Hello! I m Wendy Myers, FDN, CHHC. I founded the health websites Liveto110.com. and Mineralpower.com.

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2 2 Hello! I m Wendy Myers, FDN, CHHC. I founded the health websites Liveto110.com. and Mineralpower.com. I am a functional diagnostic nutritionist located in Los Angeles, California, certified in Hair Mineral Analysis and other functional medical labs for the purpose of designing customized Mineral Power detox programs for clients so that they may regain energy, increase brain function, improve adrenal and thyroid function, correct mineral imbalances or deficiencies, and ultimately reach a healthier state of being. I founded my websites Liveto110.com and MineralPower.com to provide my clients and readers with the tools necessary to live a long, healthy, happy life. I center my philosophy around the understanding that the root cause of disease stems from nutrient and mineral deficiencies and the accumulation of toxic metals and chemicals in the body so prevalent in our toxic world. These issues are addressed with my healing and detox program Mineralpower.com.

3 3 Introduction There is a big debate out there over whether you should be taking natural or synthetic vitamins. And since 50% of the people in the US take some kind of supplement, this is an important conversation to be having. To help safeguard your health, you need to arm yourself with knowledge covering both sides of this debate. While it may seem like an easy choice, some people have trouble with food-based vitamins. Some people have reactions to synthetic supplements. I personally prefer food-based supplements and so do most of the experts on the MedicinalSupplementssummit. com. Bottomline, everyone has to find what works for them as an individual. If food-based supplements don t work for your body for whatever reason, then you must resort to synthetics. In my opinion, food-based supplements are best. But every individual body is different and it s important to know what works best for you. This ebook will explore the debate of food-based supplements versus synthetic ones, while laying out the pros and cons of each to help you figure out what is right for you!

4 Food-based Supplements You want to take supplements that are as close to their natural form as possible. That s why it s my personal belief that food-based supplements are better than synthetics and should be taken if you can tolerate them. To help you make the most educated decision possible, here are some of the pros and cons of food-based supplements: Pros of Food-based Supplements 1) Whole foods are better than refined ones. Whole foods and are better for you than refined ones, plain and simple. And the same goes for supplements: synthetic supplements are created in a lab. This means they may not be as readily recognized by the body and less of them may be absorbed. Refined substances can create imbalances in the body that can lead to health problems and mineral deficiencies, especially if taken at high doses for long periods of time. 2) They don t have the chemical compounds found in synthetics. Food-based supplements are natural and taken directly from the plant material, which contains the necessary vitamin you are supplementing; while synthetics only mimic their natural counterpart. As a result, synthetics contain chemical compounds that do not occur in nature. 4

5 5 By taking food-based supplements you can avoid these types of chemical compounds and ingest what nature intended, instead of what was manufactured in a lab. 3) Food-based supplements are not treated like foreign substances. Unlike synthetics, the body does not treat food-based supplements as if they were chemicals, toxins, drugs, or other foreign substances. Since they are closer to their natural source, the body recognizes food-based supplements and can metabolize them better. 4) You can take them long-term. Because food-based supplements don t come in the same highly concentrated form as synthetics, they are more manageable long-term. Your body is getting what it needs. Cons of Food-based Supplements 1) Many food-based supplements contain synthetic vitamins. Some claim to be all natural, but use yeast or algae or other food as a base, then simply add synthetic vitamins on top of that. Under current law, a vitamin marketed as natural only has to contain 10 percent natural, plant-derived ingredients the other ninety percent can be synthetic. Examples of a natural base include Acerola cherry or rosehip, to which synthetic vitamin C, ascorbic acid, can be added. 2) Sensitivities to foods or fillers in food-based products. Some companies put oat flour, rice, gluten, potato starch, and other fillers in their tablets. Yes, these are natural and are foods, but can be problematic for some people. The problem is that many people are sensitive to any and all gluten-containing foods. Others are sensitive to nightshades. Food-based products can contain all kinds of different foods to which many could have allergies or sensitivities. As a result, food-based products can cause mild to severe reactions, while the so-called isolated, synthetic nutrient products would not cause such a problem and work far better for sensitive people. Remember, everyone is different and people vary in their tolerance to all supplements, just as they do to foods.

6 6 3) Food-based vitamins cost more. Food-based vitamins are almost always more costly than synthetics, often two to three times as expensive as their synthetic counterparts. This is understandable, as it is much more costly to manufacture food-based supplements. Vegetables and other foods must be harvested, dried, measured, tested, and powdered into capsules. Food-based supplements also can be far more costly because more pills are needed to achieve the same dose. For instance, a natural vitamin C I used to take only contained 120mg of vitamin C, requiring me to take 4 capsules to get the daily 500mg of vitamin C I needed. The bottle of 90 capsules cost $20. The same bottle of synthetic vitamin C costs far, far less. 4) Food-based vitamins can also be isolated. While some food-based supplements are pure, whole foods, many are isolates extracted from their whole food base. For example, a food-based chromium made from yeast is still an extract or isolate. This same chromium can be put into a synthetic or a food-based supplement. Even a food-based vitamin C is extracted or isolated from a plant such as the Acerola cherry. In some cases, the entire food is dehydrated and put into a capsule, but not always. The word isolate can apply to both food-based and synthesized products, which is why it is important to always read the labels.

