PCOS. What Is It?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is a condition that is seen with increasing frequency. PCOS affects about 6% of women and can occur at any age before menopause. It can often go undiagnosed for months, because its symptoms overlap with so many other women’s health concerns. It is also the most common cause of infertility among women in the US. It usually goes hand-in-hand with insulin resistance.

PCOS is often temporary. Who gets PCOS? It is seen in:

• girls going through puberty (when their ovaries are trying to set a regular menstrual pattern)
• women during the transition years of perimenopause

PCOS responds extremely well to a program of natural support that restores hormonal balance, especially with the dietary changes recommend for women with insulin resistance.

What is PCOS?

Understanding PCOS is easier if one tries to picture what goes on inside the ovaries every month.

Each month the ovaries begin to ripen a number of follicles. When we ovulate, the egg in the dominant follicle pops out and is captured in the fallopian tube on its way to the uterus. In PCOS, the egg is not released due to a series of changes that take place in the ovaries and in the normal hormonal pathways. There is no one reason for how these changes take place. There are lots of theories about PCOS being proposed, but the end result is the same: no ovulation and no resulting pregnancy or period.

What Are Polycystic Ovaries?

When ovaries become polycystic they create a lot of follicles. Some say they look like a pearl necklace on the ovaries. No one follicle becomes dominant and ovulation can’t occur. For the most part, these multiple ovarian cysts are not dangerous in themselves. However, they do bring with them uncomfortable side effects. Because a woman with PCOS doesn’t ovulate, her natural sequence of hormonal events gets interrupted, her levels of estrogen and androgens (testosterone and DHEA) remain high, and her body reacts with symptoms.

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

The most common symptoms of PCOS are:

• irregular or absent periods
• infertility
• increased hair growth
• unusual weight gain, even with dieting or increased exercise

Women with PCOS will often go for months without a period and then start bleeding heavily for days. This occurs when the uterine lining has gotten too thick and the body must naturally shed it. Because PCOS disrupts ovulation it can be very difficult to become pregnant.

Other signs of PCOS include:

• acne
• high blood pressure
• obesity
• abnormal facial and body hair growth (due to too much testosterone)

One of the less recognizable symptoms of PCOS is depression. While depression happens for many reasons, it is always a good idea to consider PCOS if you have other PCOS symptoms. In some cases antidepressants are prescribed which do not alleviate the underlying issues and therefore are not very helpful.

PCOS and insulin resistance

Another telltale symptom of PCOS is steady, significant weight gain - even with reduced caloric intake. Some women say they’re gaining weight no matter what they do. It’s not unusual for women with PCOS to say they’ve recently gained 60 or more pounds in less than a year, despite dieting all the time and exercise. This weight usually accumulates around their middle. Why do women with PCOS gain weight at such alarming rates? The research is showing that PCOS is strongly linked with insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a condition some people get by eating too many carbohydrates and leads to sustained high levels of insulin in the bloodstream. It is possible that this extra insulin hitches onto the receptors lining the ovary and stimulates cyst production. This is an issue that should be monitored because women with insulin resistance have a much higher risk of developing other serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease. In fact, if you’re headed down the path to PCOS, what that means is that you’re now getting into the category of metabolic syndrome. This is a category you want to get out of as fast as you can, because with all the damaging inflammatory processes going on with this syndrome there is potential for serious problems down the road.

Another interesting consideration for some is that while many people think of PCOS as a condition that only affects women who are overweight. Though not often, from time to time thin women are afflicted with insulin resistance and PCOS.

On the bright side, women with insulin resistance and PCOS respond very well to:

• modifications in their diet
• adding nutritional support in the form of soy and other functional foods
• multivitamins, minerals (Do you have a way to tell if the supplement (vitamin) that you’re using is being absorbed & assimilated?)
  
