Health Archive

Whole Food Nutrition Vs Vitamins

Some big news about vitamins not working — and even causing harm — has been all over the airways recently, Whole Food Nutrition is the answer to this question by offering a new meaning of nutrition. Our present misunderstanding of vitamins has caused great confusion with the public. The consequences of this misunderstanding is serious.Science having researched for so long the biochemistry of nutrition, we have became conscious of an incredible ability of each of the 10-100 trillion cells in our body to integrate, as in symphony, an unimaginably complex series of events that optimizes health and minimizes disease. Whole Food Nutrition, when provided by the right foods & dietary supplements, services this system with a nutrient program that both prevents future disease and treats a broad spectrum of illness, an effect that is far more effective and safe than the best of all pills and procedures could ever hope to do.Therefore we are partnered with a company with a 40-year history; we have chosen to only sell products that create a real difference in the health and safety of those who purchase them – whether that was fire detectors that saved people’s lives in the ’70s, purifiers that cleaned people’s air and water in the ’80s or nutritional products and food-growing systems that enhance people’s health and well-being today, but we’ll get to that later.I have read a very interesting interview with a Dr. Campbell, who is a professor emeritus at Cornell University and the co-author of the groundbreaking study: “The China Study”. In my opinion I would say this study looks at the effects of whole food nutrition on health in comparison to vitamins. His background touts the authoring of more than 300 research papers, and he has received more than 70 grants over the years of peer-reviewed research funding, much of it from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Campbell’s work is regarded by many as the definitive epidemiological examination of the relationship between diet and illness.Dr. Campbell and his colleagues have started an online course in “plant based nutrition” developed by their non-profit organization, The T Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, which is operated by their partner, the arm of Cornell that does online courses. He has received several national and international “humanitarian of year,” “visionary of the year,” and “lifetime achievement in cancer research” awards in recent years and has been in demand at business conferences that are focused on the future of health care in this country. From what I can tell the majority of his talks in the recent years have been at medical schools and medical school-sponsored conferences, which shows that there is considerable interest now being shown in this community who are and will be our primary health caretakers, now surround this up and coming topic of Whole Food Nutrition.Although health and wellness has been a societal topic for many years it hasn’t been all that successful, in that it did not fully answer the oft-asked question, “Why have people not heard of Whole Food Nutrition before?” In other words a plant based diet with it’s correctly formulated supplements.This is what drew me to The China Study and Dr. Campbell’s book called “Whole”. The China Study summarized the experimental research findings of Dr’s 40+ years of professional research on diet and health and then made some dietary recommendations. But here in his book “Whole” the attempt now is to answer this question by offering a new meaning of nutrition. I suggest that Whole Food Nutrition is an amazing gift of nature that has long eluded our awareness and worse yet our supplements and health based choices for implementing the proper types of nutrition into our diets.Proper nutrition meaning, when our bodies are provided with the right foods, Dr Campbell’s asserts, that only, natural plant based diets with whole food supplementation would actually services our bodies immune system that both prevents future disease and treats a broad spectrum of diseases, and this is far more effective and safe than the best of all pills and procedures could ever hope to be.Is the goal to live longer or live with more vitality? Survey’s show that society is capable of accomplishing both, yet human nature is still making decisions to take more drugs instead of eating a better diet. And to any Dr, Scientist, Nutritionist, or mother… there is no comparison regarding which we should be choosing; a whole food diet will always win, studies show, and this with no side effects! So, is Dr Campbell saying vitamins are a bad thing? “All the reviews of recent years that have summarized the many studies on the effects of vitamins on long-term health show that they do not work to solve any of the serious problems that beset us.” Other studies have also shown that vitamins do not lower rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. “In fact, people are more likely to suffer serious side effects from these supplements rather than getting benefits.”Dr Campbell goes on to express his personal opinion is that we don’t need vitamins as there is now enough scientific research dispelling the once believed evidence of benefit. I even remember reading that he doesn’t even take vitamins any more. He avoids them, especially vitamin D, as it is actually a hormone; Plus “I have unanswered questions about the way our vitamin D status is measured and the excessive claims made by the marketing people detours me.”Lets get back to the question: What is the ideal diet for health and vitality? As a lay person and former professional athlete, it is my experience that only a whole food plant-based diet without adding fat, sugar and salt will create the vitality society is dieing for? Along this same line of questioning, I was pleased to read that Dr Campbell suggests “lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts in moderation — of this I am confident.” It has also been my experience that transitioning to this diet from the standard American diet high in fat and refined carbohydrates is initially, but this is likely due to my long time addiction to fat. I remembering some really smart guy once saying it takes at least 30 days to replace a habit… I would suggest in changing your dietary choices to be kind to your self, stay motivated and allow some time, perhaps a few weeks or a couple months, before your new taste preferences will emerge and the addictions fade away.I agree with Ruth Hiedrich, triathlon competitor and cancer survivor, that “more doctors and patients need to know that it is animal protein and fat that initiates and promotes cancer as they are being thrown a “curve ball” with the idea that sugar is the culprit.” Ruth’s stage 4 breast cancer has been “in remission” for 33 years now and she has seen so many other benefits from being on a whole food, plant based diet for many years. She suggests this diet along with whole food supplementation is what enables her to still be doing her daily mini-triathlons at age 80!Free radicals aren’t free. I dare you to research more about whole food nutrition.