Sunday, March 18, 2012

Why Taking a Multivitamin Every Day is So Important

Why Taking a Multivitamin Every Day is So Important

No matter whom you are, how healthy you are, and how well you eat you should be taking a multivitamin. This is not as commonly practiced as much as it should be, and because of that our body is often unable to get adequate amounts of certain vitamins and minerals that it needs to function properly. Now you may be saying well I eat well enough that I don't really need a multivitamin. Not true and I'll tell you why.

Our bodies are constantly using vitamins and minerals, in order to help keep our bodies running efficiently and effectively. These vitamins and minerals are used at a much faster rate if you workout as well. Most of these vitamins and minerals can be gotten from eating things like meat, vegetables, fruit, grains, etc.

However; because of today's soil quality, and some of the farming practices, our soil has lost a lot of these nutrients, and therefore our food is not as nutrient filled anymore. This is can hurt us because a lot of the vitamins and minerals our bodies cannot or does not store, they are just used as they are taken in.

When our bodies are unable to get the amount nutrients they need to keep our bodies running in tip top shape, they begin to go into a deficiency of that specific vitamin or mineral. When your body has been deficient in certain vitamins and minerals over a extended period of time, it is unable to complete some of the functions that it has to in order to keep your body healthy.

For example, if your body is deficient in iron your body will start to develop anemia, a deficiency of vitamin C will cause scurvy, and a deficiency in vitamin A has been linked to night blindness. For this exact reason the multivitamin was developed in order to make up any lacking vitamins that we may not have gotten enough of throughout the day. I would recommend getting a multivitamin that is iron free however; because, iron that is taken through supplementation can cause constipation.

I would highly recommend that anybody who has a high or even low activity level, purchase and start using a multivitamin. This will help to make sure that you are getting enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs on a daily basis, as well as keep you from getting sick.


Isotonix® Multivitamin




Primary Benefits of Isotonix® Multivitamin*:
  • Supports a healthy immune system
  • Contains 100 percent or more of the recommended daily value of essential vitamins and minerals
  • Promotes the conversion of food into energy
  • Supports a healthy cardiovascular system
  • Supports strong bones
  • Promotes skin health
  • May promote mental clarity
  • Helps maintain normal blood pressure
  • Supports a healthy thyroid
  • Promotes normal healing
  • Helps maintain normal metabolic functioning
  • Supplements deficiencies in diet
  • Promotes healthy growth and repair of tissue
  • Helps maintains water and electrolyte balance in the body
  • Contains vitamins that support the body’s ability to metabolize fats and carbohydrates and support a healthy body weight
  • Provides vitamins and minerals associated with healthy body weight

