Why an apple a day keeps the doctor away...

by Leanne Ely

Apples are sweet and delicious, they have a long shelf life and they make a mean pie!

But why are apples so healthy? Seeing as how it is apple season once again, let's take a look!

Fiber. Apples are a great source of fiber and that fiber may combine with phytonutrients in the fruit to join forces and actually get us more dietary bang for our buck. This particular health benefit protects against heart disease and regulates blood fat levels. The fiber in a whole apple also helps keep you feeling full for a good long time after you eat it.

Anti cancer. Apples can actually reduce our risk of lung cancer. Not many fruits or vegetables protect against this nasty cancer. Scientists don't know exactly why apples are so good for our lungs, but they really are!

Anti-asthma. Studies have actually shown that apple intake is associated with decreased risk of asthma. Again, we're not exactly sure why, but it can't hurt to eat that apple a day to help those lungs!

Blood sugar. Polyphenols in apples help to process carbohydrates.  They help slow down carbohydrate digestion, reduce glucose absorption and stimulate the pancreas to put out more insulin. All of this helps to regulate our blood sugar.

Cardiovascular. The water-soluble fiber (pectin) and polyphenols in apples support good cardiovascular health. Cholesterol is lowered by eating an apple a day, and apples can also lower the risk of chronic heart problems.

Antioxidants. Apples are full of polyphenols which function as antioxidants.

Yes, it's true that apples are excellent for our health. But if you don't buy them organic, all those health benefits go right out the window.

Apples have more pesticide residue on them than any other fruit or vegetable. Period. The Environmental Working Group analyzed more than 700 (washed) apples and of those samples, 98% showed pesticides - up to 48 different types.

The only way to get rid of it is to peel the apple, but even then...do you want to take the risk?

We don't know what some of these pesticides can do to harm us (scary), but it can't be good. We do know that one common pesticide used to spray apple trees (Syngenta's Paraquat) has a possible link to Parkinson's Disease.

I suggest that if you can't buy them organic, don't buy apples at all. This also goes for apple juice and apple sauce, too.

A Daily Multivitamin/ Mineral Supplement May Reduce Cancer Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Men

At a Glance:

A daily multivitamin/ mineral supplement taken long-term may help reduce cancer risk in middle-aged and older men, according to a new study. 

Read More About This Research Below. 

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, using data obtained from the Physicians' Health Study II, has found that the use of a daily multivitamin/ mineral supplement long term can reduce the risk of cancer occurrence. 

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study of approximately 14,641 male physicians ages 50 or older from the United States, participants were randomly assigned to take a daily multivitamin/ mineral supplement or a placebo between 1997 and June 2011. During the median follow-up of 11.2 years, researchers recorded 2,669 cancer cases, including 1,373 prostate cancer cases and 210 colorectal cancer cases. When examining outcomes at the study's end, the researchers found an 8 percent reduction in total cancer occurrence among participants assigned to multivitamin use.

Although the main reason to take multivitamins is to prevent nutritional deficiency, this study reinforces the value of long-term consistent use of a daily multivitamin as a convenient and affordable insurance policy for good health and possible cancer prevention in middle-aged and older adults.

J. Michael Gaziano et al. Multivitamins in the Prevention of Cancer in Men: The Physicians’ Health Study II Randomized Controlled Trial.  JAMA. 2012;308(18):doi:10.1001/jama.2012.14641.

SOURCE: USANA Health Sciences 

How to Treat Food Poisoning Naturally with Remedies at Home

Updated On 29 Aug 2012,

Published On 24 Aug 2012

Food poisoning generally occurs due to the intake of unhygienic and contaminated food. This infection arises because of the presence of harmful toxins, like bacteria, viruses and parasites, in the spoiled food. It causes irritation and inflammation in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract which can turn into a severe condition. There may occur the problems of vomiting, upset stomach, fever and diarrhea. However, there may even arise some life-threatening diseases like severe dehydration, organ damage and chronic arthritis. So, learn about the main food poisoning reasons and how to cure it naturally through some effective home remedies :

How does Food Poisoning Occur?

