Do we really need to take vitamins and supplements?

There is a lot of controversy as to whether taking vitamins and supplements are really necessary and beneficial.  According to a recent survey conducted on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association, more than 86% (4 out of 5) American adults take vitamins or supplements.  Certainly in an ideal world, it is best to get our nutrients in the form of good quality food, and not have to rely on supplements.  However, even in an “ideal” world where we all get plenty of sleep, stay properly hydrated with water, eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, and consume a whole food diet that incorporates the proper nutrients, there are still some valid reasons to include whole food nutritional supplements in your daily regimen.  I will reiterate-there is no magic pill or replacement for the nutrients we get from good quality food sources, but there are some reasons why turning to good quality supplements can be beneficial to overall health and wellbeing.

FARMING PRACTICES AND SOIL DEPLETION=DEPLETED NUTRIENTS

To begin, chances are good that some, if not most of the food we eat comes from soils that have insufficient mineral content.  When foods are grown in the same soils again and again, the mineral content of that soil becomes depleted over time.  Organic farming practices include “crop rotating” which prevents soil depletion from occurring.  However, like most things, consuming organic food is not “fool proof,” and does not always mean foods are going to be 100% superior.  Organic soil can also get depleted, but it is more often than not a healthier choice. Many times (of course not always) the foods you buy in grocery stores are picked weeks and even months before they are placed on store shelves.  Many fruits and vegetables are shipped from other countries, and once they are placed in stores for sale, they are past their peak ripeness.  This places an unknown challenge in obtaining maximum nutrition from the foods we are buying. 90% of people are not getting the recommend amounts of nutrients from food alone. 

POOR DIETARY AND LIFESTYLE HABITS=NUTRIENT DEPLETION

In addition to depleted soil, factors like strict diets, poor nutrition habits or appetite, processed foods, high fat and sugar-laden diets, or changes in dietary needs can also contribute to nutritional gaps in the diet. Sometimes laboratory testing will even show these deficiencies of certain vitamins and nutrients.  Supplements cannot replace a poor diet, but it can help prevent and support some of the detrimental effects poor eating habits are causing.

PESTICIDES, CHEMICALS, AND POLLUTANTS=FREE RADICALS

To piggyback from the above mentioned farming practices, often times pesticides and other chemicals are used in farming our foods, and also contribute to the need to use supplements.  Ingestion and exposure to pesticides, chemicals and other pollutants not just from our foods (which we can never really fully avoid) increases the production of free radicals in our bodies (which we know cause damage to living cells and tissues).  Supplementing with antioxidants might be a good option to consider.

EXERCISING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY=EXPENDED ENERGY AND NUTRIENTS

Exercising, being athletic and engaging in physical activity is another reason to consider supplementation.  Certainly, exercising and staying active is highly encouraged and makes a huge different in overall health and outcomes.  However, during exercise and physical activity, our bodies use up energy and stored nutrients.  The proper supplements can help replenish the used nutrients (in addition to the proper nutrition to fuel exercise), and can be very beneficial in not only contributing to more efficient workouts, but also contributing to better recovery. 

PREVENTION IS KEY

Lastly, prevention is key! It is certainly better to be in a position of preventing illness than treating it! Along with an overall healthy lifestyle (including but not limited to, good nutrition, good hydration, exercise, adequate sleep, stress relief and other self care practices), proper supplements and vitamins may also help keep us healthy and prevent future health issues.  Of course this leads to the question-what supplements should I take? Much like anything else, not all supplements and vitamins are created equally.  First and foremost, I recommend consulting with a trusted doctor, practitioner or professional that will be able to guide you and recommend vitamins and supplements that are best suited for you before buying or taking just “anything” from the local health food store or pharmacy.

What is Osteopathic Manual Practice?

When manual medicine is a topic of discussion, osteopathy is a modality that is often at the forefront of discussion.  So, what exactly is osteopathy? 

