TriVita Weekly Wellness, Reduce Your Risk of Blood Clots
January 31, 2009 by admin
Filed under Blood Clots
by Dr Brazos Minshew, TriVita Chief Science Office
Over 300,000 people in North America die each year from stroke. Another 700,000 die each year from heart attack. The most common type of both stroke and heart attack is ischemic disease, caused by a blood clot. Damage occurs when the blood clot reduces – and then totally blocks – circulation in an artery. The tissue nourished by that artery begins to die almost immediately.
The nature of blood clots
Blood clots are a miracle when they occur in the right place at the right time. If a blood vessel is injured it sends out chemical distress signals that cause platelets to seal the leak. Platelets are small, white cells that are normally very slippery. They become sticky when the lining of the blood vessel (the endothelium) is damaged.
1. The endothelium sends chemical messages to the platelets.
2. The platelets send chemical messages to attract fibrin proteins.
3. Fibrin proteins are like string that becomes very sticky and ties the groups of platelets together. This is an immature or “white” blood clot.
If the leak is not sealed by this “white” clot, larger red blood cells are tied to the platelets by fibrin to form a “red” clot.
Blood clots in the wrong place – at the wrong time
Problems occur when these clots happen in the wrong place at the wrong time. For example, one probable cause of migraine headaches is inappropriate communication between blood vessels and platelets. If a single blood vessel cramps or spasms it can signal platelets to become so sticky that they restrict circulation in the rest of the brain. Ischemic strokes and heart attacks are often caused by mature red clots breaking free of the injured area and blocking arteries in the heart or brain.
Interestingly, blockages from blood clots can occur in any area of the body. For instance, a person can have a “stroke” that injures the lungs or kidneys. Deep vein thrombosis in the legs is the exact same kind of vascular disease that causes stroke or heart attack.
The key to preventing damage is to make sure that the clots form only when and where they are supposed to. This is only possible with accurate communication between the endothelium in the blood vessels and the clotting mechanisms in the red blood cells, platelets and fibrin. Simple nutrients can have profound effects on improving this communication – and I make several suggestions later in this report.
Working smarter, not harder
Blood thinners force platelets and fibrin to ignore clotting signals from the endothelium. When a person is having a stroke these drugs are life-saving because the blood vessels, platelets and fibrin are getting the message to clot in the wrong place at the wrong time. One new class of drugs triggers the release of nitric oxide to open the blood vessels. Nitric oxide also helps the blood vessels, platelets and fibrin proteins communicate clearly. To prevent blood vessel miscommunication in the first place, high nitric oxide levels are needed.
Nitric oxide is made from nitrogen; nitrogen comes from fruits and vegetables. Eating up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day will make your clotting system very smart! Plant-based foods have been proven to improve your health – including the health of your circulatory system.
Smart nutrients
TriVita Adaptogen 10 Plus® Dr. Nathan Bryan, cardiologist and specialist in nitric oxide communication, recommends TriVita Adaptogen 10 Plus to help increase nitric oxide. Adaptogen 10 Plus also helps protect against stress. Stress alone – without any help from cholesterol – causes blood vessel spasms which may result in blood clots. So, a good first step in improving the health of your circulatory system is to eat your fruits and vegetables every day and take whole-food supplements like Adaptogen 10 Plus.
TriVita OmegaPrime® Essential fatty acids such as those in OmegaPrime can help keep the platelets from getting sticky at the wrong time. Dr. Dwight Lundell, cardiologist and specialist in bypass surgery, recommends the Omega-3 EFA in TriVita OmegaPrime as a prime tool to help protect against inappropriate clotting. We need 1–4 grams of Omega-3 every day (2–6 OmegaPrime soft gels).
TriVita HCY Guard® Dr. Kilmer McCully, cardiologist and specialist in vascular health, recommends the protective nutrients found in TriVita HCY Guard to help your body reduce homocysteine (HCY). HCY is one culprit in forming clots at the wrong place and time. Taking a single HCY Guard sublingual lozenge daily can help your body reduce homocysteine up to 35% – in as little as 42 days!
Other nutrients such as Vitamin E, turmeric and ginger, and Vitamin C all provide information for your blood clotting system to work smarter. Smart nutrients are the key to making good decisions about where and when to activate this miraculous system!
Source: TriVita Weekly Wellness Report January 31, 2009.