Food poisoning is caused by the foods and beverages which are contaminated with human and animal feces. They contain harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites. This type of contamination can also occur if the foods which come in contact with unclean soil or water. And a person gets down with food poisoning if he consumes this spoiled food. So the harmful ingredients enter into his body causing various health troubles.

What You can do to get Rid of Food Poisoning?

A severe food poisoning requires an expert medical care. But if you are down with a mild form of this problem then here are some easy home remedies to fix it. Have a look!!

Fluids- This food infection often results in the heavy loss of fluids through the problems of vomiting and diarrhea. So drink about 8 glasses of fluid daily to prevent the attack of dehydration. For this, water is the best option. You can also take various diluted fruit juices and broths. Sip these liquids slowly to avoid any more vomiting strokes.

Garlic- This natural spice is a powerful detoxifier and antibiotic which fights with the harmful microbes in the intestine. Just cut a garlic clove into half and put it into a glass of water. Let it settle down a bit and spread its effect in the water and then drink this solution.

Bread- Eating soft wheat bread helps to decrease the effect of food poisoning. It helps to soak poison and reduce the distress of intestinal irritation.

Apple cider vinegar- Apple cider vinegar helps to kill the bacteria which cause contamination in food. Just mix around 2 teaspoons of this vinegar in a cup of warm water and drink it. Repeat this remedy for many times in a day to kill the poisonous bacteria in your stomach.

Eat bland foods- After you recover from the signs of vomiting and diarrhea then take only bland foods. It includes boiled rice, well-cooked soft cereals and soups. This diet will also prevent the symptoms of nausea and diarrhea from returning back.

*Apart from this, avoid taking spicy foods, caffeine, junk foods, dairy products and fatty foods for several days. These foods can irritate the poison in your body making the whole condition worse. So do not take them at all. However, do consult a good medical expert if you detect the occurrence of any major health problem.

Manufacturing Excellence: The Building Blocks of a Better Supplement

---

By David Baker

To average people, grapeseed extract is just that—anything pulled from the seeds of grapes.

To scientists in the labs of USANA Health Sciences, grapeseed extract is a complex mixture of organic compounds containing 80–90 percent phenols (also known as proanthocyanidins) and 10–15 percent monomer content.

At least that’s what good grapeseed extract is. If you’ve spent years testing different products, like Dr. Mark Brown, USANA’s director of product development, you know the importance of knowing the good grapeseed extract from the bad.

In his time with USANA, Brown has seen the bad—samples from prospective suppliers that contain less than five percent phenols and no monomers.

“It really makes you wonder, ‘What is grapeseed extract from these people?’” said Brown, an organic chemist by trade. “Usually, what you pay for is what you get.”

The material USANA purchases is on the high end of the price spectrum, but Brown says it’s well worth it because the extract contains greater than 80 percent phenols and has monomer content of about 10 or 15 percent. USANA has been using the product for almost 20 years now, with great results. 

“It would be tempting to change and save some money,” Brown said. “But we just don’t work like that.”

The way USANA does work is going above and beyond to make sure the products that bear the company name are the highest-quality nutritional supplements on the market. That starts with purchasing the very best raw materials. But it also means testing every lot of those materials to make sure they’re pure, potent, and worthy of Dr. Wentz’ signature.

Raw material testing starts when shipments enter the building. Quality assurance inspectors check paperwork and perform a visual inspection for shipping damage. From there, a gowned employee, working in a clean room with HEPA filtered air, uses written protocol to collect a representative sample to send to the lab.

Each sample goes through testing for microbiological contamination, like yeast, mold, and bacteria. There are also identification tests to make sure the vitamin B12 you ordered is, in fact, vitamin B12. Potency and physical testing is also done.

Most ingredients then go through specific testing to ensure they meet United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards for things like purity, solubility, and density. Depending on the product and active ingredient, more tests for pesticides or heavy metals may be done.

 “Most people will buy a material, and it will come with a piece of paper that’s called a Certificate of Analysis,” said Dr. John Cuomo, USANA’s executive director of research and development. “They’ll file that Certificate of Analysis away and say, ‘This is what we use. Here’s a piece of paper.’

