TriVita and Your Health

In one of my previous posts, I discussed the toxins that come into our body through our drinking water. What happens to these toxins when they enter our body? Can toxins lead to liver or kidney disease? What are some early signs of liver and kidney toxicity?

Early warning signs
Your liver and kidneys cooperate with another detoxification organ: the lungs. Signs that your liver and kidneys are struggling and pushing the toxic overload through your lungs can include:

• Breathing problems
• Bad breath
• Frequent lung and sinus infections
• Allergies.

Toxicity in the liver and kidneys affect another organ of detoxification: your skin. If your detoxification system becomes overloaded, your body will try to compensate for this overload by pushing some of this waste out through your skin. Early signs of this include:

• Itchy skin
• Bad-smelling perspiration
• Discolorations.

Eventually, you might even experience a breakdown in your skin when it can no longer handle this toxic load. A good example of this: When someone with diabetes has a toxic level of glucose, cracks can appear in the skin of the feet.

What about kidney/liver disease?

Kidneys
Kidneys filter your blood and ensure that proteins and minerals are in the right balance. Too many proteins from an unbalanced, low-carb diet may injure the kidneys. Too many minerals, such as too much phosphorus from soft drinks will injure your kidneys, and too much sugar will damage your kidneys beyond repair.

So, for good, healthy kidneys:

• Drink pure water
• Eat a balanced, healthy diet
• Avoid concentrated sugars.

Many toxins can destroy the kidneys, such as toxic levels of homocysteine and glucose. Still, one of the most common kidney toxins is aspirin, so it should be taken in moderation.

The liver
Many of the toxins excreted by the liver are either absorbed (taken out of your body) by fiber or reabsorbed into your liver. This is why it is so important to eat a high fiber diet and supplement your diet with fiber when needed.

Many toxins can destroy the liver, such as those from alcohol and hepatitis virus. However, the number one reason for liver transplants is acetaminophen toxicity. That’s why I suggest minimizing consumption of any products containing acetaminophen.

Toxic minerals such as lead and mercury can damage both the kidneys and the liver. Protect yourself from these serious diseases by isolating yourself from common toxins and insulating yourself with nutrients and fiber.

Fiber and detoxification
Our liver has a four-step process for detoxification.

1. First, toxins enter the liver, typically from the intestines. They are changed in the liver by an enzyme called CYP, which stands for cytochrome. In the first stage of detoxification the CYP enzyme makes the toxin expand and creates a large surface area – like a sponge.
2. The second stage is to douse this sponge-like toxin with antioxidants and other special nutrients.
3. The third stage is to convert this fat-based sponge to a water base so that it can be attached to fiber.
4. The fourth step in detoxification is to push the fiber and the toxin out through the colon.

Now you can see why fiber in our diet is so important. To properly detoxify we must have at least 30 grams of fiber in our diet every day. In many cultures, people ingest 60 grams or more of dietary fiber every day. These groups have the absolute lowest cholesterol on the planet, as fiber helps detoxify cholesterol as well.

Technorati Tags: adaptogen, antioxidant, detoxify, fiber, kidney, liver, Nopalea, pollutants

Health is not about waiting for disease to strike and then battling it. As the World Health Organization said back in 1948, health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

The only way to avoid getting old is to die young. With that in mind I found great wisdom in the words of Benjamin Franklin who said, “All would live long but none would be old.”

So, healthy aging is about living long without being old! To reach that goal we need to take a brief look at the process called “biological aging.”

Biological aging does not happen with the tick of the clock or the pages turning on your calendar; it happens in your cells. During its life cycle a cell may be damaged by exposure to:

• Toxins
• Direct trauma
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Stress

Each of these circumstances causes inflammation and free radical production. Intense nutrition is needed to battle these causes of premature cell death.

Premature biological aging occurs when more cells die than you can replace.

Fighting inflammation
The human body is designed to fight premature aging and remain young. A powerful force called homeostasis mobilizes your immune system, hormones, nerves and other important systems to ignite the healing process. Homeostasis uses focused inflammation to remodel your cells following injury, illness or even the extreme challenges of emotional stress. Once the healing process is complete, homeostasis extinguishes the fire of inflammation and returns your body to a state of dynamic and vital balance - free from the effects of runaway inflammation.

Homeostasis orchestrates the cells in your body to maintain balance under even severe conditions.

However, there are times when your body cannot heal itself. If inflammation overwhelms a cell it may be damaged beyond repair. Damaged, dead cells must be removed or they will become the focus of infection and illness. Betalains, a unique class of nutrient that is both an antioxidant and a protein, assist a special cell called a macrophage (literally “big eater”) to engulf the dead cell and eliminate it from your body. This makes room for a brand-new replacement cell and the cycle of Wellness continues.

The supplements of healthy aging include five critical components:

1. A balanced multiple vitamin/mineral supplement to establish a solid foundation for healthy aging
2. An essential fatty acid supplement to nourish the arteries and rehydrate the brain
3. A Vitamin C supplement to serve as an antioxidant reserve and keep the immune system active
4. A B-12 supplement to keep the energy level up and the mind bright.
5. Reduction of inflammation and if inflammation is your problem Nopalea is the answer.

Premature aging is about losing more cells than we replace. Healthy aging is about closing the gap between loss of cells and repair or replacement of our cells as directed by homeostasis and fueled by nutrients.

Find out about Sonoran Bloom Nopalea. 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

Vitamin B12  is known as the “energy vitamin,” and it is essential for many critical functions in your body, including energy production,  supporting your immune system , and helping to regulate the formation of red blood cells.  Recent studies from the US Framingham trial show that one in four adults in the US are deficient in this vitally important nutrient and nearly half of the population has suboptimal blood levels.
Vitamin B12 is present only in animal sources of food–which is one of the reasons many physicians advise against being a strict vegetarian or a vegan. This deficiency can result in  less than optimal nervous system function, a tendency toward nervousness, and even less-than-optimal eye health.

How You Get Vitamin B12 Deficient

The older you get the more likely you are to have a vitamin B12 deficiency.  The two ways that you become deficient in vitamin B12 are from not getting enough in your diet and from losing the ability to absorb it.

For example, India which is primarily a vegetarian based culture and current studies there show about 80% of the adults are deficient in vitamin B12. However, vegans are not the only ones who can become vitamin B12 deficient.
The older you get the more your digestive system breaks down, especially if you have been following the standard American diet. Specifically the lining of your stomach gradually loses its ability to produce hydrochloric acid which releases vitamin B 12 from your food. The use of antacids or anti ulcer drugs will also lower your stomach acid secretion and decrease your ability to absorb vitamin B 12.  Infection with Helicobactor pylori, a common contributor to stomach ulcers, can also result in vitamin B12 deficiency.

However the main cause of vitamin B 12 deficiency is a term researchers call food-cobalamin malabsorption syndrome.  Cobalamin is the scientific term for vitamin B12.   This typically results when your stomach lining loses its ability to produce intrinsic factor which is a protein that binds to vitamin B12 and allows your body to absorb it at the end of your small intestine.

If you often feel tired, run-down, and lacking in energy, you’re not alone.  Low energy is one of our country’s biggest health complaints.

Some of the top reasons for this are:
•    Refined foods sold in grocery stores are depleted of vital nutrients
•    Refined foods are loaded with sugar
•    Refined foods are full of chemicals
•    Refined foods are overloaded with food colorings; and
•    Refined foods are loaded with preservatives

…but it doesn’t stop there, either.
Add the harmful effects of caffeine, pollution, conventional therapies, and the stress most of us experience everyday… and you’ve got yourself a recipe for energy drain.

Well, I’m here to tell you there’s a new way to give yourself extra energy. Actually, a cutting edge way to feel more energized — without the jitteriness of caffeine.  More on this in a moment.
Now, of course, powering up with extra energy is just one of B-12’s many health benefits.  So…

What Critical Health Benefits Does this Vitamin Bring to the Table?

For starters, vitamin B-12 helps folic acid regulate the formation of red blood cells, and helps your body use iron.

In addition, it is also needed for proper digestion, food absorption, carbohydrate and fat metabolism.  It also helps keep your nervous system healthy by assisting the nerves of your body to function and communicate in an optimal manner.

But that’s not all…far from it!
B-12 also helps in cell formation and cellular longevity.

Plus, it can support female reproductive health, and promote normal nerve growth and development by maintaining the fatty sheaths.  These fatty sheaths play a vital role as they cover and protect your nerve endings.  What’s more, this workhorse of a micronutrient is critical to your circulation and adrenal hormone production — plus, it helps boost your immunity.  And, oh yes, let’s not forget…
Vitamin B-12 supports a healthy mood and feelings of well-being.

And then there’s this — it also provides excellent support for your memory, mental clarity, and concentration.
Aside from using B-12 to give you an energy boost, when does it also make sense to supplement with this all-important vitamin?  Well, there are several good reasons to take vitamin B-12.
And the first reason to take it is if you are a carb type or a strict vegetarian.  Many people avoid red meats for a large variety of reasons. If you are one of them, you are at a high risk for developing vitamin B-12 deficiency. Why? Because plant sources have virtually no vitamin B-12, and most supplements taken orally are practically useless, as little is absorbed into your bloodstream.

Vegetarians should take this essential micronutrient to ensure an adequate supply of it, because it is found almost exclusively in animal tissues.  And, the few plant foods that are sources of B-12 are actually B-12 analogs — not the form that provides all the benefits of the real deal. Simply put, an analog is a substance that blocks the uptake of true B-12.  The result being, your body’s need for the nutrient actually increases.

Furthermore, your body’s need for this nutrient may also increase if you take Metformin©, a commonly prescribed medication for diabetics, as it can interfere with calcium metabolism.  And this interference may reduce B-12 absorption, because this absorption requires calcium. Studies suggest that 10% to 30% of patients taking Metformin show evidence of reduced vitamin B-12 absorption.  That’s why it is important to speak with your doctor to discuss the best way to maintain B-12 levels when taking this medication.

Now, if getting a good night’s sleep has also become increasingly more difficult for you, here’s what your sleeping difficulties may be trying to tell you! If you suffer from sleeping difficulties, I recommend taking vitamin B-12 during the day.  I believe it can help you.  Here’s why:
B-12 plays a vital role in melatonin production.  Melatonin has been called “the sleep hormone” because it is responsible for letting you get a good night’s sleep. As you age, it becomes increasingly more difficult to get a good night’s sleep because your body becomes less efficient at making this hormone.  And that’s why it’s a good idea to take B-12 to help you sleep like a baby each night.

Moreover, a lack of adequate B-12 can have other annoying consequences too.

Do You or a Loved One Experience Any of the Following?

Not many know it, but if you or a family member experience:
•    Tiredness and feelings of weakness…*
•    Less-than-optimal nervous system functioning…*
•    Less-than-optimal eye health…*
•    Loss of appetite and unintended weight loss…*
•    Occasional constipation and gas…*
•    Feelings of mild moodiness…*
•    Less-than-optimal memory…*
•    A tendency toward nervousness…*
•    Less-than-optimal balance…*
•    Less-than-optimal liver or heart health…*
•    Premature grey hair…
•    Occasional digestive issues…
…you may need to supplement with vitamin B-12, even if you eat foods rich in B-12.

Oddly enough, that wasn’t a typo.
You can eat plenty of meat, poultry, lamb’s liver, brewer’s yeast, clams, eggs, herring, mackerel, kidneys, milk, dairy products, or seafood — and still have low levels of B-12.  How can that be?

