RAW Probiotics™ Which One Is Right For You? Drew Barrymore Bouncing Back After Baby! When it Comes to Weight Loss Eight “New You” Healthy Recipes Inside New Help Is On The Way Pro Athletes & Weekend Warriors Fueling It Up ™ ™ Jordan S. Rubin Publisher Marilyn Gemino Associate Editor It’s that time again to welcome in a brand new year and to review what resolutions you made and, more importantly, what resolutions you need to keep. If you’re like most people, you have the best of intentions and you’ve resolved to better yourself in one way or another. In fact, some of the most frequently cited New Year’s resolutions are to lose excess weight, to eat healthily and to exercise more or to get fit. Unfortunately, for many people, those are also the same resolutions that go by the wayside by the beginning of February. At Garden of Life®, we’re committed to helping you see your goals through by helping in any way we can. That’s why I’m excited to tell you about a new product called fücoTHIN® GREEN. It’s a unique blend of two hot ingredients targeting weight loss that you may have heard about on the Dr. Oz Show. The first one is a proprietary blend of fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil called Xanthigen®. The other one is a clinically studied green coffee bean extract known as Svetol®. What’s more is that this is the only product on the market containing both of these ingredients. Be sure to read all about it on page 36. But that’s not all. We’ve also designed our Weight Management THRIVE! Pack—everything you need to thrive while meeting your weight loss goals this year. Since weight loss is never about “just one thing,” we have you covered on many fronts. If you’ll turn to page 34, you can find out how each of the products in our THRIVE! Pack work together to support your weight-loss and fitness goals. You’ll also want to check out how our Garden of Life-powered athletes and celebrities are eating right and thriving on Garden of Life products. Check out how fitness competitor Toni Lee powers up the RAW way, how the Phoenix Suns’ Luis Scola maintains peak performance and about Davita Parks’ journey. Or, catch up with Drew Barrymore on page 22 and learn how vegan bodybuilder Amanda Riester preps for competitions on page 47. You can also read about oral and maxillofacial surgeon-turned-triathlete Fred Hartman as well as the latest on our endeared mountain-climbing couple, Mark and Janelle Smiley—on pages 30 and 16 respectively. There are even more stories to enjoy, of course, so take some time to read them all because I can tell you only so much in this “Reader’s Digest” version. And speaking of “digest,” let’s not forget about the importance of digestion in overall health, which is one of the cornerstones Garden of Life is built on. Once again, we’re here for you with a tailoredto-you RAW Probiotics™ line. You’ll be thrilled at the choices you have, so be sure to investigate them further on page 26. You’re sure to find one that’s right for you. And, as in all editions of Extraordinary Health, you’ll find tasty and healthy recipes, cool product picks that we recommend as well as a wealth of other information to help you lead a healthy life. So, Happy New Year to everyone—and may all of your resolutions come true! Jason Longman Associate Editor Julie Helm Contributing Editor Rhonda Price Contributing Editor Dawn Thorpe Jarvis Contributing Expert David Johnson Publishing Creative Director Angela DiGloria Publishing Art Director Marlene Milord Graphic Design Specialist Bridget Greenwald Graphic Designer Kristie Romano Contributing Creative Associate Extraordinary Health™ is published by Garden of Life, LLC. 5500 Village Blvd., Suite 202 West Palm Beach, FL 33407 www.gardenoflife.com ©2013 Garden of Life, LLC. All rights reserved. This magazine is not intended to provide medical advice on personal health conditions, nor to replace recommendations made by health professionals. The opinions expressed by contributors and sources quoted in articles are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. Information appearing in Extraordinary Health™ may not be reproduced in whole or in part without express permission of the publisher. ™ Features 6 volume 17 2013 Toni Lee Powers Up the RAW Way 16 Mountain Climbers Reach New Heights 24 Drew Barrymore— Bouncing Back After Baby! 30 Fred’s First Triathalon Departments 4 Cool Picks 38 Eight “New You” Healthy Recipes 50 Power-Packed Delish Recipes! HEALTHY YOU 10 RAW Cleanse vs. Environmental Toxins 14 The Human Skeleton—What Holds Us Together 26 Benefit from YOUR Bacteria 36 Weight Loss Help—Finally Here! 54 Coconut Oil—Tropical Treasure for Health 45 Non-GMO Project Verified Volume 17 2013 3 ™ Cool Picks extraordinary 1. Go Raw Real Live 2. Amy’s Salsa 3. GrabGreen 3-in-1 4. Aqua Zinger Chocolate Truffles www.amys.com Laundry Detergent www.zinganything.com www.goraw.com $5.99, 14.7oz to 17.5oz jar www.grabgreenhome.com $25.95 $5.99, 6-piece bag You don’t have to be living a raw lifestyle to totally love these chocolate truffles from Go Raw Real Live Food. The intense meltin-your-mouth flavor is trumped only by knowing this product is USDA Organic, raw, vegan and gluten free. Each delish morsel contains only 35 calories and 1 gram of fat—so reward yourself for all that hard work at the gym with a Go Raw Real Live Chocolate Truffle. Also available in orange and mint flavors! What a great way to add flavor to just about anything—without excess calories or fat! Amy’s Salsas are incredibly fresh-tasting and made with sweet organic vine ripened tomatoes. These vegan salsas are dairy free, gluten free and soy free—and at only 10 calories per two tablespoons—guilt free! Offered in three varieties, we tried the “mild” and just loved it—give it a try. $8.00, 24-load pouch It doesn’t get much easier than this! Just pop a GrabGreen laundry pod into your washer, add your clothes and push start. No measuring, dripping or waste. But what really grabbed us is GrabGreen laundry pods are non-toxic, dye free, phosphate free and never tested on animals. Pods come in two cool fragrances: Gardenia and Lavender with Vanilla. And for those who prefer unscented, there is a FragranceFree choice. Give them a try! Recommendations for Cool Picks? With a name like Aqua Zinger, how could we resist? But even more important is the need to stay hydrated, especially during times of exercise or exertion. The Aqua Zinger water bottle works by subtly infusing water with flavors that you choose. From fruits to vegetables—your Aqua Zinger can infuse them all. Mix and match and get creative; the flavors and ingredients are limited only by your imagination. Made from BPA/EA-free Tritan Plastic from Eastman and 18/8 stainless steel, the Aqua Zinger comes in four cool colors—blue, green, grey and pink. So, what color will you zing with? If you know of a product that you think is “cool worthy,” send your recommendations to: [email protected]. 