“It would be tempting to change and save some money. But we just don’t work like that.”

“We’ve found that sometime you get a piece of paper from companies that actually makes sense, and sometimes they’re just a piece of paper—and worth about as much as a piece of paper.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for nutritional supplements hold the manufacturer of a finished product responsible for assuring the material used was the correct material. But that doesn’t mean manufacturers are required to do full testing on every lot of raw materials.

USANA does. Every lot of every raw material is tested. This isn’t the industry standard, but it’s the USANA standard.

We’re proud to bring you the freshest content on the web! Follow USANA, like our USANA Facebook page and enjoy the latest videos on the official USANA YouTube channel.

Learn how USANA is making the world a better place.

Releasing Fat

Week 50 - Adverse Drug Reactions

"There are over 100,000 deaths due to properly prescribed and properly administered medication. There are another 80,000 deaths due to improperly prescribed or improperly consumed medication. These 180,000 deaths makes adverse drug reactions the third leading cause of death in the US and Canada. When a drug is first released by the FDA for use by the general public, less than one-half of the serious adverse drug reactions are known. This means that they find out the other 50% from you-the general public. This is why I have a chapter called The Great Clinical Trial-You in my book Death by Prescription. This is why you are going to be hearing more and more stories about drugs being removed from the market like Vioxx." Dr. Ray Strand

www.releasingfat.com

Don’t Let Sugar Make You Stupid

Beyond adding to the obesity problem in the US, sugar can also be harmful to our brains, according to a new study.
This research found that a diet high in fructose, a common type of sugar, may impair memory.
But before you clear out the candy drawer and swear off dessert forevermore, the same study suggests that there’s a way to protect our brains from sugar’s harmful effects.
And it’s not a difficult—or expensive—trick.
You may be able to cancel out the brain-busting effects of sugar by eating more of a certain type of nutrient.

BRING ON THE OMEGA-3s!

Previous studies had shown that omega-3 fatty acids are critical for brain development. So researchers at UCLA, led by Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, PhD, wanted to see if they might cancel out the negative cognitive effects of fructose. They designed an experiment comparing four groups of rats that were each given a different diet—no fructose and no omega-3s…no fructose and lots of omega-3s… lots of fructose and no omega-3s…or lots of fructose and lots of omega-3s. After each rat had eaten its particular diet for six weeks, it was plopped into a maze to see how quickly it would get through. (Yes, the good ol’ rat-in-a-maze technique!)
Results: The rats in the lots-of-fructose, no-omega-3 group (which came in dead last) took nearly twice as long to complete the maze as the rats in the lots-of-fructose, lots-of-omega-3 group (the second-slowest group). How come? As the researchers later found, the lots-of-fructose, no-omega-3 rats had signs of disrupted insulin receptor signaling in the brain. This means that the cells in the brain were less efficient at signaling neurons to release or store sugar, which the brain needs to do in order to think clearly, remember well and learn well. (The rats in the no-fructose, no-omega-3 group also had brains that showed this problem but not to the same extent.)
Overall, the rats in the no-fructose, lots-of-omega-3 group completed the maze the fastest, as you’d expect, and the no-fructose, no-omega-3 rats were second-fastest.

This means that consuming fructose—which is found not just in desserts and sugary drinks but also in ketchup, crackers, cold cuts, salad dressing, peanut butter and canned corn, among other products—might not just be widening your waistline but dulling your brainpower, too. “In humans, this sort of memory dysfunction would likely be characterized by small things, such as forgetting where you put your keys,” said Dr. Gomez-Pinilla. While the researchers tested only fructose in this experiment, they believe that all types of sugar would affect the brain similarly.

