Is it Allergies – or Detoxification?

More and more people are experiencing allergies and suffering with the symptoms they bring. In past Wellness Reports we have discussed how histamine receptors trigger inflammation in the four tissues they populate: the airways, the digestive/reproductive tract, our brain and our immune system. Histamine is very inflammatory and easily triggers runaway inflammation.

In this discussion we will look specifically at histamines, toxins and allergies. We will also get a chance to discuss ways to help reduce the impact of allergies and their annoying symptoms.

Allergy or toxin?
The symptoms of allergy may be more obscure than you think. For example, sneezing may be an allergy symptom, but muscle pain, insomnia and acid reflux may also be signs of allergy. These are signs of excessive histamines.

The symptoms of toxicity may also be more obscure than you think. For example, headaches, joint pains, colitis and poor coordination may be signs of toxicity. So may skin eruptions.

Your body has a unique detoxification system. It comes with many fail-safe mechanisms. A toxin may simply be detoxified and rendered harmless – usually by the liver. This is often accomplished through enzymes with the help of antioxidants. These poisons may be turned into useful tools, such as when blood toxins are turned into bile to help us digest fat from our diet.

Some toxins are difficult to detoxify; they may be stored permanently in fat. Other toxins and allergens are stored temporarily in water in the lymphatic system. This is why people get "puffy" with allergies or toxicity.

Another technique for ridding your body of toxins is excretion through your urine, colon, lungs, breath (about 75% of all body toxins are eliminated by breathing deeply), and also through your skin. Toxins that come out through the skin leave distinct blemishes. They may become infected and leave scars. Allergies that affect the skin have a different appearance, usually as large, water-filled blisters or hives. These are signs of excessive histamines.

How do I know?
How can you tell if you are having an allergic reaction versus a detoxification reaction? Easy: histamines elevate your pulse rate.

Do this: First thing in the morning, before you have a drink of water, before you brush your teeth, before you do anything else sit quietly for a few minutes and count your pulse rate. Count it for a full minute and write it down. Now, ingest the substance you want to test and continue to sit quietly for another 5 minutes. Practice some deep breathing to keep yourself relaxed and calm. At the end of 5 minutes, count your pulse rate again. A substance that is "good for you" will not elevate your pulse rate; or, if it does, it will not be much – 2 to 4 beats per minute. If you are allergic to the substance it will elevate your pulse rate a lot: 6 to 8 beats per minute for a mild allergy, 8 to 12 for a moderate allergy and more than 12 for a significant allergy.

You can use this technique with any food or other substance to which you suspect you are allergic.

A word about Nopalea™
Over the past few years I have addressed concerns people have while taking Nopalea. Usually, these issues are related to detoxification – and Nopalea is known to promote detoxification, especially of the waste water in your lymphatic system. Your body may attempt to push these toxins out through your skin, leaving bumps and blemishes. These are not signs of allergy; they are signs of rapid detoxification.

If you experience skin bumps or blemishes, I recommend discontinuing Nopalea for three days, and then taking the pulse test to see if it is a true allergy or merely rapid detoxification.

Remember, anyone may be allergic to anything. So, theoretically, someone may be allergic to Nopalea; but, it is not very likely. More often, skin reactions to Nopalea are detoxification reactions rather than allergy.

What to do...
If you are allergic to Nopalea – if your pulse rate increases more than 6 beats per minute within 5 minutes while sitting quietly – you may use "systematic desensitization" to reduce the allergy. Discontinue using Nopalea until the symptoms disappear, then add 1 ounce of Nopalea to 1 quart of pure water and drink this early in the day. Nopalea contains Betalains and Betalains are used to reduce allergy symptoms. You may also supplement with Vital C (a teaspoon in the morning and a tablet at bedtime) and Super B to help reduce the excessive histamine response.

If you are detoxifying too rapidly – if your pulse rate does not go up, or if it only goes up 2 to 4 beats per minute – simply reduce your serving size to a level that is comfortable for you. It will take longer to break the cycle of inflammation, but you won't have to endure the discomfort of pushing toxins out through your skin.

In the end, we are responsible as individuals to learn to listen to the messages from our body. I hope this tool helps you further develop this dialogue with your body now that you know how to tell an allergy from detoxification!

Trivita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

Keeping Skin Healthy & Glowing

"I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?" – Jean Kerr

Beautiful outside, beautiful inside?

Who doesn't want beautiful skin – especially as we age? Our outside layer of skin often reflects the health of our internal organs, as we discussed in the Weekly Wellness Report on "Liver Spots."

For instance, skin hydration relies on glucosamine just as joint hydration relies on glucosamine. So, dry skin likely means dry joints. Skin that is easily torn and damaged indicates rapid aging, which likely indicates rapid aging of our circulatory system. Furthermore, skin that is easily burned by the sun may indicate that our essential fatty acid (EFA) and antioxidant reserves are low which means other tissues that rely on antioxidants and EFA for protection may also be at risk.

Therefore, beautiful skin is a good indicator of healthy reserves of critical nutrients.

Inside first...

As we age, we are likely to experience skin that wrinkles and becomes blotchy. It may start to get pigment spots and become easy to injure. There are many products and procedures you can use to help your skin from the outside and those are important. But more important is nourishing the skin from the inside.

Skin has a base of healthy fats. Most of the external emollients we use on our skin are some form of fat. However, humans are not designed to take in fats very efficiently through the skin. The best way to have a healthy base for your skin is to take OmegaPrime essential fatty acids. Two per day is good, but for skin health, more is better!

From the outside...

There is a huge industry that provides cleansers, peels and emollients for the outside of your skin. Use of skin treatments is important only after you have been nourished from the inside. Then your skin will have beauty long after the makeup has been removed. Dr. Libby's Vital C Powdered Crystals are perfect for your weekly beautiful skin routine. Try this natural deep moisturizer treatment and skin exfoliant:

1. Add 1/4 teaspoon of Vital C Crystals to your daily skin moisturizer and mix thoroughly.
2. Liberally apply the cream to your face and neck, massaging gently.
3. Leave on for 10 minutes.
4. Wash off completely with warm water; follow with a splash of cold water to close your pores.

Your skin should have a lovely glow!

Sunlight and Vitamin D

The skyrocketing incidence of diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers definitely say that we are not getting enough Vitamin D. The increase in insomnia and seasonal depression tells us that we are not getting enough early morning sun.
We need more sunlight. Now, how do we make it safe?

Recognize the need for sun and the need for caution. Plan your sun exposure so that you maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks. For instance, get your sunlight early in the day. Early morning sunlight does not have the high ultra-violet intensity that midday sun does. So, take a 20-minute walk in the early part of the day with your skin exposed to sunlight. This will give you the benefits without the risks of over-exposure.

Alternately, take a 20-minute walk in the evening with your skin exposed to sunlight. There are fewer UV rays in the evening than at midday, though more than in the morning. This will have a less dramatic effect than morning sun but will still provide you with many of the same benefits.

Never expose your skin to midday sun for long periods of time. Wear clothing that covers most of your skin and wear a hat that provides shade for your face and ears.

Certain nutrients work well to protect against sun damage:

1. Essential fatty acids interact with Vitamin D in your skin to create a bulwark of protection against harmful radiation.

2. Vitamin C quenches smoldering fires of oxidative stress once they have begun.

3. Antioxidants, such as green tea (Energy Now!) and those found in berries

4. (Adaptogen 10 Plus) can help protect against DNA damage from radiation.

5. All these are excellent strategies for dealing with the stress of too much sun.

What about sunscreen?

The discussion about sunscreen is full of heated rhetoric. The first thing I will say about using sunscreen is that it is completely up to you: it's your choice! I would also point out that people have lived outdoors for thousands of years without serious risk from sun exposure. The increase in skin cancer risk came about as a "perfect storm" of severely polluted air, a low antioxidant/nutrient diet and the 40-year tanning craze that followed World War II.