What Are Adaptogens? Part Two
And other frequently asked questions about Adaptogen 10 Plus!
Adaptogens are unique plants that are genetically coded to adjust to environmental conditions, no matter how harsh. Adaptogens change in response to environmental stresses.
Q: Can vegetarians, vegans and people with gluten or yeast allergies take it?
A: Adaptogen 10 Plus contains no animal by-products and is completely plant based, so anyone with meat or wheat restrictions can take it.
Q: If I have deficiencies In my diet, will Adaptogen 10 Plus make a difference?
A: Although Adaptogen 10 Plus benefits nearly everyone, it cannot by itself make up for a nutritionally deficient diet. For optimum results, add Adaptogen 10 Plus to your healthy lifestyle that includes TriVita’s 10 Essentials.
Q: Will this product take the place of any other TriVita product?
A: If you’re using this product daily, you’re getting the nutrients found in Super Antioxidant Complex and AloeVita – along with many more nutrients.
Q: Are there TriVita products that are recommended to take with Adaptogen 10 Plus?
A: Its important to secure a nutritional foundation, which includes a good multiple vitamin such as VitaDaily AM/PM; Daily Men or Women; a good essential fatty acid product such as TriVita’s OmegaPrime, Vitamin C, and of course our patented sub-lingual delivery system TriVita’s Sublingual B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid for complete stress fighting protection. HCY Guard should be used in place of Sublingual B-12 if high homocysteine levels are a concern, For help with all of your nutritional and wellness needs, please call our Wellness Consultants at 1-800-994-7116.
Q: What are the primary benefits of Adaptogen 10 Plus?
A: It helps our bodies fight aging caused by cellular damage. Adaptogens provide nourishment to strengthen cells, Optiberry helps neutralize-free radicals to reduce cellular damage and nourishes our cells, and aloe vera helps us absorb nutrients better
Q: Will it help me sleep and focus mentally?
A: Adaptogens adjust to the needs of your body. If it’s time to sleep, they’ll help you ease into sleep. If it time for you to focus on a task, they’ll help you adjust to stress and support your need to concentrate. In most cases, Adaptogen 10 Plus nourishes the process programmed into our nervous systems; to be awake or asleep when you need to be.
Q: Will it enhance my athletic performance?
A: Yes. Adaptogens have been studied since the 1940’s in Russia. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the Russian athletes so dominated the Olympic games that there were rumors they were using performance-enhancing drugs. In reality, they were using performance-enhancing adaptogens, not drugs. Adaptogen 10 Plus was formulated to enhance your body’s performance without drug.
Q: Will Adaptogen Plus help me deal with pain?
A: Yes Many botanicals are natural pain relievers because they act as cyclo-oxygenase 2, or Cox2 inhibitors, This means that certain plants directly target the enzyme responsible for inflammation and pain.
Q: How do I know if the product is working for me?
A: People often feel Adaptogen 10 Plus within minutes of taking it. Others report a gradual improvement in some aspects of their health over time. Short term benefits may be experienced, but its long-term health benefits are important.
Q: How should I store Adaptogen 10 Plus?
A: If your package was delivered on your doorstep in the heat/sun, don’t worry. Your product was shipped to you in an opaque bottle to protect it against sunlight, as antioxidants break. down much faster in extreme heat and direct sun. It’s only under extreme heat conditions (180 degrees or more) over an extended period of time that will accelerate a loss in antioxidant value. Once you receive your Adaptogen 10 Plus, you should store it in a cool, dark environment, and we recommend refrigerating it for optimal taste.
Source: TriVita Brochure BR007 Revised 8.06
TriVita HCY Update – Autism & Homocysteine
The Alarming Connection
by Dr. Brazos Minshew
Homocysteine (HCY) is a protein that shreds your arteries, tangles the connections in your brain and shatters the foundation of your bones. Now, we can add another insult associated with homocysteine: Elevated HCY in the blood is a sign that irreparable damage may be happening in the brain. In young children it could also indicate that Autism is developing.
The rate of increase of this disease is real and frightening
In 1980, about 3 to 5 infants in 10,000 were diagnosed with Autism. By 1997, the number had significantly increased: 30 to 35 children in 10,000. More recently, in 2007, Autism Spectrum Disorder affected about 1 in 150 newborns: nearly 70 in 10,000 children. To give that some perspective, about 46 people per 10,000 contract Cancer each year.
