As a Naturopath my goal is to improve the lives of my clients in ways they could only imagine. One of the best things about being a Naturopath is that once people are optimally nourished, everything improves. Not just the ailment they originally came in for.
Unlike pharmaceuticals where one drug is prescribed for one ailment only. Natural medicine, diet and lifestyle advice has a domino effect on the whole body.
For instance, the absence of just one nutrient such as zinc, has wide ranging affects on the body. It affects the health of the immune system, leaving the individual prone to viral infections. It can affect reproduction and hormone synthesis (especially Testosterone in men). Zinc deficiency can also exacerbate skin conditions such as eczema and acne and insufficient zinc is also a factor in depression and anxiety.
For most clients this would simply be an unrelated mix of ailments. But to a trained Naturopath there is an undeniable link between these symptoms. So instead of their GP prescribing an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug and a cortisone cream for their skin, a Naturopath would prescribe the missing ‘ingredient’ in this case zinc and the ailments could all be treated safely and effectively.
Indeed there are countless other uses for zinc in the body as it is involved with some 500 chemical reactions throughout the body. But supplementing with zinc alone is often not sufficient to affect any real change. The reason for this is that zinc requires other co-factors such as vitamins and minerals for it to be absorbed properly.
Dosage is also an issue. Using the Zinc Taste Tally the degree of zinc deficiency can be determined. The client is asked to hold the zinc liquid in their mouth until they can taste it. The longer it takes to taste the zinc the more deficient they are. Using this very simple test a Naturopathic Nutritionist can determine the extent of the deficiency and the relevant dosage required to replete it in the body.
If the client is extremely zinc deficient a special zinc drink may be prescribed to bring zinc levels up quickly.