It is a type of manual medicine that offers patients tremendous improvements in many types of musculoskeletal conditions, mobility, and other health conditions and/or diseases. It is recognized and utilized worldwide. Osteopathy was officially founded and developed by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1874.  He spent many years studying and researching, and ultimately believed that by correcting problems in the body’s structure through manual techniques (osteopathic manipulative medicine), the body’s ability to function and to heal itself would improve.  He was also a proponent of preventive medicine, and endorsed the philosophy of treating patients “holistically.”  This included a “whole patient” focus including the mind, body, and spirit, not just the disease or symptom alone.  Osteopathy can be considered the pioneer of manual medicine since the major manual medicine schools that exist are rooted in osteopathy.  American style Osteopathic physicians have the same training and licensing as medical doctors.  After completing medical school, they complete an internship and residency, which can last between 3 to 8 years (or even more if they subspecialize).  They utilize modern medicine techniques such as medicine and surgery, sometimes in conjunction with manual techniques to diagnose illness and injury, relieve pain, restore range of motion, and enhance the body’s capacity to heal.

European style osteopaths, also called manual osteopaths or osteopathic manual practitioners, are primarily trained in the practice of osteopathic techniques, and focus on the musculoskeletal system.  European-style manual osteopathy is a type of holistic manual therapy that includes soft connective tissue techniques like osteoarticular mobilization, cranial sacral techniques, visceral techniques, lymphatic drainage, muscle energy techniques, myofascial release, and other gentle and non-invasive techniques that decrease pain, and increase mobility and flexibility.  These techniques are recommended in conjunction with daily exercise, healthy nutrition, and stress relief, in an attempt to help support clients recovering from pain, disease and injury, or for overall wellness.  

Unlike licensed Doctors of Osteopathy, European Style Osteopathic Manual practitioners do not prescribe medications, perform surgery, diagnose disease, or perform any high velocity, low amplitude manipulative techniques. There are currently 2,000 Osteopathic Manual Practitioners in the USA, and 67,000 licensed Doctors of Osteopathy practicing medicine.  The profession of an Osteopathic Manual practitioner has been highly cited and regarded as a wonderful adjunct for the safe and non-invasive chronic pain improvement and management therapy/bodywork all over the world, but especially in Canada, Europe, and now the USA.  

In 2017 alone, over 200 chronic pain clinics opened in Canada that are owned and operated by Osteopathic Manual Practitioners.  In 2018, the very first American Osteopathic Manual Practice Board was formed to evaluate manual osteopathy schools.  The most distinct difference between osteopathic physicians and osteopathic manual practitioners is that they are not licensed to prescribe medication, diagnose disease and illness, or perform surgery.  Osteopathic physicians attend medical school, residency and undergo extensive training.  Osteopathic manual practitioners also have extensive education and training, including 2200 hours of coursework and training, and are able to greatly focus on and become experts of the musculoskeletal system, thus helping many patients with a variety of conditions.  Osteopathy improves the quality of life and overall health and wellbeing of patients.  

I have been seeing patients as a holistic health practitioner for the past 2 years, and have been living out my passion helping them optimize their health in any ways that I can.  My own experiences as well as those of others have given me the opportunity to see the ways holistic health and good nutrition can truly prevent, improve, and heal many conditions and symptoms that exist.  However, one commonality that I have noticed with a large majority of my patients is that they suffer with unrelieved chronic pain and/or inflammation, as well as other conditions.  They have tried many different pain relief options, sometimes including pain medication, to no avail.  Sadly, Massachusetts was amongst the top 3 states in the United States as having the highest death rates from synthetic opioids.  There has been a rise in not only opioid related deaths, but also in use and/or misuse, as well as addiction.  In lieu of this, I am passionate about helping reduce these sad statistics in any ways that I can.  I believe that I can play a part in this through alternative medicine and holistic nutrition, as well as osteopathic manual practice therapy.  I feel that adding Osteopathic Manual Practice to my clinic will offer patients another step in their healing and pain relief.  I will now be able to offer patients support and healing through multiple modalities.  Osteopathic Manual Practice offers a wide variety of therapeutic techniques that can truly improve overall pain, mobility, flexibility, and wellness.  There are numerous clinical studies and research papers detailing the significant health benefits of osteopathic manual care.  I feel honored to be able to offer further health optimization to my patients.  I am called to be a healer, and osteopathic manual practice is an additional puzzle piece that fits into my practice to help make it “complete.”