How important are fish oil and vitamins to the success of your diet?
I have a confession. I haven't been taking my fish oil or multi-vitamin. I just fell off the pill wagon. So, how important are these to my success? I have taken a vow to (starting today) take all my fish oil, MRC 6, MRC multi-vitamin and my B6 (B-12 makes me a little sick, so I don't take it). Has anyone else been on the diet without and then with the pills and seen a change? I have always been faithful about my MRC 6, just not the rest of it.
One more thing - who has purchased the carb blockers? Are they worth the money?
I would like to know more about this too. So many things I read about vitamins are contradictory. Seems like there is always some new craze about something - like right now it's Vitamin D - and it usually makes sense - until someone new comes along and "proves" it's wrong! And the oil part is confusing to me too. I didn't realize until about two weeks ago that I'm only taking about 1/3 as much oil as the center recommends. They ask me everytime and I always say I use a lot of olive oil (I cook with it and make my own dressing for my salads) and that satisfies them. But now I'm wondering if I'm really not getting enough. Do I really need that much? Aren't there calories in all that oil? Won't I smell like fish oil? Ok - i'm kidding there, but still...
I am told that we need the good oils in the fish oil to help us. So I was told to take 3 at every meal. Well I take two at every meal and they are happy with that. It doesn't seem to be hurting me, but I also only take a multi vitamin as well. I agree that we hear so much about supplements that I am afraid to take anything that is not approved by the FDA. You can google supplements and see what I am talking about. I figure our bodies are fat burning machines, and will work properly if I give it the right amount of food and exercise. For some reason in the back of my mind when the center wants me to take more pills I have this echo that says "there is not a magic pill?" Idk.. But so far so good on the fish oil. I also heard through a friend that Dr. OZ had a show that he put a multi vitamin in 98 degree water for the entire show and it never even dissolved. It was to prove the fact that we basically just waste them back out our bodies and that we don't receive a benefit from them. So now I am wondering where I can get a good vitamin, and trust that what they say is in it ... is.
The american diet is loaded with Omega 6's which are found in corn, but we get very very little Omega 3's which are found in fish. If you do not consume 2 servings of fatty fish every week, you should be taking a fish oil supplement - diet or not. Omega 3's have all sorts of scientifically proven benefits that our ancestors were getting all along, but our modern diet has taken them out.
As for the multivitamin, some are bad and some are good. I do not feel good on this diet without the multi because we're not getting enough of certain nutrients, and even if you cannot feel the difference, your skin, hair and body cells i'm sure do.
As for the Dr. Oz, putting a vitamin in warm water isn't exactly a good test because your body has enzymes and acids to break down the vitamin. But it's true, many vitamins are just full of fillers. I like the ones from New Chapter Organics - Every Woman in case that helps.
As for the carb blocker, I do believe it works. I was in peru for 10 days and ate out for lunch and dinner every day. I got in all my water and HNS's and ate reasonably well, but certainly not "on plan" and I actually lost 3 lbs while I was gone and I accredit it to taking the C&F blocker at every single restaurant meal. I take it when we go out for an occasional dinner on the weekends too and it makes me feel less guilty though I don't splurge, I've never seen my weight loss be held up for a couple days after a slightly off plan mean with the C&F blocker.
Hope that helps!
Last edited by GoalAug2010; 05-04-2010 at 12:27 PM.
From a medical point of view (I swear I am a nurse), the pill in water made me laugh. Warmth has very little to do with breakdown of anything. You're stomach is FULL of acid, that breaks things down. Just about everything. Which is why things are enteric coated. That coated prevents things from being broken down in the stomach prematurely. That article should explain it. I noticed that the fish oil is being entericly coated, as mentioned in that article.
I for one believe in taking at least a multivitamin, diet or not. You can not get everything you need nutrient wise in your food. You can certainly try, but things like folic acid is very hard to get enough in your diet (unless you eat spinach every meal etc.). Folic acid deficency has been shown to cause neural tube defects in babies of those mommies.
So yes, in my humble opinion, vitamins are very important.
