Happy FRIDAY! 
I’m so happy that the weekend is just about here! My sister’s Mexican-themed bridal shower is tomorrow afternoon! I seriously cannot wait! 
After a quickie 30-minute workout this morning, I was craving something cold. A nice, cool smoothie was an easy decision.
In the mix:
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Packed of Amazing Meal Original Blend
- Vanilla soy milk
- Ice
With my smoothie, I added a protein-packed Stonyfield Oikos Greek yogurt for some staying power and a glass of iced coffee for some much-needed Friday energy.
Calcium + Vitamin D
As you, I take a multivitamin most days of the week. (I often forget to take it! 
) Coupled with a healthy diet, I thought I as covering all of the nutritional bases, including getting enough Calcium and Vitamin D in my diet. However, after speaking with my RD friend, Janel Ovrut, I realized that I needed to step-it-up in the Calcium + Vitamin D department.
So, yesterday afternoon, I went to the Vitamin Shoppe to stock-up on Calcium with Vitamin D. This huge bottle was surprisingly cheap– just $9!
I am not an expert on dietary supplements. I just wanted to bring attention to this topic because some of you might be missing out on this essential combination. If you have specific questions, please contact your doctor or a Registered Dietitian.
Here are some interesting articles about Calcium and Vitamin D:
- Active Young Women Need Calcium, Vitamin D
- D Is for Defense: Why Vitamin D Is the Ultimate Super Vitamin
- In addition to Vitamin D, healthy bones also require Vitamin K and Potassium
- Important Info About the Vitamin D and Calcium Connection
- How to Get Vitamin D in Your Diet
Question of the Day
Do you take dietary supplements/vitamins? If so, which ones?
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A smoothie and iced coffee! That’s the best breakfast ever!! Like you, I take a one a day on most days (I forget too!) and I was taking cinnamon for a while but it was drying me out (?) so I stopped taking it. But the calcium with Vitamin D is a great idea. I think I’ll pick some up!
I am concerned about calcium and vitamin D because of my family history of osteoporosis so I try to have plenty of dairy and my adora disk each day
One thing that I wanted to add that my RD told me is that in order for your body to absorb the calcium it needs the vitamin d and in order to absorb the vitamin d it needs plenty of fat. Which is why she recommends using 1% or 2% dairy products instead of fat free. Or milks like hemp or soy that are enriched with calcium and vitamin because they naturally have fat in them.
I only take calcium…eeek. And it’s the chocolate chew. I cannot swallow pills–which is bad because I am 21 years old. I need to learn–because life becomes hard when I get sick and need to take medicine and have to chew pills up.
i take a multivitamin, but i need to start taking a calcium pill as well. i used to have a chocolate chew each day, but the ridiculous list of artificial ingredients started to bother me, and i never replaced it with a regular pill. thanks for the reminder!
I take a few these days – a multi vitamin, calcium +D, fish oil, and acidophilus. I started taking acidophilus when I was teaching – I’d get sick for MONTHS during the winter! A parent recommended it to me, and it helped dramatically. Strange but true: a good portion of our immune system is in our digestive system!
I take this combo most days (when I remember!)
Madison – check the calcium chews you use; most have Vitamin D in them as well to help the calcium be absorbed and they also tend to have a little fat as well for the same reason. So you should be covered the same as with a pill.
I take a multi and also a calcium supplement every day!
I’m glad you brought this up, Tina… I used to diligently take a calcium + D supplement as well as a multivitamin, but for some reason I’ve been slacking in the vitamin department! I need to get to the Vitamin Shoppe.
Your going to have to much fun at the bridal shower I cant wait to hear about it. I do take vitamins, I take a womens daily multi and primrose oil for healthy hair, skin and nails. Im thinking of upping my calcium too but im not sure which ones.
Can’t wait to see how the bridal shower comes together!
I take a multivitamin everyday, but I’ve been looking into adding calcium and vitamin D, especially after I read several articles on all the benefits of D.
I always get overwhelmed with so many supplements out there! It’s hard to know what I really need and what companies are the best.
I’ve been taking a calcium + vitamin D pill for about a year now because both are super important for strong bones (along with an otherwise healthy diet too, of course!)
