HEALTH NEWS

by Lynne Gully

September 2008

WHY SUPPLEMENT?

Hello again after the summer break. I thought I’d start off the autumn season of newsletters by addressing the issue of why it is important to supplement your diet with various vitamins and minerals.

While it’s never too late to begin taking nutritional supplements, I’m often surprised that people don't supplement their diets with extra nutrients until they've been diagnosed with a serious illness. According to a recent study conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the US, "having a chronic medical condition such as cancer is the primary factor in a person's decision to use dietary supplements." They looked at the records of over 9,000 people and found that those who had been diagnosed with a chronic illness were much more likely to be taking vitamins or other nutrients than people who were disease-free. So many people wait until AFTER their health is in jeopardy before they explore the healing potential of nutrients. While vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements can have amazing disease-fighting effects, most natural medicine doctors agree that their preventive benefits are far more important.

Your health is your most important asset and this becomes more apparent the older you get. Many people suffer from illnesses that are brought on by eating too much of the wrong types of food and not enough of the right food. We, as a nation, are eating too much refined sugar and processed foods that contain a host of additives to enhance shelf life and appearance. These foods, together with the over-use of pesticides, are responsible for many diseases including cancer, heart disease, allergies and arthritis.

Many people feel as though they have no energy left for living. They feel depleted, worn out, edgy, angry and sad. This is what it feels like to be toxic. When you feel like that, it is so tempting to console yourself with the wrong kind of food, which is full of fat or sugar. What goes in to your body is supposed to come out, but it’s not always that simple. Many toxins that enter the body don’t leave that quickly and some become lodged in your cells leading to severe health problems. You can’t see these toxins but you can feel them as moods of fatigue, anxiety, illness, anger, depression, headaches, backaches, rashes and raw nerves. They could deprive you of sleep, your stamina and overall your passion for living.

So, do you recognise any of these problems as part of your life? The whole key to personal transformation starts on a cellular level. We need to clean out our cells with sufficient vitamins and minerals and start to feel really good. It’s never too late and anytime is a good time to start.

HELP YOURSELF WITH SUPPLEMENTS

So much research has revealed that the mineral and vitamin content of our food is as much as 75% less than it was 50 years ago. A huge percentage of the population are deficient in minerals such as zinc and magnesium, to name just two. In fact, 3 million people in the UK are suffering from malnutrition, which means that people are starved of the essential vitamins and nutrients that are essential for good health. People are literally eating themselves sick.

Malnourishment costs the NHS £7.3 billion per year and it is now recognized not only as a major problem amongst the sick, elderly and frail, but new Government statistics show that it’s also seriously affecting newborn babies, school kids and adults, who believe themselves to be healthy.

The problem stems from the fact that:

• In Britain we spend 90 per cent of our food budget on processed foods

• We’re eating less home-cooked food and more convenience food.

• We’re eating more takeaways than ever before

• We’re eating later in the day which means we don’t digest our food properly

• We skip meals or grab a sandwich on the run

The problem is that even if you think you’re eating a healthy diet, your body may still be deficient in vital vitamins or minerals that, if allowed to go uncorrected over months, years even decades, can lead to a whole host of degenerative heath problems.

If you want copies of any previous newsletters you can visit my website at www.optimumhealth.co.uk

Contact Lynne at lynne.gully@optimumhealth.co.uk or tel: 0030 28920 42356

Intestinal Health

If you have ever completed a Nature’s Sunshine Lifestyle Analysis and your intestinal system was low, then you should really think about strengthening that system. You can now complete this Lifestyle Analysis questionnaire online via my website at: www.optimumhealth.co.uk

The intestinal system eliminates solid waste products from the body and reabsorbs water. It is composed of the colon, (also known as the large intestine) and the rectum. When the colon cannot function properly an accumulation of toxins can build up in the lymph system, the bloodstream and the intestines. This can lead to many health problems including colitis, constipation, haemorrhoids, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Key System Product for the Intestinal System is Bowel Build. It is designed as an intestinal cleansing and maintenance formula, containing a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and herbs, which promote intestinal health and provide a source of dietary fibre. Bowel Build helps loosen and cleanse old faecal matter on the intestinal walls and then absorbs these toxins to be eliminated. Overall, Bowel Build enhances digestion and absorption of nutrients and improves the transit time and elimination of waste material. This in turn helps to reduce intestinal gas and odour, and aids in the prevention of intestinal disease. It has also been known to help tone prolapsus of the colon. Stock no 2857.

