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Five Ways To Keep a New Year’s Resolution with Isagenix

Spencer Iacono — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:38:40 +0000

With the New Year underway, Isagenix has the tools to help you reach your health and fitness resolution goals for 2012

With the start of the new year, our thoughts are on weight-and-fitness resolutions. The truth is, according to statistics, that about half of us will set health goals for ourselves, but almost all (90 percent) of us will get off track to achieve them by Valentine’s Day.

So, what will make the difference in 2012? Hard work and dedication are an obvious part of the answer, but consuming products and following systems that are nutritionally sound in design offer a convenient path to glory.

As 2012 kicks into gear, it’s worth taking a moment to remind how easy it is to stick to good health habits when the following tools offered by Isagenix are in place to help you along. In 2012, why not resolve to adopt any or all of the following?

Tool #1: Eat Quality Protein At Each Meal Every Day

Study after study is showing that quality protein is king when it comes to healthy weight loss. Not only does it help keep hunger at bay, but it also helps the body retain more lean muscle mass. Additionally, it was recently reported that protein is more energizing than carbohydrates or fats, which should make it a top choice at meal times for anyone looking to charge up and get fit. Why quality protein? Not all protein is the same when it comes to results. Whey protein is the right kind for promoting the greatest amount of muscle synthesis and fat burning. Pair a diet rich in quality protein with weight-resistance training and the body grows leaner. With such quality protein options like IsaLean Shake, Bars, or Soups, and with the addition of IsaPro, Isagenix has got you covered at every meal for the whey protein you need to look and feel your best.

Tool #2: Cleanse One Day Every Week

We all know the feeling: you “thought” you weren’t going to indulge at that dinner party you went to last night, but you had no control over the food served and it was indulgent to say the least. So now, it’s the next day and you feel like all is lost and you’re a terrible person. Wrong! Not with something called Cleanse Days to back you up. Studies have shown that intermittent calorie restriction (aka Cleanse Days), are just as effective as sticking to a long-term calorie-restricted diet for weight loss, but that the intermittent dieters (aka Cleansers) ended up with better levels of insulin sensitivity and oxidative stress markers. And the Cleansers probably enjoyed life a lot more too. What the study subjects didn’t have in their intermittent fasting, and what Isagenix Cleansers do, is Cleanse for Life, a botanical drink that offers nutritional support for the body, antioxidant protection, and the promotion of detoxification via herbs, vitamins, and minerals. We recommend cleansing one day every week and, on occasion, two days a week.

Tool #3: Reach for Adaptogens to Beat Stress

What word goes hand-in-hand with trying to lose weight and having to deal with all the road-blocks you run into? Stress. And when stress becomes more than just an occasional thing—as in you’re stressed all the time—then it’s a problem that needs to be fixed. What’s worse too, is that chronic levels of stress can be the worst thing for weight loss and fitness goals. Stress hormones are linked to increasing unsightly belly fat. This is where adaptogens come in. Clinically shown for more than 30 years now to increase the body’s ability to deal with stress, adaptogens are also known to improve attention and focus. Just take the meaning of the word, adaptogen, it means “to adjust”. Used in ancient times by the Chinese for soldiers going off to war, and more recently by Soviet cosmonauts and Olympic athletes, adaptogens are designed by nature to adjust your body so that stress rolls off your back and goals meant to stay on track stay where they should. Ionix Supreme, a drink made with potent amounts of adaptogens such as rhodiola, shisandra, and eleuthero, in addition to other beneficial herbs, is an advantageous way of getting the much-needed protection from stress, and keeping the track to fabulous fitness open and free of road blocks.

Tool #4: Get the Best Nutrition Has to Offer Daily

Probably the most overlooked factor in shaping up is getting adequate vitamins and minerals greatly needed by the body to operate at an optimal level. Add that to the fact that most weight-loss diets will be short on nutrients, and you could be headed to a body that will eventually become run down and not in the tip-top shape you had been hoping and trying for. Study after study is suggesting that for a sharp mind and great looking appearance, taking a multivitamin and certain other nutrients really helps. What’s more, another study showed that athletes who consume supplements such as CoQ10 suffer less muscle damage and recover faster. For all these benefits and then some, there’s Ageless Essentials Daily Pack for Men or Women with Product B. This is your chance for full-body nutritional support while undergoing any weight-loss or fitness routine. Health-improving doses of omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, resveratrol, vitamin D, vitamin C, and all the other vitamins and minerals is what you get in each convenient, A.M./P.M. packet. Plus, added just this past year, is the revolutionary Product B, which is designed with the latest science in telomere health and made to turn back the clock on aging.

Tool #5: Practice Healthy Snacking

Let’s face it: a craving is a craving is a craving. And they can be hard to get over. To do so, you’re going to need an arsenal of healthy snacks to have in the cupboard. Enter the Isagenix team of IsaDelight Plus, FiberSnacks!, Isagenix Snacks!, and SlimCakes. These healthy and low-calorie foods are just what are needed when the urge hits to eat in a bad way. Studies have shown that weight gain most certainly comes in an eating environment that allows uncontrolled snacking, because usually that snacking is on high-calorie, sugar-and-fat-laden treats. If you must snack, and healthy snacks are always welcome, then let the snacks of Isagenix go to work for you, not against you.

