Wellavoh - Find Out Why Nutrients Can Help Relieve Stress and Why You Want Wellavoh

Posted by Katherine Smith on November 18th, 2009

What is Wellavoh and How Can Nutrients Help Relieve Stress?
Well, let’s first define Stress. Stress is defined as change that is seen by your body or mind as a threat - large or small, imaginary or real - or a change in your environment that triggers a rapid use of your reserves. Stress creates a demand on your resources. Soon, these resources become exhausted and you get sick.

Distress can come from your environment, your body or your mind. Rather than being just a single event, stress accumulates over time from all three sources. It strangles the joy and pleasure from your days and nights. It makes you miserable, and then it makes you sick. Once you are sick, stress keeps you from responding as well to medical care. Yes, stress is a killer!

Nutrients to the rescue
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.

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential for homeostasis. If we have the nutrients we need at the moment we need them, we will thrive! Conversely, if we do not have the proper nutrient base in our system every day we will suffer loss of energy, poor mental performance and an increased risk for disease.  That’s why you want to know more about Wellavoh!

Supplements
The word supplement means an addition to something to make up for a deficiency. All supplements are an important addition to a healthy diet. They make up for the deficiency we face because of poor nutrient density in our foods. They also help out when we miss the mark of diet perfection.

Supplements are no substitute for good dietary choices. We simply must commit ourselves to eating a healthy diet. As you review your food choices for the past week, ask yourself, “Did I eat the right amount of fruits and vegetables every day?”

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

If you can say “yes” - congratulations! If you are like most people you did not reach that goal. And, if you are like most of us, you did not eat all of your fruits and vegetables from an organic source; so, the fruits and vegetables may have been of low nutrient value.

We need a multiple nutrient supplement every day to serve as a foundation for health and to combat the nutrient demands of a stressful life.

A new supplement - Wellavoh!
Staying on top of our nutrient reserve is important. Our body makes millions of new cells every day - heart cells, brain cells, bone and blood cells. Stress kills millions of vulnerable cells every day. Every time a cell dies it should be replaced. If you do not have the right amount of nutrients to construct a new cell, you will either make an incomplete cell or none at all. The outcome is bad in either case; so, we really need to keep all nutrients on board at all times. This is why TriVita created Sonoran Bloom™ Wellavoh™ (wel-lah voh), a new multi-nutrient complex for men and women.

The destructive forces of stress come from inside and outside your body. The nutrient complexes of Wellavoh can help you build a bulwark against stress as it tries to pull you apart. Wellavoh supports homeostasis as the innate wisdom of your body tries to keep you functioning at your peak.

One more reason…Danger Will Robinson!!!  Read this and see why you are not just effecting yourself but future generations!
Perhaps an even more important reason exists for maintaining a robust supply of nutrients in our system daily. According to a recent report, chemical switches on our DNA are activated by nutrients. If a single nutrient is missing at the critical moment it is needed, one of these chemical switches will fail. This results in a change in our DNA that promotes disease - for up to three generations of our children! So, it is vital that we and our children have our nutrients available every day to reduce the impact of stress while promoting vitality today, health tomorrow and a solid wellness foundation for generations to come!

Sonoran Bloom Wellavoh™ is a daily multi-nutrient complex that offers the best nutrition to promote optimal health, both day and night.  Wellavoh stands out for its unique formulas, full of hard-to-find, healthful nutrients.

Different Formulas for Men and Women – since men’s and women’s bodies have different nutritional needs, creating specific formulas for each gender is the better way to support one’s health.

  • The Men’s Formula helps promote optimal prostate, cholesterol, blood sugar and muscular health by including pumpkin oil and higher levels of pantothenic acid, magnesium, copper and chromium.
  • The Women’s Formula helps promote optimal bone, skin, hormone and breast health by including flax seed and higher levels of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc and manganese.

Different Formulas for Day and Night – not only does your body have specific nutritional needs based upon your gender, it also has different nutritional needs based upon its day and night cycle; so Wellavoh provides a fitting formula for each.

  • The AM Formula helps promote your body’s daytime energy and vitality by concentrating energy-producing nutrients in the morning when you need them most.
  • The PM Formula helps promote your body’s nighttime repair and rejuvenation by including specific nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and chromium.

A Universe of Nutrients – Wellavoh further supports your body’s superior health with an extensive combination of vital nutrients:

Four blends of powerful nutrients from herbs, plants, fruits, oils and more –combined to deliver essential health benefits.

  • Sonoran Blend – Contains two healing plants form the Sonoran Desert that were used by native peoples for food: the Nopal cactus pad, which helps stabilize blood sugar and support healthy cholesterol, and sage seed, which provides daily energy.
  • Heart-Healthy Oil Complex – Contains fish oil, flax seed oil, pumpkin seed oil (men’s only) and sage seed oil. These oils contain Omega-3 fatty acids as well as lignans – oil-based plant chemicals that help your body reduce cholesterol and inflammation.
  • Digestive Blend – Includes ginger extract, an anti-inflammatory spice that helps improve appetite, reduce nausea and inflammation, and long pepper extract, which helps your body reduce cramping and indigestion.
  • Whole Food Blend–Includes 24 whole food concentrates, incl. pomegranate, grape seed, bilberry, green tea, Nopal cactus & many other antioxidant-rich fruits & veg.

Six Essential Nutrient Classes

  • Vitamins (for vitality and health)
  • Macro and Trace Minerals (to maintain healthy bones, muscles and heart)
  • Phytonutrients (whole food concentrates for better absorption)
  • Enzymes (to support metabolism at the cellular level)
  • Essential Fatty Acids (for heart and brain health)

Optimized Soft-Gel Delivery – Wellavoh’s soft gel capsules are simply the best way to combine all the heart-healthy oils, blends, vitamins and minerals together in one formula to give your body power-packed nutrients 24/7! Soft gels also ensure exceptional absorbency for maximum health benefits. And, they are easy to swallow!

