Getting "Our" Daily Dose

Natural, herbal, non-dietary, dietary, remedies, supplements, vitamins, minerals: Walk into any local health food store or pharmacy and these are just a few of the terms you will hear or read. Trying to find what it is that your body needs while finding something your mind will understand can prove to be a challenge. But what if your body isn't the only one you have to worry about?

If you're breastfeeding, you may be wondering what you can take and what you should steer clear of. Lactating women have different needs and requirements than non-lactating women.

"For almost all essential vitamins and minerals, the simple 100 percent RDI one-a-day type of multiple vitamin/mineral products is not enough for lactating women," says Luke R. Bucci, vice president of research at Weider Nutrition International in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to Bucci, the basic recommendation for lactating women is 150 percent of the recommended daily intake, or RDI.

"For example, the calcium RDI for lactation is 1,200 mg per day instead of the usual 1,000 mg. However, this intake is almost impossible without supplementation – taking a daily vitamin," Bucci says.

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