5. Veronica’s Health Crunch www.veronicashealthcrunch.com $8.00, 8-ounce bag 6 Great on salads, yogurt or just as a healthy, delicious snack, Veronica’s Health Crunch didn’t last too long around here! An all-natural blend of almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and unsweetened shredded coconut, Veronica’s Health Crunch is sweetened with honey, has a touch of sea salt and is gluten free. Perfect for those on the go, you can take a bag with you to work, the gym or on your next bike ride. Oh, and did we mention—it’s totally yummy?! 6. Plum™ Kids Organic Fruit Shredz™ 5 8 www.plumorganics.com $3.99, 5-pack Twist ‘em, Tie ‘em, Twirl ‘em—any way you eat them, Fruit Shredz are an explosion of chewy fun. Perfect for a lunchbox snack or trip to the park, Fruit Shredz are USDA Organic and contain no genetically modified ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup, no trans fats and no artificial flavors or preservatives. Fruit Shredz are available in four yummy fruit and veggie varieties—Rooty Blues, Super Apple, Berry’licious and Peach Peelz. Why not try them all? 7 7. Osmia Organic Soaps www.osmiaorganics.com $12.00 We just fell in love with the entire line of Osmia Organics, but here’s the rundown on their soaps. Osmia soaps are hand made in batches of 33 to 40 bars at a time, using organic oils and only botanical colorants and scents (essential oils). They are allowed to cure for 8 weeks (2 to 4 weeks longer than many soap makers allow) to ensure that enough water has evaporated from the bars, making them last longer. The soaps are wrapped in acidfree, partially recycled watercolor paper and hemp twine— all biodegradable and compostable, including the label. That’s very cool with us! With 13 different variations to choose from, you’re sure to find one—or more—to please your skin and senses. 8. Brad’s Raw Chips www.bradsrawfoods.com $6.99, 3-ounce bag Looking for a tasty snack that’s actually healthy, too? Look no further than Brad’s Raw Chips made entirely from sprouted flaxseeds, groats and a variety of vegetables and spices—that’s it! The product is dehydrated below 115 degrees—retaining active enzymes—and pops out as a thin, crunchy and delectable snack food. Extra cool factors—the chips are high in fiber, a good source of omega-3s, gluten free and vegan. Available in 13 yummy flavors, one of our favorites is the Hot! Red Bell Pepper! 5 ™ Toni Lee Fitness Competitor Powers Up the RAW Way! Deciphering one of Toni Lee’s business cards can be either interesting or confusing. Her titles include: Fitness Model, Athlete, Bodybuilder, TV/Film Producer, Comedian, TV Host, Fitness Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Bikini Competitor, Actress and Classical Pianist. It’s a long description for the multi-talented, petite woman who captured our attention when she graced the cover of Fitness X Magazine earlier this year and let us know that RAW Meal and RAW Protein from Garden of Life® are fueling her fitness competitions. “I do some serious workouts,” said Lee, who worked as a fitness trainer for 10 years before deciding to enter competitions two years ago. “I go heavy on the weights and do a lot of training, but I tell my clients it’s really all about the food. By Rhonda Price A balanced diet with plenty of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats is essential, and that’s why I rely on RAW Meal and RAW Protein to eliminate a lot of the guesswork. By adding them to my routine, I know I’m getting all of the protein, vitamins, minerals and probiotics I need to feel great and do my best at competitions.” When she first decided to enter several fitness and bikini model shows, Lee visited her local health food store, Superior Health Products, in Sherman Oaks, California. Impressed by an employee’s recommendation of Garden of Life products, she started taking Vitamin Code® multivitamins, RAW Probiotics™ for Women and Vitamin Code RAW B-Complex™. After a short while, she was hooked and went back to purchase RAW Protein and RAW Meal. The plantbased protein she favored in both products was crucial to helping her sculpt a chiseled physique required for fitness, bikini and bodybuilding competitions. “I prefer to build muscle the natural way, without putting a lot of garbage or harmful substances into my body,” she said. It’s very rewarding to get a trophy that reflects all of your dedication and hard work,” she said. “It’s a demanding sport, but I love seeing my body get better and competing for my own satisfaction. “My challenge is that I have a small frame, in nearby Runyon Canyon or heads to a gym On the day of a show, it takes a team and holding on to muscle is difficult for me. for intense cardio training. Always interested of people to spray tan her body to a I absolutely must have enough protein to stay in pushing her athletic abilities, she was a warm, bronzed glow and to style her hair healthy and have muscle definition, so I carry track star in high school and participated in and makeup. a shaker cup with either RAW Protein or martial arts before her brother introduced RAW Meal in it almost all the time!” her to fitness and weight lifting. Insecure because of all the lighting at the shows,” she “We have to look ridiculously dark Lee racked up several trophies in local about how she looked as a teenager, she explained. “Spray tanning is very important, and regional shows before snagging several started building muscle and immediately because if you choose the wrong color, you first-place finishes at national qualifying felt more confident. can actually turn green under the lights!” competitions such as the 2012 BMR West “I was born in Korea, but my family Thankfully, so far she’s been able to stay Coast Class Championship. She was a bit became very Americanized after moving lean and mean with no green—except for the nervous about competing in the bigger arenas here,” she said. “I was brought up in a healthy Perfect Food RAW greens supplement she at first, but by the time she reached the U.S. environment where there was no drinking loves to add to smoothies. Bodybuilding Championship in July, she was or smoking allowed, and my family stressed used to all of the accolades and the limelight. the importance of taking care of our bodies. to eating lots of fats, starches or unhealthy Weight lifting took things to another level foods after competitions,” she said. “I don’t for me.” like to do that because I like to stay healthy “It’s very rewarding to get a trophy that reflects all of your dedication and hard work,” she said. “It’s a demanding sport, but I love Prior to competing in shows, Lee cuts out “Some people like to go wild and go back all the time. It’s a big part of my life, but I seeing my body get better and competing for all sodium and eats non-flavored foods with like to do many other things as well. I think my own satisfaction.” no salt, soy sauce or other seasonings. A week people are surprised sometimes when they before competition, she drinks plenty of see me hosting a television show or doing complain that fitness and bikini modeling are green and dandelion root tea to help detox her the opening act at the Jon Lovitz Comedy not real sports or that female competitors look system, although she says many competitors Center. I think the audience appreciates that too skinny and unhealthy. She says her goal rely on water pills to avoid looking bloated. I keep my jokes clean—just like my diet!” Lee pays no attention to critics who is not to look like a toothpick or a starving model onstage, but to promote awareness that it is possible to have six-pack abs and be healthy at the same time. Currently training for an Excalibur show in Culver City, her diet and exercise regimen rivals that of any professional athlete. “In the morning, I have RAW Meal and Perfect Food® RAW in a smoothie,” she said. “My diet is very specific and includes mostly veggies, egg whites and protein. For lunch, I usually have RAW Protein Vanilla with different fruits or perhaps some coconut milk. On other days, I might have RAW Protein Pancakes (see her recipe on page 50) that I cook with coconut oil because it’s a healthy fat. Overall, I eat a lot of raw vegetables, dark greens, broccoli and kale because you just can’t go wrong with those!” After breakfast, Lee hikes, climbs and works on building leg strength I prefer to build muscle the natural way, without putting a lot of garbage or harmful substances into my body,” she said. “My challenge is that I have a small frame, and holding on to muscle is difficult for me. I absolutely must have enough protein to stay healthy and have muscle definition, so I carry a shaker cup with either RAW Protein or RAW Meal in it almost all the time! ™ Flaxseeds: Tiny, but Mighty They’re small, but flaxseeds are one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet, supporting heart, cellular, vascular and blood sugar health— among other benefits. Don’t let flaxseeds’ tiny size fool you because, regardless of their miniscule measurements, they pack a mighty health wallop. Just ask Lilian Thompson, Ph.D., an internationally known flaxseed researcher from the University of Toronto. She cites research indicating that among flax’s health benefits are cellular, cardiovascular, breast, colon, prostate and lung health. What’s more is that the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, and the lignan content in flaxseeds appear to be primarily responsible for those benefits. In fact, flaxseeds provide a rich source of ALA, which is important because the human body uses ALA for healthy cellular growth and cellular energy production. Likewise, the ALA in flaxseeds supports cardiovascular health in a variety of ways, including supporting healthy inflammation levels by blocking the release of pro-inflammatory agents and supporting a normal heartbeat, healthy arteries and blood pressure levels. Speaking of cardiovascular health . . . Kelley Fitzpatrick, M.Sc., director of health and nutrition with the Flax Council of Canada, makes an amazing observation about flaxseeds and unhealthy plaque buildup. Fitzpatrick says that lignans—plant-based compounds known for their protective health properties—in flaxseeds support the body’s ability to manage atherosclerotic plaque buildup in the arteries and help prevent white blood cells from sticking to the blood vessels’ inner linings. Wow. Interestingly, the lignans in flaxseeds also support healthy hormone metabolism and healthy, normal cellular growth, while interfering with the growth and spread of unhealthy cells. As if that weren’t enough, flaxseeds also provide a good source of protein, antioxidants, vitamins B1, B2, C and E, zinc, magnesium, and digestion- and health-supporting fiber. That’s not all, though, about these tiny seeds. Several studies also indicate that the synergistic effects of ALA, lignans and fiber in flaxseeds support healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels. As far as the cholesterol benefits of flaxseeds, let’s preface it with this: small particles of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the bloodstream are linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. In one study, menopausal women who ate four tablespoons of ground flaxseeds each day for a year, showed that the flax significantly supported their normal, healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Likewise, an Iowa State University’s Nutrition and Wellness Center study found that, in just fourto-twelve weeks, three tablespoons of flaxseeds