digestive health - thinking outside the pill box...thinking outside the pill box pharmacist, laura...
TRANSCRIPT
DIGESTIVE HEALTH -
Thinking Outside The Pill Box
PHARMACIST, LAURA DOWLING, MPSI
NTOI CONFERENCE | JUNE 2018
About Me
Pharmacist, Laura Dowling , MPSI
15 years experience in Community Retail Pharmacy
• Pharmacy Manager• Passionate about health,
wellbeing and nutrition • Lover of Real Food • Fitness Enthusiast • Mum of three boys• A woman!
AKA ‘The Fabulous Pharmacist’
10 years and three babies later,I needed something different…
• Friends, family and patients all asking the same questions and looking for professional and unbiased advice
My Health Mission
“I prefer to avoid illness by healthy lifestyle and diet choices rather than treating illness with drugs.
Obviously, there is a place for prescription drugs but I see so many opportunities in my day to day practice where customers could improve their lives significantly through diet, exercise and ‘minding their mind’.”
Laura Dowling, Pharmacist
Digestive Issues - Root Causes
Like so many illnesses in the western
world - digestive disorders are
exacerbated by poor diet choices,
sedentary lifestyles stress, ageing,
flora imbalance and more.
Every day, patients come into the
pharmacy with symptoms of IBS e.g.
cramps, bloating, intermittent
diarrhoea, constipation and nausea.
Digestive Issues – Natural Opportunities
• Many want a quick fix without getting to the route cause
• They will ask for an over the counter medicinal brand
If I go out to talk to them, explore their symptoms, lifestyle and diet, in two out of every five cases I will advise a top quality and high strength “good bacteria” aka microbiotichealth food supplement (suitable for their age) that will support and manage one of the most important root causes - gut flora imbalance.
Fast Fix…
Results & Long Term Health Benefits…
Digestive Issues – Natural Results
Those with serious gut health issues such as Crohn’s and IBD patients of mine have seen improvements in symptoms with daily ‘good bacteria’ supplementation.
Taken daily, a high strength good bacteria supplement can really improve digestive symptoms.
Results are vastly improved with care taken to diet and lifestyle too.
Buyers Guide To ‘Good Bacteria’
Trusted BrandHigh Strength Multiple Strains Age Specific Sugar Free Refrigerated/Live Superior Quality Known Results
My Choice? Udo’s Choice®
Digestive Issues | 0-5 Years
Why Choose Infant’s Blend? • Safe from birth • 3 Billion ‘Good Bacteria’• Tasteless powder formula • Add to breastmilk/formula/yogurt • Suitable 0-5 years
Caesarean section? Baby will not be exposed to good bacteria in the vagina -very important for gut colonisation. Irelands poor breastfeeding rates - babies may be more prone to infections especially ear infections. Supplementation may also help prevent colic and alleviate constipation.
Digestive Issues | 5-15 Years
Why Choose Children’s Blend? • Specially formulated for children • 5 Billion ‘Good Bacteria’ Per Capsule • Open capsule contents and add to
drinks/meals if required• Suitable 5-15 years
A Cystic Fibrosis patient of mine receives microbiotics on her long-term illness book as it is seen to improve her gut health/malabsorption issues due to her illness.
Digestive Issues – Adults
Why Choose Super 8? • Ideal for everyday use – one a day • 42 Billion ‘Good Bacteria’ Per Capsule• 8 Bacterial Strains • Best Seller
After Antibiotic/Thrush/Hospital Patients Broad spectrum antibiotics kill the good bacteria as well as the bad in the gut and vagina. Patients often feel very tired/lethargic after antibiotics.
Women may get thrush. Supplement with a microbiotic during and after an antibiotic to prevent this.
Digestive Issues – IBS/Crohn’s/Seniors
Why Choose Super 8 Gold? • 80% Bifido• 102 Billion ‘Good Bacteria’ Per Capsule • Ideal for seniors, IBS & Crohn’s
sufferers and those with chronic digestive issues
Seniors and those with serious and ongoing gut health issues such as Crohn’s and IBD patients have seen improvements in symptoms with daily supplementation.
• Irish people quick to treat digestive symptoms rather than prevent illness
• In my 15 years in pharmacy I have seen change and progression. Attitudes are changing - European influence
• We need a more holistic approach to health - pharmacists, doctors, nutritionists, physios working together to promote health and wellbeing and not just drugs
• I have seen this in pain clinics in Tallaght Hospital - multidisciplinary teams caring for the ‘whole person’ not just treating the pain
• Diet and mental wellbeing are hugely important
• Can’t patent food or supplements – not as much money to be made as in big pharma
• Careful of social media - influencers and trends can be dangerous with no professional medical backing
