IN THE NEWS!

Mitchell’s column has been moved for this issue. There are some important changes occurring in the organic natural food industry. We interviewed Mitchell about these changes, and he shared his thoughts about the quality and safety of products in our industry that affect us all.

Thank you for visiting our new website. We enjoyed creating it and are overflowing with ideas for future pages and additions. Our hope is that this website redesign will facilitate an even greater level of communication with all of you while enhancing our efforts toward environmentally sustainable business practices (the production and delivery of printed material take an environmental toll, even when recycled paper is used). On our site you can read articles, review literature, see what’s new, listen to interviews with Mitchell, or place orders ~ and don’t forget to send a page to a friend! — ES

AIN’T NOTHIN’ LIKE THE REAL THING . . .
The importance of whole food and organic living to health and well-being is really very simple, so simple, in fact, that most people overlook it. The unending noise from media and advertising keeps people chasing the latest nutritional fad and leaves them in a state of confusion. It is so essential that we turn down the volume and center back in on fundamental truths. If we let ourselves be swept up by the tide of marketing hype, we surrender our connection to the energy that has sustained us since the beginning of time.

Given the overwhelming amount of information we encounter daily about food, health, and nutrition, one could easily assume that we know nearly all there is to know about the composition of food and sustaining good health. In truth, we do not. The mystery of life is so much vaster than our present ability to comprehend ~ the subtle intricacies of the human body, or a simple plant, are not easily delineated or comprehended via reductionistic scientific methods.

However, there is one thing we do know with certainty. For thousands of years, human beings have thrived by consuming the bounty of natural foods that surround them. Until very recently, whole, vibrant, fresh roots, fruits, greens, algae and sea vegetables, herbs, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and, in some cases, limited amounts of dairy, eggs, fish, and meat were gathered from the immediate surroundings and eaten right away or quickly prepared and then eaten. Food preservation was limited to drying and fermenting, and nothing was added to or taken away from these deeply nutritious foods ~ they were simply consumed in their natural, whole state. Common sense tells us that these whole foods must have contained the compounds necessary to nurture life because our species has clearly flourished!

In the early 1900s scientists began analyzing food and identified the compounds we now call vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral deficiency diseases were also identified, and for decades it was assumed that these compounds were responsible for the life-supporting benefits of food. Once this happened, pharmaceutical companies began manufacturing USP nutrients ~ synthetic replications of the individual compounds identified as vitamins and minerals. For example, manufacturers isolate and extract a glucose (sugar) molecule from corn and chemically tweak it so that it mimics the ascorbic acid molecule found in foods that contain vitamin C. They then label it as vitamin C and sell it. The only problem is that it is not vitamin C, so consuming this synthetic nutrient does not result in the same benefits as consuming a food rich in vitamin C.

Fortunately, science is beginning to catch up with common sense! Once researchers began to notice that there was a decided difference in the outcomes of studies that utilized food versus studies that utilized isolated, synthetic nutrients, they started re-examining the foods that we know are particularly beneficial to health. In doing so, they have discovered other classes of nutrients now known as co-factors, co-enzymes, and phytonutrients. Some examples of these are trace minerals, bioflavonoids, carotenes, lutein, and anthocyanins. Many others have not yet been identified. These co-factors and phytonutrients, along with the amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates found in whole foods, form an incredibly complex grouping of compounds that also includes the identified vitamin or mineral. In other words, a naturally occurring vitamin or mineral is not just one isolated molecule ~ it is actually a complex group of compounds bound together.

Within this complex grouping, the individual components interact synergistically to create the beneficial effects we associate with a particular vitamin/mineral or food. It is essential to understand that no one isolated molecule in any nutrient grouping is responsible for the results or benefits we experience when consuming it, just as no one stone is responsible for creating Notre Dame. Moreover, isolated vitamins or minerals are not found in any food. For example, we don’t find just ascorbic acid, by itself, anywhere except in a USP supplement. Vitamins and minerals always occur together because they require one another’s support to be effective. It’s a complicated, elegant dance!

Just as the intricate interactions of these complex groupings found in food are not yet fully understood, neither are their complex interactions within the cells of our bodies. We do know that they are necessary to sustain life, that they promote cardiovascular health, strengthen the immune system, and support optimal neural functioning, and that they provide antioxidant protection, but how, exactly, all that occurs remains unclear. Life truly is mysterious, and we will never understand it, in all its magnificence, by pulling apart the pieces and studying them. One cannot comprehend the beauty of a rose by plucking off its petals to view them under a microscope ~ when you destroy the whole, you destroy its beauty and function.

Given all that we know and all that we do not know, it seems that the wisest course of action is doing that which we know works ~ nourishing ourselves with natural, whole foods and whole-food supplements. Maintaining optimal health is not complicated; at a fundamental level, it is simply about common sense and trusting our instinctive wisdom. Instinctively, we know that consuming isolated chemicals and calling them “life supporting” makes no sense. Instinctively, we know that whole, natural foods are a far superior source of nutrition than synthetic chemicals. This is one of the beauties of life. Simplicity works. It doesn’t have to be complicated or intellectually challenging to be effective and true! — ES

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FROM ELIZA
There is a shopping experience many of you probably have in common: you walk into the supplement department of your local natural food store to select a multiple vitamin and mineral formula, and swimming in front of you is a sea of bottles ~ your eyes glaze over, your head spins, you are immobilized! How to choose? Fortunately, the answer is really much simpler than it appears. Despite the copious number of products and the mosaic of labels, there is actually fundamentally little difference in the products themselves. The isolated, chemically synthesized “nutrients” found in the vast majority of supplements are all exactly the same (in fact, most come from the same chemical manufacturer). The only thing that is truly different about any of these products is their marketing.

Within that vast array of labels, there are only two (possibly three) categories of multivitamin and mineral formulas. The first category contains basic formulas in which the isolated, chemically synthesized crystals of individual “nutrients” are mixed together and then encapsulated or tableted. The second category contains more marketing fluff. In these products, you’ll find the chemical “nutrients” mixed with very small amounts of foods, such as bee pollen, herbs, soy concentrate, and alfalfa. This allows the manufacturer to claim the product contains the foods that people are seeking, but the quantities are so small and potencies are so low that they are completely insignificant. The disturbing thing about both of these categories is that neither are whole food, and yet they comprise 99% of the vitamin and mineral products on the shelves. It would seem only logical that “natural food supplements” would, in fact, be natural food, and most people assume that they are. Unfortunately they are not. The overwhelming majority of supplements are actually some of the most refined, artificial “foods” on the market today. Only products in the third, and tiniest, category contain real, whole-food nutrients in their formulas, and within this category, only Vita Synergy™ is 100% natural whole food.

Why should this matter to you? Very simply, because it matters greatly to your body! You will not find isolated, chemically synthesized “nutrients” anywhere in nature. All whole, natural foods contain hundreds of naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, co-factors, phytonutrients, enzymes, amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates that work together synergistically to nourish the cells of your body. When you consume them, your body recognizes them as nourishment and knows exactly what to do with them. We know that your body knows the difference between synthetic isolates and real food, so when we formulated Vita Synergy for Women and Vita Synergy for Men, we were committed to creating the first and only 100% natural, whole-food multiple vitamin, mineral, and herb formula. This turned out to be no small undertaking, as not only did we have to develop a whole-food formula, we also had to invent an entirely new method to form tablets because customary tableting techniques utilize chemical glues, binders, lubricants, and even beetle secretions. No way were we letting that in the building! Our exclusive process allows us to form a tablet utilizing only whole foods ~ out tablets contain no synthetic chemicals or beetle juice. (Please see www.synergy-co.com/pages/vita-synergy.html for further information about our unique tableting process.)

Vita Synergy’s nutrient formulas are also very exceptional. Both Vita Synergy for Women and Vita Synergy for Men contain our innovative and exclusive Naturally Grown Nutrients™ to provide a solid foundation for radiant health. These special vitamins and minerals are hydroponically grown in a process very similar to the normal growth cycle of plants. During this process, each vitamin and mineral is biotransformed and integrated into a complex, whole-food matrix composed of millions of microscopic plant cells rich in life-giving vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, amino acids, co-enzymes, trace elements, and many other phytonutrients. This results in a biologically superior source of nutrition that your body can easily assimilate to enhance all its vital, life-sustaining processes. In essence, Vita Synergy is a highly concentrated, nourishing whole food and not simply a conglomeration of isolated, chemically synthesized “nutrients.” This is nutrition your body welcomes and utilizes!

Your body especially welcomes the botanical treats we’ve included in Vita Synergy. Genuinely radiant health requires more than vitamins and minerals, so we added potent antioxidant and adaptogenic Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Western herbal concentrates to provide full-spectrum support for the unique needs of women and men. These exquisite herbs have been used since the beginning of recorded history to help our bodies adapt to stress and maintain metabolic and hormonal balance while sustaining a healthy level of energy. Unlike other products, Vita Synergy contains generous servings of these rejuvenating herb blends (the quantities recommended by researchers and healthcare providers). Our herbal concentrates are pharmaceutical quality and have been expertly concentrated and tested to ensure that all their beneficial compounds are present and active. Thus, our special blends are many times more potent than those used by other companies and will truly help strengthen and revitalize your physical and energetic being.

It’s hard to comprehend just how exquisite these botanical blends are unless you see and smell them. When the flowers and herbs arrive at our facility, it is like walking in a brilliantly colored outdoor flower market that has a delicious, intoxicating scent ~ we all “oooo” and “ahhh” over the luscious potpourri of aromas and colors. You have no idea how tempting it is to hijack these gorgeous botanicals and take them straight home with us!

This is the unique benefit of Vita Synergy. When you consume Vita Synergy, you are actually receiving two restorative formulas in one product ~ a complete multiple vitamin and mineral formula, and a full-strength botanical formula lush with highly beneficial herbs, spices, and flowers. In the sea of multiple vitamin/mineral products there is truly no precedent for the deep level of support offered by Vita Synergy for Women’s and Vita Synergy for Men’s 100% natural whole-food formulas. When your body is nourished at the fundamental level, you do flourish. You will notice the difference!

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Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomized trials, it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements.
— Robert H. Fletcher, MD, MSc; Kathleen M. Fairfield, MD, DrPH, Journal of the American Medical Association, June 19, 2002.

JUICY FRUITS IN PURE SYNERGY™ !
Last summer we added organic whole-apple powder (an abundant source of quercetin and phenolic acids) to Pure Synergy™. This summer we’ve added freeze-dried, organic blueberries and raspberries to create a vibrant antioxidant fruit salad in every glass of Pure Synergy.

Phytonutrients and antioxidants are compounds that create the colors of plants or fruits, and different colors are associated with different classes of beneficial phytonutrients. For this reason, health professionals and researchers recommend people consume fruits and vegetables every day that span the color spectrum. Algae and other green foods contribute highly detoxifying chlorophyll and alginates as well as protective phycocyanins, indoles, sulforaphane, and carotenes (including lutein and zeaxanthin). The intense reds and blues of fruits contribute yet another class of exceptionally protective phytonutrients, including ellagic acid, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanins. Because berries are seasonal and highly perishable, most people are unable to consume them in the daily quantities recommended by researchers. We thought including them in Pure Synergy would be a perfect way to help ensure that we all receive a full spectrum of these important compounds every day.

We have also eliminated the royal jelly in Pure Synergy. Please see our interview with Mitchell for a fuller explanation. — ES

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INTERVIEW WITH MITCHELL MAY, PhD
The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) becomes effective October 21, 2002. For an ingredient or product to be labeled as organic, it must be grown organically, and it must be processed and packaged in a facility that has been certified to manufacture organic products. Because the effect of these important regulatory changes is so far-reaching, we asked Mitchell to speak with us about it.

Q: We’ve all been hearing about the new NOP organic regulations. What are they?
A: For years, people and organizations dedicated to preserving organic, sustainable agriculture and planetary health have collaborated with the USDA to develop a national organic standard that applies to all the farmers and processors involved in organic food and supplement production. The new regulations clearly define how organic substances must be grown and processed and which materials and products may be labeled as organic.

Q: Was this really necessary?
A: Sadly, it was. Within the natural food and supplement industry, there has been a great deal of deception around this issue. Manufacturers and growers not uncommonly claim their products are organic when, in fact, they are not.

Q: This has been occurring even in the natural products industry?
A: Absolutely. In the natural products industry, the word organic has been extremely abused. However, the new NOP regulations will help ensure that when something is labeled as “made with organic ingredients” or “organic”, you can be certain it is the truth. Independent certifying agencies will regularly visit production facilities and farms to monitor every aspect, from growing to production, to ensure compliance with the NOP. For example, soil amendments, seed selection, pest control techniques, preservation methods, drying and milling processes, packaging used ~ any activity involving or substance contacting the plant or ingredient about which an organic clain is made ~ will be reviewed.

Q: So where do GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and irradiation fit into the picture?
A: Under the new regulations, GMOs are prohibited in any product that has any kind of an organic claim. The same is true for irradiation and a whole host of other practices, such as using sewage sludge as a fertilizer.

Q: Why is irradiation a concern? How prevalent is it?
A: Companies use irradiation to kill bacteria that can cause great harm when they are consumed. However, to me, that is a very backwards way of resolving the problem. Pathogenic bacteria become a problem when materials are grown and handled improperly ~ without adequate hygiene, sanitation, and quality controls. Killing bacteria with radiation is not the answer, as many health researchers have raised concerns about the potential health risks of consuming irradiated foods. We must ensure the bacteria aren’t there in the first place.

Q: But the foods and supplements at natural food stores aren’t being irradiated, are they?
A: I’m very sad to say that a great many of the raw materials used in natural products are irradiated, and this practice is not reflected on product labels. Also, many ingredients are derived from genetically modified materials. Vitamin C (the synthesized ascorbic acid form) often comes from corn that has been genetically modified. Much of the soy used to synthesize vitamin E is genetically modified. Some vitamin A comes from fish that are actually raised in captivity. The fish are bred in a manner that is more economically feasible for the grower ~ they are fed GM grains and then irradiated upon their death. It’s very, very complicated . . .

This is the value of the new NOP regulations: they restore meaning to the word “organic,” and organic foods will be the safest and purest foods available to consumers. Many years ago, our industry was founded on a commitment to these concepts, but we’ve gotten far away from that due to, in my opinion, people’s greed.

Q: So help me connect the dots. I really thought that if I was buying natural foods, that’s what I was getting. How did this happen? You say the industry started out natural and then greed took over; it doesn’t make any sense.
A: I agree. It doesn’t seem to make sense. However, it requires a lot of effort and expense to ensure that every aspect of a facility and a product is hygienic and safe ~ that all the proper checks and balances are in place. It’s much cheaper to just let the bacteria breed and then attempt to kill it after the fact with things like irradiation, chemicals, or gasses. Or if you’re a farmer and you want your crops to yield just a bit more, you throw more pesticides, fungicides or other chemicals on them. Unfortunately, those chemicals are intended to kill. They accumulate in our bodies and cause our cells to mutate. Before you know it, the chemicals are a participant in the development cancer and other diseases. These adverse effects are well known. I believe it is downright irresponsible and unethical to proliferate hazardous chemicals in our foods and supplements. We’re raising our children on these substances, we’re raising ourselves on them, and it’s utterly dangerous.

Q: So given your commitment to organics, why aren’t all your products 100% organic?
A: There are certain ingredients that simply aren’t available in organic form, so we are constantly working to develop new organic sources. Additionally, NOP regulations were developed for land-based agriculture, and the USDA doesn’t yet know where to place some aquaculture products. As result, some of these products remain in regulatory limbo while the USDA develops rules to address the peculiarities of aquaculture. Another challenge is with herbal extracts. The herb itself may be grown organically, but it may be extracted in a facility that is not yet certified to produce organic products. It will take many companies two to three years to become certified because it’s not an easy process. Fortunately, The Synergy Company™, from the day we opened our doors, has been certified to manufacture organic products, so everything we do is compliant with the new regulations. We face a similar challenge with materials from countries, such as China and Tibet, that do not yet have adequate external auditing agencies and, therefore, have not yet been granted reciprocity with the NOP in this country. Until that reciprocity is in place, most materials from these countries cannot be labeled certified organic, even if they are produced organically. For this reason, it is very important that manufacturers who use ingredients from these countries test the materials for pesticides and radiation residues as well as for heavy metals.

Q: Do you do that?
A: Absolutely. The Synergy Company has done that since day one. We require the testing of anything that is not certified organic. Our specifications are based upon the Japanese, German, or FDA standards, whichever is most stringent.

Q: I notice some formula changes in Pure Synergy. Are they related to the new organic regulations?
A: Not really. The majority of our ingredients are already certified organic (or if they’re from a source that doesn’t have a certification process, they have been tested). The changes that we’ve made to Pure Synergy are based on the very latest research. The one most important to me is the removal of royal jelly. I am a huge fan of royal jelly; however, it came to our attention, through some very interesting European research, that some imported bee products, including royal jelly, recently tested positive for a small amount of residue of the veterinary antibiotic chloramphenicol. This powerful antibiotic doesn’t belong in the food chain. At one time, it was so misused by the dairy industry that some consumers still have residues of it remaining in their bodies today. Because of the harm chloramphenicol can cause when residues build in the human body, the FDA has a zero-tolerance policy for residues (it is also banned in Canada, Europe, and Japan). Its use in foreign hives began only very recently with an epidemic of life-threatening foul brood that infected beehives all around the world. Unfortunately, due to the previous rarity of chloramphenicol residue in bee products, there are only a few laboratories in the world that are certified and approved to test for its presence in certain bee products. These labs now have such a backlog that it takes months to obtain test results. Since we really don’t want to take any chances with anyone’s health, we decided to stop using royal jelly in our products altogether. This is a very conservative action, and we are the first company in the US to do it. I strongly suggest that anyone consuming products that contain royal jelly contact the manufacturer and ask for documented verification that the royal jelly is free of chloramphenicol.

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YOUR QUESTIONS
Q: How come there’s not more calcium in Vita Synergy for Women? Leila Sutherland, New York, NY
A: The issue of calcium supplementation is complicated. Some people require additional megadoses of calcium, and some do not. Moreover, research indicates that adding megadoses of calcium or magnesium to a multiple vitamin and mineral formula is not an effective way to deliver supplemental calcium or other vitamins and minerals.

It is also really important to keep in mind that calcium is not the only nutrient, or even the only mineral, required for healthy bones. Strong bones require vitamins C, D, and K as well as calcium, magnesium, boron, silica, manganese, and other nutrients. For these nutrients to be optimally utilized in the body, they must be in proper proportion to one other. If these ratios are destabilized by a disproportionate amount of just one mineral, the absorption and utilization of all minerals is adversely affected. So while a large quantity of calcium in Vita Synergy might seem desirable, a significant amount of it would imbalance the mineral ratios and might adversely affect the utilization of other minerals in Vita Synergy. For this reason, most nutritionists and healthcare practitioners recommend that if you need extra calcium, take a separate supplement that contains calcium and other bone nutrients by itself at bedtime (in other words, not with your other supplements). This reduces the possibility that one of your supplements will negatively affect the absorption of another and might enhance your body’s utilization of calcium. Calcium seems to be most effectively deposited into bone tissue when we are sleeping.

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ABOUT OUR COVER IMAGE

So many of you have asked about our location that we thought you might like to see the breathtaking views we appreciate every day! The Synergy Company offices and production facility are located in remote Moab, Utah. Nestled between stunning redrock cliffs and the La Sal Mountains, our award-winning, FDA-registered production facility reflects the pristine and radiant environment that surrounds it.

It is no accident that we are located in such a magnificent place. The unspoiled and pollutant-free environment enhances the purity of our products. The pulse of this majestic landscape is always with us — in meetings, during product production, and while speaking to you on the phone. It is an intrinsic part of The Synergy Company and all our products.

To learn more about our production facility, which is certified to manufacture organic and kosher products, please visit our production laboratories website at www.synergyproduction.com.

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