With Isagenix to support you, there’s no reason not to take 2012 by the reins and ride in a great, fabulously fit year. With the tools we can provide, and with your willingness to go all the way, it’s going to be one heck of a year. Happy New Year and may all your hopes and dreams for 2012 come true.

CNN Video: Toxic Chemicals Enter The Womb (Good Reason to Use Isagenix)

Spencer Iacono — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:43:19 +0000

The truths shared in this video are why EVERYONE who lives in our modern society needs to use Isagenix -”World Leader in Nutritional Cleansing.” As stated, no matter how much a person tries, there is nothing they can do to keep toxins from entering the body, however, there is something they can do to remove those toxins from the body. Click here to find out how.

‘Dirty dozen’ produce carries more pesticide residue, group says

Spencer Iacono — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:31:45 +0000

Is enough being done to protect us from chemicals that could harm us? Watch “Toxic America,” a special two-night investigative report with Sanjay Gupta, M.D., June 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. ET on CNN.

(CNN) — If you’re eating non-organic celery today, you may be ingesting 67 pesticides with it, according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group.

The group, a nonprofit focused on public health, scoured nearly 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine what fruits and vegetables we eat have the highest, and lowest, amounts of chemical residue.

Most alarming are the fruits and vegetables dubbed the “Dirty Dozen,” which contain 47 to 67 pesticides per serving. These foods are believed to be most susceptible because they have soft skin that tends to absorb more pesticides.

“It’s critical people know what they are consuming,” the Environmental Working Group’s Amy Rosenthal said. “The list is based on pesticide tests conducted after the produce was washed with USDA high-power pressure water system. The numbers reflect the closest thing to what consumers are buying at the store.”

Special report: Toxic America

The group suggests limiting consumption of pesticides by purchasing organic for the 12 fruits and vegetables.

“You can reduce your exposure to pesticides by up to 80 percent by buying the organic version of the Dirty Dozen,” Rosenthal said.

The Dirty Dozen

Celery

Peaches

Strawberries

Apples

Domestic blueberries

Nectarines

Sweet bell peppers

Spinach, kale and collard greens

Cherries

Potatoes

Imported grapes

Lettuce

Not all non-organic fruits and vegetables have a high pesticide level. Some produce has a strong outer layer that provides a defense against pesticide contamination. The group found a number of non-organic fruits and vegetables dubbed the “Clean 15″ that contained little to no pesticides.

The Clean 15

Onions

Avocados

Sweet corn

Pineapples

Mango

Sweet peas

Asparagus

Kiwi fruit

Cabbage

Eggplant

Cantaloupe

Watermelon

Grapefruit

Sweet potatoes

Sweet onions

What is a pesticide?

A pesticide is a mixture of chemical substances used on farms to destroy or prevent pests, diseases and weeds from affecting crops. According to the USDA, 45 percent of the world’s crops are lost to damage or spoilage, so many farmers count on pesticides.

The Environmental Protection Agency, the FDA and the USDA work together to monitor and set limits as to how much pesticide can be used on farms and how much is safe to remain on the produce once it hits grocery store shelves.

“In setting the tolerance amount, the EPA must make a safety finding that the pesticide can be used with ‘reasonable certainty of no harm.’ The EPA ensures that the tolerance selected will be safe,” according the EPA’s website.

Although the President’s Cancer Panel recently recommended that consumers eat produce without pesticides to reduce their risk of getting cancer and other diseases, the low levels of pesticides found on even the Dirty Dozen are government-approved amounts.

Can small amounts of pesticides hurt you?

The government says that consuming pesticides in low amounts doesn’t harm you, but some studies show an association between pesticides and health problems such as cancer, attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and nervous system disorders and say exposure could weaken immune systems.

The Environmental Working Group acknowledges that data from long-term studies aren’t available but warns consumers of the potential dangers.

“Pesticides are designed to kill things. Why wait for 20 years to discover they are bad for us?” Rosenthal said.

Some doctors warn that children’s growing brains are the most vulnerable to pesticides in food.

“A kid’s brain goes through extraordinary development, and if pesticides get into the brain, it can cause damage,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Can pesticides be washed away?

Not necessarily. The pesticide tests mentioned above were conducted after the food had been power-washed by the USDA. Also, although some pesticides are found on the surface of foods, other pesticides may be taken up through the roots and into the plant and cannot be removed.

“We’ve found that washing doesn’t do much,” Rosenthal said. “Peeling can help, although you have to take into account that the pesticides are in the water, so they can be inside the fruit because of the soil.”

All fresh produce, whether it’s grown with or without pesticides, should be washed with water to remove dirt and potentially harmful bacteria. And health experts agree that when it comes to the Dirty Dozen list, choose organic if it’s available.

“To the extent you can afford to do so, [parents] should simply buy organic, because there have been some very good studies that shows people who eat mostly organic food reduce 95 percent of pesticides [in their body] in two weeks,” Landrigan said.