Key Ingredients Found in in Isotonix® Multivitamin:
Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene/Vitamin A pre-cursor): 10,000 IU
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. Sources of vitamin A include organ meats (such as liver and kidney), egg yolks, butter, carrot juice, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, peaches, fortified dairy products and cod liver oil. Vitamin A is also part of a family of compounds including retinol, retinal and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene, also known as pro-vitamin A, can be converted into vitamin A when additional levels are required. All the body’s tissues need vitamin A for general growth and repair. Vitamin A helps to promote healthy night vision, support normal bone growth and support an antioxidant defense and a healthy immune system.*
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): 150 mg
Vitamin C is found in peppers (sweet, green, red, hot red and green chili), citrus fruits and brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, collards, mustard greens, broccoli, spinach, guava, kiwi fruit, currants and strawberries. Nuts and grains contain small amounts of vitamin C. It is important to note that cooking destroys vitamin C activity.
Vitamin C is integral in supporting a healthy immune system, promoting cardiovascular health, helping to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and providing an antioxidant defense. The body does not manufacture vitamin C on its own, nor does it store it. Therefore, vitamin C must be acquired through diet and supplementation.*
Thiamin (Vitamin B1): 2.6 mg
Thiamin plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and nerve function. Thiamin is required for a healthy nervous system and assists in the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It is used in the manufacture of hydrochloric acid, and therefore plays a part in digestion, increases energy and helps promote mental clarity.*
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 20 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) is the transfer agent for choline to acetylcholine, which promotes proper neurotransmitter activity in the brain. Pantothenic acid is also known as the anti-stress vitamin because it detoxifies brain tissue, helps relieve physical and emotional stress and plays a very important role in the secretion of hormones.*
Niacin (Vitamin B3): 40 mg
Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for many aspects of health, growth and reproduction. It is part of the vitamin B complex. Niacin supports the functioning of the digestive system, skin and nerves. It is also important for the conversion of food to energy. Niacin (also known as vitamin B-3) is found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts and eggs as well as legumes and enriched breads and cereals.*
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin): 75 mcg
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in meats, liver, beef, pork, eggs, whole milk, cheese, whole wheat bread and fish. Vitamin B12 can only be found in animal products, with small amounts derived from fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh, and peanuts. It is essential that vegetarians consume a vitamin B12 supplement to maintain optimal health. Vitamin B12, when ingested, is stored in the liver and other tissues for later use. The synthetic form of vitamin B12, cyanocobalamin, is not derived from either plants or animals and is intrinsic in the maintenance of normal functioning body cells, especially those of the nervous system (protecting the sheaths of nerve cells), bone marrow and intestinal tract. These tissues are the first to exhibit signs of vitamin B12 depletion. Vitamin B12 itself is responsible for maintaining optimum energy levels as it plays a vital role in the Krebs energy cycle. It is also a great anti-aging ingredient and helps increase concentration.*
Folic Acid: 400 mcg
Folic acid is mainly found in fruits and vegetables. Dark leafy greens, oranges, orange juice, beans and peas are the best sources as well as Brewer’s yeast, which supplies additional B-vitamins. Folic acid plays a key role by boosting the benefits of vitamin B12 supplementation. These two B-vitamins join forces and work together in maintaining normal red blood cells. Folic acid assists in the normal utilization of amino acids and proteins as well as promoting the normal construction of the material for DNA and RNA synthesis. Scientific studies have found that when working in tandem with folic acid, vitamin B12 is capable of promoting a healthy cardiovascular and nervous system.*
Riboflavin 5-Phosphate (Vitamin B2): 3 mg
Vitamin B2 is found in liver, dairy products, dark green vegetables and some types of seafood. Vitamin B2 serves as a co-enzyme, working with other B vitamins. It promotes healthy blood and supports both the nervous system and normal human growth. It supports healthy skin, nails, hair growth and helps maintain a healthy thyroid. Vitamin B2 plays a crucial role in turning food into energy as a part of the electron transport chain, driving cellular energy on the micro-level. Vitamin B2 aids in the breakdown of fats while functioning as a cofactor or helper in activating B6 and folic acid. Vitamin B2 is water-soluble and cannot be stored by the body except in insignificant amounts; thus, it must be replenished daily. Under some conditions, vitamin B2 can act as an antioxidant. The riboflavin coenzymes are also important for the transformation of vitamin B6 and folic acid into their active forms and for the conversion of tryptophan into niacin.*
Pyridoxine HCl (Vitamin B6): 4 mg
Poultry, fish, whole grains and bananas are the main dietary sources of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is a co-factor required for protein and amino acid metabolism and helps maintain proper fluid balance. It also assists in the maintenance of healthy red and white blood cells. Vitamin B6 is required for hemoglobin synthesis. It is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in brain and peripheral nerve cells, it has been recommended as a nutrient to enhance mental function, specifically mood, and it supports normal nerve conduction. Some athletic supplements include vitamin B6 because it promotes the conversion of glycogen to glucose, for energy in muscle tissue. Vitamin B6, when taken with folic acid, has been shown to help maintain normal plasma levels of homocysteine, which promotes optimal cardiovascular health. Vitamin B6 should be administered as a part of a complex of other B-vitamins for best results.*
 
