Get back to the basics: The unprocessed truth about food and supplements

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FEATURE — Over 2,000 years ago, a wise philosopher (who also happened to be a master herbalist and holistic nutritionist) gave the world a timeless key for unlocking the treasure of perpetual healing: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” 

Hippocrates understood the critical importance of granting our bodies the daily essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals they desperately require. And furthermore, he was well acquainted with our most trustworthy source of those same nourishing gems: clean, whole plant foods. 

Unfortunately, “food” is far too relative a term in our highly processed world. Just because something is being eaten doesn’t deem it nourishing or nutritious. Even calling a certain food organic is only as credible as those making the claim.

In my opinion, the majority of America’s booming “food” industries are simply food-like substances that are carefully engineered to taste great, last forever and cost almost nothing. Thanks to America’s growing and insatiable appetite for these so-called “foods,” our once reliable healthcare system has slowly turned into a multi-trillion dollar “sick-care” industry. 

The largest missing piece from most eating habits is the essential presence of clean, whole plant foods. Most people are under the grand illusion that they can somehow replace all the fruits, veggies, legumes, herbs, grains, nuts and seeds that they should be eating every day with powders, shakes, pills and gummy vitamins.

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The first question to ask yourself is, “How much of the food I eat every day is coming from clean, whole plant foods?” A sobering moment that can help you answer this question is to take a picture of all your groceries right before you put them away and simply survey in your mind what you and your family consume on a regular basis.

Most of what the body needs can be obtained by eating a balanced diet of plant foods – fruits, veggies, legumes, herbs, grains, nuts and seeds. Keep it simple, and get back to the basics (the kind of meals with which your grandparents were likely very familiar).

Surviving turns into thriving when we finally get back in touch with doing more of our own “food processing” in our own kitchens. 

When it comes to nutritional supplements (another multi-billion dollar industry), there is an overwhelming presence of fad-driven, trendy social-media fueled hype. To be honest, it wasn’t that long ago when the only supplements available to any of us were the herbs and spices we could either grow or find.

The sad reality about the industry today is that, in order to cut costs, the majority of the products out there are loaded with synthetic filler ingredients and toxic chemicals of every kind. As a direct result, we are the ones who have to deal with symptoms such as liver and kidney failure. 

There are wonderful products out there, and it’s up to each of us to do our own research and find companies with owners who care deeply about the health and well-being of their customers. If you start with a comprehensive blood panel, you’ll know exactly what you currently have stored up and what’s missing. There’s no sense in taking supplements you don’t need or avoiding supplements that could be saving your life. 

Here are a few phenomenal (unsung hero) vitamins and mineral supplements that I confidently recommend:

  • Liposomal Vitamin C (Simply Potent brand).
  • Vitamin B Complex (Garden of Life/Vitamin Code brand).
  • Vitamin B12 (MaryRuth Organics or Garden of Life brand).
  • Vitamin D (MaryRuth Organics or Garden of Life brand).
  • Collagen Builder (Garden of Life / MyKind Organics brand).
  • Omega 3, 6, 7, 9 EFA (MaryRuth Organics brand).
  • Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc (Living Calcium/Garden of Life brand).
  • Liquid Minerals (Floradix brand).

I love Michael Pollan’s simple take on achieving physical healing and overall wellness: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” 

Living by this daily regimen as a foundational start would create a whole world of difference for those who choose. And when supplementation is necessary (which it is), choose the cleanest, most reliable plant-sourced brands you can find. Your body deserves to be running with all of its vitals and essentials topped off.

Written by BENTLEY MURDOCK, owner and founder of Healistic Vitality.

This article was first published in September/October 2019 issue of St. George Health and Wellness magazine.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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