First of all - a big thank you to all who came to our first FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE nutrition lecture series! We had a lot more than we expected and had a great time! Everyone had great questions - and so many that you've all made notes of the questions we didn't get to. I'll be getting to one a day ... that's my goal.
While we're talking about lectures ... let me first announce the topic of our NEXT lecture (date to be announced... but soon!). It will be on: DETOXIFICATION. Which is a PRE-CURSOR to the MUCH anticipated seminar on WEIGHT LOSS! How to lose weight the CORRECT way. Because not all ways are correct. Just because it came off ... doesn't mean it was the right way, or the right stuff. Come and learn the number one effective tool for losing weight (after this seminar, you'll be a pro!)
Now on to your unanswered questions from the lecture.
The question is .... What is a good balance of pill form vitamins to take daily? And are pill form vitamins effective? Is it a waste of money?
And my answer is: There are a couple of things that have to be considered when taking a vitamin. They are: DISSOLUBILITY and ABSORBABILITY. When a vitamin is ingested it takes a road trip from your mouth to your esophagus and down into your stomach, where the stretch of your stomach, from ingestion of food, can cause the acidity of your stomach to slowly increase. The acid in your stomach helps break down the vitamin. If the vitamin has a shiny coating, or is put together with too much pressure, it can fail to completely break down in the stomach and small intestines. Therefore, you are paying for very expensive, highly nutritious poop! :)
Vitamins should have some type of fast release component to them so they can completely break down in the stomach and small intestines. That might mean that you have to take 2, 3, sometimes even 4 multi vitamins per DAY because if you try to SMUSH all of the recommended vitamins together into ONE ingestible pill, it is too hard for the body to break down. Sorry Centrum®. :)
The next important component is absorbability. Most vitamins and minerals are combined with some type of amino acid carrier to transport them while they are in your GI tract and into the blood stream. For example, let's take calcium. There are many forms of calcium. Calcium carbonate. Calcium citrate. Calcium glycinate. And many others. All have different absorbability rates. Walmart® and most big box stores sell vitamins to make money. THEREFORE, they choose the most inexpensive vitamins that often are the biggest waste of your money. You do get a big bottle for CHEAP, but it's typically the cheapest form of vitamin that doesn't dissolve, or absorb into your body. So it's recommended that you talk with a nutritionist that can identify the good from the bad.
If anyone would like me to do a "vitamin check" - feel free to bring me all of the vitamins you are taking and I can tell you which ones are keepers - and which ones cause nutritious poop.
There are many vitamin companies out there, but few who are GMP and NSF certified. These certifications would be similar to an FDA approval. Even though the FDA does not have jurisdiction over vitamins yet (and we hope they never do), these certifications make sure that the vitamins are safe, effective and what is ON the label is actually IN the vitamin.
So - to go back to your question - are vitamin pills a waste of money? YES. And NO. Depends on what type you get. Please - ask for help if you don't understand what you are taking. I will GLADLY take the time to discuss which ones of your vitamins are good, and what ratios and amounts you should be taking. Be careful not to overlap on some.
Hope that answers your question - it was great!
Look for tomorrow's questions/answer.
Dr. Nate
Monday, April 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Difference between PURGE and DETOXIFICATION
Had a fantastic Chiropractic/nutrition class at my office last night. Towards the end of the lecture we talked about the difference between PURGE and DETOXIFICATION. Thought it would be beneficial to talk about it here.
PURGE - aka CLEANSE. It is different than a TRUE detoxification from a Clinical Nutrition stand point. A cleansing PURGE deals solely with doing a physical cleanse of the lumen (inside tubes) of the intestines. Overtime, a build-up can occur of undigested food-stuffs in the large and small intestines. The purge usually involves some degree of fasting and only eating small amounts of some type of cleansing agent (lemon juice, syrup, water - I've heard it all). But once again, it only deals with the physical removal of toxins from the intestinal tract. Which can be, and is, beneficial at times.
A true DETOXIFICATION goes a step above and beyond purges and cleanses. Detoxification does physically clean the bowels out like its counterpart purge and cleanse, but takes it further by also providing all of the raw materials that the liver and intestinal tract need to enhance those organs detoxification pathways. Raw materials (nutrients) are always needed as co-factors to drive the biochemistry behind changing fat soluble toxins into an excretable toxin that is water soluble through the kidneys.
NOW - easy way to remember is that DETOXIFICATION makes it so that your body can CONTINUE to clean itself rather than relying on purges and cleanses through administering simple nutrients in a simple manner called the Four R program: REMOVE, REPLACE, RE-INNOCULATE, and REPAIR through medical foods.
REMOVE influx of all toxins through a properly arranged diet program.
REPLACE all of the digestive enzymes needed to digest all food that we eat
RE-INNOCULATE putting back the good and normal bacteria found in the GI (gastrointestinal tract)
REPAIRing the damage done by nutrient depletion and being overly toxic for years by using medical food.
