in this PowerPoint and lecture we're
going to review herbs, vitamins and minerals. We need a well-balanced diet
that proteins carbohydrates fats vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and lipids.
A healthy diet should provide us with all the nourishment that we need, but
sometimes individuals are unable to maintain that healthy diet and
supplements may be prescribed Supplements come in all kinds of
different forms; in powders, capsules, liquids, and tablets. It's important when
reviewing a patient's history and medications, we must ask them about the
supplements they're using. Supplements may either enhance or inhibit treatment
prescribed by their physician. As we learned early on in our study of
pharmacology when we discuss the history, we talked about herbs and how they have
been used for centuries. We also discussed that health practices are very
individual. Well many individuals use herbs to self treat or self-medicate.
Patients may also take supplements to avoid seeking assistance from physicians
for health issues. Supplements are usually not harmful, but some can be
dangerous. There can be in danger when they're taken in the wrong quantity or
some may have serious interactions with prescription medications.Again it's
important for patients to talk about their herbal supplements with their
physician. Well, I've created a list of some of the
more popular herbals here. The first one is aloe vera and that may be used for
burns. Chamomile tea may be used for relaxation and insomnia.
Echinacea may boost the immune system. Garlic is good to decrease blood
pressure and cholesterol. Ginger is good for digestion. Ginseng can give you
energy. Green tea can prevent cancer. Tumeric may be given to decrease
inflammation. Valerian may help for sleep and St. John's wort is used for
depression. There are a lot of different thoughts about herbal supplementation.
These are very individual and very personal in nature. Some individuals
believe that conventional treatment does not or cannot eliminate the disease and
then herbal treatments and therapies are the only way to go. Some of the arguments
against supplementation are that herbs are not regulated by the FDA as
medications. They're regulated as very supplements so manufacturers guidelines
of these products are different than prescription medications. There also may
be inconsistent amounts of herbs between the different manufacturers.
Lastly the sources of information on herbs may not contain information about
safety and dosing. Herbs are sometimes considered a scam or complementary
alternative medicine. They used to complement or as an alternative to
conventional medical therapy. CAM therapy includes herbs, vitamins, minerals. massage
therapy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, and other things
shown in these pictures. Some people use CAM therapies because
they lack confidence in conventional treatments. They believe that traditional
treatments are ineffective and disease elimination are just plain dangerous. Many
traditional practitioners are reluctant to utilize herbal therapy for their
patients. One reason for this is that many herbs have less scientific testing
than modern drugs. Insurance companies are also
reluctant to pay for alternative therapies including herbal remedies.
These companies believe that they lacked scientific evidence supporting
effectiveness. Many Cam therapies emphasize an Eastern philosophy rather
than a Western philosophy of healing Eastern philosophy focuses on the body's
ability to heal itself; that the use of herbs promotes self-healing, that disease
is the result of imbalances within the body, and health returns when balance is
restored. Western philosophy focuses on medications to target specific problems.
Physicians believe that disease is caused by physiological disorders.
Eastern and Western philosophies are meeting as intrical therapy combining
conventional medical treatments with CAM therapy. As patient caregivers it's
important that we understand the different philosophies the patients have
towards healing. We also need to be aware of their of our own values and our own
philosophies. Vitamins are organic nutrients and that means that they
contain carbon. They're essential in regulating chemical processes in the
body. They maintain strong bones and release energy from food and control
hormones. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to illness and overdose can lead to
illness or death. Small doses of vitamins are good however
mega doses are not usually better. The FDA has established recommended
daily allowances for vitamins and minerals. These recommended daily
allowances or RDA vary based on patient's age gender and sometimes on
health conditions. It's common to see changes in the urine with vitamin
supplements urine color may change to a bright yellow or have a strong odor. If
dosages are within the recommended range, it's usually not a concern. However, if
large doses are taking for long periods of time, serious health issues may occur
including damage to the heart, the liver, and the kidneys. Vitamins are considered either fat
soluble or water-soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are not excreted from the body.