7 Synthetic Vitamins I have taken synthetic vitamins for years and with them have seen my health greatly improve. And while today I take a regime of primarily food-based vitamins with the addition of some synthetics (because that is what works for me and my body), many healing programs use synthetic vitamins with fantastic results! Pros of Synthetic Vitamins 1) They are a good option for people with food sensitivities. Food-based supplements usually combine a lot of different foods into a single pill. In many cases, they could have upwards of 40 ingredients. As a result, people with certain food sensitivities are in more danger of having a reaction to one or more of the ingredients in a food-based multivitamin. However, one can have a reaction to any kind of supplement. 2) Dosages are higher in synthetic supplements. Today, most people are toxic and nutrient depleted. They need larger amounts of nutrients than can be obtained with the low doses found in food-based supplements or diet alone. More food-based supplements are needed to obtain the same dosage as a synthetic in most cases. Food-based supplements are less convenient due to the larger number of tablets or capsules required. Even though a bottle contains 90 tablets, you will likely need to take 4-8 or more per day of a food-based multivitamin to get the same dosage you need with a synthetic vitamin in just 2-4 tablets a day. 7

8 8 This means that many more tablets must be taken, rendering supplementation more inconvenient. Most cannot remember that many pills, or are simply not willing to take more than 4+ pills a day just to satisfy their nutrient needs. 3) Synthetic vitamins cost less. This may be a factor for many people they simply cannot afford food-based supplements. 4) Food-based vitamins are not always better absorbed. Absorption depends upon many factors. While true at times, the body is very capable of absorbing a synthesized or isolated nutrient, such as vitamin B or vitamin C, even if no other food components or cofactors are provided. The absorption issue is a stance many food-based supplements take as a reason to use their products, but this issue is really blown far out of proportion. Good quality synthetics are absorbed quite well when taken with a meal. But it is worth noting that some of the cheaper synthetic vitamins are poorly absorbed because they are bound together with cheap binders that don t allow a release of the nutrients, and not necessarily because the synthetic vitamins themselves are poorly absorbed. Cons of Synthetic Supplements 1) Cheap binders cause poor absorption. I know we jut talked about the absorption of these supplements,but i d be remiss if i didn t also mention the concerns that also arise. Many synthetic vitamins are poorly absorbed simply because they are held together with cheap binders and/or fillers that don t allow a release of the nutrients, not because the synthetic vitamins themselves are poorly absorbed. So what can you do? Avoid cheap mass-market synthetics like Centrum, most brands at drug store chains, grocery store chains, and those found at membership club stores (Kirkland brand). These types of synthetics contain cheap ingredients that prevent absorption, as well as toxic metals. Not to mention, rancid fish oil that has not been purified of toxic metals.

9 9 2) The isolated nutrients in synthetics work until they don t. Isolated nutrients work for a little while, then they plateau. This is because, in order for an isolated nutrient to be absorbed and work properly within the body, all the other parts of that same, whole food must be present. But with synthetics, they aren t and so your body takes the parts it needs from the nutrient stores in your body. And once these stores are fully depleted, the isolated nutrient from the synthetic can no longer work. More alarming, however, is that you can start to suffer from a deficiency in the same nutrients you once had in abundance. So while synthetics can plug the holes left by vitamin deficiencies in the short-term, they are not part of a sustainable and healthy supplement regime. 3) Fat-soluble synthetics can cause toxicity When you take any synthetic supplement, you run the risk of the excess nutrients building up in the body, as most of today s synthetics are highly concentrated and come at extremely high doses that our bodies don t always need. But the danger for this is higher when it comes to fat-soluble synthetics (like vitamins A, D, E, and K) because they can build up in your liver and fatty tissues. And that can lead to toxicity. Food-based fat-soluble supplements have a lower dosage and therefore don t present this same danger as the synthetic forms.

10 Know Your Supplements Like anything you put into your body, I urge you investigate supplements before you buy. Important questions to ask include: What are the sources of the ingredients? Were they made in China, India or in the US? What excipients (ingredients) were used in the manufacture of the product? (i.e. magnesium stearate) Were they processed in a way that kept the nutrients in tact? Does the packaging allow nutrients in the supplement to be destroyed? (i.e. light shining into a clear bottle, has it been properly refrigerated if necessary, etc.)? How were they stored and shipped? Heat destroys nutrients. It all may sound like a lot but it can really mean the difference between finding a supplement that will help you heal and grow into better health versus one that prohibits that. It s important to know all of this when you formulate your supplement regime; because it s not as simple as asking food-based or synthetic vitamins? but also what s in them. 10

