When I founded Hallelujah Acres over 20 years ago and designed the Hallelujah Diet, which I patterned after God’s Genesis 1:29 Diet as found in the Bible, I believed that all man had to do was consume the nutrients God had placed in the fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts in the garden and he would receive all the nutrients needed to supply the body with the full spectrum of nutrients necessary to sustain life and experience health.
I didn’t believe that supplements were necessary. And sure enough, people were getting well on this diet and sending me incredible testimonies of healing from all kinds of physical problems without supplements. But not everyone was experiencing these wonderful improvements in health by simply following the Hallelujah Diet. Why?
Dr. Michael Donaldson Joins Hallelujah Acres
Then around 1997, I received a letter from Michael Donaldson, a young Christian man and a student about to graduate from Cornell University in New York State (where Dr. T. Colin Campbell taught, author of The China Study). He had a PhD in Chemical Engineering. In his letter he shared how his wife had some difficulties during a pregnancy and after adopting the Hallelujah Diet, her problems were resolved. In the letter he went on to say that most of his fellow students (classmates) were planning a career in the drug industry. Well, Michael being a Christian and not wishing to pursue a career in the drug industry, shared that he would rather come to work for Hallelujah Acres and do research on the Hallelujah Diet to make sure that there were no weaknesses in the diet and what Hallelujah Acres was teaching. I wanted the Hallelujah Diet to be the most up-to-date word on nutrition and so I asked Michael to come for an interview. After the interview I was so impressed by this young man that I hired him. He has now been heading up our research department here at Hallelujah Acres for nearly 20 years, helping us to stay current with the most recent scientific research findings in nutrition and helping us formulate the nutritional supplements and products that carry the Hallelujah Diet label.B12 Test On Health Ministers
One of Dr. Donaldson’s first concerns after he came on board at Hallelujah Acres was in regard to B12: Were those following the Hallelujah Diet receiving sufficient B12 in their food? Was there any B12 in the Hallelujah Diet? Could a deficiency in B12 possibly be a reason some were not receiving complete healing following the Hallelujah Diet? In an effort to find the answers, he tested 100 Health Ministers as to their vitamin B12 sufficiency. These were Health Ministers who had been on the Hallelujah Diet for at least two years. To our surprise, 47 of those tested, who had been on the Hallelujah Diet in excess of 2 years, were deficient. How could God’s Genesis 1:29 diet, on which the Hallelujah Diet was based – be deficient in such a valuable nutrient? Dr. Donaldson’s further research revealed something very interesting; vitamin B12 is not available in any plant food! (Not even in blue green algae where it is in an analog form, not useable by the body.) The next thing we learned was that though vitamin B12 does not come in the plant, the potential for B12 does come on the plant in the form of bacteria, if the plant has not received excess sanitation. In other words, the friendly bacteria in the soil, that clings to the just pulled carrot for instance, has the friendly bacteria clinging to it that the body uses to manufacture B12. So Dr. Donaldson took the 47 Health Ministers who had shown a vitamin B12 deficiency and divided those who were deficient into three groups. He gave one group a B12 sublingual supplement, another group received a probiotic (friendly bacteria from which the body could manufacture B12), and the last group got nutritional yeast (containing B12). The group that received the B12 supplement showed the fastest return to B12 sufficiency. Those receiving the nutritional yeast were the next to return to sufficiency. And the last to return to B12 sufficiency were those taking the friendly bacteria in the form of a viable probiotic. But all three groups showed B12 improvement! This test on Hallelujah Acres Health Ministers for adequacy of B12 resulted in Dr. Donaldson doing further research on B12 and ultimately developing our B12, B6, Folic Acid sublingual tablet, using the methylcobalamin form of B12, rather than the cheap, low-grade cyanocobalamin that is so difficult for the body to absorb.“This product was recently upgraded to include folate rather than folic acid. In the past few years some concerns have been raised regarding the use of folic acid. From our research, folic acid in reasonable amounts is not only safe but proven beneficial. However, folate is the more bioavailable and active form of this nutrient (also formerly known as B9). With the introduction of Quatrefolic® and Pyridoxal5-phosphate we have been able to improve the quality of the supplement we offer. “The Hallelujah Diet B12, B6, and Folate Dietary Supplement contains bio-active forms of all three vitamins. Methylcobalamin is the preferred form of B12, showing superior action for supporting nerve heath. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P 5-P) is bio-active form of vitamin B6 that prevents lipid oxidation and also protects proteins from glycation reactions and the formation of AGES (advanced glycation end products). Quatrefolic® is an activated form of methylfolate which bypasses common DNA mutations which make supplemental folic acid unusable. Methylfolate is the form of folate found in foods. Together these three vitamins may play an important role in optimizing homocysteine levels in the body, which may support cardiovascular health.”Sadly, most B12 supplements on the market today are made with a cheaper, lower grade form of B12, called cyanocobalamin. This is the most difficult form of B12 for the body to absorb. Most B12 supplements contain this form of B12, but the very best B12 supplements are made with the sublingual methylcobalamin form of B12. This distinction is important! Before Hallelujah Acres did this research on B12, there were many vegan websites that said that pure vegans did not have to worry about B12 adequacy, but once Hallelujah Acres released its research findings, most vegan websites stopped saying plant foods contained B12 and started encouraging supplementation. Hallelujah Acres was the first to bring this awareness to the vegan community.
More About B12
Deficiency in B12 now affects nearly 50% of older adults, while nearly 40% of all adults (regardless of age) are flirting with a deficiency status and may already be suffering with symptoms of deficiency as a result and don’t realize what the problem is. Fortunately, many are starting to become aware of this deficiency as it has been learned that pregnant mothers who are deficient in B12 can produce neurological problems in infants. Here’s what others are saying about B12 deficiency:- “Being even mildly deficient in vitamin B12 may put older adults at a greater risk for accelerated cognitive decline.” Tufts Nutrition News
- “B12 is the most important nutrient you aren’t thinking about…B12 deficiency can mimic all of the effects of aging.” Dr. David Katz of Yale University Prevention Center.
- “B12 deficiency is common, with troubling symptoms…that are similar to many other problems related to growing older.” Mayo Clinic Health Letter
- “B12 deficiency can be sneaky, harmful and is relatively common, especially among older people.” The Harvard Medical School’s health blog
Benefits of B12
- Sharper memory and clearer thinking
- Improved energy and stamina
- Fewer mood swings and greater sense of well-being
- Better sleep and awaking refreshed
- A stronger immune system that avoids illness
- Protection of the heart, vision and hearing
- An essential B vitamin which is an important component of brain cells and nerve tissue and is involved in energy production, immune function, and regulation of stress levels and sleep patterns
- Made with the Methylcobalamin form of B12, which has been clinically proven to be the most active and most effective form for cognitive support, a healthy nervous system and healthy sleep patterns
- An especially important supplement for older people who are especially prone to B12 deficiency
- Sublingual lozenge dissolves quickly under the tongue, ensuring optimal absorption and maximum benefits
