Whole foods provide everything your body needs to digest, process, and use the nutrients they contain. When food is eaten in its natural, unrefined form, it contains the enzymes and cofactors necessary for proper digestion and metabolism. These naturally occurring components are not random — they’re part of the complete design Mother Nature intended.

Vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, and nuts are true whole foods, ready-made packages of balanced nutrition. Even animal foods, when consumed in their entirety, can be considered “whole.” In traditional cultures, people utilized the entire animal — including organs, bones, blood, and fat — rather than just the muscle meat. In contrast, modern diets favor only select parts, leaving behind many of the minerals, enzymes, and fat-soluble nutrients that help the body process and balance those foods

When Food Loses Its Nature

Processed and refined foods are “phony” foods — stripped of their living essence. They may fill you up, but they don’t truly nourish. These foods are foreign to the body, even if you’ve eaten them for years. Every time you eat something unnatural, your body has to adapt its physiology to handle the impostor. Over time, that constant adaptation drains vitality and contributes to disease and discomfort.

Research confirms this. Diets high in ultra-processed foods are now linked to higher rates of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, depression, and premature death (Monteiro et al., Public Health Nutrition, 2019; Hall et al., Cell Metabolism, 2019). The more food is altered from its original state, the more it disturbs the body’s natural regulatory systems.

The Problem with “Phony” Foods

Take margarine, for example — one of the most common and long-standing processed foods. Although it’s made from vegetable oils, these oils are chemically altered through hydrogenation, a process that changes their structure and creates trans fats. Decades of research have shown that trans fats increase inflammation, raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and contribute to the development of heart disease (Mozaffarian et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2006). Even “trans-fat-free” margarines often contain highly refined seed oils that are easily oxidized, placing stress on your cells.

How the Body Compensates

Your body can adapt to many unnatural situations — but not without cost. Think of wearing one shoe with a slightly higher heel than the other. At first, you might not notice much. But over time, your knees, hips, and back begin to ache as your body strains to maintain balance. The original cause isn’t obvious, but the discomfort is real.

Processed foods act the same way. You might not immediately connect fatigue, bloating, or joint stiffness to your diet, but the connection is direct. Every adaptation your body makes to accommodate phony food moves you a step away from your natural state of health.

The Hidden Cost of Processed Foods

Some additives, like refined salt and artificial flavorings, provide no nutrition and simply overwork your system. Others — such as soft drinks, processed meats, and refined carbohydrates — are particularly harmful. They provide calories without living enzymes, deplete your alkaline mineral reserves, and overstimulate your nervous system. In the long run, this imbalance makes it harder for the body to heal, detoxify, and restore its natural equilibrium.

A 2023 review in The BMJ reported that people who consume the most ultra-processed foods have a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 20% higher risk of death from any cause compared to those who eat the least. The takeaway is clear: our bodies were never designed to run on industrial food.

Return to WholenessYour body’s ability to adapt is a remarkable survival mechanism — but it’s not meant to be used three times a day. True nourishment comes from foods that work with your physiology, not against it. Whole foods deliver the raw materials your body needs to generate energy, repair tissues, and maintain balance.

When you return to eating as nature intended — foods that are fresh, whole, and alive — your body no longer needs to fight for equilibrium. It can return to its natural state of vitality, healing, and strength.

Link to Morter March Monday Rebroadcast: