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  1. #1
    Swaying Advice Coach
    atomic sagebrush's Avatar
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    Complete guide to taking supplements!

    I don't necessarily advise taking all these supps (esp. for a pink sway) but this is meant to be directions of HOW to take them for those who WANT to take them.

    There is no hard and fast rule about the best time of day to take supplements. First and foremost, take them when it makes sense for you...if they make you sick in the morning, don't take them in the morning. If it's too much to remember the optimal times to take them, take them whenever it works for you. Many people find taking pills of any kind as part of a routine makes it easier to remember. If you always do the same things at the same time every day (like taking your child to preschool or the office coffee break) that's the perfect time for taking your supplements.

    Supplements can cause stomach upset or a jittery feeling, especially when taken on an empty stomach. They're not always absorbed best when taken on an empty stomach anyway. For best results, take vitamins after eating a meal containing fat. (If you just ate a huge meal, sometimes it is really difficult to choke down a bunch of pills and water on top of that as I learned to my very great dismay )

    Take supplements one at a time with a LOT of water. Resist the temptation to swallow a big handful of pills at once and if you ever have the feeling that they are lodged in your throat, try eating a piece of bread and butter to wash it down with. DON'T ignore this feeling, if it doesn't get better right away consult a doctor. On another website, a man gave himself a perforated esophagus by swallowing a bunch of vitamins dry - they got stuck and dissolved in his throat and ate through his esophagus.

    Just to complicate matters, some foods can also interfere with/encourage absorption of some vitamins and mineral supplements. We'll take these special cases one at a time.

    CALCIUMCalcium is best absorbed with acid. Either stomach acid (so take it after a meal, when your stomach is producing extra acid) or the acids in fruit juice. You also need to take magnesium (do not take more than 300 mg Magnesium in supplement form) and Vit. D for your body to best utilize calcium (This is for general health - for swaying, it's not entirely clear whether we want calcium to be absorbed into our bones or floating around in our system.)

    Things that block the absorbtion of calcium include caffeine in coffee, tea, soft drinks; excessive protein, especially animal-based proteins; refined sugar and corn syrup; recreational drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes, too little or too much exercise; high salt diet; the Solanum genus of vegetables – tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines/eggplants, peppers - a chemical in them blocks calcium absorption.

    FOLIC ACID and other B vitamins Of course, everyone swaying should take at minimum 400 mcg of folic acid. The B vitamins are water soluble vitamins and your body uses what it needs at the moment and excretes the rest. To get the most out of them, you should take smaller doses at several times during the day.

    To best absorb B vitamins, you should take them along with Vit. C (see below) and with other B vitamins. Excess alcohol consumption and birth control pills can interfere with folic acid absorption, as can green tea and high salt intake. The TTC boy diet and baking soda drinks are particularly hard on your folic acid levels and ALL blue swayers should be taking extra folic acid - minimum of 2000 mcg.

    VITAMIN C Another water-soluble vitamin that is excreted when taken in excess. For best results take smaller doses several times a day. Treat cranberry like Vitamin C.

    POTASSIUMSince having too much (or too little) potassium can KILL you, it's probably best to get potassium primarily through diet. (potassium is in practially EVERYTHING but esp. fruits and vegetables) If you do want to take a little potassium, start very small (it is sold in dosages that are only 1-3% of the DMV for potassium. Take one with each meal and watch for any weird symptoms like diarrhea or arrhythmia. Salt, caffeine, antibiotics, and licorice can deplete your body of potassium, but still, it's best to just eat more fruits and vegetables rather than load up on potassium supplements.

    IRONThis is not something we talk about a lot in swaying, but iron is a good part of a blue sway. You don't need to take extra iron, you can absorb it better through diet anyway and you will be eating extra red meat and fortified breakfast cereal Tannins in tea can block absorption of iron, as does caffeine, eggs, milk, and large amounts of fiber. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption, as do fermented foods. And of course the trusty ACV drink!!

    HERBS I have no evidence to support this but I think the delicate compounds in herbs are probably more effective when taken on an empty
    stomach if you can stand it.

