Supplements VS. Whole Food

Supplements are incredible tools and whole foods are the building blocks of health. In this post, we will be looking at the benefits of both and whether or not you should try to supplement nutrients or attempt to get everything from food.

Whole foods are nutrient-dense and minimally processed foods as close to their whole form as possible. They are a necessary part of every single person’s diet. No matter if you struggle with a health condition or not, you need the nutrients that come from these foods. In addition to whole foods, some people will use supplements. Supplements are designed to fill the gaps in your nutrition. Many Americans heavily rely on supplements like multivitamins to make sure they are getting all the nutrients they need.

Whole Food Approach

Let’s talk about whole food first. I’ll be completely honest. If I had to swing one way in this debate (spoiler alert: I think there’s a middle ground), I would be on the whole food side. It’s almost impossible to get your exact daily recommended amounts of each nutrient every day with an exclusively whole food approach…and that’s okay. Our bodies were designed to live and thrive in the ebb and flow of nutrient consumption.

The human body is constantly working to keep you in homeostasis. Homeostasis is a state of balance between all the body’s systems. The body is maintaining a stable internal environment even when external forces threaten to mess with it. This entails continued cleaning of the body through detoxification pathways, keeping nutrients at the correct level by storing excess for later, keeping the body at a specific temperature, good mineral balance, good pH balance, etc.

An example of homeostasis is when you exercise. Let’s say you go for a run. Running causes the body to work hard and heat up. In response to a raising internal temperature, the body starts to sweat to cool off. This keeps your temperature at a reasonable level and prevents overheating. A the same time, your blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration all increase to meet the oxygen demands that running requires. Your body makes these changes gradually in response to your real-time need for more oxygen.

The human body was designed to use a whole-food approach to fuel your body. The best way to be sure you are getting enough of each nutrient throughout the week is to eat a wide variety of whole foods. Each fruit and veggie have a different nutrient profile. Meats are also critical for nutrients like B12 and protein. Fish and nuts provide healthy fats. Organ meats are incredibly rich in nutrients and should be consumed often.

All that being said, there is a downside to this approach. It mainly applies to people who struggle with health conditions (of which, I am one). People with health conditions often have some sort of nutritional difference. This can be due to the fact that the body is under stress and needs more of certain nutrients to be able to keep fighting for homeostasis. It could also be because the health condition makes it harder to absorb nutrients. Sometimes, people find that certain foods make their symptoms worse (food sensitivities) and they have to limit those foods or food groups in their diet. Certain medications can also deplete nutrients.

Depending on what foods you need to eliminate, it can be harder to truly get all the nutrients you need from your diet. So, people restrictive diets, specific health conditions that make it hard to get all the nutrients they need, and/or people who take medications that deplete certain nutrients should be supplementing. Those who are normally healthy and are not on restrictive diets can get all the nutrients they need through a whole food diet without supplementation.

Supplement Approach

The supplement approach is very popular with people who eat a standard American diet. These people absolutely need supplementation. However, supplementation may not save them from developing health conditions. Even if you can ensure you’re getting enough nutrients, the inflammatory effects of the standard American diet are not supportive of your body and hinder your ability to maintain homeostasis.

Still, the idea that you can just take a multivitamin and be fine is very prevalent. Another issue with the supplement approach is the fact that supplements are not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This means they are unregulated. Some brands of supplements don’t have what they say they have in them or they don’t have the exact amount they say they have. Finding brands you can trust can be hard (I list some of my favorites down below!). Multivitamins in particular are not usually in a bioavailable form. Bioavailability refers to how much of a drug or supplement is actually absorbed and used by the body. This means half your multivitamin could simply be disposed of by your body. The most bioavailable form of nutrients comes from food.

Assuming that you are using trustworthy supplement brands, there are several positives to supplementation. Collogen, creatine, organ meats, magnesium, cod liver oil, whey protein, etc. are all incredible supplements that support even a healthy person’s body.

If you have a health issue and you’re trying to use supplements alone to help solve it (or at least lessen your symptoms), you may find some relief…but not lasting change. You cannot supplement your way out of a poor diet. Your dietary habits need to change.