How to Lose Weight Safely If At High Risk of Gallstones

Spencer Iacono — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:38:33 +0000

May 3, 2010 by Isagenix Nutritional Sciences

When at high risk of gallstones, balanced meals and safe weight loss is key.

Gallstones are estimated to affect 1 in 10 people in North America. Those who are obese have a higher likelihood of developing gallstones. Most at risk of gallstones as a result of obesity are Native Americans, the elderly, and Caucasian women in their forties who haven’t yet reached menopause.

Gallstones are so named because they develop in the gallbladder, a small organ that stores and releases the bile made by the liver. Bile is a dark green fluid containing bile salts and cholesterol. The gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine to assist in digesting fats more efficiently. However, if the bile contains high concentrations of cholesterol, then stones too difficult for the bile salts to dissolve may develop.

Because gallstones usually form without any symptoms, most people don’t know they have them or may feel only minor symptoms such as abdominal pain after eating a fatty meal. However, if a stone becomes lodged in a bile duct causing blockage, it can result in sudden pain in the abdomen, back or right shoulder.

Cholecystitis, or gallbladder disease, which is caused by duct blockage, infection or inflammation, is one of the most common digestive diseases. Pain from duct blockage can become intense and lead to hospitalization and surgery. In the U.S. alone, gallbladder surgeries approach 700,000 annually, costing approximately $6.5 million.

Surgery costs increase if gallstones and duct blockage or infection cause the pancreas to become inflamed. The resulting pancreatitis can lead to severe or life-threatening complications. The major cause of acute pancreatitis in North America is gallstones.

Link to Obesity and Losing Weight Too Quickly

Because of obesity’s major role in the formation of gallstones, weight management is critical for decreasing the likelihood of developing them. Obesity is thought to increase risk of gallstones because of elevated production of cholesterol, which in turn increases the concentration of cholesterol in bile.

Paradoxically, losing weight actually increases risk of developing gallstones among obese people, especially amongst those who lose large amounts of weight rapidly. Although not entirely understood, nutritional and medical scientists think that losing weight too quickly may shift the balance of bile salts and cholesterol, causing increased concentrations of cholesterol. Gallstone risk may also be increased by consuming a diet too low in fat or avoiding fat, which reduces the frequency of gallbladder contractions and results in fewer chances of gallbladder emptying.

As always, individuals with a high risk for gallstones should follow medical advice in treatment. Medical researchers have studied methods that obese people can lose weight while reducing risk of gallstone developments. Statin regimens and bile salt therapies have had mixed results. A drug called ursodiol has shown much promise in helping to dissolve cholesterol in bile and prevent gallstones.

There have also been successes such as employing modifications in diet to help reduce risk of gallstones. Along with following a doctor’s advice, individuals can consider these weight-management strategies, which have shown promise based on epidemiologic studies or in clinical trials for losing weight as naturally and safely as possible.

Three Steps to Help Lower Risk of Gallstones While Losing Weight

Step 1: Avoid very low-calorie dieting, losing no more than 1-2 pounds per week.

Overall, research studies have found that obese people who lost 3 pounds or more weekly had a greater likelihood of developing gallstones. This may be because they are more likely to experience an imbalance between bile salts and cholesterol, as well as irregular gallbladder emptying.

For these reasons, people who are obese or who are at high risk for developing gallstones should also avoid skipping meals or fasting. (Note: Individuals who are at risk for gallstone development or who have gallstones should avoid Cleanse Days).

By eating three steady meals throughout the day and losing weight at a slower rate, obese people can reduce the weight-loss risk factor in gallstone formation. To ensure steady weight loss at 1-2 pounds per week, calorie intake should be reduced by only 500 to 1,000 calories. Weight loss is also influenced by activity, which may require eating more calories to compensate for calories burned.

When using a nutritious meal replacement such as IsaLean® Shake (240 kcal) for assistance with weight loss, then be sure to add in extra calories as needed from fruit (such as a banana) or other healthy sources such as almond or peanut butter. At-risk individuals should also consult with their doctors before using a meal-replacement to assist with controlling calories.

Step 2: Avoid saturated fats and eat small amounts of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated dietary fat daily.

Foods high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol are all associated with increased risk in gallstone formation. However, foods high in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats (from olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil) may help lower cholesterol saturation and reduce risk of gallstone formation.

A randomized clinical trial on obese subjects compared a low-calorie diet (900 kcal/d) with 30 grams of fat per day with a low-calorie diet (520 kcal/d) with less than 2 grams of fat per day. After eight weeks, not one of the subjects on the diet with 30 grams of fat per day had developed gallstones. The researchers were led to conclude that dietary fat ensured regular gallbladder emptying and reduced bile cholesterol saturation.

A 10g threshold of fat per meal is now considered to be most efficient at maximizing gallbladder emptying, which can support healthy weight loss while reducing risk of formation of gallstones.

Furthermore, according to one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, fish oil in amounts of almost 12 grams per day may work comparatively to ursodiol in reducing risk of gallstone formation in low calorie diets.

