Letter to a Doctor – The “Why’s” of Nutraceuticals

I wrote this letter today to a physician who requested information on nutraceuticals. As I clicked Send, it occurred to me that it would make a nice blog entry. So here it is, my Letter to a Doctor:

I’m happy to share some information with you about nutraceuticals. I’m sure you know some of the why’s and wherefore’s, but I’ll give you my personal view on why they are so critical and beneficial.

 

The term “nutraceuticals” refers to pharmaceutical-grade nutritional supplements. As you know, the quality of supplements on the market varies widely. Many people think they are doing something for their health by taking an over-the-counter supplement like Centrum every day. But the bio-availability of these pills is very low. In fact, they are often referred to as “bed pan bullets.” You can actually see them in x-rays, passing slowly but surely through the digestive system, intact. When I began working in wellness, I chose a company whose supplements are third-party tested and quality approved through the same rigorous testing measures as pharmaceuticals.

 

For many years I did not take any supplements at all. I disliked taking them, and felt no different whether I took them or not. My “conversion” to supplements began about 10 years ago. I had visited my doctor asking for help with prevention, and of course she really had no answer for me. It was not in her parlance. I was very concerned, though, because in a very short period of time I had lost three members of my family to cancer, which made me realize that I probably had some genetic issues. In addition to cancer, my father had had heart disease and very painful rheumatoid arthritis. He was allergic to all pain medication, so he suffered daily in immense pain. I felt utterly helpless. And when I lost him, I wanted to know what I needed to do for prevention. After listening to my fears, my doctor’s decision was to put me on a medication to handle the anxiety I was feeling about my health. Needless to say, this was not the answer I was looking for. I disliked it as much as I disliked supplements, and felt no real benefit. So very soon I quit taking it.

 

Over the course of the next few years, I developed inflammation, arthritis, and pain throughout my body. I had no idea what to do. I went to chiropractors, worked out and stretched frequently, but nothing helped significantly. One day I began talking with a woman at my child’s school who was a nutrition consultant. I became fascinated by what I learned from her. I learned that pain and inflammation can be caused by the body’s response to toxins, stress, free radical damage, and an over-loaded immune system. She recommended a super-antioxidant made from powerful natural compounds– proanthocyanidins– found in pine bark extract, red wine extract, and grape seed extract. It was a powdered supplement, referred to as an “isotonic-capable delivery system.” When you add water, the nutrients become isotonic, and are perceived by the body as the same as body fluids. They are transported very rapidly to the lower intestine where our nutrients are absorbed. It is a very efficient and effective way to get nutrients into the body, and is truly the next best thing to an injection.

 

I had success with this supplement right away. My pain began to get better within a week. In three months it was gone completely. And the seasonal allergies I had experienced since childhood disappeared too. I got my flexibility back. My arthritis disappeared. I was so excited. I began to take more isotonic nutrients, including a multi-vitamin, calcium, vitamin C, a B-complex, and some additional anti-oxidants. My energy and zest for life returned. I truly had a transformative experience with supplements. And reflecting back, I knew for certain that I could have helped my father. I could have gotten him out of his extreme pain if I had known about these supplements.

 

As a result of that experience, I developed a new life mission to help people who are suffering from pain and other difficult health situations. I became a nutrition consultant, and began guiding people with regard to their health, prevention strategies, and supplement choices. Now I help people with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, mood disorders, diabetes, weight problems, asthma, allergies, ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and many other issues through supplementation and lifestyle changes. And a few years ago I became certified through my company to help health practitioners to implement wellness, nutrition, and weight loss programs in their clinics.

 

It is important to note that our nutritional program is designed to augment, not replace, traditional medicine. Many doctors today are being asked for their help and opinion on what supplements are best, what people should be taking for prevention and for various health challenges. We put the tools and the knowledge into the physicians’ hands so they are equipped to offer the proper resources to their patients. Instead of sending these patients to the untrained care of GNC or a pharmacy aisle, the doctor becomes equipped to offer wellness and prevention guidance, and pharmaceutical-grade nutritional resources.

