Most medical professionals agree that children should not need to take vitamins if they eat a proper diet. But many children are picky eaters and many parents worry that their children are not getting enough vitamins.
If children are eating enough that they are growing properly, it isn't as important that they get a variety of nutrients, and the related vitamins, in each meal. While a balanced diet is ideal for providing all necessary vitamins, most pediatricians say that as long as a child gets an adequate variety of foods within a one-week period, they are probably getting the vitamins they need.
However there are cases where supplementing vitamins may be necessary for children. Children who are on vegetarian diets, who don't eat dairy products, or who don't drink milk may need supplemental vitamins. Children who are housebound and do not get any exposure to the sun may need supplemental D vitamins. Infant formula usually contains all necessary vitamins, but for infants who are breastfeeding, pediatricians may recommend drops of vitamins that contain vitamins A, C and D, and newborns are usually given Vitamin K in their first week of life until their intestinal tracts develop the ability to produce it.
Don't assume that a multivitamin is the solution to your child's need for vitamins. Many multivitamins do not contain the recommended daily allowance of every vitamin. Check the label to make sure the vitamins you buy contain enough of the vitamins you feel your child isn't getting from food. Also check the dosage of vitamins by both age and weight; large children may need more vitamins than are standardly recommended for their age.
Not all high cholesterol levels can be lowered with diet and exercise. Sometimes medications or nutritional supplements are needed. Our bodies need cholesterol, but if your blood levels show too much LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and too little HDL ("good" cholesterol), you increase your risk for stroke and heart attack.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 100 million Americans have cholesterol that is higher than the recommended level, and one in five Americans has cholesterol levels considered "high." Food only accounts for about 15 percent of the cholesterol our bodies produce, so diet alone may not help if your levels are too high. Nutritional supplements or medication may be needed.
If you'd rather not take prescription medications, try nutritional supplements. Nutritional supplements with garlic, nutritional supplements with Niacin (vitamin B3), nutritional supplements with plant sterols, nutritional supplements with plant stanols, nutritional supplements with psyllium, nutritional supplements with beta glucan, nutritional supplements with red yeast rice extracts, nutritional supplements with policosanol, and nutritional supplements with fenugreek all have their proponents for lowering cholesterol.
These various naturally occurring substances work to combat high cholesterol in various ways. Some of these nutritional supplements, for example plant sterols and psyllium, interfere with the absorption of cholesterol. Soluble fibers such as beta glucan (found in oats and barley) and fenugreek have been demonstrated to lower HDL levels. Guggul extract is an Indian home remedy and is used in prescription medications in India to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Red yeast rice extracts are traditional Chinese medicine treatments for the heart and contain statins, which are found in prescription anti-cholesterol medication.
