Written by Dr. Patricia Pimentel Selassie
Everyone can benefit from nutritional supplementation. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I know (and I think you know, too!) that the body can heal itself if you give it the right tools. This is an amazing “superpower” that we humans have; Naturopathic Doctors call it the Vis Medicatrix Naturae, which means, “the Healing Power of Nature.” As you may know, I live in Brooklyn, New York and have four daughters. So, when my daughters go out to play, it’s often on concrete. I know that if one of them slips and scrapes her knee, as long as I wash it and make sure my daughters have good nutrition, the scrape will heal itself.
Other than giving my daughters good healthy diets, I give them nutritional supplements, starting with a good multivitamin. Some patients have told me they were just going to get all their nutrients from food. Although a noble ideal that we should certainly always strive for, it is very difficult to do this completely due to modernization and industrial agriculture. (This is perhaps a good topic for a whole other blog!) In any event, our food is not as nutritious as it was 40 or even 30 years ago. Taking a high quality multivitamin helps us meet our nutritional needs.
Industrial agriculture has also breeded out the healthy oils that we need for our bodies to prevent our food from spoiling so it can sit on the grocery shelves for longer. Unfortunately, this makes it really difficult to get our healthy fats, particularly the Omega-3 fatty acids. The best, most bioavailable source of Omega-3 fatty acids is from fish oils. Fish oils modulate inflammation, which is a tool to help us, but inflammation can spin out of control. When it does, it contributes to heart disease, accelerates the advancement of diabetes, adds to obesity, dulls the brain, and causes joint pain. It is so important to get a good quality fish oil like those available from a Naturopathic Doctor versus from a local pharmacy. Naturopathic Doctors pay close attention to quality, processing, and purification of fish oils because if not properly manufactured, fish oils, often coming out of polluted waters, could be detrimental.
The third nutritional supplementation that we cannot do without is probiotics. We could arguably say that the intestines are the true foundational organ of health; it is where we take in our nutrients. The gut has its own ecosystem made up of nerve tissue, immune cells, and good bacteria. Unfortunately, due to poor diet, food intolerances, low fiber, and the antibiotics in our foods, we tend to have more bad bacteria and yeast in our gut than good bacteria. This is why it is so important to balance out our diets with the beneficial bacteria that we would get from a good probiotic. Again, please rely on your Naturopath to pick out a good probiotic because many studies have shown that over-the-counter probiotics are often non-viable; taking those, we might as well be swallowing blanks.
As a Naturopathic Doctor, it is my professional opinion that everyone can benefit from a good multivitamin, fish oil, and a probiotic. I have often seen that with these nutrients alone, people come back with healthier bodies, normal bowel movements, sharper minds, clear skin, and lasting energy! I love this! Some people may need more support to help normalize their blood pressure and blood sugar, improve their vision, and get out of pain. I can help. Visit me at New Flower Community Clinic. I have many services, programs and packages (please see my website for more information). Moreover, I am very excited to launch the start of the New Flower Community Clinic on Fridays from 2-6 pm, starting Friday June 20th. At the Community Clinic, you get a 10-minute private consultation with me, Dr. Selassie, where I will suggest supplements tailored to fit you and your health challenge. The cost is $20. Please call 888-228-2126 to set up your appointment today.