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol): 1,000 IU
Regular sunlight exposure is the main way that most humans get their vitamin D. Food sources of vitamin D are vitamin D-fortified milk (100 IU per cup), cod liver oil, and fatty fish such as salmon. Small amounts are found in egg yolks and liver. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and supports the production of several proteins involved in calcium absorption and storage. Vitamin D works with calcium to promote hard, strong bones. It works to promote active transport of calcium out of the osteoblasts into the extra-cellular fluid and in the kidneys, promotes calcium and phosphate uptake by renal tubules. Vitamin D also promotes the normal absorption of dietary calcium and phosphate uptake by the intestinal epithelium. It promotes healthy growth and repair of tissues, and supports overall skin health.* 
Vitamin E (d-alpha-Tocopherol Succinate): 67 IU
The most valuable sources of dietary vitamin E include vegetable oils, margarine, nuts, seeds, avocados and wheat germ. Safflower oil contains large amounts of vitamin E (about two thirds of the RDA in ¼ cup) and there are trace amounts in corn oil and soybean oil. Vitamin E is actually a family of related compounds called tocopherols and tocotrienols. Vitamin E is available in a natural or synthetic form. In most cases, the natural and synthetic forms are identical except the natural form of vitamin E is better absorbed and retained in the body. The natural form of alpha-tocopherol is known as "d-alpha tocopherol." (The natural form is found in Isotonix® Multivitamin.) The synthetic "dl-" form is the most common form found in dietary supplements. For those individuals watching their dietary fat consumption, which is relatively common in the world of dieting, vitamin E intake is likely to be low, due to a reduced intake of foods with high fat content.*
The main health benefit of supplemental vitamin E comes from its immune-boosting antioxidant activity. It also supports normal healing and is known to promote cardiovascular health. Vitamin E is one of the most powerful fat-soluble antioxidants in the body. In turn, vitamin E protects cell membranes from free radical damage.*
Calcium (Lactate, Phosphate) : 53.8 mg
Calcium is found in milk, cheese, yogurt, corn tortillas, Chinese cabbage (Napa), kale and broccoli. Calcium is an essential mineral with a wide range of biological roles. Calcium exists in bone primarily in the form of hydroxyapatite (Ca10 (PO4)6 (OH) 2). Hydroxyapatite comprises approximately 40 percent of the weight of bone. The skeleton has an obvious structural requisite for calcium. The skeleton also acts as a storehouse for calcium. Apart from being a major constituent of bones and teeth, calcium promotes normal muscle contraction, nerve conduction, cardiovascular health, the production of energy and helps maintain a healthy immune system.*
A sufficient daily calcium intake is necessary for maintaining bone density and maintaining healthy teeth and bones. Calcium has been shown to reduce the symptoms of PMS in women. When the body does not obtain enough calcium each day, it draws calcium from the bones causing them to thin, leading to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the age-related thinning of the bones, which can lead to a higher risk of broken hips, ribs, pelvis and other weakened bones. This is in addition to stooped posture associated with advanced age, which is caused by an accumulation of small fractures in the vertebrae.*
The PTH (parathyroid hormone) regulates the amount of calcium in the blood. High levels of calcium in the body have been associated with cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women and maintaining normal cholesterol levels. Low levels of calcium have been associated with reduced bone mass and osteoporosis.*
Chromium (Nicotinate): 120 mcg
Chromium is found naturally in some cereals, meats, poultry, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, prunes mushrooms, fish and beer. Chromium is an essential trace mineral that promotes normal glucose metabolism and regulation of insulin levels, and helps the body maintain of healthy blood levels of cholesterol and other fats. Chromium combines to form something in the body called glucose tolerance factor or GTF, which promotes normal insulin activity in regulating blood sugar levels. Chromium has been shown to help reduce overall body fat, control hunger and suppress appetite. Many people in the weight-loss industry view chromium as an integral mineral in weight maintenance. Chromium may also contribute to an increase in lean body and muscle mass.*
