Nutrients Depleted by Pharmaceutical Medications

As a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, I prefer to seek natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals for myself and my family, and I love helping patients do this as well, in order to reduce or eliminate their need for drugs. But this is not always possible with every patient, condition or medication. Contrary to what some may think, I am not completely anti-pharmaceutical. I think drugs can be helpful and even lifesaving in certain situations. I just prefer alternatives wherever possible, for many reasons.

One of these reasons is this:

Most pharmaceutical medications require specific nutrients from the body in order to be metabolized, such that those nutrients become depleted over time. In fact, many of the long-term side effects experienced from pharmaceutical medications can be due to the nutrient deficiencies that they create.

When each new patient comes in, I review their list of medications. I research the known nutrient depletions associated with each medication, and what possible symptoms commonly manifest from those deficiencies. Many times I find that the symptoms listed correlate with one or more of the patient’s main complaints. So I can have the patient add to their diet more foods containing those missing nutrients, and/or add a supplement to replenish and maintain the missing nutrients. This alone can make a huge difference for symptom relief.

Keep in mind, however, that not every medication’s nutrient depletions are known or studied. And there are other negative effects that pharmaceuticals can cause to the body long-term, so the more we can change our diets and lifestyles, and find natural alternatives, in order to minimize the amount of medication that we require, the better off we will be in the long-run.

Here are some of the more common nutrient depletions that I see in my patients. See if any of these could be a factor for you:

Cholesterol Meds:

Statin Drugs, including Lipitor, Zocor & Crestor, can cause a depletion of Coenzyme Q-10 (Co-Q-10). Deficiency of this nutrient can cause various cardiovascular problems, weak immune system, low energy, muscle pain & weakness (especially in the legs), and large joint pain (especially the hips & knees). Note: Even red yeast rice, a more natural product for lowering cholesterol, works like a statin in the body and can deplete Co-Q-10 over time.

Antacids:

and PPI’s such as Pepcid, Zantac, Prilosec and Prevacid can cause multiple nutrient depletions, partially because they reduce the stomach acid required to break down and digest certain nutrients. Depletions include Vitamin B-12 (causing anemia, depression, fatigue, weakness), Folate (causing birth defects, cervical dysplasia, anemia, heart disease, cancer risk), Vitamin D (causing osteoporosis, muscle weakness, hearing loss, cancer risk), Calcium (causing osteoporosis, heart and blood pressure issues, tooth decay), Iron (causing anemia, weakness, fatigue, hair loss, brittle nails), and Zinc (causing weak immunity, poor wound healing, weak sense of smell/taste, sexual dysfunction).

Three Classes of Blood Pressure Lowering Drugs:

ACE inhibitors, for lowering blood pressure, such as Lisinopril, Lotensin, Capoten, & Altace, can cause depletion of Zinc. Symptoms of Zinc deficiency are weak immunity, poor wound healing, weak sense of smell/taste, sexual dysfunction.

Beta Blockers, also for lowering blood pressure, such as Metaprolol, Coreg & Lopressor, can cause depletion of melatonin (a hormone that regulates your circadian rhythm and allows you to fall asleep at night). Also, Coenzyme Q-10 is depleted, causing various cardiovascular problems, weak immune system, low energy, muscle pain & weakness (especially in the legs), and large joint pain (especially the hips & knees).

Angiotensin II receptor agonist meds, also for high blood pressure, such as Cozaar, Benicar and Avapro, deplete Calcium (causing osteoporosis, heart and blood pressure issues, tooth decay), Magnesium (causing cardiovascular problems, asthma, osteoporosis, cramping and PMS), Zinc (See ACE inhibitors for list of symptoms) and Co-Q-10 (See Beta Blockers for list of symptoms).

Anti-Depressants:

SSRI anti-depressants, such as Prozac, Lexapro, Zoloft and Paxil, deplete Folate (causing birth defects, cervical dysplasia, anemia, heart disease, cancer risk) and Melatonin (a hormone that regulates your circadian rhythm and allows you to fall asleep at night).

Anti-Inflammatories:

Both prescription and over-the-counter NSAIDS, for pain, such as Celebrex, Voltarin, Naproxen, Advil, Motrin, & Aleve can deplete Folate (causing birth defects, cervical dysplasia, anemia, heart disease, cancer risk), Iron (causing anemia, weakness, fatigue, hair loss, brittle nails), Melatonin (a hormone that regulates your circadian rhythm and allows you to fall asleep at night) and Zinc (causing weak immunity, poor wound healing, weak sense of smell/taste, sexual dysfunction).

A quick Google search will reveal many more nutrient depletions caused by pharmaceutical medications. It might be worth a quick look for those caused by your own medications, if you take any.

For a more personalized evaluation of your nutrient status, I recommend getting a micronutrient test performed. This is a urine and blood test that shows your existing nutrient profile. It removes the guess-work. I offer this test to my patients, as do many natural medicine doctors. The more informed we are about what is going on in our bodies, the better!

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#vitamins #medication #minerals #nutrientstatus #nutrientdepletion

Awesome Asian Kale Salad

Recipe (vegan, sugar-free & gluten-free).

I have made this salad several times, doubling the recipe, and taken it to parties. Amazingly, even though most people would say they don’t like kale, (especially raw kale), this salad is completely devoured within an hour of setting it out.  And many people demand to know the recipe.  So, here it is…

SALAD:

1 bunch kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced 2 small carrots, peeled and shredded 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

DRESSING:

3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1.5 Tbsp sesame or canola oil 2 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp Bragg’s Aminos (you can use Tamari or Soy Sauce instead, if you prefer). 1.75 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or brown rice vinegar)

1. Combine kale, carrots, and bell pepper in large bowl. 2. Prepare the dressing.  In  a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well. 3. Pour the dressing over the kale mixture and marinate for at least 1 hour.  The longer the salad marinates, the stronger the dressing flavors will be, and the softer the kale leaves will become. 4.  Toss with pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds before serving.

