90 % of the supplements out there are synthetic. Why is this important? It can change how you absorb these nutrients.
I hit this subject a lot! So many go out to Walmart or Costco to get their large bottle of Vitamin D or a large bottle of gummy vitamins. Then wonder why they are still deficient. So many are skeptics of supplements, I get people in my office stating they have used supplements for a long time and that they do not work. The first question I ask is if their digestion function is good. and then I am asking about the quality of the supplements. Do you have whole foods on your bottle or Chemicals?
Let us define whole food VS Synthetic.
Whole food is a natural food that has not been processed or has little or no processing and contains no artificial ingredients, additives, or preservatives.
Synthetic food is produced artificially rather than through natural processes.
In nature, you won't find foods that are just a single-high dose of a specific vitamin, they are created in combination with cofactors to absorb the nutrients. These things impact its absorption properly and do not overwhelm the body.
When we are creating supplements in a lab there are aspects that we have yet to even discover that are in a whole food, we are recreating only what we believe to be the most important parts. Dr. Royal Lee stated that every time they come out with a new chemical or vitamin that is so important if you look at the whole food it is usually already there.
Doctors and some health practitioners push you to do single vitamin/supplements or even IVs, due to high amounts of that vitamin and bypassing digestion. You have to be very cautious with these things as you can create toxicity with certain vitamins. This is why you want to be working with someone who is knowledgeable on sourcing and what you need. There is a place for this and for medicine but you again, really want to be working with someone who understands the whole body and what it needs. Too many forget about balance.
The body will not absorb all of the amounts that are stated on the label and depending on available co-factors will impact how much it will absorb. In most cases, you are lacking not just cause you are not getting that in the diet but due to a lack of co-factors as well. When you eat the whole food the body will absorb more due to having the cofactors in it, and be able to use and not weigh down or overwhelm the body.
Most of these supplements that you are buying these days are synthetic, they are highly processed and filled with sugars and chemicals. None of us need more processed things in our diets. When you get them from whole foods ground down and put into a pill your body will be able to better absorb them and put them to work.
First and foremost we should try to incorporate foods to support us and limit the foods that are antinutrients (foods that pull out vitamins and minerals). We use supplements when we are not getting enough nourishment from our foods. Supplements are to support you where your nutrition is lacking. Whole food supplements are a great resource for helping to bring balance back to the body. Dr. Royal Lee, the founder of Standard Process, said “Whole foods are the best natural source of vitamins. The key to the highest quality is the manufacturing process.”
This is another aspect we have to look at when something is processed in a lab it oftentimes is over-processed and cooked. This depletes nourishment from the whole food. High heat kills and damages nutrients heat is for proteins, Calcium, and greens just kills food leaving it with no nourishment, we just weigh down the body. Fermented foods, foods cooked in low heat and stored properly are important parts of getting any nourishment from the food.
Digestion is key in overall health and absorption, if not supported properly the supplements you taking may have no ability to get in properly. This can be what has led you to take supplements in the first place. Chemicals from supplementation and foods not digested properly only disrupt the gut and its ability to absorb. While whole food supports good gut health and nutrients.
If you need guidance for supplements, foods, or digestion. You can do a survey or you can set up an appointment.