• omega-3’s
• Inositol may be important for PCOS women for at least three reasons:
  1. It may aid insulin action and thus reduce insulin resistance.
  2. It may help to relieve depression, which is common in polycystic ovary syndrome.
  3. It helps your liver to metabolize fat.
• beginning an exercise program.

What is the treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome?

Traditionally, doctors have overlooked PCOS unless it is diagnosed relative to infertility or irregular bleeding. If diagnosed, it was and often still is commonly treated with birth control pills. The Pill lessens the symptoms of PCOS by short-circuiting ovulation and giving the ovaries a rest. This is always an option for women looking to avoid pregnancy. Testosterone levels will go down on the Pill, and it is good for regulating cycles but it won’t address the basic issue of insulin resistance. Some doctors are now prescribing a diabetes drug called metformin (Glucophage), for blood sugar control, but if a woman with PCOS doesn’t change some of her lifestyle choices - such as following a low glycemic-load diet - her ovaries become polycystic again when she goes off either type of pill.

An inclusive treatment of PCOS with a combination approach helps women reduce their polycystic ovaries through:

1. nutritional supplements:
   
   • Multivitamin/Mineral
   • Essential Fatty Acids
   • Calcium/Magnesium
   In combination, these supplements work together to support both a healthy metabolism and hormonal balance in perimenopausal and menopausal women.
2. Inositol may be important for PCOS women for at least three reasons:
   1. It may aid insulin action and thus reduce insulin resistance.
   2. It may help to relieve depression, which is common in polycystic ovary syndrome.
   It helps your liver to metabolize fat.
3. gentle endocrine support
   Look for a formulas that addresses the ten most common symptoms of hormonal imbalance experienced women and uses the latest research on phytotherapy (herbal medicine) to promote hormonal balance providing natural, gentle and holistic relief for the three key hormones that fluctuate during menopause: estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
   • Black Cohosh, Soy Isoflavones and Flaxseed, and a phytoestrogen blend of dong quai, red clover and licorice form a powerful and synergistic isoflavone complex which diminishes symptoms associated with estrogen deficiency like hot flashes and night sweats.
   • Flavonoid Blend from botanicals that have been used by traditional cultures to treat symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and insomnia. Recent studies show that the flavonoids in these herbs may mimic the actions of progesterone.
   • Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb known as an adaptogen with aphrodisiac and mood-stabilizing properties. Recent studies suggest it activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, increasing the production of androgens.
4. enriched nutrition
5. regular exercise

Here's a good site for more information about PCOS and natural approaches to treating PCOS.

Are Today’s Kids The Sickest Generation?

Are today’s children becoming the sickest generation? Looking at the statistics on children’s health, across the board, paints an alarming picture…

• ADHD – up a whopping 400% over the last 25 years.
• Bi-Polar Disorder – 40-fold increase among children over the last decade.
• Allergies – 40% of children now have allergies.
• Asthma – up 160% in children under the age of 5 since 1980.
• Autism – dramatic gains since the 1980’s with estimates now of 1 in 150 children in America today having an autism spectrum disorder.
• Sleep Disorders - 25% of children have sleep disorders, which is also a precursor linked to obesity, asthma and allergies. Researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child's chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent. If there was a magic number for the third-graders, it was nine hours, 45 minutes of sleep.

Jean Weiss of MSN Health and Fitness reports on the state of children's health:

“More kids are getting diagnosed with bipolar, ADHD, allergies, and asthma in this decade than in previous decades. Some attribute this increase to improved diagnosing, others to over-diagnosing. Still others view the sick-kid trend as the proverbial canary in the coalmine: More children are getting sick because they are fragile and affected by an increasingly industrialized world.

“I do think we are in the midst of an epidemic of these child disorders,” says Dr. Kenneth Bock, co-founder of the Rhinebeck Health Center and author of Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, Allergies (Ballantine Books, 2007). “I don’t believe it is all due to better diagnosis.”

Bock suggests that children predisposed to these medical conditions are more likely to manifest them after cumulative exposure to pollutants such as heavy metals, chemicals, pesticides, flame retardants, and chemicals from plastic additives to name a few. “All those kinds of things together are increasing the toxic load on children,” he says.

The simplest thing parents can do for their child is decrease their exposure to toxins, Bock says, whether it means eating pesticide-free food or avoiding heavy metals and harmful pollutants found in myriad products such as toys, computers, and clothing. “This is a recent phenomenon over the last 20 years,” says Brock. “We are living in a chemical soup, and it’s the kids that are the most susceptible.”

What Can You Do?

Five Supplements to Improve Children’s Health

In the next posting we’ll talk about removing toxins in the home that can make a big difference in your children’s health. Right now, there are five supplements that can go a long way in improving your children’s overall health, especially for children that are suffering from the issues highlighted earlier.

1) A high quality multivitamin/mineral: Find a comprehensive children’s multivitamin and multi-mineral on the market that is also tooth friendly! (Find out how to tell if your vitamin supplement is a quality vitamin.) Beware vitamin supplements that contain artificial sweeteners or excessive sweeteners both of which may exacerbate existing childhood conditions. These multivitamins provides the essential vitamins and minerals children need to build healthy bodies, without any artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors or preservatives.

2) Chewable Calcium/Magnesium: While calcium is vital in building strong bones, it also supports cell membranes and aids the nervous system, especially in impulse transmission, which could improve a child’s behavior.

Magnesium also has a calming effect on the nervous system, helping to maintain normal muscle and nerve function, and is involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have responded positively to supplementation from calcium, magnesium and other crucial minerals needed to build healthy bones.

This chewable calcium/magnesium supplement comes in a tasty berry flavor and provides 1000 mg of elemental calcium, plus magnesium, Vitamin D and other critical nutrients.

3) Healthy protein snacks or soy protein: Eating small portions of protein throughout the day can help even out a child’s energy. Healthy protein based shakes are a perennial favorite and a great tasting, easy snack that packs extra nutrition into any meal or snack for kids. For those who want to avoid a milk protein product, soy protein delivers a tasty and healthy source of protein and provides critical nutrients to build good health that can easily mix into a fruit smoothie or in a child’s favorite juice.

• For more information on a great tasting, easy to mix, healthy protein shake click here.
• For more information on an energizing soy protein to mix into your favorite beverage click here.

4) B-Complex: The B vitamins (also called “The Happy Vitamins”) have been linked to improved neural activity and are very helpful in reducing stress, mental confusion, irritability, mood changes, and insomnia. Look for a B-Complex that offers a complete B-Complex at the levels found in nature. (Learn about the 8 B vitamins.) This B-complex has a patented folic-acid coating for best absorption of this critical nutrient. Getting a good healthy dose of B-Complex is important today as stress and sugar depletes B-vitamins in the body. Click here for more information on B-Complex online.

5) Omega-3 fatty acids: Here’s a healthy fat that you want your child to have: Omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have found that children with learning disorders, including attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, often have an essential fatty acid deficiency.

The right kinds of fat are needed to help the brain fire information efficiently from synapse to synapse. Essential Fatty Acids help brain cells receive the messages sent between synapses, thus eliminating the chatter and preventing the sending neuron from scooping up its own message.

Click here to find a pharmaceutical-grade Omega-3 supplement providing a full spectrum of seven natural omega 3 fatty acids including EPA, DHA, ALA to support healthy heart, vision, brain and joint function.

The above five supplements provide a good foundation for your children to enjoy better health, better learning, better sleeping, better energy and better brain function. Click here for more overall information on children’s health products.

Note for Sleep Issues: For sleep problems, a serving of chewable calcium/magnesium and an additional B-Complex to children before bed can promote restful sleep. And you may consider adding a gentle, natural sleep herbal supplement for more difficult sleep cases. If a child has trouble waking up in the morning, a protein shake right before bed can help balance their blood sugar levels for an easy morning wake up.

Avandia and Diabetes – Are there alternatives?

Is there a risk in taking Type 2 diabetic medications?

Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine released findings that the risk of developing a heart attack from taking the pharmaceutical drug, Avandia, was as high as 43%. In addition, it was reported that patients taking Avandia were 64% more likely to die of cardiovascular causes while taking the drug.

The most alarming issue is that Glaxo knew that there were side effects such as these as early as 2000 but did not notify the public of the risks. Although the data has been conflicting between different studies, caution should be taken. It is advisable to make an appointment with your physician to discuss this issue.

Unfortunately, Avandia is not the first medication to carry serious health risks. In September of 2004, Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex were recalled due to its potential role in causing heart attacks and strokes. Zyprexa, used for psychological problems, carries warnings of unintended risk of diabetes. Therefore, it is naïve to think that Avandia will be the last.

How does Avandia work?

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which either insulin is not secreted in sufficient amounts to usher glucose into the cells or the cells have become resistant to insulin. In either case, high blood glucose is the result. Avandia is related to a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones. This particular drug influences the cell receptors to become more sensitive to the insulin, thus decreasing insulin resistance. In addition, Avandia decreases the amount of stored glucose that is released from the liver into the bloodstream.

What are the Alternatives?

Diabetes is a very serious condition and should be closely monitored by a medical practitioner. Be sure to always monitor your blood glucose at least once per day alternating times each day. However, there are things that you can do now to manage and control your diabetes.

Lifestyle changes have been shown in many studies to have positive outcomes that even surpass medication therapies. Exercise and a healthy eating plan should be immediately incorporated into your routine.

Alternative and complementary medicine are other avenues to control blood sugar that have been used with success. One such therapy is alpha lipoic acid (ALA), an antioxidant used in Europe for peripheral neuropathy. Some studies show that ALA increases the uptake of glucose into the cells which means that this alternative therapy increases the sensitivity of the cells to glucose. This is beneficial to decrease blood glucose levels.

Minerals such as vanadium, magnesium, zinc, and chromium support the body’s ability to process glucose efficiently. Banaba leaf extract along with magnesium and chromium promote efficient transport of glucose into the cells allowing it to be used for energy instead of damaging vital organs such as the eyes, kidneys, and heart.

Just as caution should be taken when consuming pharmaceutical medications, alternative therapies are not all the same. It is vital to choose a company that has a reputable track record and does not promote a product that was just on last night’s news. It needs to be scientifically formulated with the purest of ingredients to ensure safety and efficacy.

Find a safe and efficacious alternative product that will facilitate prevention of high blood sugars and have a 100% money back guarantee.

How Safe is Your Drinking Water?

Everyone knows that water is essential to life. Unfortunately, today's water supply leaves much to be desired. Below are some of the problems with the water today:

The problem with tap water:

• 2,110 contaminants found in U.S. drinking water since 1974.
• Most city municipalities only test for 22 contaminants.
• 8 out of 10 Americans live near a toxic waste site.
• 3 out of 4 waste treatment plants are not able to stop industrial toxic chemicals from polluting the water. --EPA
• Water treatment plants add up to 47 chemicals to treat drinking water such as aluminum, chlorine, and sodium.
• People who drink chlorinated water have 43% higher risk of bladder cancer. -- National Cancer Institute
• Contamination after water treatment comes from lead and asbestos contaminated pipes; plus bacteria and dirt from leaky pipes. -- EPA

The problem with Bottled Water:

• Standards for bottled water are the same as tap water. No guarantee of improved quality.
• Cancer causing chemicals have been found in water stored in plastic containers. --Dept. of Health
• High bacteria count has been found in bottled water, including fecal coliforms. --EPA

Your body, mainly your kidneys, are the filters removing the lead, particles and chemicals found in water today, whether they come from industrial pollution, or from the chemicals put in the water to negate the pollution. But rather than having your body be the filter, why not buy a filter that purifies your water at the tap?

