» Orthomolecular therapy
Orthomolecular therapy is defined as the maintenance of health and the prevention or treatment of disease by administering nutritional supplements. The patient's state of health, external or environmental factors and quality of diet are also taken into account using an Orthomolecular approach. The architect of orthomolecular therapy, Nobel Prize laureate Linus Pauling, coined the term in 1968. The aim of orthomolecular medicine is not merely to eliminate disease, but to achieve "optimum health." By administering nutrient supplements as a major method to treat disease, one may avoid the potentially disastrous effects of conventional medicine, such as chemotherapy, drug therapy, surgery and radiotherapy. Despite the fact that when taken in "mega-doses" certain nutritional supplements may cause harm, they have a significantly lower potential for toxicity than "allopathic" (conventional pharmaceutical) drugs. The legislature of the State of Nevada has designated that the practice of Orthomolecular therapy requires a Homeopathic license to practice in Nevada and has accepted the formal definition of Orthomolecular therapy in its Administrative Regulations.
Orthomolecular physicians routinely recommend that patients improve their lifestyle and eating habits to consolidate benefits from the supplements themselves. Many Orthomolecular "discoveries" have now become more or less common knowledge. For example, the fact that a combination of vitamin C and zinc can speed the departure of a virus--particularly a cold--by many days. The basic concept of orthomolecular therapy is that according to their genetic makeup, and other factors such as environment, stress levels and levels of nutrition, individuals will have nutritional needs that are peculiar to themselves alone; no two people will be alike in this respect. Consequently, what will cause illness for one person will produce good health in another.
Many degenerative diseases and even mental abnormalities are quite possibly the result of nutritional biochemical imbalances. Linus Pauling's research demonstrated that all illness and disease can be treated to some extent with nutritional supplements, such as vitamins, amino acids, trace minerals, electrolytes, and fatty acids. Theoretically, fresh food that is of high quality should provide all the nutrients necessary for good health. However, the depletion of nutrients in soil as a result of "agri-business" mega-farms, the overuse of pesticides and artificial fertilizers and intensive farming practices, has resulted in a gradual decline in the levels of nutrients in harvested crops. Orthomolecular practitioners, therefore, recommend that laboratory tests should be conducted to assess nutritional status so that possible areas of insufficiency may be addressed with the use of supplements.
Orthomolecular therapy can be of benefit to anyone for a wide range of illnesses and symptoms. Some illnesses which have been successfully treated with orthomolecular medicine include:
- Depression, Anxiety and schizophrenia
- Vascular diseases, such as Raynaud's disease, heart problems, and atherosclerosis
- Digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis
- Obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic dys-regulation
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Heavy metal burden and/or toxicity
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Infertility, Endometriosis, and other reproductive disorders
- High blood pressure
- Asthma and other respiratory problems
- Eczema and other skin disorders
- Candidiasis
- Cancer, AIDS and other immune system disorders
- Neural tube defects in the fetus.
Although the FDA has drawn up maximum and minimum recommended doses for the guidance of the public, Orthomolecular practitioners point out that these 'minimalist' levels are intended for normal healthy individuals and sometimes doses far in excess of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) are required to bring a sick person back to health. For this reason, many patients are treated with injections and infusions of orthomolecular preparations to achieve full therapeutic effect. In bypassing the gut, intravenous nutrients provide optimal cellular absorption and enhance the benefit of nutrients, even allowing pharmacologic effects. Due to the high doses sometimes necessary, it is wise for a patient not to try to prescribe excessive or therapeutic supplements for him/herself. Orthomolecular therapy, while generally harmless, can be dangerous if safe doses of nutraceuticals are not observed. For example, some supplements, notably the oil-based ones such as vitamins A and D can build up and cause undesirable consequences. For this reason patients should consult a qualified practitioner for safer and more beneficial results.
Dr Edwards is licensed by the State of Nevada as a Homeopathic Medical Doctor and the staff of Bio Health Center is certified in Homeopathic Integrative practice, including Orthomolecular therapy, by the Nevada Board of Homeopathic Medical Examiners. Orthomolecular therapy using oral, intramuscular and intravenous vitamins, minerals and adaptogens is a mainstay treatment modality at Bio Health Center.
"No where in today's managed care, third party, media circus does anyone present the the patient and clinical practitioners philosophy... For years I listened to the insurers, managers, experts, professors, news pundits, bureaucrats and opinion makers. But I ultimately realized that I still had to sleep at night. From all third party perspectives any clinical practice is, in essence, 'anecdotal.' So now I listen first and foremost to my conscience. I had good teachers, good mentors and loyal patients as well. Although I think 'science' is important, technology, politics and economics are not science. The professional oath I took upon becoming a physician was to relieve patient suffering, honor those who taught me, teach those willing to learn and reveal no information shared with me in confidence. It didn't have anything to do with third parties. That oath is our philosophy at Bio Health Center..."
- David A. Edwards, MD, HMD
