Synthetic Vs. Wholesome Part 1

Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins. Whether we get them from our daily diet, from sunshine, or from store bought capsules or liquids, vitamins are vital to our health and to the proper functioning of our bodies.

Vitamin deficiencies lead to a wide range of problems spanning from anorexia to obesity, organ malfunction, confusion, depression and fatigue.

However, whether or not our vitamins are hurting us is another story. What people are not aware of is all vitamins are not created equal, and most are actually synthetic.

What is a "Synthetic" Vitamin?

The type of vitamins that are the most beneficial is up for debate. A healthy, organic diet should provide a good amount of nutrients that the body needs, but supplements can help ensure that we are getting a healthy serving of specific vitamins.

The problem is that many vitamin and mineral supplements are manufactured synthetically with chemicals and do not come straight from their natural sources. They are made to mimic the way natural vitamins act in our bodies. Natural vitamins are derived directly from plant material containing the vitamin, not produced in a test tube.

Many synthetic vitamins lack the transporters and co-factors associated with naturally-occurring vitamins because they have been "isolated." The Organic Consumers Association emphasizes that isolated vitamins cannot be used or recognized by the body in the same way as the natural version.

The natural form come in packages with other vitamins, enzymes and minerals that control the way the body recognizes, metabolizes and uses them to make what it needs.

Isolated vitamins can’t always be used by the body, and are either stored until we obtain or create the nutrients required to use them effectively or are excreted. Synthetic vitamins are also devoid of necessary trace minerals and must use the body’s own mineral reserves which may lead to dangerous mineral deficiencies.

What’s the Big Deal About Synthetic Vitamins?

Synthetic versions of vitamins contain chemical compounds that were not meant for human consumption and do not occur in nature. Evolution has dictated that we eat the food we can gather from the earth, not the food we create in a lab.

Fat soluble vitamins in their synthetic form are especially dangerous because they can build up in our fatty tissues and cause toxicity. The reason that the synthetic form is more dangerous is because we get a high, concentrated serving of the vitamin rather than the amount that we would get from a food-based form.

Vitamins A, D, E and K are all fat soluble

Fat soluble vitamins are found naturally in butter, fish oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables

Excesses of fat soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissues

Most people do not get sufficient amounts of fat soluble vitamins from their diet

How do I know if the vitamins I’m buying are synthetic or natural?

The Organic Consumers Association has published an ingredient chart to help consumers identify natural vs. synthetic vitamins. Many vitamin producers want us to believe that we are getting a “natural product” because it seems more wholesome to take “natural” vitamins.

Unfortunately, vitamins can be labeled as natural if they contain as little as 10% of the natural form of the vitamin. This means that our “natural” vitamin could contain 90% of synthetically produced chemicals! B-Vitamins and Vitamin C are also usually synthetically produced.

Common Synthetic Vitamins to Avoid:

Look for clues on the vitamin’s label that offer insight into the origin of the vitamin.

Vitamin A: Acetate and Palmitate

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Thiamine Mononitrate, Thiamine Hydrochloride

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin

Pantothenic Acid: Calcium D-Pantothenate

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

Vitamin B12: Cobalamin

PABA (Para-aminobenzoic Acid): Aminobenzoic Acid

Folic Acid: Pteroylglutamic Acid

Choline: Choline Chloride, Choline Bitartrate

Biotin: d-Biotin

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): Ascorbic Acid

Vitamin D: Irradiated Ergosteral, Calciferol

Vitamin E: dl-alpha tocopherol, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate or succinate

NOTE: The “dl” form of any vitamin is synthetic.

Other Toxic Ingredients to Avoid In Supplements

Magnesium stearate (or stearic acid)

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) disguised as “natural flavors”

Carnauba wax is used in car wax and shoe polish

Titanium dioxide is a carcinogen

–Atricle by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

Source: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/synthetic-vs-natural-vitamins/

To read more: https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/nutri-con-truth-about-vitamins-supplements

People need to learn that their health is in their own hands. The fact is, they can be free of illness and brilliantly healthy if they choose a wholesome diet and lifestyle. On the other hand, an incorrect diet and poor lifestyle choices make people sick.

Mamiko MatsudaPhD

Source: http://nutritionstudies.org/true-health-care-proper-education/

Below is a short video about the important of Wholesome Plant Foods compared to Synthetic Pills:

<Truth About Vitamins & Minerals Supplements>

Below table has some of the example of the vitamin source:

Below is the picture taken from the book

<Enjoying Health and Longevity with Nutritional Immunology> by Dr. Jau Fei Chen 

Vitamin overdose could cause harm instead of benefits to our body.