The truth is that more people die of cancer related to Vitamin D deficiency than of skin cancer caused by sunburn. Again, get some morning and evening sunshine for good health, never get a sunburn and keep your skin covered when you are exposed to midday sun. Beyond these recommendations, do what seems reasonable to you!

Total health

The health of our skin can tell us much about the health of our entire body. We naturally desire that "healthy glow" and beautiful skin. And that makes sense, doesn't it? We have a tool to assess our internal health immediately at our disposal: our skin. All we have to do is learn to listen to the message of healthy skin!

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

Exercise: An Unexpected Source of Energy

OK, this may seem a little weird. It is definitely unexpected. But I recently read about a newly discovered process for turning the food we eat into energy: exercise.

I found this pathway in two medical journals: one for children and the other for seniors – two groups at opposite ends of the energy-production spectrum.

Normally, humans turn food into energy through metabolism – a Greek word that describes how heat and light are created by burning wood in a fire. Metabolism is an example of controlled inflammation: the "fire" inside you that turns food into energy. We burn some of that energy at rest, but we burn more of it when we exercise.

Chicken or egg?

We need energy to exercise. But now it seems that exercise is itself a source of energy. So, the question becomes, do fitness fanatics exercise because they have a lot of energy? Or, does exercise give our "health nut" friends the energy we envy?

As it turns out, the answers to both questions is yes!

We create energy as we burn sugars (carbohydrates), protein and fats.

These are called macronutrients. Each has a burn-rate that supplies us with fuel: sugar burns quickly, protein takes longer to burn but the undisputed champion of stamina is healthy dietary fat.

Dietary fats burn slowly. The fats that we don't harvest as fuel for energy production are used in creating certain structures inside our body. For example, brain cells are made mostly of fats. The healthier the fats are in our diet, the healthier our brain may become. Hormones are made mostly of fats. The healthier the fats are in our diet, the better our hormones will balance.

Cholesterol is made of fat. The healthier the fats are in our diet – you guessed it! – the healthier our cholesterol levels will be.

For stamina, a healthy brain, balanced hormones and optimum cholesterol, we need healthy fats.

Energy from exercise

Fats recycle in our body when we exercise. For example, fats may become cholesterol. Some of our healthy cholesterol may end up in our skin where hormones interact with sunlight to produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D then transports unused fats and cholesterol from our skin into our muscles. In this way, fats are recycled and cholesterol is kept low. That's why people with low Vitamin D levels often have high cholesterol levels: Vitamin D transports fats so they may be burned in the fires of metabolism.

Vitamin D recycles minerals. That's why people with low Vitamin D levels also have low bone mineral density – a condition leading to osteoporosis. Vitamin D recycles hormones as well. That's why people with low levels of Vitamin D have the highest risk of Metabolic Syndrome, a disorder characterized by insulin resistance (insulin is a hormone) and other hormone imbalances.

As it turns out, our body recycles fats with Vitamin D and it recycles Vitamin D through strenuous muscle exertion – exercise! Even spending appropriate time in the sun and taking Vitamin D-rich supplements will not recycle Vitamin D unless you also exercise.

To recap:

1. Strenuous exercise activates Vitamin D.

2. Vitamin D activates the hormone insulin to start the fires of metabolism.
3. Then, Vitamin D recycles fat from the blood and skin to burn in those fires as fuel for more activity.

So it seems that expending energy activates the pathway to give us more energy. It reminds me of an old saying: The less you move, the less you want to move and the less you are able to move; the more you move, the more you want to move and the more you are able to move!

Conclusion

The journal articles concluded that the more Vitamin D children had in their growing bodies, the less likely they were to suffer a muscle or bone injury. Also, the more Vitamin D a senior had in their body, the less likely they were to fall and suffer an injury. Finally, at any age, energy levels and activity levels were bound together by Vitamin D levels.

For healthy energy, we need a balanced diet and supplements that support healthy levels of fat and Vitamin D. And we need activity because energy, it seems, begets more energy!

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

Test Your Risk for Heart Disease

Heart disease is still the #1 killer in North America. "Atherosclerosis" is the medical term we use to describe heart disease. Literally, sclerosis means "hardening" and athero describes the nature of the debris that clogs and hardens arteries (typically the arteries of the heart). Our risk for getting this disease increases slowly over time as we age. Certain risk factors can tell us if we are in danger of developing this disease 10 years from now.

These risk factors include:
Age
Blood pressure
HDL ("good") cholesterol
Total cholesterol

Test your risk
Follow these steps to calculate your risk.

Have the following numbers available: your blood pressure, total cholesterol and HDL.

Click here to access an online risk calculator.

Once on the page, scroll down and click on "Health Risk Assessors – Coronary Heart Disease."

Read the instructions and enter your data. The program will automatically display your risk.

Your risk of developing atherosclerosis is a combination of several factors over time. Please understand what this assessment does not mean: It does not tell you if you are going to have a heart attack. Markers in your bloodstream that signal an imminent heart attack include Total Plasma Homocysteine (tHCY) and C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP).

Heart disease warning signs

Let's review some of the factors that can act as warning signs of heart disease:

High blood pressure

Blood pressure measurements are read as two numbers. The higher number, called the systolic pressure, represents the pressure in the artery when the heart beats. The lower number, called the diastolic pressure, represents the pressure when the heart is at rest.

A normal systolic number is 115. If your arteries are stiff, inflexible, inflamed or too narrow, your heart will have to beat harder and this will create a higher systolic number.

A normal diastolic number is 75 or lower. When the diastolic number is too high it can mean that your lungs, kidneys and liver are not properly detoxifying your body.

Some people find that their blood pressure will not go down no matter what they do. This often happens because of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). With OSA, a person stops breathing during sleep. Sensing the shortage of oxygen, your brain increases blood pressure to compensate.

High total cholesterol

Increased levels of cholesterol in the blood can contribute to atherosclerosis, which is the gradual build-up of cholesterol, fat and fibrous debris along the walls of your arteries. This build-up, called plaque, can accumulate enough to narrow the artery and stiffen the arterial wall. If the plaque is severe enough, it can impair blood flow past the blockage. A normal, healthy cholesterol level is 170 mg/dL or lower.

Low HDL "good" cholesterol

High density lipoproteins (HDL) absorb cholesterol and take it back to the liver for disposal. A normal, healthy HDL level is over 60 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol rises with moderate to intense exercise. We simply must make peace with daily exercise if we are to increase our HDL and reduce our risk of heart disease.

Heart attack warning signs

As mentioned earlier, cholesterol levels and blood pressure alone do not serve us very well as determinants of heart attack risk. Homocysteine levels are much more accurate in predicting who is at risk and C-Reactive protein (CRP) is the best predictor for heart attack (as well as many other really bad conditions!).

Elevated homocysteine levels can be reduced with certain nutrients called "methyl donors." TriVita's HCY Guard® is rich in methyl donors and proven to reduce elevated HCY. C-Reactive protein has been reduced quite consistently with Essential Fatty Acid supplements and Quercetin-like Betalain bioflavonoids such as OmegaPrime® (one to six grams daily) and Nopalea™.

Learning to listen

High blood pressure as well as high cholesterol levels and low HDL levels should be viewed as warning signs from our body. Elevated homocysteine sounds a louder alarm and high C-Reactive protein levels sound the loudest siren of all. We can translate these alarms into valid communication by learning what each lab value means and how to address them in terms of nutrients and nurturing.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

The Four Causes of Disease

Have you ever heard an orchestra playing a symphony? Every instrument has a unique sound. Each plays a unique part in the masterpiece. The conductor brings out the best in every musician. Even the acoustics of the surroundings enhance or detract from the performance.