NOW - if that wasn't enough ... STAY TUNED for the topic of PROMOTING ORGAN RESERVE. In Functional Medical it is a marker for healthy aging.
Who wants to look old? NOT ME.
PURGE - aka CLEANSE. It is different than a TRUE detoxification from a Clinical Nutrition stand point. A cleansing PURGE deals solely with doing a physical cleanse of the lumen (inside tubes) of the intestines. Overtime, a build-up can occur of undigested food-stuffs in the large and small intestines. The purge usually involves some degree of fasting and only eating small amounts of some type of cleansing agent (lemon juice, syrup, water - I've heard it all). But once again, it only deals with the physical removal of toxins from the intestinal tract. Which can be, and is, beneficial at times.
A true DETOXIFICATION goes a step above and beyond purges and cleanses. Detoxification does physically clean the bowels out like its counterpart purge and cleanse, but takes it further by also providing all of the raw materials that the liver and intestinal tract need to enhance those organs detoxification pathways. Raw materials (nutrients) are always needed as co-factors to drive the biochemistry behind changing fat soluble toxins into an excretable toxin that is water soluble through the kidneys.
NOW - easy way to remember is that DETOXIFICATION makes it so that your body can CONTINUE to clean itself rather than relying on purges and cleanses through administering simple nutrients in a simple manner called the Four R program: REMOVE, REPLACE, RE-INNOCULATE, and REPAIR through medical foods.
REMOVE influx of all toxins through a properly arranged diet program.
REPLACE all of the digestive enzymes needed to digest all food that we eat
RE-INNOCULATE putting back the good and normal bacteria found in the GI (gastrointestinal tract)
REPAIRing the damage done by nutrient depletion and being overly toxic for years by using medical food.
NOW - if that wasn't enough ... STAY TUNED for the topic of PROMOTING ORGAN RESERVE. In Functional Medical it is a marker for healthy aging.
Who wants to look old? NOT ME.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Registration for Nutrition Class
Look to your right ... an event has been created for my first nutrition class! Thursday, April 12, 2012 6:30-7:30 pm. Held at The Victorian Reception Center, 2767 West Gentile, Layton, UT. Please RSVP for the event if you are going. It helps us keep a running track of what to prepare for.
Make sure to comment about any specific questions you'd like me to answer. I'd like everyone to feel like they're receiving the answers they are looking for.
Make sure to comment about any specific questions you'd like me to answer. I'd like everyone to feel like they're receiving the answers they are looking for.
Welcome to Dr. Nate's Nutrition
Welcome to our blog! We are excited to help you begin your journey to health.
I've had people ask why I didn't start this sooner. I wonder, too! I received my Chiropractic degree in December of 2001 - and simultaneously received my Certified Clinical Nutritionist certificate. I think, if I'm not mistaken, I am the only one in Utah. I also have my Enzyme Therapy certificate. Two important factors when considering someone who will help lead you to health. I'm passionate about Nutrition. Always have been.
Why be healthy? Why start a LIFESTYLE of better health? Why not just take a "magic pill" that will create all those things for you with out you even having to LIFT A FINGER? Because it doesn't work that way. Ever. Anyone I've ever known who has done something "magic" to lose weight, or "tone" their body all while sitting on the couch, has gone right back to their "normal" selves after completing the cycle. It takes a real lifestyle change to ... CHANGE. And I'll help you get there. With education that you will understand ... so it makes sense. So you'll be able to stand in the grocery store and KNOW which items are good and which items are bad.
If you can start now creating healthy habits, it will change your life. You then will be able to implement these changes in your children and your loved ones. I don't know of anyone who proudly says "well - *I* hate vegetables, and it's so great that my children do too!" No. You want something better for your children. I know it.
Which is why Dr. Nate's Nutrition is here! I will help you learn and grow and ultimately change. You can visit my facebook page:
There I'll have weekly, if not daily, updates. I'll also answer questions for you anytime - just by you posting on my wall. On this blog, my wife, Kara Elmore, will post recipes that she's been making for the past 10 years. When she started ... she was the "weird" one. She's proud of that now.
So - enjoy this new journey and know that you aren't alone. Each day you'll get stronger. It's like AA ... a big support group. But it's not alcohol - and it's NOT anonymous. ;)
Our next step together is my FIRST official DR. NATE'S NUTRITION class. This will be an overall, comprehensive FREE class (all of them are free!) for 1 hour. Thursday, April 12, 2012 6:30-7:30 p.m. - The Victorian, 2767 West Gentile, Layton.
In the next few days I'll have a registration sign up button. You can definitely walk in and bring friends without signing up - but this way we have a count and know approximately how many to plan for.
Thanks for visiting! Today will be great - you've started it out right.
Sincerely,
Dr. Nate
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