    This advice doesn't work as well for blue swayers because they need to be eating a lot all day long, but if you take the herbs with a snack rather than a meal, it may help.

    FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble - they can be stored in your fat and used whenever your body needs them, and are best absorbed with a meal that contains some fat in it. Vitamin A can actually be quite dangerous to take in supplement form, so it's much better to get Vit. A through diet (it's safe when eaten in food form). All yellow-orange fruits and vegetables contain some Vitamin A.

    Vitamin D, most of us probably do not get anywhere near enough of, so it should be taken in supplement form. Research indicates you cannot OD on Vitamin D in anything less than 10,000 IU (which is a LOT of Vit. D). You should take your Vit. D with your biggest meal (with the most fat in it) for best absorption. For best results, also eat something with a lot of Vit. A in it, like carrots or V-8 juice.

    Vit. E should be taken at the same time as Vit. D and also with a food that contains Vit. A like carrots or V-8 juice. You can get too much Vit. E, so stick to the government recommendations on that. If you are taking anything that thins your blood, such as aspirin, cranberry, garlic, fish oil, or prescription drug thinners, you should probably avoid Vit. E as it may cause bleeding.

    Vit. K is actually manufactured by good bacteria that live in your intestines, so no need to take it. If you have recently taken antibiotics or even if you haven't, taking probiotics can help restore/maintain these helpful organisms. Take probiotics after eating because otherwise the acids in your stomach will kill most of them off.

    Iron and fiber can block absorption of fat-soluble vitamins so be sure to take them at a different times of day.

    OIL BASED SUPPLEMENTSFish oil, flaxseed, evening primrose oil, should be treated as fat soluble vitamins.

    FIBER Blue swayers, if you choose to take fiber, do it first thing in the morning with a big glass of water and don't take it when you take any vitamins. Fiber doesn't seem to upset the stomach like other vitamins/minerals do. But you do not NEED to take fiber for your sway and you should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables and ample whole grains that will give you plenty of fiber anyway. You may want to time your intake of fat-soluble supplements at a time of day when you haven't eaten a large amount of fiber.

    Pink swayers, you WANT the fiber to absorb and remove fat, so you should take a fiber supplement with every meal.

    GRAPEFRUIT Grapefruit can interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients. So if you (blue swayers) are drinking grapefruit juice to increase CM, make sure you take it by itself.

    PROTEINThis is not a supplement per se, but for blue swayers remember you are trying to up your protein intake. Protein is digested best when eaten in smallish amounts several times a day, because your body can only digest 30 grams or so at one meal. Break up your protein intake into several chunks and try to get as much in as you can.

    Pink swayers should avoid protein and try to only eat about 40 grams a day.
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; January 6th, 2012 at 11:04 AM.
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  2. #2
    Swaying Advice Coach
    atomic sagebrush's Avatar
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    Sample schedule for pink swayers - SKIP breakfast. Take 2-400 mcg of folic acid with or without other B vitamins. Take your herbs if you can stomach them without food. This is a good time of day to have some delectable Crystal Light as well.

    With lunch, take cranberry/Vit C, 2-400 mcg folic acid, B complex, calcium/magnesium, Vit D (not saying you SHOULD take all these, just what the timing would be if you wanted to.). Probiotic after eating.

    Midafternoon - more folic acid, B-complex, cran/Vit. C with snack if you absolutely must and fiber (taking the fiber at this point gives the Vit D. time to be digested without being absorbed by the fiber.)

    With dinner, take FA, B, cranberry/Vit C, cal/mag and fiber.

    Before bed, take another round of cranberry/vit C, FA/B, and then more herbs, then go to bed and sleep in case your stomach gets upset. The downside to this is that Vit C and B vitamins can make you a little wigged out and may make it hard to sleep - if this is true you will have to adjust to see what works best for you.

    Sample schedule for blue swayers - With your hearty breakfast containing at least 30 grams of protein and some fat, you should take 400 mcg Folic Acid, a Vitamin D if desired, a tiny amount of potassium, and eat some fruits/vegetables that contain Vit. A. You can take Vit. C and B complex as well and ~I~ think blue swayers should take these, but some people think they sway pink.

