Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Absorbing Much?

I must start off by saying, Thank Goodness its Tuesday! Yesterday just wasn't pretty, but at least it's over and done with. Now onto my nerdy discussion for the day........

Let’s face it. Getting all your recommended daily nutrients can be a little tricky. You may be eating right, exercising, drinking lots of water, etc. But are you really getting enough? Are you absorbing these nutrients?

You see, my gut has kind of gone through hell and back (before eating gluten free) and getting my food/nutrients to absorb has been my main goal. The best way (for me) has been to focus on REAL nutrient dense foods a few other important supplements. These supplements have had to be either in liquid form or powder in order to get into blood stream a little faster than in pill form. Although this might not be true for everyone, it has worked well for me.

sun chlorella and bisque5P1010065

Okay, we all know certain supplements/vitamins are beneficial for our diet but what about food?  Is it helping or hurting our so called “absorption rate?” Do we really absorb all our nutrients in REAL food?

Oh wow, so many questions. Lets bullet point this.

How to get more bang for your buck with food/nutrients:

  • Calcium- needs Vitamin D to absorb properly. Certain Calcium supplements will now come with Vitamin D added.
    • Food wise, try pairing the two in a snack or meal. Example: Fortified Cereal and Milk, Stuffed Mushrooms (vitamin D) with Mozzarella (calcium),  Cheese and Veggie Omelet (eggs- vitamin D, cheese for calcium).
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  • Iron - best absorbed with Vitamin C. So take iron supplements with orange juice, fruit, etc.
    • Food wise- Steak (Iron) with bell peppers or tomatoes (Vitamin C). Try this combo in a salad or wrap. Don’t eat meat? No prob. Tempeh is a good source of iron. Try pairing it in a salad with strawberries (vitamin C) and toasted almonds.
P1270235
  • Potassium - absorbed in the large intestines, and with that being said, eating other foods in conjunction with potassium can actually inhibit absorption. So avoid eating too much sodium, caffeine, or alcohol. I guess bananas foster doesn't really count, eh? hehe.
    • Food wise- Banana with peanut butter is a great way get that potassium absorbedP1010040
  • B12 Vitamin- Absorbs well with folic acid. So if you take a B12 vitamin (good for vegetarians), you might want to take it fortified cereal.
  • Coffee (go solo)- Since coffee acts as a diuretic and pushes “things” through the stomach a little faster, avoid taking supplements with it. It just might push those nutrients right through as well.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
So there you have it folks. Are you more confused? haha. I know it can be like playing a game of mix and match but the bottom line is REAL food is our best source of nutrients.
ENJOY it and ABSORB it!

The nerd in me loves this. I could talk all day about the science behind it but don’t worry….
I won’t bore you----------> yet.

What do you think? Are you absorbing much??
Cheers,
Nerd alert Lindsay

p.s.
who else was shocked watching the bachelorette?

118 comments:

Allie said...

What great tips thanks for sharing. I dont drink coffee so no worries there(I dont like the smell of it) i dont watch the Bachelorette either, but I sometimes wish I was on the show to find a guy. haha jk I would probably get kicked off because I was a Christian and looking for a Christian only man and wouldnt be caught DEAD on tv kissing a guy before I got married.  

Gennifer DeLille said...

Awesome info! Thanks for sharing everything!!!! :D

Bee @ B*tchy Bee said...

 So I only caught like 2 episodes of the Bachelorette, but somehow found myself watching the finale. I was totally shocked! And I felt so bad when she said "no." Poor guy! But the whole concept of the show weirds me out a bit. You're making out/building a relationship with TWO guys at the same time. I don't understand how a guy on that show would be ok with that. Just odd to me!

Great article, btw. :) Good info!

Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) said...

Love this post! I actually took a huge interest in this when I was pregnant and now that I have to take supplements for calcium I am very mindful of when and with what I take my nutrients in. I can definitely tell a difference in my absorption of vitamins and minerals! I hope you have a great day Lindsay!

Jess said...

I'm big on this - eating whole foods, nutritious foods, but TASTY foods. And I'm also big into pairing protein with complex carbs, etc. as a good snack choice. BIG fan of banana and PB or apple and PB. Yummy. :-) 

Angie said...

Good reminder! It's like I know it....but do I always do it? The coffee thing is tough! I could drink that stuff all day!

Jen said...

love this post - thank you! over the past couple of years i have really focused on trying to get my nutrients from food and these pairings are helpful!

Katie said...

I am a nerd about stuff like this too.  My gut has had "issues" yet through it all, I've enever been nutrient deficient thanks to my knowledge and determination to absorb as much as I can from what I eat.  I get routine blood tests to make sure.  How's that for nerd?