Purifying your water at the tap is the best way of assuring good, clean water. Our line of water purifiers offer options to fit every budget, from the easy-to-use and inexpensive pitcher carafe, to the Consumer Digest excellent-rated high volume, advanced carbon filtration system, to the unparalleled water quality of the reverse osmosis system. All units provide you with a reliable way to get pure, clean water from your tap. These units also save you money over bottled water and free you from the inconvenience of having to lug bottled water from the store.

We invite you to learn more about our complete line of water filtration units.

March is National Nutrition Month

Making Smart Food and Dietary Supplement Choices

Greetings,

Research increasingly validates the connections between nutrition and health and the types and amounts of food we eat. Science also helps us understand the impact of nutrition on the likelihood of developing certain diseases as well as the likelihood of maintaining good health and increasing longevity. For example, we know that both dietary excesses and deficiencies are linked to certain diseases. Obesity and high fat diets are established risk factors for the development of:

1. coronary heart disease
2. many types of cancers
3. ischemic stroke
4. type 2 diabetes

In fact, these four conditions alone account for approximately 85% of all deaths in the United States.

On the other hand, nutrient deficiencies in our modern diets have also been connected to numerous health conditions. For example, we know that suboptimal intakes of calcium and vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis and inadequate intakes of folic acid at conception and during pregnancy can increase a women’s risk of having a baby with a serious birth defect. Yet many Americans fail to consume the recommended servings of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy products to meet their nutritional needs. Many of us rely on fast and convenience foods that are highly refined and often low in vitamin and mineral content. And to make matters worse, as we age we tend to absorb nutrients from food less efficiently. So in honor of National Nutrition Month, vow to improve your nutrition, which in turn will help reduce your risk of disease and promote lifelong health and well-being. Commit to making smarter food choices, achieving or maintaining a healthy weight, and taking appropriate dietary supplements to fill in nutritional gaps, address your specific health needs or assist you in weight management.

Let’s start with making smarter food choices. Unless you’re a farmer or rancher growing, raising and harvesting your own food, chances are you’re like most Americans and find it a challenge to get back to basics and do some home cooking. Finding the time these days to make it to the grocery store to shop for healthy food choices may be difficult. And even if you do make it to the store, taking the time needed to rummage through the aisles and select the smartest food choices from over 40,000 items you’ll find there can be overwhelming. So, to help make your next trip through the grocery store a little bit easier, here are some basic supermarket survival tips:

• Most grocery stores are arranged in about the same way, with the freshest foods placed around the perimeter, or the “square," of the store. That’s where you’ll find the fresh produce, low fat dairy foods, lean meat (poultry, fish, etc.), and whole grain breads—and that’s where you should start.


• Make your first stop in the produce section, where you can choose fresh fruits and vegetables that are low in calories, high in fiber, and abundant in vitamins and minerals. Dark green and deep orange-yellow fruits and vegetables are better choices than pale colored produce. Take advantage of buying organic produce, if you can (less pesticide exposure).


• Next is a visit to the dairy section. Choose nonfat or 1% fat products, which are a great source of quality protein, calcium, and vitamin D without too many calories. If you are a soy milk drinker, you will probably find the ready-to-drink, refrigerated soy milk there, too. Look for a low-fat version.


• On to the meat section, where you should look for lean, protein-rich foods such as skinless chicken or turkey breast meat, fresh fish, extra-lean beef, and extra-lean ground turkey made from white meat. Diets higher in protein may aid in weight loss because studies suggest that protein helps control hunger.


• Then follow your nose to the bakery section. Skip the unhealthy stuff like muffins, donuts, and scones, and look for whole grain breads that are high in fiber and low in fat, such as 100% whole wheat bread, pitas, and tortillas.


• Once you’ve shopped the square, make a brief trip to the inner aisles to grab some brown rice and whole grain cereal.

