I don’t often write about medications because I want to avoid causing any panic amongst users, and I am very conscious that taking supplements alongside medications can cause its own issues – telling readers that the specific medication they are taking may contribute to nutrient issues could be dangerous! So, I’m going to keep this article general.
Nutritional therapy is a complementary therapy (one which can be applied alongside conventional medicine) and I first learned about this topic while studying nutrition at college. It is knowledge that I apply whenever I am working with clients who are taking medication. And, before I go on I need to stress an important point: I am not against the use of medication in order to treat or manage health conditions. I recognise and accept that medication has its benefits and can, of course, save lives. However, I also recognise that medication has its disadvantages – the side effects. Even over-the-counter medications and oral contraceptives can have side effects, especially if they are used long-term. It’s why there is general advice to read the information leaflets that come with medications, so that we are aware of the potential side-effects and know what to expect, and when to seek additional help. Do you ever read them?
Therefore, while I like that we have access to life enhancing, prolonging and even life-saving medications, I don’t like unnecessary medication use, the glossy marketing of medications, or the prescription of medication without consideration of the causes of the need for it. I feel particularly frustrated when I hear that the symptom not the known cause is being dealt with medically (I know it isn’t always possible), or the trial and error methods I sometimes hear about (instead of proper medical investigations).
As a Nutritional Therapist, I have not received formal training in pharmaceuticals nor have I undertaken medical or medical prescribing training. This means that I am not in a position to influence a client’s decision to take, stop or change a medication. If such a discussion arises, the client will always be advised to contact their doctor/medical team (or at the very least the pharmacist, depending on the medication and query). I have however, learned about how medications can affect the body and nutritional needs – and how nutritional supplements may interfere with them. It’s important that I understand the medications my clients take to help keep them safe, and to help understand their ill-health symptoms.
It won’t surprise anyone who regularly reads my posts to hear that nutrient depletions or deficiencies contribute to illness. Unfortunately, that illness may itself contribute to nutrient depletions or deficiencies. In order to deal with the illness (or symptoms thereof) we take medications, which may contribute to (or compound) the nutrient depletions leading to new symptoms of ill-health. And so, we then take more medications to manage or treat those symptoms…. and the cycle continues.
In each part of the above cycle, nutrients have a role in the ill-health symptoms. What if we could help our bodies avoid or manage those symptoms simply by getting the nutrients it needs? Wouldn’t that be great? Of course, there are many different contributors to ill-health alongside nutritional intake, and we can’t necessarily control them all. However, we can generally control our nutritional intake through our diets. And, giving our bodies what they need to function well gives us a great foundation for coping with other ill-health contributors. The identification of what is underlying an individuals’ state of health (as opposed to simply looking at their symptoms) is an important part of nutritional therapy. As a nutritional therapist, I cannot “treat” individuals with health concerns, but I can help them to feel better by helping them support their bodies.
If you take medications regularly and would like to better support your health using a nutritional approach, book your free initial consultation with me to discuss your needs and how I can support you. Alternatively, take a look at the Nutritional Therapy and Nutritional Reviews pages for details of Alible Nutrition services.