Now that we understand the gravity of this affliction, let’s look at some facts.
One of the links between homocysteine and Autism occurs with the formation of an enzyme, methionine synthase. This enzyme is responsible for recycling toxic levels of homocysteine into a beneficial substance called methionine. Methionine serves as the foundation for healthy brain cells. If methionine never forms, then healthy brain cells can never form and connect. Excess homocysteine begins its destructive work on newly developing brain cells which can eventually lead to Autism.
The mercury and Autism connection
Since methionine is a detoxification pathway of mercury, many considered mercury poisoning to be a cause for Autism. This view gained support when high levels of mercury were found in the bloodstream of some children with Autism. However, as we have watched this trend develop over the past several years it seems that some children with Autism have a defect in the way they detoxify mercury and other toxic metals. That’s because the same substance that detoxifies homocysteine also detoxifies mercury.
Further, the effect of homocysteine in Autism is worse on boys than on girls. This is because testosterone depletes methionine synthase in boys. Estrogen and progesterone offer a little protection for this enzyme. This may explain why 8 of 10 children with Autism are boys.
Autism is an extremely complicated disorder
The complications continue when we consider the many different types and manifestations of Autism. Almost none of the 10 known genetic foundations for Autism are connected to each other. It’s as if 10 different roads connect at a central location and continue to diverge in different directions and in an unpredictable way. That is the chaos of Autism. It is also why research is focused on the common links of Autism rather than strictly on causes.
Can nutritional supplementation with HCY Guard help?
The nutrients that reduce homocysteine seem to benefit many with Autism. For instance, according to the Autism Research Institute, up to 70% of children with Autism benefit from methylcobalamin, a form of B-12 that is essential for brain development. There are also positive studies on other nutrients, such as B-6, Cysteine and DiMethylGlycine. All of these nutrients are found in TriVita’s HCY Guard.
These nutrients have benefited many people with elevated homocysteine. If you know a family affected by Autism, please feel free to share this information with them. Encourage them to ask their health care provider if HCY Guard is appropriate for their family member. However, nutrients that help one person with Autism may not help another. So, we encourage everyone to enlist the help of all the available health care professionals as we combat this epidemic.
Bottom line: Elevated homocysteine is strongly related to the development of Autism. However, there is hope because nutritional supplementation with HCY Guard helps lower homocysteine levels.
We at TriVita wish to express our sympathy and support for all families affected by this disorder. We lend our time, talents and energies in the belief that through nutrients and nurturing, we can all experience better health today and tomorrow.
Source: TriVita’s VitaJournal February 2008 pg 12
Cut Your Risk Of Heart Disease
December 22, 2008 by admin
Filed under Heart Disease, Vitamin C
“C” how simple: Five smart ways to keep your health on a steady beat
What’s at the heart of good health? Of course, it’s that amazing muscle that sets the rhythm of life: the heart. To keep our hearts beating strong and long, experts recommend several proven, simple approaches. You’ve probably heard many of them (and if you practice TriVita’s 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness, you’re already doing a lot to stay heart-smart). But one vital area – proper nutrients – may not always be part of the picture when it comes to lowering the risk of heart disease.
#1: vitamins like “C” are key
It’s a sad fact of modern life: Much of our food is so processed and preserved that it doesn’t really nourish us. So, we often miss out on the essential vitamins and minerals needed for good health. This is why it’s so important to take quality supplements that promote a healthy heart… especially Vitamin C.
Vitamin C helps our bodies in several key ways:
• Helps grow and repair tissues• Needed to form collagen for skin, scar tissue, tendons and blood vessels • Aids in healing wounds • Repairs and builds cartilage, bones and teeth.
If you asked your heart, though, it would say that Vitamin C’s best work is as an antioxidant. This means it blocks some damage caused by oxidation inside the cells of our bodies. The heart is dangerously vulnerable to this damage, which is often indicated by high levels of homocysteine (HCY).
Unfortunately, our bodies can’t make Vitamin C or store it. So, if you don’t always get the C you need from food, it’s important to take the highest quality Vitamin C supplement available: Non-Acidic Vitamin C Crystals and Time- Release Tablets from TriVita. (For a great savings offer, see the ad on this page).