    Midmorning snack - 400 mcg FA and as much protein as you can. Eat another Vit. A rich fruit/vegetable or two. Vit C and B if desired. Take herbs here. This is also a great opportunity to try a brewer's yeast drink (brewer's yeast has protein and B vitamins and you can count this in your daily total)

    Lunch - 30 grams protein, 400 mcg FA, and half your oily supplements. Vit. C and B if desired. Probiotic after eating. Tiny amount of potassium.

    Midafternoon snack - as much protein as you can, 400 mcg Folic Acid, Vit. C and B if desired. Take herbs here. Brewer's yeast drink if you want.

    Dinner - 30 grams protein, 400 mcg FA, the other half of the oily supplements. Vit. B and C if desired. Tiny amount of potassium.

    These are just examples of plans that you can come up with, I hope everyone shares what has worked best for them!!!

    ETA - When I mentioned above to eat "as much protein as you can" with your snacks, I don't mean eat unlimited protein, stick with the 30 grams or less. My point is that you don't HAVE to eat as much protein with snacks as you do with meals, you can eat less protein if you are not very hungry, just eat as much as you can within reason, without stuffing yourself, so if you ate 7 or 10 grams of protein, that's fine for a snack.

    LINKS - http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ition/vitamins
    http://genderdreaming.com/forum/show...3420#post13420
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; May 17th, 2011 at 11:14 AM.
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  3. #3
    Dreamer
    crystal-light's Avatar
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    Thank you
    Mom to Sept. 04, April 08, ^i^ May 09 & April 10

    Trying to convince DH to try for a tubal reversal baby girl soon!

    My Ovulation Chart


  4. #4
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    Thankyou!!!!
    My hubbie swallows his pills DRY I will show him this!
    Also, he takes fish oil with his Vit E.. should he not be doing this, you mentioned it is dangerous?
    Fathers Day baby!


    Busy Mummy of 5 now working from home: www.oz.scentsy.com.au

  5. #5
    Swaying Advice Coach
    atomic sagebrush's Avatar
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    As long as he's not having any issues with bleeding it's probably just fine. If he's bruising or having nosebleeds he may want to lay off the E and keep the fish oil.
    !!! Questions?? Check out the NEW and improved Complete Index !!!

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  6. #6
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    Thanks for that, so far so good!
    Fathers Day baby!


    Busy Mummy of 5 now working from home: www.oz.scentsy.com.au

  7. #7
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    So if I am reading this correctly I should
    Be taking about 6-8 400mg tablets of folic acid? Is this correct? I believe I am only taking 2 currently and my attempts in a few Weeks. Thanks for the info

  8. #8
    Swaying Advice Coach
    atomic sagebrush's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by luvmyluvbug View Post
    So if I am reading this correctly I should
    Be taking about 6-8 400mg tablets of folic acid? Is this correct? I believe I am only taking 2 currently and my attempts in a few Weeks. Thanks for the info
    Are you swaying pink or blue?? Pink swayers can get by with a bit less folic, 3-6 400 mg spaced out throughout the day (if you want to, or you can take the larger amount) but blue swayers should DEF. take 6-8 400mg throughout the day because a lot of what the blue swayers do causes FA to be excreted from the body.
    !!! Questions?? Check out the NEW and improved Complete Index !!!

    If you appreciate my help with your sway plan, please consider a donation:

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  9. #9
    Dream Vet
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    Are there any recommended brands of supplements or just what we can find in the right measure at the drug store?
    Wife to a sweetie DH & Mama to:
    C, 13yo ; A, 11yo ; B, 9yo ; G, 6yo - successful blue sway; H, 3yo - sweet surprise!; C, 2yo - successful blue sway!, S - newbie!

    Thank you GD!!

  10. #10
    Dream Vet
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    and thanks Atomic for putting the recommended schedules together - it's super helpful for planning
    Wife to a sweetie DH & Mama to:
    C, 13yo ; A, 11yo ; B, 9yo ; G, 6yo - successful blue sway; H, 3yo - sweet surprise!; C, 2yo - successful blue sway!, S - newbie!

    Thank you GD!!

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