One of my health challenges is being diabetic. I know I am not alone with this challenge. There is no doubt that type 2 diabetes is an epidemic in North America. Every year the number of people with this disease rises dramatically – and it does not appear to be slowing down. How can we protect ourselves against this trend? It is only with the vigorous application of the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness.

Essential #4 encourages us to eat nutritiously. This requires a little education concerning the difference between a nutritious food and an “empty calorie.” Much of the information about the way particular foods impact diabetes is found in the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
Several years ago a group of researchers decided to create a chart based on the impact of carbohydrates on a person’s blood sugar. This would help people with diabetes select foods that would have the least impact on their disease. The Glycemic Index (GI) measures the impact of foods on blood sugar when compared to pure sugar: glucose. The higher the GI number, the greater the impact on blood sugar and the worse a food was supposed to be for a person with diabetes. Later, the GI was used as a tool for weight loss and cardiovascular health.

Glycemic Load is a way of refining the information of the Glycemic Index to find a truer nutritional value for food. For instance, the Glycemic Index may rate the carbohydrate value in a food as very high. This would seem to make the food unacceptable for people who want to restrict sugar. The Glycemic Load gives us a more global value of your food beyond sugar content.

Glycemic Load takes into account the fiber, fat and water content of a food. Let’s take the example of parsnips:

Parsnips are creamy-colored root vegetables in the carrot family. They are delicious and have therapeutic value as well. Parsnips have a GI rating of 97, compared with pure glucose at 100. That would seem to make parsnips “bad” – unacceptable as a healthy carbohydrate source. However, parsnips contain so much fiber and water, as well as protein and fats, that they have only a tiny impact on the total load of carbohydrates (the Glycemic Load). Because of their protein and fat, they help keep your appetite satisfied for so long that you may even eat less at your next meal. So, parsnips are really very healthful despite their high GI number.

Potatoes have become taboo in most low-carb diets. Yet, potatoes have attributes similar to parsnips. They are good for you as long as you don’t deep-fry them and load them with bacon, sour cream, gravy, cheese and other high-calorie, high-fat condiments.

Compound carbohydrates – the true “bad” carbs
Though many fruits and vegetables are high on the Glycemic Index they are “good” complex carbs because they are low in Glycemic Load. Refined starches, such as pastries, pastas, pudding and pancakes, as well as gravies and similar sauces are a different story.

Compound carbohydrates:

• Contain low amounts of water and fiber
• Contain high amounts of “bad” carbohydrates and bad fats
• Quickly turn to sugar in your bloodstream
• Trigger insulin and inflammation
• Increase your risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes

These are truly sources of “bad” carbohydrates. They are examples of “compound” carbohydrates: foods which have been processed beyond recognition from their original whole food sources. They are never good in any amount.

Diabetes epidemic
In conclusion, the way to place yourself in the lowest risk category for type 2 diabetes is to eat whole foods which minimally impact your blood sugar. But that’s not all; did you know that stress alone may cause diabetes? Breathing deeply breaks the cycle of stress. And, since type 2 diabetes and obesity are related, getting enough sleep is essential. Add in the lessons from all 10 Essentials and you have a bulwark of protection against the epidemic of type 2 diabetes.

Learn More…

• Low Glycemic Diet
• Agave Nectar
  Agave nectar is similar to honey, but with a lower Glycemic Index. For example, honey is between 55 and 85, depending on how many solids remain in the honey. Agave nectar is as low as 27. This means that Agave nectar absorbs slowly into the bloodstream, which allows your body to allocate it to the appropriate areas. Since it’s four times sweeter than sugar you can use a lot less when using it as a sweetener.

Find out about Sonoran Bloom Nopalea that has Agave Nectar in it. Nopalea is based on the prickly pear cactus and has been proven to reduce inflammation and it also promotes optimal celluar health. Only 5 calories - it tastes good and it’s good for you.

If you’re interested in finding more about TriVita’s products that can help you on your Wellness journey or you’d like to find out how you can earn an additional stream of income, call me on 856-264-7802.

Es Riggins
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member #13160615

Technorati Tags: diabetes, glucobalance, glycemic, leanology, Nopalea, TriVita, Wellness

In March 2008, a report on CNN gave us the disturbing news that drinking water in many communities was contaminated with an array of prescription medications. This concerns us at TriVita because we recognize that drinking pure water is an Essential of health. In light of this disturbing report, how are we to protect ourselves and nurture our Wellness? Where can we find safe water?

