What vitamin or mineral supplements should you take? Granted, it can seem confusing, even overwhelming at first. Yet, with a little time and effort you can find out what you need and supply it. Start by consulting your healthcare professional, especially if you have a condition that requires careful monitoring. Speak to those who work in the field. With health-food stores and huge whole-food supermarkets continuing to spread in towns and cities all over North America and in Europe, there are many knowledgeable individuals available to assist you in your quest for the right products. Books on the subject are numerous, and Internet sources can be most valuable, as long as you are careful to sort out the sales pitches from the information. Rather than trying to supply yourself with each element individually, which can be dangerous, look for a balanced multivitamin and mineral complex supplement, or superfood complex, to give you the support that may be missing from your diet. In the last few years, Regina has replaced nearly all her vitamin and mineral pills with one powdered green superfood mixture added to fruit juice once a day. This product alone supplies her with a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals, specially formulated for women of her age range.

Don't forget that foods should be your main source of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. An important factor in getting vitamins from your vegetables is the preparation method you choose. The heat of boiling destroys most vitamins; the rest are dissolved in the water, which is usually just thrown away. Eating your vegetables raw would ensure that you get maximum value from them. But since most of us are used to having our string beans cooked, we suggest lightly steaming or stir-frying to preserve as many essential vitamins as possible.

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