By Dr. Matsen

Nutritional supplements are an important part of the Eating Alive Program—they help to support the organs of the body during the detoxification process. When patients come in to see me, I use applied kinesiology (muscle testing) to determine which supplements are most suitable for them. For those who are unable to see a naturopath but who wish to improve their health, there are a few supplements used in the general Eating Alive Program that can help most people, though there are many more used to help alleviate more specific complaints. For the next few months, my Monthly Comment will focus on these general supplements.

One of the first things to do is to support the liver. The liver has hundreds of jobs to do and there are dozens of liver remedies designed to improve various aspects of liver function. On the Eating Alive Program, the most important of all liver functions is liver detoxification and the herb most specific to enhance this is Milk Thistle Extract. This extract is the most effective single herb presently known to activate glutathione peroxidase enzyme, the body’s key detoxification enzyme, which is also crucial in the immune system. I use Milk Thistle Extract more than any other liver remedy, mainly in capsule form. For those unable to swallow capsules, I recommend a liquid form of Milk Thistle Tincture.

A formula that contains milk thistle, garlic and other herbs that are traditionally used to contribute to overall cardiovascular health is Kardovite. Recently, a patient of mine who was following the Eating Alive Program and taking Kardovite cancelled his scheduled angioplasty appointment because there was no longer any plaque present in his arteries. Kardovite is available in drops and capsules; the capsules are most convenient while the drops are more potent.

As a further aid to glutathione peroxidase enzyme, I recommend Selenium, one 200 microgram capsule once a day for adults. This dosage is well-documented to reduce the incidence of most types of cancer by about 50 percent.

One of the most overlooked deficiencies in the body is sulfur. Sulfur is crucial for liver detoxification and is also used as a key ingredient in the structure of soft tissues such as joints. One of the reasons for sulfur deficiency is that mercury binds to and depletes sulfur, so I often recommend supplements to increase the availability of this critical nutrient. While many people use Glucosamine sulphate and Chondroitin sulphate, I find MSM (Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane) to be less expensive and more effective for most people. For those who need to gain weight (especially muscle) and get additional sulfur, I use an unsweetened cold-processed Whey Protein Powder. For those with serious, mysterious or “incurable” diseases, I recommend HMS 90 (Immunocal), a patented whey isolate originating from research at McGill University in Montreal and well-proven to be the strongest glutathone peroxidase enhancer known.

I also recommend Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids for many of my patients. It helps to neutralize peroxides created by liver detoxification. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids also supplies the liver with much-needed antioxidants, thereby helping to strengthen connective tissue—when the liver runs low on antioxidants to neutralize peroxides, it will strip them out of other parts of the body such as your connective tissues, which can weaken ligaments, tendons, cartilage, intervertebral discs, joints, eyes, veins, arteries, gums and nails. The acid in ascorbic acid tends to cause diarrhea in some people so for those who are susceptible to it, I use an alkaline form of Vitamin C such as Ester C.