Source of the problem
How did our water supply become contaminated? One way this can happen is by people flushing unused prescriptions down the toilet. These drugs end up in wastewater treatment plants, where they may percolate down into the water table over time. However, unused drugs are a minor source of watershed contamination. A major source of contamination comes from the medications people actually take.

Medications must be metabolized by the liver and other detoxification organs in order to be used by the patient. These drugs are then excreted through the urine. They are then available to percolate down into the water supply which may have an impact on our health. Common drugs that are detected in our water include antibiotics, birth control hormones and antidepressants.

Protecting ourselves – and getting clean water
There are many opinions about just how hazardous these drugs are to our health. Certainly, the amounts are very, very small compared to prescription strength medications. Just as certain, humans were never meant to drink drug-contaminated water. We need pure water for nutrient transport and detoxification. How we get that pure, clean water is surprisingly simple.

• Insulation
  Our digestive system is remarkably sensitive to contamination. It is a barrier that protects us from toxins when it is functioning properly. We can insulate ourselves from medications in the water supply by increasing the efficiency of our digestion. Eating foods and using supplements containing special short-chain fibers will increase the ability of our system to “barrier protect” us from water contaminants. A major problem with short-chain fiber is that it is found in foods with a bitter taste – chicory and Jerusalem artichokes are good examples. The solution to this problem is found in supplements such as Digestive Complex.Another special protective supplement is Non-Acidic Vitamin C Crystals. Even a small amount, such as a teaspoon in a quart of water, will increase protection from waterborne toxins. Other foods and supplements that reduce stress and improve digestion will also help insulate us from toxins.
• Isolation
  Isolation from drugs in the water is a bit more difficult. Tap water is a problem and bottled water is no solution (it is usually taken from municipal tap-water sources anyway). Bottled water taken from sources specified as pristine and uncontaminated are a good alternative; be wary and use common sense in selecting these products.

  One effective way of removing medications from the water is by using inexpensive carbon block or carbon granular filters. More expensive reverse osmosis and distillation units are less effective at removing drugs, though they are certainly more effective at removing other contaminants.

We need water to live, to deliver nutrients to our cells, and to detoxify our bodies. A tragedy of our times is that our water supply is contaminated with medical waste in the form of prescription drugs. Insulating ourselves with nutrients should be our primary concern. Isolating ourselves from water contamination is also very important.

With nutrients and nurturing we can often reduce the need for medications. And reducing the need for drugs in our bodies is the first step toward reducing the drugs in our water!

Take Control of Your Health

• Deep breathing may reduce the need for:
  • Anxiety medications
  • Blood pressure medications
• Peaceful sleep may reduce the need for:
  • Antibiotics
  • Antiviral medications
• Eating nutritiously may reduce the need for:
  • Lipid control medications
  • Digestion control medications
  • Many other medications
• Activity for 30 minutes daily may reduce the need for:
  • Antidepressants
  • Blood sugar control medications
  • Many other medications
• Use Digestive Complex as a source of protective fiber
• Use antioxidants, such as Adaptogen 10 Plus and NutraFruits
• Add Vitamin C Crystals to your bottled water

If you’re interested in finding more about TriVita’s products that can help you on your Wellness journey or you’d like to find out how you can earn an additional stream of income, call me on 856-264-7802. And ask me about our new product, Nopalea, that is proven to reduce inflammation.

Es Riggins
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member #13160615

Technorati Tags: nutrafruits, toxins, TriVita, vitamin c, water

As you review your diet of the past week, ask yourself, “Did I eat the right amount of fruits and vegetables every day?” (Five servings for children, seven servings for women and nine 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 lacking in nutrition. This is why I suggest TriVita NutraFruits. It’s the quick and easy way to help you reach your goals.

Staying on top of our nutrient reserve is important. Our bodies make millions of new cells every day: heart cells, brain cells, bone and blood cells. 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 we suggest a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.

Supplements
The word supplement means in addition to something – to make up for a deficiency. Vitamin and mineral supplements should be taken in addition to a healthy diet. They make up for the deficiency we face due to the poor nutrient density in our foods. They also help out when our diet is less than perfect.

