Allowable Contaminants?

I do a lot of thinking. According to some, I do too much thinking. I don't believe it to be possible to think too much. I have a tremendeous passion first and foremost for my God and then my family. Apart from this, I'm on a quest to fill my head with as much information about health.

This quest for health all started way back when (I think it was 1988) while sitting at the kitchen table of a friend of mine who, at the time, lived in a small town in Kentucky. Come to think of it, she still lives there. There was a piece of paper on the table, a letter from her water company. For some reason I picked it up and read it. Now, it's been a long time since then and I can't tell you verbatim what it said but this is what I remember: "allowable contaminants" in her tap water. What did I just read? "Allowable contaminants"? Contaminants. In the tap water? The water you drink?

Okay, I was about 22 years old at the time and was pretty much floating through life without a care. At least that's how I see it at the age I am now. Come to find out, this was common practice with tap water.

To Be Continued... (stay tuned)

Shaklee.net/go VS Melaleuca

Shaklee.net/go

Shaklee.net/go VS. Melaleuca

I have been contacted by an interested individual who is researching the difference in Melaleuca and Shaklee.net/go (herein referred to as Shak). She says, based on her research, both companies have the same claims about purity, safety, testing, studies, ect. Melaleuca's been in business 25 years and Shak for 50 years. The only drastic difference she has noticed is the cost. Her question: if both companies claim the same thing then why is the cost so different? Melaleuca is apparently much cheaper.

My Response:

Per your request, I have been working to get additional information as to the difference in price between Shak and Melaleuca. As I had suspected, it has to be the difference in quality of the products.

Shak products have peer-reviewed published clinical proof of safety & efficacy. Challenge Melaleuca or any other companies to provide a list of their published research (in accredited scientific journals). Click these two links - first for the list of Shak's independent clinical research on their formulated products and then for the list of members of Shaklee's Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Chris Jensen says, "When you hear about quality, ask for proof.":

When You Hear about Quality, Ask for Proof...
by Christopher D. Jensen, Ph.D

Vice President, Scientific Affairs

Nearly half of all Americans use dietary supplements, yet consumers remain skeptical about who they can trust and demand proof of the claims made by manufacturers. Shak's commitment to Products in Harmony with Nature and Good Health is easily demonstrated in countless, measurable ways, as representatives of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)discovered recently.

Most supplement companies would worry about a visit from the FDA, but Shak scientists invited FDA representatives to the Norman, OK manufacturing plant to discuss quality control standards for the industry.The FDA came away impressed by the rigorous quality control measures at Shak that far exceed those typically found in the dietary supplement industry.

Shak scientists work very closely with a diverse group of scientific experts from research institutions throughout the world to ensure that product ideas under consideration are both safe and scientifically substantiated. It's common to see supplements endorsed by celebrities and so-called independent scientists, many of whom actually stand to gain from the sale of the products they endorse. Shak does not ask it's advisors to endorse the products - instead, we seek their objective and independent scientific expertise, because it is their scientific objectivity that ultimately makes Shak a stronger company and makes our products worthy of trust.

Shak supplements provide key ingredients in amounts that are supported by scientific studies. Shak formulations face an additional requirement: bioavailability, meaning that they are available for use in the body. Putting ingredients together in a tablet or capsule does not guarantee they will reach the appropriate site in the gastrointestinal tract to ensure maximum benefit. For example, if you indiscriminately compress calcium into a tablet, it may pass all the way through your digestive tract intact - just like a rock! Many companies don't achieve bioavailability for their supplements. We know because we've conducted rigorous analytical tests on both our own and competitive products. For example, Shak chemists tested 13 brands of B-Complex supplements and found that 9 failed to dissolve folic acid, a crucial step for that important B vitamin to be absorbed. Shak's B-Complex passed the test, because our scientists developed a patent-pending process that ensures dissolution (able to dissolve) and enhanced absorption of folic acid. Another example where bioavailability is crucial is with microflora supplements, which need extra protection for the live microflora to survive in the capsule throughout production, shipment, on the shelf, and finally, within the digestive system itself. Put beneficial microflora into a normal capsule, and within weeks you'll have virtually no viable microbes left. Shak's Flora is designed to reach the small intestine before releasing beneficial microflora. Other companies labels list the live bacteria count at the time of formulation or manufacture, but make no claims for the bacteria after the products are shipped. Shak, on the other hand, guarantees delivery of live microflora to the colon.

