Getting My Vitamins by Going Back to My Roots

When's the last time you popped a Pebbles-shaped vitamin in your mouth?

I don’t take vitamins. There, I said it. And Mom? I’m sorry. You raised me better than this. In fact, every morning, when I woke up, there was a vitamin C tablet and a Flintstone (or some other cartoon or animal-shaped) multivitamin waiting for me on a paper towel on the kitchen counter. I developed good habits early on, but then…I totally dropped the ball.

I’ve tried getting back on the vitamin bandwagon a million times, but I have two major issues. First, I have a lot of trouble taking pills, especially if they’re not tiny and/or coated with something slippery. And second, once I get a multivitamin down, it almost always upsets my stomach, which does not make me want to take another, you know?

At my recent yearly lady-parts check-up at the doctor, we got to talking about vitamins; mainly, talking about how I should be taking them. On paper, I’m fine, but for the past few years, my iron has hovered right above the cut-off. When I’m being really strict about eating iron-rich foods, of course, it’s better, but that’s not always my main focus. The bottom line is, I could use more.

When I whined to told the nurse about my problems with taking a multivitamin, she asked me if I’d tried the Flintstones vitamins. I started laughing, saying, “No, not since I was a kid!” But apparently, my multivitamin problems are totally common, and, in fact, the Flintstone vitamins even have directions for adult usage on them. I’m not alone!

A chewable vitamin every morning, just like my mom used to lay out for me, is something I can so yabba dabba do (sorry, couldn’t help myself). And, of course, I’m still going to try to get what I need from my diet, so I’ll amp up the fruits and veggies and such, but I’m really glad to know that there’s a foolproof fix!

Do you take any vitamins? Why or why not? —Kristen