Marshmallow & Chamomile Combination is another intestinal product good for treating colitis, Crohn’s, Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Stock no 1105.

Cascara & Buckthorn Combination works as a natural laxative and can help eliminate parasites from the body. It helps cleanse and tone the colon. Stock no 990.

Bifidophilus/Bifidophilus for Kids – the intestinal tract needs good bacteria, called friendly flora, in order to function properly. These micro-organisms protect the body against infectious organisms and help the process of digestion. They are destroyed by antibiotics and must be replaced. Also available in the form of chewable tablets suitable for children. Stock nos 4100/3302.

Nutri-Calm is a combination of herbs and vitamins to nourish the nerves and help the body cope with stress. It contains vitamin C, B-Complex, hops flowers, passion flower and valerian root to help reduce tension and stress, often the causes of intestinal problems. Stock no 4798.

One of the main causes of bowel cancer is the undigested toxic material sitting in the intestines. Just think about it for a minute. We need vitamins and minerals for all our bodily functions and processes and these vitamins and minerals come mainly from fresh fruit and vegetables. So we need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and also to consider taking extra nutrients as insurance for good health.

Daily Basic Supplement Programme

A multi vitamin and mineral formula

Nature’s Sunshine provides two choices for your daily multi vitamin and mineral formula.

• Super Supplemental is a uniquely-designed nutritional formula, providing 23 important vitamins and minerals in a base of herbs, vegetable powders and phytonutrients. This special blend helps increase absorption and assimilation of the vitamins and minerals, provides additional antioxidant and nutritional benefits, and is the key to setting Super Supplemental apart from the average multi-vitamin supplement. Many users report experiencing a significant increase in energy levels and endurance over other multi-vitamin supplements. Stock no 1817

• Mega Chel is a mega-nutrient supplement containing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and herbs designed to improve circulation, help clear arteries, reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and provide essential nutrients for joint and bone health. Take daily as your high potency multivitamin and mineral supplement. – Stock no 1821.

An antioxidant formula

Nature’s Sunshine provides two choices for your daily antioxidant.

• Antioxidant Arsenal with Grapine can be taken either once or twice daily to promote better health, and comes conveniently packaged in 28 individual packets, each containing: 1 Beta-Carotene tablet - 15mg in a base of carrot powder; 1 Citrus Bioflavonoids tablet - 500mg vitamin C in a base of cruciferous vegetables, herbs and bioflavonoids; 2 Grapine with Protectors tablets - 30mg proanthocyanidins (from grape seed and pine bark) and 30mg of vitamin C, in a base of cruciferous vegetables, herbs and bioflavonoids; 1 Vitamin E with Selenium soft-gel capsule - 400 IU vitamin E (from vegetable sources) and 25mcg of selenium; 1 Zinc tablet - 25mg zinc gluconate in a base of alfalfa, kelp and thyme. Stock no 4033.

• Super Antioxidant contains Vitamin E, Lycopene, Alpha Lipoic Acid (anti aging), Rose hips, which is a rich source of Vitamin C, Milk Thistle that protects and restores the liver, and Turmeric Rhizome. Stock no 1825.

Essential fatty acids

• Flax seed Oil Each soft gel capsule contains 1,000mg of 100% unrefined flax seed oil, providing 550-600mg of omega-3, 170-200mg of omega-6, and 160-200mg of omega-9. Stock no 1770.

• Omega 3 Fish Oil Each 1,000mg capsule of Omega-3 EPA (natural fish oil concentrate derived from cold-water fish) contains: EPA - 180mg and DHA - 120mg, Vitamin E - 1IU. Stock no 1609.

To order any of these products– call Nature’s Sunshine Products on 08458 40 50 60 or the main telephone line on 01952 671600.