Whole Food vs. Synthetic Vitamins

By: Courtney Little, CN + Founder of NWHS

The topic of vitamins and whether or not we really even need to take them, has been a popular conversation, especially this last year.

I felt it is was important to share and address the many questions we get asked by our clients and community about the topic of vitamins and supplementation and especially the quality of vitamins, as they are NOT all created equal.

First things first: do we even really need to take vitamins? Can't we get all of our vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat? Unfortunately, for the majority, the answer is no. Our food supply as well as soil has drastically changed over the last 50 + years due to pollution, pesticides, herbicides, agricultural methods as well as prescription drug run off that is saturating our water supply and crop fields.

The level and percentages of nutrients in our fruits and vegetables has radically changed over the years. For example, in order for us to obtain the same amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc. in 1 cup of spinach from the 1960's compared to now, we would have to eat 19 + cups of spinach! Another study concluded that one would have to eat 11 oranges today to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from eating just one.

Vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients as well as antioxidants are imperative to our overall health, organ function as well as vitality. Nutritional deficiencies are directly linked to some of the top major degenerative diseases today therefore, ensuring we are receiving the correct amount of nutrition and nutrients on a daily basis is essential to living a vibrant and healthy life.

Insert the world of supplementation. Most individuals are currently not consuming at least 8 + cups of organic fruits and vegetables per day and have not been for years. Therefore, making sure you are doing as best you can to eat a well balanced diet daily and in addition supplementing with high quality supplements is a great natural form of health insurance!

Now are all vitamins created equal? No! Just as it is important to make sure you are receiving high quality and chemical free foods and beverages, it is just as important to ensure the quality of your vitamins are safe, effective and natural. Which is why at NWHS, we only use and recommend vitamins and supplementation that is organic, pharmaceutical grade, GMO free, GMP and FDA approved. In addition, the products we carry are time tested (the majority of our products we have been using for well over a decade in the office with ourselves, family, friends and thousands of clients) and one of the major companies we use has been in business since 1929.

The vitamins and supplements we choose to carry are sourced from WHOLE FOODS - from fruits, vegetables plants and herbs, not chemical derived vitamins created in a laboratory. This difference is imperative to the effectiveness and ability to fully absorb these nutrients into your cells and to help replenish your vitamin stores. These healing and supportive vitamins do not take the place of a healthy diet, but are here to help fill in the gaps and replenish lost stores in your body for maximum health benefits and healing.