Not every population or demographic can obtain all of the nutrients that they need from their accessible food source alone, and that’s when supplementation can be beneficial.

For about 5 years, I worked in the supplement industry of small health food stores learning the in’s and out’s of hundreds of different formulas and manufactures. At first, this was a job to tide me through graduate school while I was learning the intricate in’s and out’s of nutrition and clinical practice.  Fast forward to the present day, and it’s sometimes tricky to separate the two between whole food nutrition (the ideal), and nutrition in pill form (the substitute). As a nutritionist, I’m usually working with both. A large part of my goal during my one-on-one nutrition consultations is to weed through a sometimes lengthy list of supplements and end at a minimal list of supplements while keeping whole food nutrition at a maximum. It’s always my goal to get as many nutrients on your plate every day as possible, and through a detailed inquiry of your daily nutrition, get an idea of how we can feasibly do that together and supplement with only the things that are dramatically lacking in the diet.

But not everyone can see a nutritionist, and not everyone has access to customized nutrition plans or a wide variety of foods. And that’s when supplements can play a contributing role in a comprehensive health plan.

When I counsel people about when and how to choose supplements, I usually have five guidelines:

1. If you have access to good quality foods that are affordable and available, always choose whole foods first over supplements. Do not purchase supplements in order to substitute for good nutrition if you have access to good quality, pure foods (i.e – just because you take your multivitamin every day doesn’t mean you can skip out on eating your vegetables).
2. If you feel like you need to supplement with something (like a multi-vitamin or supplemental minerals or essential fatty acids for example), make sure it’s good quality and from a reputable store or manufacturer. The supplement industry is not regulated, so knowing that the company has third party testing, organic standards and is non-GMO are all good things to look for.
3. Before you go on the internet to read about all the things you might be deficient in, get tested for vitamin and mineral deficiencies before spending hundreds of dollars on supplements you may very well not need.
4. Always try to get a 100% food-based supplement (not just extracted solitary minerals) for optimal digestion and absorption. You want your body to absorb as much as of that supplement as possible, and in a “food-based” form, it’s much easier for the digestive system to do this.
5. Do your research on what you should be taking before going into the store to purchase supplements. Folks that work in supplement departments legally cannot give you any advice whatsoever about what to take for anything, but they can educate you about the different brand choices and quality standards. Do not expect supplement stewards to tell you what to take for your given issues. Most simply do not have the training to do this, and legally they’re prohibited from giving you that kind of information.

We are extremely fortunate that most of us have access to a decent amount of good quality foods, however, for many people this is not the case. Not every population or demographic can obtain all of the nutrients that they need from their accessible food source alone, and that’s when supplementation with multi-minerals, multivitamins and omega-3 based oils (essential fatty acids) are ideal to incorporate into the diet. Supplements can add up quickly, both in quantity and in price, and it’s my opinion that you get what you pay for when it comes to quality supplements.

Another excellent rule of thumb (that I see over and over again during my nutrition appointments) is that if you have a cabinet full of supplements that you take every day, and you don’t remember why you’re taking a particular supplement, re-visit that and either research why you were taking it in the first place and educate yourself on whether you need to continue. Supplements, just like any part of a health plan, should change and shift as your health changes and shifts. You don’t necessarily need to take a supplement indefinitely.

If you’d like to get a more thorough understanding of your nutrition needs or need further guidance on selecting appropriate supplements for your health plan, consider making an appointment at Richmond Natural Medicine with one of our practitioners.

Childhood is a time when seemingly limitless potential inspires children and parents to work toward success and achievement in life and in health, and naturopathic medicine is a fitting medical treatment modality for helping them attain these goals.

Naturopathic Approach to Child Wellness:

Naturopathic medicine focuses on preventive medicine and helping children get on the right track with regard to diet, exercise and treatments that will support the body to heal itself, which is important today. Many pediatricians in conventional medicine offer few sustainable options for healing, and writing a prescription for short term symptom management is all too common.

A pediatric naturopathic medical visit is focused on investigating the health, environment, and behavior of the entire child, including diet, activity, stresses within the family, with a goal of identifying any underlying causes of recurring health issues. The first appointment is generally regarding as a “getting to know you visit,” that explores a child’s health all the way back to the mother’s pregnancy.

A naturopathic doctor will also want to learn about a child’s personality. With regard to ADHD and other developmental health issues, sometimes doctors are too fast to pull out their prescription pad. Putting the individual into the context of their own behavior tendencies and predispositions can be important to recognizing abnormalities.

In the state of Virginia, a naturopathic physician that works with children also works alongside a pediatrician in their care, who handles immunizations and prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications, as necessary.

Preventative Medicine:

“Doctor as teacher” is a principle of naturopathic medicine, and teaching people when they are children, as well as their parents, to follow a healthy lifestyle is important to prevent some of the damage that can occur later in life and cause chronic disease. Genetic predisposition and other factors can make preventive medicine a defining factor for preventing chronic disease and determining future quality of life.

Standard health concerns for parents of young children often include the common cold, ear infections, stomach aches, and even developmental disorders, such as ADHD.  In some cases, offering an alternative to standard drug therapy may be an option, and there are a far range of safe and effective remedies that can be administered to children, such as an herbal blend in a glycerite base, for example.

The range of therapies is nearly always different because the treatment is based on the individual, which is a more engaging form of medicine.