 

The business program behind these nutritional programs is a cash-based system that helps fuel the financial well-being of the clinic. We know we need to provide a competitive program that eliminates the need for a health professional to choose between prevention guidance on the one hand, and financial gain from prescribing pharmaceuticals on the other. We provide excellent financial incentive to the health practitioner to be a true steward of their patients’ health. In doing so, the physician can simulataneously provide an enhanced level of service to their patients, build their patient base, and create a solid financial foundation for their clinic.

 

What’s more, we provide a physicians’ Continuing Education program with 12 CEUs for practitioners that attend our weekend course. This course provides a comprehensive training in the science behind nutritional interventions. Our physicians come away from this experience truly empowered to address chronic conditions through better nutrition.

 

I know this is a lot of information. And of course there is much more. I recently developed a 300-page book with some of the testimonials we have received from people that have improved their weight, their triglycerides, their blood pressure, their cholesterol, their circulation, their pain, their blood sugar, their energy, their diabetes, their fibromyalgia, their children’s health, and so on…. It is not formally published. I provide a copy of this book to each of the practitioners I work with as a resource for their patients.

 

I invite you to begin your analysis of our program, and to direct other health practitioners to me for information. We can truly help people with their vital health, their prevention of disease, and their longevity.

 

Thank you for your time and interest.

 

–Jayna

Black Cohosh Study – Fight Breast Cancer

If you have read my blog before, you know I’m a big fan of Dr. Andew Weil. One of Dr. Weil’s recent blog entries describes a study on the effect of black cohosh on breast cancer: “Research from the University of Pennsylvania found that women who used black cohosh had a risk of breast cancer that was 61 percent lower than women who didn’t use the herbal preparation.” Black cohosh is a key ingredient in “Feminene,” from Market America, and the “Female Support Formula” from nutraMetrix.

I get so excited when there is scientific evidence that natural interventions can help reduce our risk of disease. This kind of evidence-based information is, I believe, the key to converting our society from sickness-oriented to wellness-oriented.

I think it is so important that our health professionals continue to increase their understanding of the science behind nutrition and begin to incorporate these principles in clinical practice. My company has a division devoted to helping health professionals to incorporate wellness and nutrition in their clinics. See more details at www.nutrametrix.com, or contact me  for more information. Additionally, we have an AMA-accredited non-profit educational institute, www.nutrametrix.org/nei, which is dedicated to educating physicians in the science behind nutritional interventions, and nutrigenomics, which is the practice of addressing genetic predispositions with nutrition.

If you are a health professional, I can guide you in the process of evaluating nutrition and supplementation as an adjunct to your practice. We also have a great need for people with a background in health to train as nutraceutical consultants to assist practitioners in incorporating nutraceuticals and natural prevention strategies in their clinics. We have upcoming trainings for nutraceutical consultants in several U.S. cities. Please contact me for more information.

To your health!

Ms. Jayna

Avoid Golf Injury

Golf season is in full-swing, and it’s an important time to take care of your joints. Those of you that were off the course all winter will be more prone to repetitive stress problems or injury due to loss of muscle tone.

Some interesting thoughts from FineLiving.com:

• There are 24 million new golfers each year.
• Many golfers get injured on the first tee because they aren’t properly warmed up. So always be sure to warm up. (Light jog, stretch and bend, lunges, swings.)
• Stretch well after your golf session.
• Don’t sit on your tusch between holes!

Okay, that last one was my phrasing. They said “Walk between holes,” which is much nicer. But I think this gets at a really key point, which is that many of us suddenly get active after months of being relatively sedentary. And we don’t realize until we’re injured that moving our mass is really key to staying limbered up and flexible.

As always, I have lots of great advice from a supplement perspective. Yes, supplements can help immensely with bone health, joint health, cardiovascular health, inflammation, and blood flow.

1. First, a phenomenal supplement for keeping inflammation at bay is a high-quality omega-III fish oil. I really stress “high quality” because there are some bad ones out there. You want a fish oil like Market America’s Essential Omega-III fish oil with Vitamin E that was made from wild-caught fish from the purest water, that has been filtered for PCBs and heavy metals, and tested for purity by a third-party source. Some fish oils are produced from farm-raised fish, but it’s ocean fish that develop the beneficial EPA and DHA fats. So you want to check your labels and see what the amounts are of the EPA and DHA in the supplement. For example, Market America’s Omega-III fish oil has 870 and 570 mg, respectively, vs. Nature Made at 94 and 187.