This is an accurate description of the way we harmonize with our world. From the instant of conception, tiny cells are a symphony of activity and this harmony continues throughout our life. Cells join with the rest of the orchestra – the body – in harmonious music, always changing to meet new and varied circumstances.

We need harmony between our mind, body and environment. Our immune system usually provides it. But what happens when things go wrong? What happens if we are exposed to "bad" bacteria, viruses or other pathogens?

Disease and our immune system

Sometimes we ask the wrong questions when we start to experience disharmony in our body. Sometimes we seem to be asking, "What makes sick people sick?" As pertinent as that question is to a sick person, it is usually more productive to ask, "What keeps healthy people well – and how can I be one of them?"

Wellness is created in the way our immune system interacts with our environment based on our genetics, and modified by our behavior or lifestyle. In order to prevent disease and achieve wellness, we must experience harmony between our world and our immune system.

A good example of harmony with our world occurs with viruses. In medicine we know that viruses exist all around us just as they have always existed. During an epidemic there will be people who never get sick, people that get sick and recover and, unfortunately, people that get sick and die. The difference between these groups has little to do with the nature of the virus – it remains virtually the same in all three cases. The different responses are based on the harmony of each individual’s immune system.

Causes of disharmony – and disease

Four imbalances create disharmony in our immune system. They are:

1.Trauma or injury – Injured tissues limit circulation by blood and lymph. Poor circulation allows waste created by the cells to accumulate and become a cesspool. Toxic waste becomes the target for infection and disease. Fortunately, appropriate exercise can help increase healthy circulation and intense antioxidant nutrition can help restore function to an injured area.

2.Toxins from inside or outside the body – Toxins and poisons from our environment may also accumulate in our tissues and smolder for decades. These toxins become inflamed; inflammation creates the matrix for disharmony in the immune system, which may result in disease.

3.Deficiencies in elements critical for life – Many people are deficient in oxygen though there is an abundance of air surrounding them. Oxygen deficiency causes acidic tissues; acid foments disease. Deficiencies in air, water, sunlight, sleep and nutrients are the most common causes of immune system disharmony. We can restore balance by attending to these basic needs.

4.Immune-suppressing scourge of emotional distress – Emotional distress is an immediate trigger for immune system discord. As soon as a thought arises in the mind, it is already translated into a posture of the immune system. Fortunately, we can – through an act of will – change our thoughts to positive ones and have a harmonizing effect on our immune system.

Conclusion

We participate in this symphony along with the individual members of the orchestra within our immune system. We are not merely passive observers. Address the four causes of disharmony that result in disease. Take time to learn how to apply the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness to harmonize your immune system so it works smarter, not harder.

Trivita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

Tips for Better Digestion

As people, we love to eat. All of our most cherished and joyous celebrations surround food somehow. And, judging from the expanding waistline of most folks in North America, we must be the happiest people on Earth!

Digestion really begins with anticipation as our brain triggers the feeling of hunger. Hunger is associated with a family of hormones that "turn on" when our blood sugar drops and "turn off" when our stomachs expand – especially when what we take in has viscosity or thickness to it.

For proper digestion we need water, fiber, proteins, fats and carbohydrates – including starches.

The first step to healthy digestion

The most important recommendation for digestive health is to chew your food thoroughly. Starches and other carbohydrates begin their digestive journey as we chew. Take a small bite, put your fork down and focus on slowing down and chewing your food until it is only water.

Food that is not properly chewed will not properly digest, and large, undigested particles of food will inflame your intestines. Inflammation is at the heart of most chronic illnesses. Inflammation triggers the release of antibodies from your immune system that are designed to remove damaging proteins and protect us. They "remember" the threat – in this case from improperly-chewed food – and treat any similar food as an enemy. This is often the source of food allergy: improperly chewed food!

So remember, poorly chewed food creates inflammation in the digestive tract, which may create food allergies. Chronic inflammation also kills healthy tissue, which provides fertile ground for breeding infection – especially bacteria and yeast infection (many Candida infections result from chronic digestive tract inflammation).

Digestion basics

When we swallow, our stomach is already prepared to receive the food. A hormone called pepsinogen is waiting to bond with hydrochloric acid and produce an enzyme called pepsin. Cinnamon and glucomanan fiber (Leanology capsules) support healthy digestion in the stomach.

After about half an hour, the food begins to pass through the stomach into your small intestine. At the same time, your pancreas secretes enzymes into your small intestine to meet this bolus of food. The starch has been neutralized by chewing and the protein has been prepared by your stomach. Now, the special enzymes from the pancreas convert these nutrients for transport. Most of the magic of digestion occurs in the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. Again, fiber and aromatic herbs like cinnamon aid digestion in the small intestine. Also, aloe vera can benefit digestion as an anti-inflammatory.

Most vitamins are absorbed in the stomach and first part of the small intestine. Proteins, fats and other nutrients are absorbed throughout the intestinal tract. Minerals, especially iron and calcium, are absorbed in the large intestine as the last drops of water are taken out of your food.

Stress and digestion

Have you ever experienced butterflies in your stomach? Most of us have. A nervous stomach will not properly digest or absorb food. Stress impairs digestion. Adaptogen 10 Plus has specific botanical extracts that have been used for thousands of years to settle a nervous stomach (it also contains robust levels of aloe vera).

A little help from our friends

Our intestines are teeming with trillions of bacteria – most of them friendly! These bacteria are called "probiotics" and are needed to help us utilize our vitamins and minerals. Healthy bacteria can grow in your digestive system if we have enough water and fiber in our diet and supplements. Eating the right amount of high water-content fruits and vegetables and drinking the right amount of water will give us the best environment for growing our own probiotics.

Take care of your digestion by eating nutritiously and chewing slowly. Include water, fiber, proteins, healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats. Remember, your digestion is impaired by stress. So, consider ways to reduce your stress and supplement your diet with adaptogens to protect digestive health from stress. And don’t forget the joy of eating. Joy is really a sign of acceptance. Acceptance is essential for physical and emotional health!

Trivita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

Tools for Summer Time Weight Loss

Nearly half of all people in North America make a resolution at the beginning of the year to lose weight. The next most common time for embarking on a weight-loss program is in the summertime: the "swimsuit season." So now is the perfect time for an encouraging article on how to reach your weight-loss goals.

Unfortunately, being overweight is not simply an ornamental problem; it's not simply about how we look. It is about how well we are. It's about how much energy we have for the people we love, and how much vitality we have for the commitments we make. It's about how successful or unsuccessful we will be at reaching our goals and living a life of purpose and meaning. It's that serious.

Mechanics of weight loss

Let's review several steps for weight loss that we have gathered from expert sources:

2. Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the calculator below. This is the amount of energy you burn at rest. Reduce your daily calorie intake to match this number.

3. Decide how much weight you want to lose each week.

Please understand, weight loss of more than 2 pounds per week is unrealistic and probably dangerous. Your goal is to lose fat; rapid weight loss usually comes from water (which you need), muscle (which you need) and bone (yes, you need that too!).

4. Get started: Reduce your caloric intake to match your BMR and increase your activity to burn ½ to 2 pounds of fat per week.

•Always eat breakfast.

•Never eat within 2 hours of bedtime.

•Morning exercise is better than evening exercise, but both are good.

•Never consume more than 400 calories in an hour.

•Eat according to an organized plan. For example, The South Beach Diet, Eat

More – Weigh Less by Dean Ornish, The Sonoma Diet (my favorite Mediterranean diet plan), etc.

•Do both aerobic and resistance exercises most days of the week to meet your fat loss goals.

Remember, your sense of purpose will dictate your actions step by step!

