The basis of orthomolecular therapy is the supply of substances that occur naturally in the body, in the form of micronutrients, in the right amount and combination. This can achieve astonishing things: it works gently, relieves the body and increases its capacity to respond, and with it the body’s own healing powers. The body’s ability to heal even the most serious illnesses and injuries is still underestimated.
In a world shaped by a fast-paced lifestyle and tempting foods, the importance of a healthy diet is beyond dispute. Yet even when we make an effort to watch what we eat, we often remain insufficiently supplied with important micronutrients. This problem affects not only meat eaters but also vegetarians and vegans, who may not take in enough vitamin B12, iron, omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients.
As a basic rule: a body cannot become healthy on an unhealthy diet, nor on a diet that does not meet its personal needs.
This is where orthomolecular medicine comes in: an approach that aims to supply the body with the right nutrients in the right amounts in order to promote optimal health and well-being. Orthomolecular medicine rests on the principle that diseases can arise from imbalances or deficiencies of micronutrients, and that these can be treated or even prevented by the targeted supply of those nutrients.
In such cases, nutritional supplements play a decisive role. They can help to close the gaps in our diet and ensure that our body receives the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
Limits of OM
Under optimal conditions, orthomolecular medicine (OM) can achieve astonishing results. Expectations have to be scaled back, however, if the diet is not optimal (sadly common today) or if there are significant environmental and internal burdens.
That is why nutritional and toxicological considerations always come first. This includes identifying food intolerances, up to coeliac disease, which can impair the absorption of micronutrients. It is therefore essential not only to identify possible deficiencies but also to clarify whether there are factors that cause disease or may even prevent healing.
No OM therapy can make up for unhealthy burdens of any kind.
The most important disease-causing factors include:
- Food sensitisations
- Environmental influences
- Bowel problems
- poor oral hygiene, root-filled (dead) teeth, periodontitis, NICO
- heavy metals from dental materials (gold and amalgam) and from poorly made tattoos
- unnecessary use of medication
With chronic complaints, there is little point in overlooking these burdens and relying solely on orthomolecular medicine, which in the end often only leads to “expensive urine”. High-quality treatment should be seen as a five-course menu, in which nobody would think of starting with the dessert. Yet that is exactly what is often done in OM, and then people wonder why all the supplements do not help.
Be cautious of practices that ask you to take numerous supplements. In most cases, with a varied and above all individually adapted diet, this is not necessary to that extent. From the practice of John van Limburg Stirum, there are even cases of patients after gastric bypass surgery who, surprisingly, showed hardly any micronutrient deficiencies.