Discover our interview with Valentine Cabanel, Doctor of Pharmacy and Naturopath. Her background allows her to best support her patients with non-pharmacological solutions, and with full knowledge of the facts.
Valentine Cabanel is a Doctor of Pharmacy and Naturopath. This background allows her to best support her patients with non-pharmacological solutions and with full knowledge of the facts. We consult Valentine for her expertise, kindness, and passion for helping everyone achieve their well-being through natural methods. We asked her a few questions about her background and asked her about her opinion on the link between health and apple cider vinegar.
Marina: When I think of a pharmacy, I see shelves of medications, prescriptions for chemical formulas. It's a far cry from taking care of yourself through nutrition and natural methods. Yet you wear both hats!
How did you come to this path towards naturopathy?
When I was little, my health problems were treated with homeopathy; my parents were quite focused on alternative medicine. I took antibiotics too, of course, but the family approach was more focused on understanding the body.
I started studying pharmacy because I was interested in learning how medications worked and how they worked. These studies also combined medicine and the business dimension, which I found interesting. And then there's not only allopathic medicine in pharmacy; you also cover micronutrition and aromatherapy. My interest in natural medicine, dietetics, and nutrition was consolidated during these 6 years. I then completed my studies with a university diploma in homeopathy.
And then I found myself working in a large pharmacy, a bit like a factory, far from what I wanted to do. My clients often said to me "You sound like a naturopath!" I didn't really know what that was, to be honest. I did some research and then I followed an intensive, certified naturopathy training course. There I discovered another world. At first, for a scientist, it's quite difficult, it's a completely different discourse, but the more I progressed, the more I discovered a different and truly exciting way of thinking.
& it's not contradictory then?
No, not really! Today I combine scientific rigor with the knowledge of naturopathy! You have to know how to use the right medicine at the right time. At first glance, they may seem opposed, but they must be seen as truly complementary.
I always advocate natural solutions and looking at nutrition. For emergency medicine, where the use of medication is sometimes necessary, such as for chemotherapy, for example, naturopathy is, again, invaluable. It helps reduce the impact of adverse effects, in particular.
Today we hear a lot about the influence of the microbiota on self-care, but what does that actually mean?
It's not just the microbiota that's important; the entire integrity of the digestive mucosa must be taken into account to maintain good health. If we have an alteration at the digestive level, we have difficulty assimilating micronutrients, which is essential. And then if we have digestive inflammation, we will inevitably have cerebral inflammation because the digestive system is connected to the brain. In short, the digestive system is absolutely essential to take care of! I strongly emphasize to my patients the importance of eliminating toxic waste, which accumulates in our digestive system, coming from our diet and our environment.
When talking about health, the digestive system is a must! It needs to be taken care of, and vinegar helps!
How exactly did you discover apple cider vinegar?
At the end of my studies, I improved my knowledge of micronutrition and read many books and a lot of scientific journals. I really went deep into my research and I came across the benefits of apple cider vinegar to disinfect the digestive system and take care of one's health. I am very curious by nature, so I continued to research on the internet. I tested it, I loved it. So I replaced all my vinegars with apple cider vinegar and I had my family do the same!
With the use of apple cider vinegar, we quickly see the benefits on the digestive system and health. As soon as I have poor digestion, 2 teaspoons diluted in water before each meal. It is not acidifying for the body, and it is full of micro-nutrients! I have not used it externally but I know that it is great for the skin too! In internal and external use, a small combo of the two, it can be very good for acne as it also helps to restore the skin's pH….
Do you also recommend it to your patients?
Yes, systematically, among the first steps I tell all my patients with health problems to replace their balsamic vinegar with apple cider vinegar. It has had great results for those who suffer from digestive problems.
Does the fact that it is unpasteurized matter to you?
Absolutely! I recommend choosing unpasteurized and organic! Apple cider vinegar is a probiotic and truly acts as such when it's unpasteurized. In this sense, it really helps maintain our microbiota. And it's important to choose organic because apples are the most processed fruit!
For your patients who suffer from acidity problems, there is no problem?
There are a lot of misconceptions about this. People with an acidic environment are a little reluctant to use apple cider vinegar. So I explain that vinegar is actually ultra-alkalizing. In cases of heartburn, it is particularly useful. And there are no contraindications in my opinion; it is better to use apple cider vinegar than lemon, for example, because it is more beneficial due to the presence of probiotics. However, in cases of gastritis, fragile conditions, or ulcers, I recommend addressing these issues first before using it!
To benefit from Valentine's valuable advice, you can make an appointment for a consultation by clicking here .
To order a good organic, unpasteurized cider vinegar, validated by Valentine, it's here 🙂
