Supplements: How do I know right balance of vitamins & minerals?

Hello Deanna2
Best way to become knowledgeable is to read as much, do research on your computer, and pay attention to new news about testing and such.
Getting our nutrients from foods is always best but I have always been a label reader and that is where I learn what not to eat a more than anything.
You will need to know all the chemical names of food nutrients. And where there are more than one, such as B12, will need to know the difference.
The internet is a great learning tool for such things. Just be sure to pay attention and keep a notepad handy to list what you learn in some way that will be easy to find when you go looking. Alphabetical is always a good way for me. And you can cross reference if that works for you also.
I am certainly not fanatical but have been at this for most of my adult life. And I forget things, and research is always going on so I am constantly learning and for me personally that is fun!
lastly, I will say that I watch what people put into their bodies and can always see why they look and think and act the way they do. I found that Europeans are far more aware of these things but that is because they are not married to the financial aspect of eating foods. the bakeries in Germany are wonderful and the treats there are not just a mouth full of sugar. Plus they walk everywhere. Hope this info will incite a desire to research what you eat even more. Happy learning!

I highly recommend you meet with an Integrated medicine doctor. They are very knowledgeable about determining what vitamin and mineral supplements you need.

Agreed. I, too have long been a label reader and researcher. It's also important to note that some labels are tricky. For example, "made with whole grain" doesn't mean the grain it contains is only whole grain. There could be just a bit of whole grain in the product. Another example: "no added sugar" doesn't necessarily mean "low sugar." We must read the ingredient list to see how much sugar is in a serving. It takes a number of oranges, apples or other fruits to make a normal sized glass of juice, which means we would be getting much more sugar than we would by simply eating one whole fruit. (Guess our ancestors with their tiny juice glasses were wiser than we often give them credit for.)

Agree - I’ve done a lot of research as well. Our bodies absorb vitamins and nutrients best from foods. As we age up taking supplements is not as effective because we do not digest the supplements well enough to absorb any benefits. What food we eat together also impacts how well we absorb the nutrients. Super interesting!

I have often thought about those 5-6oz juice glasses and realized the wisdom that was not heeded in future times of giant size everything!
If you have not already read it check out "Salt, Sugar,Fat" by Michael Moss. If you have read it then good for you! I am presently rereading it.