Speed bumps

Somewhere along the way you are going to experience discouragement, disappointment or despondency. It may be when you hit a weight loss plateau. It may be when you see others doing what you used to do and the old habits pull at your heart. It may be when those inner voices – I call them my "counsel of critics" – start to tell you lies about failure and success. What do you do when you hit a speed bump?

The answer to this question does not lie in the "how – when – what" of weight loss. The answer lies in the "why." Your personal "why" gives you energy. It inspires you, motivates you and drives you to complete your journey.

Supplements for weight loss

Leanology® supplements are also an important part of weight loss. In many people they represent the critical difference between success and failure in lifetime weight control. However, you must always remember that they are supplements; they supplement a diet and exercise program. Use them wisely as an important part of your total wellness program.

Remember to let your desire fuel your action; let your actions harmonize with your sense of purpose. Simply be resolved to live a life of purpose and you will have the energy to get beyond the speed bumps.

Take Control of Your Health

•Plan a balance of calories and activity for lifetime weight control

•Eat 5, 7 or 9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily

•Plan aerobic activity most days

•Do resistance training 2 to 5 times per week

•Supplement with Leanology to support the four stages of weight loss:

◦Energy and Metabolism: Leanology Weight Loss Capsules help increase metabolism and energy to support your body's ability to burn more calories at rest.

◦Cortisol & Stress Management: Leanology Weight Loss Capsules help to limit cortisol production in your body. Cortisol is the stress-induced hormone that can lead to abdominal fat.

◦Appetite Control: Leanology Appetite Control Chews help reduce the natural hunger signals in your body to minimize cravings.

◦Blood Sugar Control: Leanology Nutritional Shakes help your body use the nutrients you eat as energy, rather than storing them as fat.

Trivita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

Ways to Improve Your Memory

OK, I will admit it if you will: I have forgotten the names of people while I was talking to them! I have lost my car keys, misplaced my glasses and turned the wrong way on my drive home.

How about you? Does it seem like your memory is playing tricks on you as you age? Well, there are reasons for that and very few of these reasons are related to diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

How to make a memory

Your memory is an amazing miracle. Every second your brain processes billions of bits of information from your five senses. You may consciously perceive only a very small percentage of this information because one function of your brain is to filter out unimportant information. The things you remember will usually be advantageous to you. For instance, remembering your wedding anniversary date or remembering where the speed trap is on your drive home.

Memory is classed in two basic groups:

Short-term: Short term memories are quickly forgotten when they are no longer important.

Long-term: Long-term memories may be divided into recent and distant.
Practicing or rehearsing can improve your memory by moving more information into long-term. For instance, when I am distracted by stress I will not be able to remember where I left my car keys. That information was deleted from my short-term memory. However, if I consciously say, "I am hanging my car keys on the hook," I am far more likely to remember where they are.

How to keep a memory

Reduce stress

Stress kills your memory. The stress system is designed to ensure survival. It helps us fight off a snarling dog or flee from a snarling bear. As important as that is, humans do more every day than merely survive. If you want to have a good, healthy memory, do all you can to reduce the need for fight or flight stress responses.

Learn something new

As mentioned, practicing or rehearsing something enhances memory. So does learning something new. You see, memory is facilitated through the billions of neurons and synapses in your brain by patterns: retracing old patterns as well as creating new patterns. The more new things we master and the more connections we create, the better our overall memory will be.

If you want to remember your anniversary, start learning a foreign language. If you want to remember important names, learn a musical instrument. The more you learn – and the more you connect the old with the new – the better your overall memory will be.

How to nourish a memory

Certain nutrients help the memory to remain sharp. These nutrients fall into two basic categories: those that create brain structure and those that nourish brain function.

Your brain is made mostly of fat. And the majority of that fat is an Omega-3 called DHA. So, to have a healthy brain we need healthy fats like OmegaPrime®. Your nerve cells convert some fats into functional nerve proteins called myelin. Formation of myelin requires dietary protein and Vitamin B-12. So, for healthy brain structure and function we need Omega-3 fats, healthy dietary protein and Vitamin B-12.

When the memory is activated, it creates heat in the brain. To fuel the memory, quench the heat and repair the daily wear-and-tear on your brain, you need antioxidants. Certain antioxidants target brain function specifically. An excellent antioxidant formula that is also anti-inflammatory is Nopalea™. The Betalain bioflavonoids in Nopalea also help improve circulation by fortifying healthy arteries.

What do you remember?

To recap: Occasional memory lapses usually indicate you are distracted by stress. Rehearsing things you want to remember and practicing new things you have learned can help you avoid stress-induced memory lapses. Because new behaviors create new pathways in your brain, learning something new such as a new language or musical instrument can improve your overall memory.

Stress kills your memory. Nutrients such as Omega-3, Vitamin B-12 and anti-inflammatory antioxidants such as those found in Nopalea can help rebuild and restore your ability to remember. With all of these tools at your disposal, you have access to the power of a healthy memory.

Trivita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

Ways to Improve Your Memory

OK, I will admit it if you will: I have forgotten the names of people while I was talking to them! I have lost my car keys, misplaced my glasses and turned the wrong way on my drive home.
How about you? Does it seem like your memory is playing tricks on you as you age? Well, there are reasons for that and very few of these reasons are related to diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
How to make a memory
Your memory is an amazing miracle. Every second your brain processes billions of bits of information from your five senses. You may consciously perceive only a very small percentage of this information because one function of your brain is to filter out unimportant information. The things you remember will usually be advantageous to you. For instance, remembering your wedding anniversary date or remembering where the speed trap is on your drive home.
Memory is classed into two basic groups:
Short-term: Short term memories are quickly forgotten when they are no longer important.
Long-term: Long-term memories may be divided into recent and distant.
Practicing or rehearsing can improve your memory by moving more information into long-term. For instance, when I am distracted by stress I will not be able to remember where I left my car keys. That information was deleted from my short-term memory. However, if I consciously say, "I am hanging my car keys on the hook," I am far more likely to remember where they are.
How to keep a memory
Reduce stress
Stress kills your memory. The stress system is designed to ensure survival. It helps us fight off a snarling dog or flee from a snarling bear. As important as that is, humans do more every day than merely survive. If you want to have a good, healthy memory, do all you can to reduce the need for fight or flight stress responses.
Learn something new
As mentioned, practicing or rehearsing something enhances memory. So does learning something new. You see, memory is facilitated through the billions of neurons and synapses in your brain by patterns: retracing old patterns as well as creating new patterns. The more new things we master and the more connections we create, the better our overall memory will be.
If you want to remember your anniversary, start learning a foreign language. If you want to remember important names, learn a musical instrument. The more you learn – and the more you connect the old with the new – the better your overall memory will be.
How to nourish a memory
Certain nutrients help the memory to remain sharp. These nutrients fall into two basic categories: those that create brain structure and those that nourish brain function.
Your brain is made mostly of fat. And the majority of that fat is an Omega-3 called DHA. So, to have a healthy brain we need healthy fats like OmegaPrime®. Your nerve cells convert some fats into functional nerve proteins called myelin. Formation of myelin requires dietary protein and Vitamin B-12. So, for healthy brain structure and function we need Omega-3 fats, healthy dietary protein and Vitamin B-12.
When the memory is activated, it creates heat in the brain. To fuel the memory, quench the heat and repair the daily wear-and-tear on your brain, you need antioxidants. Certain antioxidants target brain function specifically. An excellent antioxidant formula that is also anti-inflammatory is Nopalea™. The Betalain bioflavonoids in Nopalea also help improve circulation by fortifying healthy arteries.
What do you remember?
To recap: Occasional memory lapses usually indicate you are distracted by stress. Rehearsing things you want to remember and practicing new things you have learned can help you avoid stress-induced memory lapses. Because new behaviors create new pathways in your brain, learning something new such as a new language or musical instrument can improve your overall memory.
Stress kills your memory. Nutrients such as Omega-3, Vitamin B-12 and anti-inflammatory antioxidants such as those found in Nopalea can help rebuild and restore your ability to remember. With all of these tools at your disposal, you have access to the power of a healthy memory.