Next, if you’re like 65% of Americans, overweight or obese, now is the time to achieve a healthy weight that’s right for you. And the good news is that you don’t have to lose a lot of weight to reduce your risk for disease and improve your health. A modest weight loss of 5-10% in body weight (10 lbs. for example) can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease and can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Achieving a healthy weight starts by watching your caloric intake and the best way is to make modest decreases in the amount of food you eat each day combined with a significant boost in your level of physical activity. Commit to a comprehensive weight management program, designed to help your body preserve lean muscle which is essential to weight management success. Preserving lean muscle while you lose weight from fat helps preserve your metabolic rate or your ability to burn calories.

And while you’re making those smarter food choices and achieving a healthy weight, remember to make wise supplement choices a part of your daily routine. Despite our best efforts to eat healthier, it never hurts to get some nutrition insurance with a balanced multivitamin/mineral supplement. Supplemental calcium, vitamin D, and the antioxidant vitamins C and E should also be considered. In fact most of us fall short in getting the recommended amount of calcium each day, so taking at least 1,000 mg of supplemental calcium each day is a smart choice, especially for women who are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

Adding in other supplemental nutrients that are supported by strong scientific evidence for their potential health benefits is also highly recommended. For example, the research supporting the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Increasing one’s intake of the omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and significant improvements in various inflammatory disorders. Higher intakes of EPA and DHA also help to retain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Although omega 3 fatty acid rich fish is a great way to get omega 3 fatty acids, many people are concerned today about heavy metal and PCB contamination in fish. Therefore, one of the best and safest ways to get your omega 3s is to choose a highly purified omega 3 fatty acid rich fish oil supplement each and every day.

Certainly, the old adage from our mothers and grandmothers continues to be valid: “we are what we eat.” So again, make a special effort on behalf of National Nutrition Month to improve “what you are” by eating plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean protein and whole grains. Achieve a healthy weight by cutting your portion sizes, boosting your physical activity and following a weight management program designed to help you preserve lean muscle, and be sure to include a wise array of appropriate dietary supplements to fill in your nutrition gaps, address specific health needs and assist in your weight management efforts.

Here’s to being the best you can be!

Weight Loss Success Story

"Looking Better than I did in High School!" Sue, a police officer overcoming tough personal challenges, lost a total of 25 inches and 25 pounds with Cinch in just 10 weeks!*

A relentless string of personal challenges sent Sue into a tailspin. She was unhappy and gained weight, which just made her feel even worse. But Sue's sister convinced her to give Cinch a try. Now, she feels happier, healthier, and has energy to spare - even after working a double shift.

"After experiencing a series of personal pitfalls, I fell into a period of depression. I had lost my job, my pension was gone, and a six year relationship was over. This series of events left me with little motivation to take care of myself and an overall lack of concern for my health and well being. And on top of this, I gained 25 pounds."

Gaining weight added yet another personal challenge for Sue.

"I knew my weight gain was a major source of my depression, reduced health and unhappiness. But just knowing this wasn't enough. Each attempt I made to return to my prior weight was unsuccessful."

Sue's sister, a personal fitness trainer, knew that Sue was in trouble and really wanted to help.

"In August of 2006 my sister, a former professional cyclist and personal trainer, called me from San Francisco at the Shaklee annual conference to tell me about Cinch, Shaklee's amazing new weight loss program. Her enthusiasm and confidence in the program was contagious and I could not resist trying it. She explained how Cinch embraces much of the same science that she uses in teaching nutrition and weight management in her athletic training business. Knowing the integrity of both Shaklee and my sister, I quickly decided to give it a try. "

Finding a successful way to lose pounds and inches was a major turning point for Sue, both in her attitude and her energy.

"I found the program to be easy and fantastic. In 10 weeks I lost 25 inches, 25 pounds, and I look better now than I did in high school!* My happiness and well being is restored.

