What's In Your Supplement?

Natural vs. Synthetic: It makes ALL the difference

Many people today come to the office with questions about their vitamins or supplements they are currently taking.  They want to know if what they are taking is right for them, or even if they need them.  This is a smart thing to know, especially if you are spending good money and looking for an increase in your health.  For those of you who do take supplements and/or vitamins, I applaud you.

With all the different products available today, it's impossible to know which one is right for you.  Then, combine that with all the different "experts" advising you through T.V., radio and direct mail advertising, it's no wonder there is so much confusion.  "Are ALL vitamins created equal?"  Certainly NOT! Is one brand better then another?  Absolutely!  How do you know the difference?

Natural vs. Synthetic:  A "Mirror" Difference

What most people don't know CAN hurt them.  Especially when considering the different nutrients we consume.  When man began trying to understand nature, he discovered different aspects he could explain through reasoning, and as technology allowed.  And as technology has improved, our understanding has increasd.  Unfortunately, human beings have a long way to go if we are going to truly understand nature.  "Trying to" versus "being able to" duplicate what nature does are two completely different things right now.  From a basic understanding, the difference between Natural vs. Synthetic is like looking in a mirror.  The reflection at first glance looks identical.  Then one realizes that when you move anything on the right, the mirror reflects this on the left.  How does this translates to the consumption of vitamins or supplements? When you consume a synthetic product, the body recognizes the components, but has difficulty processing them.  Sometimes it won't process them at all.  This is because for a natural response within the normal physiology, it simply doesn't fit.  The parts may be correct, but the alignment is backward.  Kind of like putting a right glove on a left hand.  It will fit on the hand, but it will not function the way it should.  As a result, more times then not, the body will just let the synthetic vitamin pass right through, completely undigested.

Natural vs. Synthetic: Somethings Amiss

The other concern when taking a vitamin or supplement, Is the vitamin complete?  What this asks, does the vitamin have all the component parts that nature put there, or are pieces missing due to incomplete understanding of the manufacturer?  This is absolutely vital when considering the source of the product.  True, labels are required by the FDA to list all the ingredients as percentages of the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance), but to the average person, this means nothing.  Most assume because it is being sold and has a label on it, it must be safe.  At least it seems so since it was bought at the local pharmacy or Health Food Store.  But this doesn't necessarily mean it's complete.  And as far as nature goes, it has no understanding of the RDA or FDA for that matter.  Nature simply puts everything that is required to allow for healthy growth.  If not, there wouldn't be anything to eat. 

Man has been able to identify the various components of a natural vitamin complex, but when it comes to duplicating these complexes, there are several components science has yet to duplicate.  Heck, there are things science has no explaination for.  What this means is the vitamins you buy that are "100 % Complete from A to Zinc" are far from what nature would manufacture.  They are in fact 100 % complete based on current technology and our own understanding.  So the 400 mg capsule of "100 % Natural Vitamin E" you take every day as your cancer preventative antioxidant, for 99.9% of those sold over the counter, they are anything but natural, and certainly not complete.  Sure, you can read the label and it will tell you that you're getting 250 % of the RDA of vitamin E as d-alpha tocopherol or some mixed tocopherols, but that isn't vitamin E.  It's simply a part of the E Complex.  You won't derive any benefit from taking that product.  You may feel "better" initially, as you've created a chemical response within the body, similar to a drug.  But you will soon create difficiencies of the other E Complex components over time.  Please don't do this to yourself.  Let me help you.

Natural vs. Synthetic:  What this means to You

In order for your body to process a vitamin or supplement, it needs to be complete.  In other words, it needs to have all of its parts.  It also needs to be in the proper ratios in order for the body to not only recognize it, but process it completely.  If you are given one or two components and nothing else, the body will pull from it's own reserves any of the necessary ingrediants to add to the incomplete fractions, thus allowing it to become whole.  This creates difficiencies in your body over time.  So for the person who initially feels great when taking a new supplement that's incomplete, it is usually because it gives them a chemical response, similar to a drug.  Unfortunately, the chemical responses block health (similar to a drug) over time, while a truly natural supplement creates a natural response that promotes health.

This also occurs with many of the foods we eat today.  Most foods we get off the shelf contain "Enriched" ingredients that have little or no nutritional value at all.  "Enriched" means simply that the food has been refined so much and has lost its natural vitamin complexes, so the manufacurer had to put back or "enrich" the food with some of the synthetic vitamins in an effort to make it appear nutritional.  The problem is the body is not getting the complete complex of vitamins and minerals.  So the food, and eventually the body, becomes deficient.  This results in the main killers of society today: Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Stroke, Elevated Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, etc.  All of which are nutritional deficiency diseases.

Natural vs. Synthetic: How to Correct the Problem

Ideally it would be great if we could get ALL our nutrition from the foods we eat.  Unfortunately, with the refining process that foods go through today, it it virtually impossible to do this, unless you take the time to grow your own foods or get them from a good reliable Organic Food Market.  Even this can be suspect, with all the rules governing the terms "organic" and "natural" and what qualifies as such.  If you aren't willing to buy true "Organic," it becomes a necessity to supplement.  But where can we get our foods without too much hassle, and where can we get good high quality whole complete supplements? 

Here at the office, we serve as a center for your complete health choices.  We have available the highest quality whole food concentrates manufactured the same way on Organic Farm Land for over 75 years.  We also have information on local Organic Food Pantries and have developed relationships with the owners who live by the same standards we do here.  Offering Only the best, as we expect the best.  To contact Marcus and Jamie Guliano, the owners of Aroma Thyme Bistro in Ellenville.  They can be reached at www.aromathyme.biz and can offer you access to all the best local Organic Food.

 

MY Offer To You...

If you have a question about your current intake of vitamins or supplements, bring them into the office and I will test you for each and every one of them.  We will determine if they are working for you, and if they are, what is the specific dosage necessary for ideal functioning within your body.  And if they don't work for you, we can make suggestions based on your specific needs and deficiencies.   As a current patient, this can be done on your next regular office visit.  I simply ask that you call Jean at (845)561-2225 and tell her you want your supplements checked, because I will need the extra time to do this.   

Dr. Huntoon has a single mission:

To support as many people as possible in their quest for health and enable them to improve and maintain their health to the highest level possible, while educating them about the benefits of Chiropractic, Natural Healthcare and Holistic Living, so they in turn can teach others to support us having a healthy community.

Your Choice

• Continue doing the same thing and nothing changes or it may get worse

OR

• Try something different and get a different result that makes you happier and healthier.