Are There Alternatives for Water?

Healthy Living Essential #2 is Drink Water. Many people don't follow this Essential for one reason or another. Some use water "alternatives" instead. But I can tell you, with full conviction, that there are NO alternatives to water! You must drink water and you must drink it in abundance.

Pros and cons of water "alternatives"

Let's look at some of the positive and negative aspects of so-called alternatives to water:

•100% fruit juice – contains some vitamins, minerals and a lot of sugar. In fact, a 16-ounce glass of fruit juice contains about 50 grams of sugar and 220 calories. Fructose, or fruit sugar, reduces the rate at which we absorb fluid and can actually make you thirstier, leading to over-consumption of calories from juice.

•Sport drinks – often contain fructose or sucrose syrups, flavorings and colorings. The electrolytes, sodium and potassium are helpful for endurance-type exercise or activity, but not necessary for everyday exercise. A 16 ounce sport drink has roughly 30 grams of sugar and over 100 calories.

•Energy drinks – contain vitamins, amino acids, a lot of sugar and caffeine. Although advertised as providing more energy, what they really provide is more calories and caffeine. Added caffeine can be temporarily energizing, but often leads to a rapid dip in energy and can be potentially habit forming. An eight ounce energy drink has about 115 calories and 80 milligrams of caffeine.

•Fitness waters – these waters are laced with an assortment of nutrients, herbs, flavorings and/or sweeteners. These enhancements are usually too insufficient to have any meaningful impact on your health; plus these waters can be costly. As for calories, they can contain anywhere from 10 to 100 or more calories in a 16 ounce drink.

•Carbonated beverages – such as regular or diet sodas can be high in sugar or artificial sweeteners and caffeine. Colas are also high in phosphates, which bind with calcium and weaken bones. Regular soda can contain up to 200 or more calories for 16 ounces.

•Coffee, tea and lattes – are also very popular. But along with the caffeine, they often contain added sugars and fats which can add up to as many as 450 calories for a 16 ounce drink. Since most caffeinated products provide very few nutrients, it is typically advised to keep intake low.

•Flavored waters – are waters with a touch of natural flavoring. By itself, this is fine. Unfortunately, however, many flavored waters contain sugar (some even have more than a can of soda pop) or caffeine and other additives, all of which should be avoided.

In contrast to the water alternatives above, we can get water that is good for us from food. Many fruits and vegetables, for example, are high in water content as well as antioxidants (which is a nice plus). The guideline for consuming the right amount of fruit and vegetables is 5, 7 or 9 servings daily, depending upon our size and gender.

Healthy ways to spice up your water

In summary, we now know two things. First, there are no real alternatives to water – they all have too many drawbacks. And second, water is essential to good health – it helps the body both detoxify and fuel metabolism for energy.

But these two findings present a problem for all of the people who feel that water is just too boring to drink on a regular basis. They are likely to wonder, "Are there ways to make my water taste better? And are there drinks besides water that can help support my body's detoxification and metabolic processes?" The answer is YES. You can use the recipes below to spice up your water while adding extra detoxification and metabolism support:

•Nopalea Splash: Take 6 ounces of naturally carbonated spring water and add 1 ounce of Nopalea™ to it for a hydrating, detoxifying and refreshing beverage that naturally helps reduce inflammation.

•Tea Time 10 Plus: Take 6 ounces of either hot or cold green tea and add 1 ounce of Adaptogen 10 Plus®. You can get the health benefits of green tea coupled with the stress-busting effects of adaptogens.
Water: the life-essential beverage

At birth, water can make up as much as 80% of a baby's body weight. Yet at death, for adults in their 70s and 80s, water often makes up less than 40% of the body weight.

Water is life. And in a sense, dehydration equals death.

Drink Water – and claim the health benefits of this life-giving liquid!

Trivita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

Creating Your Wellness Sanctuary

The 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness are the keys to a happy, healthy life. No pill, potion, product or program that excludes these values will succeed for long. Any approach to wellness that you embrace will be enhancedA and will have the greatest chance of lifelong success if it is built upon a foundation of the 10 Essentials.

The difference between wellness and illness is not so much the difference between "knowing" and "not knowing" the 10 Essentials; instead, it is the difference between "knowing" and "actually doing" the actions associated with true wellness. Do you agree? Then you will also agree that you not only need knowledge, you also need desire and a helpful setting. You need a wellness sanctuary!

Your sanctuary

What is a "wellness sanctuary"? It is a place and time where you can practice your wellness principles. It should be a stress-free zone, free from conflict. It should be a noise-free zone, where chatter and distractions are minimal or eliminated. It should be pleasant to all of your senses. Your sanctuary needs to be a place of rest and peace.

Your home or garden could be your wellness sanctuary. Or it could be a favorite room, or even a small space within a room. The idea is to make your sanctuary space a place where you can retreat from the relentless stress of the day. So you want to create an environment (big or small) that is conducive to your physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. Also remember, setting up your sanctuary and your wellness regimen is typically not achieved overnight. It could take some time to work it all out, so set SMART goals:

•Specific as to time and place
•Measurable in their application
•Achievable given the reality of your world
•Reasonable with respect to commitments you have already made
•Timely in their execution

A very useful step we can take toward creating a sanctuary is to designate a specific time and place. Some people make their bedroom their first place of refuge, and then commit to specific do not disturb times for self-care. For example, some turn off their cell phones and retreat to their sanctuary (bedroom) an hour before they actually plan to sleep. There is no computer or television in their bedroom; the light is low and the colors are soft. Many will also journal their progress in applying the 10 Essentials to their lives (they journal with pen and paper, not an electronic gizmo) and meditate on ways to better apply what they know in pursuit of their goals.

Taking time for wellness

Once you have established your sanctuary "place," it's critical to also establish your sanctuary "time." How much "me time" can you commit to on a regular basis? What time is best for you? What will you accomplish during this time?

Morning – in the morning hours, you could physically exercise and mentally prepare for your day by:

•Engaging in a minimum of 30 minutes of activity, most days of the week, to satisfy Essential #5 (note: the healthiest cultures on earth spend about 2 1/2 hours daily in physical activity).

•Planning your meals in order to get the most nutrition from them (Essential #4) and beginning your daily water intake (Essential #2).

•Thinking about how you will...give and receive love during the day (Essential #6)...focus on specific things and people for which you are grateful (Essential #8)...set your spiritual compass for the day ahead (Essential #10).
Evening – during the latter part of the day, you could commit to greater health by:

•Practicing deep breathing for 20 minutes (Essential #1).

•Quieting your mind in preparation for 7 1/2 to 9 hours of peaceful sleep (Essential #3).

*•Let go of any lingering resentments from the day (Essentials #7 & #9).
Added Support

To make the most of your "sanctuary time," it pays to be in a calmer state of body and mind. If you have trouble reaching this state, then there are two supplements in particular that could be added to your daily regimen.

•Body – to help your body reach a calmer state, you can take Adaptogen 10 Plus®. Its unique blend of ingredients is specifically targeted to help your body better adapt to and overcome all the stresses of today's hectic world.

•Mind – to help your mind reach a more calm, relaxed and focused state, you can take Sublingual B-12. Many adults have a B-12 deficiency due to aging and diet, so you definitely want to check this out and see how it could help your own situation.
In Conclusion

For complete wellness, you need to learn and live the The 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness. And to help you best incorporate the 10 Essentials, you would benefit greatly by establishing a specific sanctuary of time and space and commit to it. You can always start small, and then later expand your self-care activities as your circumstances permit. But in any case, the goal is to create your very own personal haven of wellness.