Teamarcia said...

This is fabulous info! And I'm a huge advocate of the top 2 products as well.
Yes, shocked by the Bachelorette. Totally thought she'd go the other way, but could tell the way they were setting it up, she wouldn't.

Kallinmiglis said...

you know i agree!  people do not realize that they can be sucking down all kinds of vitamins but that they might not even be absorbing them......i used to take just any old vitamin and then i switched to things that would be absorbed better.  enjoy your day lindsay and i love these "nerdy" discussions!

Jolene Bonina said...

Nerd alert Lindsay - LOL, love it! This is SO helpful to me, given I do prefer nutrients in the form of food, not pills or other powders and such, for the most part (also because I hate taking huge ass pills! LOL). And now I could eat a steak, legit, at 10:30 am. ;-)

lindsay cotter said...

I do the same! We are one in the same my friend and I love it.
;)
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Holly said...

I love learning things like this but usually I just try to eat plenty of fruits/veggies/lean proteins/healthy fats/grains and I hope it all works out! 

Allie said...

Wowie! You really know your nutrition! I love all the info :) 

Lisa Jameson said...

what is your stance on broccoli as far as it contains both iron and vitamin c, so alone is that all you need, or would you recommend still combining it with red bell peppers to get the additional c in?

Casey said...

Love this post! It's exactly what I've spent the last year reading about. Do you have a good recommendation for a liquid multivitamin or probiotics that have helped you? I've been trying different ones every few months and I'm almost out of what I've got now. Teach me your ways, oh wise one! :p Someday, we will totally have a nerdy scientific conversation in person!

Jenny Mendez said...

What a great post! I definitely get in my potassium with bananas ;)  And you don't have to tell me about coffee being a diuretic lol It makes me pee so much!!

Heather (Where's the Beach) said...

Nope, not a nerd at all. This is really interesting to me too. I feel fairly clueless and yet I think I know more than probably the average Joe. Kind of scary really.

Rachelle Wardle said...

Wow I learned so much from this!  I am so naive and well not smart and had no idea, so thank you so much for teaching me something new.  I am definitely overwhelmed by it all but am going to bookmark this post so I can come back to it.  Thanks Lindsey!

Missy said...

Adding fats to my veggies really made a difference in how energetic I feel and I think the absorption factor has much to so with that, I LOVE your nerd alerts.

Liz @ Iheartvegetables said...

Food is definitely my favorite way to get nutrients! haha But I do take a B12 and Iron supplement, since I don't eat meat, and I don't always get enough of it through other sources. 

Lindsay said...

I've learned all about these in my nutrition and physiology classes that I've taken- but it's nice to be reminded! Sometimes, what I've learned in class doesn't always stick haha

Sara Stewart said...

Great post! I love the nerdiness (because I'm a total nerd too!). :-D

I've been aware of the importance of the calcium + vitamin D  combination for awhile, however I haven't paid much attention to the others listed here. I'm definitely craving steak and bell peppers now! And I had no idea that I was earning health points by eating one of my favorite snacks on a daily basis--PB + banana. Love it!

lindsay cotter said...

oh ya, you know WAY more than the average joe! Most think processed foods are a nutritious, eek!!

Lindsay
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lindsay cotter said...

good call! Floradix is a great liquid supplement for that. Its gluten free too!
Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

same here! fats go really well with veggies. Love me some avocado on them! ;)

p.s.
how you feeling these days?

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

you are VERY smart!! It is overwhelming, but just think....eat more veggies. haha.
;)


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lindsay cotter said...

oh ya, coffee in the morninng before a run is sometimes not a good decision. haha. right?!

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

oh wise one?! Love it. I need to work on that wisdom thing. But seriously, I love Floradix for iron and b vitamins. Probiotics for me come from kombucha and yogurt (kefir). Those tend to absorb well. here's a good article. http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/h/what-is-the-best-probiotic-brand.html

Lindsay



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Katie @ Raisins&Apples said...

LOVE all the information here...good stuff!

I was shocked, but there is something about JP that I just absolutely adore :)

lindsay cotter said...

Well, broccoli is a non heme source of iron which is not absorbed as well as heme iron (from animal meat). But paired with vitamin C really does help non heme absorb. So more vitamin C added to that non heme vegetable only makes it even more absorb-able. Go for it! does that make sense?
check this out.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm

Lindsay



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Kate Horning said...

great info I love nerdy information Ill have to experiment w tempeh and strawberries together in a recipe ;)

Julia said...