I am told that we need the good oils in the fish oil to help us. So I was told to take 3 at every meal. Well I take two at every meal and they are happy with that. It doesn't seem to be hurting me, but I also only take a multi vitamin as well. I agree that we hear so much about supplements that I am afraid to take anything that is not approved by the FDA. You can google supplements and see what I am talking about. I figure our bodies are fat burning machines, and will work properly if I give it the right amount of food and exercise. For some reason in the back of my mind when the center wants me to take more pills I have this echo that says "there is not a magic pill?" Idk.. But so far so good on the fish oil. I also heard through a friend that Dr. OZ had a show that he put a multi vitamin in 98 degree water for the entire show and it never even dissolved. It was to prove the fact that we basically just waste them back out our bodies and that we don't receive a benefit from them. So now I am wondering where I can get a good vitamin, and trust that what they say is in it ... is.
On the Dr. Oz show I believe it was vinegar that he put the vitamin in.
Real quick like..... From a friend that used to work at MRC. The EFA or Omega 3-6 really is needed in your diet. WHY? The MRC diet is lacking the oils your body needs. The side effects of not taking them...dry skin and brittle hair that may start to fall out. She said most of the pills there are scams and they are on commision to sell them but by all means take the efa's. MRC has a great product cause they are "fresh" no fishy after taste. They are reasonably priced too. Just my 2 cents for what its worth.
Real quick like..... From a friend that used to work at MRC. The EFA or Omega 3-6 really is needed in your diet. WHY? The MRC diet is lacking the oils your body needs. The side effects of not taking them...dry skin and brittle hair that may start to fall out. She said most of the pills there are scams and they are on commision to sell them but by all means take the efa's. MRC has a great product cause they are "fresh" no fishy after taste. They are reasonably priced too. Just my 2 cents for what its worth.
This is what I was to understand as well. We get very little oils on this program and yes our hair and skin will start to dry out.. I always take the EFA's and use oil when making a salad or cooking.. I would kind of hate to see me if I didn't..lol.
I love these posts... I learn so much! Like I said in my previous post... I heard the whole Dr Oz. thing from a friend and hadn't watched it myself. So its great to now hear why. I have always taken a multi vitamin and the fish oil while on this program and felt that they worked! I am glad to hear I don't have to do some major research to find a good multi vitamin. I still stand behind my feelings about the supplements due to the fact that they are not FDA approved. I also want to be able to do this with the least amount of pills as possible, just so when I get to stabilization I can feel like I can do it on my own. Those feeling are just personal and not for everyone. I know we all are different Thanks again for all the great information!
I have no doubt that we need the EFA - I actually take flax oil which keeps me from getting the fishy taste. I'm just wondering about the dosage. 3 with every meal? I just wrap my brain around that.
Does anyone use a carb and fat blocker that is not from the center? Do they work as well as the ones at the center? I have heard good things about the ones they have, but again, spendy!
Does anyone use a carb and fat blocker that is not from the center? Do they work as well as the ones at the center? I have heard good things about the ones they have, but again, spendy!
I was told to be careful with the fat and carb blockers since they also block the good fats we need in our diet. I was told to only use them if you are dining out and not sure how the food is prepared as far as how much fat they use to cook it.. I think I used them twice. I don't know if they really worked or not.. I am going to assume they did..
I was told to be careful with the fat and carb blockers since they also block the good fats we need in our diet. I was told to only use them if you are dining out and not sure how the food is prepared as far as how much fat they use to cook it.. I think I used them twice. I don't know if they really worked or not.. I am going to assume they did..
Cheers!
Ronnie
I love that about you Ronnie - you've got such a positive attitude. Thanks for that!
Last year when beginning the program I took all required EFA and fish oil...My hair still fell out...I only noticed this a couple of months ago when I had 2 to 3 inches of hair around my head...very frustrating...my hairdresser even told me my hair was much thinner than it was 2 years ago...so I am working hard to take care of the hair I have and can't wait for the "new" hairs to fill in...I have stopped all supplements every single one...for the last month and feel no different...I am tired of trying this or that, and am detoxifying my body and will begin after June taking a multi, omega's, & D.
How important are fish oil and vitamins to the success of your diet?
Thanks again for all the great information!
