Hi.  If you have found this blog, then you are seeking the best probiotic.  I can understand your wanting to find the best.  Most people do not realize the importance of having a healthy digestive system.  If you are considering what is the best probiotic, then you also need to understand what the purpose is for a probiotic so you can realize how, in my humble opinion, the company that I am an affiliate with has the best probiotic.  For those of you that are just finding out about probiotics, let me explain what it is.  Probiotics are the healthy, or “friendly” bacteria that live in the intestinal tract. They support good health by limiting the growth of harmful bacteria, promoting good digestion and helping increase resistance to infection.

Did you know there are more bacteria cells in our digestive system than all other cells in the human body? There are 300 to 400 families of microbes in the digestive system at any given moment in time. Most live in the acid-to-neutral pH of the Small Intestines and the rest live in the alkaline pH of the Large Intestines. The majority of the microbes are probiotics – “pro” means “in favor of” and “biotic” means “life.” Others are called commensal because they do no harm, but also don’t provide any known benefit. Finally, there are always ‘bad’ bacteria in the digestive system. These are neutralized by acids, enzymes, immune complexes and probiotics.

If our digestive system is working as designed, we will have a good appetite, sweet-smelling breath, abundant energy and daily elimination of waste. When our digestive system works well we feel on top of the world!

If our digestive system is not working optimally, we will have bizarre appetite. This is often characterized by no desire for breakfast and a ravenous, insatiable appetite in the evening. We may even awaken in the middle of the night feeling as if we need to eat and yet never being satisfied with normal foods. When our digestive system is “broken” we will develop food allergies, gas, bloating, indigestion and excess stomach acid. If our DS malfunctions we will have constipation or alternating diarrhea and constipation. Plus we will have abdominal pain.

As time progresses and our digestive system becomes more imbalanced, we may experience chronic mouth inflammation (leading to sores), stomach issues (leading to GERD (gastroesophegal reflux disease), ulcers, indigestion and problems with the small intestines, pancreas, liver, gall bladder and colon. Because “bad” bacteria and yeast multiply in an unhealthy digestive system, we may start to experience chronic infections that migrate to our kidneys, bladder and reproductive systems. Chronic infections also trigger autoimmune attacks on healthy organs.

Wow!  So you can definitely see why it’s important to have a healthy digestive system.  And if you are seeking an answer on what is the best probiotic, I know you must realize that and are concerned about taking the right one.

If you look at the picture to your right, on the left hand side is what you want your intestines to look like and on the right hand side if you are not taking a probiotic and and have a typical American diet, more than likely that’s what your intestines might look like.  Why?  Well, if you are asking what is the best probiotic, I am assuming you know why but since I have learned at an early age not to assume, let me explain a little more and then I can answer your question on what is the best probiotic.

In your intestines, you have the good guys and the bad guys.  That’s the good bacteria and the bad bacteria.  Usually your body can handle a small percentage of bad bacteria.  The good guys keep them in check.  But your good guys can be destroyed by many different reasons from too much antibiotic use, too much alcohol, over consumption of sugars and other refined carbohydrates, too much stress, eating foods with pesticides, herbicides, antibiotic residues.  Well, you get the idea.  So you need to repopulate your gut with the good so you can bring your body back to a balanced state.

Now you can get some probiotic (I like to think of them as healthy bacteria) from food, such as yogurt and there are some foods that have added probiotics but you want to make sure you have the right strains and it’s of high quality.  Also many probiotics do not make it past your stomach acid.

Another consideration when choosing the best probiotic is also considering prebiotics.  What are prebiotics?  Prebiotics are a food source for probiotics, helping stimulate growth and proliferation.  We want the probiotics to grow and “create colonies”.  Happy and plentiful probiotics means a healthy gut.    I know, I know.  I too have a problem of thinking of something creating colonies in my gut, but it’s a good thing.  Especially when you think of the alternative and that’s having the bad bacteria take over.