The Middle Ground

The middle ground on whole food vs. supplements is to make your priority a healing, supportive diet and then use supplements as side support. Supplements can make healing protocols work much faster and better than they would otherwise. Because diet is the best way to get nutrients and a poor diet is often the main source of gut inflammation, diet remains the most important factor in our health. We didn’t cover lifestyle choices in this post, but they are also important to a good healing protocol. For many people, lifestyle is even more important than supplementation.

When I put together protocols for clients, we always focus on diet first, then lifestyle, and then supplements. We eliminate food sensitivities (temporarily) and add specific supportive foods. We add lifestyle recommendations that keep them active, away from toxins, in balance hormonally, etc. Then, I recommend a tailored supplement plan. Most of the supplements are not meant to be permanent staples.

Some of the most effective protocols use supplementation. They help you get what you need quickly and you’re able to target specific nutrients that are harder to get from food alone. Let’s look at HCl (which is hydrochloric acid or stomach acid) as an example.

HCL is made in your stomach and it helps breaks down protein and it sterilizes food. Your body can only make adequate levels of HCL if you are properly hydrated, relaxed, not distracted while eating, have enough B vitamins, have enough protein in your meal/snack, and have enough bitter flavors in your diet. A lot of those are lifestyle shifts, which do not happen overnight. While you start to facilitate an environment where the body can produce adequate levels of HCL, an HCL supplement can help alleviate some of your symptoms (like heartburn and acid reflux). The more stomach acid in your stomach, the easier it is for your body to make more. This means that taking an HCL supplement may help your body create more on it’s own as well.

Trusted Supplement Brands

For supplements to work, they have to have the ingredients they say they have in them. Below are some of my favorite and most used supplement brands.

• Biotics
  • I use Biotics for several of my gut healing protocols. Hydrozyme, Gastrozyme, GI-Resolve, and Beta TCP are my most purchased products. I would recommend consulting with a practitioner before using these specialized products to make sure you actually need them.
• Perfect Supplements
  • I love Perfect for their multi-organ blend. All organs are from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows. Many people would benefit from this supplement especially if they’re not regularly eating organ meat.
• Smidge
  • Smidge digestive enzymes are fantastic. I use these all the time when I’m out and have to eat foods that aren’t really on my diet plan. They help you digest food better.
• Naked Nutrition
  • Naked nutrition is one of the few brands that sells powdered supplements that don’t contain additives. Their powdered bone broth, pre-workout, and creatine are my favorites.
• Urban Moonshine
  • Their digestive bitters are my favorite. Great for HCL production and your liver, the bitter flavor is important for proper digestive function. Modern eating habits have pretty much stripped the bitter flavor form our diets. This bitter formula is a great way to add it back in and reap the many health benefits.
• Organic Olivia
  • Formulated with organic herbs, Organic Olivia has teas, tinctures, and capsules that are wonderful for digestive health.
• Heart and Soil
  • Heart and Soil use organ blends to help you get to your specific health goal(s). Their histamine intolerance protocol in particular is impressive.
• Redmond Salt and Himalayan Crystal Salt
  • These salts are unrefined and contain several essential minerals. These (along with Celtic salt) are what I would recommend in place of table salt.
• Seeking Health
  • Seeking health is where I point people for general supplement needs.

Summary

You cannot supplement your way out of a poor diet. Whole foods are essential to your health. The supplements and brands I listed above are great and I use them regularly in my practice, but always as part of a protocol. The protocols I create and recommend are designed for specific issues and are informed by my training at the Nutritional Therapy Association and Restorative Wellness Solutions and my clinical experience. A diet-based approach is easier for people to figure out on their own than a therapeutic supplement plan is.

For instance, let’s say you believe your HCL production is low and you decide to take an HCL supplement. You need to know the symptoms of too much HCL (a warming feeling in your chest or diarrhea in some cases). Then you need to know how to proceed with dosing. Some people may need extra stomach lining support before starting an HCL supplement. Medications like PPIs should be discontinued before starting HCL supplementation. A practitioner will help you figure all of these factors out and guide you to the right next step for you.

Even in my protocols, diet and lifestyle play major roles. Many supplements are temporary whereas dietary changes are more long-term.

If you have any questions or comments, leave them down below! I’m always happy to respond and explain.

I hope you all have a beautiful week!