Does It Really Matter If I Take Vitamins And Supplements?

Yes! Here are 10 reasons why:

Source: https://www.care2.com

Current commercial agriculture techniques leave soil deficient in important minerals, causing the food grown in this soil to share the same mineral deficiencies.
Many foods are shipped long distances and are stored for long periods of time, both of which cause the depletion of vitamins in these foods, including the important B-complex and C vitamins.
Food processing, cooking, and preserving leads to nutrient depletion in our food supply that makes it difficult to obtain adequate nutrition from foods alone.
Many fruits and vegetables are genetically bred to improve visual appeal and crop yields, not nutritional value, which frequently results in lesser nutritional values than our ancestors’ food supply.
Erratic eating habits, insufficient chewing of food, eating on the run, and stress contribute to poor digestion, making it difficult for our bodies to extract all the nutrients it needs from food.
Pharmaceutical drug use has escalated over time. Most medications deplete essential nutrients, making people more vulnerable to deficiencies.
Specific times in life and health conditions may result in higher needs of certain nutrients. For example, folic acid needs tend to be higher during pregnancy, while menopausal women may be vulnerable to calcium deficiencies.
Increasing levels of environmental pollution in our air, water, and food may cause our bodies to use more nutrients than normal to detoxify and eliminate harmful substances. This is especially true of the antioxidant vitamins, some of which include: the “ACE Vitamins:” Vitamins A, C, and E.
We all have genetic weaknesses, including higher needs of some nutrients, higher rates of depletion for certain nutrients, and an increased likelihood of genetic expression of some illnesses if vitamin or mineral deficiencies are present.
Many nutrients have been proven to prevent or aid in the treatment of health conditions like high cholesterol, arthritis, birth defects, and cancer.
 

Ok, but how do I know if I really need to take vitamins?

At Dr. Kochert’s, there are two ways to find out.

1) Blood tests:  We can measure your levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, iron, and magnesium. We also have an electrolyte panel which tests for sodium, potassium, and chloride. Other issues we can test for include thyroid function and hormone and cortisol levels. Dr. Kochert will prescribe supplements to help correct these functions.

2) BioPhotonic Hand Scanner:  This is brand new technology- a skin test for antioxidant levels. Your hand is placed on the scanner, which sends out safe, low-energy blue light, with a known wavelength. The energy bounces off the antioxidants (carotenoids) in your skin, changing the wavelength of the energy. The scanner measures the new wavelength and provides your score- a measurement of antioxidants in your body. A low score means that you would benefit from supplements. We can use this to test how well your body responds to vitamins. About two months after you start a supplementation program, we will perform another scan to see if your antioxidant levels have improved.

If you’d like to see where your vitamin or antioxidant levels are, give us a call to schedule a blood draw or a scan. Dr. Kochert will prescribe supplements to improve your health! The scan normally costs $40, but right now, it’s just $20. Then, you get 10% off the supplements Dr. Kochert prescribes for you.