Ask the Naturopath

• Bob Wootton N.D.,D.B.M.
• More Articles

Have your burning health questions answered.

Bob Wootton is a qualified Naturopath and Herbalist.

For over 20 years, Bob has dedicated himself towards helping make natural medicines first choice health solutions for consumers and healthcare professionals.

His experience with helping consumers in this area began as a health store retailer and extended on through; his practice as a Naturopath and Herbalist, brand management with leading Australian Healthcare companies, practice management of multi-modality clinics, coordination of education and training programs for healthcare professionals, new product development, health advisory service management and ongoing technical support for consumers and the trade.

Bob's training and experience has exposed him the broad therapeutic potential of natural medicines. At the same time he clearly recognises that "natural" and "safe" are not synonymous terms and he remains committed to helping consumers to source responsible, evidence based health advice.

Commonly Asked Questions

My mother made me take a teaspoon of cod liver oil every day. Is this the same as Fish oil capsules?

No, Cod liver oil and fish oil are not the same.

These days, when you hear reports in the media or receive advice from your doctor about "fish oil", they are usually referring to the oil rich in omega 3 fatty acids extracted from the 'body' of the fish. This is the source for the Herron Fish Oil 500 & Herron Fish Oil 1000.

Fish 'liver' Oil on the other hand is a different supplement that is derived from the liver of the fish and is rich in vitamins A & D.

My doctor has asked that any supplement I take does not contain potassium. Do your glucosamine products have added potassium?

The Herron Glucosamine 1000 and Herron OsteoEze formulations contain no free potassium. The concern with potassium is relevant to forms of glucosamine supplements which are specifically blended with potassium. You should be able to determine which glucosamine supplements utilise this potassium/glucosamine complex, as it is a regulatory requirement to nominate it on the label.

I notice that most herbal supplements recommend that you take them with meals. Is this important as I'm on the road a lot and find that it is more convenient to just take them when I remember them in the car? Is this okay?

It's a good question that has a fairly logical straightforward answer.

This is a situation that is not unique to herbal supplements and generally speaking it is valuable to aid in slowing the transit of the supplement through the digestive tract. As these are concentrated extracts that will reconstitute in the digestive system, it can also help to avoid any potential indigestion.

If you find that sometimes you forget to take the supplements with meals, you can still take it at other times with a glass of water or juice but also try to at least have a light snack at this times.

How healthy are you? Find out with Herron