Multi-Vitamins

[Holli]

Do you guys give your kids multis? I have a bottle in my cupboard that I occassionally pull out and give to them. My kids are not 100% raw, but are vegan and very close to all raw. Every vegan book I've read says that all you need is a decent multi (I think it's for the B6 and B12??) and other than that a plant-based diet will completely meet all your needs no matter what stage you are at (pregnant, nursing, toddlers etc.). I was just curious what you all do. We eat so healthy and my kids are thriving. I can't imagine them having a defiency, but maybe I should be more diligent in giving them a vitamin here and there??

[Raene]

I don't think they need vitamins. I have a bottle too but it's just sitting in the cabinet. She seems to be very healthy and there are more and more studies coming out saying that multis are not a good option. Sorry this response is a few months late!

[Banshee]

I do give them randomly to my toddler. She is going through super picky stages (and she's not raw, though I keep attempting). I worry when she goes through her only eating rice and oranges stage, or crackers and pickles stage...no matter what I try, sometimes I can't get her to eat things. I don't give in to all her whims, and sometimes she'll take a green smoothie, and I've decided at the age of 2, eating isn't a battle I want to fight. So, due to my "nutrition" neurosis from SAD life, I randomly put a dropper full in her water cup.

I know its not the best thing, and actually once summer comes with fresh fruit and veggies...she'll be eating much better and I won't be using them.

[EZ rider]

The only supplement I feel is necessary is vitamin B12.

[GypsiAnsara]

Nope we don't use multis. My daughter gets a little bowl of pills in the morning though - about 8 super blue green algae capsules, 2 probiotics, maybe 4 enzyme caps, and then also some more algae in chewable tablets. She likes both. She enjoys chewing up all the capsules. About once a week I will take a coenzyme B vitamin and crack a piece off for her, for the b-12.

Throughout the day she will eat more algae and enzymes. Watch out if you leave a bottle within reach! She just loves the enzymes, which is good because she eats cooked food too. I still like to take enzymes and feel different when I do even though I'm all raw.

When she was younger I tried some different vitamins, but they all gave her rashes. She is quite sensitive to acid and it is hard to find anything with out copious amounts of "Vit C" added these days.

[coco]

my little boy would chew up algae too, and primal defense, did he ever love that stuff!

[Veg4Life]

Nope we don't use multis. My daughter gets a little bowl of pills in the morning though - about 8 super blue green algae capsules, 2 probiotics, maybe 4 enzyme caps, and then also some more algae in chewable tablets. She likes both. She enjoys chewing up all the capsules. About once a week I will take a coenzyme B vitamin and crack a piece off for her, for the b-12.


Can you tell me what brands or where you buy these algae, probiotics and enzymes? Do you use Spirulina? Someone recommended I give my kids that for the B12 and algae.

[GypsiAnsara]

Alissa sells a green food and enzymes that look really good but I haven't tried them yet. Check out her store under "supplements".

We've been using the same brand blue green algae since about 1990 - it used to be Cell Tech, but now it is called Simplexity (MLM deal, but we just order for ourselves). It is just algae, nothing else added. I also give her their Sprouts & Algae caps when I get them. They also sell enzymes and probiotics, but I like Enzymedica enzymes (vegetarian, sold at health food stores) and Pharmax HLC (order on the internet) probiotics best. The Coenzyme B Complex I use is by Source Naturals (health food stores, sometimes special order). It has a strong taste! We like mint better than the orange. I take maybe 1 a week, and just crack off a little piece for the kid. Before I went raw, I needed this supplement daily. Often, several times a day. I really noticed a difference. But since going raw and doing green smoothies, I really don't feel the need at all. Just do it for preventative and I really don't like the idea of eating bugs, a la David Wolf's suggestion, which I keep finding everywhere on the internet. But I guess it's good to know as a post-apocalyptic resource. :p