Multi Vitamins, Vitamin, Minerals....The Best Choice in Supplements

OK, here it is, winter. It is hard to get good quality fresh vegetables. The cold and flu bugs are circling around us, waiting to snuggle into a body with a poor immune system. It is the time of year where everyone is a bit tired and cranky. We ate too much junk over the holidays and are looking to get back in shape. So we think about buying supplements. Multivitamins are the first product we reach for, but there are so many choices. What vitamin brands are best? What vitamin brands are a waste of money? What about the big retailers like Vitamin World, or GNC? And what about all those vitamin brands like Natural Factors or Natures Choice? They sound so healthy, but are they? Then there are the claims about specific vitamins....Vitamins for hair loss, or vitamins for better eyesight. To be honest, my kitchen cupboard is full of different vitamins. I have Vitamin D , Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and we haven't even touched the minerals! Can't one Multivitamin take their place.

Here is what Dr. Gallant has to say to my questions:

Remember, you get what you pay for no matter what product you purchase today so if you find a supplement for 10 or 20 dollars you are probably not getting the best. Cheap supplement suppliers often have to cut corners by using cheaper materials allowing them to cheaply manufacture products.

He then went on to explain how natural supplements were indeed superior because of how they were absorbed and excreted and also how to choose between the various forms of minerals.

And what about "dosing". Are mega doses better? And what about the form the vitamins are in?

For those of you that are interested in figuring out optimal dosing of vitamins and minerals I recommend books by Dr Michael Murray ND (Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements), Dr Michael Colgan PhD and Phyllis Balch (Guide to Nutritional Healing).

Dr Gallant also recommended one brand of multivitamins over the others. This choice was a surprise to me, but he said that he spent time researching many of the brands out there and was looking for one which had the best quality ingredients with the best dosing and the best mix of phytonutrients. He also wanted one which was available to everyone, no matter where you live.

Dr Gallant's final choice was Usana Essentials , which can be ordered online and has an international portal on their website.

He has written more about this subject on his website ( Here is the link )

Here are the books he recommends for those who wish to explore this subject more:

Arthritis,Lupus, Allergies, Multiple Sclerosis, and on and on

A lot of people have been asking me about different problems which could all be lumped into the classification of Autoimmune Diseases. This is a big umbrella term that the medical profession seems to use when they are not sure of just what is going on in the body. All they ARE sure about is that the body seems to be turning against itself or is not repairing itself the right way. OK I know that this is not the Wikipedia answer, but more of a biased comment.

The thing is......most people don't care about the definition of arthritis or multiple sclerosis or lupus....they just want to get better and start feeling great. Dr Jamie Gallant had something interesting to say about this. I have never heard of this before he told me about it. Here is a short answer he wrote for me:

Do You Have Immune Confusion?

Many chronic illnesses today can be coined as “autoimmune diseases”. These illnesses can affect many different parts of the body including the joints, gut, lungs and kidneys. Why do these illnesses occur? There are many theories about the potential causes of autoimmune disorders including genetic predisposition, exposure to infectious agents and suboptimal liver and digestive function. No matter what the cause the common scenario involves inflammatory damage of various body tissues where medical treatment entails use of prednisone or other anti-inflammatory medications. These drugs, although life saving in many cases, are known for their side effects so it is wise to limit use when possible. During treatment we often use nutritional, herbal and homeopathic remedies for the management of inflammation in order to reduce the need for medication while concurrently decreasing the immune system stress by restricting foods to which you are sensitive. Detoxification is a useful tool to reduce the toxic burden contributing to the immune dysfunction. Anyone who is interested in how detoxification and digestive health affect chronic disease would do well to read, “Eating Alive” by Dr Jonn Matsen ND.

The critical aspect of treatment of autoimmune disease is nervous system confusion that typically results from long term toxicity and stress. The nervous system can be thought of as a “bio-computer” that is constantly making billions of decisions every second in an attempt to maintain balance (homeostasis). Unfortunately, the nervous system can get confused and make decisions based on faulty data. Autoimmune diseases generally exhibit these errors in judgment often confusing body tissues with infectious agents, toxins or even ingested food. One of the most successful treatments for most autoimmune disease is various forms of energetic medicine. Energetic medicine can be thought of as a way of communicating with the body’s nervous system to correct these informational errors leading to disease. A favorite modality of mine is NMT (Neuromodulation technique) which uses muscle testing and questions phrased by the practitioner to see where information faults exist in the body’s nervous system. Interestingly, the body’s subconscious has a pretty good idea about what is going on and we can exploit that information via muscle testing. Many autoimmune conditions respond very favorably to this technique when in the hands of an experienced practioner. For more information see the NMT website at http://www.nmt.md .

No matter what the condition, it is always wise to do whatever you can to improve your general health and well being. Healthy diet, exercise, and positive mindset go a long way to improve the prognosis of any patient. Most autoimmune patients can improve their illness through healthy lifestyle choices and general health support through their local Naturopathic Doctor!

OK....now let me add a comment. There are doctors and there are doctors. Dr Jamie Gallant is always on the lookout for things that work. I have had the experience where some Doctors ( naturopathic, homeopathic, allopathic, etc etc) are more fixed to their own agenda and belief system than to a practical answer to their patients problems. And also just because the doc has some certificate on the wall, it doesn't mean that they are expert in that technique. Many healing techniques take skill and aptitude. This is why many healers only use certain techniques. They chose the things that resonate with them. And it is my belief that the patient would do well to do the same. Well, that is my two cents worth. What do you think? Feel free to add your comments.

