There is a flood of information on the internet and varied recommendations from our health professionals on supplements.
So what's the deal? Some people believe everyone needs a lot of supplements while others believe we can get 100% of what we need from our diet.
What about when we have panic attacks, anxiety, or depression? Are supplements a critical component for recovery and a "must" in our anxiety therapy? My opinion and experience is it depends on how strong or weak your digestion is and the quality of food you eat.
Unfortunately, under stress and depletion our digestive systems shut down.
The stress handling adrenal glands are in charge of maintaining the peristaltic (muscular contraction) and mucosa of the intestines.
When the adrenals are fatigued, digestive problems arise like irritable bowel, leaky gut, constipation, and food allergies because the integrity of the intestines is compromised.
Result: nutritional deficiencies occur because the foods we eat will not be absorbed and digested no matter how nutrient dense and organic they are.
Period.
In cases where damage is occurring, supplements are helpful and probably necessary.
For me this was absolutely the case.
I wasn't digesting or absorbing nutrients even though I ate nutrient rich and organic home made foods.
My body was starving! Symptoms showed up as 55 lbs overweight, panic, anxiety, no sex drive, erratic periods, asthma, rashes, and uncontrolled hypoglycemia.
This all made sense when my lab results came back with severe deficiency and imbalance with all amino acids, low B12, and debilitating food allergies.
Diet modification and supplementation were the primary ways I have healed my body and eliminated all of these symptoms.
The strategy my physician and I developed was to supplement to get my levels back to normal range started with a custom amino acid formula and neurotransmitter (brain chemicals) precursors.
Therapeutic grade essential oils were used to balance and support my adrenals, pituitary, and keep my body out of sympathetic overdrive (over the top fight or flight anxiousness).
To nourish the adrenals, a group of herbs called adaptogens were used.
Ningxia Wolfberry, eleuthero, rehmannia, ashwagandha, Chinese Fire Yin formula, and Chinese mushrooms were all part of my program.
Vitamin C, magnesium, trace minerals, and a super nutrient dense super smoothie were also added for adrenal / endocrine support.
Because my intestines were damaged from food allergies and stress, I strengthened them by eliminating damaging allergens and introducing a super strength probiotic and copious digestive enzymes with meals.
Other parts of my program included balancingI my blood sugar and healing insulin resistance via nutritional changes, essential oils, liver support, minerals (chromium & vanadium), coconut oil and gymnema sylvestre.
Exhausted by looking at what was outline here? It was what was needed to get better and it worked.
I had the mindset that I would do what it took to get better - no if's, and's or but's.
I refused to be sick and demanded my body heal itself.
Knowing how the body works from my nutritional training, I figured that for a period of time (maybe a year or so) I would have to "hit it hard" and supplement heavily.
As my body healed I could slowly eliminate or cut down on supplements, which proved to be true.
No longer needing mitt-fulls of pills was a relief.
I supplement what is needed, eat extremely healthy, and feel fantastic.
All the self discipline and effort paid off.
Every bit of it was worth it.
No price could be put on gaining back my health and sanity!