Functional Health
As pharmacists, nearly every time we counsel patients, we have the opportunity to improve overall health by addressing lifestyle choices--dietary, exercise, environmental, social and targeted nutrient recommendations. Prescription medications have given us effective ways to treat disease. However, discussions that dig a little deeper can help us understand a little more about "WHY" we are experiencing a given symptom or disease.
My personal goal over the past several years has evolved into opening up conversations and talking to patients about solutions beyond prescription medications...a functional approach to better health.
I believe that a functional approach can complement conventional medicine very nicely. Ultimately, this can lead to a better quality of life for our patients. Isn't that the goal we should all be striving for?" - Melinda, Functional Health Pharmacist, Clark's Pharmacy
Chelated Minerals
Superior Absorption
- Many of the mineral supplements marketed today are salt forms (calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, magnesium oxide, ferrous sulfate)
- Rock-salt minerals are poorly absorbed. As a result, they don’t provide the maximum benefit of supplementing and because they remain in the GI tract longer, they can cause intestinal side effects such as diarrhea (magnesium) or constipation (iron and calcium)
- Chelation involves the process of binding minerals to amino acids. This process creates organic minerals which are actively absorbed in the GI tract, which greatly enhances bioavailability
- Because of superior absorption, chelated minerals do not produce the same adverse side effects seen with salt-form mineral supplementation
