08/14/2023
This summer in the office, we have been talking a lot about nutrition. The recommendations and “studies” are constantly changing, but one truth remains the same. What we choose to put in our bodies is crucial in terms of how our bodies are able to manifest the gift of health. Here at Vine Valley Chiropractic & Wellness, we believe that it is worth the effort!
Recently, Dr. Marcella wrote down her thoughts on multivitamins and whether or not she believes they are important. It’s a long article, but it is definitely worth the read!
“In the 30 years that I have been in practice, I have been asked thousands of times about my opinion on vitamins. We have all heard the “scientific” studies. One day we hear vitamins are beneficial. The next, a detriment. It is about as clear as mud. Where vitamins are concerned, there are three camps. There are the folks who take a handful of vitamin pills every day. There are those who espouse that if you choose to take vitamins, “you have the most expensive urine in the world.” And there are those who think “well, it can’t hurt,” and throw a bottle of Centrum in their cart while they are at WalMart.
The longer I do this work, the more convinced I am that HEALTH=BALANCE. I continue to be surprised at the patients that proudly present me with a two page list of supplements that must cost, literally, hundreds of dollars every month. I am equally surprised at the people who expect- through some unknown magic- that their bodies get what they need from the danish, the drive-through & the diet coke that they fed themselves today. Two very unbalanced scenarios.
Do I believe that we receive benefit from consistently taking the right multivitamin every day? YES! In light of the seemingly conflicting evidence, this is why. Though the research done on synthetic vitamins has been conflicting, what has been consistently supported by research is that it matters what FOOD you eat.
Let's talk about the fact that there are largely two categories of vitamins. The SYNTHETIC vitamin, and the WHOLE FOOD vitamins. For the synthetic vitamins, in order to list a vitamin on the label, it simply needs to have the exact chemical compound as found in nature. It does not, however, have to have the same 3-dimensional shape, making it hard (and sometimes impossible) for your body to recognize or utilize it. All of the synthetic vitamins are made in labs, many in other countries, and come from a variety of sources. Believe it or not, some of the common sources for these “vitamins'' are coal, tar, acetylene gas & petroleum! Yes, it is true.
For example, if you read the label on a bottle of Centrum or One-A-Day, you will see Vitamin C called “Ascorbic Acid.” Ascorbic acid is only one component of the whole vitamin C complex that is found in nature. Our bodies only know how to use Vitamin C in its WHOLE God-made form. When our body is presented with ascorbic acid, it must get the other components (citrus bioflavonoids, vitamin k, vitamin j, enzymes etc.) from other sources. This creates the potential for significant imbalances!
According to the founder of Standard Process, “To say that ascorbic acid is vitamin C is like looking at a wheel saying it is an automobile…” I agree.
There is no question in my mind that the ultimate source of our nutrients is from the food we eat. There are some legitimate and current studies that show that it is becoming increasingly difficult to realize the nutritive value in our food due to the over-processing of food and soil, environmental toxins and the stress load that so many of us are burdened with these days.
Can we get our food from a pill? Admittedly, there may be some compromise there. If appropriately processed, however, the large portion of the nutrient matrix remains intact. This presents our bodies with the nutrients in their natural state- INCLUDING all of the enzymes, co-factors, and as-yet undiscovered synergists (not some chemical that is whipped up in a lab) that are essential for recognition and assimilation by this incredibly smart body of ours. The first few ingredients in Standard Process’s multivitamin are: wheat germ, organic carrot, organic sweet potato, nutritional yeast, and liver. And in the Trace Mineral B12: alfalfa, mushrooms, bone marrow and buckwheat leaf. It's food, people!
I know there are other excellent whole-food companies, and I am in the process of doing some research so that I can offer my patient a couple of options in this regard. What I can tell you is that my father started using Standard Process back in the 1970’s, and they have been the gold standard in whole food nutrition for decades.”
If you would like to do your own research on this subject, I have come across an excellent article that I will link in the comments below! Make sure to share this with someone who you think would be interested in knowing about multivitamins in general, or exactly what is in the supplements that they take!
