Saturday, August 30, 2008

Results from RESET Survey 2008

The results are in! We have collated some fantastic feedback on RESET we know you’ll love to hear.

The USANA 12-week RESET program has been shown to be an effective weight management program, with its holistic healthy lifestyle approach combining a healthy low GI diet, active lifestyle, and high quality nutritional supplement.


The RESET Survey results revealed that:

• RESET users experienced a significant improvement towards living a healthy lifestyle.

• 60% become more conscious about healthy food choices and increased their fruits and vegetables consumption.

• 62% become more active and incorporated regular exercise into their daily routines including walking, resistance training, bicycling, and joining a gym.

• 58% of the participants lost 1-3 Kg after the 5-Day Jump Start phase.

On average, survey participants lost 5.2 Kg after using RESET, similar to the results from both the USANA clinical trial (2005) and the independent study on lifestyle modification program, conducted at University of Colorado earlier this year.

We also observed BMI (Body mass index) reduction among the participants:

• 37% reduced their BMI by "1"

• 26% by "2"

• 15% by "3"


One RESET customer commented: "Reset is a viable way of engaging a healthy approach to maintaining a healthy weight management program. The Reset program helped me to continue with a contentious approach to maintaining a healthy, active daily regime." (Martin Atherton, 54, Adelaide).

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Add the Sunshine "D" to Your Diet for Longer Life Expectancy

Ecological and observational studies suggest that low vitamin D status could be associated with higher mortality from life-threatening conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus that account for 60% to 70% of total mortality in high-income countries. There has been resurgence in interest in vitamin D and its effect on bones and other diseases.

A new meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials showed that individual who took vitamin D supplements had a 7% reduction in all-cause mortality. This meta-analysis covered 57311 participants, with 4777 deaths from all causes during size-adjusted mean of 5.7-years trial period. Daily doses of vitamin D supplements varied from 300 to 2000 IU with a mean daily vitamin D dose at 528 IU).

This study concluded that intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates. The relationship between baseline vitamin D status, dose of vitamin D supplements, and total mortality rates remains to be further investigated.

Article Source: Archives of Internal Medicine 2007; 167(16):1730-7.

Friday, August 22, 2008

New Study Involving a 12-week Life Style Modification Program Offers Promising Results

An independent clinical study recently completed at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) has confirmed that lifestyle change, involving diet, supplementation and exercise, can improve the metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a pre-diabetic state that involves multiple symptoms including central obesity, insulin resistance, elevated blood lipids, elevated blood glucose, and high blood pressure. The results of the UCD study verified those from an earlier study conducted by USANA in 2005. Both clinical trials employed a lifestyle program that included a low-glycemic diet including USANA's meal replacement shakes and bars, exercise, and USANA's nutritional supplements.*

USANA's original study, conducted with 25 subjects, found that the lifestyle modification program had dramatic effects on the health of participants. The University of Colorado study used a larger group (n=60) and found similar results. Those results will be fully published later this year; however initial results from the study are promising.

Subjects in the UCD study lost an average of 12 pounds (5.4 kg) over the 12-week program. Even more dramatic, however, were the significant improvements in measures of glycemic control, cardiovascular health, inflammation, and antioxidant status.


On average, study participants who completed the study (n=53) achieved the following transformations of measures of glycemic control:

• Fasting insulin was reduced by 32 percent

• Insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test at 120 min decreased by 44 percent

• Insulin resistance as measured by the HOMA index decreased by 32 percent

There also were notable changes in the subjects' measures of cardiovascular health:

• Systolic blood pressure declined 6 percent

• Diastolic blood pressure dropped 8 percent

• Total cholesterol dropped 5 percent• Fasting triglyceride levels dropped 16 percent


Markers of inflammation and antioxidant status were also considerably improved:

• Plasma Antioxidant Reserve (PAR) increased 20 percent

• Urinary Isoprostanes, a marker of lipid peroxidation due to oxidative stress, decreased 29 percent

• C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, dropped 27 percent

• Vitamin E alpha levels increased by 30 percent

All of these changes are consistent with improvements to markers of Metabolic Syndrome and with significant improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Holly Wyatt, a physician and faculty member of the University of Colorado's Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, oversaw the university study. "This is a very promising program that produced some very positive changes in the cardiovascular risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome," Dr. Wyatt said. "The shifts in dietary habits to calorically restricted low-glycemic meals and the modest increases in physical activity were not only effective but also are realistic behavioural changes many people can make."

