What's the big deal about whole food nutrition?

 
Have you found yourself confused after seeing terms like: whole food nutrition, super foods, natural whole foods, and whole food nutrition supplementationwhole food supplementation?

When I first started to research about whole food nutrition, I discovered a vast difference between eating whole food and taking vitamins and minerals that had been extracted from the food or synthesized. What an eye-opener! However, I soon became overwhelmed with the wealth of resources on the subject. There seemed to be as many different opinions and ideas out there as there are world religions! All I knew is that I was no longer healthy (see my profile) and needed to change what I was doing about my nutritional intake. Whole food and whole food supplementation seemed to be the answer.

The first thing I discovered was that the absorption of synthetic vitamins in any form was not very good because our bodies are designed to use whole food in its natural state, preferably raw, and not altered, as with the effects of microwave cooking and harmful additives. Even the Physician's Desk Reference states that synthetic vitamins are only 10-20% absorbed. That means 80-90% of the money we spend on them are being flushed away!

Next, I needed to define for myself what whole food nutrition meant. The term may seem self-explanatory, but upon careful analysis, I discovered that there was much more to it.

How would you answer, "What does whole food nutrition mean to you?" Try asking that question to someone. One of the answers I got was, "It means to get what I need from food that I don't normally get from the food I do eat." How true! An honest confession from a processed food junkie. Most of us take the road of least resistance when it comes to satisfying our hunger."Quick, fast, and in a hurry!" seems to be our mantra. That breaks down to processed, fattening, preservative-laden food. Then we wonder why we are SICK AND TIRED! 

Have you ever found yourself looking for a magic bullet to solve your whole food nutritional needs? My next blog will lead you down some of the expensive paths, both financially and emotionally, that I took looking for the elusive magic bullet.