Garden Acupuncture explains how eating a whole-food plant based diet will decrease your chances of several high risk diseases.

I am sure most of you have heard recent news about vitamin supplements not preventing cancer and other diseases. You might be wondering how there can be so many positive studies showing the protective function of specific nutrients if  "vitamins" are not actually protecting those who take them regularly. Well, the initial research is done on the nutrients that come from actual, whole, complete foods. Then, business and industry take this information, isolate the nutrient, process it until it becomes suitable to sit on a shelf for several years and sell it to the consumer who thinks they are going to be healthier for buying and ingesting it. This is where the confusion begins. The nutrient most likely is as powerful and important for health as the initial research is indicating but it is not in the same form or context when it is taken as a pill. You see, nature has this way of making things, how do I put it? Perfect. Whole food plants contain vitamins, minerals, acids, antioxidants and other materials like phyonutrients in perfect combinations and amounts for ease of bodily absorption and maximum protective function. The phytonutrients alone are thought to  protect DNA and other cell parts from oxidation, detoxify environmental pollutants, deactivate carcinogens, boost the immune system and  prevent or delay onset of cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and other diseases.

It's clear that if you take all of the protective agents out of your diet by eating processed foods and isolated vitamins in capsules, that there will still be a high risk of disease.

So, now when someone tells you to "take your vitamins" you should head to your local farmers market. Be sure to pick fruits and vegetable of all colors because the more colors you eat, the more variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients you are getting. Eat a rainbow everyday!

For more information on phytonutrients: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar98/food0398.htm

For more information on vitamins: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17well.html