Convenient Packaging – each AM and PM dose of Wellavoh is individually packaged for extra convenience, whether you’re at home or on-the-go.

Scientifically formulated and physician approved

Try Wellavoh today and see what a difference in can make in your life.  To buy Wellavoh go to:

www.sonoran-bloom.info.

If you’re interested in high quality nutritional supplements like the ones mentioned on my blog, you can to go to: www.havingplenty.com.

And if you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.trivitacactus.info.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Blood Clot Causes

Posted by Katherine Smith on October 1st, 2009

A blood clot causes concern because the most common type of both stroke and heart attack is ischemic disease and that’s caused by a blood clot.  Over 300,000 people in North America die each year from stroke. Another 700,000 die each year from heart attack.  Damage occurs when the blood clot reduces – and then totally blocks – circulation in an artery. The tissue nourished by that artery begins to die almost immediately.

The nature of blood clots
A blood clot causes a seal for a leak of the blood vessel is injured so many people consider Blood clots a miracle when they occur in the right place at the right time. What happens is when a blood vessel is injured it sends out chemical distress signals that cause platelets to seal the leak. Platelets are small, white cells that are normally very slippery. They become sticky when the lining of the blood vessel (the endothelium) is damaged.

1. The endothelium sends chemical messages to the platelets.
2. The platelets send chemical messages to attract fibrin proteins.
3. Fibrin proteins are like string that becomes very sticky and ties the groups of platelets together. This is an immature or “white” blood clot.

If the leak is not sealed by this “white” clot, larger red blood cells are tied to the platelets by fibrin to form a “red” clot.

Blood clots in the wrong place – at the wrong time
A Blood clot causes problems when these clots happen in the wrong place at the wrong time. For example, one probable cause of migraine headaches is inappropriate communication between blood vessels and platelets. If a single blood vessel cramps or spasms it can signal platelets to become so sticky that they restrict circulation in the rest of the brain. Ischemic strokes and heart attacks are often caused by mature red clots breaking free of the injured area and blocking arteries in the heart or brain.

Interestingly, a blood clot causes blockages that can occur in any area of the body. For instance, a person can have a “stroke” that injures the lungs or kidneys. Deep vein thrombosis in the legs is the exact same kind of vascular disease that causes stroke or heart attack.

The key to preventing damage is to make sure that the clots form only when and where they are supposed to. This is only possible with accurate communication between the endothelium in the blood vessels and the clotting mechanisms in the red blood cells, platelets and fibrin. Simple nutrients can have profound effects on improving this communication – and I make several suggestions later in this report.

Working smarter, not harder
A blood causes a person to have a stroke when the blood vessels, platelets and fibrin are getting the message to clot in the wrong place at the wrong time and blood thinners force platelets and fibrin to ignore clotting signals from the endothelium.  When a person is having a stroke these drugs are life-saving because  One new class of drugs triggers the release of nitric oxide to open the blood vessels. Nitric oxide also helps the blood vessels, platelets and fibrin proteins communicate clearly. To prevent blood vessel miscommunication in the first place, high nitric oxide levels are needed.

Nitric oxide is made from nitrogen; nitrogen comes from fruits and vegetables. Eating up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day will make your clotting system very smart! Plant-based foods have been proven to improve your health – including the health of your circulatory system.

Smart nutrients

Adaptogen 10 Plus®
Dr. Nathan Bryan, cardiologist and specialist in nitric oxide communication, recommends Adaptogen 10 Plus to help increase nitric oxide. Adaptogen 10 Plus also helps protect against stress. Stress alone – without any help from cholesterol – causes blood vessel spasms which may result in blood clots. So, a good first step in improving the health of your circulatory system is to eat your fruits and vegetables every day and take whole-food supplements like Adaptogen 10 Plus.

OmegaPrime®
Essential fatty acids such as those in OmegaPrime can help keep the platelets from getting sticky at the wrong time. Dr. Dwight Lundell, cardiologist and specialist in bypass surgery, recommends the Omega-3 EFA in OmegaPrime as a prime tool to help protect against inappropriate clotting. We need 1–4 grams of Omega-3 every day (2–6 OmegaPrime soft gels).

HCY Guard®
Dr. Kilmer McCully, cardiologist and specialist in vascular health, recommends the protective nutrients found in HCY Guard to help your body reduce homocysteine (HCY). HCY is one culprit in forming clots at the wrong place and time. Taking a single HCY Guard sublingual lozenge daily can help your body reduce homocysteine up to 35% – in as little as 42 days!

Other nutrients such as Vitamin E, turmeric and ginger, and Vitamin C all provide information for your blood clotting system to work smarter. Smart nutrients are the key to making good decisions about where and when to activate this miraculous system!

Nopalea also helps to reduce blood clots.  Nopalea is TriVita’s breakthrough wellness drink.  Nopalea is based on the Nopal fruit from the Sonoran Desert, rich in betalains.  Betalains are natural antioxidants—and they’re only found in a few of the world’s plants, and the Nopal fruit isn’t just included in this small group of special plants, it actually leads the group by containing one of the highest amounts of betalains in all of nature.

When you drink Nopalea, you take these betalains into your system, where they begin to restore your vitality on a cellular level. By helping the body reduce the toxins surrounding your cells and enabling essential nutrients to reach each cell, the betalains in Nopalea can reduce the inflammation in your body that leads to disease.  Scientific research shows that betalains help to reduce the risk of blood clots.  Betalains protect the thin lining of your blood vessels; this helps reduce the inflammation that makes your blood sticky and leads to clots.

