all.

Which one should I be looking for from those stores?
Cookies Detecting! (http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/search/searchcontainer.jsp?trailSize=1&searchString=gelatin&domainName=Products&headerVersion=v1&_requestid=23077) Id go for the pork one

Note that the one I mentioned above, it is Sugar-Free.

Be careful of anything labled "diet" and "sugar free" they just replace the sugar with artificial sweetners, no go on the HE diet.




Been trying to find these but struggling. Can only find the powders. Are there any high street stores or supermarkets that carry the capsules? They would be much easier to take than the powder (drink).

Powder is fine, it tastes like grass try online if you cant find in stores. (amazon has them)


Okay will look out for these. What is their purpose in the diet?

High nutrient value


Read elsewhere about raising the pH of Pre Seed to 8 by including some Baking Soda?
Up to you i know lots of ladies i swayed with kept getting BFNs when baking soda was involved, i dropped it pretty quick too, pre seed has a PH of 7 i think that is perfect, you want large amounts of sperm to make it through the cervix.

[Zivic-Bubac]

.its the bicarbonate of soda that the equivlent of baking soda
Yep, it's the bicarbonate of soda. Are you planning to do BSF or mix it with PreSeed?
I strongly advice against both. Like Cinns said, it may be the cause of BFNs, as it was, I believe, in my case.

Go with PreSeed only.

[ufo]

Wow didn't expect so many replies - thanks all!


Yep, it's the bicarbonate of soda. Are you planning to do BSF or mix it with PreSeed?
I strongly advice against both. Like Cinns said, it may be the cause of BFNs, as it was, I believe, in my case.

Plan was just do Preseed and mix with a little Baking Soda. Not planning to do Baking Soda drink - tried it a couple of times but just can't keep it down (or even get it down sometimes!)



Fertile CM may not be good because of another ingredient in there, l-arginine, which some ladies have found dried up their CM. If you want to use it, keep an eye out and if you notice that your CM dries up, you need to drop it.

Tried it once already, it didn't seem to dry it up but it didn't change much from how it would usually be. Maybe just wasn't taking it for long enough (only a month) to notice a difference?

I read all the pH sway stuff, I don't know what to think about it all right now

Fertile CM and the l-arginine - I thought this was one of the good points of it because it can help increase testosterone?

[Cinss]

Fertile CM and the l-arginine - I thought this was one of the good points of it because it can help increase testosterone?

Yep and if it doesnt dry up your CM i'd keep it in. You can also raise T levels by lifting weights, sports and games.

[atomic sagebrush]

One thing that confused me as a uk swayer is that we have either 'baking powder' or 'bicarbonate of soda'.....its the bicarbonate of soda that the equivlent of baking soda any vitimins you need should be found in holland and barrett x

Baking powder has baking soda IN it along with COT Difference Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda (http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm)

[atomic sagebrush]

:agree: V8 is just a good way to get a lot of nutrients inc. potassium, for very few cals. The prob. people have with HE Diet is that they can gain weight on it, so you have to "eat smarter, not harder" and "spend" your cals wisely so you get the most nutrients for the least cals.

Same with fruit juice - like I said, apple juice doesn't have much going for it other than cals so not a good way to spend calories. And also fizzy sugar pops/cordials, just like Cinns mentions, are not good ways to spend your cals because you get a lot of cals for not a lot of nutrients.

[atomic sagebrush]

Wow didn't expect so many replies - thanks all!



Plan was just do Preseed and mix with a little Baking Soda. Not planning to do Baking Soda drink - tried it a couple of times but just can't keep it down (or even get it down sometimes!)




Tried it once already, it didn't seem to dry it up but it didn't change much from how it would usually be. Maybe just wasn't taking it for long enough (only a month) to notice a difference?

I read all the pH sway stuff, I don't know what to think about it all right now

Fertile CM and the l-arginine - I thought this was one of the good points of it because it can help increase testosterone?

As long as the Fertile CM doesn't dry you up, it's good. Some people's bodies seem to start making testosterone INSTEAD of making estrogen, and for a boy you want both T and E to be made. This can lead to drying up of CM. If this doesn't happen for you, that's great and keep up the Fertile CM if you like it!

[atomic sagebrush]

Both multibionta and Centrum are good. They each have something missing that the other has - the multibionta has ginseng which some swayers like to include but I don't think is necessary, and the Centrum has lycopene which I think is great for a blue sway. Thus, I would go with the cheaper of the two options.

ACV capsules are fine.

Potassium supps - I'd obviously prefer you get it via diet but those are just fine for a little extra now and then.

wheatgrass sachets look very nice! I really like those!!

The zinc supps are fine, the additional ingredients are just a tiny amount used to formulate the pill. Just be sure your hubby is getting no more than 25 mg zinc TOPS. The 50 mg zinc listed on IG is not safe.

I'd get the 100 coq10 to save him having to swallow lots of supps.

Is there not B12 in the multivitamin? That B12 and folic looks good but if he's already getting that much in a multi, I'd skip it.