Isagenix products such as IsaOmega Supreme™ high-potency fish oil or IsaCrunch™ hemp seed are great ways to help include more healthy, polyunsaturated fats to meals as needed. Individuals should consult with their doctors before adding high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids to their diet.

Step 3: Avoid refined sugar and strive for a diet high in fiber.

In epidemiologic studies, there is a higher association of gallstones in those who ate greater amounts of refined sugars. In contrast, long-term consumption of relatively high amounts of dietary fiber has been correlated with reduced risk of gallstone diseases.

The risk appears to be even lower if the amount of fiber consumed comes from sources rich in insoluble fiber found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Soluble dietary fiber such as found in oats and legumes also appears to be protective, showing reduction of gallstone formation in animal studies.

Diets higher in fiber and lower in refined sugars will also assist in weight loss. Refined sugars, found in high amounts in sodas and desserts, contribute to high calorie intake, which contributes to obesity. Dietary fiber is filling, providing a satiety effect, but offers little or no calories that would contribute to weight gain.

To help fill in the fiber gaps, be sure to take advantage of unflavored FiberPro, which can easily dissolve in beverages and provide 5 grams of fiber per scoop. Also, enjoy oatmeal-berry SlimCakes®, which also provide 5 grams of fiber from oat bran, wheat bran and flax seed. Individuals should increase dietary fiber to recommended levels (25 to 30 grams daily) gradually.

Safe Road to Optimal Health

Once again, each of these steps is a natural dietary habit that will help lower the risk of developing gallstones and support losing weight safely. Apart from diet, getting regular exercise daily is also helpful. And, for every pound lost gradually, the ultimate achievement is reduced risk of gallstones in the future.

Beyond reduced risk of gallstones, the end-benefits of healthy weight management are profound including improved activity and mobility, improved health of organs such as the heart and brain, and reduced risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Healthy weight management improves overall health and wellness at every level.

Isagenix Announces Independent Study Findings

Melanie Iacono — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:31:42 +0000

CHANDLER, Ariz. (May 4, 2010) — Using low-calorie, nutrient-rich meal-replacement shakes along with a nourishing herbal-cleansing beverage by Isagenix®, a Chandler-based health-and-wellness company, leads to healthy weight loss, according to two studies.
The studies, conducted by researchers at New York Chiropractic College of Seneca Falls, included two randomized, double-blind trials modeled after the company’s signature Cleansing and Fat Burning System™. They were presented recently at EB2010, the annual meeting of Experimental Biology in Anaheim, Calif.

“Thousands of people across the world who are already customers of Isagenix using the products have found they produce wonderful results. These two independent studies simply add positive scientific data that attests to the efficacy of our weight-management systems,” said Dr. Susie Rockway, director of research and science at Isagenix.”

At a time when obesity has already reached epidemic proportions globally with at least 2.6 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese and the World Health Organization estimating that more than 1.5 billion adults will be overweight by 2015, the need for scientifically-substantiated weight-management systems are necessary.

The Isagenix Cleansing & Fat Burning System consists of replacing at least two conventional meals each day with a nutritiously complete IsaLean® Shake and one regular balanced meal. These are called “Shake Days”. “Cleanse Days” consist of enjoying a specially formulated mineral and herbal rich cleansing drink four times each day with and additional eight glasses of water and assorted supplements.

Founded in 2002, Isagenix prides itself in delivering long-term weight-loss results. More than 5.4 million pounds and more than six million inches have been lost by individuals using Isagenix products in the past seven years. Isagenix has helped nearly 200 people lose 100 pounds, 11 people lose 200 pounds, one person lose 300 pounds and hundreds of thousands of others lose weight and improve their health and wellness.*

A 28-day study was performed first, followed by a nine-day study, both of which evaluated impact of the IsaLean Shake and Cleanse for Life®— major components of the Cleansing and Fat Burning System—on body composition and blood parameters. The nine-day study also compared Cleanse for Life as a ready-to-drink liquid versus the dry powder cleanse mix and found the two products yielded no significant differences in their results.

Both studies confirmed the products’ positioning for helping adults with losing weight, maintaining healthy lipid profiles, and feeling better about their health and energy levels.

Details of 28-day Study
In the first study, a total of 30 healthy individuals (ages 20 to 60) followed a calorie-restricted program consisting of Shake Days, replacing two meals with the IsaLean Shake (240 kilocalories per serving) and consuming a 400- to 600-kilocalorie meal per day, and Cleanse Days, water fasting supplemented with Cleanse for Life one day per week.

After the 28 days, the subjects had lost an average of 6.4 pounds (3.6 percent of initial bodyweight), which was statistically significant. The average waist and hip circumference decreased by 1.9 and 1.1 inches, respectively, and were statistically different from baseline.

The study also found significant decreases in total and LDL cholesterol (13.30 mg/dL and 11.40 mg/dL) from baseline measurements.

Details of 9-day Study
The second study randomized 42 healthy individuals (ages 20-60) to one of two groups. Group 1 received Cleanse for Life from a dry-powder drink mix and Group 2 received the product from a ready-to-drink liquid.

