cPNI Naturopath Therapist
Jerome Verbeek (41)
I help people in sickness and health by giving them nutritional and lifestyle advice.
I give practical advice and emphasize with people’s struggles, because I myself was chronically sick for many years and had to search for a solution. My name is Jerome Verbeek (40) and I am a:
- Orthomolecular therapist (Naturopath)
- Physiotherapist
- Clinical Psycho-Neuro-Immunologist
Naturopath Maastricht - ALSO ONLINE!
I had anxiety, fatigue and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Unfortunately, it appears that what people believe to be a “healthy lifestyle”, isn’t a guarantee by any means that you’re going to be disease free. Early in my life I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, despite eating very healthy by general standards.
I was extremely tired, suffered from severe anxiety and I could not function on a day to day bases. It later turned out that I also had an autoimmune disease of my thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s).
After years of searching in conventional healthcare, I finally ended up with an orthomolecular therapist. I was 21 at the time and had tried so many things but nothing seemed to help. There I started to omit certain foods. I also had to take a number of supplements and follow an intestinal flora protocol.
The speed at which my complaints disappeared was unimaginable. I never dared to believe that after all the tests and medicines that were fruitless for me, such an “alternative” treatment could give such an improvement. Why hadn’t this been discovered earlier and why wasn’t this general knowledge among doctors?
After this experience I was sold. Surely I wasn’t the only one who could benefit so profoundly from a specific diet and supplementation? First I studied physiotherapy. Here I mainly learned how to best guide people; by having a realistic view of what is and what is not feasible in someone’s daily life.
Adjusting your lifestyle is quite a task in the beginning. You should not force this or suddenly try to do everything perfectly. This should be done step by step. With clear instructions that everyone can follow. It should also be fun and above all it should have a quick effect so that you get and stay motivated.
The orthomolecular therapy was an eye-opener
The orthomolecular study was an eye-opener for me when I came to understanding why the current dietary advice on bread, milk, fats and carbohydrates may not be suitable for everyone. I learned to think “evolutionary”. My suspicion was confirmed that not every treatment that works is already known to doctors and hospitals. Medicine is in full development as there are new discoveries every day. I will have to study for the rest of my life. Luckily I’m a total geek when it comes to studying!
Finally, I studied clinical Psycho-Neuro-Immunology, which is still a relatively new science. This was seen as a follow-up to orthomolecular medicine and here all aspects of lifestyle were discussed, not just nutrition. The connection between all systems in the body were included in detail using physiology and biochemistry. It turns out that the body really is one whole system and that all hormones of all organs communicate with each other continuously. The gut affects the brain, the brain affects the immune system, the immune system affects the muscles and so on.
I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience under the banner of BodySwitch, a franchise for orthomolecular practices. I started there as a franchisee with my own practice and grew into manager of the franchise. As part of a triumvirate, I was responsible for the content and guidance of the new therapists. I was also put into action time and time again as a spokesperson at trade fairs and during initial talks to convince new therapists of our concept. I learned how marketing works and how to manage a multi-member company.
After years of experience as a physiotherapist, orthomolecular therapist and teacher for other therapists, I have learned to give as practical advice as possible. For me, everything is about the interplay between studying the latest developments on the one hand and translating them into understandable and achievable goals on the other. I also like to give lectures, so that I can pass on my knowledge and experience.
I continue to be amazed at how well our body can recover from diseases or complaints that have been seen as incurable for decades. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t cure everything, but much more is already possible than is currently generally assumed.
Naturopath Maastricht - ALSO ONLINE!
