by Diana Arundell, university–qualified naturopath and nutritionist
If Hippocrates was right in saying ‘let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’, then why are we confronted with shelves of supplements, advertisements enticing us to add protein powders to our smoothies and commercials telling us to take a probiotic to make sure our digestive system is filled with ‘good’ bacteria?
Many orthodox medical practitioners and dieticians firmly believe that supplements are both unnecessary and a waste of money, whereas integrative doctors trained in nutrition and environmental medicine and most naturopaths, view supplements as an integral part of their treatment protocol.
Certainly, one size doesn’t fit all, and many aspects need to be considered when working with someone’s health goals. Food and nutritional education always is the first port of call to enhance the health of my clients, however I also believe nutritional supplements are very effective at times, to bridge a gap between a person’s diet and their physiological needs. Accurately prescribing nutrients and herbal medicine based on both therapeutic activity as well as scientific evidence, can hugely assist individuals in achieving their health goals.
It’s important to acknowledge that one person’s nutritional gap can be very different to another’s – even if they are related or married and eat the same things. So many things need to be taken into consideration when evaluating nutritional requirements, such as what is included or excluded in the diet – meat eaters vs vegetarians or vegans. Vegans may need extra supplementation of iron, zinc or B12, especially at times of conception and pregnancy. Food allergies need to be considered because if whole food groups are eliminated, it may mean essential nutrients are also depleted. Men and women may have different nutritional requirements based on activity levels, presence of disease (auto immune, infection, allergies, cardiovascular, cancer etc), digestive capacity (post gastric band/bypass surgery), hormones and their age.
As we age, it is also important to remember that our digestive tract also ages and may not absorb nutrients both dietary and from supplements as effectively. Drinking lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in warm water before meals to encourage digestive function can work for some, whereas others may do better taking digestive enzymes to enhance nutrient absorption. If we combine an ageing digestive tract with food that is much less nutritionally dense (due to modern farming practices – fast turnover of crops, pesticides etc) than a few decades ago, it makes sense that we may need additional support at various times in our life.
As people age their nutritional requirements may also change. For example, as a woman’s menstrual cycle ceases, low iron levels may be less of an issue, whereas her requirements for calcium and vitamin D may increase post menopause. As people age, wear and tear on joints may become an issue and nutrients such as glucosamine/chondroitin, curcumin and high dose essential fatty acids can make huge difference to reducing pain, inflammation and protecting joint function so exercise can continue for as long as possible. The ageing brain may also benefit from additional nutrient support.
If pharmaceuticals have been prescribed, it’s worth considering what influence, if any, they may have on nutritional status. For example ‘statins’ prescribed for lowering cholesterol can interfere with the body’s production of Co–enzyme Q10 which is a powerful antioxidant and involved in cellular energy production. Similarly, if a course of antibiotics has been taken, a probiotic may be useful to support the gut microbiome. Pharmaceutical drugs to reduce stomach acid can also affect the absorption of nutrients such as iron, zinc and calcium, which are absorbed via the stomach, so supplements to improve mineral absorption may help nutritional status when taking these medications. The impact of stomach ‘antacids’ on calcium absorption is particularly a consideration for women with bone density issues.
Physical, emotional, mental stress, as well as exposure to toxic chemicals/electromagnetic fields can lead to cellular oxidative stress, so keeping antioxidants flowing abundantly into the body can be protective. Ideally these should come from the diet – lots of leafy green, red and orange vegetables and berries – eaten as well as juiced will make a good contribution, however if there is higher oxidative damage occurring from exposure to toxins (chemicals and heavy metals) or due to high inflammation or stress, then considering supplementing with an antioxidant such as resveratrol (red grapes/berries produce this substance to protect themselves from damage) or additional amounts of vitamins A, C and E may help.
If you are wondering whether your body may benefit from taking a supplement, rather than guessing and buying an over–the–counter product which may not add any value to your body at all, see an experienced health care provider who has professional training in nutritional medicine. When it comes to supplements you generally get what you pay for, and many over–the–counter supermarket and health food store products could be comprised of cheaper ingredients, fillers, binders, flavours and colours. These things may even worsen people’s conditions. Your healthcare practitioner should have access to practitioner range supplements which have been clinically trialled and manufactured under the strictest guidelines.
Regardless of our age we do need to consider food as our primary healthcare, and we can’t expect to take a tablet for a health condition we have eaten ourselves into. Modifying our diet to enhance our health will also take longer than a quick fix tablet, but long term, food really is our best medicine and you are what you eat, what you drink and what you think.
By Diana Arundell, university–qualified Naturopath and Nutritionist. She has a special interest in fertility, digestive health, immune function and mental health. She was a lecturer of nutrition at Macquarie University for 10 years and currently consults from her Avoca Naturopath clinic.