Much has been written about the pros and cons of taking supplements. The founding principle of naturopathy believes that providing the body with the right support, it will re-balance. My focus is on providing you with education, to make informed choices about your health. Many of my teachers have stressed we cannot possibly get all the nutrients we need from food due to depleted soil, food quality, and food additives. Most people are not eating 10 servings of vegetables and fruit a day Dr. Mark Hyman, in his book, Ultra-Prevention examines the myth that you can get all your vitamins from food. He suggests that due to our modern diets, we all do need vitamins due to many deficiencies as well as overeating. In fact many Americans are deficient in many common vitamins like vitamin C, E, and omega 3 fatty acids. Additionally, Dr. Elson Haas recognizes different nutrient needs at different stages of life or according to health conditions such as immune, cardiovascular health, menopause, and many others.
Patrick Holford, in the Optimal Nutrition Bible, suggests we may need 10 times the RDA’s to reach optimal levels of nutrition. I always ask clients, “how do you feel?”, I believe supplements when used wisely can help us achieve our health goals. I suggest that if you are going to take supplements be sure to take supplements that comply with good manufacturing practice and are GMP certified, have third party testing and compliance and have additional certifications in organic ingredients. Today we also have nutrient testing to verify deficiencies which when used in combination with naturopathic protocols can truly lead to optimal health.