A blood clot causes concerns but when you eat right and take control of your health, then the blood clot is there at the right time in the right place where it’s needed.

Take Control of Your Health

* Eat the appropriate servings of fruits and vegetables daily:
o 5 servings for children
o 7 servings for women
o 9 servings for men
* Exercise at least 30 minutes most days.
* Take Healthy Aging Pack smart nutrients
o With HCY Guard if homocysteine is an issue.
o Add Adaptogen 10 Plus if stress is an issue.
* Drink Nopalea and Thrive!

* Remember, call 9-1-1 if you suspect you are having a stroke!

If you’re interested in high quality nutritional supplements like the ones mentioned on my blog, you can to go to: www.havingplenty.com.

And if you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.trivitacactus.info.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Homocysteine Levels - Find out if you are at risk

Posted by Katherine Smith on September 19th, 2009

What is Homocysteine?  Homocysteine (HCY) is a tool used by your body to modify protein. Specifically, homocysteine carves up the amino acid methionine into smaller amino acids. Each of these amino acids has important functions. The “leftovers” from this construction project are not thrown away. Instead, your body recombines the debris back into methionine again.

Methionine is the protein that serves as the foundation for all other proteins. It’s like concrete: You can build a small cottage or a large skyscraper on the same concrete foundation. You can build brain cells, heart cells, bone cells, and healthy cells for your entire body on the protein methionine. Homocysteine is responsible for crafting that foundation. While homocysteine is an excellent tool for your body, too much of it can be fatal.

That’s why many people are concerned about their homocysteine levels and what many people may not realize is, it’s in the genes.  There is a common gene defect among people in North America. It is called an MTHFR defect. It allows homocysteine to escape into the bloodstream and literally shred your arteries, causing a stroke; tangle your brain cells causing Alzheimer’s disease; shatter your bones causing osteoporosis; and inflame your heart, causing a heart attack.

Another common genetic defect is MTHFD. It allows homocysteine to run amok inside your cells. This can lead to cell mutations and even cancer.

So what if you check your homocysteine levels and you find out it may be a problem.  Is there a solution?  Supplemental nutrition is very effective in most cases. TriVita’s HCY Guard® was designed specifically for high HCY. One study on TriVita’s HCY Guard found that HCY levels could be reduced by 35% in just 6 weeks!

In fact, if people have a problem with their homocysteine levels, they may not realize it can be caused by genetics but it can also be caused by poor nutrition. When a person has an active genetic defect they require intense nutrition to offset the imbalance caused by the gene mutation.

Vital amines such as the Riboflavin family of B vitamins combine with antioxidants to help reduce the activity of cellular homocysteine. One study found that the specific antioxidant ECGC (the antioxidant found in green tea) stopped the trigger DNMT (an enzyme) from releasing homocysteine inside the cell. People consuming large amounts of ECGC have reduced DNMT and have fewer cases of cancer.

So are you at risk?  Is there a way to tell if you have one of these common disease risks? Yes; one way is to have a genetic test performed. This is usually done by drawing enough blood to collect DNA and submitting this to one of only a few labs in North America that can perform genetic testing. A second way is to have your homocysteine levels tested. This can be performed by most medical laboratories. Ask your doctor to do this test with your annual physical.

Another consideration when checking your homocysteine levels is to look at your own family tree. Does any “first-degree” relative (father, mother, brother, or sister) have any of the conditions attributed to homocysteine? If so, you likely have the gene defect. Does a “second-degree” relative (grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins) have any of the conditions attributed to homocysteine? If so, you may have the gene defect as well.

Did you know nutrient deficiencies can mimic a genetic defect by failing to provide the minimum amount of vital amines necessary to prevent elevated homocysteine? A poor diet, illness, pregnancy, aging, and stress can place you at risk for elevated HCY. Children and adults with asthma and irritable bowel syndrome are at high risk for elevated HCY.

So if you have your homocysteine levels checked and find that you need to lower it, you need to take this seriously.

High HCY in your blood is linked to serious illness. Helping your body reduce high HCY may greatly reduce your risk for serious illness. So what can you do?  Here are several things you can do to help:

* Eat fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants - 5 servings daily for children, 7 servings for women, and 9 servings for men.
* Reduce your stress load.
* Get at least 30 minutes of vigorous activity every day.
* Supplement your diet with nutrients such as TriVita’s HCY Guard and Energy Now!.
* Defeat stress by nurturing your spirit with healthy relationships and a healthy sense of purpose.

Remember, genes are not fate; you have as much control over your genes (through nutrients and nurturing) as they have over you. Build a healthy foundation for your future by balancing your homocysteine.

Take Control of Your Health

Be sure to have your homocysteine levels tested if:

  • You have a family history of:
    • Heart disease
    • Stroke
    • Alzheimer’s disease
    • Osteoporosis
    • Cancer
  • You experience gastric disturbances, breathing difficulties, or kidney issues
  • You are over 50
  • You are pregnant
  • You are experiencing high stress levels
  • You eat a poor diet
  • You don’t exercise regularly

If you’re interested in high quality nutritional supplements like the ones mentioned on my blog, you can to go to: www.havingplenty.com.

And if you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

How to Get To Sleep - Read Critical Info to Help You!

Posted by Katherine Smith on August 30th, 2009

Did you know that according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, about 40 million people in the United States suffer from chronic long-term sleep disorders each year and an additional 20 million people suffer occasional sleep problems. There are so many people seeking answers on how to get to sleep. Health experts recommend getting 7 1/2 to 9 hours of sleep each night. How much are you sleeping each night?

