So  . . .

• You've been a faithful Healthy Tip reader
• You even take a vitamin supplement
• But is it a good one?

Great question! This is actually one of the questions we get asked most frequently so we will devote a few tips to this topic. First, an overview.

The human body needs 90 nutrients EVERY DAY to repair itself, make new cells and function properly: 60 minerals, 16 vitamins, 12 amino acids and 2 fatty acids. 90 nutrients!

Let this fact sink in. How many of the 90 did you get today? How about yesterday or all of last week? If the answer isn't 90 EVERY DAY then your body is running off of a deficit. It's having to make due, or pull from your bones and muscles, or tap into reserves that were intended to sustain you past 100 years old (but we're using them up in our 30's so when 40 hits and we start to breakdown we say it's normal!). I can't stress enough that God intended and made provision for our bodies to last - in good health and strength - well into our 100's. One of the things we MUST do to achieve this is get our 90 nutrients EVERY DAY.

Now, if we all ate only fresh, organic raw foods (with an emphasis on superfoods) we wouldn't need to supplement. (Our family isn't there yet but we're well on our way!) But let's face it, most of us just don't eat that way! Because of this a basic good vitamin should actually be at minimum a multi-vitamin and multi-mineral formula (our next tip will explain each vitamin and mineral in more detail).

Now a days, a good supplement will also have other compnents such as one or more of the most common: Phytonutrients, fruit and/or vegetable extracts, super antioxidant blends, friendly flora, green foods, herbs, bee products (bee pollen, royal jelly, raw honey), amino acids, and fatty acids (again, more detail on many of these in our next tip).

We've found that liquid vitamins are usually easier to assimilate and are often easier to take since they can be added to juices or healthy shakes and solve the problem many people have with taking pills and capsules.

If you currently have a pill vitamin at home, try this easy 3-step test to see how good it is:

• First, your vitamin should not have a coating on it. If it says cellulose coating in the 'other ingredients' section of the labeI (like the classic One-A-Day, or Vitamin World's Mega Vitamins); or, when you break it in half, you are able to clearly see a coating along the outside, this vitamin will be a little harder to assimilate than others. 

• Next, examine the color of the insides of the two halves. The color should not be uniform but should have variations, possibly even different textures.

• Finally, place both halves in a small amount of lukewarm to warm water and let sit for about 15 minutes. If it hasn't dissolved in that time, it's probably not dissolving in you either (and consequently not doing you any good).

You should also stay away from artificial sweeteners, colors and dyes, and crazy precautions and warnings. Also, many products on the market now have simply gone overboard on the percentages of each nutrient they have. Our next tip will give guidelines for the proper amount for each nutrient.

In the past almost 10 years that we've been in the business of helping people, including ourselves, get healthy we've used many different supplements and still do to this day. Our clients, however, are not usually at the same place we are and typically want one product that covers all the basic necessesities. We've searched high and low and have finally found a product that we're very happy with that fits the bill.

Please keep in mind that there still is no better substitute for organically grown, raw foods. Also, we still don't believe in a magic bullet, designed to fix every ill. But this multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement is also stocked full of great fruits, herbs, green foods, trace minerals and much more - even nutrients for good joint health. The best part is that it won't break the bank and in this economy, that's as important as good health. It's called 10-in-One Liquid Multi Formula and for 19.95 (plus shipping and handling) you get the nutrition you need for a whole month.

Now, we still recommend and use other great products, but they cost much more than that! Finally, we have something to recommend to all our clients who were on the $100 each month Habit of Health with it's 5 different products or even the $50 Super Trio with it's three products and just couldn't afford to continue. Again, these and others are still wonderful products, but now with 10-in-One you have another great option.

Click here for more information about 10-in-One Liquid Multi Formula or click here for fast ordering and just try it for yourself!

As always, feel free to contact us with any questions or for a personal consultation on what may be the best fit for you and your family. 

Our next Healthy Living Tip goes into greater detail about exactly why we need each of those 90 nutrients, what they are, and answers the question that often comes to mind when you read the side of supplement bottles which list several thousand percent of an item: can there be too much of a good thing?