(Note:  if you really want the kale leaves to be soft, you can get your hands into the mix, and massage each leaf with the dressing, being sure each surface is well coated, before leaving it to marinate).

Enjoy!

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#salad #vegetables #vitamins #greens #kale #detoxify #fiber #phytonutrients #leaf #wholefood #plantbased #nutrition

Nutrition, Part 1: Nutrition as Medicine

“He who seeks medicine and neglects his diet wastes the skill of his doctors.”  – Chinese Proverb

A very common topic of discussion in my clinic is nutrition:  Part of my health history intake is asking about the patient’s diet, and I very frequently make nutritional recommendations to assist their health goals.

In addition, I am often asked about what is the healthiest way to eat.  It used to be mainly a weight-loss related question, but now it seems to also be people who are struggling with severe health problems such as cancer, auto-immune diseases and chronic degenerative diseases.  I find it encouraging that people are starting to acknowledge the quality of their nutrition as a fundamental source of their health or disease.

Nutrition as Medicine

The quality of what we consume directly affects our state of health. Depending on what we choose to eat, our diets can be medicinal or harmful. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, knew this. He is famous for saying “Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be food.”

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has also known this for centuries (actually millennia, to be more accurate).

In fact, of the Eight Branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine, nutrition is one of the most powerful, and certainly is the one that each of us has the most control over on a daily basis, since we all need to eat multiple times daily. Perhaps you’ve not thought of nutrition as medicine before now, but it is an important concept in TCM.

Healthy nutrition provides the foundational energy and substance which nourishes, heals and sustains our bodies in a state of vibrancy and health; poor diet depletes, harms and toxifies our bodies, causing myriad symptoms and diseases.

Just as the roots of a tree need to be healthy and strong so that they can provide optimal nutrition to the rest of the tree, we need to provide our organs and systems with optimal nutrition to heal and maintain our own strength and vitality. And, just as a house must be seated upon a strong foundation in order to have integrity, we need ensure our own foundation with sound nutrition.

Whole Foods

Before delving into the deeper principles of health-promoting nutrition, we must first eliminate the fast food, junk food, preservatives, chemicals, and excess fats and sugars in our diets. We cannot help our bodies become and stay healthy if we are regularly eating these types of foods. It is essential to learn to read food labels, and stay away from products that contain ingredients that are not recognizable food names, and chemical-sounding names.  Like Michael Pollan says, “If a 3rd grader can’t pronounce the ingredient, don’t eat it!”

The first, simplest and most profound piece of advice for building health through nutrition is to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Whole foods are those that are recognizable in their natural state: whole vegetables and fruits, such as apples, carrots, cucumbers and spinach; whole, unprocessed grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, corn and oats; whole cooked beans, whole nuts and seeds without oils or flavorings added.

Whole foods contain all types of vitamins, fiber, minerals, and health benefiting phytochemicals that number in the hundreds, or even thousands, that work synergistically to nourish us.  Many of these compounds have been found by modern science to protect us from cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative diseases.  Many others of these phytochemicals modern nutritional science hasn’t yet even identified! No one yet knows what other kinds of beneficial and vital properties they carry, or how they all work together synergistically to benefit our bodies.

It makes the most sense to give ourselves every advantage in the quest for excellent long-term health by consuming as much of the beneficial elements as we can in the foods we know are health-promoting. The best way to do this is by eating them in their whole-food form.

In addition to the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, the fiber in whole foods slows the absorption of glucose, which helps keep the blood sugar steady, preventing diabetes. It also provides volume to food, to satisfy the appetite without adding calories.

Fiber helps to prevent heart disease by binding cholesterol for excretion. It also absorbs toxins in the digestive tract, provides a mechanical means by which to sweep wastes out of the intestines (which decreases risk of colon cancer), provides bulk to the stool, and exercises the smooth muscle tissue in the intestinal walls to keep them toned and well functioning, preventing diverticulosis.

With all of the vital functions that dietary fiber has, it makes no sense to eat foods that are refined, which means the fiber (and most of the vitamins and minerals) has been removed.

Processed foods made with refined ingredients such as white flour, sugar, white rice, and oil, which include most breads, pretzels, chips, crackers, cakes, muffins, and pastries are not whole foods. Their base ingredients have been stripped of any nutritional value they once had, they have little or no fiber, and they add a lot of sugar, fat and chemicals that wreak havoc with our physical health and negatively impact our mental and emotional outlook (not to mention our waist lines.)

Moderation

The ancient Chinese said that moderation is the key to good health. They were not referring to a moderation of junk foods, chemically-laden foods or processed foods, because these did not exist then. For the vast majority of our existence here on earth, humans only had access to whole foods, (which were organic, by the way) and yet the ancient Chinese still preached moderation. This is interesting to consider, since many Americans think a diet of whole foods (especially organic) is extreme.

So what were the ancient Chinese referring to by “moderation”?  This will be discussed in Nutrition, Part 2 where we will focus on Nutritional Therapy in Oriental Medicine, based on the physiology of digestion from a Chinese Medicine point of view.

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

excerpts published in Tampa Bay Wellness, April 2011

#vegetables #vitamins #greens #fruits #fiber #weightloss #phytonutrients #nutrition #orientalmedicine