1. Produced in FDA Approved manufacturing facilities
Now we are not huge fans of the FDA when it comes to their process of drug analysis and approval, however, we do acknowledge and accept their process of certifying manufacturing plants as being up-to-spec in relation to pharmaceutical and nutritional production.

2. Follow GMP Standards
In recent years there has been a lot of press around good manufacturing procedures (GMP), specifically with nutritional supplements. These products proudly sport the GMP insignia as though that is all that is necessary to prove the product is of high quality. GMPs are the pharmaceutical guidelines that dictate the procedures for producing medications. The press jumped right on the bandwagon, making statements like “look on your bottle for the GMP insignia for good quality products.” Although it is a step in the right direction, there is still a lot more to consider when looking for product quality. It is technically possible to encapsulate dirt while following GMP standards. You could then honestly put the GMP symbol on the bottle.

3. Independent Certificates of Analysis
The FDA comes through again by keeping tabs on independent laboratories. By having the end product tested by an independent lab, you get another certification that what is on the label is in the bottle. This is the extra step that most companies do not go through due to the extra expense.

4. Raw Materials and Standardization
When we look for the best brands, we look for products that use the raw materials and standardization used in the actual studies. If those brands are not available we then look for a product that standardizes to the same level as the product in the research. This requires a lot of time hunting down and studying research articles.

5. Proof is in the Pudding
Only when a product has passed the previous four steps do we use it in our practice. We then monitor results and if it works consistently, then we use it. If it doesn’t work, then we scrap it.

Next let’s talk about some of the more important supplements for you to learn about. The role of the multi-vitamin is to provide a security blanket of nutrition to cover deficiencies of the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) Today’s foods, including the fruits and vegetables, do not contain sufficient amounts of nutrition to allow our bodies to function at optimal levels. Likewise, a multiple vitamin that contains the minimal levels of vitamins and minerals set by the RDA does nothing to assist you in the achievement of “Optimal Health”. The One-A-Day formulas of the world fall into this category. The multiple vitamins found in the local pharmacies are typically of very poor quality because of both the dosage and forms of the nutrients provided. A lot goes into finding a good quality multi-vitamin. In all of our research we have found only a few multi-vitamins worth carrying. The Multi T/D is our most basic multi and a great orientation to natural products. It contains sufficient levels to rev up the cells without overwhelming your system. The one capsule twice a day dosing assures compliance and ease of use.

The use of a digestive enzyme is a simple step to improving your digestion.The enzyme that we have used in our practice is the Similase digestive enzyme. This is a vegetarian enzyme that will help you digest your entire meal from meat to veggies. We suggest 1-2 capsules per meal depending on your response and the size of the meal.

Omega-3 fatty acids are the most important nutritional supplement on the market today because they are so deplete in our diet and they play such an important role in our body. If you are on a strict budget, this is the supplement to start with. Research has shown that supplementing your body with omega-3 fatty acids can help:

1. Lower triglycerides (Ann NY Acad Sci.1993;683:337-340)
2. Improve psoriasis (Clin Exp Dermatol.1992;17(3):159-162)
3. Prevent blockage of arteries after angioplasty (Arch Intern Med.1993;153(13):1595-1601)
4. Helps control blood sugar (Diabetes Care.1998;21:494-500)
5. Prevents angina (Atherosclerosis.1987;64(1):13-19
6. Decreases risk of sudden death (JAMA. 1998;279:23-28)

These are just a small sampling of the studies on omega-3 fatty acids. We will be posting a lot more research on omega-3 fatty acids in the very near future.

Essential Fatty Acids are a critical part of any general health program. During the course of the war on heart disease fat became a key focus of the healthcare establishment. Before long fat and cholesterol were being stricken from our kitchens, replaced with liquid plastics we call margarines and spreads. Eggs were soon being tossed from the refrigerator replaced by a milk carton shaped fat-free egg substitute. The result was an upward surge in the incidence of heart disease as well as a downward surge in the quality of life of the American public. They were still dying of heart disease, the only difference was that their last meal now consisted of a bland egg substitute fried in a liquid plastic and washed down with a glass of milk byproduct. Fat is critical to optimal health, as a matter of fact you cannot achieve “optimal health” without the right kinds of fats in the diet!

I will simplify the discussion of fats by pointing out the two main types of fat, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Although the omega-6 fats are villainized as the “bad fats” they are only bad because we eat them in excess while neglecting the omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-6 fats come from vegetable oils, conventional beef and chicken, farm grown fish and certain nuts (peanuts, cashews, etc.) Omega-3 fatty acids are found in range-grown or grass-fed beef and chicken, flax oil, perilla oil, wild caught cold water fish and nuts such as walnuts. Because of the deficiency in the omega-3 fatty acids in the foods we eat, it has become necessary for the typical American to supplement with the healthy omega-3 fats.

The omega-3 fatty acids are important for the normal functioning of nearly every system in the body. For a more detailed description of essential fatty acids see the article Healthy Fats. If you need to cook with oil, the best cooking oil available is MacNut Australian macadamia nut oil. This oil protects the food from oxidation during the cooking process and enhances the food with powerful antioxidants and heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.

If you have any questions about which product to use, please contact our pharmacists. Below are described our most popular omega-3 supplements: