[GrumpyGoat]

I was buying them at a health food store but now that we moved, I started using the Unichem pharmacy and it is cheaper (especially when they have a sale).

This is a HUGE expenditure for us each month even though I am just buying Vit C, D, omega 3 and selenium.

Anyone got any good discount source for vitamins? Mail order?

[Silverwing86]

Hi Grumpy Goat,

I have found that it pays to always shop around as a store that might have a product for a good price one month, will not necessarily be cheaper the next month. Also I have found that there is no one single store that is cheapest with everything.

This is of course a hassle as it takes a lot of time :uhoh, but it is well worthwhile because the price difference can sometimes be $10 or more per product (!), so that can amount to huge savings over the course of a year !

Shops I like to check for the products I buy regularly (Blackmores Omega Joint, Clinicians Multi Vitamin & Mineral Boost Capsules and FibroM Support, Kordel's Cold Sore relief) are (among others):

Nutricare (http://www.nutricare.co.nz/)
Healthpost (http://www.healthpost.co.nz/)
NetPharmacy (http://www.netpharmacy.co.nz/)

And, on a side note, for dental stuff I just love Toothshop (http://www.toothshop.co.nz/afawcs0136867/tn-home.html), great prices and excellent service !

Hope this helps...

Cheers,
Silver


PS Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in any way with any of the stores mentioned in the above post (nor any others for that matter ;)) !

[eassae]

You could plant a lemon tree and chia for your vitamin c and omega 3.

[ENZ]

A brazil nut a day for your selenium.

[IanW99]

A brazil nut a day for your selenium.

I thought that they recommended two brazil nuts a day for your selenium?

:)

Ian

[ENZ]

Okay, one or two. Here's a press release from Otago University:

Brazil nut a day keeps low selenium at bay: Otago research

One Brazil nut a day is enough to raise the average New Zealander's selenium intake to internationally recommended levels and eating two could lead to added health benefits, according to University of Otago researchers.

Department of Human Nutrition Professor Christine Thomson says the new research shows that the nuts are a simple, effective and relatively low-cost way for people to boost their levels of this essential micronutrient.

New Zealanders have a marginal selenium status compared to many other Western countries, due to soils here being generally low in the mineral, says Professor Thomson.

"There is mounting evidence that a marginal selenium status can lead to an increased risk for a range of conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular disease," she says.

At the same time, there is growing scientific support for the idea that higher intakes may provide additional health benefits, such as enhancing the body's immune system.

Professor Thomson and colleagues carried out the first-ever study to look at how much selenium people can obtain from Brazil nuts and the resulting levels of antioxidant activity in their blood.

Their study appeared recently in the American Clinical Journal of Nutrition.

Over a 12-week period around 60 volunteers were divided into three groups, one of which ate two Brazil nuts a day, while the other groups were given either a 100 microgramme selenium supplement or a placebo to take daily.

At the outset, the researchers analysed the study members' blood for selenium concentrations and the activity of a key antioxidant, known as glutathione peroxidase (GPx).

The body's production of this vital cellular antioxidant and other important proteins depends on how much selenium is available, she says.

After 12 weeks, the blood selenium concentrations of the Brazil nut group were found to have increased by 64.2 per cent, while blood GPx activity went up by 13.2 per cent.

In the selenium supplement group the increase was 61 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively.

"These results indicate that including a couple of Brazil nuts a day in the diet could ensure a greatly enhanced selenium status without needing to fortify other foods or take supplements."

Professor Thomson says that while New Zealanders' low selenium intakes need addressing, too much of the micronutrient can be toxic.

"People should be careful to limit themselves to no more than a few Brazil nuts per day, otherwise selenium could potentially accumulate to toxic levels in body tissues.

"Also, as the nuts can contain relatively high amounts of the elements barium and thorium, people should avoid eating too many as it is still unclear what intake of these elements might be harmful."

http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/2008/26-03-08_press_release.html

[nifta]

i've been wondering this too.. thanks silverwing!

[GrumpyGoat]

I am just so thrilled that I posted this now!

Silver--thanks--I forget about having to buy everything on sale here instead of using the discount places. It is a lot of hard work and thanks for the links. I will check them all out. :nice1

AND

I will switch to brazil nuts immediately. I had no idea. :yes

[GrumpyGoat]

You could plant a lemon tree and chia for your vitamin c and omega 3.

Where can I get some chia seeds? Will they grow outside here? {Or do I need a head? :laugh}

[Silverwing86]

You're welcome ;), glad it was useful !

Hmmmm, Brazil nuts you say ? Thanx, will look into that...

Cheers,
Silver

[eassae]

Where can I get some chia seeds? Will they grow outside here? {Or do I need a head? :laugh}

You can get chia seeds ready to consume or plant online here: http://www.purewellbeing.com/contents/en-uk/d152.html#p749

Apparently they grow in a variety of climates fairly easily, so it's probably best to keep them contained (usually in mass production they use heads like on Easter Island:)) and not near the bush.


Also, I get flax or linseed from a place called homestead health. It is actually fairly cheep. They have chia as well but it is ridiculously expensive there.

[newarrival]

If you buy bread from the "Breadman" range, there is one that contains chia (or is it Dovedale....:uhoh).

[GreenMeansGo]

GrumpyGoat,
do you have your vit D levels checked? Up here in AK mine are abysmally low and I have to do a significant amount of supplementation. I was assuming that once we moved down it would be less of an issue.