However, supplements won’t make up for bad dietary choices. We simply must commit ourselves to eating healthier foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Still, most of us realize that we don’t always attend to our diet perfectly. We get busy and don’t always think ahead. After all, we eat to live; we don’t live to eat!

Balance
A multiple vitamin and mineral supplement should reflect the nutrient levels of a normal, healthy diet. In other words, if a nutrient normally appears in the diet at a particular level, this level should be reflected in the vitamin. Vitamins C and B-12 are notable exceptions because our ability to absorb them decreases with age. Even more important than the level of the nutrients is the balance of nutrients. The correct proportion of nutrients needs to be maintained. Otherwise, the supplement will create a greater imbalance than it was meant to solve.

A good example of this is the Norwegian Vitamin Trial for heart health (NORVIT). This trial involved a vitamin cocktail that had the right ingredients. But it was so horribly out of balance that it resulted in the deaths of some of the participants by creating severe nutrient imbalances.

How can you tell if your multivitamin supplement is imbalanced? One way is to notice your urine after you take the supplement. If it turns bright yellow or orange after taking a vitamin you can suspect that this supplement is imbalanced. Now, to be fair, the person taking the vitamin may be imbalanced instead. This happens if someone has eaten an imbalanced diet for some time. Still, it is more often the supplement that is imbalanced, not the person.

Conclusion
So, was that discussion about supplements valuable to you? I hope so. Remember, there are a lot of voices speaking to you about everything from which toothpaste to use to which car to buy. You simply must find a voice you can trust. My ultimate hope in writing here  is to give you reliable, trustworthy information you can use to make the best choices!

Take Control of Your Health

* Eat the right amount of fruits/vegetables daily with NutraFruits
o Children: 5 servings
o Women: 7 servings
o Men: 9 servings
* Focus on organic produce whenever possible
* Eat high quality protein daily (34 to 71 grams)
* Eat Omega-3 fats every day (flax, walnuts and some fish)
* Take a balanced multiple vitamin/mineral supplement
o VitaDaily AM/PM (what I take!)
* Take an EFA supplement like OmegaPrime
* Take Vitamin B-12 every morning
* Take Vitamin C every morning and at bedtime

If you’re interested in finding more about TriVita’s products that can help you on your Wellness journey or you’d like to find out how you can earn an additional stream of income, call me on 856-264-7802. And ask me about our new product, Nopalea, that is proven to reduce inflammation.

Es Riggins
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member #13160615

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

Memory is divided into two basic groups:

1. Short-term memory
2. Long-term memory

Short-term memories are quickly forgotten when they are no longer important. Practicing or rehearsing can improve your memory by moving more information into the long-term category. For instance, when I am distracted by stress I may not be able to remember where I left my car keys. That information was deleted from my short-term memory. However, if I consciously say, “I am hanging my car keys on the hook,” I am far more likely to remember where they are.

How to keep a memory

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

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

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

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

Your brain is made mostly of fat. And the majority of that fat is an Omega-3 fatty acid called DHA. So, to have a healthy brain we need healthy fats like TriVita.com/13160615″ target=”_blank”>OmegaPrime. Your nerve cells convert some fats into functional nerve proteins called myelin. Formation of myelin requires dietary protein and Vitamin B-12. So, for healthy brain structure and function we need Omega-3 fats, healthy dietary protein and Vitamin B-12.

When the memory is activated it creates heat in the brain. To fuel the memory, quench the heat, and repair the daily wear and tear on your brain, you need antioxidants. Certain antioxidants specifically target brain function. A recent study at Arizona State University demonstrated that the antioxidants found in Optima4 not only helped golfers perform better on the course, but they also significantly improved their memory.

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

Stress kills your memory. Nutrients such as Omega-3, Vitamin B-12 and brain-specific antioxidants such as those found in Optima4 help rebuild and restore your ability to remember. With all of these tools at your disposal you have access to the power of a healthy memory.

Take Control of Your Health

* Reduce stress
* Increase physical and mental activity
* Learn something new
* Rehearse before an important event
* Practice and review the things you want to remember
* Nourish your memory with

• OmegaPrime
• Super Sublingual B-12
• Optima4

If you’re interested in finding more about TriVita’s products that can help you on your Wellness journey or you’d like to find out how you can earn an additional stream of income, call me on 856-264-7802. And ask me about our new product, Nopalea, that is proven to reduce inflammation.