TriVita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]

STRESS AND YOUR HEALTH

There are four common causes of imbalance that affect our health:

Trauma
Toxins
Deficiency
Emotional distress

Stress triggers a flood of hormones that sacrifice healthy organs in order to solve the stress crisis. Chronic stress causes us to wear out and age prematurely.

According to the book, "Who Gets Sick?" stress is reducing the quality and quantity of life of most people in North America – including you! It strangles the joy and pleasure from your days and nights. It makes you miserable, and then it makes you sick. You become susceptible to diseases such as heart attacks, cancer and diabetes. Once you are sick, stress keeps you from responding as well to medical care. Yes, stress is a killer!

Know your enemy!

Stress is short for distress. Distress describes an unpleasant influence by forces outside or even inside your body trying to tear you apart; it can come from your environment, your body or even your thoughts.

Stress triggers the fight or flight mechanism. Your body will prioritize resources to meet specific demands of stress. In fight or flight, your body prepares to do battle or run away. Either of these actions will require fuel – and right now!

Where do you get that fuel? From organs you don't need at that moment to survive.

So, if you are being chased by a lion, you don't need digestion. Stress will take nutrients from digestion as fuel to meet this particular crisis. The same is true for other organs and systems: Stress will literally rob nutrients from your reproductive system, your bones, and aspects of your immune system, your nervous system and more – all in an attempt to survive.

Now, assuming you survive the stress, are the nutrients returned to those systems? No, not at first. They are taken out quickly and returned slowly, just in case there is another lion around.

Gradually, you begin to show signs of chronic stress that we call premature aging: your blood sugar becomes more difficult to control; your arteries begin to clog up with cholesterol; and your muscle and bone mass begins to melt away. Then, enzymes in your cells begin to turn off and caramelized sugars begin to damage your brain and nerves. You can't think and you have no energy. Your body cannot stand that kind of stress and it breaks down.

Fighting back

This illustrates why we need nutrients from food and supplements to combat stress. The more nutrients we have "on board," the less fuel your body will have to rob during a crisis.

The opposite of stress is homeostasis. So, while stress is constantly trying to pull you apart, homeostasis is constantly working to put you back together. Homeostasis is the priority process your body uses to combat stress. It requires nutrients to function. So, a key strategy for helping reduce the impact of stress is to take Healthy Aging nutrients (including a robust supply of Sublingual B-12) every day.

Rather than being just an isolated event, stress accumulates over time. A single stressful event can affect you for up to two years or more. Therefore homeostasis must be constant, relentless and dynamic in working to return you to a normal state. It must do this no matter which direction stress is pulling you.
Homeostasis is a very important process in our body and we need to support it in every way we can. Homeostasis encompasses all of our resources: our brain and nervous system, our immune system, our hormonal system and every other body function.

Adaptogens support homeostasis in all body systems. Adaptogens are "non-specific" in that they help your body reclaim balance. Adaptogens are non-toxic at any level, so you can feel free to take an added serving of Adaptogen 10 Plus as needed in order to break the cycle of stress. A daily serving of adaptogens can help keep you calm and relaxed.

A specific target of stress is the thyroid gland. Specific proteins found in Energy Now! support healthy thyroid function when stress creates thyroid imbalance.
Healthy Aging nutrients along with Adaptogen 10 Plus and Energy Now! can help protect against the relentless stress we all face. We need nutrients and nurturing; these lifesaving resources are found in the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness. Learn them and live them, and you will be able to resist the relentless killer: stress!

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Take Control of Your Health

Practice deep breathing at least 20 minutes daily
Exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week
Eat high protein foods; avoid sugar and caffeine
Take Healthy Aging nutrients
Use adaptogens to fight off the effects of stress
Support your thyroid with Energy Now!

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

TEST YOURSELF FOR "D"EFICIENCY

With your thumb, press on your sternum (breastbone). Is it tender or painful? Now, press on the tibia (shin bone) of both your legs. Is it sore or tender? If the answer is "yes" to both of these tests then you have a 93% chance of being Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D may be the most prevalent vitamin deficiency in our culture. What is Vitamin D and what does it do for us?

Function of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is both a vitamin (vital amine) and a hormone. It acts as a vitamin when it binds with calcium for proper absorption. Humans cannot digest calcium without adequate amounts of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a hormone (a messenger inside your body) because it directs cells, organs, muscle and bone in daily activity. It is a hormone because your body creates it in response to sunlight on your skin. It participates in weight loss, the function of your immune system, blood sugar regulation and basic human metabolism.

Humans mobilize essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3, with Vitamin D. In order to properly use calcium and Omega-3 you simply must have enough Vitamin D. Yet, many people don't.

Signs of deficiency

The test above is one way of checking for low levels of Vitamin D. You see, calcium and other minerals are delivered to an area in your bones that is like a gelatin matrix. This gelatin matrix hardens into sturdy bone. Calcium can only arrive in this matrix if it is escorted by Vitamin D. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, this matrix will revert back to gelatin near the surface of the bone. Tenderness and bone pain will result.

This kind of bone pain can be seen in cases of osteomalacia (softening of the bones), as well as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and even the pain associated with chronic depression.

Further, Vitamin D deficiency can result in:

Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Psoriasis

Eventually, Vitamin D deficiency may lead to cancer (especially breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer), osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease.

Reasons for deficiency

The primary reasons people become deficient in Vitamin D are cultural. For instance, women that wear veils in certain cultures are almost universally deficient in Vitamin D, as are submariners who spend extended time submerged. Neither group spends much time with their skin exposed to direct sunlight. The most common reasons for Vitamin D deficiency in North America also relate to lack of exposure to sunlight and infrequent consumption of cold-water fish. Cold-water fish such as wild salmon, mackerel and sardines are good food sources of Vitamin D – as well as good sources of calcium and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Many foods have been supplemented with Vitamin D, but this has not resulted in an overall increase in Vitamin D levels. This is likely because food and supplement manufacturers rely on an inexpensive form of synthetic Vitamin D called "ergocalciferol" – a form of Vitamin D-2. Food sources of Vitamin D and supplements such as TriVita's Bone Growth Factor, VitaCal-Mag D and Leanology Capsules use Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol), which is the same form that your body makes from sunshine.

What to do?

If your bones are tender or if you have a low blood level of Vitamin D the solution may be as simple as increasing your sun exposure (see the Weekly Wellness Report, "Is the Sun our Enemy?"). Spend 20 minutes daily in the sunshine with 40% of your skin surface exposed. Morning and evening sunshine is best; afternoon sun is acceptable. Never allow yourself to sunburn.

When supplementing with Vitamin D always choose D-3. It is also good to remember that this is a "fat soluble" vitamin. That means that you can store the nutrient for many days.

I will often suggest two capsules of TriVita's Bone Growth Factor or two tablets of VitaCal-Mag D to be taken at every meal. Test the tenderness in your sternum and shin bones every 6 months. Reduce your supplements to one capsule or tablet per meal when the tenderness has disappeared from the sternum and shin bones.

If Leanology Capsules are a more appropriate source of Vitamin D for you (if you are overweight and otherwise in a low-risk category for osteoporosis), taking two capsules at each meal is a good strategy. However, since most overeating occurs in the evening and since Vitamin D reduces appetite, it may be best to take three to six Leanology capsules all in the evening.

It is good to get a blood test for appropriate blood levels of Vitamin D twice a year and a DEXA scan of your bones at least every two years to help you structure a supplement program.

Eventually, health comes down to healthy habits practiced every day. Every day we should nourish our body and nurture our spirit for sustained health.