Article Source: March 10, 2008 USANA Health Sciences, Inc Press Release * Nutritional supplement used in the UCD study is USANA US formula. Meal replacement shakes and nutrition sanck bars are provided by USANA Health Science.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Meta-analysis of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Effects on Chronic Disease

A recent meta-analysis showed that diets high in Glycemic index (GI) and/or Glycemic load (GL) increases the risk of certain chronic diseases, including diabetes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between GI, GL, and chronic disease risk. A total of 37 prospective cohort studies of GI and GL and chronic disease risk were included. In 4 to 20 years of follow-up across studies, a total of 40,129 incident cases of degenerative diseases were identified. For the comparison between the highest and lowest quantities of GI and GL, significant positive associations were found for type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, breast cancer, and all diseases combined. Low-GI and/or low-GL diets are independently associated with a reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. Relating to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, the protection is similar with that seen in diets high in whole grains and fibre. The findings support the hypothesis that higher GI and GL diets, and their resulting increases in postprandial (after meal) blood glucose levels, increase the risk of several chronic, degenerative diseases.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Low GI Diet Benefits People with Type 1 Diabetes

Research shows that a low GI diet can reduce fluctuations in blood glucose levels in those with type 1 diabetes.Researchers from the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, USA conducted a study on 20 young people with type 1 diabetes who were on multiple daily injections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high glycemic index (HGI) and low glycemic index (LGI) meals on blood glucose levels using continuous blood glucose monitoring method. The participants wore a continuous blood glucose meter during the study, to measure changes in blood glucose levels.For two days, the participants consumed meals which were the same in nutritional composition but varied in their GI, (being either high (HGI) or low (LGI). Participants demonstrated significantly lower daytime blood glucose level, and had less time with high blood glucose levels, greater than 10mmol/L. There was no difference in overnight blood glucose levels between the high and low GI days. The author concludes that consumption of a Low GI diet may reduce the rise in glucose level after a meal and improve glycemic control.


Article Source: Nansel et al. Diabetes Care 31:695-697, 2008

Friday, August 8, 2008

Comparison of Diets of Varying Glycemic Load on Weight Loss and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

Although many dietary methods can lead to weight loss, a recent study found that high carbohydrate diets with a low Glycemic Index may be the ideal for weight loss and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors.

A recent study compared the relative effects of several diet methods on weight loss and cardiovascular risk. A total of 129 overweight or obese young adults were assigned to one of 4 reduced-fat, high-fibre diets for 12 weeks.

Diets 1 and 2 were high carbohydrate (55% of total calories), with diet 1 carbohydrates being high-glycemic and diet 2 being low-glycemic. Diets 3 and 4 were high protein (25% of total calories), with high and low glycemic index carbohydrates respectively.

The glycemic load was the highest in diet 1 and the lowest in diet 4. Changes in body composition and blood chemistries were then studied.

The average weight loss from each group was similar, but those on diets 2 and 3 lost approximately 80% more fat mass than those on diet 1. LDL cholesterol levels declined significantly in diet group 2, but increased in diet group 3. Therefore, both high-protein and low-GI diets increase body fat loss, but cardiovascular risk reduction is enhanced by a high-carbohydrate, low-GI diet (diet 2).



Article Source: Arch Intern Med 2006 Jul 24;166(14):1466-75

The Glycemic Index (GI) Explained

Glycemic Index (GI) is a method of ranking foods containing carbohydrates. GI measure the rate at which carbohydrates are broken down and appear in the blood as simple sugars. Low GI foods are absorbed by the body at a slower rate than high GI foods and provide greater satiety and sustained energy. Research shows that choosing low GI foods in conjunction with a healthy eating plan may be beneficial if you have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes.