11 11 Why You Need to Supplement I cannot stress enough why you need to take vitamin and mineral supplements. Our modern food supply is severely deficient in nutrients, mainly minerals. In fact, a head of broccoli grown today has 20% of the mineral content that it contained in the 1920 s. The reasons you need to supplement are due to many factors: 1) You are born nutrient depleted and toxic. No matter how healthy our lifestyle, we are born with the nutritional deficiencies and heavy metal and chemical toxicity of our mothers. These toxins are easily passed from mother to child in the womb. 2) Soil depletion. Many soils are low in zinc, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, calcium, and magnesium. No matter what diet you eat, you cannot obtain all the nutrients you need from food alone. 3) High-yield crops are deficient in certain nutrients. Soils, even at organic farms, become depleted of vitamins and minerals after years of cultivation. For example, ten times the amount of wheat is grown on the same land as was grown 100 years ago. Today s wheat contains about 6% protein, whereas 100 years ago, it contained 12-14%. Trace mineral levels are similarly much lower due to high-yield farming methods.

12 12 4) Modern fertilizers do not supply enough trace minerals. One hundred years ago, manure was used for fertilizer. Today, chemicals fertilizers are used that contain mainly nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, but are deficient in the trace elements found in manure. This has contributed greatly to the mineral depletion of the soil and crops. In general, organically grown food is more nutrient-rich because it is grown on better quality soil with proper farming methods and fertilization. Of course, that is not always the case. Almost invariably, all the produce grown at every farmer s market in Los Angeles is grown using chemical fertilizers. I know I ve asked every vendor. 5) Pesticides deplete soils. Pesticides kill soil microorganisms that are needed to make minerals and other nutrients available to plants. The result is a lower nutrient content. Many pesticides are deadly chemicals that severely tax the human system. Many contain lead, arsenic, and other toxic metals that slowly accumulate in the body unless one detoxes from them. Our laws currently allow sewage and factory sludge to be sold as fertilizer that contain significant amounts of toxic metals. These add greatly to our toxic metal burden and require extra nutrients to help remove them from the body. Additionally, many pesticides work by chelating minerals out of weeds to kill them. They die of malnutrition. The same effect is at work inside your body when you ingest pesticide residues. 6) Long-distance transportation. Due to the time it takes fresh foods to get from the farm to your table, 57% or more of the nutritional value can be lost. Many foods are grown thousands of miles from where they are purchased. Some are grown on the other side of the planet! On average, they spend a week in transit to reach you. Because of this, produce is picked before it is fully ripe, preventing maximum nutrient potential. The minute food is picked nutrient levels begin to diminish. Grow your own garden and eat veggies while they re still alive! 7) Food processing reduces nutrient content. Refining of wheat to make it white removes 80% of its magnesium, 70-80% of its zinc, 87% of its chromium, 88% of its manganese and 50% of its cobalt. Refining sugar cane to make white sugar removes 99% of its magnesium and 93% of its chromium. Polishing rice removes 75% of its zinc and chromium. Even foods that are in whole grain form still suffer from nutrient deficiency if they are ground into flour, processed, boxed, shipped, and stored for any

13 13 significant period of time. Frozen foods are nutritionally better but not as good as fresh vegetables. It s always best to eat foods as close to their original, minimally processed form as possible. For instance, eat a fresh strawberry, not a dried one. 8) Food additives can further deplete nutrients. Thousands of artificial flavors, colors, flavor enhancers, dough conditioners, and preservatives are added to foods. While some are harmless, many are toxic and deplete the body of nutrients. For example, EDTA added to some frozen vegetables to preserve the color of the vegetable does so by removing minerals from the vegetable so it does not tarnish. 9) Weakened digestion. One result of eating refined, low-quality food with hundreds of food additives is that most people s digestion is impaired. This further impairs nutrient absorption and increases nutritional needs. It s a vicious cycle that continues as long as one eats a poor quality diet. Additionally, eating a lot of sugar and wheat flour depletes your body of vitamin and minerals. It takes 56 molecules of magnesium to process one molecule of sugar. 10) Stressful lifestyles Stressful lifestyles deplete many nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Zinc begins to be eliminated from the body within minutes of a stressful situation. Stress causes excessive sympathetic nervous system activity, which reduces digestive strength. This, in turn, reduces nutrient absorption even further. Thus, anyone under stress will need even more nutrients than someone that lives a very peaceful existence.

14 How to Customize Supplements to YOU The future of supplementation entails testing to customize supplements to exactly what your body needs. With customized supplementation, you heal your body and can achieve your highest level of health and functioning. The goal is a state of health where one feels their best. This is exactly the goal of my program MineralPower.com. I don t believe in a one-size fits all program. Your body chemistry is one-of-a-kind. And so should your supplements and detox program. With MineralPower.com, you get the exact supplements needed for YOU. Mineral Power is a precise approach to supplements. A multivitamin is the shotgun approach to supplementation. With MineralPower.com, you get the sniper approach exactly what you need to put your body back into balance. My goal with The MedicinalSupplementsSummit.com, my detox and healing program MineralPower.com, and my website Liveto110.com, is to illustrate how to live a healthy lifestyle within the context of our modern toxic environment, while navigating the health myths fed to us by many manufacturers and the pharmaceutical companies. 14