Both groups followed Shake Days and Cleanse Days similar to the 28-day study. Measurements were taken on the day before the start of the program (Day 0) and the day after the program (Day 10).
The average weight loss of the subjects was 6.6 pounds (3.8 percent of initial bodyweight), which was statistically significant. Waist and hip circumference decreased an average of 0.6-0.7 inches, which was significant.

While the majority of participant subjects also reported that they felt better about their body weights and energy levels, significant decreases were also found for total cholesterol (17.80 milligrams per deciliter), LDL cholesterol (8.3 milligrams per deciliter) and triglycerides (25.6 milligrams per deciliter).

Researchers’ Conclusions
Led by Dr. Mary Balliett of the college, the nutrition researcher and Dr. Rockway concluded, “the feasibility of combining a fasting regime supplemented by a novel herbal beverage with meal replacement shakes as a quick-start weight loss system proved to be effective and well-tolerated.”

“What we’re seeing is that Isagenix is ahead of the curve when it comes to weight management,” said Dr. Rockway. “By stimulating muscle anabolism with high amounts of branched-chain amino acids from quality whey protein, especially in the morning, the products are making all the difference in weight loss and effective weight management.

Dr. Rockway adds, “Healthy weight management with quality protein daily is like adding 15 more years to your life.”

About Isagenix
Isagenix®, the World Leader in Nutritional Cleansing and Replenishing™, develops and manufactures systems to assist in weight management, long-term wellness and skincare. Isagenix products are distributed through an independent network of Associates in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. The company’s vision is to impact world health and free people from physical and financial pain. Isagenix, established in 2002, is a privately owned company with headquarters in Chandler, Ariz. and a member of the Direct Selling Association. For more information, visit here.

Isagenix offers targeted and complete systems that make it convenient for people to achieve safe, long-lasting weight loss and long-term wellness. The systems focus on Nutritional Cleansing and Replenishing, a process that improves on the ancient health practice of fasting by feeding the body with nutrients to assist in its natural ability to remove impurities. Isagenix systems combine cleansing with a low-calorie meal regimen and infusion of essential nutrients for a total health and wellness approach.

For original article click here.

Scientific Poster Presented At Conference

Melanie Iacono — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:53:44 +0000

: Dr. Rockway present scientific posters in Anaheim

Isagenix’s Research and Science is pleased to announce that our team presented scientific posters on Wednesday, April 28, on the findings of two clinical studies on Isagenix products in Anaheim, Calif., at Experimental Biology 2010.

To read the company’s official press release with details on the findings of each study, please click the link here.

Additionally, if you are interested in downloading the scientific posters for the 28-day study or 9-day study directly in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), then click links here or here, respectively.

Both of the pilot trials showed positive results and attested to the efficacy of IsaLean Shake and Cleanse for Life for supporting adults with healthy weight loss, maintaining healthy lipid profiles, and feel better about their weight, health and energy levels.

Here’s a shout out to Dr. Mary Balliett and the researchers at New York Chiropractic College for performing the trials!

For original article click here.

No Welcomes For Diabetes Destiny

Melanie Iacono — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:30:08 +0000

New Welcomes For Diabetes Destiny

Before today’s kindergartners reach their college years, the number of people with diabetes is expected to at least double and the cost of diabetes care to at least triple in the U.S.—that is if we are to believe the conservative estimates of a recent study and consequent media reports (see here and here).

As long as overweight or obese trends continue, then, according to the study, “between 2009 and 2034, the number of people with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes will increase from 23.7 million to 44.1 million” and “diabetes-related spending is expected to increase from $113 billion to $336 billion.”

These numbers are a tragedy at our doorstep. A rise in diabetes ultimately means more suffering and more early deaths. The disease has already been recognized as one of the top 10 killers in the U.S. for more than half a century. It’s also responsible for bringing about blindness, kidney failure, birth defects and foot and leg amputations for thousands annually.

A broadened perspective paints an ever-grimmer picture of the future. It would be naïve to focus solely on diabetes when the metabolic condition characterized by elevated blood sugar has been consistently linked as a risk factor to other diseases.

Each individual, for example, who is counted among the study’s reported diabetes doubling effect will also double his or her risk of developing coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease. Further adding to the tally, as reported previously, a combination of obesity and diabetes leads to a four-fold increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. If the rise in diabetes cases alone is believed to be serious and costly, then it’s difficult to imagine the damage resulting from a parallel increase of these other devastating diseases.

A forecast of epidemics that lie ahead, once again, must turn our attention to the area of preventive health. The effort to avoid this situation must begin now if it is to happen at all, especially when it can be accomplished through low-cost measures that can be applied by anyone.

Three Steps to Beat Diabetes Epidemic

Step 1: Getting Diagnosed

Beating diabetes starts with a short visit to the doctor’s office. Regrettably, many fail in achieving this step. An approximate 30 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are undiagnosed, according to the most recent data from National Health and Examination Surveys.

