Are your vitamins synthetic or natural?

During my lifetime I have taken supplements in fits and starts depending on how healthy or unhealthy I was feeling.  Or perhaps I was more influenced by some savy advertising I may have come across whilst doing my weekly grocery shop.  After being diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I started a regime of taking additional supplements each day under the guidance of a Integrated Medical Practitioner.  I was reluctant to take any supplements given the fact that I gave my diet a massive overall after my diagnosis and I now mainly eat a varied whole food plant based diet which provides me with all the nutrients I could possibly need but I have been advised that after my chemotherapy and radiation my body needs all the support it can get whilst it recovers from a year's worth of treatment so that it can concentrate on the important stuff like getting rid of every last nasty cancer cell.  Even if you believe you have the best diet in the world which is right just for you (this is called bio-individuality), there are certain supplements which would do you a whole word of good if you took them religiously i.e. mineral supplements are great as the soil in this modern day of age has been over cultivated and are missing vital minerals which have been depleted, these are essential for a fully functional healthy system and to give your body balance.  One very important consideration which I was not aware of was whether or not the supplement was made from synthetic substances or natural substances.  Of course natural is the way to go but how do we really know whether or not what we taking is the real mccoy?  Well...if you remember these tips you will be well on your way to making a good choice when you purchase your next supplement:-

1. Look for the words "100 percent natural" on the products label.  Some labels say they are 'natural' but be sure that they say 100% natural.
2. Look for a food source on the label.  If the label doesn't have a list of natural food sources then it is synthetic.
3. Look for whole foods on the ingredient list rather than a particular nutrient.  If Vit C is on the ingredient list then it is almost always guaranteed to be a synthetic vitamin.
4. Learn how to read the products label and look for keywords that indicate it is a synthetic.  Words that end in 'ide' or 'ate' indicate that the product contains salt forms, which are synthetics.

Speak to the pharmacist when purchasing a supplement, they will also be able to identify synthetic ingredients.  The good news is that once you have chosen a brand that you know you can trust you will then never have to do this exercise again!

Please remember that a poor diet cannot be substituted with supplements.  Its important to consume a varied diet and to try and get most of your nutrients from the food that you eat and then supplement on top of that if need be.