Author Archive

After tweeting my blog from this morning with the question: Did you take yours (multivitamin) today. @dlightful tweeted back: @befitnola Actually, I take my vitamins at bedtime so that I sleep through the vitamin-tummy-ache.

Of course that made me wonder what might be causing her tummy-ache, dlightful answered: @befitnola I’ve been told by many a healthcare professional that it’s the calcium. No biggie. I’ve found a way to make it work.

Since some other people might also suffer from upset stomachs and perhaps you have stopped taking your multivitamin because of it; I wanted to post some additional information on the topic of multivitamins, in this case calcium.  There are different types of calcium; citrate and carbonate.  There’s also a difference between calcium carbonate and calcium citrate; calcium carbonate can cause stomach upset.  If you’re sensitive to calcium carbonate than you should probably try the citrate form of calcium.  Studies suggest calcium citrate is highly soluble and the absorption rates are much greater because of the bioavailable forms.

Another factor to consider with calcium; calcium can make it difficult for the body to absorb certain ingredients of the multivitamin which is why it’s important to have the right amount of magnesium.  This will help solve that problem.

You’ll notice, depending on what brand/combination of multivitamin you’re taking, that you should either take it between meals or with meals.  This primarily has to do with the absorption of the multivitamin; some multivitamins have to bond with food in order to be effective.  When you ingest multivitamins, your body responds by releasing stomach acids which is what can end up giving you the upset stomach.

Several multivitamin supplements contain an abundance of minerals (iron, calcium, magnesium, etc…)  These minerals may have the tendency to cause side effects which is why it’s good to consult with a doctor before taking any type of multivitamin product, especially if you have any preexisting medical conditions.  Although multivitamins are essential for your health there are still potential health risks when taking too much.

Some additional information that’s important:

• Do not take more than the recommended dose.
• Try not to take more than one multivitamin at a time unless instructed to; this could cause an overdose.

I hope I was able to provide a little more insight.  Please, feel free to comment and discuss any issue with us!

Welcome to my initial introduction to vitamins.  The multivitamin. Okay, it’s not always just one vitamin but getting the right multivitamin/or multivitamin pack to match your lifestyle is a great way to get started.  People live different lifestyles and as a result, everyone’s nutritional needs vary – but there is a multivitamin out there for you.  Do you live a stressful life?  Are you in the process of changing your diet to a healthier one?  Venturing back into the local gym to crank out some weight training?  A good multivitamin will help you feel better and make this transition easier.

I talk to people frequently about vitamins and the common trend is they don’t seem to be aware of the multivitamin variations.  For instance, I’m a bodybuilder so I need extra nutrients added like amino acids, digestive enzymes, lipotropics, alpha lipoic acid and L-arginine, to name a few.  When a woman is pregnant, she should look for a multivitamin, generally a prenatal choice, that is higher in folic acid and B-vitamins which will help reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.  Elderly individuals should try to find a multivitamin that is higher in iron, calcium and magnesium which will help lower blood pressure, reduce anemia and help maintain normal muscle and nerve function.  As you can see, it’s important to know what you’re looking for when choosing the right one! Most supplement companies pre-package their vitamin bottles and packs to match common lifestyles, sexes and age groups. Women and men have different needs.

No matter which multivitamin you choose, as a baseline, make sure you look for the recommended daily allowance of the 13 essential vitamins:

• Vitamin A – Retinol
• Vitamin C – Ascorbic Acid
• Vitamin D – Ergocalciferol & Cholecalciferol
• Vitamin E – Alpha Tocopherol
• Vitamin K – Ketamine
• Vitamin B1 – Thiamine
• Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin
• Vitamin B3 – Niacin
• Vitamin B5 – Pantothenic Acid
• Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine
• Vitamin B7 – Biotin
• Vitamin B9 – Folic Acid
• Vitamin B12 – Cobalamin

Generally, a good multivitamin will aid your body in recovery from strenuous activity, provide additional energy and help you maintain a positive state of well-being.  There are several more benefits but those are a few highlights.  Don’t be one of those people who quickly gets discouraged when taking multivitamins because you don’t immediately feel any changes; look at your diet and determine if it’s healthy.  Diet will play a big role in the effectiveness of your multivitamin – they go hand-in-hand.

We’ll be talking a lot more about vitamins, but I wanted to kick things off  by letting you know that choosing the right multivitamin will provide a solid foundation for your health and nutrition.

Start your day tomorrow by taking your multivitamin.

New Orleans (NOLA) isn’t known to be one of the most fitness-oriented places in the United States.  In fact, New Orleans is one of the unhealthiest places.  NOLA is a spectacular destination spot because of its diverse culture, profound history and legendary foods.  Having said that, NOLA is also branded for being unhealthy and catering to alcoholics through publicizing Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras.  This selective branding, which neglects portraying the health & fitness community, often deters people from wanting to visit or move to the Big Easy.  If you dig a little bit, you’ll find there is a large health & fitness community and you’ll find virtually every sport in an organization of some sort.

The health & fitness aspect of New Orleans isn’t talked about or publicized because there’s a lack of education covering this topic.  Until now, there has been no “central place” for people to go to that will show them what sports organizations are available, where the healthy places to eat are, where the gyms & fitness centers are located, what hotels have fitness facilities, etc…  This has caused health and fitness to continue to hover under the radar; no one knows where to look and everyone prefers convenience.  Be Fit NOLA offers this convenience in what we’ll call a “central fitness bank” concept that is accessible 24/7 and will allow anyone at anytime the ability to research the latest and greatest on everything health & fitness related to the area.

NOLA can rebrand itself in a more positive light quite easily with the right tools and appropriate education.  In turn, this will attract a more diverse and energetic crowd to the area.  As a local or a tourist, you’ll find there are many restaurants that serve healthy meals, plenty of places to enjoy the outdoors and an abundance of tours where you can enjoy seeing New Orleans while burning calories at the same time.  Several gyms are located throughout the Greater New Orleans area; some are your typical gyms, some are geared for specific one-on-one personal training and some are unique in that they are original buildings that have been transformed into social health clubs.

The bottomline is, people can come to visit NOLA, or live here, while enjoying all the great things NOLA has to offer but can also to maintain a healthy lifestyle.