#2: help your heart with knife and fork
It’s true: You can eat your way toward (or away from) better heart health. Try to limit the trans fats and hydrogenated oils in foods like margarine, fast foods and fried foods. Also, cut down on refined sugar from cakes, cookies and candy. To lower cholesterol, cook with extra virgin olive oil and garlic for flavor.
#3: Make exercise part of life
To help keep life – and your heart – pumping along, make exercise a regular routine: try for three to four times a week, for at least a half hour per activity. Remember to start off slow, stretch before and after exercising, and drink plenty of water. Be sure to check with your healthcare professional before beginning any exercise program.
#4: Don’t light up, lighten up
To lighten the load on your heart, don’t light up. If you smoke, do all you can to stop, and to avoid exposing yourself to secondhand smoke. Both of these can cause heart disease.
#5: Check in with check-ups
Your regular health check-ups should include blood tests for four different substances that can indicate possible heart disease. These are: cholesterol, triglycerides (fats), homocysteine and C Reactive Protein. Let these five steps move you toward a healthier heart, a healthier you.
Source: VitaJournal August 2008 pg 8
Are You At Risk? What’s Your Homocysteine Level?
High homocysteine often leads to serious, debilitating conditions including:
|
 |
| Help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases
The damage can rarely be reversed. Most North Americans are poorly prepared to handle the effects of a stroke. It’s hard to fully recover from a stroke, so that’s a good reason to start taking TnVita’s HCY Guard immediately to help reduce your risk. When your homocysteine level is too high, your body suffers During the methylation cycle, when HCY fails to recombine the “leftover’ protein into methionine, this excess HCY escapes into your bloodstream. It may begin to build up and cause destructive explosions to the most delicate tissues in your body. For example, it can damage your arteries, brain, bones and even your DNA. The results can be devastating This is the kind of damage that high levels of homocysteine can cause inside your body and brain: Thickening and hardening your arteries and weakening heart tissue —this can lead to strokes and heart attacks by shredding your most delicate tissues and inflicting thousands of tiny paper cuts inside your arteries and brain • Building fibrous webs in the synapses of your brain — this may lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease • Impacting DNA function, causing potentially dangerous cell or DNA mutations • Leaving your bones unable to absorb calcium, causing weak bones and osteoporosis • Contributing to the damage done by many degenerative diseases. Risk Factors A family history of: Cardiovascular disease, Stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Osteoporosis, Diabetes • Low Vitamin B-12, B-6 and Folic Acid levels • Gastric disturbances, breathing difficulties or kidney issues • Age aver 50 • Pregnancy • High stress • Poor eating habits • Lack of exercise • Excessive smoking or coffee drinking. Source: TriVita Magazine, November 2008 pg 10. TriVita’s HCY Guard helps maintain healthy homocysteine levels, get yours here today! |
|
The Truth About Alzheimer’s Disease
November 20, 2008 by admin
Filed under Alzheimers, Diseases
| In recognition of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month the follow article is an excerpt taken from November 2008 VitaJournal Pg 22.
Summary |
|
| Myth: Alzheimer’s disease is genetic; there is nothing we can do about it.Truth: AD is the accumulation of many years of damage to your brain, causing plaque to build up and nerves to tangle. There are prevention strategies that work to help reduce the damage to our brain and to reduce the chances of AD. The chances of being diagnosed with AD increase as we age. AD affects about half of people age 85 and older. |  |
| A gene defect that predisposes a person to AD is called the MTHFR defect. This gene pumps out HCY in very high amounts. What is the solution for elevated HCY? Foods and food supplements rich in B vitamins. (A published clinical trial of HCY Guard demonstrated that it reduced elevated HCY levels by 35% in just 42 days!)
So, while there are definite genetic markers to help us determine our AD risk, there are also proven strategies to help us protect against the damage that may lead to AD. Reduce your risk by reducing toxic, inflammatory, brain-destroying levels of homocysteine. Myth: Only drugs are powerful enough to stop Alzheimer’s disease Truth: AD prevention depends to a large extent on the choices we make every day. According to the National Institutes of Health, the majority of AD prevention strategies rest in our own hands. o Reduce toxins, including toxic levels of HCY o Meticulously manage your blood pressure, blood sugar and LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels During National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, let’s use this opportunity to learn all we can about AD prevention strategies and implement them daily. To view this article in its entirety click here |
|