It’s smart to take a multivitamin – just make sure they don’t have more than 100% of any of the vits/mins. It’s really easy to overdo it, especially if you use other products that are fortified (protein powders, bars, drinks, etc). Calcium with vitamin D is very important! You should analyze your intake to see if you get 1,000 mg calcium/day and if you don’t then take a supplement. Vitamin D is another interesting one…I will likely be doing a post on it soon. The recommendations are being questioned, and will most likely be increased. There’s a company called Metagenics (no i don’t work for them), their products are amazing and go through the highest level of certification (GMP certified), they are more money but you can be 100% sure that what they say is in it, actually is!
There is so much debate over the effectiveness of vitamin supplements. I never know what to believe. The studies seem to always be contradicting one another. I usually take calcium because brittle bones seem to be in my family, and sometimes I even get to enjoy a dark chocolate adora disk!
I try really hard to remember to take my multi vitamin and Calcium supplements everyday. Osteoperosis runs in my family and that coupled with my small frame + running puts at major risk. Like you, I remember most days
Tina, thank you for bringing up this issue. There has been a great deal of research on the issue of Vitamin D and the role is plays in our health. It amazes me the links researchers are finding between low D levels and many diseases/conditions.
I got very sick a couple of years ago. In the process of many blood draws, my doc. realized I had an almost non-existent D level. Since then I take extra D everyday and my levels are at a normal persons range now. I encourage people to have their D levels checked, it really is a good thing to know.
Just as a reader mentioned before, D & Calcium go hand-in-hand to work correctly, along with a little fat.
You don’t need some super expensive and fancy Vitamin D for it to work correctly in the body, I have been using a brand whose bottle that costs me about $5.00, for sometime now and it does just fine.
Make sure you are also taking something with your RDV of magnesium. I saw on Oprah that taking calcium can…”clog you up.” Gross, but just passing on the info!
I just take a normal, once a day, women’s multi vitamin. Nothing fancy.
Enjoy the Bridal Shower! Sounds like lots of fun. I can’t wait to see the food pics from the shower
On another note, I also struggle with getting enough Calcium and Vitamin D since I am allergic to dairy. I try to drink calcium fortified OJ and breads and eat green veggies to help the cause!
I don’t – I used to take a viactiv calcium chew and multi viatmin everyday…but to be honest, it was more for the chocolate flavor than anything else!
Tina,
Can you tell me a little more about Amazing Meal? I want to start adding something like this to my smoothies, which are basically just fruit and yogurt or soy milk at the moment. Is it flavored? What does it add to the smoothie? CAn you buy it at Naturals in Porter Square?
Thanks!
Ellen
I take a multi and B vitamin everyday. I can honestly tell the difference between the days that I forget the B vitamin vs the days I do take it. They give me SO much energy!
I take a multi-vitamin everyday, and they are the gummy ones! My doctor has not told me to take a calcium pill, but my best friend’s doctor has told her to take a calcium every day. Should I take calcium too?
I used to take supplements, but it seems like so many of them upset my stomach! Especially calcium supplements for some reason.
I can’t wait to hear how the Mexican-themed bridal shower turns out…sounds like so much fun!
I take a multi, calcium, fish oil, a Vitamin B Complex and Vitamin D. Living in MN (or any other colder climate) makes it hard to absorb enough natural Vitamin D. Every Sunday night I refill my 7 day pill case and always have them in my purse, it makes it easier to remember to take them all very day. My doctor suggested Vitamin B because I take birth control pills and she mentioned that they may deplete your naturally produced supply.
I actually don’t take any vitamins or supplements. Last time I took a vitamin it made me nauseated.
BTW: You should try putting the yogurt IN your smoothie! Save yourself from washing that spoon.
I take a multivitamin in the morning and a Calcium plus D and minerals at night.
Mmm that smoothie looks tasty! I take a multi-vitamin each day (Women’s One A Day) and most days an Adora Calcium disk (which I found through your blog actually!)
I’ve been taking Adora supplements for the last month or so because I finally faced that fact that I don’t eat enough calcium! I don’t want any bone issues so I’m dutifully eating my chocolate calcium. I know, life is hard when you have to eat chocolate.