a day offered what researchers termed “a wonderful, long-term benefit for those who . . . opt for nature” to help support healthy cholesterol levels. With all these health benefits, it’s no wonder people love their flaxseeds and are upping their flaxseed intake. Flaxseeds really are tiny, but mighty. Flaxseeds offer an array of health benefits and contain three highly important—and healthy— elements: Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3s are some of the “good fats” people are raving about these days. Just two tablespoons of flaxseeds provide over 146 percent of the daily value, or DV, of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. Lignans: These plant-based compounds are known for their protective health qualities. Flaxseeds, through their lignan content, offer antioxidants and healthy, natural phytochemicals. In fact, flaxseeds contain 75 to 800 times more lignans than other types of plant foods. Fiber: Most of us don’t get enough fiber and its health benefits, but flaxseeds contain both types of fiber we need—soluble and insoluble. Juice It Up With ® Instead of using whole leaf grass powder and other fillers, which can be difficult to digest, Garden of Life® chooses to JUICE its grasses and then use low-temperature drying to create juice powders for six times more concentration. Perfect Food® RAW is packed with the power of 34 nutrient-dense, RAW, USDA Certified Organic greens, sprouts and vegetable JUICES with no fillers, added sugars or herbs for the RAW ENERGY you need every day. In short, Perfect Food RAW is convenient Organic Veggie JUICE in a bottle! NON GMO VERI Project FIE D no ngmoproject.org Volume 17 2013 9 Chemical Cleanse Joseph D. Brasco, M.D., is a medical consultant with Garden of Life® and has extensive expertise and experience in the areas of gastroenterology and internal medicine. Dr. Brasco earned his Medical Doctorate at the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his residency at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Likewise, he is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine. He currently practices at the Center for Colon and Digestive Disease in Huntsville, Alabama. by Dr. Joseph Brasco The number of environmental toxins in the U.S. is staggering, and nobody knows how many of them make their way into our bodies. Did you know that the United States has registered more than 80,000 different chemicals—with 2,000 new chemicals added each year to use in foods, personal care products and more? Those are the facts, according to the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program. We know some of those chemicals find their way into our bodies, too, which is why the Centers for Disease Control publishes the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals every few years. It tracks 500 different chemicals and their concentrations in humans. But what about the other over 79,500 chemicals the CDC doesn’t track? As you might guess, chemical exposure is one reason for cleansing— and skyrocketing sales of cleanses proves that people are concerned about the avalanche of chemicals finding their way into our environment and into our bodies. As you look to get healthier this New Year, pay attention to your body’s toxic load by cleansing. RAW Cleanse™ from Garden of Life® combines the intelligence of a whole-body cleanse to remove toxins and the wisdom of RAW to ensure that no new toxins are added back into your body. It’s the perfect start to any health adventure— and a smart choice for combatting ever-present and increasing toxins. RAW Cleanse—Triple Detox Formula Setting Up a RAW Defense A high-quality cleanse must The RAW Truth about Cleansing remove unwanted toxins from the “Nobody knows exactly how many body and aid the body’s natural of the more than 80,000 registered defense mechanisms to repel chemicals in the United States toxins, so they won’t enter the get into your body. While the body and bloodstream.† Most of government can track a handful of † the hundreds of cleanses on the these chemicals, you need to take market miss this crucial starting care of your body’s toxic load. RAW point of cleansing—even when Cleanse is a fast-acting, seven-day the primary purpose of cleansing is removing toxins from cleanse to do just that. I believe it’s the body to aid digestion and overall health.† And where the “Gold Standard” in cleansing.” does digestion begin? The mouth, where food—and - Joseph Brasco, M.D many toxins—first enter the body. Toxin Defense, the first step in RAW Cleanse, contains a unique oral probiotic known as S. salivarius. Much like the skirmishes fought in the gut, there’s a war going on in your mouth with various microorganisms—and S. salivarius promotes healthy microorganisms in the mouth.† Other microorganisms produce toxins that interfere with the normal function of the body. By taking up space in the mouth, S. salivarius helps keep those microorganisms from getting a stronghold in the oral cavity— providing an excellent first line of defense against toxins. Toxin Defense also includes Bacillus coagulans, a powerful digestive probiotic supporting the gastrointestinal tract—another breeding ground for toxic microorganisms. Much like S. salivarius, Bacillus coagulans reduces toxic load by inhibiting potentially toxic microorganisms from travelling further in the body, so your digestive system can function at its best.† Toxin Defense, the first component of RAW Cleanse, minimizes exposure to toxic invaders. However, neutralizing and removing the toxins already in your body is equally important—which brings us to the next step, RAW Organ Detox. Moving Toxins Out: RAW Digestion & Elimination Cleansing doesn’t end with toxins being eliminated from the bloodstream. To hasten the removal process, most cleanse programs contain ingredients that help elimination. RAW Digestion & Elimination is unique because it’s made with RAW ingredients—and created for toxin capture and removal. The formulation starts with RAW food-chelated magnesium, which attracts water to the colon, allowing for the natural movement of intestinal bulk.