Saturday, January 7, 2012
Approaches to Weight Loss
It’s not just calories…
An estimated 68% of American adults qualify as overweight or obese because they eat more calories than they burn. Although this assessment of weight gain appears logical, there may be several other factors that contribute to the preponderance of obesity in the United States.
Approaches to Weight Loss
Obesity has been a problem in the United States for quite some time now. Most health care practitioners view obesity as a prelude to a variety of conditions that range from osteoarthritis to cardiovascular disease. An increasingly serious health issue involves obesity being associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, it’s not clear if obesity or diabetes develops first and this question has been a focus of considerable debate and research in recent years.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Quality and Commitment (video)
by Lynda Hammons, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs
At our June Strategic Summit — a gathering of Regional Managers and above in Las Vegas— Lynda Hammons, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, gave a presentation where she drove home the point that quality has always been and will always be central to Nature’s Sunshine Products.
Related articles:
- Product Quality
- Quality Overview
- Committed to Quality
- Quality Ingredients and Suppliers
- Purity, Safety and Potency
- Secret to Better Health
Nature’s Sunshine has quality that is second to none. We guarantee every bottle we sell. It’s important to us that you consistently get the best results with Nature’s Sunshine products. For that reason, you can be assured that we will always be committed to quality and excellence.
Over a thousand companies produce or manufacture dietary supplements in the United States today. More than 85% of the brands on the market are made by small, contract manufacturers. They put pretty labels on bottles and sell them to big box stores, warehouse clubs and other companies that sell—but do not make or test—their own products. These sellers are not responsible for their quality. As a result, a lot of poor- quality products are on the market.
Lynda Hammons, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, gave a presentation where she drove home the point that quality has always been and will always be central to Nature’s Sunshine Products. What follows are her words.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Energy and Aging
Many of us complain that our days are filled with excessive demands to work more, yet we don’t have enough energy to meet those demands. For this reason, many people are searching for natural “fuel” that will solve this energy crisis. We seek energy boosters to give us mental alertness, the ability to stay awake and one that will help us acquire the physical and mental stamina to address and complete the job at hand.
Many consumers like immediate energy boosters such as Red Bull and related, highly caffeinated products, but a large contingent also feel that these caffeinated drinks are not healthful. In reality, caffeine, a major ingredient in energy-boosting drinks, is not as bad as some make it out to be. Like any supplement ingredient, caffeine can cause negative, harmful effects in certain sensitive individuals and/or when excessive amounts are consumed. But in moderation, caffeine can improve physical performance and significantly enhance the mental performance parameters of concentration and memory. A large portion of our population desires greater energy, but caffeine can make certain individuals feel nauseated or jittery.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Soy to You and Me
Don’t Judge this Wonder-Bean Too Quickly
by Tad Turgeon, Health Sciences Dept.
Soybeans (Glycine soya) are an important part of the food chain in many Asian countries. They have high protein content and have been consumed in times of food shortage. Humans can survive and thrive on soybeans when animal protein is scarce or not preferred.
How Does Soy Protein Stack Up?
Soy protein is a complete protein—it contains all of the essential amino acids required for human growth and maintenance. Proteins are evaluated by a “protein digestibility corrected amino acid score” (PDCAA). This score rates proteins for their amino acid content and the body’s ability to digest and absorb these amino acids when compared to a standard: egg whites. Egg whites have a PDCAA score of 1. Soy protein, whey protein and milk (casein) also have a PDCAA of 1.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Men’s Health Issues
The general topic of men’s health is quite broad and can include issues that are part of women’s health too. Good examples here are cardiovascular wellbeing and weight loss. However, prostate health and conditions such as erectile dysfunction (ED) are peculiar to men.
In men, vascular health and sexual function are very closely related. Erectile dysfunction not only adversely affects intimate relationships but it can also indicate potential cardiovascular health problems. In many cases, erectile difficulties may be a sign of an underlying cardiovascular disorder. Because vascular health reflects erectile function, it’s not surprising that nutritional supplement ingredients that support healthy erectile performance also contribute to cardiovascular health.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Diabetes and Cholesterol
The disease diabetes mellitus is characterized by the pancreas either not producing insulin (Type I or juvenile-onset diabetes) or not properly utilizing the insulin that is produced (Type II or adult-onset diabetes). The hormone insulin is essential for the transport of glucose from the bloodstream to the interior of various cells in the body where it is used as an energy source.
Diabetes is devastating and is occurring more and more frequently in the U.S. When you consider the predisposing factors and some of the disease symptoms, it’s not surprising that new cases of diabetes are accelerating in frequency. Four of these predisposing factors (obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and insulin resistance) constitute metabolic syndrome and are precursors to diabetes. In my opinion, metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X, must be reversed before it leads to diabetes mellitus.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Seasonal Allergies
The immune system is generally regarded as beneficial. However, in some cases, the immune system responds inappropriately, and all of a sudden we have too much of a good thing. Allergy is sometimes referred to as hypersensitivity and involves an exaggerated response to an antigen which, in this case, is called an allergen. There are four distinct types of hypersensitivity and these include: immediate (seasonal or respiratory allergies), cytotoxic (transfusion reactions), immune complex (vaccine reactions), and cell mediated or delayed hypersensitivity (poison ivy). By far the most common are the immediate hypersensitivity reactions.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Food for Thought: WHAT are the CAUSES of OBESITY?
Obesity has been a problem in the United States for quite some time now. Most health care practitioners view obesity as a prelude to a variety of conditions that range from osteoarthritis to cardiovascular disease. An increasingly serious health issue involves obesity being associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, it’s not clear if obesity or diabetes develops first, and this question has been a focus of considerable debate and research in recent years.
A simplistic and sometimes convincing explanation of weight gain involves looking at calories consumed versus calories expended. The calorie in/calorie out concept readily explains weight gain when factors that seem to define the American lifestyle are considered. These factors include consuming large portions of high-fat and high-carbohydrate food coupled with a sedentary lifestyle. An estimated 68 percent of American adults qualify as overweight or obese because they eat more calories than they burn. Although this assessment of weight gain appears logical, there may be several other factors that contribute to the preponderance of obesity in the United States.
Friday, February 18, 2011
How Parents Can Ruin their Children’s Health
Research is showing that most preschool children develop a taste for salt, sugar and fat at their homes. In an experiment, researchers looked at the association between the taste preferences of more than 100 preschool children and their emerging awareness of brands of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages. All of the children were able to pair at least some products with the companies that made them.
The results suggest that fast food and soda brand knowledge is linked to the development of a preference for sugar, fat and salt in food.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Heart Health and Cardiovascular Support
Maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system is essential for vitality, wellbeing, and the proper functioning of the body as it ages. The health of the cardiovascular system is continually threatened by formidable foes in the form of cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension (high blood pressure) and an unhealthy lifestyle. All of these factors contribute to coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD, which can lead to a heart attack, is the leading cause of death in the United States and can be a major cause of disability. CHD occurwhen the arteries that supply the heart with blood become hardened by calcification and narrowed by an accumulation of excess cholesterol and fat deposits called plaque. When a clot forms due to unstable plaque, blood flow through the artery becomes blocked, and this causes a heart attack. Almost 700,000 people die of CHD in the United States each year, and that accounts for about 29% of all deaths in this country.