Totally not boring! So glad you posted this as it was all completely new information to me. The past few months I have been really interested in learning and practicing to eat in a more balanced way---getting in as many nutrients as I can. I am loving learning because there is so much I didn't know or things I thought I knew that just seemed to "not truly be the case" after reading more! Thanks again for the post :)

lindsay cotter said...

i felt bad for benny boy. But ya, they totally set it up for JP. sheesh!
Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

it really makes me appreciate my meals even more, ya know? Glad its been working for you Jen!


Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

oh i agree. My coffee fix is hard work in there. haha. i try to take most my supplements at lunch for tat reason!

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

um ya, that dinner picture you posted the other night made me want to run all the way over from TX! hehe.

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

i bet being pregnant makes you VERY aware of those nutrients. You are so good and eating for nutrition Sarena. Good example for those boys!

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

she almost spoke before he asked, so awkward!! Felt bad and yes, the whole concept is kinda weird. okay really weird.

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

you are quite welcom gen! are you still in the states these days??

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

haha, probably a good thing too. You get sucked into these shows. oh and I'll email the sun chlorella people again. SO SORRY!

Lindsay



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Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner said...

Great and informative post, thanks for this! I'm always interested in ways to get the best nutritional bang for my buck, as I use just a few vitamin supplements and get most from foods. I never thought about how diuretics might affect the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, it's an interesting thought!

lindsay cotter said...

JP is pretty cute......a little too good to be true, ya know?

Lindsay Cotter
Nutrition Manager & Fitness Consultant
lyndzut@sbcglobal.net
www.cottercrunch.com




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lindsay cotter said...

think steak fajitas will bell pepper and guacamole! woop!

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

i was a nutrition major in college and half that stuff never became valuable until I applied it to cooking and sports nutrition. really! Its more applicable that way, ya know?

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

nutrition will be key for you these days, eh? I love that you following that running passion!

Lindsay
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lindsay cotter said...

that awesome jules! I think running really makes you more in tune with your bodies needs and fueling, right? Good to stay on top of it!

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

oh I'm sure you'll make a great recipe with it. Let me know if you do!
Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

well more veggies never hurt, right?! Unless their deep fried, haha.

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

i know, and yet I sip at least 2 cups in the morning. EEK! Most my supplements are taken during lunch these days.

;)
Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

steak and eggs for breakfast......with kale? haha.

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

I agree! And most of the time I was just peeing it out! Learning how our body fuels and absorbs is key.

:)

Lindsay




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LauraJayneBlog said...

Love this post - and I can't read the comments because I haven't watched the Bachelorette finale yet, I'm now even MORE worried than I was about what happened!  She's still stressing me out!

Kris said...

this is a GREAT informative post with DELICIOUS looking photos! I think right now I am absorbing A LOT!  :)  I am taking my omegas and my blue green awesomeness daily too.

Holly said...

Lol- 'nerd alert!' :) I'm a nerd too- so , no worries!!
& GREAT point about coffee-- I often forget about that & tend to take my vitamins & medication with my coffee.
Must remember to wait until later in the day.

Holly said...

i wasn't shocked about the bachelorette- i've seen enough seasons to know they usually play to the person who doesn't get selected!  plus, i stalk spoiler blogs- yeah, i'm like a kid at Christmas who searches closets for presents. :)
i did know most of those tips for absorbing nutrients, but it always helps to be reminded!  i'm having to play around with my nutrition again right now (cutting out more stuff) and am reminded how hard it was to go GF and soy-free in the beginning- feels like there's nothing  i can eat again but the reality is there's plenty.  i just have to get a little more creative.

jenncotter said...

I had never thought about any of this before.  Thank you for sharing the info!  The pictures of the mushroom and steak look amazing!  I just finished lunch, and now I'm wondering what I'm going to make for dinner.  :)

Dairy_Free_Betty said...

I wasn't shocked watching the bachlorette BUT I thought it was terrible... POOR GUY.  I am happy with the decision  although I don't think I like her!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaa

Now I forgot what I was going to say about the post - I'm guessing it was something along the lines that it was fantastic! :P

LivelyKitchen said...

I'm all over the science, so don't hold back.  Can you post sometime on your opinion of the body alkalinity/acidity and how that impacts nutrient absorption?

Sam said...

hmm, i've never thought about the food combos before!! thanks for sharing. i may need to make a few diet changes :)

lindsay cotter said...

actually, that would be a great idea! I just had to do some PH testing for blood work. So i'd love to! It's such a good topic!!


Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

i know, poor benny! It was awkward wasn't it? I feel like he needs a good woman who loves good wine. haha.

