Dr. Margret Holland October 2007
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Supplements
By Dr. Margret Holland, B.Sc., N.D.
As a Naturopathic Physician, I have the opportunity to meet a multitude of people in various states of health. I am frequently amazed at the amount of supplements that people consume on a daily basis. It is not at all unusual for a patient to come in with several bags or even boxes of supplements. Frankly, I find this quite troubling. When questioned as to why it is necessary to take all these pills, the frequent response is that they had read or heard somewhere that this was good for that and that was good for this. The end result is a cocktail of herbs, minerals and vitamins that often stress the individual’s state of health rather than improving it.
The human body is a wonderfully intricate organism that requires sound nutrition, a healthy environment and emotional well-being to obtain optimal health. Health is that place where the body and mind are able to flow with ease from one experience to another. Stress is a part of life and may temporarily result in a sense of discomfort, but should not result in permanent damage to your health.. In other words, a healthy body can withstand stress and return to a state of well-being when the stresses are removed or decreased
While supplements can play a role in obtaining or maintaining health, taking large quantities of various vitamins and herbs may actually do more harm than good. Consider a patient who has difficulties with their gastro-intestinal system. These difficulties may express as stomach discomfort, lack of appetite, ulcers, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic constipation, chronic diarrhoea, Crohn’s disease, colitis etc. Any or all of these conditions may result in a hampering of the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. At best the end result will be that all those supplements pass through the body with minimal absorption taking place. At worst the supplements may be aggravating the complaint by further irritating the lining of the stomach or intestines.
It makes far more sense to decrease the stress load on the gut, improve the health of the linings of the stomach and intestines and thereby increase the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from the foods that we eat. This is where it pays to consult with a naturopathic doctor. We are trained in isolating the root cause of your problem and isolating the best combination of herbs and supplements for your condition. We also understand how these supplements interact with any pharmaceuticals you may have been prescribed. Not only is this solution easier on your pocketbook; it also results in a very directed and efficient protocol that is more likely to have positive effects on your health. Add to this the extra cupboard space where all those supplements used to be stored and you can’t help but be pleased.
If you would like your prescription for health to be customized to meet your needs call me at 250 752 2732. I’ll be glad to improve your health, naturally.
Dr. Holland, B.Sc., N.D. practices in beautiful Qualicum Beach. Her office is located at #3-702 Memorial Avenue, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia. She may be reached at 250 752 2732.