2. A super-antioxidant is my next recommendation, especially one that is known for helping to address chronic inflammation. For countless people with injuries and arthritis, Isotonix OPC-3 has had great results. In fact this is the supplement that helped me to get out of pain and eliminate my arthritis.

3. And my final recommendation is a glucosamine supplement, such as Glucosatrin, that does not contain chondroitin. As we all know, chondroitin was all the rage for awhile. But the trouble is that chondroitin is a much larger molecule than the glucosamine molecule. The two bind together, and the chondroitin actually inhibits the absorbtion of the glucosamine. Glucosatrin (from the Glucosatrin web page) has many benefits, including:

• Promotes skeletal health
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Promotes normal movement and flexibility of joints
• Promotes the retention and normal regeneration of cartilage
• Helps maintain joint comfort
• Promotes joint health and flexibility as you age

So, those of you out there practicing your swing, remember to take great care of your joints so you last the season.

Take my poll on how golf affects your health.

Have a healthy day!

Ms. Jayna

Stop the Varicose Vein Creep

This just in. Dr. Andrew Weil, one of my favorite sources for all things healthy, has some great suggestions for halting the development of varicose veins. Poor circulation and venous insufficiency contribute to the problem. But how do you improve circulation and the health of your veins? Some of Dr. Weil’s suggestions include regular exercise and avoiding long periods of sitting, especially with legs crossed.

He also suggests grape seed extract. No, you don’t have to squeeze those little seeds to get the extract. There’s a great source of high quality grape seed extract in Isotonix OPC-3, a drinkable super-antioxidant that is phenomenal for circulation, a healthy heart, and healthy immune system function.

OPC stands for Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins. And now you know why they shorten it to OPC! These are powerful antioxidant compounds found in nature. The “3” in OPC-3 refers to pine bark extract, grape seed extract, and red wine extract, all of which are truly potent forms of antioxidants that can have a profound positive effect on circulation, the reduction of pain and inflammation, heart health, and healthy blood. OPC-3 also operates as a natural histamine inhibitor, so it’s great for people with seasonal allergies.

If you like, you can read my story on what OPC-3 did for me.

To your health!

Ms. Jayna

Green Spring Cleaning

This is a great time to open the house to the fresh spring air. Did you know that our homes trap toxins? Just running your dishwasher with standard dishwasher detergent creates airborne toxins. Detergents typically contain phosphates and chemicals that can harm our waterways and pollute our home environment. And walking across a chemically-treated lawn and then into your home brings toxic particles inside that are also then airborne.

Some links to help you find safer alternatives:

Environmentally safe cleaning supplies: http://tinyurl.com/cywgfv

SNAP Dishwashing crystals- environmentally sound, only $6.25, and highly concentrated: http://tinyurl.com/dhm5uk

SNAP Dishwashing liquid product video: http://tinyurl.com/cota8o

SNAP laundry soap- environmentally sound, only $10.50, washes 64 loads! http://tinyurl.com/d82z5t

Green your lawn without toxins using GlobalCare: http://tinyurl.com/c8f4v5

Happy Spring Cleaning & Greening!

Ms. Jayna

Natural Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease – Exciting News

I just read a fascinating natural Alzheimer’s treatment article written by Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., and submitted to the Linking Alternative Medicine Group on LinkedIn by Dianne Maroney.

Niacinamide, which sounds creepy but is just vitamin B3, has been shown to have huge benefits in the treatment of Alzheimers. The study that was done on mice showed a 60 percent decrease in a specific Alzheimer’s “tau protein” marker referred to as “Thr231-phospho-tau”.

Here’s a quote from the article:

“Niacinamide was also associated with an increase in ‘microtubules,’ which carry information inside brain cells. ‘Microtubules are like highways inside cells. What we’re doing with [niacinamide] is making a wider, more stable highway,’ one of the researchers said. ‘In Alzheimer’s disease, this highway breaks down. We are preventing that from happening.’

The article goes on to say that the researchers felt the evidence was extremely compelling, not only as a great benefit for Alzheimer’s patients, but also for memory enhancement in healthy people as well.

Vitamin B3 is a key ingredient in Isotonix B-Complex, a drinkable and highly bioavailable B-Complex that has benefits for cognitive health, cardiovascular health, improved mood and energy, reduced stress and fatigue, and a properly functioning nervous system.