Our diet should mainly focus on wholesome plant based foods, which provides us lots of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. These essential substances are crucial to our health.

Read more on the synthetic supplements here: If dietary supplements are able to help to cure diseases, why till today, mortality rate still climbing high?

Lastly, here are the links for the list of additives and their respective source and side effects:

List of food additives: http://cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm

List of vitamin supplements: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/default.aspx

What is Nutritional Immunology?

Safeguarding Health with the Immune System

Some people catch colds frequently and recover slowly. Others do not fall sick when surrounded by ill people and they recover quickly form the flu. The difference is in their immune system.

Research has revealed that humans can live meaningfully for at least 120 years, and with appropriate care and wholesome nutrition, living for 150 years is possible. However, the average lifespan is currently only around 70 to 80 years. In 2010, 8 million people died of cancer, and 17 million died of heart disease; the 1918 Spanish flu killed 40 to 50 million; in 2003, SARS took over 1,000 lives. Such alarming statistics should alert us to address the root of the problem, and achieve longevity through prevention.

Nothing comes close to a healthy immune system in defending us from disease-causing agents. So how do we keep the immune system in tip-top condition?
A seemingly healthy outward appearance is no indication of how healthy we really are inside. Diseases have a way of sneaking up on us. Infections could be lurking deep within with the only hints being slight tiredness or a persistent sniffle. Before we know it, we could fall seriously ill but by then, it would be too late for prevention. Therefore, we need to stay vigilant by nourishing our immune system daily with generous servings of the right nutrients.

Ever since antibiotics were discovered, humans have been focusing more on treatment and less on prevention. We have forgotten to take advantage of the amazing preventive and healing powers of the immune system. Nutritional Immunology is a relatively new science that emphasizes prevention over cure. This science focuses on the explicit link between proper nutrition and the health of the immune system.

The Best Doctor – The Immune System

Advancement of medicine lags behind disease development. Treatment can only begin with the appearance of symptoms, and has its limitations. Fortunately, the best doctor, the immune system, is within the body. This doctor is like a sophisticated army, always on alert to protect the body against foreign invaders.

Things we encounter, the air we breathe and the food we eat may appear clean, but are full of pollutants. A small slip-up by the immune system may allow pollutants to trespass via the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, while a fully functioning immune system can easily destroy such invaders.

Influenza causes 200,000 to 500,000 deaths every year. Among those infected, some recovered and some died. The difference is due to the immune system.

A weak immune system makes the body vulnerable to attack by microbes and infectious diseases such as SARS, pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis, flu and tuberculosis. It can even lead to cancer.

A hyperactive or malfunctioning immune system can result in allergies or autoimmune diseases. An allergic response occurs when the immune system reacts against non-threatening agents such as dust, plant pollen and animal dander.

An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells or tissues. Examples of autoimmune disease include rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes mellitus and psoriasis.

Can medication replace immune system function?

Immune system function involves countless cells, chemicals and organs working closely together. Medications perform only specific functions such as stimulating or suppressing the immune system, and may lead to side effects, unsettling immune system balance and even leading to more diseases.

Immune system balance is the result of a healthy lifestyle:

• A balanced diet: Eat mainly a variety of plant foods and reduce meat intake.
• Positive and stable emotions: Stress stimulates the body to secrete corticosteroid, which suppresses immune system function, increasing risk of cancer, flu and other disease.
• Adequate rest and exercise: Sleep enables the immune system to repair and regenerate. Exercise makes the body perspire, letting it purge toxins, and improves lymph circulation. If regular exercise is not possible, frequent deep breathing can help to encourage lymph circulation.

A healthy lifestyle enables us to live healthier, longer lives.

The True Health with Plant Foods
Nutrition for the immune system comes from plant foods, not animal-derived food.
Plant foods contain plant nutrients such as phytochemicals, antioxidants and polysaccharides that have been proven to prevent and defend against cancer and other diseases.

Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals can prevent the various stages of cancer formation.

Phytochemicals are unique to plant foods. They can effectively prevent diseases, nourish the immune system, accelerate recovery from diseases and can halt and reverse stages of cancer development.

Every plant has its own unique variety of photochemical, which are nutrients not found in meat. For example, cauliflower contains indoles, sulforaphane and flavonoids. They can lower risk of diseases such as breast and ovarian cancer, and can encourage molecules with cleansing abilities to interact with carcinogens for a detoxifying effect. Soy is another example. It contains isoflavones including genistein, daidzein and glycitein. Isoflavones can lower serum cholesterol levels, reduce risk of coronary heart disease, relieve menopausal symptoms, suppress cancer cell growth and lower risk of osteoporosis.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants can slow down aging.

Antioxidants are chemicals that can prevent cell damage by suppressing oxidative effects of free radicals, which are highly unstable molecules. Oxidation alters normal oxygen molecules to become free radicals. They can be produced via smoking, exposure to toxic chemicals, excessive sun exposure and metabolic processes such as digestion.

Free radicals are highly unstable and destructive. They can easily alter proteins, cell membranes, and DNA. Over time, such irreparable damage causes cancer and other degenerative diseases such as cataracts and heart disease.

Grape seed is high in antioxidants, particularly oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC). With 20 times more antioxidant activity than vitamin C and 50 times more antioxidant activity that vitamin E, it can protect cells from oxidative DNA damage, and boost health and skin’s youthfulness.

Rose is also rich in antioxidants. Besides 50 times the vitamin C in lemon, it contains niacin, flavonoid, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, E and K. It aids DNA damage prevention, wound healing, increase of macrophage activity, and improvement of skin tissue and appearance.

Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides can boost immunity, encourage natural killer cell growth and defend against tumors.

Polysaccharides are long chain of sugars. Research has shown that they can inhibit tumor growth by activating immune cells.

Polysaccharides help to balance the immune system and encourage the production of NK cells, interferons and interleukins, promoting the immune system’s destruction of cancer cells and viruses.

Research has shown that mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides, and different mushrooms have different polysaccharides. ABM mushroom, Yun Zhi mushroom, Shitake mushroom, Maitake mushroom and Reishi mushroom are particularly effective in resisting tumors and viruses. They can speed up recovery from cancer and relieve side effects of chemotherapy.

Eating a variety of mushrooms is more beneficial than eating a single type of mushroom, and consuming a concentrated extract of polysaccharides is more beneficial than consuming dried mushroom powder. In addition, only a suitable amount and combination of polysaccharides will produce optimal results.

Wholesomeness is Best!

Wholesome plant foods are Nature’s miracles. Till today, their abundant nutrients have not been entirely discovered by scientists.

Advantages of Plant Foods Over Animal-derived Food 

Plant foods contain phytochemicals, antioxidants and polysaccharides that can boost immune function. Plants also contain fiber that is lacking in meat, dairy products and other animal-derived food. Fiber is non-caloric and helps to regulate blood sugar, reduce blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of coronary heart disease, aid bowel movement, decrease risk of cancer in the digestive system and aid weight management. Plant foods also contain plant protein that is easily absorbed, does not easily trigger allergies and does not lead to calcium loss.

Compared to animal-derived food, plant foods do not contain animal hormones and are more eco-friendly. In 2009, Worldwatch Institute (WWI) reported that livestock produce 51% of greenhouse gases, with 1.5 billion livestock producing more waste gases than all transport vehicles in the world combined, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Methane, produced by livestock in large amounts, is 72 times as strong as carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas over a period of 20 years. In addition, rearing livestock uses large amounts of resources, taking up around 70% of farmland worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated that during 1961-2001, more than 60% of grain was fed to livestock. 2400 gallons of water is needed to produce one pound of meat, while one pound of wheat requires only 25 gallons of water. Hence, replacing animal-derived food with plant foods is not only healthy for the immune system, but also contributes towards saving the environment.

Hidden Dangers of Vitamin Pills 

Many people think that they can make up for imbalanced diets due to busy lifestyles by taking vitamin pills. However, there are risks of vitamin pill overdose. Researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital analyzed data from trials involving 233, 000 participants, and found that beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E intake doubles the risk of hip fracture. A large-scale eight-year study by the Swedish government revealed that beta-carotene pills might increase lung cancer risk in male smokers. Researchers at Keio University in Japan found that vitamin E overdose leads to increased osteoporosis risk. An American Heart Association report of a follow-up study on 132, 000 participants pointed out that excessive vitamin D intake can lead to a rapid heart rate or arrhythmia. Research from Johns Hopkins University has shown that vitamin A overdose increase liver and lung cancer risk, and may lead to fetal deformities and lower bone density.

Wholesome Plant Foods for Perfect Nutrition
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the best way to obtain vitamins is through consuming beneficial, wholesome foods. They also emphasize that vitamin pills cannot replace a well-balanced diet.
Wholesome plant foods contain perfect combinations of nutrients. They are Nature’s greatest gifts, and cannot be replaced with man-made vitamin pills.

Let's watch a short video about how our immune system function: