Be the Positive Change Series
Care For Your Body
Nutrition
I’m not sure about you, but when I feel awful, I can’t be positive about anything. For decades I struggled with an array of health issues, and while I knew the old saying “You are what you eat”. At the time I thought I was too busy with work and a social life to prepare a healthy meal. So, I ate foods that were fast, cheap and easy, and that is exactly how I felt.
So, what does all of that fast, cheap and easy gunk food do to our system? Well, it does just that, it gunks it up. The chemicals used in processed foods are often difficult to digest and excrete. They sit in our intestines like sludge. This sludge fuels inflammation which can lead to a myriad of diseases including dysbiosis, IBD, and chronic inflammation, just to name a few.
Unfortunately, many of the name brand ultra processed and restaurant foods contain as many, if not more chemicals and fillers than actual food. These ‘food like products’ are great for a company’s bottom line. They are cheap to produce and have a long shelf life with a pleasant and consistent taste. It’s this consistency, along with a lot of creative marketing that keeps people hooked as products fly off the shelves and out of drive-thru windows.
However, during commercial processing food often loses its delicate natural vitamins. In order for our bodies to digest ultra processed products, manufacturers found they must add synthetic vitamins after processing to avoid health issues linked to cellular function and antioxidant defense. The problem is, our bodies struggle to process a single synthetic vitamin.
The human body evolved in an ecosystem where vitamins and minerals arrive via real whole foods like avocados and chicken. Each vitamin comes with a variety of co-nutrients, all working in synergy to complete complex cellular functions. While the synthetic vitamins found in packaged food may fit into a cell’s vitamin receptor, the synthetic version lacks the same compatibility and usability as the natural vitamin. Not only do synthetic vitamins lack full compatibility, they lock into vitamin receptors, potentially blocking natural vitamins from doing their job.
Artificial dyes and colors are another area where synthetic chemicals sneak into our food system. Humans prefer colorful food for a good reason. Our color sense helps us determine what foods are ripe and ready to eat or spoiled and should be avoided. A plump red juicy tomato looks appetizing, whereas a brown deflated tomato looks like it has gone bad. Food manufacturers have taken advantage of this biological sense by adding color to lifeless processed products. A bowl of Fruity Pebbles looks more appetizing to a child than a bowl of brown rice.
However, an array of nutrients are needed to process synthetic dye chemicals through the liver’s detoxification phases. When any of the essential vitamins or minerals are missing, the body is able to use a back up system to complete the task, however that process can only function for so long before chronic disease appears. This is why people who consume a diet high in processed foods, especially those high in sugar, and low in whole foods have an increase in chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and anxiety. Studies have also linked artificial colors and dyes to behavioral and mood disorders, especially in children.
On the other hand, good nutritious food is fuel for our bodies and minds. A healthy diet consists of whole and unprocessed food from a clean and reliable source. Understanding a manufacturer’s and farmer’s business practices are important to avoid chemical pesticides, herbicides, synthetic vitamins and dyes. An independent study by the Environmental Working Group found that the O’s in Cheerios contain a hearty dose of glyphosate. Wait, if Cheerios contain glyphosate why is it not listed on the package ingredients? Glyphosate is a byproduct of the conventional oat industry used as a drying agent. Glyphosate contamination is due to farming practices, not an added ingredient and does not need to be listed on package ingredients.
When choosing whole foods, it is best to purchase from an organic, seasonal farm whenever possible. Eating foods that are in season helps to control weight gain and regulate nutrient intake. While it is not possible to avoid every chemical and hazard, it is important to make smart and well thought out choices when it comes to your food and nutrition.
Resources:
EWG, Reinhardt, 2025, New Research Further Highlights the Harms of Ultra Processed Food. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2025/11/new-research-further-highlights-harms-ultra-processed-food
Medical News Today, Brazier, 2023, Benefits and Sources of Vitamin B2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219561
Naturopathy for the 21st Century, Thiel, Whitman Publications, 2011.
Dirty Genes, Lynch, Harper One, 2018.
Green Med Info, Bakthavachalu, 2019, A study conducted at Southampton University in England found a link between food dyes and hyperactive behavior in children. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/study-conducted-southampton-university-england-found-link-between-food-dyes-an
EWG, Naidenko, 2019, In New Round of Tests, Monsanto’s Weedkiller Still Contaminates Foods Marketed to Children. https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/monsanto-weedkiller-still-contaminates-foods-marketed-to-children