Also digestive enzymes are very important.  Let’s say your gut is overrun with bad bacteria.  How do you get rid of the bad bacteria?  Digestive enzymes are important because they begin the healing process by removing toxic proteins and discouraging bad bacteria and yeast from breeding. And they help digest your food for more energy. Enzymes eradicate the bad bacteria by making the environment a certain PH that the bad bacteria doesn’t like.  Therefore, it stops breeding and then dies a natural death.

So if you are asking what is the best probiotic, you real question is how do I balance my digestion system.  To balance your digestion system, what you want to do is what’s called the “weed, seed and feed” program”.

1. Weed out all the toxins, like bad bacteria, parasites, fungus and yeast with enzymes and herbs
2. Seed the digestive system with beneficial bacteria (probiotics)
3. Feed the healthy bacteria with prebiotics so the probiotics can have better colonization and a long healthy life.

Is there a product that accomplishes all 3?  Yes, FloraVita.  A new product that has just been released by TriVita.  All of TriVita’s products are high quality, unique, and backed by their 10 Foundational Values.  To read more about their 10 Foundational Values, you can go HERE.

What makes TriVita’s product so unique?

First of all, it’s powerpacked with four classes of nutrients for complete digestive health:

• The HardiStrain® Probiotic Blend – delivers a potent 10 billion CFU, including 10 different friendly bacteria strains.
• Prebiotic Blend – this growth-stimulating prebiotic blend helps probiotics multiply and also soothes and boosts the defense function of the digestive system.
• Digestive Enzyme Blend – offers a suite of enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats to help your body achieve complete digestion.
• Digestive Defense Blend – contains milk thistle and dandelion root to help soothe an inflamed and irritated digestive system. Dandelion root works with the Lipase enzyme as it thins the bile from the liver and gall bladder. Bile helps Lipase to digest fat. Bile also discourages bad bacteria and yeast from breeding. Milk thistle helps reduce the autoimmune impact from an imbalanced DS, reduces cramps, pain and bloating.
• PLUS, targeted release DRcaps™ for maximum effectiveness and no refrigeration required!

TriVita has tested FloraVita ensuring it does not dissolve in your stomach acid.  Also, with 4 products in one, you are getting the most benefit.  Prebiotics lay the groundwork for probiotics, as prebiotic fibers help probiotic bacteria establish colonies but providing a food source. Probiotics also have a marvelous impact on the rest of the body and brain as they coordinate the immune system of the digestive system. Prebiotics and probiotics work together to improve digestion and elimination.  And and TriVita uses a dry-preservation technology to ensure viability and targted release capsule technology that is acid resistent for maximum effectiveness.  And it’s shelf-stable with no refrigeration required.

I love working for a company that produces products that help people on their wellness journey.  So if you are asking, what is the best probiotic, Try TriVita’s new product FloraVita today and I’ll send you a bottle of Nopalea which is a great companion to FloraVita as it also helps to detoxify your body.  When you place your order, as long as you have a phone number or email provided, I will contact you and send you your bottle of Nopalea.

Click HERE to find out more about FloraVita

Click HERE to find out more about Nopalea

And TriVita also has a wellness center where you can research on many of the health challenges you or your loved ones may be facing.  To visit TriVita’s wellness center, you can click HERE.

Wishing you the best in health and wellness!

Kathy

Katherine Smith

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

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

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

Did you know that Up to 85% of the people that visit a doctor for any reason also complain of being chronically tired. It seems that we are in the middle of an energy crisis that has nothing to do with petroleum production!  Are you seeking the answer with energy foods?

The World Health Organization (WHO) states, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life.”

If you feel too tired to do much more than read this article, don’t feel alone.

When we talk about energy we need to distinguish the difference between the ability to survive and the feeling of being energetic. We must admit that even the sickest person is converting nutrients to energy in order to survive. Yet, we want to do more than survive – we want to feel energetic. We want to have the energy to dream and then have the energy to live those dreams. We want to feel our best every day. Is that possible?