Copper (Gluconate): 100 mcg
The richest sources of dietary copper derive from organ meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereal, whole grain products and cocoa products. Copper may have some antioxidant properties and acts as a component of enzymes in iron metabolism. It is an essential trace mineral. Copper is needed in normal infant development, iron transport, bone strength, cholesterol metabolism, myocardial contractility, glucose metabolism, brain development and immune function.*
Iodine (Potassium Iodide): 150 mg
Iodine is found in most seafood and in iodized salt. It is a necessary component of thyroid hormones and helps regulate and maintain a properly functioning metabolism.*
Magnesium (Carbonate): 25 mg
Foods rich in magnesium include unpolished grains, nuts and green vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are potent sources of magnesium because of their chlorophyll content. Meats, starches and milk are less rich sources of magnesium. Refined and processed foods are generally quite low in magnesium. The average daily magnesium intake in the U.S. for males nine years and older is estimated to be about 323 milligrams; for females nine years and older, it is estimated to be around 228 milligrams.
Magnesium is a component of the mineralized part of bone and is necessary for the metabolism of potassium and calcium in adults. It helps maintain normal levels of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, adrenaline and insulin. It is also important for the mobilization of calcium, transporting it inside the cell for further utilization. It plays a key role in the functioning of muscle and nervous tissue. Magnesium is necessary for the synthesis of all proteins, nucleic acids, nucleotides, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, lipids and carbohydrates.*
Magnesium is required for release of energy and it promotes the normal regulation of body temperature and proper nerve function, it helps the body handle stress, and it promotes a healthy metabolism. Magnesium works together with calcium to promote the normal regulation of the heart and blood pressure. Importantly, magnesium is also required by the body to build healthy bones and teeth, and promotes proper muscle development. It works together with calcium and vitamin D to help keep bones strong. Magnesium also promotes cardiovascular health by supporting normal platelet activity and helping to maintain normal cholesterol levels.*
Manganese (Gluconate): 2 mg
Manganese is a mineral found in large quantities in both plant and animal matter. The most valuable dietary sources of manganese include whole grains, nuts, leafy vegetables and teas. Manganese is concentrated in the bran of grains, which is often removed during processing. There are several forms of supplementary manganese including manganese gluconate, manganese sulfate, manganese ascorbate, and manganese amino acid chelates.
Only trace amounts of this element can be found in human tissue. Manganese is predominantly stored in the bones, liver, kidney and pancreas. It supports the normal formation of connective tissue, bones, blood-clotting factors and sex hormones. It promotes normal fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation. Manganese also promotes normal brain and nerve function.*
Potassium (Bicarbonate): 108 mg
Foods rich in potassium include fresh vegetables and fruits such as bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, avocado, raw spinach, cabbage and celery. Potassium is an essential macromineral that helps to keep fluid balance. It also plays a role in a wide variety of biochemical and physiological processes. Among other things, it supports normal nerve impulses, cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle contractions, energy production, synthesis of nucleic acids, and helps maintain intracellular tonicity and normal blood pressure. Potassium promotes normal muscle relaxation and insulin release. It also promotes glycogen and protein synthesis. Potassium is an electrolyte that promotes proper heartbeat. Potassium is important in releasing energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates during metabolism.*
Potassium also helps regulate water balance and assists recuperative powers. Potassium supports the normal elimination of wastes. Potassium promotes normal healing and generally contributes to a sense of well-being. Potassium is stored in the muscles.*
 