SUGAR FIGHTER

Since sugar is so widespread in today’s foods and beverages, and since it’s hard to resist, it’s encouraging to know that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may help to mitigate its negative effects on our minds.
So I’m not going to wag my finger at you and say, “Never eat sugar!” Instead, I’d like to propose the following workable, “real life” way for you to keep your brain healthier: From now on, don’t allow yourself to consume any very sugary food unless you also specifically consume a food with omega-3 fatty acids at the same meal. This is easier than you might think! For example…
1. Toss ground flaxseed onto cereal. Many cereals contain added sugar…so sprinkle some ground flaxseed, which is rich in omega 3s, right on top. It adds fiber and a pleasant nutty flavor, too. If you are new to flaxseed, start slowly with maybe a half teaspoonful, Dr. Gomez-Pinilla said, to give your system time to adjust to the fiber, and work your way up to perhaps a tablespoon.
2. Don’t have dessert unless you eat fish. Many types of fish—salmon, especially—are high in omega-3s. Dr. Gomez-Pinilla recommends eating fish three times a week. If you limit having sweets to just these three days, you’ll likely slash your sugar intake—and give yourself a reward for eating omega-3s!
3. When you have dessert, include nuts. Walnuts, in particular, are packed with omega 3s. So when you do eat a sweet, choose one with walnuts or other nuts built in, or sprinkle them on top. (Crushed walnuts on ice cream or frozen yogurt—very good!) Over time, you’ll come to automatically think of sweets only if you also have omega-3s—and that will do you good.
Source: Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, PhD, professor of physiological science, department of integrative biology and physiology, University of California Los Angeles. His study was published in Journal of Physiology.

7 Foods for Aging Gracefully
Published: 10/9/2012 by Andrew Weil M.D.

Aging gracefully is a healthy goal for everyone: accepting and embracing what time and experience brings us, while actively working to prevent and minimize the health concerns that naturally come with aging. In addition to regular low-impact exercise and proper supplementation, your diet is a good place to start your graceful aging endeavors. Add these foods to your plate for health - no matter what your age!

1. Vegetables. Antioxidants help counter oxidative stress, a process which can damage cells and may accelerate aging. Vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants - plus most are low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber, versatile and relatively cost-effective… so there’s no reason not to add more vegetables to your diet! Choose an array of vegetables covering all the colors, making sure to include dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale, which help promote eye health
2. Berries. Blueberries in particular are a good choice: The active components in blueberries are the anthocyanin pigments - the protective compounds that make the berries blue and are responsible for their antioxidant potency. Studies have shown that blueberries may improve motor skills and reverse age-related short-term memory loss, and may also protect the brain from stroke damage. Opt for organic berries, and add them to your cereal or salads, or eat as a snack.
3. Soy. Studies of the Japanese culture indicate that women who eat soy regularly don't suffer from hot flashes the way many western women do. While dietary soy may not be entirely responsible (other diet and lifestyle elements may play a role), the isoflavones in soy foods do help balance hormone levels and have some mild estrogenic activity. I recommend two servings of whole soy foods daily. Choose from tofu, soy milk, roasted soy nuts, tempeh, edamame or miso.
4. Salmon. Wild-caught Alaskan salmon and canned sockeye salmon are among my favorite foods. Not only is wild salmon available fresh, frozen and canned, making it a versatile choice, salmon has plenty of health benefits: it is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, the anti-inflammatory, essential fats our bodies need for optimum health (omega-3s from eating salmon and other oily fish offer protection against heart attack, stroke, cancer, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and mental and emotional problems), and it is also a high-quality source of protein.
5. Whole Grains. Whole grains are minimally processed grains that are closer to their natural form than processed grains, and therefore have a low glycemic index (GI), a ranking of carbohydrate foods on the basis of how rapidly they affect blood sugar (glucose). This is important because eating a lot of foods that are high on the GI will produce spikes in blood sugar that can lead, over time, to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood fats, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Barley, quinoa, millet, wheat berries and kasha are good choices, as they provide important nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and, especially, carbohydrates that are low on the GI.
6. Spices. Turmeric and ginger are two winners for brain health as you age: Research suggests that turmeric, the major ingredient in American mustard and Indian curry, can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. This may help explain the unusually low incidence of Alzheimer's in India, where people consume significant amounts of turmeric every day. Use this culinary spice to give a healthy sharp flavor to your favorite eastern cuisine. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that has also been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's. You can add ginger to your diet by eating crystallized ginger or the pickled ginger that comes with sushi, and use ginger when cooking.
7. Dark Chocolate. Chocolate provides polyphenols with high antioxidant activity, and the fat it contains is mostly stearic acid, which doesn't raise cholesterol levels. And a recent study indicates that compounds called flavonoids in dark chocolate are good for the heart: they reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and reducing the danger of coronary artery blockages. When buying, choose products with 70 percent or higher pure cocoa solids

Here are some diet tips from Dr Oz

In honor of National Nutrition month, we asked Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and host of the Dr. Oz Show, to share with us his top 10 musts when it comes to eating for better health, weight loss, and overall wellness. We were surprised to learn a few of these!

