I wrote on this over at Madame Noire today, but since it’s Thursday, the official day that I hereby appoint health-style-beauty day for the BB&W Crew, I wanted to be sure you all took a gander.

Vitamins & Supplements for a Whole New You

If you think you’re eating enough fruits, nuts and rabbit food to chuck the necessity to supplement your diet, you might want to think again. Unless you’re eating organic, whole foods and dump the processed junk, chances are you’re not getting all you need from diet alone. “If you look at what people eat, and there have been many national surveys to look at levels of nutrients and foods, there is a lot of deficiency,” said Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in an article published in The New York Times.

That’s why you need a nap everyday at three o’clock.

Does this mean you have to take a handful of horse pills everyday? Not so much. Absorption of vitamins takes place in the gut, and the body only processes 10-20 percent of those bullet shaped choke hazards.

But have you been to the health store lately? The aisles of vitamins and supplements seem to go for miles and can quickly drain your pocket book. Get what you need, and leave the rest.

The good ‘ole multivitamin

No worries about popping a pill–health food manufacturers have gotten wise and have designed palatable-to-downright yummy powder and liquid vitamins, which, according to some experts, are more readily absorbed in the body–especially the liquid ones. My top picks are Organic Life Vitamins (liquid, whole food-based blend with fruit and veggies tossed in for good measure); alternaVites (these individual packs melt in you mouth, but I recommend putting these berry-flavored vits in a smoothie with some vanilla protien, skim milk and some berries); and ocylent (a fizzy multivit with enzymes, electrolytes and amino acids that you add to your water).

Probiotics

What’s the good of taking vitamins if your body can’t absorb them? That’s where probiotics come in. Billions of the good little bacteria (L acidophilus) in your intestines help to better absorb vitamins–especially B vitamins and calcium, boost your immune system, and help prevent and treat yeast overgrowth in your…ehrm…girlie parts. You can get probiotics in yogurt and especially kefir, but if you not into milk products, you can get a yummy dose of probiotics in powder form from PRE probiotics, which sell their formula in passion orange guava, acai berry, and pomegranate blueberry. For a full education of what probiotics can do, visit probiotics.org.

There’s more, so read the rest here.