With so many vitamins to choose from and varying prices, it's hard to know what to buy. Some are priced very low and readily available at your local grocery store and others seem expensive and require a trip to a health food store or your local Naturopath. Let's take a look at the different types of vitamins to take the stress out of vitamin shopping.
First up, United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). These are commonly referred to as Synthetic Vitamins. Synthetic vitamins are chemical isolates that are created in a lab. There are some that have nutritive qualities, but many don't and you add binders, fillers, flow agents and you may have a digestive nightmare. According to Dr Theil, ph.d, synthetic vitamins are dangerous. A major study in the USA involving thousands of women concluded that those that took multi-vitamin formulas died sooner than those that did not take them.
Next up are Whole food vitamins. They are comprised of, you got it, food. Humans are meant to nourish their bodies with food, not chemicals. Whole food vitamins are not isolated like the USP vitamins, therefore, they are more useful to our bodies. Lets' use an apple for this example. An apple contains over 10,000 known components, vitamin c being just one. When you eat an apple, you get the synergy of all 10,000 of those guys working together to nourish and fuel your body. You can't get this from something created in a lab. They still contain binders in tablet form or a capsule so read ingredients to make sure they are a vegetable source. Avoid chelates, and formulas that mix isolates with whole food.
Let's look at Whole Food powders. These are mostly what are referred to as Super Food Powders and Greens. They may include grasses, vegetables,sea vegetables, fruits and some herbs.Look for words like juice, not leaf. If it is juiced first, it's more nutrient dense and contains a higher vitamin and mineral content. There are different processes used to make these powders. Some are freeze dried, cooked and others are dehydrated at a living food temperature. You want the juiced, low temperature dehydrated form that will give you the added benefit of enzymes. Whole food powders are nutrient dense and bio available as your body doesn't need to do much in the way of digesting them.
Once you decide on which vitamin type to use, do some research on the internet, connect with a knowledgeable holistic practitioner in your area, Wellness Coach or take a trip to your local health food store to decide what brand fits your needs. Just let them know what you're looking for and if they can't help you, don't be afraid to walk away and find someone who can. You're worth it!
First up, United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). These are commonly referred to as Synthetic Vitamins. Synthetic vitamins are chemical isolates that are created in a lab. There are some that have nutritive qualities, but many don't and you add binders, fillers, flow agents and you may have a digestive nightmare. According to Dr Theil, ph.d, synthetic vitamins are dangerous. A major study in the USA involving thousands of women concluded that those that took multi-vitamin formulas died sooner than those that did not take them.
Next up are Whole food vitamins. They are comprised of, you got it, food. Humans are meant to nourish their bodies with food, not chemicals. Whole food vitamins are not isolated like the USP vitamins, therefore, they are more useful to our bodies. Lets' use an apple for this example. An apple contains over 10,000 known components, vitamin c being just one. When you eat an apple, you get the synergy of all 10,000 of those guys working together to nourish and fuel your body. You can't get this from something created in a lab. They still contain binders in tablet form or a capsule so read ingredients to make sure they are a vegetable source. Avoid chelates, and formulas that mix isolates with whole food.
Let's look at Whole Food powders. These are mostly what are referred to as Super Food Powders and Greens. They may include grasses, vegetables,sea vegetables, fruits and some herbs.Look for words like juice, not leaf. If it is juiced first, it's more nutrient dense and contains a higher vitamin and mineral content. There are different processes used to make these powders. Some are freeze dried, cooked and others are dehydrated at a living food temperature. You want the juiced, low temperature dehydrated form that will give you the added benefit of enzymes. Whole food powders are nutrient dense and bio available as your body doesn't need to do much in the way of digesting them.
Once you decide on which vitamin type to use, do some research on the internet, connect with a knowledgeable holistic practitioner in your area, Wellness Coach or take a trip to your local health food store to decide what brand fits your needs. Just let them know what you're looking for and if they can't help you, don't be afraid to walk away and find someone who can. You're worth it!