What is the general attitude toward vitamins and supplements on the trail? How many of you take them along your hikes? Vitamin I (ibuprofen) does not count. What do you take and why?
What is the general attitude toward vitamins and supplements on the trail? How many of you take them along your hikes? Vitamin I (ibuprofen) does not count. What do you take and why?
Most of the foods we use in hiking come with lots of power and energy... vitamins have a habit of "just passing thru" Hens the deep yellow color of pee.
Here is a list of super foods... that can be built on... I am sure others are taking vitamins - I generally do not.
Fruits Proteins Fats
Blueberries Salmon Walnuts
Oranges Turkey Almonds
Apples Soy Olive Oil
Pomegrante Beans Avocado
Kiwi (Eggs)*
Vegetables Starches Dairy
Spinich Beans Yogurt
Tomatoes Whole Grain
Broccoli Pumpkin
Onion Sweet Potato
Beverages
Tea
*added.
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I take vitamins daily; so I'm certainly going to take them hiking when my diet is not as good.
Multi and fish oil.
I believe a proper diet is all you need. I eat healthy and well balanced at home so I will eat healthy and well balanced on the trail. It may be a little more expensive and require more planning but proper nutrition is key!
Get a good multi vitamin from a company like Melaleuca. They have a high absorbtion rate. I've been using them for years. Fantastic.
1- A Good Multi-Vitamin
2- Astragalus
3- Sublingual B6/Folic Acid/B12
"Fish Camp Woman.... Baby, I like the way you smell"
- Unknown Hinson
Last edited by Spokes; 04-02-2012 at 11:59.
"Fish Camp Woman.... Baby, I like the way you smell"
- Unknown Hinson
Implying an attempt at that sort of diet results in a failed thru hike lol? Im sure people loaded up on multi vitamins and snickers havent made it past that line eitherOriginally Posted by Spokes:1273766
Exactly. There's no correlation between diet and a successful thru hike (except maintaining the minimum caloric intake to survive). Thanks for pointing that out.
There was one study conducted by Karen L. Lutz in 1982 regarding the diets of AT thru hikers. She concluded that from the standpoint of consuming the recommended allowances for protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and thiamin (vitamin A and C were below optimal levels), AT thru-hikers consumed an overall adequate diet.
Also, thru's lost an average of 16 lbs but for 90% of the hikers studied that was not a problem.
Source: "Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail" By Roland Mueser
If you Google it, you can read the entire section for free through Google Books.
Last edited by Spokes; 04-02-2012 at 13:47.
"Fish Camp Woman.... Baby, I like the way you smell"
- Unknown Hinson
If I remember to take them, I do super B complex (suppost to help keep the bugs away and I think it helps). I also drink Propel for the potassium and other electrolites.
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1982 was a long time ago. Is it possible our food quality has gone down substantially? There are a lot of empty calorie foods consumed now; especially on trail for its convenience. They lack important vitamins and minerals. I wasnt even a thought in 1982 so im not sure what people were eating on the trail. Maybe at that time food was all around healthierOriginally Posted by Spokes:1273802
Let"s see:
Twinkies? check
Poptarts? check
Noodles? check
Snickers? check
I'd say 1982 just just a fine number of empty choices.
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I thought they were all-natural back then..Originally Posted by ChinMusic:1273816
I tried vitamin supplements for a while at home and didn't like the looks of my pee. Most of that money went down the toilet, as far as I could see. I like author Michael Pollan's viewpoint in "In Defense of Food". He recommends being the type of person who takes supplements, but don't take the supplements. Generally, people who take supplements are already eating fairly well and take more care of their overall health than most. Notable exceptions could be vitamin B and fish oil supplements for vegetarians.
And it is possible to eat fairly well on a thru hike, especially if you buy along the way. I made it a point to eat at least one piece of fresh fruit or vegetable every day, if just a carrot, some celery, a pepper, an apple, some fruit from a roadside stand, etc. Caloric staples can be whole grains with minimal processing like rolled oats, available nearly everywhere. Tree nuts, too. You don't have to live on ramen, poptarts and Snickers. The only time I "bonked" on my AT thru, averaging 20 mpd, was one day I ate too much delicious Cabot cheese in Vermont--too much fat, not enough carbs. Great vitamins, though.
"Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning
all of the above are correct. I take vitamins, just a one a day multi.if youu're eating right you probably dont need them, but they dont weigh much, so i bring em anyway.
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