Also, as a police officer, my work can be exhausting. However, now I'm able to work a double shift and still have energy left at the end of the day. I have more energy and feel better than I can ever remember feeling. I feel fantastic! As a result of my weight loss, I am a happier person, no longer struggling with emotional difficulties. I say "thank you to Shaklee for changing my life."

Sue's personal success is quite a story, and the changes were so apparent that everyone wanted to know what she was doing. So, it was only natural when Sue wanted to start sharing Cinch to help others.

"People can see my fantastic results, and they kept asking me about it even though I had never mentioned anything. So, I decided to join my sister in sharing Cinch and building a Shaklee business. Together, my sister and I have started nearly 40 people on the Cinch program within just a couple of months!

For others who still face the prospect of trying to lose weight, Sue offers some simple advice.

"Just follow the program. Use the CinchCoach software and I suggest using the recipes provided. If you follow it 80%, you will be successful. And don't be afraid to ask your Shaklee distributor for support or assistance."

*Results not typical.

Editor's Note: See Sue's before and after pictures

Go to our educational site and leasrn more about how to loose the weight ad inches while keeping the muscle.

Order the Starter Kit now to get started losing weight and inches

For those who are already on a Cinch program make sure you don't run out of products.

Two Reasons to Take Your B's!

Reason #1: Improving Brain Function

Brain function, memory and the speed with which information is processed decline as people age, but researchers in the Netherlands and Switzerland have found that taking folic acid can help.

"We have shown that three-year folic acid supplementation improves performance on tests that measure information processing speed and memory, domains that are known to decline with age," said Dr Jane Durga of the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne.

POOR MENTAL PERFORMANCE

"The functions that decrease most commonly with age are those that we see a beneficial effect through folic acid supplementation," Durga said in an interview.

"It seems a bit intuitive, although it is not proven, that if you can slow down age-related cognitive decline, perhaps you can also affect the risk of dementia. But this is still a question that needs to be researched," she added.

Durga and scientists at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, who reported their findings in The Lancet medical journal, compared the impact of folic acid supplements to a placebo in a study involving 818 men and women 50-70 years old.

Half of the volunteers were given 800 micrograms of folic acid each day for three years while the remainder received a dummy pill.

When the scientists tested the cognitive and memory functions at the end of the study, they found the three-year change was significantly better in the folic acid group.

Reason #2: Stopping Homocysteine before it kills you!

One of the most provocative medical books of the past decade is Kilmer and Martha Culley's The Heart Revolution. In it, Kilmer proposes that it is not cholesterol from eggs and animal fat that causes arteriosclerosis, it’s homocysteine, an enzyme that, if too abundant in the bloodstream , can destroy the elasticity of artery walls and thicken them, causing heart disease and strokes. These findings have been backed up by other research as well.

So what is a major culprit of such deadly homocysteine overabundance? Processed white flour. Processing may allow flour to last longer but robs it of up to 90 percent of its nutrients, including folic acid and B6, which keeps homocysteine levels in check. In other words, to help your heart health, ditch the white stuff!"

Source: Texas Monthly Feb07.

Editor's Note:

The problem with Folic acid, a critical part of the B vitamin complex, is it isn't easily absorbed. So what this B-Complex did was develop a unique folic acid coating over the surface of its B-Complex that makes folic acid much more accessible and bioavailable. You won't find this process anywhere else, as it is an exclusive patented technology.

We suggest you don't take a folic acid supplement by itself, because folic acid is part of the eight essential B Vitamins and they work best when they work together. This B-Complex gives you the right balance of all the B-vitamins including folic acid. In addition to this promising new study on folic acid supplementation improving memory and brain function, a complete B-Complex also promotes a healthy cardiovascular system, helps metabolize energy from carbohydrates, fat and protein and aids in the synthesis of DNA and new cells. Plus, it's also called the Happy Vitamin as it can help with stress. We've seen more than one person take several B-Complex vitamins when getting up to do something nerve-racking like public speaking!