Hi, I wanted to continue sharing steps to help us as we are spring cleaning our health. Another important step is in the area of supplementation. This is an area that you really have to do your research on as there are so many supplements out there and they are not all created equal. There are important critical steps that have to be in place for a supplement to be safe and to work well. It is sad to say that most companies do not do what they need to do in order to have a high quality product that is pure, safe, and effective. It is also important to have third party clinical studies. What we see is a lot of imbalanced supplements and contaminant issues. I am grateful to study with experts in this area who are able to give me the proper feedback, clinical research of what is safe and working. I only want what is best for myself, my family and my clients.

Here is information I wanted to share from Dr. Jamie McManus, MD on the importance of supplementing wisely:

When we eat, our bodies produce free radicals as a by-product of normal metabolic
processes—again raising the importance of eating your fruits and vegetables.
Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals so that they are not harmful to our cells. In
addition to a healthy diet, the addition of a nice variety of antioxidants, from vitamin
sources (such as Vitamins C and E) to mineral (selenium) and to herbal sources (lutein,
zeaxanthin, resveratrol, green tea, quercetin and many others) just makes good sense!
So, let’s talk about other healthy supplements for optimum digestive function and
detoxification. Our bodies are host to vast amounts of microorganisms, which reside in the
digestive tract. The balance of these beneficial and potentially harmful sub-types of
bacterium affects the health of your colon both from a short term perspective (flatulence,
constipation and irritable bowel syndrome) as well as contributing to the long-term health of
your immune system, colon and urinary system.
There is a growing body of scientific evidence supporting the importance of maintaining a
healthy balance of microorganisms, as well as the benefit of probiotic supplementation—to
support immune function as well as digestive health. Probiotics refers to a class of
“friendly bacteria” that are necessary to provide a balance with less friendly bacteria that
are a part of normal metabolism. The use of antibiotics, poor dietary habits, and age are
among many factors contributing to an unhealthy imbalance.
Constipation and Irritable bowel disorder are among the most common reasons people visit
doctors and alternative health care practitioners. My patient experiences definitely confirm
the importance of adequate fiber and water intake, but for many individuals, this may not
be enough. There are some herbal and botanical ingredients with laxative effects, including
senna leaf (Cassia angustifolia), cascara bark (Cascara Sagrada) Psyllium (Plantago ovato ),
anise seed and others that may be helpful, but should generally be used on an intermittent
basis.
The liver is a key component of the body’s digestive (and detoxification) system, providing
an elegant filtering system, performing thousands of biochemical functions. Liver function
tests may provide early warning of a variety of toxins in your system, from microbial
infections to excessive use of alcohol, to reactions to pharmaceuticals to obesity. Yes, being
overweight can lead to fatty infiltration of your liver and ultimately chronic liver disease—
called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or fatty liver disease. So, keeping your liver functioning
well includes judicious (if appropriate) use of alcohol and prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals (and checking intermittently with your physician to be sure you still need to
use any and all medicines that you may take), and losing weight if necessary.
If you have any chronic liver conditions, you may want to consider the addition of milk
thistle extract (silybum marianum) to your dietary supplement regimen. It has been used
for over 2000 years in Europe to protect liver health and as a treatment for liver disorders.
We now know that silymarin has a variety of therapeutic applications including toxic
metabolic liver damage and may have restorative effects in chronic hepatitis. Schizandra
(schizandra chinensis) is an adaptogenic herb from magnolia vine that also can have
regenerative effects upon the liver in people who have chronic hepatitis and even cirrhosis.
When using any herbal remedy that may improve liver function, be sure your physician is
aware so he or she can be monitoring any need to adjust medications, which are largely
metabolized in the liver.
So, the old adage comes to mind: “You are what you eat”. Remember to drink plenty of
water, eat as many servings of fresh fruits and veggies as you can every day, with extra
antioxidants in supplement form to provide you nutritional assurance. Add a broad spectrum
probiotic supplement, as it is difficult to get these in the diet other than from organic
yogurts that provide live cultures.
For best health, you want to be carrots and blueberries—not French fries and a cherry cola!
Be well.
Dr. Jamie McManus MD, FAA

If interested in talking more about supplements and learn more about which ones I have found to work well  and be helpful, please contact me by phone or email and I am happy to share more specifics.

Have a Healthy day!

Tricia