TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

Test Your Body Mass Index

The obesity epidemic: Why girth rates continue to increase
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing at an alarming rate all over the world, particularly in developed countries such as the U.S. In the October 9, 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA), data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 31% of adults in the U.S. were obese in the year 2000 compared to 14.4% in 1980.
According to the CDC, about 15% of children and adolescents were overweight in 2000 – triple what the proportion was in 1980.

Defining overweight and obese
The common definition for being overweight or obese may not make much sense to most people. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30. Overweight is defined as having a BMI of 25–29.9. So, what is BMI exactly?

BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. It is calculated by dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. That’s a lot of math! To make it easier, use our online BMI calculator:

Click here to access the BMI calculator.
Once on the page, click on “Body Mass Index.”
Enter your height (in feet and inches) and your weight (in pounds). The program will automatically calculate your BMI and explain the results.
Health risks associated with obesity
In December 2001, the U.S. Surgeon General warned that obesity could soon kill more Americans than tobacco smoke. Imagine this: With all of the advances we have made in hygiene, nutrition and disease control, the generation living now is the first in U.S. recorded history with a shorter life expectancy than their parents. We are killing ourselves and our children with the habits that lead to obesity.

What’s behind the epidemic?
Why such large and extensive increases in obesity? Data collected from around the world show that different environmental and cultural conditions contribute to obesity in urban and rural populations.
Experts believe that rising rates of obesity among children and adults may be attributed to a combination of the following:

Increasingly sedentary activities such as:
Watching TV
Using a computer
Driving long distances (for example, commuting)
Working long hours at sedentary jobs
Conveniences which reduce physical activity (think “drive-through” banking)
Lack of safe playgrounds for children
Increased consumption of soft drinks and other “market-driven” factors that encourage overeating, such as:
Larger portion sizes in restaurants
Increased sizes of individual food items (such as soft drinks, candy bars, bagels)
Increased prevalence of vending machines
Greater number of food choices
Pervasive marketing of high-calorie foods
Marketing strategies that encourage ordering larger serving sizes
Emotional overeating, triggered by increased stress
Repeated dieting
Greater acceptance of obesity in certain cultural groups
Girth control in a complex world
Although a number of complex cultural and environmental factors contribute to the obesity epidemic, in the majority of cases, the equation is basic: too many calories consumed and too few calories expended (too little activity) leads to obesity.
The Leanology® Weight Loss System is designed to encourage people to achieve and maintain a healthful body weight by development of habits known to produce lifetime weight control.

Moreover, Leanology creates the best possible opportunity for true wellness by confirming the benefits of nutrients and nurturing for weight management and all of life’s challenges.

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Take Control of Your Health

Plan a balance of calories and activity for lifetime weight control
Eat the recommended servings of fruit and
vegetables daily:
5 for children
7 for women
9 for men
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 and 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.

Learn more!

Achieving a Healthy Weight
Diagnosing Obesity
Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

Nopalea FAQ
Blood Sugar Imbalance
New! – Wellness Talks With Brazos Minshew

Listen to TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, Brazos Minshew, speak on a range of vital health topics. These talks will help you learn more about the science behind different TriVita products, as well as how they can help you and others with different health problems.

Date Topic
8/3/2010 Aging Nerves
8/4/2010
Irritable Bladder
8/5/2010 Healthy Nails
8/6/2010 Healthy Aging
8/7/2010 4 States of Imbalance

Join the live call, it’s easy, just dial in!
Date: Tuesdays – Saturdays
Start Time: 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET
Length of Call: Approximately 15 minutes
Call Number: 1-866-739-2952
Call Passcode: 219192#

Send us your topic suggestions!
If you have specific health topics you’d like Brazos Minshew to discuss in upcoming reports,
click here to submit your suggestions.

Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

© 2010 TriVita, Inc.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

Keeping Skin Healthy and 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:

Add 1/4 teaspoon of Vital C Crystals to your daily skin moisturizer and mix thoroughly.
Liberally apply the cream to your face and neck, massaging gently.
Leave on for 10 minutes.
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:
Essential fatty acids interact with Vitamin D in your skin to create a bulwark of protection against harmful radiation.
Vitamin C quenches smoldering fires of oxidative stress once they have begun.
Antioxidants, such as green tea (Energy Now!) and those found in berries (Adaptogen 10 Plus) can help protect against DNA damage from radiation.
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!

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Take Control of Your Health

For healthy skin:
Eat healthy fats and take OmegaPrime to help form the foundation
Take Joint Complex for healthy collagen
Drink plenty of water
Eat an antioxidant-rich diet
Take a specific antioxidant, such as Adaptogen 10 Plus or Energy Now!
Use topical antioxidants frequently
Get appropriate sunshine – never burn!
Get your sun exposure early in the day
Alternately, get your sun exposure in the evening
Wear long pants and long sleeves during midday
Wear a hat that provides shade for your face and ears
Take EFAs, Vitamin C and antioxidants for maximum protection!

Learn more!

Protect Your Skin
Skin Self-Exam
Vitamin D and Your Health
Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

Test Yourself: Body Mass Index
Nopalea FAQ
New! – Wellness Talks With Brazos Minshew

Listen to TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, Brazos Minshew, speak on a range of vital health topics. These talks will help you learn more about the science behind different TriVita products, as well as how they can help you and others with different health problems.