Oh Yes I almost forgot. Here is a link to the book Dr. Gallant mentioned:

Colin

The Best Back Pain Solution

This next answer from Dr Gallant comes from the experience of his patients. I have been fortunate enough to not have had any significant lower back pain, but have seen the agony in friends and family. The few times I have had a twinge or two has made me understand just how disabling back pain can be.

I had a great conversation with Dr. Gallant over lunch yesterday. He talk to me about the frustrations he had with helping people to heal, AND THE SURPRISING SUCCESSES he was having.

Now I say " surprising" because these are the cases that most doctors and insurance companies dread: People with chronic back pain and severe post surgical pain.

I'm sure you have heard the stories and seen the TV news segments. Insurance companies think these people are frauds and send private investigators after them. Doctors see them as hopeless and are tempted to just pump them up with enough drugs to keep them dazed and out of the way.

But people with chronic back pain and chronic injury pain live a tortured existence. Every day is filled with misery and suspense. "Suspense", because they never know when their body will collapse on them. And to make things worse, they are looked upon scepticaly by those around them because their injury is invisible.

But now.....back to the solution.

Dr. Gallant shared an observation with me that enabled him to make outstanding success with these patients. The secret is focus.

The more specific a patient can be in describing where the pain starts from, the more effective Dr. Gallant's treatment can be.

I found this very interesting because I had heard this recently from another source as well.

So for those of you who suffer from Chronic pain, or Back pain; here is your assignment:

Try to identify the EXACT spot the pain starts from.

I know this is hard, because we want to just ignore the pain and push on. And often we are so used to pain that it is only when we are crippled with widespread pain that we finally pause and pay attention to it. There is also the fact that society rewards the stoic and punishes the sensitive.

But if you re frame your thinking to see this as being "observant" and "investigative" it will help to push back the prejudices of society.

Well, I'd better get off my soap box and tell you of ONE of the procedures Doctor Gallant has used:

Dr Gallant has been having great success with prolotherapy. Many of his patients are athletes, and others are people who have just had a double helping of all that life can throw at you. The injections can work wonders BUT the trick is in knowing exactly where to put the needle. This is where skill and training come into play. It is just the same as any surgery. Any fool can cut you open with a knife, but only the expert can do it in such a was as to actually heal you. If you do look into prolotherapy, make sure you investigate the practitioner. Well, that's my two cents worth!

If you want to read more about this, you can go to an article on his website: Back Pain Relief

Headache Causes and Cures

New Years Day is just behind us and for some it was not a pleasant experience. That post party headache should be a fading memory. But for other people the headaches continue. How do you cure a headache? Why do headaches appear? And how can we prevent a headache when they seem to have become a regular part of our lives? I asked Dr. Gallant to give a short explanation. Oh yes, and for that post party headache, try Gatorade or tea with honey ( my little remedies), or better yet, just drink water for the last two hours of the party and dance like there is no tomorrow!

Here is Dr. Gallant's reply to my questions:

Headaches can be present for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, it is necessary to rule out any serious disease that could be causing these headaches; fortunately this is rarely the case. Common causes of chronic headaches include hormonal imbalances, food sensitivities, hypoglycemia, stress, neck tension and spinal subluxation. Most often headaches are caused from stress and poor eating habits leading to low blood sugar, when this occurs the body releases stress hormones which then cause the neck muscles to “tense up”. In this scenario effective treatment includes neck massage and adjustments while concurrently changing the diet to address individual needs.

So Does that mean good-bye to pain killers and pass the broccoli? Let us know if any questions come up for you through these explanations. And check out the links and labels at the side of the page for other health topics.

Essential Fatty Acids?

I asked Dr. Gallant about essential fatty acids. Now there are all sort of bottles out there with different combinations of fats. So what is the truth? Here is a short preliminary reply:

Essential Fatty Acids

A common misconception today is that fat is bad for you. Fats, like any other nutrient, are essential to life and optimal health. People do not generally associate fish oil with reduced arthritis pain, better concentration, decreased heart attack risk or better yet weight loss. Did you know that consumption of coconut oil has been found to improve thyroid function? Did you know that menstrual cramps can often be alleviated by a few months of primrose oil supplementation?

If fat has so many benefits why does fat get such a bad wrap? The reason is that we have been getting our fats mixed up. There are “good fats” which is helpful in treatment and prevention of almost every disease known to man and there are “bad fats” which can cause, or contribute to, almost any disease process. The good fats are generally found in fish, nuts, and seeds and are typically not processed in any way. Bad fats come in most fried foods, margarines, meats and cheeses. Although some bad fat is okay, problems generally start when quantities get out of hand. Consuming too many bad fats leads to increased inflammation which contributes to joint pain (arthritis), heart disease, cancer and possibly hormonal imbalances (pms comes to mind here).

A good recommendation for most people is to eat more fish, flax oil and olive oil in the daily diet while decreasing fried foods, fatty meats and cheeses. Essential fatty acids are essential to the daily diet of anyone who wishes to improve health, sports performance, reduce cholesterol and lose weight.

Well this is a good conservative response, but I WANT MORE! I will get Dr. Gallant to give you some of the best recommendations he can think of. Oh yess this is not your ordinary health pablum blog. Luckily I know that Dr. Gallant is up to the challenge.

Stay Tuned