Clinical Nutrition for Dummies

So I've decided to become a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN) in addition to a PharmD! With a higher degree in health care, it only takes 56 hours of online lectures to prepare for the CCN Board exam. I really think that the clinical nutrition and pharmacy go hand-in-hand because it looks at disease from an entirely different viewpoint. I'm really learning a lot during this rotation and have spent the majority of it relearning the biochemistry of nutrition. Prescription drug side effects are starting to make a lot more sense as I understand their correlation with nutrient depletion and blocked biochemical pathways. For example, when you prevent cholesterol synthesis by taking Lipitor, you are preventing the formation of everything else made from cholesterol (or somehow connected), including DHEA, CoQ10, and your sex hormones. When your body can't make sex hormones that way, it makes you gain hormone-producing abdominal fat to correct the imbalance....which can lead to a whole slew of problems like hypothyroidism and depression. Anyways, I've been taking advantage of my 50% discount off vitamins and supplements. I always say, one of the best investments you can make is in your health. Although I try to get all the necessary vitamins from food, it really is impossible when the food supply is so nutrient depleted. Additionally, we require a much higher quantity of vitamins than the RDA suggests. Such and such number of recommended milligrams of a particular vitamin is just above the point where you develop physical symptoms of deficiency and far below the point where the inadequate intake starts effecting your body on a cellular level. It also does not take into account disease, stress, or other factors that may require higher levels. My preceptor told me that the 3 keys to excellent health are "nutrition, digestion, and liver health". Basically, eat the right stuff, support your digestive tract, and support your liver's ability to detox. Here are some examples of what I'm taking: Ultra Preventive X MVI QID; UBQH 50mg qam; L-carnitine 300mg qam; Enterobiotic 2 caps at bedtime; Osteoshealth TID; Vitamin D 1000mg BID (trapped in the pharmacy all day with no sunlight); Filter and Flush (for liver); I'm also considering a B-complex for the increased stress when I start my hospital rotations :) This list does not include green mixes or therapeutic teas. Anyways, it would be pretty difficult to overdose on vitamins because you just urinate the excess (in most cases; whereas others like vitamin A you have to be more careful). If you take too much vitamin C, you get diarrhea and just taper down your dose. Vitamins and minerals play such a significant role in every aspect of your cellular processes that I would want to be absolutely positive that I was getting enough.

If anyone is looking for a good combination bone health product, Osteosheath is probably the best you can find over the counter. Check the label on your current calcium supplement. If it says calcium carbonate, you are only getting 5-9% of that amount of calcium. Osteosheath has 3 types of calcium--MCHC (90-95% absorption), Calcium Amino Acid Chelate (70-85%), and Calcium Citrate (70-85%). It also has 1200 iu of Vitamin D (we need about 5,000 iu per day), magnesium, and an array of other important synergistic vitamins/minerals for bone health. After screening about 40 elderly women for osteoporosis last week, I can say that prevention is very important. As far as liver health goes, the Filter and Flush has N-AC, which is what becomes glutathione and binds to toxic metabolites in your liver. It also has milk thistle, which protects your liver from damage, in addition to several other components. With all the garbage and xenoestrogens floating around our world, good digestive and liver health are crucial.
Anyways, enough of my ranting and lecturing...I'm just eager to share!