Monday, June 22, 2009

You are not what you eat, you are what you can digest and absorb

What if you were told that there was a way to examine your nutritional status and your digestive health with one visit to the doctor, without giving blood or a urine specimen? What if you were also told that you would know the results of the exam before you left the office and whether or not the supplements recommended to you were actually going to work?

That is what we offer at Shriver Chiropractic, LLC and it is often a part of our new patient exam procedures. It’s difficult to treat the whole body without taking into account how it digests and absorbs nutrients. Simply put, if one is unable to digest and absorb properly, it is impossible for them to achieve an optimal level of health and he or she can rest assured that they will have serious health problems in the future. Why does this matter? Well for example, minerals like calcium and iron are only absorbed into your body when there is enough acid present. (That is why taking an atacid with calcium is ridiculous) All too often individuals have chronically LOW stomach acid levels, for a variety of reasons from stress to prescription medication for heartburn and acid-reflux. As their heartburn or GERD symptoms improve, their digestive system breaks down, keeping them from digesting and absorbing nutrients that will lead to a host of other problems in the future.

So some of the things examined in our office are tissue calcium, digestive function as it relates to stomach acid and digestive enzyme levels, thyroid function, as well as your body’s ability to respond to stress and sugar handling, in real time. The results are then correlated with a symptom survey that the patient fills out. From there, a simple nutritional program is given to the patient that addresses the patient’s specific needs and zeros in on the most important aspects of that individual’s health.

You do not have to be a chiropractic patient to have your digestive and nutritional health evaluated. Contact our office for a symptom survey and schedule your nutritional exam today!