I’m so forgetful in the morning that I rarely remember to take my multi vitamin… let alone any other supplement. Any tips/ tricks to remember to take it?
@Ellen: Check out the Amazing Grass website for more info about it. I believe Whole Foods sells it?
I’m horrible about remembering to take them but I take:
a double dose of Vit D (I learned I was quite deficient at my last physical)
Flax seed oil
a multi
an Adora disk (funny how I rarely forget to take the vitamin that tastes like chocolate!)
B-complex
cinnamon (helps with blood sugar)
You are right on about the Vitamin D deficiency. I’m convinced it’s been connected to my mood swings, my back problems last year and now some foot pain. Can’t wait to get retested next month to see if my D levels are still low!
I probably should get more of those two vitamins! I take a multi and extra folic acid(because anemia runs in the fam) and I have been taking them faithfully for 2 years. I have also considered adding fish oil for extra shiny hair/nails!
I take a Calcium + Vitamin D, ,multivitamin, fish oil, and magnesium supplement. I forget to take them way too much though!
I really need to get a blender after looking at the smoothies on your blog and the others I read. Must buy one after I get back in town.
I take a fish oil suppliment, fiber suppliment and a multi. They help with my IBS, my brain function and getting the extra vitamins I miss sometimes. I might need extra calcium so I’ll have to ask the doc.
When I remember I take vitamins & chocolate calcium chews
I take Adora calcium/vitamin D/vitamin K supplements Monday – Friday (I keep them in my desk drawer!). However, my doctor recently told me there is a difference between Vitamin D2 and D3. D3 is preferrable because your body can more easily absorb it. Good to know!
I’ve been taking Centrum Performance pretty religiously, thanks to keeping a bottle at work and another in my purse, that way even if I’m not home I’ll have my vitamins and hopefully don’t forget! I was looking through others posts though, and don’t see anything about Chromium. I recently read it’s good to take a chromium supplement daily b/c we often overlook that in most of our foods??? Anyone heard similar?? Anyone taking one?
I take one day day for women, my husband puts it everyday in the morning in our breakfast nook, hence thanks to him I dont forget. btw, when I just take a smoothie or yogurt for b’fast it doesnt stay..I have to have a piece of bread, waffle or something solid with it..is it because I dont add anything in my smoothie apart from fruits, and dairy?
I take a multivitamin (which I forget to take a lot too!) and Adora calcium discs. I’ve been wanting to pick up fish oil though so maybe I’ll be taking that soon too.
Great breakfast! I use Tums to get my calcium, odd, but it works:) I take probiotics too, for my tummy:)
oh man i feel like a 90 year old grandma in the morning because i take so many pils:
Chinese Herbs (for PMS)
Glucosamine (for knees)
Quantum Brain Complex (for my smarts!)
Calcium Lactate (for bones)
A B-12 Supplement (for vegetarianism)
Birth Control (for anti-baby measures)
once a year i go out and buy a bunch of vitamins and tell myself i’ll take them daily. i’ve usually forgotten about them by 6 days in
Hi Tina – nice you got Ca + D! Our bodies can only absorb about 500-600mg at a time, though, so if you’re taking 2 tablets, you should take them at 2 different times and not with a high iron food (since it blocks some absorption) so don’t take your calcium after munching on some spinach or a steak. Great to get the vitamin D too since it helps the absorption of Calcium. So much to know – no wonder people are confused!
I’m always so worried about calcium and vitamin D (especially in the winter)! I take a multi and a calcium supplement but that’s about it.
I just take a Multi Vitamin daily plus Fish Oil. One of my colleauges (a marathoner/triathelete) takes about 10 different pills a day! Too much for me!
Have fun at the shower! Can’t wait to see the pics.
I have read many times in health mags that if you eat a healthy diet there’s really no need for a multivitamin. So I don’t bother wasting my money.
@Jenny: You are completely wrong. Why would you even make that comment?
I take womens one a day, a fish oil supplement and 2 viactiv chews daily. I keep them all in the kitchen near my breakfast food so I don’t forget to take them in the morning!
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