Sleep is very important to your body and your brain, and it’s not just trying to figure out how to get to sleep but how to remain sleeping. When we sleep cells must be replaced or repaired and the immune system and hormones are balanced.

Many people are seeking answers on how to get to sleep because they just want the comfort of waking up feeling refreshed but what you may not know is if you don’t get a good night’s sleep, it can lead to:

  • increased feelings of stress
  • impaired memory
  • shortened temper
  • lower motivation
  • slower reflexes
  • headaches
  • immune deficiencies
  • depression and even more serious
  • sleep deprivation that can lead to hallucinations and mental collapse.

So how to get to sleep? Well, there are several factors to consider.

The first is we need to have sleep rituals to start the events that will initiate sleep and you need to have nutrients to sustain the sleeping process and an appropriate environment.

I too had sleep problems and when I was researching how to get to sleep, I read that more than 100 years ago a Russian physician named Ivan Pavlov, who many of you know especially with the “Pavlov” response had discovered that our nervous system changes our entire metabolism in response to our habits. What does that mean when trying to figure out how to get to sleep? Well, your nervous system will recognize sleep rituals and begin preparing for sleep.

One of the key points on how to get to sleep is light control. A dark, quiet room is more conducive to sleep. If you don’t have that luxury, consider getting eye masks. Sudden, loud noises can also disrupt sleep. Consider getting one of the sound machines. Also, the ideal temperature is between 60-65°F.

Watch what you eat late evening. Make sure you don’t have too many stimulants like caffeine, and you want to exercise regularly but not too close to bed time.

Start establishing a ritual that your body will recognize. For example brushing your teeth at the same time each night, drinking a cup of herbal tea, taking a warm bath, reading a book. If you establish the same routine each night, you’ll start to set up the triggers letting your body know it’s time for sleep. Deep breathing exercises are especially helpful to foster deep sleep.

Another consideration when determining how to get to sleep is to take nutrients that will help you. All nutrients support sleep but two stand out when it comes to achieving and maintaining sleep. Magnesium and biotin. Magnesium relaxes our muscles and naturally turns down the adrenaline and Biotin stabilizes blood sugar and mobilizes protein, carbohydrate and fats for the restoring element of sleep.

Antioxidants such as CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10), Vitamin C and Vitamin E can also be helpful because it supports oxygen to your brain, heart and other tissues. Anti-stress botanical preparations called adaptogens can also be useful at bedtime. A friend of mine swears by it when he can’t sleep.

Find out more about how to get to sleep here and find out if you are getting enough sleep here.

If you’re interested in high quality nutritional supplements like the ones mentioned on my blog, especially more about Adaptogens, you can to go to: www.havingplenty.com.

And if you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Ideal Blood Pressure

Posted by Katherine Smith on July 30th, 2009

Ideal Blood Pressure.  What is the ideal blood pressure and how can you achieve it?

Recently the ideal blood pressure changed.  The American Academy of Family Physicians and the Mayo Clinic issued new recommendations for ideal blood pressure: 115/75.

First let’s go over how blood pressure measurements are attained and then we’ll go over the ideal blood pressure.  We typically determine blood pressure measurements with 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. The ideal blood pressure is in the range of 120/80.

As mentioned, ideal blood pressure is somewhat lower. A key to ideal blood pressure is the ratio between the two numbers. They should remain at a 3:2 ratio whatever the actual pressure may be.

If your blood pressure is “ideal,” congratulations! Your hard work has paid off. If it is higher or lower than ideal, don’t worry: Most blood pressure problems can be solved with the right approach. Let’s dissect the common problems with blood pressure and see what we can learn about possible solutions so you can attain an ideal blood pressure.

Systolic too high
A healthy systolic number is 120. This number represents how hard your heart must beat to get blood out to your body. 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. The most common cause of a high systolic number is too much adrenaline and other stress-related hormones in the bloodstream. These hormones have the effect of artificially narrowing your arteries in a “fight or flight” stress response.

Stress-induced high blood pressure will usually be seen with a high systolic number and a normal diastolic number such as 150/80. We will often see this number normalize with just 20 minutes of deep breathing. Try to incorporate that in your life so you can attain your ideal blood pressure.

Some people respond well to biofeedback and supplementation with:

  • Co-Q10, especially at bedtime to relax the heart
  • Vitamin C morning and evening to relax the blood vessels
  • Adaptogen 10 Plus morning and evening to help reduce the effects of stress

Both numbers too high
When both the systolic and diastolic numbers are high (160/110), the most common problem is inflammation leading to atherosclerosis or “hardening of the arteries.” This is a medical emergency; you should be under medical care as the disease has already progressed to the point where emergency measures are necessary. Dietary measures, such as the Dr. Dean Ornish “Reversing Heart Disease” diet, should be at the center of your self-care. Daily exercise, stress management and, very likely, medications will be needed to reverse this disease and get you on the path of achieving your ideal blood pressure.

An anti-inflammatory lifestyle will be helpful. Include supplements such as:

  • Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids from OmegaPrime at every meal to reduce inflammation
  • Vitamin C and Co-Q10 as suggested above
  • Betalains found in Nopalea can reduce inflammation in the blood vessels and help your body drain away the excess fluid associated with blood pressure

Achieving an optimal body fat percentage is also critical when caring for high blood pressure and attaining your ideal blood pressure. The target body composition for men is 14% body fat; for women it is 23%. Remember, this type of high blood pressure is a medical emergency and it should be treated as such.

Diastolic too high
When the bottom number in your blood pressure reading is too high (120/90), but the systolic or top number is normal, it can mean that your lungs, kidneys and liver are not properly detoxifying your body.

