What are the Essentials of Supplementation?

By Caroline Walrad, Ph.D.

Most of us do not like to take pills. It has the connotation of being sick. In one of my articles, Back to Basics, I explain why we need supplementation. Our food sources do not contribute enough of the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed to make our body’s systems operate efficiently. We need to make a choice up front: grow all of our own organic food and know what is in our salads, choose whole food supplementation, or most likely will need medication. This article is about choosing whole food supplementation.

In order to fulfill our basic daily needs, I propose the following protocol:

1. Organic Whole Food Vitamin
2. Organic Whole Food Mineral
3. Calcium (however types needed to bring it into the bone properly)
4. Essential Fatty Acids (all Omega oils in one capsule)
5. Broad Spectrum Probiotic

Some of us will need additional supplements because we are women in peri- or full menopause and do not want to take hormone medication or patches.

In my nutritional practice I have witnessed the ability of the body to respond with renewed vigor with just the above. Most of us will need specific additional supplements until our personalized problems disappear. This includes symptoms from inheritance, injury, emotional and/or mental exhaustion, and poor past dietary habits, such as chewing our food too fast or eating too many starches.

Our primary vitamin is very important for our health. In Standard Process, the vitamin is called Catalyn. It was the first vitamin developed from the organic growing of foods in Wisconsin nearly 80 years ago. Catalyn still remains the finest vitamin available. It is said that if you take only one supplement because of time or money, take Catalyn. There are other individualized combinations of Catalyn available. This means that the supplement has Catalyn plus other supportive food sources.

Minerals are next. The personalization of the types of minerals is very important. Some people need one group of minerals and another group may need Trace Minerals. It is important to personalize this supplement according to an analysis.

Let’s discuss Calcium. It is not enough to just take a Calcium supplement from over the counter and know that is it getting to the bones. This is true especially for women. Availability of calcium for utilization is determined by our heredity and mostly by our diet. Sometimes women need three forms of calcium from Standard Process because there is some form of bone disorder in the genetic tree. If this is true, then no amount of calcium will create bone without parathyroid glandular or perhaps phosphorous. The parathyroid gland, which sits next to the thyroid, is responsible for the daily critical monitoring of calcium between the bone and the blood stream. If the parathyroid is not functioning properly, the calcium metabolism is array. Some individuals do not absorb calcium. This may be due to too many sodas or not enough Hydrochloric acid in the stomach to break it down properly. This digestion challenge can be solved by chewing the food a very long time. The entire digestive process starts with communication from the mouth to other digestive organs once food is placed there. But some people are low in phosphorous and need a calcium supplement that includes this element.

Essential fatty acids are just that – essential! The Omega 3, 6, and 9’s must be present in our diets to insure that we work at optimal speed and repair. The old term, ‘brain food’, is true. The myelin sheath around the nerve is dependant on fatty acid intake from fish and oils. These omegas are responsible for repair of tissue damage and hormone production. Try to consume fish that is very deep sea. The interesting research, to me, is that the balance of all types of natural oils is critical. For example, too much flax seed can create an imbalance in other areas. So, the best supplementation is one that contains all of the omega oils. The product I have chosen is Multi EFA. At this writing, it is the only product found that has all of the omegas in the balance supported by research.

The last daily supplement I suggest is a probiotic, or ‘for life’ addition for our systems. There are good guys and bad guys in our gastro-intestinal tract. The balance should be in favor of the ‘good guys’ or probiotics. Reasons for depletion of good bowel flora include: eating too much at one sitting, eating too quickly, taking of medications and most importantly antibiotics. Our bowel flora is then in the ratio of no good guys and all bad guys (from worms to candida to other creatures) They inhibit the release of lymph through the bowel, interfere with essential vitamin conversions such as our B vitamins and vitamin K, and are associated with mucous production (sinus). When probiotics are taken, it is best to select a broad-spectrum product. This means there are at least 6-8 organisms in one capsule. Usually, these products need to be refrigerated, however, there are new effective probiotics available which are stable at room temperature. Probiotics are best taken on an empty stomach, thus it is best to take them first thing upon rising in the morning or last thing before bedtime.

As mentioned before, one will probably need other supplementation until the body is back to health. These essential five are wonderful maintenance for our bodies until the time comes that we catch and eat our fish right away, grow all our own food with organic methods, and drink clear pure water from our pristine mountain stream. Until then, freedom from illness can begin with taking vibrant whole food organic supplements each day.