It could be because your body is unable to absorb it from your gut.  You see  B-12 needs the help of a protein in order to be absorbed.  That protein is called intrinsic factor.  And because the lining of your stomach makes intrinsic factor, people with less-than-optimal gastrointestinal health often need to supplement with B-12. Likewise, most people over the age of 50 have a limited ability to absorb    B-12, too.  Thus, the need for supplementation.

With that said, the form of vitamin B-12 I’m recommending does NOT come as a pill, capsule, gelcap, or liquid. It is a great tasting, inexpensive tablet placed under the tongue for a few minutes and allowed to dissolve in your mouth for maximum absorption directly into your bloodstream, and it costs far less than a cup of coffee.

To find out more about a Super Sublingual B-12 with a patented absorption system, go HERE.

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: b-12, b12, energy, super b12, TriVita

A man with emphysema was asked about his experience with the disease. He answered by describing the desperation of never getting a full breath. “What if you went to take a breath and nothing happened?” he asked. That is what having emphysema is like: you breathe, but nothing happens. Oxygen cannot get in and carbon dioxide can’t get out. The result is a feeling of slow suffocation.

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are also called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These two conditions affect more than 25 million people in North America. COPD is the #4 killer right now and, with the current rate of increase, it is destined to be the #3 killer in just a few short years.

Common causes

Emphysema is triggered by smoking and irritants in the air. Emphysema traps carbon dioxide in the lungs and prevents oxygen from getting into the bloodstream. An interesting facet of our lung physiology is that the urge to breathe is triggered by an increase in carbon dioxide, not a deficiency of oxygen. As carbon dioxide builds up, the urge to breathe reaches a point of panic and desperation. This is the experience of people with emphysema.

Chronic bronchitis is caused by inflammation in the lungs from pollution, allergy, infection and certain enzyme deficiencies. Often, medications that open the airways and bring relief to people that suffer with chronic bronchitis cause great distress when they wear off and the airways snap closed again. The rate of COPD from chronic bronchitis is increasing every year as pollution and allergies increase.

Reducing your risk

Reducing inflammation
People that are prone to inflammation are more likely to contract COPD. Therefore, helping your body reduce inflammation with nutrients such as Omega oils is vitally important. OmegaPrime uses perilla seed oil as a specific anti-inflammatory for the respiratory system.

Another way to reduce inflammation is try Nopalea. Nopalea is based on the prickly pear cactus and has been through 2 years of clinical studies. It’s proven to reduce inflammation. Find out more about Nopalea and how it can benefit you

Avoiding irritants
Triggers for COPD include smoke and pollution. One key to respiratory health is isolation from these irritants.

* Don’t smoke
* Use air filters
* Stay indoors during high pollution days.

Using Vitamin C as an antihistamine can also help protect delicate lung tissues from damaging pollution – including pollen.

If inflammation has already developed in the lungs, proteolytic enzymes such as those found in Breathe Easy can be helpful. Another enzyme called CoEnzyme Q-10 is critical for lung health as it helps increase energy in the lung tissues and helps reduce resistance in the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Finally, antioxidants such as those found in Adaptogen 10 Plus and Super Antioxidant Complex can help improve your lungs’ ability to function under even the most difficult circumstances.

The importance of breath
Physicians can accurately predict how long you will live (barring accidents) based on your lung volume (called FEV-1). You can increase your lung volume by practicing deep breathing and increase lung efficiency by:

* Reducing inflammation
* Protecting lung tissues from pollen and pollution
* Increasing lung energy
* Providing protection with antioxidants.

Take control of your health by:

Practice deep breathing 20 minutes daily

Protect yourself from smoke, pollen and pollution

Help improve lung efficiency with antioxidants

Find out about Sonoran Bloom Nopalea. 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: Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema, inflammation, Nopalea, Sonoran Bloom, TriVita