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Take Control of Your Health

Spend time in the sun daily
20 minutes in the morning or evening sun
10 minutes morning and evening work also
Expose 40% of your skin surface to sunshine
Never allow yourself to sunburn!
Eat foods high in Vitamin D
Cod liver oil
Fortified milk
Salmon, mackerel and sardines
Egg yolks
Beef liver
Take Vitamin D supplements
Make sure to select D-3
Spread the dose of Bone Growth Factor and VitaCal-Mag D throughout the day
Consider taking 3 to 6 Leanology Capsules in the evening
Take Vitamin D supplements with food – especially foods high in Vitamin D

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

INFLAMMATION HOT SPOTS

The process of inflammation starts with injury, toxicity, deficiency or emotional distress. One particular deficiency that causes inflammation is a genetic deficiency called MTHFR. This deficiency is relatively common – perhaps the most common genetic deficiency in North America. It is related to the way we manufacture proteins. A sign that we have MTHFR deficiency is elevated homocysteine.

MTHFR deficiency creates pools of homocysteine that ignite inflammation like bonfires in specific tissues of your body. The strategies for reducing this inflammation depend greatly on where the bonfire starts. And, like many forest fires, inflammation often features multiple fronts that require different strategies for quelling its flames.

Burning brain

The delicate tissues of the brain are common victims of inflammation from an MTHFR deficiency. Elevated homocysteine feeds the fire that melts fragile neurons. Movement disorders like Parkinson's disease and dementias such as Alzheimer's disease are associated with elevated homocysteine. Further, inflammation in the brain associated with MTHFR and elevated homocysteine are also implicated in autism, ADD/ADHD, bipolar depression and schizophrenia.

MTHFR deficiency is addressed by increasing folates in the diet. Folates describe a B vitamin from foliage – leafy green vegetables. Actually, all fruits and vegetables contain some folate. Eating the optimum amount of folate can go a long way to filling the deficiency associated with MTHFR and elevated homocysteine.

Remember, the optimum number of servings for fruits and vegetables is:

5 servings for children
7 servings for women
9 servings for men

Make sure you eat vegetables of every color – eat a rainbow!

Supplements such as HCY Guard® provide nutrients that help "re-methylate" homocysteine in the presence of this MTHFR deficiency. Inflammation is normalized by the anti-inflammatory Betalains found in Nopalea™. Essential fatty acids and EFA supplements such as OmegaPrime® serve as primary building blocks for a healthy brain. Also, Omega-3 EFA, Betalains and ECGC polyphenols in Energy Now!® serve to help the body protect DNA strands and create stem cells that are needed to repair delicate, fragile brain tissues.

Burning bones

Bones are living tissue. Osteoblast cells lay down a matrix of collagen proteins and build minerals around it. Collagen provides tensile strength for the bones and minerals provide compression strength for the bones. Homocysteine shatters this matrix and melts the collagen in your bones (and elsewhere), resulting in brittle bones. Further, without collagen, minerals cannot form and the bones become porous. The end result is often osteoporosis.

Folates and plant hormones such as Vitamin K found in leafy green vegetables help reduce the impact of MTHFR deficiency and increase the opportunity for osteoblasts to make healthy bone. Healthy bones also require significant amounts of Vitamin D. Sunshine is the best source of Vitamin D; however, in North America it is not always possible to get enough healthy sun exposure to meet our Vitamin D needs. Supplements such as Bone Growth Factor and VitaCal-Mag D can help give us the nutrients we need for healthy bones. HCY Guard can help the body reduce inflammatory homocysteine and Betalains from Nopalea can help reduce the impact of inflammation.

Burning blood

MTHFR deficiency was discovered when scientists began searching for the reasons why heart disease and stroke seemed to cluster in certain families. It was discovered that these families shared a genetic deficiency that required far more folate than their diet provided. Folate deficiency depletes Vitamin B-12 and compounds the homocysteine problem. Homocysteine ignites LDL ("bad") cholesterol in the bloodstream and creates the inflammation at the root of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and stroke.

A high folate diet focusing on leafy green vegetables can fill this deficiency. Supplements such as HCY Guard, Nopalea and OmegaPrime can help the body ease' the fire in the delicate tissues lining the blood vessels. According to the VISP study (Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention) this comprehensive strategy can fill the deficiency created by MTHFR, put out the fire fueled by homocysteine, and reduce the likelihood of heart attack and stroke.

Conclusion

Inflammation hot spots build fires around your body in places like your brain, your bones and your heart.

A high folate diet can fill the deficiency that causes these body bonfires.

Safe daily sun exposure along with exercise and peaceful sleep can help build a solid foundation for wellness.

Appropriate supplementation can help satisfy the needs created by MTHFR while putting out the fires of inflammation and creating vigorous cells for health today and a healthier tomorrow.

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Take Control of Your Health

Eat 5, 7 or 9 servings of fruit and vegetables
Eat a rainbow – include leafy green vegetables (see "Dietary Sources of Folate" below)
Supplement appropriately:
HCY Guard to help reduce inflammatory homocysteine
Nopalea to put out the fire
OmegaPrime for a healthy brain and heart
Bone Growth Factor for healthy bones
Sleep peacefully every night and enjoy activity every day

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

NOPALA IN THE NEWS

There is an old saying, "You are what you eat!" That is very true: Each cell in our body is comprised of elements we extract from our food. If we eat a healthy diet we will build healthy cells. If we eat an imbalanced or deficient diet we will build imbalanced cells. It is really that simple: We are what we eat!

Nopalea™ contains a family of bioflavonoids (plant compounds known for their antioxidant activity) called Betalains. Nopal fruit from the Sonora Desert contains all 24 known Betalains. These are "orphan" nutrients; the main family of Betalain-containing fruits and vegetables is now extinct. How can we be sure that Betalains are recognized by our body since they have not been seen in the human diet for thousands of years?

Bioavailability

Foods that are absorbed during digestion and carried into the bloodstream are called bioavailable foods. If they are good for us they are called bioactive foods. If they neither improve our health nor detract from it they are called bio-neutral foods and if the foods we eat are toxic for us they are called biocidic foods.

The question we have is: How do we know that Betalains from Nopal cactus fruit are bioavailable and bioactive? The answer is provided by research from Palermo, Italy.

What you eat

Professors at the University of Palermo Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology have been involved in the study of Betalains from Nopal cactus species around the world. They are primarily responsible for identifying the different types of Betalains and their activity. Recently, these Betalain experts answered the question of how efficiently Nopal Betalains are absorbed. The answer to this puzzle helps us understand the bioavailability and bioactive nature of Betalains.

Research showed that anti-inflammatory Betalains protected fats from being oxidized and turned into "bad" fats. Methyl linoleate (ML) is a common fat used in manufacturing detergent and other products. It can become carcinogenic (cancer-causing) if it oxidizes.

Betalains protected ML from oxidizing. This antioxidant activity hindered the formation of inflammatory chemicals. Betalains slowed down the domino effect of toxic, rancid fats from becoming carcinogenic before they ever started!

Remarkable results

Research continues around the world into the potent anti-inflammatory, anti-toxin action of Betalains from the Sonora Desert. The more we learn, the more remarkable Betalains become. Now we have conclusive proof that Betalains are readily recognized by our body though we may have never consumed them before our first serving of Nopalea. Further, we see that Betalains are both bioavailable and bioactive.

If we truly "are what we eat," we can improve the health of our cells, help our body reduce inflammation, oxidation and the impact of toxins by taking Nopalea.

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Take Control of Your Health

Health comes from healthy habits:

Breathe Deeply
Drink Pure Water
Sleep Peacefully
Eat Nutritiously
Enjoy Activity
Give and Receive Love
Be Forgiving
Practice Gratitude
Develop Acceptance
Develop a Relationship with God
Take Nopalea to help protect against toxins, inflammation, oxidative stress and premature aging

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF STRESS

According to health experts, we need about 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week. The benefits of this are too numerous to list but include:

Heart health
Increased energy
Decreased obesity
Improved mood
Exercise has been called "the best thing we can do for our body."