To your health,

Ms. Jayna

The Buzz About Resveratrol

The first time I heard the word “Resveratrol” was a few years ago when my company, Market America, came out with a drinkable version of this compound in the Isotonix product line. I couldn’t pronounce it, but I was excited. Researchers had at last identified a key factor in the French Paradox, the interesting phenomenon whereby some populations can eat richer foods and exercise less, yet live longer.

Resveratrol and its benefits are becoming common knowledge. For those who don’t yet know about Resveratrol, here is a quick overview:

• Resveratrol is a compound found in the skins of red grapes
• The basis of the French Paradox has long been thought to be connected to red wine consumption, but only in recent years has the actual compound been identified.
• The benefits of Resveratrol include improved cardiovascular health, slower aging, and improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management.
• Resveratrol has also been shown to perform “apoptosis,” or programmed cell death, in unhealthy cells while promoting the growth of good healthy cells. So it is also considered a powerful anti-cancer agent.
• Researchers suggest that you’ll be able to get this “drug” in a pill within five years… BUT it is a natural compound from grape skins. You can buy Resveratrol now.
• You can also read more with these news briefs and clinical study results on Resveratrol.

To your health!

Ms. Jayna

It’s a great day to lose weight

It’s winter. You’re sluggish. You want to hibernate, and you blame it on the cold. But you can get more energy and feel a whole lot better right now– without waiting for spring. And you’ll lose some pounds in the process. Here are my recommendations:

1. Cut out all simple carbs. They are just a total no-no for energy. The reason simple carbs sap energy is because they spike your blood sugar and your insulin production, and then it all comes crashing down.

2. Eat more fresh veggies. The phytonutrients in fresh vegetables give you energy. You can even go a step further and take Complete Greens– a whole food supplement that provides about 10 organic salads worth of phytonutrients in one serving. Yeah baby! And did you know that fresh green vegetables help to steady your blood sugar? Which means fewer cravings? And that leads to less desire for the bad stuff? Which means you make better choices? Which means more energy? And weight loss as a bonus?

3. Think about incorporating a thermogenic product into your regimen that gives you energy and improves metabolism. I recommend Transitions Thermochrome with Advantra Z and South African Hoodia gordonii.

4. Do a cleanse. Getting rid of the buildup in your digestive tract helps your body to better absorb nutrients, which provide energy. And did you know that the average person has 5-25 pounds of excess sludge stored up in their colon? So most people lose several pounds just doing a colon cleanse. The NutriClean 7-Day Liver and Colon Cleanse is a gentle program that won’t alter your lifestyle.

5. Do something every day that builds muscle. Muscle is metabolically active, whereas fat begets fat. If you do some power yoga or weight training each day, you’ll build lean muscle mass that helps to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Have an awesome day, and do something positive for your health today!

Ms. Jayna

Nutritional Support for ADHD

So many school age kids are being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. The result is very typically a prescription for a medication such as Ritalin. Many parents dread the notion of medicating their kids. One reason is that most of us have heard about (or know people who have directly experienced) the icky side effects of the medications, including dizziness, nausea, insomnia, weight loss, headaches, drowsiness, and abdominal pain. As a Nutraceutical Consultant, I make it my job to help people who are seeking alternatives to find effective non-pharmaceutical solutions. I also work with health practitioners to assist them in helping their patients find alternatives. Here are my recommendations for those who want to try a natural approach for managing ADD/ADHD:

 

1. The #1 thing you can do for your child is to get white table sugar and simple carbohydrates out of his or her diet. These are often huge contributing factors in ADD and ADHD. Convert to whole grains, and for sweets you can make home baked items that are sweetened with applesauce. I use Xylitol as a direct sugar substitute for a cinnamon-sugar blend. You can find Xylitol at your local natural foods store. (Note that some people do have issues with digesting Xylitol. Be sure to read up on it so you’ll know what to look for in a potential reaction.)

2. Supplement with a high quality children’s multi-vitamin. The one I recommend is Might-a-Mins Spectrum Isotonix Multi-Vitamin  (www.newvitalitywellness.com > Health & Nutrition > Children’s Health). It is drinkable and easy for kids to take. The new Spectrum supplement line from Market America is designed specifically to serve children in need of digestive, metabolic, or neurological support. Please email me if you would like testimonials.