Es Riggins
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member #13160615

Technorati Tags: health, Health Products, Memory, omega, TriVita, Wellness

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease. It may be triggered by a number of different conditions such as infection or allergy. Underlying the development of psoriasis is a confused immune system. An autoimmune condition such as psoriasis begins when your immune system attacks healthy cells as if they were diseased.

Many things may cause this confusion. Stress is a primary trigger. Other triggers may include injury (with psoriasis beginning at the site of trauma), nutrient deficiency – especially of essential fatty acids – and toxins such as sugar, alcohol and allergens.

Progress of inflammation

There are three basic steps in the inflammation process:

1. Antecedent – The first step is called an antecedent. An antecedent is like a predisposition to something; for example when a person is prone to a condition because of heredity or environment.
2. Trigger – The second step in the inflammation process is the trigger. This may be injury, stress, deficiencies or toxins.
3. Release of mediators – The third step in the inflammation process is the release of inflammatory mediators like histamines. Histamines are stored in cells called mast cells. These mast cells are like balloons filled with acid that pop and release their poison. Deficiency weakens the walls of these balloons, and trauma, toxins and stress pop the balloons. Histamines are released and inflammation results.

Runaway inflammation and psoriatic arthritis
Mast cells populate our skin. They are also abundant in our joints. They line our airways and digestive tracts. Runaway inflammation occurs when so much histamine is released by one cell that it triggers other mast cells and causes them to pop and release their histamine (this is why sunburn may cause sinus inflammation). This histamine then triggers other cells and more histamine is released, perpetuating the cycle.

Inflammation from psoriasis will eventually inflame the joints. Toxic levels of histamine from the skin will trigger mast cells in joints to release their histamines. Again, trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress can cause this runaway inflammation.

What to do

* Stress
Deep breathing is an excellent remedy for stress. Adaptogens are as well. Everyone responds differently to stress. Learn to reduce your anxiety during stressful situations by applying some of the suggestions found in our Weekly Wellness Report on Stress.

* Nutrient deficiencies
One of the most common deficiencies for people with psoriasis is an essential fatty acids (good fats) deficiency. Taking one to six grams of OmegaPrime daily can give you therapeutic levels of essential fatty acids. Another common deficiency in people with psoriasis is Vitamin D. We normally get enough Vitamin D from sunshine. Be sure to expose at least 40% of your skin to early morning or late evening sunshine. Never let yourself get sunburned. For more information on healthy sun exposure, see our Weekly Wellness Report, Is the Sun Our Enemy?

* Histamine
For reducing histamines, very few nutrients compare with Vitamin C and Vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 as found in our Super Sublingual B-12 reduces histamines by hindering them from being formed in the first place. Vitamin C acts like a body-wide antihistamine. Find out how much Vitamin C your body can use by calibrating your levels with the Vitamin C flush.

* Joint inflammation
If inflammation has already reached your joints, you can help reduce inflammation and protect your joints with TriVita’s Joint Complex. The combination of glucosamine and chondroitin with anti-inflammatory nutrients like boron offer more joint protection than even some NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

When one part of our body is sick, our whole body suffers. So, it is no surprise that the same imbalanced immune system that attacks our skin may attack our joints, sinuses, lungs and intestines. Teach your immune system to work smarter, not harder, by applying the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness and supplying the nutrients needed for healthy skin and joints.

Take Control of Your Health

* Reduce stress and toxins for skin health
* Increase Essential Fatty Acids
* Safely increase sunshine
* Use Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin C to help your body reduce histamine
* Apply the 10 Essentials for lifetime wellness

If you’re interested in finding more about TriVita’s products that can help you on your Wellness journey or you’d like to find out how you can earn an additional stream of income, call me on 856-264-7802.  And ask me about our new product, Nopalea, that is proven to reduce inflammation.

Es Riggins
Independent TriVita Affiliate Member #13160615

Technorati Tags: Health Information, Nopalea, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Skin Conditions, sonoran bloom nopalea, TriVita, Wellness

Technorati Tags: diet, health, healthy diet, nutrients, nutritional deficiencies, Vitamin and mineral supplements