• 1) Eat this #1 cancer-fighting, cleansing produce item
  What ranks at the head of the class when it comes to the produce department? "Broccoli is the best produce option, because it cleanses the liver and helps to fight cancer," says Dr. Oz.
  
  2) Stay in shape by eating these
  Think you’ll stay slim by just sticking to salads and fat-free foods? Think again! "Nuts are the number-one food for staying in shape," says Dr. Oz.
  
  3) Don’t just cut calories to drop lbs.
  "Losing weight isn’t all about cutting calories. The brain looks for nutrients, not calories," says Dr. Oz. Yet another reason to focus on whole, unprocessed foods to help speed up weight loss!
  See the rest of the tips after the break
  
  4) Don’t indulge your sweet tooth right after dinner.
  Try not to reach for that piece of chocolate immediatelyafter you eat, wait about 2 hours after to enjoy your dessert. "Avoid sweets directly after a meal," says Dr. Oz. "Sugar disrupts the absorption of nutrients."
  
  5) You can still have chocolate – just make it dark.
  Don’t worry, Dr. Oz says we can still indulge in some dark chocolate! "The flavonols, found in cocoa, improve circulation and increase blood flow to the brain which helps you see more clearly."
• 
  6) The fastest way to lose weight is . . .
  Ditch the empty, refined calories. Dr. Oz says the quickest way to lose weight is to cut out white foods, like white bread, pasta and rice, since they are refined.
• 
  7) Sip on this!
  Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Skip that second cup of coffee and sip some green tea instead. "It contains the highest concentration of the powerful antioxidant catechins, and studies show green tea may help lower risk for some cancers," says Dr. Oz.
  
  8) Eat breakfast.
  You’ve heard you shouldn’t skip breakfast, but do you know why it’s so important? "Skipping the first meal of the day can increase risk for obesity more than fourfold," says Dr. Oz. Sounds like a great reason to have a good healthy breakfast to us!
  
  9)The best way to successfully maintain weight loss is by doing this.
  "Automate your meals,” says Dr. Oz. "Studies show that people who’ve successfully maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for a year or more tend to consume a diet with limited variety. They eat similar meals over and over which lead to them feeling fuller faster and eat less overall."
  
  10) Snooze to lose!
  Trying to lose weight? "Get more sleep," recommends Dr. Oz. "The brain craves carbohydrates when you’re hungry, so you could unknowingly sabotage best laid plans."

10 Worst Foods in Your Pantry

10 Worst Foods In Your Pantry

1. Soda and Sweetened BeveragesSome of the worst foods in their pantry are soda and other sweetened drinks because these contribute refined carbohydrate calories without nutrients. David Leopold, MD, director of integrative medical education for the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, puts any type of soda at the top of his “worst” list. Some might be surprised that sweetened teas and energy drinks rival the sugar in soda with about 50 grams of sugar per 16-ounce bottle.
2. High Sugar, Low Fiber Breakfast CerealsCold cereals were among the top sources of added sugar for children between the ages of 2 and 8, according to a recent report. A cereal that lists a refined grain and sugar as the first two ingredients won’t satisfy your hunger through the morning and it won’t contribute  important nutrients, which come from whole foods like whole grains, nuts, or dried fruit.
3. Snack Cakes and CupcakesSnack cakes have three of the four ingredients we need to eat less of: refined flour, added sugars, and saturated fat.  The typical snack cake serving, such as two Hostess Ho Hos, contains 228 calories, 9 grams of saturated fat, and 28 grams of sugar. Keep in mind that 9 grams of saturated fat is half the maximum daily amount of saturated fat recommended for someone eating 1,800 calories a day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.
4. Movie Theater or Mega Butter Microwave PopcornThe “Extra Butter” or “Movie Theater” microwave popcorn choices are some of the last products that still have shocking amounts of trans fat in them with a small serving of 3 tablespoons (unpopped) containing about 2.5 grams of saturated fat and 5 grams of trans fat. Each serving also adds at least 300 milligrams of sodium to your day’s total.
5. Chips and CheetosThis popular snack group category made the list because they are processed with gobs of fat and sodium and usually include a refined grain. A 2-ounce bag of chips or Cheetos usually adds more than 300 calories, 20 grams of fat, and over 450 milligrams of sodium. The worst part is we tend to eat too much of them because even a 2-ounce portion doesn’t seem to satisfy our stomach.