† This differs from other laxatives that “force” digestive tract muscle contractions to move waste. RAW Digestion & Elimination also contains two superfoods—flaxseed and chia seed—providing omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Besides being highly nutritious, these Cleaning House with RAW Organ Detox The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body. bulking fibers trap toxins for bodily removal.† Additionally, RAW Digestion & Elimination contains four different cereal grass juices that are nutritional powerhouses and All blood passes through the liver, and its primary purpose is to traditional cleansing agents. They support the proper remove toxins from the blood. Most cleanses remove toxins on function of a healthy gastrointestinal tract and help the “macro” level—those in the liver, kidneys and other organs. maintain regularity, which are important when moving One “macro” ingredient in Organ Detox is raw chlorella, a toxins out of the body.† green algae aiding the liver in excreting environmental toxins the body is normally exposed to in small amounts.† Organ Detox also contains milk thistle, used in traditional medicine for thousands of years and found in many cleanse and liver detox formulas. Unlike most cleanses, the milk thistle found in Organ Detox is RAW. The real superstar ingredients—not found in other cleanse formulations—are the intra-cellular antioxidant trio of glutathione, SOD (superoxide dismutase) and catalase, but none may be as important as glutathione. As you may know, antioxidants work at the cellular level to combat free radicals that damage cells—and toxins lead to oxidative stress within the body, causing a proliferation of free radicals. For humans, glutathione is at its highest concentration in the liver, which serves as the collection point for toxins—making the liver prone to oxidative stress and free radical damage. Since the liver can manufacture glutathione, four ingredients were added to Organ Detox to boost the body’s ability to manufacture glutathione and aid in the detoxification process.† These ingredients are raw food-created cysteine, glycine, sulfur and glutamic acid—building blocks your body uses to create its own glutathione storehouse. Organ Detox also contains the antioxidant enzymes SOD and catalase, which work together to minimize the effects of oxygen radicals at the cellular level.† While oxygen is vital for normal body function, too much oxygen that is not efficiently utilized by the body can cause damage. In short, the net effect of ingredients in the RAW Cleanse Organ Detox formula is to support your liver to do what it’s made to do—remove toxins from your blood.† Cleansing in the RAW For the ultimate cleanse experience, raw represents “the standard,” and raw foods and juices are foundational elements of virtually every cleansing and detox program. Garden of Life RAW Cleanse features uncooked, untreated and unadulterated ingredients designed to support your body’s natural digestive and detoxification systems.† Garden of Life’s standard for supplementation means: • highly active, ultra-premium ingredients that contain live probiotics and enzymes. • no gluten or dairy. • no binders or fillers. • nutrients are delivered in their un-denatured, whole food form with all the inherent co-factors intact. If you want the best in cleansing and detoxification, then go RAW with Garden of Life RAW Cleanse. ™ Secrets of fücoTHIN® Weight-Loss Stars: These Ladies Have LOST It! 55 lbs. 45 lbs. Lorine VanCorbach Sometimes it takes a special occasion or a painfully revealing photograph to motivate someone to lose weight. For 43-year-old Lorine VanCorbach from Adrian, Oregon, it was both. When she attended her nephew’s graduation last June, there were plenty of family photos taken to commemorate the milestone, but Lorine didn’t feel like celebrating when she saw them. Instead, like many people who are faced with the reality of an unflattering photo, she thought: Is that me? I really, really need to lose weight! Spurred into action, Lorine resolved to try something different because numerous diets she’d tried over the years had failed and left her disheartened. Rather than researching the latest fads or exercise contraptions hyped on television, Lorine decided on a tried-and-true dietary supplement called fücoTHIN to help reach her weight-loss goals. Encouraged to learn that fücoTHIN was a top seller in the Natural Products Industry for more than six years, she was also intrigued that the product’s brown seaweed and pomegranate seed oil could help boost her metabolism—naturally and with no harmful side effects.† Lorine made sure to check with her health care professional, and then started out on a regular exercise plan. For her healthy diet plan, Lorine changed her eating habits by adding plenty of fresh whole foods, but fücoTHIN was her secret weapon. “I noticed that I had a lot more energy when I started taking fücoTHIN,” she said. “I was able to see results a lot faster than when I was just watching my diet and limiting certain foods.” Lorine gradually lost 2 to 3 pounds per week and was delighted when the scale showed she’d dropped a total of 45 pounds in about 20 weeks.1 That’s when she decided to take another photo that she could be much happier about. “With fücoTHIN, I lost weight and went down two dress sizes!” she gushed. “I like the way I look in photos so much better now, and I’m grateful I found a way to reach my ideal, healthy weight.”1 Patty Runton Numerous studies show that millions of Americans know how to lose weight, but more than two-thirds are “yo-yo” dieters who regain their pre-dieting weight back within a few months. Patty Runton of Lilburn, Georgia, beat the odds when she lost 55 pounds in about seven months by following a healthy meal plan, exercising regularly and taking fücoTHIN, but also kept the weight off for three years and counting!1† Patty heard about fücoTHIN at Progressive Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended a seminar about healthy eating. At the time, she weighed 210 pounds with a BMI of 35, which was considered clinically obese. “My self-esteem was at an all-time low, and I was embarrassed at having gotten this heavy,” said Patty. “I was tired all the time, depressed and generally not feeling good.” After speaking with a weight-loss counselor at the medical center, Patty ultimately decided to try fücoTHIN because it was derived from a naturally occurring source—seaweed! “I took it cautiously at first, but had no side effects at all, except for losing weight!” she exclaimed. After almost seven months of taking fücoTHIN, making better food choices and regular exercise, Patty’s dress size dropped from 18 to a svelte size 10.1 She reports that she feels better, looks better and is currently using fücoTHIN to maintain her weight loss.