Why Fortified Foods May be Making You Sicker (Even If You Think You're Eating "Healthy")

As a Nutritional Therapist I work with clients struggling with chronic symptoms that conventional medicine can't explain - brain fog, burnout, anxiety, gut issues, hormonal imbalances. Often these symptoms trace back to one root issue: a diet built around processed, fortified foods.

You might think you're doing "okay" nutritionally - but if you're relying on enriched grains, protein bars, or synthetic supplements to get your vitamins, there's a deeper conversation we need to have.

The Hidden Cost of Fortified Foods

In 1998, the FDA began requiring folic acid to be added to all refined grain products. While this policy reduced certain birth defects, it also introduced long-term issues for many people - especially those with MTHFR gene variants (which affect up to 50% of the population) who struggle to metabolize synthetic folic acid.

Instead of getting folate from greens and beans (where it's naturally abundant), we've normalized eating processed grains fortified with synthetic folic acid - a form your body may not recognize or process well. This shift contributes to:

• Oxidative stress (cellular damage)

• Dopamine imbalances

• Chronic stress, fatigue, and mental health issues

Shop on the periphery of grocery stores to avoid many fortified foods. Check out your local food co-op.

Stuck in Survival Mode

Oxidative stress keeps your nervous system on high alert, triggering cravings for quick dopamine (sugar, junk food, screen time). This feedback loop makes healthy choices feel harder and keeps many people in survival mode - wired, tired, and burned out. It's not about willpower, it's biology.

Supplements Won't Save You

Many people try to fix this with supplements; magnesium, greens powders, methylfolate, etc., but these often don't work long-term and may even make things worse if your body isn't ready for them. The real solution is to nourish your body at the foundational level, with real food.

So Where Do You Start?

To help clients break this cycle, I created a practical resource:

Improving Stress Tolerance with Nutrition and Herbs

This isn't just another "health ebook." It's a step-by-step guide to the three non-negotiable dietary shifts I recommend to nearly every client. It's based on what I've seen work consistently in clinical practice, especially for people struggling with:

• Low energy

• Hormonal issues

• Anxiety or brain fog

• Food sensitivities or gut inflammation - though this may required additional, individualized support

The guide is $30, a small, intentional investment in your long-term health.

Get the Guide

Real Healing Takes Real Nourishment

If you're tired of chasing quick fixes, I invite you to start building a solid foundation for your health. You don't have to overhaul everything overnight, just take the first step.

This guide is a perfect entry point if you're:

• Curious about working with me

• Ready to take control of your health

• Open to a more sustainable, food-first approach

Your body is designed to heal, but only when it's given the right support.

Helaina Greb, LMT, NTP