They're stored when they are not needed and they can build up toxic levels. Water
soluble vitamins are not stored but are excreted by the body.
I learned that fat soluble vitamins by A-D-E-K, all dogs and enjoy kittens. You can
make up your own mnemonic to remember this important fact. Here's a quick
lowdown on vitamins. So vitamin A is required for healthy skin, teeth, bone, and
soft tissue. It's essential for vision productive and immune health. Vitamin D
promotes healthy development of bone and retention and absorption of calcium and
phosphorus. Vitamin E plays a role in the formation of red blood cells and muscles
and supports the immune system. Vitamin K is important in the clotting process of
the body and without it bleeding abnormalities can occur. So here are your water soluble vitamins.
Those are your B vitamins and your C vitamin. You know it's important to note
that since water soluble vitamins are not stored,
they must be ingested. I like to highlight a few the B vitamins. Vitamin
B1 is thiamine and that prevents imbalances caused alcohol consumption.
Vitamin B3 or niacin decreases cholesterol levels but it has a side
effect of flushing and many can't take it for that reason.
Vitamin B9 or folic acid decreases spinal bifida in the unborn fetus so
folic acid is important vitamin for women that are pregnant.
Vitamin B12 improves memory and increases red blood cell production.
Those may be ordered for people with anemia. Then we have your vitamin C.
Ascorbic acid ,vitamin C is great for connective tissue bones and teeth.
Vitamin C helps with wound healing and at the hospital I work at, it's routinely
ordered. Minerals are inorganic chemical elements which means they lack carbon
they're important to maintain health and are required for almost every single
function in our bodies. As important as vitamins are, they do nothing for you
without minerals. Vitamins cannot be assimilated without the aid of minerals
and though the body can manufacture a few vitamins, it cannot manufacture a
single mineral. All tissues and internal fluids of our body contains various
quantities of minerals. Minerals are part of our bones, teeth, soft tissue, muscle,
blood, and nerve cells. They're vital to overall mental and physical well-being.
Minerals are categorized as either major or trace. Major minerals are those that
the body needs in large amounts. Here's a list of the major and trace
minerals. The major minerals are important for you to know because of the
important function that they have. Calcium strengthens bones and teeth and
it affects muscle contraction. Magnesium helps produce energy, replicate cell
material, and helps muscles to relax. Phosphorus helps bones and teeth form.
It's a cofactor for many enzymes and it activates B complex vitamins. Potassium
stabilizes the internal structure of cells. It has a profound effect on
muscles especially the heart muscle. I think of CAM like CAM therapy when I
think about the excess and deficiency of potassium. High or low potassium can cause
C which is confusion, A is for arrhythmias. High or low potassium could
cause lethal heart arrhythmias. Lastly M is for muscles. Low potassium
can cause muscle weakness and high potassium can cause muscle tremors.
Sodium and chloride are in every cell of our bodies and our key in maintaining
fluid and electrolyte balance and help with nerve signal transmission. Here's a quick review of some of the key trace minerals. Chromium metabolizes
carbohydrates. Copper improves arthritis. Fluoride decreases dental caries, Iron
increases energy and decreases iron deficiency anemia. Iodine protects the
toxic effects of exposure to radioactive material and prevents
goiter and thyroid disorders. Zinc boosts the immune system and helps with
wound healing. Amino acids are the building blocks of
protein. Protein is the building blocks of our cell. There are eight
essential amino acids which can only be obtained through diet. When we talk about
a food being a complete protein, it means that all eight essential amino acids are
present. Those who have adopted vegetarian lifestyles
must be diligent about getting complete proteins. There are some plant-based
foods which are complete proteins such as quinoa, hemp, and buckwheat. It's also
necessary to consume high-quality complete proteins in order for the body
to utilize them. There are also 12 non-essential amino acids and
non-essential means that they can be made from other substances in the body. Well that's it for herbs vitamins and
minerals. If you have any questions, let me know. You can bring them to the PharmCafe or bring them to class.