† “I continue to take fücoTHIN to help keep my weight in check†,” she said. “I also take a Garden of Life® fish oil supplement and a RAW ONE™ for Women daily vitamin. When people ask what I’m eating now, I tell them I try to eat as much raw and fresh food as I can and that I stay away from the so-called diet foods!” 1 Results may vary ™ The HUMAN Skeleton A Dynamic Lesson in What Holds Us Together by Wendy Hilliard, D.C. Educator, Garden of Life® Wendy Hilliard holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic Medicine from New York Chiropractic College and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from East Stroudsburg University. Wendy has practiced as a chiropractic physician in both New Jersey and Virginia and has held the position of adjunct professor of Anatomy and Physiology at Middlesex County College in New Jersey. The design of the human body is fantastically miraculous. From the outside, the human body appears to accomplish everyday functions with minimal effort. In actuality, the human body is a complex and dynamic machine made up of related parts that act together to create a functional being—you! There are so many interesting topics to discuss when it comes to the human body, although one of the most fascinating is the skeletal system, the collective arrangement of our bones as they exist in the body. The skeleton itself does more than supply the solid framework to support the body—in essence, holding us together. Most people think of the skeleton as little more than a coat rack to throw all your muscles and tissues on to. The truth is that the bones also provide protection for the vital organs. For example, the heart and lungs are sheltered by the rib cage, while the brain is shielded by the skull. The skeleton also provides stores of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus that are vital for several everyday biochemical reactions in the body. Likewise, it’s the site of red blood cell formation, which is the basis of human life. What makes up the skeletal system is just as fascinating: skeletal bones and the joints they form when they come together with one another, making for a harmonious skeletal symphony. What’s more is that, at the point at which two bones meet, there is a fibrous joint capsule that surrounds the ends of the two bones which acts in a variety of roles to provide cushion, shock absorption, lubrication and protection—allowing for maximized movement. That’s a good thing, too, because joints thrive on movement and become stagnant without it. As the old saying goes—use it or lose it! For example, when a joint is stagnant, ligaments become shorter, lubrication of the joint capsule decreases and range of motion becomes compromised. Another amazing feat and benefit of joint movement is that it causes the joint capsule itself to produce lubricating fluid to nourish the ligaments and encourage range of motion, thereby feeding and facilitating movement. Interestingly, bones themselves are commonly misunderstood as rock hard permanent pieces of our skeleton. Yet, in fact, bones are actually dynamic, constantly changing entities that play many roles in both the structure and the physiology of the body. Here’s Some of the Nitty Gritty on Bones. A mature bone cell is called an osteocyte which makes up the bulk of bone. There are two special types of bone cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are responsible for the constant re-modeling process that keeps our bones fresh and strong. Osteoblasts build new bone in situations such as new growth, repairing a fracture or in response to increased demand placed on a bone, such as weight-bearing exercise. On the other hand, osteoclasts break down bone in situations such as the need for readily available calcium, remodeling a fracture or in response to decreased demands placed on a bone, such as a sedentary lifestyle. Basically, the balancing act of osteoblasts and osteoclasts maintain the skeletal system and result in our bones being dynamic and ever changing—a bone remodeling that results in the recycling of 5 to 7 percent of our bone mass every week and an entirely new skeleton every ten years. Now, that’s dynamic! Additionally, minerals make up the crystalline structure of our bones. For instance, calcium and its helpers act like a collaborative team, creating balance to support bone health. Calcium doesn’t work alone, however. It needs assistance in order to go to where it’s needed in the body. Case in point: vitamin K. It acts like an air traffic controller helping to direct calcium to the hard tissues such as bones and teeth, while blocking calcium from depositing itself into the soft tissues such as arterial walls and organs. Recent research bears this out. It indicates that taking a calcium supplement that includes vitamin K, as well as other bone team players such as vitamin D and magnesium, is imperative for effective calcium absorption and utilization. Vitamin Code® RAW Calcium™ A Body Needs to Move Along with proper bone metabolism, movement is vital for bone and joint health. There’s a law in anatomical science known as Wolff’s Law, which refers to the principle that every change in the form and function of a bone leads to changes in its internal architecture. Simply put, it means that, in order for the bones to be strong and healthy, they must be subject to work demands such as activity and exercise. Incorporating consistent, moderate exercise such as walking, aerobics and strength training increases the demand on bones and makes