Detoxification is an automatic process; your body does it every moment of every day. You can help support this process by reducing your exposure to toxins and supporting your lungs, kidneys and liver with daily nutrition:

  • A multiple vitamin and mineral supplement to support healthy detoxification
  • Vitamin C – a powerful detoxifier for the lungs, kidneys and liver
  • Betalains found in Nopalea also drain away toxins

For more information on detoxification, listen to the audio books, “Body Systems 101” and “Healthy Aging.”

Too high, too long
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. These increases in blood pressure may last into the next day (you may awaken with high blood pressure that may go down by the evening). This type of hypertension will usually not respond to medication or alternative treatments.

Treatment for OSA begins with using a breathing machine called CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) during sleep. Using CPAP at night reduces blood pressure in most people – even those without serious OSA. Eventually, reducing your body fat to the percentages listed above will open your airways enough to compensate for OSA.

Hypertension will damage you. Eventually, it will kill you. Check your blood pressure frequently. Your body is speaking to you when your pressure is imbalanced. Learning to listen will help you feel better today and be healthier tomorrow and make it a goal to achieve your ideal blood pressure.

Take Control of Your Health

* Test your blood pressure every month
* Check your blood pressure at different times of the day
* Eat a low-fat diet
* Eat 7, 9 or more servings of vegetables and fruits daily
* Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week
* If you have high blood pressure, test for OSA

If you want high quality products, take a look at TriVita. Go to www.havingplenty.com, and if you’re interested in finding out more about Sonoran Bloom, call me on 718-407-0035.

If you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

How to Cure Vertigo

Posted by Katherine Smith on July 30th, 2009

How To Cure Vertigo - Is Your World is Spinning and You’re Looking to Make it Stop?

There are two times when your world will spin: When you are in love, and when you have vertigo! Since there is no cure for being in love, the information here will help you to figure out how to cure vertigo.

Benign vertigo
When people are seeking how to cure vertigo, they should know that vertigo is not usually a sign of a serious disease. It is typically transient (it comes and goes) and resolves on its own without medical care. The most common cause is an upper respiratory infection such as a sinus infection. So it’s probably a great relief to those seeking how to cure vertigo to find out it may be benign vertigo.  Most people who suffer with vertigo learn instinctively to sit up slowly and avoid quick movements of the head.

If benign vertigo is associated with allergies, Vitamin C is in my personal opinion an absolutely awesome antihistamine. Using the Vitamin C flush* will often bring relief from signs and symptoms of allergies. If the vertigo is associated with bronchial or sinus congestion, adding TriVita’s Breathe Easy formula to your supplement regimen can help.  So if you’re seeking how to cure vertigo, try some of these ideas and see if it will work for you.

Breathe Easy works by drying out excessive mucous, and thinning normal body fluids. This is important because one of the causes of vertigo is abnormal movement of the fluid and crystals in the inner ear.

Dangerous vertigo
Those seeking how to cure vertigo need also take into consideration that dizziness may also be a sign of serious trouble. It can follow a head trauma, or be a symptom of a tumor or clogged arteries in the head. Vertigo with hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) may be a symptom of Meniere’s disease. Don’t just look on the internet trying to find out how to cure vertigo - see your healthcare provider if vertigo persists.

Head trauma and clogged arteries require medical intervention. These conditions also require extra nutrients called antioxidants. An antioxidant is a special nutrient that reduces oxidation. Oxidation can be likened to rust in your blood vessels, brain and inner ear. One family of antioxidants has a special affinity for the tiny blood vessels in the frontal lobe of the brain, the inner ear and the eyes. These antioxidants are found in TriVita’s VisionGuard.

Another consideration for those seeking how to cure vertigo is that a certain type of tumor called an acoustic neuroma may cause vertigo. These are rare tumors, but the incidence of acoustic neuroma seems to increase with cell phone usage. The evidence for this link is weak but troubling. Certainly, we should take appropriate precautions when using cell phones while scientists further investigate the link between cell phones and acoustic neuromas.

Meniere’s disease
If you’re seeking how to cure vertigo and the above does not apply to you, an extremely persistent type of vertigo is Meniere’s disease. It is vertigo associated with ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss. Meniere’s is a progressive disease. Trauma, toxins, infections and other causes may trigger Meniere’s. Rapid medical intervention is needed to determine the exact cause of this condition. When the cause is removed the condition may improve.

Unfortunately, damaged nerves heal slowly. Vitamin B-12 may help speed the repair of damaged nerves. Certainly, the antioxidant remedies mentioned above may add to the health of the blood vessels in the inner ear.

Learning to listen
The English language contains over 400,000 words (though most of us use merely 15,000 to 35,000). Our bodies – wonderfully complex and intricate – have only a few dozen “words” in the form of signs and symptoms with which to “speak” to us. Vertigo is one form of communication that indicates distress. Don’t just try to find out on your own how to cure vertigo.  Always consult a qualified health professional that knows the language of the human body.

*Please check with your healthcare provider before starting the Vitamin C Flush.

Take Control of Your Health

* When seeking how to cure vertigo, if it’s associated with:
o Allergies – take Vitamin C
o Head cold – take Breathe Easy
o Circulation – take VisionGuard
o Meniere’s – take Vitamin B-12 plus all of the above

* Again - very important - when seeking how to cure vertigo, see your doctor to determine the cause of vertigo!

Learn More…

* Vertigo
* Acoustic Neuroma
* Meniere’s disease

If you want high quality products, take a look at TriVita. Go to www.havingplenty.com, and if you’re interested in finding out more about Sonoran Bloom, call me on 718-407-0035.

If you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Nitric Oxide Supplements - Is it really a source of energy?