3. Supplement with a super-antioxidant containing Pycnogenol(R). Either OPC-3 (www.newvitalitywellness.com > Health & Nutrition > Antioxidants) or the Might-a-Mins Spectrum Isotonix OPC-3 are highly recommended. The OPC-3 supplements are also drinkable and can be mixed with the Might-a-Mins multi-vitamin.

4. Add a good pro-biotic supplement. There is a high rate of digestive issues among kids with ADD/ADHD, as well as children in the autism spectrum. The Might-a-Mins Spectrum line includes a great product for this as well, called Might-a-Mins Spectrum Isotonix Digestive Enzymes.

5. And you can go a step further and add a high quality Omega-III fish oil. Make sure that it is guaranteed to be free of mercury and other toxins. The one I recommend is Heart Health(TM) Essential Omega III Fish Oil with Vitamin E (www.newvitalitywellness.com > Health & Nutrition > Heart Health). A lot of people balk at the idea of having to get their kids to choke down fish oil, and for good reason. The pills are quite large, for one thing. What we’ve found is that you can snip them open and squeeze the oil into apple sauce and mix it up for easy ingestion. The benefits for overall health, mental wellness, and good disposition, cannot be overstated.

Over and out,

Ms. Jayna

Obesity Kills Slowly… Save the Children

Okay, I know that’s a scary title. But I think we need to be shaken up a little. Even in the face of all the research and data showing the health risks of obesity, we’re still an enormously overweight nation. And according to an article I just read from the Washington Post, one third of our kids are obese. If you have any concerns about your kids, I recommend checking it out. One of the shocking things I learned in this article is that excessive eating in childhood creates extra fat cells. And even if kids do lose some weight, their fat cell count never diminishes. So it’s so important to create good habits or get overweight kids back on a healthy track as early as possible.

The article makes the case that obesity kills slowly. It graphically shows the damage to the body, organ by organ, and talks about how dire the outcome is over time. From brain lesions to heart enlargement, it is a wake-up call. For example, obesity causes enormous stress on the pancreas, which can result in insulin resistance, and then Type 2 diabetes. The article provides a quote from Robert H. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California at San Francisco: “Once you get Type 2 diabetes, figure you have 20 more years of life and then you are dead. So if you get it at 15, you’ll be dead at 35.”

As a nation, we have got to correct this problem. Let’s get the kids out walking and playing, tossing the football around, taking walks and hikes. Get them into sports programs, dance lessons, ski teams. Wrestle on the floor. Set up challenges and rewards for exercise and healthy eating habits. It will all add up to healthier kids.

But what are healthy eating habits? Many people have no idea. All the fad diets have confused our society immensely. As a nutrition consultant, the main thing I tell people is to get greens and veggies into their diet in as many ways as possible. Toss broccoli and spinach into an egg white omelette for breakfast. Eat a nice big salad with some lean protein and a light dressing for lunch. Pile vegetables up on your plate at dinner, sneak them into burgers, pastas, casseroles, and fresh juices.

There are a few reasons veggies are so key. Not only are the phyto-nutrients energy enhancing, but most veggies (not white potatoes or corn) are low on the glycemic index, which means the calories burn slowly. And a slow caloric burn means less desire for munching and snacking on higher calorie, fattier snacks. Plus a lot of excess snacking is due to the body’s desperate need for nutrition.

The other key is to eliminate simple carbohydrates and heavily processed foods. Very simply, any carbohydrate that does not contain substantial fiber is likely to have a negative effect on blood sugar and metabolism. And those negative effects will ultimately result in insulin resistance and diabetes. So eliminate the high sugar foods, especially soda, and replace with plenty of filtered water and high fiber whole grain foods.

For more information on the glycemic index, and great foods to eat to support a healthier metabolism, see Shari Lieberman’s Glycemic Index Food Guide. There are also many resources, low-glycemic snacks, and supplements for improved blood sugar management and metabolism at www.newvitalitywellness.com under the Weight Management category of the Health & Nutrition page.

Let’s get this terrible epidemic under control. These kids are our future leaders, and they need to be well enough to lead.

Ms. Jayna