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

steak fajitas with bell pepper? thats a good dinner! and lots of good iron. mmmm good! hows the training going jenn?

Lindsay



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natalie @ will jog for food said...

Never thought about the coffee thing before!  What a good tip!  I won't be taking any vitamins in the AM then :)

LaurenD said...

This was a seriously awesome post. Most people dont know these things! And all of your facts are spot on accurate :) It was like reviewing my last nutrition class!! 

lindsay cotter said...

oh love it lauren. So glad we are nutrition nerds together!

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

i know, most people totally forget about that. And its so natural to take supplements first thing in the morning. Lunch time it is!

Lindsay




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Teabag said...

the nerd in me loves this kind of stuff, too!  did you know that some studies are finding that vitamin d speeds up the metabolism of certain drugs and can make your body absorb them faster?
one question regarding potassium: since the fat in pb will slow digestion, will this inhibit the absorption of potassium from the banana?
thanks for a great post!

lindsay cotter said...

you probably just need to make some switches, not changes. You eat so well already!

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

no, i think it would actually help. But that might need to be double checked. what do you think? You are quite knowledgable on this I'm sure!

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

LOL! my hubs looks at spoiler alerts too. too funny! Soy free has to be the hardest. Its in everything these days. But worth it in the end, right? Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

i know! and its a lot harder when you are a coffee lover! right? hehe.
Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

oh girl, I bet you are absorbing like crazy!! Love it. Good stuff. can't wait to hear more about it.

Lindsay
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lindsay cotter said...

did you watch it yet??? Let me know your thoughts!

Lindsay



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Katelyn Block said...

Hahahahha "nerd alert Lindsay". I love you. Ummm this is SUPER helpful, for the longest time I just wasn't absorbing my nutrients!! It's a lot better now thank goodness. Peace and love my dear!!!!!

kate @ pomelo sunshine said...

I've never thought about this before - I feel so naive in saying that.  I just assume the nutrients I eat make their way into my system.  Thanks for the tips!  More peanut butter and banana for me - score!

Amy Frey said...

great post!! its interesting to see how foods absorb better when paired with other foods. especially when its pb and banana...love that!! oh and love me some coffee...i wish i drank it black but unfortunately i love loading that sucker with cream!

lindsay cotter said...

thats not naive! a lot of people don't know that. And no one ever says to take them a certain way really, ya know? But now.....youre all set!

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

yes, good nutrition can get even better if we pair it right. And I love black coffee but if I have cream, i'm gonna add it for sure. hehe.

Lindsay




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jenncotter said...

Training's going very well! Thanks for asking. I feel like like I'm right where I need to be right now. Official "marathon" training starts this weekend, and I feel great about it!
Subject: [cottercrunch] Re: COTTER CRUNCH: Absorbing Much?

chuck feerick said...

Great information Lindsay!  It's like when people eat salad with fat free or no dressing- you don't absorb any of those fat soluble vitamins!

Kris | iheartwellness.com said...

Ok, I think I need to reread and reread this post over again.  I don't think I absorb as much as I should be.....I have been lacking in my supplement department!  I must know what these packs are you have pics of there because I think i need them ;)

xxoo

Jess said...

Great info! It gets complicated all this food combining and I don't pay as much attention as I should. I just started taking a b12 supplement and I don't eat fortified cereals, could you recommend something else to eat with it instead? I usually have it before either lunch or dinner.

Tessa@AmazingAsset said...

This such a helpful post Lindsay, thank you! For such a long time, I was eating things like salads and sweet potatoes with absorbing any of the nutrients because I was eating zero grams of fat. Now I know better

lindsay cotter said...

eating it with other b vitamins is best. So probably with lunch or dinner. This article might help Jess. http://www.livestrong.com/article/239081-the-best-way-to-take-vitamin-b12-supplements/

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

you already eat so well, but yes the questions still remains. Do you absorb it. Let me know if you switch things up and how you feel!

Lindsay



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lindsay cotter said...

true! if youre gonna eat a "dry" salad, might had some toasted almonds or pine nuts, right?
GOod point Chuck!

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

its all about getting more bang for your buck these days, right? How are you doing? Been thinking about ya!

Lindsay



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Heather @ Dietitian on the Run said...

Great post, Lindsay!!! Bringing to light some little facts that a lot of people don't think about, especially when pairing foods together :) This is the issue I have with a lot of multivitamins, too - all of that stuff together, and something is bound to get 'pushed through' without full absorption. No magic in healthy eating, just takes a little extra thought!

Susan said...