Selenium (Amino Acid Chelate): 55 mcg

The best dietary sources of selenium include nuts, unrefined grains, brown rice, wheat germ, and seafood. In the body, selenium functions as part of an antioxidant enzyme called glutathione peroxidase as well as promoting normal growth and proper usage of iodine in thyroid functioning. Selenium also supports the antioxidant effect of vitamin E and is often added to vitamin E supplements. As part of the antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase, selenium plays a direct role in the body’s ability to protect cells from damage by free radicals.*
Silicon (Dioxide): 13.2 mg
The richest sources of silicon are cereal products and unrefined grains with high fiber content. Most of the silicon in the body is located in connective tissues, bone, tendons, the trachea, the aorta, skin, hair and nails.
Zinc (Lactate): 7.5 mg
Zinc is largely found in fortified cereals, red meats, eggs, poultry and certain seafood including oysters. It is a component of multiple enzymes and proteins. It is also involved in the regulation of gene expression. Zinc is an essential trace mineral that has functions in approximately 300 different enzyme reactions. Thus, zinc plays a part in almost all biochemical pathways and physiological processes. More than 90 percent of the body’s zinc is stored in the bones and muscles, but zinc is also found in virtually all body tissues. It has been claimed that zinc supports normal healing and the immune system, promotes a healthy prostate gland and supports healthy sperm quality. Because zinc is involved in such a great number of enzymatic processes it has been found to support a large range of functions including digestion, energy production, growth, cellular repair, collagen synthesis, bone strength, cognitive function and carbohydrate metabolism.*
Iron Phosphate† (SunActive Fe™)‡: 15 mg
Iron is mainly found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, beans, peas, fortified bread and grain products such as cereal (non-heme iron sources). Beef, liver, organ meats and poultry comprise the heme iron sources. The heme iron sources are more absorbable than the non-heme type of iron. Iron is an essential mineral. It is a component of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in the blood, and myoglobin, another protein that carries oxygen in muscle tissue. Iron is required in red blood cell formation.*
Iron plays a part in many imperative biochemical pathways and enzyme systems including those involved with energy metabolism, neurotransmitter production (serotonin and dopamine), collagen formation and immune system function. Young children, adult men and elderly women probably do not require supplemental iron in their diets and should consult their physician before taking iron supplements (due to the risk of excessive iron). Iron has been found to promote normal oxygen transport, thus improving exercise capacity, stimulate the immune system, increase energy levels and promote normal production of neurotransmitters and collagen.
†Found only in nutraMetrix Isotonix Multivitamin with Iron
‡SunActive Fe™ is a registered trademark of Taiyo International, Inc.
Biotin (Vitamin B7): 300 mcg
Biotin can be found in food sources, such as egg yolks, peanuts, beef liver, milk (10 mcg/cup), cereals, almonds and Brewer’s yeast. Biotin is used in healthy cell growth, the production of fatty acids, metabolism of fats and amino acids. It plays a role in the Citric acid cycle, which is the process in which biochemical energy is generated during aerobic respiration. Biotin not only assists in various metabolic chemical conversions but also helps to transfer carbon dioxide. Biotin is also helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level. Biotin is often recommended for strengthening hair and nails.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

What is Inflammation?





What is Inflammation?
By: Mark Sisson

Inflammation is one of those words that people use without really thinking about its actual meaning. So today we’re going to take a bit of a break from the blood lipid series to cover inflammation. In later posts, I’ll dig deeper into how the inflammatory response works with stuff like exercise and heart disease, but for now, I’ll just get the basics out there.

Existence is suffering, according to certain schools of thought. I don’t know that I’d go quite that far, but I would emphatically state that anyone who spends a modicum of sentient time in the space time continuum we call existence is gonna experience some unpleasantness. A bump on the knee, a bacterial infection, an acute injury, a persistent illness, a death of a loved one, a broken heart. It’s a big and often angry world that doesn’t necessarily care about you, and something’s gotta give. When that happens and the sanctity of our bodies is interrupted by pain, injury, or illness, our bodies respond with inflammation.


There’s that word again: inflammation. It pops up quite often in our circles, usually playing either the starring role, absolutely killing it as a supporting actor, or stealing the show with a cameo appearance in some malady or another. Heart disease, obesity, depression, arthritis (and any -itis, really), autoimmune diseases, insulin resistance – all classics worthy of accolades (although tonsillitis totally got robbed in last years Oscars), and all linked to inflammation, sometimes even causally. So inflammation must be terrible, right? It must be completely and unequivocally a negative trait, kinda like how our body evolved to manufacture cholesterol to kill us. What, didn’t you know that coronary heart disease confers a survival advantage?

Jokes aside, the fact that inflammation is a common, natural, innate response to injury/pain/illness/stress is a hint that there’s probably something necessary about it. It’s not some accident, nor is it our body hell-bent on making life miserable for itself. On the contrary: inflammation is our body’s way of saying it isn’t gonna take the affront of injury or illness lying down. It’s not a passive spectator totally reliant on the kindness of Pfizer and Walgreens and an ice pack to get it out of a jam. Although you wouldn’t think it, what with the barrage of altruistic all-knowing medical experts and commercials both touting some essential pharmaceutical, our bodies can actually heal themselves. And the first responder, so to speak, is the inflammatory process. That’s right. Pain, swelling, redness, and that radiating sense of warmth that we feel at the site of an injury or illness don’t manifest by accident or for kicks. That’s inflammation, and it’s essential to our very existence in a world of hurt.

