From our Network:
Start your engines! Driving.ca is Canada's leading destination for the latest automotive news, reviews, photos and video.
Find out more ›
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Keeping 'old girls' running efficiently

It was a checkin’ out kind of week.

It’s license renewal time and the year I need to have the emissions tested on my poor old van. I don’t get too worried about it since I make sure there is regular maintenance on the vehicle. Twice a year Frank gives it a good going over, does whatever is needed to make sure the old girl keeps running efficiently keeping me safe on the road for all my adventures. I wasn’t surprised it passed the test with flying colours.

Later in the day I had an appointment at the hospital for some maintenance testing of my own. I also try to take good care of myself so expect the same kind of report on my mammogram and bone density testing. Needing to pick up some supplements I headed to the drug store.

I get lots of sleep, drink gallons of water, walk (or dance) each day, eliminate as much stress as possible, laugh and sing a lot, drink less pop and eat better than I ever have before. It’s not easy because I love meat, butter, potatoes, bread and all that good stuff but I limit my intake of anything white and fats. I have significantly increased fish, which I am not crazy about, vegetables and fruits in my diet so it’s all good, right?

Just to make sure I take a few supplements like calcium, omega-3 and vitamin D. As I stood there in the drug store I was again struck by the variety and complexity of these supplements. It’s so confusing to know what is the best one. Calcium comes plain, all by itself which I assume is what we need to keep our bones strong. I also know you need vitamin D so our bodies can absorb the calcium so I take one of those. But calcium also comes as calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, with magnesium, zinc and with vitamin D added. I know magnesium and zinc are good for you but what are carbonate and citrate, what do they do for you and what are they doing in calcium? And do I still need to take a separate vitamin D tablet or is what’s in there enough?

Reading the labels on the omega-3 bottles also confused me. The one I have says wild salmon with the wild in red. Isn’t all salmon wild or does it make a difference if it’s salmon from the ocean as opposed to farm-raised salmon? Does one have more omega-3 than the other? Mine also includes fish oil but doesn’t say what kind of fish. So it could be cod or carp, halibut or catfish?

I saw a TV advertisement which extols the superior quality of krill oil. I looked it up and krill is “small shrimplike planktonic crustaceans.” That is more seafood than fish so if I indulge in the stuff I love like shrimp, oysters, lobster, crab, mussels, scallops and calamari on a regular, even daily, basis does that mean I don’t need to take capsules?

Well, I can’t afford to eat like that anyway so I’ll just take a few supplements and hope they are all doing their job to keep this old girl running efficiently.

twocentsworth40@hotmail.com

 

Distroscale

Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
This Week in Flyers