| As with any area of health and
wellness, there are differing schools of thought and philosophies;
nutritional supplementation is no different. Historically, the older
school of thought on nutritional supplementations dates back to the
1930s, during which time there was emphasis on the utilization of
whole food concentrates as a source of essential nutrients.
Concentrated foods such as wheat grass and barley grass were
considered our first multivitamins; these grasses and their juices are
"mainstay" health drinks even today, and are seeing a resurgence of
interest. The "modern paradigm" of nutritional
supplementation came as chemical scientists claimed they could
replicate these natural-growing miracle foods' nutrients in their
laboratories. This trend superseded the "old school" paradigm of
nutritional supplementation. With the advent of scientific technology,
individual nutrients such as beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, and
alphatocopherol could not only be identified in the whole food matrix,
but could also be scientifically crafted as simplified imitations of
the "real thing" -created through synthetic means.
Such "breakthroughs" led to the modern multiple
vitamin and mineral formulas that utilize, for the most part, isolated
or synthetic vitamins and minerals created in the laboratory. These
types of formulas rely on USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) nutrients.
These are pulled or isolated from their natural cofactors and are
often synthesized like pharmaceuticals. If sufficient cofactors are
not supplied - such as other vitamins, minerals, and enzymes - then
the body might not be able to use them. These nutrient isolates or USP
vitamins and minerals are sometimes combined with food concentrates
and herbs. This might be an improvement, but still inferior to the
"old school" ways.
Recent studies indicate that the "old school" ways
are far superior to the "modern paradigm"; Nature's design should not
be altered or "replicated." Irrefutably, nutrition is best gleaned
from whole foods; however, when nutritional supplementation is needed,
then whole food nutritional supplements offer the greatest nutritional
integrity. Isolated or synthetic supplements are sub-optimal, many
times ineffective, and can even be detrimental to health.
With nearly 70% of our population taking one or more
supplements, mostly in the form of multivitamins, it is important to
understand what these nutrients do in the body. Vitamins are extremely
complex organic substances necessary for human life and metabolic
processes - for growth, maintenance, and health. The body is not
capable of producing these vitamins on its own; they must be obtained
from foods and are integral parts of the nutritive compounds infused
in the whole food. They are sometimes considered singular substances,
but each vitamin is actually a "group of chemically related
compounds." By separating the vitamin "group" into single, incomplete
vitamin portions, the vitamin is then converted from "a physiological,
biochemical, active micronutrient into a disabled, debilitated
chemical of little or no value to living cells."
For example, the body can selectively choose to
absorb and assimilate exactly what it needs from whole foods/whole
food concentrates containing whole nutritional complexes, and excrete
the rest. The antithesis of this "selective absorption" mechanism
occurs when the body is given fractionated, isolated, or synthetic
vitamins; the body is coerced to manage the influx of vitamins and the
results can be chemical imbalances or toxic overdose. Most vitamins in
foods are directly or indirectly products of plants; exceptions
include vitamin D - produced in adequate amounts by the body when
utilizing ultraviolet light from the sun (in measured quantities).
They are also found in organ meats and dairy fat from grass-fed
animals, and vitamin B12 - produced by fungi, soil microorganisms, and
some bacteria, as well as animal foods including meats, dairy, and
eggs. Normally, intestinal bacteria produce a needed portion of
vitamin K, and other B complex factors - if the healthy intestinal
bacteria are functioning properly.
Whole Foods Defined: Properly grown and prepared
whole foods are still the primary sources of virtually all vitamins;
however, whole food nutritional supplements - derived from whole foods
- organically grown, nutrient dense, minimally processed at low
temperatures, and made "body ready" for quick "selective" absorption
and assimilation - rank second. Whole foods are real foods complete
with all natural nutrients and other important compounds, and have not
been highly processed, synthesized, or irradiated.
The word "whole" is a derivation of the Greek root
"holon," meaning "a single organism" and "the entire universe"; these
can "stand alone," or perform a dual role by becoming synergistic
entities woven together, forming the whole. The word "food" is derived
from the Old English word "fode," meaning "to foster, to nourish, and
to encourage growth." Therefore, "whole foods" denotes that their
roots are founded in an integrated universe whose foods contain the
spectrum of essential, synergistic nutrients that, when consumed,
foster a balanced, complete nutrition.
Our society, however, "processes" its whole foods
much like it has fractionated its nutritional supplements - leaving
them void of essential nutrients. It has refined whole grains so that
the germ, bran, and other vitamin-rich portions are removed. Food
preparation and "sterilization" processes such as pasteurization
destroys many of the vitamins in the foods; adulteration of foods
comes with additives, chlorine, fluoride, etc. Farming methodologies
detract from nutritional wholeness of foods; chemical fertilizers,
pesticides, crop limitation, overuse of fields - make the soil
incapable of producing nutritious, vitamin-laden foods. Add air
pollution, water pollution, and our stress-filled lifestyles - all
depletors of vitamins and minerals and it is clear that our society
cannot be receiving optimal nutrition.