This is such a helpful post! I don't think that a lot of people think about this stuff. They take their supplements and eat their food and move on with their day. I only really knew about the coffee one, which is why I take my vitamins and supplements later in the day. The potassium one is interesting! I'm hypotensive and take sodium tablets so I kind of want to ask my doctor about my potassium levels now!

lindsay cotter said...

oh ya, don't even get me started on the multi vitamins. We basically just pee it out! haha.

Lindsay



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Carrie said...

wow!! this post has so much on what my test was just ON! darn! i shuda read this first!!

lindsay cotter said...

oh you should have! hope it went well.

Lindsay
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Jenny Houlahan said...

What a wonderfully informational post! :) I had never much thought about the coffee factor and I think it's a great reminder because most people probably take their supps in the morning along with their cup of joe!

I LOVE your nutrition posts L! :)

Michelle Gallant said...

I dont think that being interested in this makes you a nerd at all!  I find it super interesting, thanks for posting!!!

Susan said...

I love this post namely because I take a lot of these supplements and didn't know these combinations.  For instance, I take iron here and there and didn't know it worked best with vitamin C.  Thank you thank you! :)

lindsay cotter said...

oh thanks Meesh! I love calling my friend michelle meesh! hehe, so now I get to call you that!

Lindsay Cotter
Nutrition Manager & Fitness Consultant
lyndzut@sbcglobal.net
www.cottercrunch.com




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lindsay cotter said...

oh I know, I totally did for a while and it just slipped my mind. Gotta think harder these days, haha.

Lindsay
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lindsay cotter said...

oh you should! My sodium was actually very high and therefore my potassium levels were low. Interesting, eh?

Lindsay




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lindsay cotter said...

are you taking a prenatal with or without iron? That can be tricky too! But at least you know what good food sources are now! how are you feeling???

Lindsay



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Stephanie Bragg said...

love it! Sorry you had a bad monday, I hope the rest of your week is better!

lindsay cotter said...

its closer to friday so yes!! thanks steph!

Lindsay



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Smriti K said...

To the point and helpful tips :)
hope all is well

Stephanie said...

Great info!  Thanks for sharing!  (And I'm a huge nerd, so no need to warn me...)

lindsay cotter said...

Nerds have to stick together, right?
;)

Lindsay




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Ellie@fitforthesoul said...

ahhhh I loved this post Lindsay!! I've actually really been wondering about this kinda stuff lately.  I think this really helps me to understand better in how I would want to pair up my food.  I usually prepare food with that mindset of what kind of vitamins/nutrients I'm putting together and how it'll be better for my body! :) I love you, NERD. :P

lindsay cotter said...

oh so glad this helped Ellie and i kinda think its fun pairing the food. Makes me feel smarter, haha.

Lindsay




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Pure2raw twins said...

great post, I am trying to be more aware of what foods I eat with what to help with absorption. I find it interesting to know what helps what digestion, haha I am weird

Michelle

lindsay cotter said...

oh michelle, I am the same way! we can be weird together. Fascinating!
Lindsay



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Liz said...

I love reading about things like this. I'm pretty good about pairing foods, but it never hurts to have a healthy reminder. :)  Thanks!

I wasn't shocked about the bachelorette - I sort of sensed she'd pick him.  Now we wait and see if they make it!

lindsay cotter said...

you think they will make it? oh how these silly shows suck us in. haha.
Lindsay



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Colleen said...

Great post Lindsay... I love learning new things from you! :)

lindsay cotter said...

and I love learning things from you. Like your thoughts on the bachelorette. haha.

Lindsay



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Kath (My Funny Little Life) said...

I think this is a very important topic: Many people just have an eye on getting in enough micronutrients, but that doesn't mean that they get absorbed by the body! I also was astonished when I read how phythic acid in grains and legumes can impair mineral absorption, never thought of that! I think we could talk about that for hours (nerd meeting :D)!

Coffee is a weak spot of mine: I tend to drink too much of it, and I feel that's one of the worst things I can do health-wise.

lindsay cotter said...

Oh I could talk hours about the inflammation from gluten and the  phythic acid as well! Did you see that on marks daily apple? Lets have a nerd meeting! <3

Lindsay




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Kath (My Funny Little Life) said...

I started with Loren Cordain's Paleo Diet book and read about antinutrients in grains, and I was intrigued because I had never heard of that. Then I started researching the internet and ordering books like Nourishing Traditions, Good Calories, Bad Calories, Primal Blueprint, etc. I devoured them all. :D

lindsay cotter said...

we have primal blueprint too! good recipes!

Lindsay



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Edward Franklin said...

You have given the good information about nutrition and vitamins

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