I have personally enjoyed the benefits of Standard Process whole foods supplements and introduced them into my practice in October. I’d like to share with you what I learned about these useful supplements during an educational weekend touring their impressive facility in Palmyra, WI. 

The company

Standard Process is the first and oldest whole food supplement company in the United States, started by Royal Lee in 1929. Their products have been sold through health professionals since that time. They grow as many of their raw materials as possible on their 1,000 acres of organically certified land. This nutrient-rich soil is tested, along with incoming raw materials and the final product, at every stage of production in an in-house quality-control lab.

Whole food supplements

The best way to nourish your body is by eating a diet rich in whole foods. Unfortunately, most of us fall short when it comes to getting the variety and quality of food we need, not to mention the fact that many vegetables are being grown in soils that have been stripped of many necessary nutrients by conventional farming methods. If you are taking any prescription and/or non-prescription drugs, you may be losing nutrients as well. This is where supplementation comes in, but not all supplements are created equal.

Most supplements on the market are made up of synthetic vitamins and minerals. A synthetic vitamin is an isolated chemical that has been identified as the active constituent of a vitamin complex molecule. This is the pharmaceutical version of nutrition. Studies have shown that the body better absorbs nutrients when taking them by a vitamin in its whole food form, rather than in isolation.

By combining concentrated whole foods, Standard Process is able to create supplements that go above and beyond the synthetic variety. Whole food nutrition includes the following important components: (1) synergistic nutrients, (2) glandular support, and (3) phytonutrients. 

1. As mentioned above, single vitamins taken out of a whole food may not be as effective in promoting health as eating the food itself. Each food has its nutrients and synergistic cofactors that provide you with the most effective, well-balanced nutritional supplement. 
2. Animal glandular tissues provide nutrients to stimulate the corresponding tissues in humans, enhancing natural cell and tissue repair. This particularly appeals to my Chinese medicine background, since it is common practice to recommend eating the part of an animal that is weak in your own body. In the modern Western world, we have practically stopped eating organ meats, and have thereby lost a lot of nutrition and healing potential.
3. Phytonutrients are nutrients found in plants that are necessary to maintain health. They have many purposes, including supporting the immune system, supporting cellular communication, acting as antioxidants, etc.

Standard Process makes over 175 supplement products to both support general health and to treat particular disorders and deficiencies. In most cases, it is recommended that the supplements be taken with each meal since your body absorbs supplements best when all its digestive functions are active. 

Red Clover Clinic has many Standard Process products in stock. If you are interested in learning more about general nutrition or treating a particular complaint, please feel free to contact me!