Energy Foods and Eating for energy: fats, protein and carbohydrates
As I mentioned, energy comes from the way our body burns nutrients such as fats, protein and carbohydrates. These nutrients must be metabolized. The word metabolism is from a Greek word that describes the process of creating energy from food. This description gives us the first hint as to how we can create and sustain an energetic feeling – by balancing our diet every day.

A balanced diet must include:

• 7 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables (for adults)(see our NutraFruits which provides over 30)
• 30+ grams of high quality protein
• 20 to 35 grams of fiber

Sugars from the foods we eat provide us with ready energy, but it doesn’t last very long. Proteins are converted to energy at a much slower pace and provide us with a more stable supply of energy – five times as much energy per gram as sugar.

However, when it comes to providing energy, fat is the undisputed champion. Fat provides us with stamina. It burns slowly and steadily up to eight times longer than sugar. So for stamina that lasts all day and into the evening hours, select foods high in “good” fats.

Many experts say that we should get as much as 30% of our total calories per day from fat. This may mean more than 70 grams of fat for a 2,200 calorie per day diet. That’s a lot of fat! But don’t reach for the French fries just yet. You see, all foods contain fat. Fat is as important for plants as it is for humans. So, select fats from foods that are known for high energy, such as:

1. Nuts
2. Seeds
3. Olives
4. Avocados (guacamole)
5. Fatty fish

All foods (including vegetables and legumes) contain some fat.

Feeling your best every day – not just with energy foods – see what else you can do to have more energy during the day:
Fuel the fires of your metabolism by eating high-energy foods. Stoke those fires by exercising at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Eat a healthy breakfast and, above all, be crystal-clear about your reasons for wanting more energy.

Being energetic and feeling a zest for life is more than merely being alive. It is a sense that you have the resources you need to accomplish whatever you want: to thoroughly seize the day while you work for your dreams. Feeling energetic inspires optimism and healthy self-esteem. Feeling energetic makes you happy and gives you hope. Follow these simple steps to feel your best every day!

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Blogs…

• Skin Conditions
• Weight Loss

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 Business Affiliate 13158176

Imagine you could change your life in minutes. You can! There are simple things you can do each day that will lower your risk of disease, improve your health and energy level, and help you feel as vivacious and full of life as you’d like. Spend a few minutes right now and feel better all day long!

Are you breathing deeply right now? If your breath is shallow, your body could be starved of oxygen, which could make you feel tired, unfocused and irritable. Your body gets rid of 75% of its toxins by breathing. Taking a deep, full breath from your belly will help you get enough oxygen, which will help you feel energized and ready to go! To make sure you’re breathing deeply, lie on your bed and place a book on your stomach. The book should rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. Spend five minutes a day deep breathing. Try to work up to deep breathing for five minutes, five times a day.

When you spend time remembering the things you are thankful for, you begin to realize how wonderful life is and how truly blessed you really are. When you are grateful, you feel happier and more energetic. Take 10 minutes each day to make a list of all of the things you are grateful for. When you feel frustrated, look at the list and remember all the wonderful things about your life.

Walking is a great way to exercise. Exercise reduces stress, makes you feel happier and reduces your risk for many diseases. You can walk anywhere, anytime. If you walk for 30 minutes every day, you will be helping your health tremendously. Walk at your own pace and each day, take a few more steps. You’ll be amazed what you can do.

If you find you’re lacking in energy, you may be missing key ingredients. Try TriVita’s Daily Foundation Pack Plus. TriVita has a 60 day money back guarantee so there’s no risk. I love TriVita’s products and if you’re interested in finding out more about TriVita’s products, you can go to: www.havingplenty.com.

The Daily Foundation Pack Plus includes: Sublingual B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid™, TriVita Energy Now!™ , TriVita Non-Acidic Vitamin C Time-Release Tablets™ and VitaDaily AM/PM™.

And 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

TriVita Independent Business Affiliate 13158176