We also need resistance training to build lean body tissue and strong bones. Resistance training increases the ability of our individual cells to accept sugar and insulin. Indeed, resistance training is seen by some as the antidote to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis.

Stress in – stress out!

Despite all the benefits of exercise, it must be recognized that exercise is stressful. Exercise is work; it is a struggle against gravity and in the end, gravity always wins! That said, there are nutrients that can help us succeed in the struggle against gravity and help us meet our desired objectives of fitness and wellness.

First, we need energy to exercise (and then exercise gives us energy). Energy comes from metabolism, and the sensation of being energetic is "stored" in the nerves.

Our polyphenol product Energy Now! helps convert about 200 calories of energy from stored reserves per serving. This is the amount of energy we need to walk about two miles.

Sublingual B-12 adds to our energy delivery system by nourishing the nerves. Have you ever had a day when you felt light as a feather? Conversely, have you ever had a day when you felt like you were weighted down with lead weight? Most of us have that experience from time to time. Much of the sensation of feeling energetic is related to the potential of our nerves to conduct energy. Vitamin B-12 facilitates that energy delivery so we have more "light as a feather" days.

Sublingual B-12 also helps in another way. When we exercise we contract one group of muscles and stretch an opposite group of muscles. Vitamin B-12 facilitates muscle stretching – so muscles can stretch with ease.

When muscles ache after exercise it is because we have exceeded the limits of the muscle group at that moment. As we learn to listen to our body we really have only two choices: either don't exercise so we will never feel that pain or take discomfort as a signal that we need to increase our nutrient reserves. Adaptogens are a group of nutrients from specific plants known to help us resist the stress of exercise while speeding a return to "normal" after exercise. Adaptogens are non-toxic by nature. So, if you find yourself sore after exercise, take more adaptogens!

Of course, pain is one of the cardinal signs of inflammation (pain, swelling, redness and heat accompanied by loss of function). Nopalea contains anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids called Betalains. Reducing inflammation quickly can help our body repair and return to normal function more quickly.

My routine

I am often asked about my exercise routine and the supplements I take. The answer really depends on what goal I am working on at the moment. If I am preparing for an event (like a bicycle race or triathlon) I will train every day, but I will only work out with weights twice a week. On the other hand, if I am preparing to hike the Grand Canyon, I may run a few miles a day but increase my weight training to five days a week. However, I always begin my workout routines with four ounces of Adaptogen 10 Plus and four ounces of Nopalea.

I use Healthy Aging supplements and add Energy Now! just before performing – it really gives me a boost!

I don't like to exercise but I really do like to play! As an adult my "play" is more structured and organized than when I was a kid. It is also much less frequent. Still, I know that the more I move, the more I will be able to move and the more I will enjoy activity. Conversely, the less I move, the less I will be able to move and the less I will want to move.

Happiness and self-esteem come from setting and achieving worthwhile goals. One worthwhile goal is to enjoy activity daily and use nutrients and nurturing to combat our inevitable opponent: stress!
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Take Control of Your Health

Start slowly, warm up, stretch
Pick several activities to avoid burnout
Use Energy Now! to raise metabolism
Use Sublingual B-12 to aid muscles and nerves
Use Adaptogen 10 Plus to help with recovery
Use Nopalea to help break the cycle of inflammation
Set and achieve worthwhile activity goals

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]

HOW TO AVOID SABOTAGING YOUR WEIGHTLOSS GOALS

This is the perfect time for an encouraging article on keeping your weight loss goals. Nearly half of all people in North America make a New Year's Resolution to change something in their life. The most common commitment is to lose weight. Second is to exercise more. Third is to stop smoking.

Within a few weeks the number of people sticking to their resolve declines dramatically. Given the importance of improving our behavior, an encouraging word from an ally may be just the thing we all need to keep our resolve!

Mechanics of weight loss

Let's review the best advice for weight loss that we have gathered from expert sources over the last several years.

How: Reduce your calorie intake to match your BMR (basal metabolic rate). BMR represents the number of calories your body needs at rest; in other words, your body burns these calories through basic functions. Click here for a BMR calculator (labeled Basal Metabolism). So, BMR represents the ideal number of calories you should eat in a day. Additionally, increase your activity to burn 1–2 pounds of fat per week.

When: Never eat within two hours of bedtime. Morning exercise is a bit better than evening exercise. Never consume more than 400 calories in an hour.
What: Eat according to an organized plan. For example, South Beach, Ornish, Mediterranean, etc. Do both aerobic and resistance exercises most days of the week.

Why: Your sense of purpose will dictate your actions step by step.

Speed bumps

Somewhere along the way you are going to experience discouragement, disappointment or despondency. It may be when you hit a weight loss plateau. It may be when you see others doing what you used to do and the old habits pull at your heart. It may be when those inner voices – I call them my "counsel of critics" – start to tell you lies about failure and success. What do you do when you hit a speed bump?

The answer to this question does not lie in the "how – when – what" of weight loss. The answer lies in the "why." Your personal "why" gives you energy. It inspires you, motivates you and drives you to complete your goal.

Remember to let your desire fuel your action; let your actions harmonize with your sense of purpose. Simply be resolved to live a life of purpose and you will have the energy to get beyond the speed bumps.

Common setbacks

Lack of support – Losing weight with an uncooperative family is very difficult. In fact, diet failure is far more common with kids at home than among empty-nesters. A great solution is to turn those sources of distraction into cheerleaders. Recruit your family into your support group. Ask them for help and you may be surprised how helpful a supportive family can be.

Social functions – Parties and family gatherings are another trigger for setbacks. Food and a festive environment are catalysts for overeating and skipping exercise. Careful planning in advance can really help with food selection and an exercise schedule. And if you do overindulge, remember the "calories in, calories out" rule and increase your exercise for a week or two to burn off the extra calories.

Emotional issues – Depression, discouragement and despondency are also common triggers for diet failure. Remembering the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness can be a good antidote. For instance, Essential #6 teaches us that we need to Give and Receive Love for excellent health. Love moves us to make commitments, committing ourselves to a life of purpose. Purpose is the reason for action. Therefore, love can help us balance autonomy, commitment and purpose with fear, shame and doubt.

Conclusion

When we commit ourselves to such noble pursuits, they deserve our very best attention. We need to define our purpose as the foundation for success. Purpose is an important motivation to help us reshape our thinking. Purpose is the antidote to self-sabotage.

Ponder over each of these life-changing rules for healthy living. You will soon see that each of these gems reflect the light you need to see beliefs that no longer serve your best interests. You can confront self-sabotage and slay the dragons that keep you from reaching your goals. Also, learning and living the 10 Essentials provides you with powerful tools to reshape your attitudes into the very ones that can help you to reach your goals, live the life you want and fulfill your purpose.

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Take Control of Your Health

Plan a balance of calories and activity for lifetime weight control

Eat 5, 7 or 9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily

Plan 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week

Do resistance training 2–5 times per week

Supplement to support the four stages of weight loss:

Energy and Metabolism:

Leanology Weight Loss Capsules help increase metabolism and energy to support your body's ability to burn more calories at rest. Adaptogen 10 Plus contains aloe vera to help you absorb nutrients and improve your digestive system.

Cortisol & Stress Management:

Leanology Weight Loss Capsules help to limit cortisol production in your body – cortisol is the stress-induced hormone that can lead to abdominal fat. Adaptogen 10 Plus contains all ten adaptogens that have been proven to help the body "adapt" to stress.

Appetite Control:

Leanology Appetite Control Chews help reduce the natural hunger signals in your body, minimizing cravings

Blood Sugar Control:

Leanology Nutritional Shakes help your body use the nutrients you eat as energy, rather than storing them as fat.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita/com]