To clarify the difference between whole foods and
processed foods, and whole food nutritional supplements versus the
average, adulterated, isolated, synthetic supplements, let's "dissect"
whole, unrefined grains. Whole, unrefined grains contain three main
parts: the germ - or sprouting part of the grain; the
endosperm-containing starch to support the young sprout during its
early stages; and the bran - the protective layer encasing the sprout
and its endosperm. In a "whole grain food," all three parts of the
grain must be resident; in a processed/refined food, the germ and the
bran are removed, leaving only the starchy endosperm. This is merely a
fraction of the intended natural benefit of whole grains.
Each part of the whole grain serves a different purpose and adds a
different completing nutrient. The germ is rich in micronutrients to
support the young sprout and contains high levels of vitamin E, as
well as the majority of the 13-vitamins and other nutrients. The
protective bran contains multiple micronutrients intended to protect
the young sprout from environmental damage, and these same molecules
protect the consumer of whole grains. Additionally, the bran contains
over 60% of the minerals in grains, and is high in fiber. The
endosperm - the primary component of white bread - contains some
vitamins and minerals, but is comprised primarily of starch -
contributing calories and little nutritional value to consumers.
The problem with processed foods is similar to the
problem with synthetic, isolated supplements - they lack "wholeness"
and cannot reach the potency level of whole foods or whole food
nutritional supplements. They simply are not intrinsically equipped to
do so.
Whole Food Nutritional Supplements versus Synthetic
Supplements: A vitamin is a complex mechanism of biological,
functional, interrelated, interdependent components. It consists of
not only the organic nutrients identified as the vitamin, but also
enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, and trace element activators. Since
enzymes are proteins, they must contain amino acids and trace
minerals. Enzyme activators may include trace elements such as
manganese, cobalt, zinc, copper, molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, etc.
These components are effective only when left in the proper organic
state.
Nutritional supplements, then, should not be individual chemicals or
combined chemicals. Supplements must be food concentrates - intact,
integrated, with their vitamin complexes incorporated - in order to
retain their functional and nutritional integrity. Altering the
natural state of food concentrates will literally take the "life" out
them - leaving them "dead" -as a synthetic, isolated, adulterated
supplement.
Live, natural complexes usually exist as enzymes or coenzymes; they
contain live vitamins, organic minerals, and other vital, functional,
elements organized by the sun, rain, water, soil's nutrients, and
living bacteria. Heat, pasteurization, and steam sterilization destroy
enzymes and enzyme activators; supplements produced utilizing any of
these procedures are not vitamin complexes. Hence, the synthetic
vitamin, once separated from its protein component, biologically loses
its function. Chemically-pure, isolated, synthetic vitamins are devoid
of all their synergists - the factors that enable biochemical
operation and action.
Synthetic vitamin fractions are mirror image
duplicates (enantiomers) of only a portion of the real,
biologically-active, and physiologically-precise nutritional
complexes. They may be identical in chemical characteristics, but
differ from one another in their structure or configuration; they are
mirror-image molecules - opposite "twins" - which act and react in
different ways. The enzymes produced by living organisms recognize,
bind to, and spur the production of only one enantiomer, leaving the
nutrients extracted from plants or animals from nature
"enantiomerically pure." Synthetic, isolated vitamins yield products
that may be 50:50 mixtures of enantiomers that are difficult to
separate.
Effects of these "evil twins" in synthetic
supplements - processed like pharmaceuticals - (as well as some
pharmaceuticals) are unpredictable and sometimes damaging. In the case
of synthetic drugs, about 75% of those made in the US come in these
"mirror image" mixtures. A major producer of synthetic vitamins has
been quoted as saying that "sometimes the mirror image is useless, yet
often can be poisonous." Such an approach in making drugs (as well as
making synthetic or isolated supplements) "equates its construction by
having part of it designed for its function, and an equal weight of an
isomer, which usually has no therapeutic value, but has the potential
to cause unsuspected deleterious side effects." Drugs such as
thalidomide, ethambutol, and naproxen are examples of those containing
"evil twins." It is difficult to predict how such "mirror images" will
affect people.
All whole food complexes contribute specific and
definite proportions based on an individual's need for metabolic
reactions in life; any imbalance is unwise - if not unhealthy.
Synthetic supplement pills are inherently unbalanced biochemistry. For
example, the use of ascorbic acid supplements - comprised of high
amounts of a single part of the vitamin C complex - ignores the fact
that the balance is a result of the 150 anti-carcinogens, redox
agents, and other phytochemicals present in each fruit and vegetable.
Foods contain innumerable substances, some still unknown, that produce
a combined effect to which a single ingredient cannot compare.
Another issue in the case for whole food supplement
nutrition resides in "potency" factors. "Potency"-derived from the
Latin potentia, meaning "power" - indicates the strength, ability or
capacity to bring about a result. Vitamin potency is usually measured
in milligrams or micrograms, based on test results using isolated
vitamin fractions. There are deficiencies due to our depleted soils,
and refined, processed foods creating an imbalance and a need for
nutritional supplements. However, in the supposed "high potency"
vitamins -chemically-pure portions of vitamin complexes, their use is
worse than the deficiency. Synthetic vitamins, especially in excessive
quantities, can have drug-like effects and cause the same symptoms
that result from their deficiency. The results are drug effects - not
nutritional effects - and often reverse nutritive action.
A nutrition fallacy usually embraced is that natural
supplements, because they require less to get more results, are not as
potent as synthetic supplements. Nothing could be further from the
truth. The bottom line is this: A miniscule amount of a vitamin left
in its whole food state is tremendously more functional, powerful, and
effective nutritionally (more potent) than a large amount of a
chemically - pure, synthetic or isolated vitamin. Whole food
nutritional supplements contain organic micronutrients - nutrients
needed in minute quantities in order to accomplish large biochemical
functions. Furthermore, the body treats synthetic supplements as
toxins- rushing the "nonfood" item through the circulatory system to
the kidneys, in order to be excreted.
Since potency refers to effectiveness, whole food
nutritional supplements contain true high potency because they remain
intact with natural synergists found in unrefined foods. Synthetic,
isolated supplements are less potent - less able to effectively
nourish the human body.
Living Nutrients-Homeostatic Nutrients: As mentioned
earlier, whole food nutritional supplements are "alive," while
synthetic, isolated, or adulterated supplements are "dead." Also, the
idea of nutritional "balance" is imperative; any imbalance is unwise,
if not unhealthy. Synthetic supplements cannot offer "balance" or
homeostasis; however, the utilization of living homeostatic nutrients
in the preparation of whole food nutritional supplements offers the
balance that is necessary.
Effective whole food nutritional supplements will
utilize homeostatic nutrient complexes, vitamins and minerals which
are liberated and "potentiated" - made potent by probiotic
microorganisms and their byproducts including enzymes and organic
acids. As with the complex structure of whole foods, the result is not
simply "mixing" but alchemy. The process of turning ordinary vitamins
and minerals into living "whole food" structures is called "organic
transmutation." This is the same process that is used by nature to
convert inorganic nutrients in the soil into the organic, ionized and
charged nutrients we consume in healthy foods. Organic, plant-derived
vitamins and minerals are able to be safely used by the body because
nature has acted upon them and transformed them into organic material,
rather than allowing them to remain in their elemental form. These
nutrients literally become part of the whole food complex.
In exceptional whole food nutritional supplements,
great care is taken to ensure products from whole foods which are
organically-grown, nutrient-dense, minimally processed at low
temperature, and are made "body ready" for quick absorption and
assimilation. Therefore, optimal potency is ensured; the designed
potential is reached and the desired target is hit. One's nutritional
state relies on what the body absorbs and assimilates, not only what
it ingests. Therefore, "body ready" supplements composed of living
homeostatic nutrient complexes through enzymatic fermentation, contain
all the requisite co-factors for proper absorption and utilization.
 As
alluded to earlier, research indicates that upwards of 70% of the
populace uses supplements, with at least 50% of those using a
multivitamin and mineral. They are used to prevent disease such as
heart disease or cancer and to look and feel better. Until recently,
no conclusive studies have shown that a multivitamin and mineral
accomplishes those results; however, that is about to change.
Preliminary results of a current double-blind, placebo controlled
clinical trial on Living Multi Whole Food Vitamin Mineral Formula by
Garden of Life - a multi-vitamin, mineral formula composed of
homeostatic nutrients - indicate that "this will be the first
multi-nutrient study on humans that looks at multi-nutrient formulas
for what they are designed to do."
Living Multi is designed to: Modify the risk for
cancer through feeding cells protective nutrients; detoxify the body
from harmful fat soluble toxins; reduce risk for diabetes by restoring
the body's ability to utilize insulin with its mineral and enzyme -
rich homeostatic nutrient complexes. Nine other essential functional
health goals of this living nutrient, multi-vitamin/ mineral include:
modulation of the immune system function, optimal digestion, control
of blood sugar, energy increase, and the reduction of neuro-degeneration,
risk factors for obesity, stress effects, allergic responses, as well
as inflammatory markers. The Living Multi formula contains whole food
concentrates including 23 different fruits, 20 vegetables, 9 ocean
plants, 11 medicinal mushrooms, 6 botanicals, and more than 100 fulvic
acid and ocean - based ionic minerals.
Living Multi Whole Food Formulas
include the Optimal Formula, Men’s Formula, Women’s Formula, Vitamin C
Formula and Calcium Formula.
Click
here for more information
|
