The Wellness Project: My Bedazzled Pillbox

A sassy pillbox from Luckie Street. It says:
"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."

For my birthday this year I got an unusual gift—a lifetime supply of thyroid medication. Yippy.

It seems I’ve reached the age where my body is changing (eh hem, deteriorating) and I need supplements to continue functioning at an optimum level.

Talking with my physician I was both relieved and horrified about my new health status. Relieved because my fatigue, cold sensitivity and other symptoms were not in fact a psychosomatic disorder, but an actual physical condition, but also horrified at the realization that I’m now closer to resembling my grandmother than ever before. I now own a pillbox and must travel with medicine bottles tucked in my toiletries bag. Elaborately embroidered Christmas sweaters and reading glasses dangling from a gold chain around my neck must be imminent.

At first, I deplored taking my medication. Not because the pill was foul tasting or difficult to swallow but because I disliked what it represented—aging. Then, a funny thing happened. I started to feel better. The miracle of modern medicine kicked in. A tiny little pill once a day and—bam—more energy. That got me thinking. What else should I be taking? What other little gems have I been missing out on? Maybe I should really load up my pillbox and see what happens?

Specifically, I wondered what vitamins to take. The store shelves are lined with options from A to Zinc and the media is constantly touting the health benefits of various dietary supplements. Do I really need all of them?

For guidance, I asked the doctors at The Advanced Wellness Centre. Their recommendation, which is also supported by Dr. Oz and the Mayo Clinic, is that everyone should consider taking three supplements daily:

1) A multivitamin

The Advanced Wellness Centre recommends Metagenics PhytoMulti. Produced using strict manufacturing and safety standards and formulas backed by scientific research, Metagenics products are premium quality products. They are only sold through licensed health care offices such as the Advanced Wellness Centre. Click here for more information on PhytoMulti.

2) A fish oil supplement

According to the Mayo Clinic, fish oil is most beneficial for people who have high triglyceride levels and those with heart disease. For others it hasn’t been conclusively proven to be beneficial, but it hasn’t been proven to be risky either. Fish oil is thought to help keep your brain, heart and eyes healthy. The recommended daily dosage for women is 1000 mg; for men, the dosage is 600 mg.

3) Extra Vitamin D

Vitamin D has many health benefits including: promoting absorption of calcium and bone health, boosting immune function, reducing inflammation and possibly protecting against some forms of cancer.

Vitamin D is one that is not readily available in food, so it’s tougher to get through diet alone. It is however, the sunshine vitamin. In lieu of taking a supplement, you can spend 10-15 minutes outside in the sun.

If you do decide on a Vitamin D supplement, the recommended daily allowance is: for those 1-70 years of age, 600 IU daily; for those 71 years and older, 800 IU daily; and for pregnant and lactating women, 600 IU daily.

As always, before taking any supplements talk to your doctor. It is possible to have too much of a good thing. Follow their advice on the proper dosage for you.

Now that I’m finally on board with this pill-popping mentality, I need a fancier pillbox. One that doesn’t make me feel so old and dowdy. Maybe I’ll “Bedazzle” mine or get one of these from Luckie Street. Click here to see some more sassy pillboxes from Luckie Street at Amazon.