There are many ingredients commonly found in the supplement market that you won't find in Shak products. That's because they don't hold up to scientific scrutiny. DHEA and alleged growth hormone stimulants are examples of popular products or ingredients whose marketing campaigns far exceed their scientific support. Bluegreen algae, colloidal minerals, chromium picolinate, bovine colostrum, garcinia cambogia, glycoproteins, shark cartilage and a host of others fall into the same category. In fact it was a Shak-sponsored clinical trial of chromium picolinate conducted at the University of Texas that helped debunk the notion that this chromium source was a magic bullet for weight loss.

There will always be bogus ingredients in the marketplace. They will never be in Shak products, however, because they don't meet our scientific standards. It comes down to a question of short term sales or long standing integrity. Shak screens all raw materials for presence of heavy metals or agrichemical residues, solvents, coloring agents, flavoring agents, irradiation, nutrient composition and more. This procedure is common in the pharmaceutical industry, but not in the minimally-regulated supplement industry.

One example of Shak's philosophy in action is the steps we took upon learning that ginseng supplies from China were contaminated with a fungicide. Despite the fact that asian ginseng was one of our best-selling herbal products, we took ours off the market. We tested other products that remained in the marketplace and found the fungicide, yet few if any other companies stopped selling ginseng. We will be back with our ginseng once we have a source that meets our standard of purity.* Shak is the industry leader in conducting and publishing clinical research. Shak has conducted clinical trials in the under-studied fields of complimentary and alternative medicine and sports nutrition. The publication of Shak's research in peer-reviewed medical journals, the gold standard for proof of performance, is leaving a legacy that will continue! Many dietary supplement companies have a small science staff, if they have one at all.

Again, as Dr. Chris Jensen says, "When you hear about quality, ask for proof." - it's well worth the effort.


http://www.NaturalNutrition4Health.com

Drug companies "inventing diseases..."

Shaklee.net/go

Drugs companies 'inventing diseases to boost their profits'
By Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent

PHARMACEUTICAL companies are systematically creating diseases in order to sell more of their products, turning healthy people into patients and placing many at risk of harm, a special edition of a leading medical journal claims today.

The practice of “diseasemongering” by the drug industry is promoting non-existent illnesses or exaggerating minor ones for the sake of profits, according to a set of essays published by the open-access journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

The special issue, edited by David Henry, of Newcastle University in Australia, and Ray Moynihan, an Australian journalist, reports that conditions such as female sexual dysfunction, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and “restless legs syndrome” have been promoted by companies hoping to sell more of their drugs.

Other minor problems that are a normal part of life, such as symptoms of the menopause, are also becoming increasingly “medicalised”, while risk factors such as high cholesterol levels or osteoporosis are being presented as diseases in their own right, according to the editors. “Disease-mongering turns healthy people into patients, wastes precious resources and causes iatrogenic (medically induced) harm,” they say. “Like the marketing strategies that drive it, disease-mongering poses a global challenge to those interested in public health, demanding in turn a global response.”

Doctors, patients and support groups need to be more aware that pharmaceutical companies are taking this approach, and more research is needed into the changing ways in which conditions are presented, according to the writers.

Disease-awareness campaigns are often funded by drug companies, and “more often designed to sell drugs than to illuminate or inform or educate about the prevention of illness or the maintenance of health”, they say.

Particular conditions that are highlighted in the journal include sexual function in both men and women. The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction, one paper claims, has been highly exaggerated to provide a new market for drugs, while the makers of anti-impotence medicines, such as Viagra and Cialis, have been involved with their presentation as lifestyle drugs that can boost the sexual prowess of healthy men.

Ordinary shyness is routinely presented as a social anxiety disorder and treated with antidepressants, while newly identified conditions such as “restless legs syndrome” — a constant urge to move one’s legs — are presented as being much more common than they really are. Richard Ley, of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, rejected the accusations, pointing out that Britain has firm safeguards against disease-mongering. Many of the authors’ criticisms, he said, were aimed squarely at countries such as the United States, where pharmaceuticals can be openly advertised directly to patients.

