Holistic Doctors 
kwillig123
14 y
2,392
My wife and I have been seeing a well respected holistic Doctor for close to two years now. We had been feeling run down, our diet was poor, and we had several non-life threatening health issues. After a couple of months we were feeling much, much better and had more energy than we've had in years. The DR. had us on several controlled doseage vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, and had us on a very restricted diet. A couple of months ago we decided to stop some of the suppliments. Not more than a day later we were feeling terrible!
My concern is...is it possible to become addicted to suppliments, and are we locked into taking them the rest of our lives if we want to continue to feel well?!
- Re: Holistic Doctors Dquixote1217
14 y
2,281
This is a reply to # 1,686,955
The best use of supplements is to correct deficiencies and temporarily help treat specific conditions, with the ideal desired outcome being to ultimately depend on a good all around diet and lifestyle to maintain good health. In some instances certain conditions may require continued use of supplements - and eye conditions could well qualify as conditions that require at least some dietary restrictions and continued supplementation; however, in many instances and conditions that should not be the case. What can indeed happen is that the body becomes dependent on supplements to help perform functions that a healthy body normally should, as well as dependent on supplements to treat symptoms instead of actually effecting a lasting cure. Going cold turkey from all supplements and noticing immediate negative results is a pretty good indication that your treatment has not provided permanent relief and may in fact be stringing you along. One way to guard against becoming dependent upon supplements is to periodically take alternating breaks from individual supplements ranging from one or two days to a week.
Though a restricted diet may be a wise thing if it is restricted in such a way as to avoid unhealthy foods, if it is so restricted that it avoids essential nutrients it could contribute to continued dependency on supplements. In most instances, avoiding unhealthy foods, eating a healthy nutrient dense diet from uncontaminated food sources and perhaps the regular use of a good food derived nutrient such as intraMAX and a superfoods powder should provide all the nutrients needed and then some, without having to rely on a basket full of supplements.
Without making any judgment whatsoever on your holistic doctor, I will point out that holistic and alternative doctors can and do get caught up in the same practice as mainstream doctors - treating their patients in such a way as to insure that they keep coming back regularly and continuing to market medicinal items they profit from. I will also observe that two years is an awfully long time to still have to depend on a highly restricted diet and multiple supplements.
- Re: Holistic Doctors kwillig123
14 y
2,039
This is a reply to # 1,687,026Very helpfull, thanks. We were taking a liquid mineral suppliment from a noted holistic Dr. for close to two years and decided to stop cold turkey. In less than 24 hours we were feeling horrible...we started up again and we were fine again. I had no idea that anything other than prescription drugs were adictive!!
- Re: Holistic Doctors Dquixote1217
14 y
2,206
This is a reply to # 1,687,484
Might I ask what the supplement is (or what it contains) and whether or not that is the only supplement you take? Also, could you tell what the dietary restrictions are?
- Re: Holistic Doctors kwillig123
14 y
2,079
This is a reply to # 1,687,499As I said it's a liquid mineral with all the "essential" minerals, plus an extra amount that we are deficient in. He tested us to see what we were lacking. We are also taking...amino acids, Vits B&C, an enzyme, a probiotic, Omega3, and then from time to time he hads various things that he feels we need based on health issues that come up; colds, flu, etc. To be honest we have been taking a multitude of things.
As far as stopping, let's say the liquid minerals, how do we get off of it now? - Re: Holistic Doctors kwillig123
14 y
2,002
MoreThis is a reply to # 1,687,499as for the diet; mostly fish and veggies and some fruits. No dairy, sugar, wheat, coffee. Then alot of beans, rice,and always amoranth for breakfast...that's about it. It's no more than 1000 to 1500 calories a day.
- Re: Holistic Doctors Dquixote1217
14 y
2,171
This is a reply to # 1,687,514
Is there a reason (such as weight issues) that you are on such a calorie-restricted diet? There is virtually no way to get all the nutrients you need on that few calories and thus the diet itself creates extra needs for supplemental nutrients. Also, are both of you gluten and lactose intolerant? That would explain the restrictions on dairy and grains - though amaranth is itself a grain (and a healthy one too). Hopefully your rice is healthy brown or black rice and not just white rice. Beans are good, but they can be even better with some healthy fats included.
If I were you, and had no specific condtitions and issues that required addressing, and wanted to get off all the supplements, I would try the wonderful all around nutritional product intraMAX, which should supply all the minerals, vitamins and other essential nutrients you need. In addition, I would consider a good superfoods powder such as the Dr. Schulze formula. Unless you have weight issues (after two years?), I would look at a healthy breakfast smoothie made with raw organic goat milk, a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses, a raw organic egg and perhaps raw honey to taste. You can add a scoop of the superfoods powder to supercharge it. Instead of going "cold turkey" off your present supplements, I would reduce them by half and take half of the items I suggested and then gradually wean off the supplements and take the intraMAX daily as well as frequent (every other day at least) scoops of the superfoods powder and the aforementioned breakfast smoothie two or three times a week.
Note that I am no doctor and certainly the web is not a substitute for someone working closely with you. Nevertheless, I can see no reason to keep depending on so many supplements and such a low calorie diet. Better by far to have at least 2000 calories a day and get plenty of physical activity.
I hope that helps,
DQ
- Re: Holistic Doctors Dquixote1217
14 y
2,171
- Re: Holistic Doctors kwillig123
14 y
2,079
- Re: Holistic Doctors Dquixote1217
14 y
2,206
- Re: Holistic Doctors kwillig123
14 y
2,039
- Re: Holistic Doctors texgal
14 y
2,124
This is a reply to # 1,686,955Some supplements are best taken in cycles to keep the body from stopping manufacture of the substance. In other words, if the body usually manufactures it, and gets the signal that it doesn't need to make much because you are taking so much of it............... you get it?
Other supplements you might need to take forever because it is difficult to get everything you need from dietary sources. Why? Because most of us don't do physically demanding work and therefore can't consume as many calories as someone who was, say, a lumberjack. Also, food grown today may not contain all the nutrients that were present before giant agriculture became common.
I know of no substitute for taking responsibility for your own health and educating yourself, since you have come this far, you have a computer, and you know how to use it. Or else continue to rely on a naturopath, but not every naturopath will give you the same advice.
This forum is great because you can see what others are doing and then use what works for you, discarding the rest.
Don't forget to trust your own intuition and what your body is telling you. It may be more reliable than what someone else tells you.
- Re: Holistic Doctors Dquixote1217
14 y
2,281
