It’s hard getting good health insurance, and when you do, it can be harder finding a good doctor.

You may be lucky enough to get a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member. But usually you’re stuck having to choose someone from a list.

Then you make your appointment, patiently wait to be seen, and when the moment comes to start talking to your doctor, you only get 15 minutes!

Most doctors’ offices offer extended appointments (we do!), but they are usually reserved for specific patient circumstances.

So how do you really get your money’s worth within 15 minutes?

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Most of us can recall an encounter with the vitamin aisle at the supermarket, pharmacy or health food store.

It can be a confusing, frustrating event.

Vitamin C for colds, vitamin B for energy, calcium for your bones…we can even have trouble recalling what certain supplements, like copper, are supposedly good for. And there are dozens of brand names to choose from.

I can certainly understand people’s cynicism about supplements, given all the conflicting news out there. Currently, there are no recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on using dietary supplements to prevent such health conditions as heart disease or cancer.

However, there is plenty of data that supports supplementing our diet with certain vitamins to optimize health. This is especially true for people in certain high risk groups and those who are not following a healthy, well-balanced diet.

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