“Drug companies are not allowed to communicate directly with patients, and we do not invent diseases,” he said.

“We provide information that there are treatments out there that might help certain conditions, but at the end of the day it is down to health professionals to decide if they are appropriate.

The best safeguard is that the doctor who knows the product and knows the patient’s history is the one who decides what to prescribe.”

TRICK OR TREAT?

MENOPAUSE
Symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats and loss of libido
Criticism too often “medicalised” as part of a “disorder” when it is a normal phase of life

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
Symptoms include constipation, cramps and diarrhoea
Criticism promoted by drug companies as a serious illness needing therapy, when it is usually a mild problem

SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION

Symptoms impotence in men, lack of libido or difficulty becoming aroused in women

Criticism drugs such as Viagra marketed not only for treating genuine erectile dysfunction caused by medical problems but as lifestyle improvers

OSTEOPOROSIS

Symptoms thinning of the bones, particularly among postmenopausal women

Criticism portrayed as a disease in its own right, when it is really a risk factor for broken bones

RESTLESS LEGS

Symptoms urge to move legs because of unpleasant feelings, often at night

Criticism prevalence of a relatively rare condition exaggerated by the media, along with the need for treatment

TOXIC BREW

Shaklee.net/go

Household Cleaners - Are They Safe?

Take a moment to learn more about the affects of these products and their so-called "safety". Click on "Toxic Brew Movie".

Healthier and safer cleaning products.

Boosting The Body’s Immune System - Interferon

Shaklee.net/go

Boosting The Body’s Immune System - Interferon


Interferon

(NAPS) - The human body is constantly under attack from millions of microorganisms with which we share the planet, which is why it is important not to take your immune system for granted.

What can you do to help keep your immune system healthy and ready to shield your body from infection? To answer this question, Shak Corporation recently formed the Center for Immune Research, which offers these important tips...

Obesity, Fat, Cholesterol

I just finished watching a very informative program on KET2 this evening - Frontline: "The Diet Wars". I then proceeded to my computer to go to PBS.org in order to view some of the transcript information. I highly recommend everyone to visit this site and get more familiar with the obesity epidemic we in this country are facing and more importantly, our children are facing. Here is an excerpt from one of the pages (click here to view article):

How important is this as a public health epidemic? If we do nothing, what's going to happen?

The biggest thing that's going to happen is that diabetes rates are going to skyrocket. There was a projection published last summer by the CDC that suggested that for a child born in the year 2000, they faced a 50 percent lifetime risk of developing diabetes, so that means that one child in two, over their lifetime, would become diabetic.

Diabetes is a very, very serious disease. It has tremendous impact on life. It takes very, very careful management. It's an expensive disease. It is associated with cardiovascular risk, with blindness, with amputation, with renal failure, so it will definitely overwhelm our healthcare system. It's a disease that's chronic, so if you get it early, you'll live with it for a very long time. It's likely to be very expensive, but more importantly, it's likely to really compromise quality of life.

I have a friend whose 9 year old son has high cholesterol and her 4 year old daughter has cavities in her teeth. I am amazed by what the children around me eat on a daily basis. My nephew and niece (my brother's children - 9 and 6 years old) eat junk constantly. My nephew suffers from psoriasis all over his body and my niece is always sick and has allergies. When you go to their house and look in the refrigerator all you see is koolaid, bologna, and cheese and condiments in it. Everything they eat is in the pantry or the freezer - pre-cooked, processed junk.

I try my best with my own children (6 and 3 years old) to make sure they eat a proper diet and take their vitamins. They don't drink soft drinks or koolaide - it's mostly water, sport drink in the summer, or milk. No fast food or candy. Don't get me wrong - we do live in the world and indulge in the occasional sweet treats. But, I always make sure they have their supplements and meal drinks.