6. Packaged Muffins and Cereal BarsYou expect Pop Tarts to be full of sugar (about 16 grams of sugar each) but you might be surprised to learn that even the more healthful sounding cereal bars or packaged muffins contain about the same amount of sugar (or more) than your typical toaster pastry. Otis Spunkmeyer brand muffins contribute about 30 grams of sugar per 4-ounce muffin, Weight Watchers muffins add about 20 grams of sugar per 2.2-ounce muffin, and a small Nutri-Grain cereal bar has 13 grams of sugar.

7. Crackers (made with refined flour)They are so easy to eat a lot of because they are bite-size and crunchy. A few years ago crackers were held together with partially hydrogenated fat (which added trans fat) and now the trans fats are mostly gone, but most crackers are still low in fiber and high in sodium.

8. Yeast Breads (made with refined flour)Yeast breads, from hot dog buns to Texas toast, made the “worst” list for two reasons: They are one of the biggest sources of refined flour in the typical American diet and they are also the No. 1 source of sodium among the U.S. population.
9. Store-Bought Cookies (especially the chocolate coated ones)Grain desserts, which includes cookies, are a major source of added sugars, more so than dairy desserts or candy, according to a new report. Some commercial cookies are higher in fat, saturated fat and sugar than others but they all usually start with refined flour. The chocolate coated cookies tend to have the most saturated fat (about 5 grams per 3 cookie serving).
10. Canned Soup and Instant Noodle CupsSome choices in the soup aisle have half a day’s worth of sodium in a serving. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend half the U.S. population, including people aged 51 and older and those of any age who are African-American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, reduce their sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day.

Usana's BiOmega gets Seal of Approval From ConsumerLab.com

USANA Optimizers BiOmega(TM) Gets Seal Of Approval From ConsumerLab.com

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --There's nothing fishy here. USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NYSE: USNA), a global nutritional company, announced today that one of it's most popular supplements, BiOmegaTM, has been evaluated and approved by ConsumerLab.com, LLC, a leading provider of independent product test results.

In a recent study, ConsumerLab.com determined that USANA's BiOmegaTM contains its labeled amount of Fish Oil, EPA, DHA and Omega-3s. This study tested similar products from various nutritional supplement manufacturers to determine whether they in fact contained the amounts of these compounds stated on their labels. Problems were discovered in 30 percent of the other Fish Oil and Omega-3 supplements. The review can be found on the company's website at www.consumerlab.com.

In light of new FDA warnings against potentially unsafe supplements available on the market, studies like this help consumers and healthcare professionals make better decisions and more informed recommendations when it comes to supplements.

"We did it again. This is the fourth year in a row that USANA products have received high marks from ConsumerLab.com," says Dan Macuga, USANA Chief Communications Officer. "Previously we've earned approval for our Chelated Mineral, Mega Antioxidant, and Visionex® supplements. We're proud of how well our products have performed in independent testing from reputable third-party organizations."

"We take quality control and testing very seriously at USANA," states Dr. Carsten Smidt, USANA Vice President of Research and Development. "There is a lot of research and development that goes into each of our products. We use the highest quality ingredients possible."

Recently, USANA was named the #1 Rated Overall Merchant Based on Customer Satisfaction and the #1 Rated Direct Sales Merchant Based on Customer Satisfaction in the 2011 ConsumerLab.com Survey of Vitamin and Supplement Users.

Since 1999, ConsumerLab.com has tested more than 3,200 products, 350 different brands and nearly every type of popular supplement in order to help consumers and healthcare professionals identify the best quality health and nutrition products. ConsumerLab.com is also the only third-party verification group that freely publishes its testing methods and quality criteria/standards.

For more information about USANA's products and company, visit www.usana.com.

About USANA: Founded in 1992, USANA Health Sciences (NYSE: USNA) is a U.S.-based nutritional company that manufactures high-quality supplements, personal care, energy, and weight-management products in their FDA-registered facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. USANA's products, tested by NSF International and used by more than 600 professional athletes, are developed by the company's award-winning team of scientists and sold directly to Preferred Customers and Associates in 18 international markets. Named one of Outside magazine's "Best Places to Work" for four consecutive years, USANA has received more than 100 state, national and international accolades, including Utah Best of State, Stevie Awards, Australian Business Awards, NutriSearch Editor's Choice and others. Learn more about USANA (www.USANA.com) and the USANA True Health Foundation (www.USANAfoundation.org/), stay current with the official USANA blog (www.whatsupUSANA.com), like us on the USANA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/USANAhealthsciences), or follow USANA on Twitter (@USANAinc).

Media Contact: Ashley Collins
Executive Director of PR and Social Media
USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
(801) 954-7629
media (at) us.usana (dot) com

SOURCE USANA

Maggie's cough Remedy

MAGGIE’S COUGH REMEDY
¼ teaspoon Cayenne
¼ teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar (an organic one, like Bragg’s, is preferred.)
2 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Honey (use a locally produced raw honey, if possible.)

Dissolve cayenne and ginger in cider vinegar and water. Add honey and shake well. Take 1 Tablespoon as needed for cough.

Note: this doesn’t dissolve perfectly. Always shake well before using.

If you make this in small batches as the recipe is written, there is no need to refrigerate.

If you prefer, you may refrigerate this. It keeps as long as you need it. I like to make small batches (it is so easy to mix up.) and use it up in a just a few days.

Lemons and Lemon Juice protect you from poisons

When life hands you lemons, eat them!

by Leanne Ely

The Egyptians were wise. They would consume lemons and lemon juice as a means of protecting them from the different poisons they were always getting into. (Really, what was it with the Egyptians and poison, anyway?)

The amazing thing is that recent research has proven the Egyptians' theory right. That doesn't mean that you could safely swallow a bottle of Acme Poison, wash it down with some lemonade and expect no ill effects! But, lemon juice does help flush toxins out of our bodies.

Lemons have powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties. They boost our immunity, and lemons also act as liver cleansers and digestive aids.

Calcium, Vitamin C, pectin, limonene, magnesium and bioflavonoids are all substances in lemons that help to keep us healthy and fight off infections.

Let's see what else lemons do for us . . .

Keep skin healthy. The citric acid in lemons can treat acne, and the Vitamin C they're rich in helps to keep skin glowing. The alkaline nature of lemons can kill some of the bacteria that leads to acne.

Destroy cankers. Rinse your mouth with warm water and lemon juice three times a day to get rid of a canker sore.

Stay calm. Lemon balm soothes and calms us. It can calm our nerves and reduce anxiety. Some say that inhaling lemon oil can also sharpen concentration!

Lower a fever. The Vitamin C in lemons can help make cold symptoms and fevers go away. Add the juice of one lemon to a cup of hot water with honey. Drink one of these concoctions every couple of hours until your chill/fever symptoms have gone away.

Strengthen blood vessels. There are vessel-strengthening properties in lemons that can help fight spider veins and varicose veins.

Drink lemon water instead of plain old water to reap these wonderful benefits of lemons.   It will also keep your breath nice and fresh!

Warning: Lemons are highly acidic and that can destroy the enamel of your teeth. Rinse your mouth with fresh water after eating lemon or drinking lemon juice and don't brush your teeth for an hour after eating or drinking anything acidic. The acid softens our enamel and you can remove enamel by brushing immediately after ingesting lemon juice.

This article by Leanne Ely at www.savingdinner.com