Look for the Glycemic Index Tested Symbol
For extra assurance that a food is low GI and healthy, look for official Glycemic Index Tested symbol, developed by the University of Sydney, Diabetes Australia and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Foods that are allowed to use the GI symbol must have had their GI's measured at an approved GI testing facility. They must also contain at least 10 grams of carbohydrate per serve, and be consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Australians (must be low in saturated fat, moderate in sodium, and where appropriate a source of dietary fibre).
For more information on the GI symbol visit: http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Low GI Symbol - USANA Guaranteed - Clinically Tested
Low GI: 55 or less
Medium GI: 56 to 69
High GI: 70 or more

The GI value of USANA Macro-Optimizer foods:
Nutrimeal (Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla) Low GI Value 23
Peach Mango Fibergy - Low GI Value 25
Iced Lemon Fibergy Bar - Low GI Value 45
Oatmeal Raisin Nutrition Bar - Low GI Value 34
Peanut Butter Crunch Nutrition Bar - Low GI Value 26

To find out more about the USANA 12-Week RESET™ Program and what steps you can take to improve your health contact us

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Living Too Short and Dying Too Long / Ray D. Strand, M.D.

I attended a lecture given by Dr. Myron Wentz, an immunologist, virologist, and biochemist. He made an amazing statement when he said that most of us are living too short and dying too long. We are primarily suffering and dying from chronic degenerative diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, MS, and the list goes on and on.

These diseases seem to be developing in my patients at younger ages. Even though we place them on a tremendous amount of medication, we do not seem to change the course of their disease.

What good does it do to live to a ripe old age of 93 if you haven't been able to recognize your family or spouse for the last 10 years because of Alzheimer's dementia, as was the case of former President Ronald Reagan? Look at Mohamed Ali or Michael J. Fox. Have we been able to effectively help them with their Parkinson's disease?

My patients are no longer as concerned about the years in their lives as they are about the quality of life in those years. Quality of life is the issue. Because of our stressful lifestyles and poor lifestyle habits, we are suffering earlier from these degenerative diseases.
Michael J. Fox developed Parkinson's disease at 32 years of age.
Nearly 45% of our children who develop diabetes have the adult onset or type 2 diabetes.

We are certainly living too short and dying too long.


RAY D. STRAND, M.D.
Specialist in Nutritional Medicine

Monday, August 4, 2008

BiOmega3 vs Natural Omega3

It’s No Fish Tale...
BiOmega III provides essentialnutrition in its purest form


For good health, many experts suggest that adults consume at least 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids daily, or 7 grams (7000 mg) total per week.
As part of a healthy diet, fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Yet, due to concerns about mercury and other contaminants, NHMRC Dietary Guideline advise eating one to two fish meals per week, with a limit of 80-120 grams per serve of fish.

This makes it difficult to get the recommended amount of omega-3s from diet alone. That’s where the BiOmega III dietary supplement comes in. By taking BiOmega III as part of a balanced diet, you can be sure you are getting the right amount of pure omega-3s.












This chart illustrates how much mercury and EPA+DHA you would be getting if you ate two 100g servings of some common fish in one week.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Multiple Sclerosis - an Amazing Story / Ray D. Strand, M.D.

During the first year I began studying nutritional medicine, I met a wonderful young woman who had been suffering from multiple sclerosis for nearly 5 years. Evelyn received appropriate medical treatment for her MS; however, her disease quickly progressed, and she could only get around with the help of a walker. Within 6 months after taking the nutritional supplementation I now recommend to my patients, she was able to walk again by herself. The feeling came back into her legs and feet. Of course, she still had her MS, but I had never seen such a dramatic improvement before in any of my MS patients.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that destroys the myelin sheath of your nerves. The medical literature shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the root or underlying cause of this disease is oxidative stress. By building up my MS patients' natural defenses, I have witnessed some amazing improvements. Not everyone responds to the aggressive nutritional supplement program I recommend; however, I have seen at least a dozen MS patients go from wheelchair-bound to walking again. There were also cases like Scott who was unable to feel anything below his waist because of his MS and within just a few months was able to regain his feeling again. Being involved with these patients has certainly shown me the healing potential of providing the body with optimal levels of nutrients.

RAY D. STRAND, M.D.
Specialist in Nutritional Medicine