Alternative vitamins
 

So I am out of my IP vitamins and I went and bought all the supplements and vitamins at Walmart, I compared labels and such but of course my coach is not ok with it so I can't get any assistance from him. The only thing I can't find is the anti oxidant that isn't in gel caps. But what I want to know is on the vitamins do I take the recommended daily dose or should I be taking more because of the diet restrictions? Have you taken non IP vitamins and done ok?

I have been using all alternative supplements :) I use Nature's Way Alive! Women's Energy multivitamin, and Swanson Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Citrate, and Biotin. I also take Spring Valley Fish, Flax & Borage Oil for my Omega-3-6-9's. :) I have done just fine with these supplements, and I take the recommended dosage.

:)

Be sure when you replace the omega 3 to only get omega 3, not 3-6-9. If you do your research, the American diet is way too high in 6. We need omega 3s badly because there us little in the diet unless all your meat us grass fed/finished and all your chicken/eggs/pork are pasture-raised. Of the animals we eat are fee corn and /or kept inside, they don't produce adequate omega 3s. Most veg oil is omega 6 and it off-balances us. 9s aren't usually in need of supplementation.

There's a great book on the subject: Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill

For the other supplements, I used info from the alternate threads and did some label comparing online to make my choices. I use Centrum Silver (it has calcium), Vitacost Potassium, Vitacost Magnesium Citrate, and an Omega 3 I was using prior to starting IP. I've read a LOT about Omega 3s. The other thing to know is the purity is important. I found a website that compares purity for medical-grade Omega 3s and I made my purchase decision after reading the testing comparisons. I buy that one online.

The biggest takeaway without doing all the reading I did: When you open your bottle of fish oil and sniff, it shouldn't smell fishy. Just as fresh fish isn't so fresh if it has a fishy smell, fish oil is pretty unstable and can easily go rancid. Rancid fish oil increases oxidative stress inside the body (the REVERSE of an antioxidant!)

Lisa - My IP omega 3's do smell fishy as well as taste a bit fishy. Does anyone else's? I'm wondering now if mine are bad?

The ID omega I was sold in my clinic smells unbelievably BAD. Like rotten fish!

I just couldn't bear to even take one. Maybe it had become rancid? I have been taking Mega-red flaxseed oil instead simply because they were already in the cabinet. I need to find an alternative also.

I have purchased 3 bottles of the IP Omegas. The last two I have purchased (the first time was the old formulation) have smelled horrible. I would prefer to buy at least my Omega and Calcium from a different source, but my clinic sent a strongly worded email that reminded everyone that we had signed a contract that we would follow the program which includes purchasing their supplements.

Does anyone have a good alternative Liquid vitamin? I have a challenge swallowing and for whatever reason, pill vitamins tend to make my stomach upset. I've tried taking them with and without food and would prefer a liquid if there is one available.

Omega 3s should NOT be fishy smelling and DEFINITELY NOT smell like rotten fish. I would return those at once!

I found my fish oils by researching international fish oil standards program. There were only a handful that met the quality standards I was looking for.

I order mine online and get a discount for buying multiple bottles at once.

Do some reading about rancid fish oil supplements and you will quit taking any of the cheap ones. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for (and other times, you get charged too much for something of cheap quality).

I had told my coach from day-1 that my omega 3s were non-negotiable, unless theirs had passed the same quality standards testing.

Interesting...IP changed their Omega 3's recently (my last bottle is different from my first) and I noticed that the new ones smell WAY more fishy than the ones we had before.

I've looked at labels for all of the supplements while at stores and haven't found ones that are exactly the same, so I've been scared to make the switch. I'd love any help in which ones to choose. I mentioned to my coach about getting different ones at a store and of course she advised against it because of the purity in the ones IP sells and you don't know for sure what you're getting elsewhere. I bought potassium from the store when I ran out over a weekend, but have been nervous about it being okay.

Just because an IP coach says their stuff is "pure" doesn't make it so

A while back people were being told all the whey was from grass-fed and is non-GMO. This is such a HUGE controversial issue right now. Don't you think if that were so, they'd announce it on their labelling??? I live in the Show-Me state!

Coaches need to sell products. And if we're using a coach, we need to buy product from them (that is what pays them, unless they're charging per visit, then I wouldn't fee obligated to buy anything).

Great advice Lisa! I label compared also so I think I am good, and honestly my enzymes seem to work better.
Also my clinic OMega's smell funny also!

I had to go online to find a good quality one but I think one of the ones that passed the rigorous testing is available in health food stores.

Thats a great link on the Fish Oil. I didn't realize what the IFOS stamped on my omega bottle was. I am happy with my choice now, thanks for sharing.

Ah...you buy good ones!
As you can see, I didn't name mine. I'm not trying to sell products. But if anyone wants to know, PM is always available. I really prefer if people learn the reasons for doing what they do.