them stronger. Similarly, flexibility exercises such as stretching and yoga promote lubrication of the joints as well as lengthening of the muscles to encourage full range of motion. Pretty amazing outcomes from moving, right? Bone-Healthy Diet Let’s not forget that a diet rich in bone-building nutrients is also important to support bone health. While dairy products can be a rich source of calcium, they can lack the proper ratio of bone constituents to assure the absorption and utilization of calcium. Dark green leafy vegetables are ideal sources of calcium, however, because they include the much-needed bone “team players” and trace minerals that make calcium readily available and usable to the body. For instance, seaweed is one of the richest sources of calcium, along with other dark green leafy vegetables, including kale and bok choy. When the diet is lacking in calcium—and many people’s diets are—or there is a need for additional calcium support, plant-based, whole-food calcium supplements are the ideal choice. So, how’s it going with what holds you together? That’s a relevant question to ask, too, because bone and joint health is a significant concern in America today due to a societal shift from an active lifestyle to a sedentary one. Most people have no idea how their bones are doing. It’s not like you can see them in the mirror or measure them with a bathroom scale! The truth is that it’s more important now than ever before to make an effort to stay active, eat a nutrientrich diet and supplement with whole-food, plant-based calcium when needed. Take care of your body—including your bones and joints—and it will take care of you. Premium Organic, RAW, Whole Food Ingredients • Containing AlgaeCal • • • • • • • RAW Clinical Strength The only certified organic plant-based calcium available Pure, unbleached plant calcium Hand-harvested, sun-dried, gently milled RAW—untreated, uncooked, unadulterated, dried below 115°F Environmentally sustainable Vegetarian Complete calcium complex containing all 13 minerals found in your bones Vitamin Code RAW Calcium— simply pure and simply the best. Volume 17 2013 15 Mark & Janelle Smiley are proving that there Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Rhonda Price In several classic Saturday Night Live skits, the late comedian Chris Farley gave motivational speeches ending with warnings to not end up “living in a van down by the river.” Yet, that’s exactly what world-class mountain climber Janelle Smiley signed up for when she married her husband Mark and decided that domestic bliss was possible without a mortgage, a permanent address or a 9-to-5 job. Instead, the Smileys live in “Lulu,” a trusty van taking them on a road trip that spans 25,000 miles as they attempt to become the first people to climb all of the mountain routes made famous in the iconic book Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Mark and Janelle started their ambitious journey in April 2010, when they set off with a film crew to capture high-definition footage of their climbing experiences for a public television miniseries. So far, they’ve scaled 40 of the 50 climbs and estimate they will complete their goal in 2014, after covering more than 164,000 feet of tricky, treacherous vertical terrain. Even though both are accomplished traditional alpine climbers, it’s a lofty goal and a risky undertaking due to unpredictable weather conditions, sudden avalanches, impassable ridges, loose rocks and sub-zero temperatures. Often relying on their skills, knowledge and physical strength to overcome obstacles and adversity, the couple is determined to persevere until they’ve conquered all 50 breath-taking mountain tops. “Alpine climbing is a beautiful sport that allows you to travel high up in the mountains where you can feel the pulse of creation,” said Mark. “It allows you to push yourself in ways you didn’t know were possible and forces you to move upward with grace and humility. At the same time, you feel very small, and it compels you to be quick, alert and assertive.” Janelle developed her interest in climbing at an early age, while growing up in the rugged Rocky Mountains of Colorado. When her older brother started climbing and needed a “belayer,” 11-year-old Janelle jumped at the opportunity and was eager to assist. “I grew up in a household of rowdy brothers, and my mother was always encouraging us to explore and go on adventuress,” she said. “I was always involved in other sports such as crew and Nordic skiing, but mountain climbing has always been my true love because it forces you to be the best you can be.” In lead climbing, the front person or “leader” climbs from the ground up with a rope directly attached to a harness. The second climber “belays” the leader by feeding out enough rope to allow upward advancement without undue slack. As the leader progresses, the rope is clipped through intermediate points of protection with spring-loaded cams or nuts, which are metal wedges attached to a wire loop that is inserted into rocky cracks to limit the length of a potential fall. Because the climbing rope is a fixed length, the leader can climb only a certain distance, so the routes are broken up into several “pitches.” At the top of a pitch, the leader affixes an anchor that allows the second climber to follow the same path, which is how a young Janelle found herself scrambling up big walls of rock to keep up with her brother. During his childhood, Mark’s backyard looked rather flat by comparison, as the only things he climbed in Indiana were maple trees and a fake rock wall in a gym when he was a teenager. When he was 22, he moved West to pursue his climbing dreams and became an AMGA Certified Rock Climbing and Alpine Aspirant Guide. Tackling some of the most difficult summits in the world, he was credited with several first ascents, which is the initial successful completion of a route by any climber. Eventually, destiny led Mark to Crested Butte, Colorado, where he met Janelle at a young adults’ discussion group. The topic that day was relationships, and Mark boldy blurted out that he never wanted to get married because he was afraid he would get