Posted by Katherine Smith on July 25th, 2009

Nitric Oxide Supplements - Is it really a source of energy? There’s so much buzz about nitric oxide supplements and if you search on the internet you’ll see pros and cons and it’s difficult to sort and sift through all the information.  I recently received a wellness report from the Chief Science Officer in my company talking about nitrogen,  nitric oxide supplements and having real energy.

It’s interesting because everyone creates energy but not everyone feels energetic.  What’s the difference?  It means having the resources you need to accomplish whatever you want: to make your dreams come true, or for the smaller tasks of the day. Feeling energetic inspires optimism and healthy self-esteem. Feeling energetic makes you happy and gives you hope.  How does this tie into nitric oxide supplements?  That’s what I want to talk about and share with you great information that I received.

Did you know that real energy is more than just a passing mood? It’s a complex series of biochemical and electrical processes. In order for you to feel energetic your body must carry out a long series of interactions, very much like a long line of dominos falling over in the right sequence. Each transaction requires the energy from the previous domino, and donates energy to the next domino in line. The end result contributes to the way you feel and your ability to live the life of your dreams.

I know many of you are reading this and want to know how is the information that I am sharing with you have to do with nitric oxide supplements.  Well, when you get to know me you’ll see that I live to provide the full answer to your questions and it’s more than just saying oh, nitric oxide supplements are good for you.

The first step in the production of energy is eating the basic nutrients: sugars, proteins and fats. Sugars provide a rapid but brief donation of energy. Proteins donate five times more energy than sugar. Fats donate eight times more! These three nutrients make up the basis for energy production and the basis for your future wellness. This makes the selection of your foods very important, so choose them well.  Notice how I mention of foods.  You want to look at your diet in addition to nitric oxide supplements.

Now let’s get to nitric oxide supplements and what it means to you.  To make energy from protein we must first process it through the nitrogen cycle.  Did you know that the air we breathe is about 78 percent nitrogen?  Bacteria in the soil “fix” nitrogen into the earth to grow healthy plants (so does lightning). Fertilizers are mostly made of nitrogen. Without it, plants will not grow and humans cannot process protein; nitrogen is a very important basic building block of life.

We get nitrogen from eating fruits and vegetables. We can also get it from whole-food supplements such as Adaptogen 10 Plus, a fantastic product that also helps with stress. In our body, nitrogen is stable as nitrate and active as nitric oxide. Aha, you knew I was going to get to nitric oxide supplements.  Nitric oxide is probably the most important source of energy for the heart, vascular system and immune system. Nitric oxide interacts with CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) to produce energy inside each and every one of our body’s millions of cells. So CoQ-10 is a great nitric oxide supplement.  In fact, the death of each cell occurs because nitric oxide and CoQ-10 cannot balance the cell’s energy.  That’s how important nitric oxide supplements are to you.

We need about 50 to 65 grams of protein each day (about 1/3 gram of protein per pound of body weight). However, we can only digest about 25 grams at a time (the amount that fills the palm of your hand). One reason for this is that we have only a limited reservoir of nitrogen. As mentioned, we get nitrogen from eating fruits and vegetables, but, like many important nutrients, we cannot store it. Since processing protein will use up large amounts of available nitrogen, we need to replace it by eating more fruits and vegetables. So, if we want energy from protein, we simply must eat our fruits and vegetables.

Nitrogen is also manufactured by bacteria in the human body. So, this is why probiotics and enzymes are needed − they also help convert protein into energy through the nitrogen cycle. TriVita’s Digestive Complex serves to encourage healthy bacteria in the gut for protein metabolism and increased energy.

There is a dark side to protein metabolism that’s found in a particular form of nitrogen: ammonia. Excess ammonia may be formed in our body and brain if we eat protein but do not have enough nitrogen to complete the energy process. This is often seen in people who experience bloating or uncomfortable fullness after a healthy, protein-rich meal. It may also be seen in those who experience excessive fatigue after a meal.

The remedy is to encourage protein digestion with probiotics (as found in Digestive Complex). We can also eat extra servings of fruit and vegetables. Plus, supplements can provide a lot of help. I would suggest one serving of Adaptogen 10 Plus and CoQ-10 at each meal until the fatigue eases and vibrant energy replaces it!

Want to take control of your health?  Don’t just take nitric oxide supplements.  Eat enough high-quality protein every day and eat nough nitrogen (fruits and vegetables) every day.  Try TriVita’s Adaptogen 10 Plus as a supplement and encourage healthy bacteria by eating fermented foods such as olives, kimchee, sauerkraut, yogurt, pickles and pickled mushrooms often and take probiotics.

If you want high quality products, take a look at TriVita. Go to www.havingplenty.com, and if you’re interested in finding out more about Sonoran Bloom, call me on 718-407-0035.

If you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Tremor Triggers

Posted by Katherine Smith on July 13th, 2009

As we age we often begin to lose the fine motor control associated with youth. At first, this may be an imperceptible tremor that only occurs when we are trying to keep our hands very still. These “shakes” may eventually keep us from doing important things: delicate artwork, tying a fly, needlepoint or even simply signing our name.

Loss of fine motor control usually begins with inflammation in the brain. Inflammation usually begins with free radical activity: too many toxins, too much stress, not enough anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic disorder typically affecting people over age 55. The condition is caused by the death of nerve cells in certain parts of the brain, leading to characteristic problems with movement. These include a tremor in the hands, a shuffling gait, decreased facial expressiveness and trouble talking. Thinking ability may become impaired in later stages of the disease, and depression is common.

Many researchers believe that free radicals play a role in destroying nerve cells that supply dopamine (a neurotransmitter) in Parkinson’s disease. Most treatments for Parkinson’s disease work by artificially increasing the brain’s dopamine levels. Many people take levodopa with carbidopa, a drug that increases the amount of levodopa available to make dopamine.

