Vitamin Dos and Don’ts to Get the Best Results

Make ’em count! Stick to these crucial vitamin dos and don’ts to get the most out of your supplement routine.

Do…

Make it a daily habit.

Find a vitamin setup that works for you. Always in a rush? Take a few minutes on the weekend to divvy up your vitamins into a daily pill case for the week. It’ll allow you to grab a handful and go quickly. If simply remembering is an issue, try keeping your pills out somewhere you can see them. We love keeping HUM bottles on our desks at work.  At home, your nightstand and vanity are two perfect places to display them proudly so they’re always in mind.

Use as instructed.

Read your labels! Different types of supplements are meant to be taken at different times. For instance, digestive enzymes are best taken before big meals. Meanwhile, melatonin should be taken 20 minutes before bed. Always check the label to ensure you’re timing your supplements correctly. Hint: You can always find the prescribed usage on the side of HUM bottles in a white speech bubble!

Be patient. Results take time!

Some supplements work immediately. From the examples above, both digestive enzymes and melatonin have immediate effects. Supplements tackling bigger issues like skin clarity, hydration, and hormonal health can take more time. Our nutritionists recommend sticking to your new beauty-vitamin routine for six weeks to see and feel the results come into full effect.

Make healthy lifestyle changes.

Vitamins are a terrific way to boost your health. But to enhance the results even more, consider them as the foundation to build out a wider healthy lifestyle. Eating well, exercising regularly, and hydrating daily complement the nutrient boost vitamins offer. Incorporating these healthy habits ensures your body is supported from all angles and can really thrive.

Switch up your routine seasonally.

We recommend reassessing your health goals regularly throughout the year to make sure your vitamin routine addresses current needs. In the same way you might adjust your skin care for different seasons, adjust your vitamins. You might need more support with skin hydration and vitamin D in the winter. By contrast, avoiding bloating and gaining protection from UV damage might feel more relevant in the summer.

Don’t…

Forget to take your vitamins!

Our best advice about vitamins is this: They only work if you take them! Sounds simple in theory, but forming a new daily habit can be difficult for some. Don’t be discouraged if you forget a day. Instead, try to assess what the obstacle was so you can troubleshoot it and remember tomorrow.

Guess or take inconsistently.

Take it from us: There’s a lot of work that goes into formulating vitamins. We think long and hard about the proper dosage for every product. If you skip checking the label, you could easily take less than you need and may not see the results you want. Know exactly how many pills of each vitamin are recommended—as well as when to take them—and stick with it.

Feel discouraged early on.

Give it some time. You wouldn’t go on a single run and expect a totally new body. Or go on a single date and expect to get married. Or read the first page of the book and expect to know the entire plot. Like all of these fine things, a single pill might not be enough to move the needle on its own. But with time and consistency, you should see things start to shift over a few weeks.

Sweat the small stuff.

While there are plenty of tips here to optimize your health with the support of supplements, we also get that life happens! In reality, stress is one of the biggest disruptors to our health. Build out a healthy lifestyle in small incremental ways, but don’t get hung up on trying to look and feel perfect all the time. Consistent baby steps are the key to long-term success.

Get stagnant with your health goals.

Not sure what your health goals are to begin with? Our three-minute health evaluation can point you in the right direction. As a bonus, it also pairs you with a HUM nutritionist to advise you on any specific concerns you have. Perhaps you’re someone who already has specific goals in mind. If you find a product that really works with you and want to stick with it, great! But don’t be afraid to switch things up every few months to address new goals as they arise.