29 January 2009

Know More About Vitamin Supplements

By Keith Woolley

Ever wondered why after peeking into your eyes, hitting your joints and brandishing a cold stethoscope into your bust, the doctor writes out a diet list instead of a prescription? Mostly it is because he finds you unhealthy, but primarily, it is because he feels that giving you supplements would be making himself or the pharmacist richer at the expense of your health.

Vitamin B what? - Truth be told, there are many fruits, vegetables and grains that have vitamins in them. But mostly, an acute shortage of these vital minerals would make him prescribe a colossal amount of supplementary pills that may require you to love their detestable colors. As much as not all doctors may be perfect nutritionists, they can pretty much tell what particular mineral deficiency you suffer from and can tell whether it is A, B1, B4, C or E that you lack.

Choosing the right supplement - Many people have ended up spending much money in vitamin supplements that end up having no or harmful effect on their bodies. It is usually recommended that you take a supplement after an advice from a doctor or a physician; else it can be very dangerous to your body to take a supplement which is not the right one. Before starting on supplements, it is important to adhere to the recommended daily allowances (RDAs).

The amount of Vitamin supplements that you should take depends on many factors. It depends on your age, your lifestyle and very importantly; the health condition of your body. Those people with special medical conditions like the elderly people, the pregnant women and those put on special diets may need more vitamin intake. For instance, pregnant women are normally advised to take 400 micrograms of the vitamin rich folic acid daily up to the 20th week of pregnancy.

Instructions for Taking Supplements - Taking supplements requires that you stick to the instructions that are given. When you do not follow the directions and take too many of them the body gets rid of them without making any use of the supplements. When taking the supplements, you should make sure that the water you are using is at room temperature. This is because very cold or hot water can cause the supplements to spoil. The instructions found on the bottle should be read carefully before taking the supplements.

So if the doctor truly does write you a diet list next time, be sure to give him a warm hug and write him a thank you note with the check, because he wants you better, not just your money.

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14 October 2008

Strategies to Save Money - 3 Top Tips

By Lee Dobbins

In today's expensive world it is becoming increasingly important to try and save money. Families are feeling the strain of financial burden and have found themselves in a rut. There are, however, strategies to save money that you can employ to ease the pressure.

Initially, look at your finances in great detail so you can identify the areas that need to be worked on. Changing your mindset and goals may be necessary to help you cut your spending. The majority believe that you need money to live a happy life; in fact all you need is good health, friends and family and plenty of love to be truly happy.

It is widely believed that spending money will make you feel better about yourself and your life- this is a vicious cycle, as you will more than likely end up feeling worse because you have spent money when your budget is tight enough. The first thing to do is curb your enthusiasm for buying things because you can, and because other people have them.

Finding the root cause of your financial problems is the first action you must take. Then you have to learn to control your spending. One of the tried and true strategies to save money is to concentrate on only buying the items you need, not what you would like to have. The basics such as clothing, rent and food should be covered and everything else should be deemed as a luxury. Buying that new lipstick or computer game will have to be put on hold.

If you do choose a non-essential item, then you will have to make cut backs in other areas such as your food consumption. Are you willing to do this? Could you live on the bare minimum for a month? Learning to budget means that you cannot overspend and choosing one item over another will have to result in frugality elsewhere. It may be best to wait for that new mascara or leather jacket until your finances are stable again.

Saving money requires dedication and self-control. Try not to buy things on credit and pay for items in cash as much as you possibly can. If purchases are made using plastic then double-check that you do have the money already to be able to pay for the item. Spending money you have not earned yet is a tempting and common mistake.

Taking hold of your money means avoiding getting into debt and getting a negative balance on your accounts. Not only can this increase stress but you may incur charges and higher interest charges that you will have to pay. This can mean that the prospect of saving will be out of our grasp as you tackle your financial problems.

Finally it is very important to keep a record of your spending. The best method of payment is cash as you know you have it and that purchase is paid. It is very tempting to pay for things on plastic, either credit or debit cards, but it can become tricky to keep track of all your purchases. Keeping all details and checking regularly should help to eliminate any mishaps. This is an important factor in saving money and keeping your finances in check.

Following these strategies is crucial if you wish to get on top of your finances and stay that way.

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