It is becoming more difficult to obtain adequate quantities of nutrients from our food. Poor soil combined with improper storage, processing and cooking procedures contribute to a reduction of nutrients in even the best natural foods. In addition, stress, environmental hazards such as smog, and other situations may increase your nutrient requirements. What about life style? Does it allow for home cooked meals? Five or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day? Probably not! For these reasons just about everyone can benefit from a daily multiple vitamin and mineral supplement! Recently I have been asked "how do you pick a multiple?" We carry 11 different multiples, are you familiar with the differences? How can the store employees help customers pick a multiple that will best suit their needs?

Let's start with how many tablets or capsules a customer is willing to take per day? Some customers look for convenience and only want to take one per day. If this is the case you may have eliminated over half our products from the beginning. To maximize absorption and utilization, it is best to take more than one per day, in a prolonged release formula, at different meals. Do the staff and customers know the benefits of having nutrients in a prolonged release form? The prolonged release tablets increase nutrient absorption and utilization by slowly releasing nutrients over three to six hours. How are the nutrients released slowly? These tablets consist of a special matrix composed of cellulose and vegetable stearates in which the nutrients are embedded. The nutrients are then slowly released and this essentially mimics the way your body uses nutrients from food. This is especially important with water soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the B-vitamins) because they are not significantly stored in the body. Occasionally, the shell of the matrix will pass through in the stool because we do not have the enzymes to completely break down fiber. Regardless if the shell passes through intact or not, the nutrients have been released! Please remember every batch of tablets has to pass our disintegration time test, before being released to be packaged. Does the customer prefer tablets, capsules, does it matter? Are they looking for low, moderate or high potency? What is trying to be accomplished by taking the multi? (ie supplementing "a good diet" or "poor eating habits?" Are there certain nutrients or a group of nutrients the customer is particularly concerned with? (ie antioxidants, B-vitamins, iron, etc.). Are particular food groups avoided due to allergies, dislikes, intolerances/sensitivities, or poor dentition? These are the type of questions that need to be asked in order to determine which multi will be complimentary to life style and dietary habits.

Now let's walk through each multi.

Children's Chewable: Our only chewable is a great tasting cherry flavored supplement, which can be used by children or adults. Adults and children over four years of age may want to add additional vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, and minerals if needed. This is a vegetarian product, however not vegan, because the vitamin D is synthesized from oil derived from wool.

Basic Multi: Features the same low to moderate potency and convenience as leading national brands without added starch, sugar, artificial colors or flavors. Unlike national brands, this formula contains beta-carotene and a base of bioflavonoids. It's also easy to swallow! Ideal for those just beginning a supplementation program who wish to start slowly.

Phyto-Nutrient Based Multiple Vitamin-Mineral Complex: A totally unique blend of food plus nutrients featuring the highly bioavailable nutrient sources Ester C, chromium picolinate & polynicotinate, and selenomethionine. This is currently our only multi with no added iron. This special combination found in Food Plus helps your body absorb and use nutrients more efficiently and provides key support factors naturally found in these foods. The food base includes brown rice, bran, greens (barley grass, chlorella, spirulina), bee pollen, bioflavonoids, cruciferous vegetables, carrot, parsley, sea vegetables, fruit pectin, apple, prune, berry, grape, safflower, clove, ginger and fennel. This product is vegetarian, however not vegan because it contains bee pollen and vitamin D3. A great "natural" alternative to a daily vitamin and mineral supplement!

Super Daily One: A convenient one-a- day supplement that has a higher potency than basic multi plus support factors such as bioflavonoids, rutin, hesperidin, betaine HCl, and glutamic acid.

Ultimate One: A convenient one-a-day, prolonged release, high potency supplement. Contains chelated minerals and support factors such as bioflavonoids, rutin, hesperidin, betaine HCl, and glutamic acid. Vitamin E content: 100 IU. Iron content: 18 mg

Ultimate Two: Same formula as ultimate one, except NO COPPER & vitamin E content: 150 IU. Two tablets per day makes it easier for those with difficulties swallowing large tablets. Also, if each tablet is taken at a different meal, there will be increased absorption and utilization of nutrients.

Ultimate Three: Lower iron formula (10 mg/tablet). Vegetarian, however not vegan, because the vitamin D is synthesized from oil derived from wool. This is a one-a-day tablet formula, not three as often mistaken because of the name. It is a high potency formula and also contains chelated minerals.

Multi Power Caps: A three-a- day high potency formula. Ideal for those who prefer capsules. Contains 200 IU of vitamin E, 500 mg of vitamin C from calcium ascorbate (buffered), and 300 mg of calcium. These levels are unique compared to the other multi vitamin & mineral formulas. Does not contain beta-carotene, may want to recommend 100% natural beta-carotene with this supplement! Taking one capsule at each meal will optimize absorption and nutrient utilization.

Ultimate Capsule: A two-a-day high potency formula. Complete with antioxidants, including selenomethionine. Contains calcium, magnesium, manganese, and chromium amino acid chelates. Also includes the support nutrients bioflavonoids, rutin, chlorophyll, betaine HCl, and glutamic acid.

PMS Multi: Easy to swallow. Recommend taking 2 tablets at each meal for a total of 6 tablets per day. This is a prolonged release formula, and as already mentioned, this maximizes nutrient absorption and utilization. Contains 300 IU of vitamin E, 1500 mg vitamin C, and 300 mg of vitamin B-6 (highest of all multi's!). Maintaining adequate levels of B-6, magnesium and vitamin E have been identified as key nutrients associated with relieving some PMS symptoms. PMS multi also includes enzymes for digestion support. This is our only formula with the 1:2 calcium to magnesium ratio. Additional recommendations for PMS include: Avoiding sugar, salt, caffeine and other refined or processed foods, as much as possible. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits and grains. It is also necessary to get plenty of rest, to exercise, and to reduce stress.

Prenatal Multi: Four tablets per day formula. Contains 800 mcg folic acid (important nutrient to decrease risk of birth defects), 1000 mg calcium from citrate, and 60 mg iron from fumarate (believed to be less irritating than other forms of iron). Adequate calcium during pregnancy has been associated with decrease risk of pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy). Approximately 2-8% of pregnant American women suffer from this condition, which has been implicated in about 25% of all premature deliveries in the United States. I personally have seen prescription prenatal formulas with as little as 200 mg of calcium.