Diabetes diagnosis is simply a matter of recognizing classic signs and symptoms—such as frequent urination or heavy thirst—and measuring for persistent elevated blood glucose. The diagnosis is often made via an oral glucose tolerance test. The test involves a fasting patient drinking a sugar (glucose) solution as blood sugar is monitored periodically. If, after two hours, blood sugar continues to be above 140 mg/dL, then impaired glucose tolerance is diagnosed; if the levels exceed 200 mg/dL, then diabetes is diagnosed.

Once diagnosed, a patient can start to take action to maintain or improve his or her health. Making lifestyle changes are the most effective way to manage diabetes, one being glycemic control.

Step 2: Glycemic Control

Glycemic control is the practice of keeping blood glucose levels within a healthy range. For a person with diabetes, tight glycemic control is vital for preventing further complications. The self-monitoring of blood glucose is not a difficult task. It can be performed easily enough with a portable, battery-operated glucose meter. A close eye on blood sugar helps a person assess the effects of diet, exercise and medication.

Glycemic control isn’t just useful to people with diabetes, however. It is good advice for everyone. Since glycemic control can be helpful in managing weight, it can also help guard against insulin resistance, which leads to reduced risk of diabetes.

At its core, getting off the blood sugar roller coaster involves exercise, losing weight, eating balanced meals that are lower in carbohydrates, keeping to low-glycemic index foods (think whole wheat bread and sweet potatoes versus white bread and Russet potatoes), and consuming plenty of dietary fiber daily.

Step 3: Diabetes and Obesity Awareness

To make a dent in the end-figures of diabetes, a strong and continued message of awareness must resonate across the entire U.S. All that’s necessary is another look at the number above: 44.1 million people.

As much as possible, the primary call to action must be to lose weight. Being overweight or obese is the major risk factor in type 2 diabetes. As a matter of interest, earlier this year European researchers discovered a new molecule called CXCL5 that may be the cause of insulin resistance. It is theorized that the molecule is produced in overabundance only in cases of overweight or obesity.

Losing weight is no simple task. Our modern conveniences make it all too easy to live a sedentary lifestyle with calorie-rich foods like potato chips always within reach. Most people who attempt dieting often fail and, in addition, make the situation worse by not receiving adequate nutrition.

Adopting a healthy weight management system is a matter of finding a disciplined, nutrition-focused program and a community of support. Isagenix is a company with the right approach.

For original article click here.

Addicted to Fat: Overeating May Alter the Brain as Much as Hard Drugs

Melanie Iacono — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 05:24:20 +0000

Rats given access to high-fat foods showed some of the same characteristics as animals hooked on cocaine or heroin–and found it hard to quit even when given electric shocks

By Katherine Harmon

: Addicted to fat eating

Like many people, rats are happy to gorge themselves on tasty, high-fat treats. Bacon, sausage, chocolate and even cheesecake quickly became favorites of laboratory rats that recently were given access to these human indulgences—so much so that the animals came to depend on high quantities to feel good, like drug users who need to up their intake to get high.

A new study, published online March 28 in Nature Neuroscience, describes these rats’ indulgent tribulations, adding to research literature on the how excess food intake can trigger changes in the brain, alterations that seem to create a neurochemical dependency in the eater—or user. (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.) Preliminary findings from the work were presented at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in October 2009.

Like many pleasurable behaviors—including sex and drug use—eating can trigger the release of dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter in the brain. This internal chemical reward, in turn, increases the likelihood that the associated action will eventually become habitual through positive reinforcement conditioning. If activated by overeating, these neurochemical patterns can make the behavior tough to shake—a result seen in many human cases, notes Paul Kenny, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular Therapeutics at The Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Fla., and co-author of the new study. “Most people who are overweight would say, ‘I would like to control my weight and my eating,’ but they find it very hard to control their feeding behavior,” he says.

Despite a growing body of research, it has been unclear whether extreme overeating was initiated by a chemical irregularity in the brain or if the behavior itself was changing the brain’s biochemical makeup. The new research by Kenny and his colleague Paul Johnson, a graduate student, shows that both conditions are possible.

Bigger waists, higher thresholds
To see just how overeating and obesity alters the brain’s reward circuitry, the researchers implanted stimulating electrodes in rats’ brains to monitor their changing reward threshold levels. Some rats were given only one hour a day to feast on tasty, high-fat foodstuffs, whereas others had almost unlimited access (18 to 23 hours a day). All the rats, including a control group that was given no human food, had open access to water and standard, healthful lab rat chow.

Unsurprisingly, the rats with extended access to the high-fat foods ate little to none of their comparatively bland lab fare and quickly grew obese—consuming about twice the amount of calories as the control, chow-only group. The researchers also found that even the rats with limited access to the unhealthful food were doing their best to keep up. These subjects managed, on average, to consume 66 percent of their daily calories over the course of the single hour per day in which they could eat the junk food, developing a pattern of compulsive binge eating. Only the obese rats with extended access to the bad food, however, had sharply increasing thresholds for reward levels.

