By Meera Dossa BSc, ND

Naturopathic physicians have a number of modalities in their “medical arsenals”, in order to help people achieve a sense of well being. One such modality is called parenteral therapy (or more commonly called intravenous therapy), and it will be offered in the form of a Myers’ Cocktail as early as the new year.

A Myers’ Cocktail is as desirable as is its name! Comprised of calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, and B vitamins, this cocktail can be altered to treat a variety of conditions. From simpler complaints such as low energy and immune boosting to treating conditions as chronic as asthma, this formulation has long been used as the overall treatment for various medical conditions.

Why IV instead of the conventional pill popping?
Intravenous (IV) therapy is the direct delivery of specific vitamins and minerals, through a vein, directly to the bloodstream. A single treatment takes approximately 15 minutes. Aside from the initial prick, the treatment is virtually painless, with most patients experiencing a sensation of warmth, and offers a number of benefits when compared with oral administration of supplements:

• Speed of delivery
  A simple IV push treatment is injected into the vein for a duration of 10 –15 minutes. This is much quicker than spreading a number of supplements throughout the course of an entire day.
• Absorption
  Because vitamins and minerals are in their original form and not encapsulated, they have the ability to bypass the organs of digestion and enter the circulation to be delivered directly to the tissues and cells where they are most needed. This ability to bypass the digestive process is especially helpful in bringing adequate nutrition to those that suffer from ailments where digestive function is compromised (eg: Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, Celiac).
• Concentration
  As the digestive system is bypassed through this method of delivery, much higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals are able to be successfully delivered without causing the unpleasant side effects that equally high oral doses would cause. A perfect example is the induction of diarrhea with high dose vitamin C. This makes IV therapy ideal for those with acute infections, offering an immediate boost to the immune system.
• Individualized therapy
  IV protocols are formulated to suit the individual needs of patients. Unlike pre-packaged pills, the formula can be altered so that patients can be treated according to individual varying conditions.

So have a cocktail…doctor’s orders!
If you suffer from allergies, fatigue, depression, migraine headaches, asthma, fibromyalgia, or various other conditions and are interested in receiving IV therapy, an initial assessment is required to ensure that you are a good candidate. From thereon in, look forward to an extra spring in your step! So ring in the new year with a cocktail…for once your doctor actually recommended it!

Meera Dossa is a licensed naturopathic doctor at The Pacific Wellness Institute. She is certified and licensed to perform parenteral therapy in the province of Ontario. To book an appointment for naturopathic therapy, body composition analysis, dietary assessment, or intravenous therapy with Dr. Dossa, please contact The Pacific Wellness Institute at 416-929-6958.

Posted in Health, Naturopathy |

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