1. BEGIN SLOWLY, particularly if you are taking any sort of medication, in which case it is especially important to inform your doctor of your plan so that you can be appropriately monitored. Start with one supplement type at a time, at the lowest dose. Increase dose and/or add a new one every 3 or 4 days or as required for necessary monitoring, watching for any adverse reactions. If you experience adverse reactions, discontinue for several days or until symptoms disappear. Then, if you wish, begin again at half the original amount.

2. Build dose amounts for Target supplements SLOWLY, over a period of several days and hold for several weeks or even months, until you feel a benefit OR you have reached maximum dose. (One of the tasks of supplements is to help your body "detox" the toxins it has been forced to deal with over the years. The faster you increase dose amounts, the more toxins get flushed from their hiding places - and may actually make you feel quite ill! This is known as the Herxheimer reaction or the healing crisis. To minimize the severity of this, go slow but understand you may take a bit longer to achieve benefits.)

3. If you are taking a target remedy or supplement for a specific health need, cycle it in slowly to monitor your response. You can work your way down to your basic dose category once you notice a definite improvement in the way you feel. This will be a process by which you will be able to reduce and hopefully ultimately eliminate the need for the target remedy altogether. (This process is dependent on your specific, individual needs and responses. However you will very likely need a minimum three months of full supplementing. It also excludes anyone engaged in extreme physical and/or mental activity since your basic dose is in the "special need" category - at least until you decrease your activity.)

4. Supplements should ideally be taken with meals to promote increased absorption (and to decrease feelings of nausea or illness).

  • Fat-soluble vitamins (such as A, E, beta-carotene, and essential fattys) should ideally be taken with the meal that contains healthy fats.
  • Since fiber can decrease absorption of minerals, it is best, but not imperative, to take minerals away from high-fiber meals.
  • C can be taken on an empty stomach. You can achieve higher absorption faster, which can be especially desirable when fighting an infection. But C taken with a meal will be absorbed more slowly and over time more of it will be absorbed that way.

5. Whenever taking an increased dosage of an isolated B vitamin for a specific reason or as a target remedy, be sure to supplement with a B-complex.

  • In general, a safe practice would be to take a single B in no more than 2 to 3 times the amount of B-Complex you are taking. So if you take a B-100 complex, it would be acceptable to take 200-300mg EXTRA of B-6.

6. Take digestive enzymes with meals to assist digestion. (If you are taking enzymes for other therapeutic reasons, be sure to take them on an empty stomach between meals.) Instead of enzyme supplements try fresh-made juice, preferrably vegetable (or a high quality, enzyme-rich veggie drink), or take 1 tablespoon raw unfilterred apple cider vinegar with raw honey and water or, especially if you have a blood pressure problem, try fresh lemon juice with water.

7. Free-form amino acids such as glutamine, if taken as a general protein supplement, should be taken with meals to maximize utilization. However, certain aminos - such as phenylalanine, tyrosine and lysine (if taken to target specific conditions such as allergy relief or headache, etcetera) must be taken ALONE, on an empty stomach.

  • Whenever taking an increased dose of an isolated amino it may be a good idea to supplement with an amino blend, such as low-heat, non-acid whey. Increasing protein and good fat intake should eventually eliminate the need for these kinds of supplements altogether.

8. It is preferrable to take supplements in at least two doses per day. If you are on an intensive plan or are addressing targeted or special needs you should make every effort to take your supplements in at least three doses per day.

  • Be sure to take all supplements with adequate, but not excessive, amounts of liquid to mix with digestive juices and prevent side effects.

9. If you become nauseated or ill within an hour after taking nutritional supplements, consider the need for a bowel cleanse or rejuvenation program prior to beginning a course of nutritional supplements. This can include a gentle cleanisng diet focusing on vegetables both cooked and raw, herbal remedies, and/or juice therapy, steam saunas, or mineral baths. As an alternative try supplements in liquid form, diluted in a beverage.

10. Last, but not least, remember the most important nutrients are those found in the highest quality foods. They might include a good quality cod liver oil, along with healthy doses of “good” fats and best proteins - and liquids such as naturally sparkling mineral water, raw milk, veggie drinks, and raw, naturally fermented drinks like kefir and beet Kvass.