“This research by Kenny’s group is a great contribution,” says Nicole Avena, a visiting research associate at Princeton University’s Department of Psychology who was not involved in the new study but has completed similar research on addiction and high-sugar diets. Many studies have drawn the connection between excessive food intake and addiction in both animal models and humans. A 2001 study in The Lancet observed a similar dearth of dopamine receptors in the brains of many obese people as in those hooked on cocaine or alcohol. The new research adds a more nuanced understanding of just how food can modify the brain—and shows that differences in the brain from the outset can predispose an individual for overeating.

Engineering an overeater
To start an addictive cycle, dopamine must be felt, and for that the brain must have ample dopamine receptors. In many substance abusers a low level of dopamine receptors, either from the outset or caused by the behavior, means they increasingly have to seek more dopamine-inducing substances to reach a level of neurochemical reward they can enjoy. After someone dependent on a substance stops using it, however, it often takes time for depleted dopamine receptors to return to baseline levels. For mice addicted to cocaine, it can take two days to regain normalized levels. The obese rats in the new study took two weeks to regain their baseline density of receptors.

To gauge just how much the quantity of dopamine receptors had affected the rats’ eating behavior, Kenny and Johnson inserted a virus into the brains of a test group of the animals to knock out their striatal dopamine D2 receptors, which are known in humans to be at low levels in many substance abusers. They found that rather than gradually increasing rat brain reward thresholds and accompanying overeating behavior these rats almost immediately had higher thresholds and took to overeating immediately when given access to a high-fat diet. This connection, Kenny says, shows that for people who have lower levels of D2 receptors, “it could predispose you to developing this kind of habitual behavior.”

Genetics likely play a role in an individual’s likelihood of becoming obese—in both metabolic and neurochemical systems. In humans, for example, one genetic flag known as the TaqIA A1 allele has been linked to fewer D2 receptors as well as drug addiction and obesity. And in the rats there were “occasionally one or two animals per study that didn’t overeat,” Kenny says. He and his colleagues are currently investigating possible genetic underpinnings of this phenomenon to see if there is a similar genetic marker that could be useful in helping humans avoid obesity. Further findings in this field might help in developing new prevention and treatment possibilities. Counseling techniques, therapy and even pharmaceutical treatments that have shown success for substance abuse might show promise for those who struggle with overeating, Kenny notes.

Nearly 50 years old, could Willie Gault still play in the NFL?

Melanie Iacono — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:53:31 +0000

One thing this article doesn’t mention is that Willie Gault uses Isagenix as a way to keep his body cleansed as well as feed it with the proper nutrition.

: Willie Gault

The most intriguing free agent in pro football has 333 career receptions for 6,635 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and 44 touchdowns. He is one of the elite kick returners to ever play the game, and boasts the sort of athleticism that evokes names like Bo and Herschel and Thorpe (and makes Terrell Owens look like Kurt Sohn). Most important, he is as smooth as a chocolate swirl, and word has it he dances a little funky.

Yet despite all the accomplishments and accolades, the man has yet to receive a single contract offer from an NFL franchise in 17 years.

Paging Al Davis

Mr. Al Davis, please report to the nearest telephone

“Can I make a comeback?” asks Willie Gault. “Absolutely. Will I? If someone calls, I’d be very open to the idea.”

According to Gault, Gault’s family, Gault’s friends, old media guides, the Pro Football Reference Web site, Nexis/Lexis and official hospital records, Gault was born Sept. 5, 1960, which means he turns 50 in six months.

Yet according to reality, visual analysis and all possible rules of physicality, Gault is 25. Thirty, tops. His face appears virtually unchanged from his mid-1980s heyday with the Chicago Bears, when he was a key part of the Super Bowl XX champions. His skin is natural and unwrinkled, his hair thick and well groomed, his teeth straight and white as fresh whipped cream. There is no gut or double chin; no love handles or cankle cheese.

The former Olympic-qualifying sprinter from the University of Tennessee (circa 1983) runs a 4.4 40 (“At my best I ran 4.2,” he says.), and in 2006 set a world record of 10.72 seconds in the master’s 100 meters for athletes aged 45 to 49 (Two years later, Gault set a new 200-meter world record of 21.80 seconds in the 45-49 age group). In January he competed in the Millrose Games, running a special-edition 60-yard dash against five other NFL veterans all at least 13 years his junior. Despite a dreadful start from the blocks, Gault placed third in a blistering 7.07 seconds. In other words, were he to join an NFL team, he would immediately be one of the leagues burners. “Chris Johnson is faster,” he acknowledges. “Reggie Bush, too. But save for those two and maybe two or three others, I’m right there.”

Gault last played professionally in 1993, when he appeared in 15 games for the Los Angeles Raiders. At the time, UB40 was damning the airwaves with “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Home Improvement was ABC’s smash hit, John Oates had a mustache and Monica Lewinski was a 19-year-old psychology student at Lewis & Clark College. He retired to pursue a career in Hollywood, and experienced some success, appearing in four episodes of The West Wing and 17 episodes of The Pretender. (He is also credited for his gripping portrayal of “black man in airport” in the epic, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.) During his retirement Gault founded Athletes for Life, a non-profit organization that focuses on education and physical fitness. “I’ve had a great post-football life,” he says. “But I’d love to give it another shot.”