Back to the program. They mentioned at one point about the food guide pyramid and how it encourages the largest consumption from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group and less dairy and meats. But how some are contradicting this. In my book Prescription for Natural Cures, Doctors Balch and Stengler recommend to their patients, in line with modern nutrition research, the following:

Starting from the top of the pyramid (the smallest portions):

Dairy products - optional
Quality protein (fish, lean poultry, eggs) 2-4 servings
Whole grains (low glycemic) 3-5 servings/Legumes 2-3 servings
Healthful oils (Oils: olive, canola, flax, hemp) Nuts and seeds 3-4 servings
Vegetables 5-7 servings/Fruit 2-3 servings
Water 6-8 glasses (48-64 ounces)

The two favorite books in my "nutrition" library:

Prescription for Natural Cures and Prescription for Nutritional Healing

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Severe Arthritis helped...

Shaklee.net/go

Severe Arthritis Helped

Here is a testimony of what our company's Pain Support, Healthy Joint, & Soy Protein can do for someone with severe arthritis.

DOLORES

I became a member of the Monday/ Wednesday/Friday Y-Care group at Confederation Senior’s Center about 6 ½ years ago, on the advice of my doctor. I did not have a heart condition (which is the reason for the existence of the group) but had medical problems that could best be served with the activities of this form of activity.

I had been suffering for 50+ years with arthritis, throughout my body, and this became aggravated by sciatica, bursitis and osteoporosis. Compounding the problem was the fact that I had been treated for years for hypothyroidism so that exercise was difficult and weight gain inevitable, thereby augmenting the joint problems. My doctor was afraid that improper exercising might do more damage and he considered that the form of exercise activity with the Y-care training would be advantageous. Hence, I was authorized to take part in the group’s activities.

Initially, the regime of exercises were painful and exhausting but, with consistent effort and attendance, this improved to what I would consider a “discomfort” level, but not necessary any where near the pain threshold I had encountered earlier. That was - up until Christmas 2004.

I had always had difficulty with sloped grades, inclines, stairs, etc., sometime requiring a handrail to assist me by allowing me to “pull” myself up the stairs, or else holding the arm of someone who would pull me up an incline. For some reason, this was becoming increasingly difficult and, by Christmas 2004, I was needing a great deal of assistance navigating the stairs to my grand-daughter’s home for our annual Christmas get-together.

By mid-January, 2005, I was barely able to get out of bed, creep to the bathroom, and get back up on to the bed. Living alone, except for two cats, I was pretty much panicked knowing that I had been told that eventually I could expect to be wheel-chair ridden. This seemed to be it. What’s worse, my weight was still 40 some pounds more than it should be and I had developed high blood pressure. I also had a high cholesterol problem too. It stunned me since I had been on prescription pain killers all my adult life and even though they never freed me from pain, they did moderate it somewhat. Now, even that was not happening.

By a stroke of luck, I had recently subscribed to membership with the Shak Nutrition Company and had been researching their products as targeted to joint pain. I had placed an order which arrived (at my neighbour’s door - since I couldn’t get out of bed and to the door to receive it) and which I received eventually. I started on the Soy Protein (water-washed and prepared at 56 degree C so that it did not destroy the phyto-chemicals and phyto-estrogens nor become a source of carcinogens; the Joint Pain Relief; and the Joint Pain Complex. I noticed a little relief after three or four days… enough to navigate around my condo and feed the animals.

I then ordered some “Joint and Muscle Ache Cream” for future use. I nevergot to use it because, the day it arrived, I was back at the gym with it in mypurse. I ran into someone else in pain, offered it to him to try, he did, andpurchased it from me right away.

It didn’t matter. Since March 1st, I have never had to take as much as an aspirin for pain, have almost complete mobility of all my joints, have used other Shaklee products to bring down my weight (Team 15 style) and lost 35 pounds, have now got normal cholesterol, and my systolic blood pressure has dropped about 30 points. I still have a thyroid condition but hope to eventually rid my need for thyroid medication altogether.

Why do I continue at the gym? Because I probably would not exercise at all without the moral support and collegiality of those I exercise with. I certainly would miss the social contact and the friends I have developed with the Y-Care group, not to mention the opportunity I have had to direct people to possible nutritional supplements that could help them too.

I am now happy to be associated with Shak as a ”wellness representative” – being proactive on the medical scene instead of reactive, as is frequently the case with most of us who wait for disaster to strike before doing anything to prevent it.

Dolores