Essential tremors

There is another kind of nervous disorder called essential tremors. Essential tremors are not caused by disease, such as Parkinson’s disease. Rather, they arise without any other signs or symptoms. Essential tremors do not progress into anything more severe; they are not related to any other condition. They exist as a fundamental defect in the part of the brain that controls motion.

Essential tremors are often called “family tremors” because they occur in higher concentrations among family members. People that are related to each other share many genetic characteristics. That means that they may also share some of the same vulnerabilities. These weaknesses only become apparent under specific stresses. So, two people with identical genetics – identical twins – may not have the same tendency toward essential tremors unless they experience the same stresses.

Tremor triggers

As mentioned, inflammation is the last thing that happens to your brain before you experience a tremor – whether it is from Parkinson’s disease or essential tremors. Anything that causes inflammation is a tremor trigger. What are the common triggers?

  • Deficiency – Oxygen deficiency is very common, especially as we sleep. Practice deep breathing for 20 minutes before sleeping and take brain-specific antioxidants such as CoQ-10, Vitamin E and Optima4 at bedtime.

  • Toxins – Household chemicals, refined sugar and allergens commonly trigger loss of fine motor control. Golfers and gardeners are often exposed to high levels of toxins. It seems that everyone has allergies – and sugar consumption is at an all-time high. Isolating yourself as much as possible from chemicals and allergens is crucial for brain health.

  • Stress – When I ask an audience, “Do you feel stressed out?” almost everyone responds affirmatively! Stress burns out the coordination areas in your brain. Adaptogens put the fire out by helping us build a defense against stress.

  • Trauma – Head injuries are common and becoming even more common. The delicate tissues of the brain are traumatized in auto accidents, injuries at work or around the home, or sports-related injuries. Trauma creates subtle inflammation that may smolder for years.

Conclusion

The cause of Parkinson’s and essential tremors is certainly different, yet the trigger is the same: Inflammation. The best hope for “cure” lies in prevention. Applying the 10 Essentials gives you protection from a rapid decline in health. And, the suggestions are easy to follow. Supplement your diet with nutrients and brain-specific antioxidants. Isolate yourself from toxins and put out the fire of chronic inflammation. Start today. The brain you save may be your own!

Take Control of Your Health

  • Practice the 10 Essentials; focus on sleep, diet and exercise
  • Never stop learning: language, music and math – everything helps!
  • Avoid head injuries as trauma accumulates over time
  • Don’t smoke or use tobacco
  • Avoid air, water, food and electromagnetic pollution
  • Focus on “brain-specific” antioxidants
  • Help build a defense against stress with adaptogens

If you want high quality products, take a look at TriVita. Go to www.havingplenty.com, and find out about Nopalea that can help in reducing inflammation.  if you’re interested in finding out more about Sonoran Bloom Nopalea, call me on 718-407-0035.

If you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Strength Training for Optimum Wellness

Posted by Katherine Smith on July 7th, 2009
Essential #5 of TriVita’s 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness tells us to “Enjoy Activity.” Many of us enjoy long walks on the beach or through the forest. Others like square dancing or ballroom dancing. Some enjoy swimming, tennis or bowling. I personally like bicycling through the vineyards of Napa Valley.When it comes to strength training, “enjoy” is not a word you hear often. How can you find joy in strength training? The answer may not be so much in what you do as why you do it!

Benefits of strength training
The benefits of strength training include increased bone density, improved heart functioning, better blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, and even reduced depression, according to Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., associate chief of the Human Nutrition, Exercise Physiology and Sarcopenia Laboratory at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. The greatest benefit, however, may be strength training’s ability to build muscle.

“Starting in our 30s and 40s, people start to lose a quarter-pound of muscle every year,” explains Dr. Nelson, author of the best-selling book Strong Women Stay Young. “We believe that much of this loss can be stopped or reduced with simple strength training.”

Other conditions that might benefit include back pain, recovery from surgery and even mild high blood pressure.

Methods of strength training
Strength training may or may not include lifting weights. In fact, weight-bearing exercises include stair climbing and calisthenics such as push-ups and chin-ups. And rather than using metal weights, many prefer to use elastic tubing. Still, you shouldn’t be intimidated by metal weights – or by muscle-bound weight lifters!

If you have not lifted weights before, make an appointment with a certified athletic trainer to help you develop a safe strength-training program. You can find a trainer at a local gym or through a referral from your doctor or a friend.

Tips for getting started:

  • Begin each exercise with very low weights and minimal repetitions.
  • Slowly increase weight, never adding more than 10% in a given workout.
  • Do strength-training exercises 2 to 3 times a week. Allow at least one day between each workout for your bones and muscles to rest and restore themselves.
  • Gradually increase the intensity of your workout: work up to 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions with a rest period of 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

Although stiffness the day after exercise is normal, you will know if you did too much if you are in pain. Decrease the intensity or the duration of your exercise next time.

The joy of strength training
As mentioned earlier, you can “enjoy the activity” of strength training with a simple survey of your life. For example, would you like to:

  • Prevent bone loss
  • Improve heart function
  • Improve blood pressure
  • Achieve better blood sugar control
  • Help reduce depression

If so, strength training is for you!

How long do you plan to live? Pick a number and look at people that age. You will see a broad spectrum of vitality: from those that are home-bound or have confined mobility to those competing in marathons and skydiving! Which group do you want to be in? Strength training can help you maintain vitality and flexibility, it can help you recover from injury and can improve your energy at any stage of life.