[tea drinker]

did anyone see the NZ TV health programme where they investigated nuts? (Can't remember the name but it is a weekly programme and they look at something different each week)
They did their own version of the brazil nut investigation and it worked on them too.
Think that they also looked at the daily benefits of walnuts or was it pecans?

[GrumpyGoat]

did anyone see the NZ TV health programme where they investigated nuts? (Can't remember the name but it is a weekly programme and they look at something different each week)
They did their own version of the brazil nut investigation and it worked on them too.
Think that they also looked at the daily benefits of walnuts or was it pecans?

What's in your food?
I love the show but rarely actually watch it.

[IanW99]

did anyone see the NZ TV health programme where they investigated nuts? (Can't remember the name but it is a weekly programme and they look at something different each week)
They did their own version of the brazil nut investigation and it worked on them too.
Think that they also looked at the daily benefits of walnuts or was it pecans?

The program is called "What's Really In Our Food?" (Tuesdays at 8:00pm) and it was walnuts.

Ian

[GrumpyGoat]

GrumpyGoat,
do you have your vit D levels checked? Up here in AK mine are abysmally low and I have to do a significant amount of supplementation. I was assuming that once we moved down it would be less of an issue.

No, I haven't actually checked with any of us but I assume it would be really low, since almost everyone has low Vit D. And I know we don't spend the required time in the sun.

IIRC to get the Vit D from the sun (which is my preference and we will definitely get this over the summer:D), you need to expose a lot of skin to the sun just until you turn "pink" (but not burn, of course) and then don't wash the oil off your skin for 48 hours(while the D3 is absorbed). And do this about 3 times a week.
The way that I work this out, only one shower a week? :laugh
Dr. Mercola recommended washing only the "critical" areas!!

During the summer, we manage to stay on the beach and soak up the Vit D but that's only a couple months out of the year--so the rest of the time, we supplement. Vit D is just way too important to lack in the system.

[newarrival]

Apart from the time when our children were babies, I never ever supplemented Vitamin D (in Germany, with a lot less sunshine than here) and none of us seems to have any health problems. Or am I missing something here?

[dharder]

Apart from the time when our children were babies, I never ever supplemented Vitamin D (in Germany, with a lot less sunshine than here) and none of us seems to have any health problems. Or am I missing something here?

Sunblock is what you were missing in Germany :)

The downside of the constant slipping slopping and wrapping and whatnot is that the sun doesn't actually get to the skin. So it is not just the hours of sunshine but how much of it gets to the skin.

As I've mentioned in the German forum, I call this 'pick your cancer'. Either you increase your chances of skin cancer by exposing your skin to the sun, or your chances of other types of cancer (very unpleasant ones, too) by the Vitamin D deficiency you risk by protecting yourself from skin cancer...

Daniela

[nifta]

Either you increase your chances of skin cancer by exposing your skin to the sun, or your chances of other types of cancer (very unpleasant ones, too) by the Vitamin D deficiency you risk by protecting yourself from skin cancer...
um, there aren't just two options.

there's some good info on the cancer society of nz site (particularly in the "Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure in New Zealand" report)

http://www.cancernz.org.nz/reducing-your-cancer-risk/sunsmart/vitamin-d/

[dharder]

um, there aren't just two options.

Thanks for posting that link, interesting reading. I feel more justified not using sunscreen/block in winter and in later afternoons in summer for myself and the children.

However, the statement does kind of imply that the lack of Vitamin D increases the chance of certain cancers, and too much sun increases the risk of skin cancer.

Unless I want to take supplements, that looks like two choices to me :)

Daniela

[GreenMeansGo]

Yeah, I read that article about the showering :laugh I think he said you were ok so long as you didn't use soap ;)

For some reason I thought that the amount you receive in the summer/autumn months should be sufficient to tide you over the winter. I think the article linked above said 30-60 days??

And Daniela, you might find this interesting- from another Mercola article, he says UVB rays protect against effects from UVA so- he stated you are 'safest' from the negative effects of the sun (UVA rays) actually during midday, because that is when the beneficial/protective UVB rays come through- UVB is blocked by atmosphere and clouds (i.e. morning and afternoon light) whereas UVA goes through everything.

anyway, we all agree vit D important. I don't think though, once I move there, that I'll have to supplement at the doses I currently need to keep my blood levels up-- 6 months of winter really does you in! :yes

[newarrival]

Yes, interesting link- thanks for that!

[GrumpyGoat]

In addition to all the things listed in the above posts, vit D is very important to your immune system. It is the reason that there is a "flu season" in the winter when your D levels are low. And, right now, with all the crazy strains of flu circling the globe (what is going on in Ukraine?), I want to make sure we have PLENTY of vit D in our systems!

As a side note, there are many chemicals with dubious safety records in the sunscreens--some with serious links to cancer (!!??). We no longer use them--even on the children. We take great care to avoid burning however.

[newarrival]

If being healthy is the indication, than we all apparently have enough vitamin d in our system:cool:, at least the part of the family up here...., not so sure about the ones in Dunedin:uhoh
I have not had anything throughout the whole winter, apart from two days with a bit of a sore throat...., quite pleased about that! (knock on wood....)

[GrumpyGoat]

Forgot to post this link for the "Eggplant cures cancer" (http://www.naturalnews.com/027506_eggplant_skin_cancer.html)story from Natural News today.

And an older article (http://www.emaxhealth.com/101/1/24080.html)(from 2008) as well.