So, eons later, could a 50-year-old return to glory?

“Honestly, I think Willie can still play,” says Ken Valdiserri, general manager of the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League and the Bears’ media relations director during Gault’s five years with the team. “I saw Willie recently for the first time in years, and he didn’t appear to age one day. He has incredible athletic ability and he keeps himself in remarkable shape. I don’t care how old he is — a defensive back would have to be worried about him.”

Gault’s secret isn’t so much a secret as it is a difficult lifestyle choice. As the majority of his one-time NFL peers filled their retirement hours with golf, cookies, cigars, beer and a soft spot on the softest couch, Gault continued to live as if the next big game were always around the corner. He refuses to eat chicken or red meat, sticking to a diet of fish (twice per week), vegetables and soy. “I might have an oatmeal raisin cookie once in a while,” he says. “But I don’t live to eat. I eat to live.” He can be found four or five days per week at the Gold’s Gym on Venice Beach, completing an exhaustive circuit of upper- and lower-body weight workouts. Afterward, he usually retreats to a nearby track, where he completes a dizzying buffet of 200s, 300s and 400s. “I treat my body like a temple,” he says, “because it’s the only one I have, and I want to use it as long as possible.”

He pauses.

“I know the idea of a 50-year-old in the NFL is crazy,” he says. “I know it’s improbable. But speed is speed.”

And all these years later Willie Gault still has speed.
For original article click here.

Health Care Dictatorship: A Crime Against America

Spencer Iacono — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:32:46 +0000

(NaturalNews) It’s amazing that the day before the health care “reform” bill is passed in America, the FDA announces that one of the most popular statin drugs sold in America causes so much kidney damage that it might kill you. And then the day after this health care bill passes, the FDA announces that a popular rotovirus vaccine made by Merck is being halted because it is contaminated with a mysterious DNA sequence from a pig virus called porcine circovirus type 1 or PCV-1.

The reason this is important is because cholesterol drugs and vaccines represent what conventional American medicine is all about: Drugs and injections. It’s not about health and prevention; it’s about drugs and injections (and surgery too, of course).

And the legislation that was just passed is focused entirely on how to expand the failed system of drugs and injections so that it causes harm to everyone rather than just those who voluntarily choose to be suckered into it. This is the medical equivalent of a wartime draft that forces soldiers into battle against their will. Except this isn’t a war against some foreign enemy — it’s a war being waged against your body by the pharmaceutical industry, the cancer industry, the surgery pushers and all the corporations that prey upon the public for their sick-care profits.

What Dr. Julian Whitaker had to say about it

I was sitting in the office of Dr. Julian Whitaker in Newport Beach, California this morning at the Whitaker Wellness Center (www.WhitakerWellness.com), chatting about this health care legislation. Needless to say, he was fuming about it, and we decided to record a quick video featuring some of his comments.

I’ll be sharing that video soon on NaturalNews, but the upshot of it is that Dr. Whitaker is extremely concerned about the government taking over health care and interfering in the all-important doctor-patient relationship. He’s also quite rightly convinced that this new legislation is going to result in tens of trillions of dollars in new sick-care cost burdens that stand to financially devastate the national economy as they rise to 30% or even 40% of GNP over the next several years.

Dr. Whitaker is the kind of “alternative medicine” doctor whose medicine should be mainstream. If all the diabetes, heart disease and cancer patients across the country were given the kind of nutritional advice espoused at the Whitaker Wellness Center, we could actually save our nation from sick-care bankruptcy by greatly reducing health care costs across the board. Use of pharmaceuticals would plummet, and many medically useless surgeries such as coronary bypass surgery would simply be abandoned.

The epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in America

The Whitaker Wellness Center tests nearly every patient for their vitamin D levels, by the way. And guess what they find? I was talking with the Whitaker Wellness lab technician this morning and found that roughly 95% of new patients have deficient vitamin D levels. (They are then prescribed very high levels of supplementary vitamin D until they get back up to “normal” levels, of course.)

Most hospitals in America — and most doctors practicing medicine — don’t even test for vitamin D levels. That’s why there is an unseen epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in America today. This epidemic, by the way, is responsible for probably 80% of all cancers, at least a third of heart disease, perhaps a quarter or all diabetes cases, and countless cases of osteoporosis, depression, psychosis and kidney disorders.

So why don’t mainstream doctors test for vitamin D levels? Here’s the shocking but uncensored answer that medicine just doesn’t want to hear: Because doctors are nutritionally illiterate. They are so lost in their drugs, surgeries, poison chemotherapy treatments and ballooning egos that they have forgotten the simplest and most powerful elements of health and healing: Nutrients.

So while America wastes trillions of dollars every decade on treating cancer, diabetes, heart disease and depression, a significant portion of all those diseases could be cheaply, safely and readily prevented with a dime a day of vitamin D supplementation. It’s the smartest investment you can probably make in the health outcome of any population.

Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/028424_health_care_reform_medicine.html