First up, acute inflammation.
The initial response to a pathogen or an injury is acutely inflammatory. In other words, it is brief, lasting several days or less. All sorts of things can cause an acute inflammatory response. Here are a few:
  • Trauma (punch, kick, golf ball to the head)
  • Infection by pathogens (bacterial, viral)
  • Burn (sun, fire, seat belt buckle on a summer day)
  • Chemical irritants
  • Frostbite
  • Stabbing/Cut/Laceration
  • Allergic reaction
Things happen pretty fast in an acute inflammatory response and involve several different players, including the vascular system (veins, arteries, capillaries and such), the immune system, and the cells local to the injury. First, something painful and unpleasant happens; choose one of the above injury options. Then, pattern recognition receptors (PRR) located at the injury site initiate the release of various inflammatory mediators, which in turn initiate vasodilation (or widening of the blood vessels). This allows increased blood flow to the injury site, which warms the site, turns it the familiar red, and carries plasma and leukocytes to the site of the injured tissue. The blood vessels become more permeable, thus allowing the plasma and leukocytes to flow through the vessel walls and into the injured tissue to do their work. Emigration of plasma into tissue also means fluid buildup, which means swelling. At the same time, the body releases an inflammatory mediator called bradykinin which increases pain sensitivity at the site and discourages usage of the injured area. These sensations – heat, redness, swelling, pain, and a loss of function – are annoying and familiar, but they are absolutely necessary for proper healing.
Allow me to explain why the four primary symptoms of acute inflammation are important:
  • Increased blood flow warms the injury and turns it red, which can be irritating and unsightly, but it also carries the guys – leukocytes – that will be cleaning up the injury site, mopping up pathogens, and overseeing the inflammatory process.
  • Swollen body parts don’t fit into gloves, are really sensitive, and don’t work as well as their slim counterparts, but a swollen finger is a finger that’s full of a plasma and leukocyte slurry and therefore on the road to recovery.
  • Pain hurts, but if an injury doesn’t hurt and it’s serious, you’ll keep damaging it because you won’t know not to use it.
  • Loss of function prevents you from using what could be one of your favorite body parts, but you don’t want to make it worse be re-injuring it. Besides, it’s only temporary.
These symptoms both indicate and enable inflammation (and, thus, healing), but what’s the deal with inflammation being linked with all those chronic illnesses – like obesity, heart disease, and depression? How does something normal and helpful go haywire and become implicated in some of the most crushing, tragic diseases of our time?

When inflammation becomes chronic and systemic, when it ceases to be an acute response, when it becomes a constant low-level feature of your physiology that’s always on and always engaged, the big problems arise. The inflammatory response is supposed to be short and to the point. I mean, just look at its responsiveness. Go twist an ankle (don’t, not really) and watch how fast it swells up and gets warm to the touch. It isn’t meant to be on all the time.

And because a big part of inflammation is breaking the tissue down, targeting damaged tissue and invading pathogens, before building it back up, the inflammatory response has the potential to damage the body. That’s why it’s normally a tightly regulated system, because we don’t want it getting out of hand and targeting healthy tissue. But if it’s on all the time, regulation becomes a lot harder.

