Many of our clients find us because they value our emphasis on food as a basis for healing. However, visitors to our office see the supplement shelves and often ask us how we feel about supplements. I think that supplements can be invaluable but they can also be harmful and it is good to evaluate each one carefully. The flow system is one tool we use to help us verify what foods and supplements are helpful and what are not for each individual. For example, Vitamin E may be invaluable for one person and excessive for another. We measure this in your antioxidant and fat levels from the urine in the flow system and advise you accordingly. Your levels and needs will change over time and that is why it is good to re-measure.
The problems with supplements:
1. Many supplement companies use Magnesium or Calcium stearate (vegetable oil) on their machinery and the oils become oxygenated and prone to create free radical damage by the time it makes it into the product for a consumer. Ingestion of a little of this oil is not a problem but a lot of it over many years may cause liver damage.
2. The other problem is that we don't have a lot of studies of long term effects of supplements. That is why I think it is good to minimize the list of supplements taken, take ones that are most natural such as in a tea or herbal form, and whenever possible, take your nutrition from food.
The good thing about supplements:
1. Supplements are designed to accelerate change in your body. In other words, we advise you on supplements to help you meet your goals. We are perfectly happy to only advise you on foods if that is your preference or what is most appropriate.
2. Many herbs and superfoods can be found in more natural forms like teas, tinctures, and powders. The enzyme and herbal supplements are different from synthetic vitamins in that they are food-based, but still, I think it is a good idea to only take things as they are needed.
Longterm supplements:
A good approach to supplements that you want to take for longer term is to take them every 6 out of 7 days or else for 3 weeks out of every month (taking 1 week off). This allows your body the opportunity to detoxify the residues from the supplements as it would from food.