Date Topic
7/27/2010 Weight Loss/SMART Goals (Leanology)
7/28//2010 Obesity/Blood Sugar Health (Leanology,Gluconorm)
7/29/2010 Obesity/Heart Health (Leanology, HCY Guard, Nopalea)
7/30/2010 Toxins/Heart Health (Nopalea, HCY Guard)
7/31/2010 Product Questions

Join the live call, it’s easy, just dial in!
Date: Tuesdays – Saturdays
Start Time: 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET
Length of Call: Approximately 15 minutes
Call Number: 1-866-739-2952
Call Passcode: 219192#

Send us your topic suggestions!
If you have specific health topics you’d like Brazos Minshew to discuss in upcoming reports,
click here to submit your suggestions.

Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

© 2010 TriVita, Inc.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

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:

Strenuous exercise activates Vitamin D.
Vitamin D activates the hormone insulin to start the fires of metabolism.
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!

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Take Control of Your Health
Eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables: 5 servings for children, 7 for women and 9 for men
Eat healthy fats including olive oil, peanut oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and cold-water fish (salmon, trout, herring, etc.)
Take Omega-3 supplements every day
Take Vitamin D according to your need:
VitaCal-Mag D (under 30 years old with no bone-health issues)
Bone Growth Factor (over 30 or any age if you have risk factors)
Leanology Capsules (those with low Vitamin D and high body fat)
Exercise at least ½ hour daily, most days of the week
Include both aerobic and resistance exercise

Learn more!

Exercise and Bone Health
Exercise After 50
Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

Sun Damage
Test Yourself: Body Mass Index
New! – Wellness Talks With Brazos Minshew

Listen to TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, Brazos Minshew, speak on a range of vital health topics. These talks will help you learn more about the science behind different TriVita products, as well as how they can help you and others with different health problems.

Date Topic
7/20/2010 Active Ingredients in Nopalea
7/21//2010 Vitamin D & Energy
7/22/2010 Questions on Nopalea
7/23/2010 Nopalea & Stem Cells
7/24/2010 Nopalea & Toxins

Join the live call, it’s easy, just dial in!
Date: Tuesdays – Saturdays
Start Time: 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET
Length of Call: Approximately 15 minutes
Call Number: 1-866-739-2952
Call Passcode: 219192#

Send us your topic suggestions!
If you have specific health topics you’d like Brazos Minshew to discuss in upcoming reports,
click here to submit your suggestions.

Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

© 2010 TriVita, Inc.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

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.

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Take Control of Your Health
Regularly check your blood pressure
Have an annual medical check-up
Test cholesterol, HDL and LDL
Test homocysteine and C-Reactive protein
Reduce stress and increase nutrients
Increase methyl-donors for HCY reduction
Increase Omega-3 and Betalains for CRP reduction
Exercise 30 minutes most days of the week

Learn more!

Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Reducing LDL with Chocolate?
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

Natural Sources of Energy
Sun Damage
New! – Wellness Talks With Brazos Minshew

Listen to TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, Brazos Minshew, speak on a range of vital health topics. These talks will help you learn more about the science behind different TriVita products, as well as how they can help you and others with different health problems.

Date Topic
7/13/2010 Form Follows Function – Part 1
7/14//2010 Form Follows Function – Part 2
7/15/2010 Form Follows Function – Part 3
7/16/2010 Form Follows Function – Part 4
7/17/2010 Form Follows Function – Part 5

Join the live call, it’s easy, just dial in!
Date: Tuesdays – Saturdays
Start Time: 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET
Length of Call: Approximately 15 minutes
Call Number: 1-866-739-2952
Call Passcode: 219192#

Send us your topic suggestions!
If you have specific health topics you’d like Brazos Minshew to discuss in upcoming reports,
click here to submit your suggestions.

Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

© 2010 TriVita, Inc.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Take Control of Your Health
Enjoy activity daily to reduce the effect of trauma
Insulate yourself against toxins with Healthy Aging nutrients
Remove toxins passively with Nopalea
Fill up deficiencies:
Breathe deeply
Drink pure water
Sleep peacefully
Eat nutritiously
Take Healthy Aging supplements
Reduce the impact of stress through healthy emotional/spiritual harmony and adaptogens

Learn more!

Starting an Exercise Program
Ten Tips for Healthy Aging
Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

Test Yourself: Coronary Heart Disease
Natural Sources of Energy
New! – Wellness Talks With Brazos Minshew

Listen to TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, Brazos Minshew, speak on a range of vital health topics. These talks will help you learn more about the science behind different TriVita products, as well as how they can help you and others with different health problems.

Date Topic
7/6/2010 Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy
7/7//2010 Emotions and Cancer
7/8/2010 Osteoarthritis
7/9/2010 B-12 and Lead
7/10/2010 Crohn’s Disease

Join the live call, it’s easy, just dial in!
Date: Tuesdays – Saturdays
Start Time: 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET
Length of Call: Approximately 15 minutes
Call Number: 1-866-739-2952
Call Passcode: 219192#

Send us your topic suggestions!
If you have specific health topics you’d like Brazos Minshew to discuss in upcoming reports,
click here to submit your suggestions.

Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

© 2010 TriVita, Inc.

TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

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!

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Take Control of Your Health
Take small bites, put your fork down and chew slowly
Slow down and enjoy your meals
Eat your fruits and vegetables: 5 servings for children, 7 for women and 9 for men
Adults need about 30 grams of fiber each day
Drink plenty of water every day: about ½ your body weight converted to ounces
Protect against stress with Adaptogen 10 Plus

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