Do you have purpose in your life? Meeting those purposes requires health. Strength training helps you achieve and maintain the wellness you need to be effective in your life purposes: to be there for those you love, to accomplish the great works inside you, to enjoy your leisure knowing you are healthy enough to do whatever your heart demands. Strength training helps you have more to give – and giving is the truest source of happiness.

So go ahead, enjoy the activity of strength training!

Note: Consult with your doctor before starting any type of exercise program.

Take Control of Your Health

  • First, decide “why” you want to do strength training
  • Get professional help when needed
  • Start slowly, progress wisely
  • Warm up, stretch and breathe deeply
  • Know “good pain” from “bad pain”
  • Allow 48 hours for recovery
  • Increase energy with Sublingual B-12
  • Boost flexibility with OmegaPrime®
  • Re-hydrate muscles and joints with OptimaFlex®
  • Reduce inflammation with Nopalea
  • Lose unwanted weight with Leanology®
  • Take Bone Builder to re-grow bone

If you want high quality products, take a look at TriVita. Go to www.havingplenty.com, and if you’re interested in finding out more about Sonoran Bloom, call me on 718-407-0035.

If you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.roadmaptowishes.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176

Strengthen Your Immunity

Posted by Katherine Smith on May 18th, 2009

You’ve heard that the best defense is a good offense. This is especially true when it comes to your immune system. By practicing healthy lifestyle habits and reducing our exposure to infection (offense), we can better help protect against illness (defense).

What determines if you get sick or not?
Louis Pasteur and Antoine Bechamp – physicians 150 years ago – were keenly aware of the same things you and I experience every year: during the cold and flu season, some people get sick and some people don’t. Pasteur spent his life looking for what makes sick people sick. Bechamp spent his career looking for what keeps healthy people healthy – and how we can be like them! They settled their argument with the discovery that illness visits people with poor habits much more frequently than those who care for their health.

It turns out that microbes prefer to wreak their havoc on people with compromised immune systems. Simple things can compromise our immune system, including:

  • An imbalanced diet
  • Alcohol and caffeine consumption
  • An argument with someone you love

Just as Pasteur and Bechamp discovered more than a century ago, our health revolves around a healthy lifestyle more than the virulence of a microbe.

Help protect against illness
The phrase that describes our vulnerability or resistance to disease is “biological terrain.” The terrain or landscape of our health is made up of our genetics, our environment and, most importantly, our lifestyle. Vigorous application of the 10 Essentials yields the healthiest, most disease-resistant terrain. Skipping even one of these principles will change your terrain and leave you vulnerable to infection.

  • A base of healthy nutrients
    Establishing a base of healthy nutrients can provide us with a very resilient terrain. The more dense the base is, the more disease-resistant our terrain will be. Taking a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement every day is an excellent start. Almost all physicians recommend an Omega-3 supplement as well. If your terrain is being remodeled by stress, you may need adaptogens to help you cope while remaining disease-resistant. Indeed, the long-term studies of adaptogens in Russia clearly demonstrated that these plants help you resist infections and speed healing.
  • Vitamin C
    Vitamin C is a favorite for protecting against and even treating virus infections. Russell Jaffe, MD, former director of the National Institutes of Health, recommends a loading dose of Vitamin C: one teaspoon of Vitamin C crystals every 15 minutes until you “flush.” By this, he means a complete bowel evacuation. After the flush, he recommends a daily serving of Vitamin C (for one month) that is equivalent to 75% of the amount it took you to flush. This should really improve your terrain!
  • Echinacea
    Echinacea is used in a similar way. Significant medical research from Germany suggests that an hourly dose of Echinacea will help reduce symptoms and may help shorten the duration of a virus infection. Taking a gram of Echinacea every hour for three days may even “abort” an infection that has already begun. Continue taking Echinacea three times daily for up to two weeks afterward to protect against a relapse.

Reduce your exposure
Here are some great recommendations for reducing your exposure to infection:

  • Wash your hands
    First, the largest contributor to infection is unwashed hands. Washing your hands with soap every few hours will reduce the chance for pathogens to gain access to your system. You should also make sure they are completely dry. Then, use the disposable towel to open the door out of the washroom. Many ugly microbes lurk on door handles – usually from people who have not properly washed and dried their hands.
  • Clean surfaces
    Next, disinfect surfaces that are shared by many people. For instance, public telephones bring you within kissing distance of hundreds or even thousands of people. Who knows what their hygiene habits were? In a typical day we may be exposed to germs from as many as 150 countries or more!
  • Reduce stress
    Reduce stress. Stress decreases the effectiveness of your immune system. Your immune system may begin to overreact or not react in time to stop an infection when you are under stress. The source of the stress really does not matter. For instance, job stress and an injury may seem like entirely different stresses to your mind but they are treated exactly the same way by your body.

Remember, building up your terrain and reducing your exposure are keys to a great offense… which will help improve your defense!

Take Control of Your Health

  • Aggressively apply the 10 Essentials
  • Take a “base” of nutrients:
    • A multiple vitamin and mineral supplement
    • An Omega-3 fatty acid supplement
    • A stress-specific antioxidant supplement
    • Vitamin C
  • Reduce your exposure
    • Wash your hands every few hours and dry thoroughly
    • Disinfect common area surfaces

Learn More…

And learn more about Nopalea - a superfruit juice with rare antioxidants that will boost your immune system.

If you want high quality products, take a look at TriVita. Go to www.havingplenty.com, and if you’re interested in finding out more about Sonoran Bloom, call me on 718-407-0035.

If you’re interested in being involved in a Wellness Opportunity, take a look at www.besthomebasedbusinessforyou.com.

Wishing you much health and wellness

Kathy

Katherine Smith
TriVita Independent Affiliate Member 13158176


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