All these inflammatory mediators and their effects are short-lived and require constant propagation to keep going. The only thing that keeps it flowing is sustained or subsequent injury to the site, so a little cut that heals in a couple days will need to get infected or reopened if the inflammatory cascade is going to continue. This usually doesn’t happen in developed countries. Wounds don’t fester, limbs aren’t hacked off because they got infected, and we don’t live with as many parasites as we used to. There’s no exogenous bacterial epidemic laying waste to the population by invading our bodies and stimulating an inflammatory response that never quite ends (although the Jaminets would suggest that persistent infections are more common than we might think). No, there must be another explanation. There’s got to be another stressor, or stressors, that are doing two things: inducing the inflammatory response and hanging around in the environment as a constant feature.
I’m going to fire off a few things that both induce inflammation and tend toward prevalence in developed countries. You let me know if anything sounds familiar to you.
  • Toxic diets: High-sugar, high-processed carb, high-industrial fat, high-gluten, high-CAFO meat, low-food is a pretty accurate descriptor of the modern Western diet.
  • Insufficient omega-3 intake: Omega-3 fats form the precursors for anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, which are an integral part of the inflammatory response. Poor omega-3 status means insufficient production of anti-inflammatory eicosanoids and a lopsided inflammatory response to normal stimuli.
  • Excessive omega-6 intake: Omega-6 fats form the precursors for inflammatory eicosanoids, which are an integral part of the inflammatory response. High omega-6 status (especially when combined with poor omega-3 status) means excessive production of inflammatory eicosanoids and a lopsided inflammatory response to normal stimuli.
  • Lack of sleep: Poor sleep is linked to elevated inflammatory markers. Poor sleep is a chronic problem in developed nations. Either we go to bed too late, wake up too early, or we use too many electronics late at night and disrupt the quality of what little sleep we get. Or all three at once.
  • Lack of movement: People lead sedentary lives, by and large, and a lack of activity is strongly linked to systemic, low-grade inflammation. People don’t have to walk to get places, they take escalators and elevators, they sit for hours on end, and they don’t have time for regular exercise.
  • Poor recovery: Other people move too much, with too little rest and recovery. When I ran 100+ miles a week, I certainly wasn’t sedentary, but I was chronically inflamed. Overtraining is a form of chronic inflammation.
  • Chronic stress: Modern life is stressful. Bills, work, commuting, politics, exercise that you hate – it all adds up and it doesn’t seem to let up or go away. And if it becomes too much for you to handle (I know it’s too much for me at times), your body will have a physiological, inflammatory response to emotional stress.
  • Lack of down time: When you’re always on the computer, always checking your email/Facebook/smartphone, you are always “on.” You may think you’re relaxing because your body is stationary, but you’re not relaxing.
  • Lack of nature time: We spend too much time contained in cubicles, cars, trains, and cities, away from trees, leaves, and soft earth. In a way, nature is home for us. Going home certainly has its measured benefits.
  • Poor gut health: The gut houses the bulk of the human immune system. When it’s unhealthy, so is your inflammatory regulation.
  • Poor acute stressor/chronic stress ratio: We respond far better to acute stressors than repeated, sustained stress – even if the latter is of a lower intensity.
See what I mean? Since we’re set up for acute stressors requiring an acute inflammatory response, all this other low-level, evolutionarily-discordant, superficially mild stuff throws us off and sets us up for a lifetime of chronic inflammation.







Primary Benefits of Isotonix OPC-3®*:
  • Combats free radicals
  • Demonstrates anti-inflammatory activity
  • Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
  • Helps maintain healthy circulation by strengthening capillaries, arteries and veins
  • Helps maintain joint flexibility
  • Helps promote cardiovascular health
  • Helps reduce mild menstrual cramping and abdominal pain
  • Helps support visual health/visual acuity
  • Potent free radical scavenger
  • Promotes healthy blood vessel dilation
  • Promotes healthy nitric oxide levels
  • Supports a healthy complexion
  • Supports healthy blood glucose levels
  • Supports healthy platelet activity
  • Supports healthy sperm quality

Friday, March 16, 2012

March Madness Special For Wellness Month

Orlampa Enterprises, Inc. (www.orlampa.com) announces a March Madness Special Sale!
Through April 2, 2012, Orlampa Enterprises, Inc. will provide a free Isotonix® Activated B Complex ($22.50 value) with any Isotonix® nutraceuticals purchase totaling $100 or more from www.orlampa.com.
Isotonix® nutraceuticals provide 90% to 95% absorption. 
 
In addition, Orlampa Enterprises, Inc. will provide free shipping on ALL purchases from www.orlampa.com totaling $100 or more until April 2, 2012 (does not include partner store internet purchases).

To take advantage of this offer visit www.orlampa.com or call Beth at 727.492.8212