bored. Overlooking his outburst because she thought he was “cute,” Janelle asked Mark if he’d like to go watch the sun rise on top of Crested Butte Mountain the next morning. Mark readily agreed, and that was the start of months of climbing, skiing and exploring adventures. Five months later, on July 6, 2006, they were climbing the South Early Winters Spire in Washington Pass when Janelle stopped to enjoy the incredible view. That’s when Mark surprised her with an entirely different looking rock—an engagement ring! Since they were already 1,100 feet off the ground, there was no need to sweep her off her feet, and Mark was thrilled when Janelle accepted his proposal. Six years later, the couple celebrated their sixth anniversary 3,000 feet in the sky on El Captain in Yosemite, California, where they completed number 40 of the 50 classic climbs. With a packed schedule that keeps them busy year round, the Smileys typically climb during the months of April through November. Mark takes care of packing and weighing all of their gear for each trip, while Janelle is in charge of all the food prep. “It’s quite a sight with piles of gear, sandwiches, food bars and supplies spread all over the van,” said Mark. “Somehow, it all makes its way into two backpacks, and then we hit the trail!” Depending on the length of each climb, the couple’s backpacks can get heavy and burdensome. While climbing the 20,328 foot Denali route in Alaska earlier this year, they lugged 115 pounds of food to last for 26 days on the glacier, and the total weight of their gear topped 320 pounds. “It took us five days to move all the gear and reach the base camp,” said Janelle. “On smaller alpine climbs that last only a few days, we average about 40 pounds each in our packs. Whenever we climb, we depend on convenient and portable food for energy.” In addition to consuming 100 calories per hour while climbing, the Smileys take Garden of Life® supplements every day to fuel their excursions. Janelle is a fan of RAW ONE™ for Women, Oceans 3™ fish oil, RAW Calcium™, Wobenzym® N, RAW B-Complex™ and RAW Vitamin E™. She also loves Fruits of Life™ food bars, which she says are tasty even when they are frozen! Mark takes the same supplements but chooses RAW ONE™ for Men for a daily multivitamin. Janelle also enjoys making smoothies with Perfect Food® RAW, RAW Protein or RAW Fiber. “After workouts, I make a smoothie with chocolate almond milk, a banana, Perfect Food RAW, chocolate or vanilla RAW Protein and RAW Fiber,” she said. “If it’s hot outside, I add ice cubes to help me rehydrate. I have been amazed that neither Mark nor I have gotten sick all season long, and we’ve felt great while doing some of our most difficult climbs. I have no doubt that our daily intake of Garden of Life products has contributed to our success.” In December, Mark and Janelle will temporarily put away their climbing gear so they can compete in several upcoming ski mountaineering races. Janelle will participate in the National Ski Mountaineering Championship in Jackson, Wyoming, in January and then move to France with Mark to train and race in the World Cup Series in February. Last year, Janelle was the 2012 Woman’s North American Champion, so this year she hopes to repeat her success. “The ski season prepares us for the climbing season, and the climbing season prepares us for the ski season,” explains Mark. “I’ve been ramping up my training for this year’s competition and doing lots of running and strength exercises with coach Jordan Smothermon from Mountain Athlete, a great gym in Wyoming. He works with the best mountain athletes in the world.” In April 2012, the couple plans to complete five or six more of the classic climbs before finishing up in 2014. Thanks to the support of several generous sponsors and a mountaineering company they started together in Crested Butte, the Smileys have never had to come down to earth and find real jobs. “Maybe someday that will be in our future, along with starting a family,” hinted Janelle. “In the meantime, we hope to make a feature-length film and write a book. We may even climb 100 more mountains. For now, I just know that climbing reminds me of what it feels like to be alive, and it’s also brought me to the belief that the only competition any of us has is with ourselves.” ™ Luis Scola Gives the Suns Power in the Paint! by Rhonda Price After playing five seasons with the Houston Rockets, Argentine power forward Luis Scola became so acclimated that his taste buds changed. Raised on Argentina’s famous grassfed beef called asado, he found that Houston’s smoky beef brisket barbecue was just one of the many things he and his family loved about the city. At 32 years old, he felt lucky to be one of the rare players who might be able to retire after playing for only one team instead of bouncing around the league. Everything changed on July 13, 2012, when the Rockets used the NBA’s amnesty clause to waive Scola and provide salary cap relief. That’s how he suddenly found himself packing for Phoenix two days later when he learned the Suns had acquired him. “It’s a long process when you have to find another place to live—new schools for the kids and all the things you have to take care of to move,” he said. “It takes a while for everyone in the family to get used to the new place.” Despite the chaos of relocating, Scola hasn’t missed a beat in Phoenix and was averaging 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game when we saw him playing against the Miami Heat at the beginning of the season. Paired with center Marcin Gortat under the basket, Scola offers the Suns consistency along with great footwork, an enviable drop step and box-out skills that guarantee he’s among the league’s leading rebounders. Known for his reliable “scoop shot,” his jumper is lethal from mid-range and ranked him among the league’s top five forwards last year when he shot 46.8 percent. Currently, he’s working on adding a three-point shot to his arsenal because, after 16 years of playing professionally, he’s running out of skills to work on. “I feel confident I can pull it off,” he said. “I shot long twos for many years in the Euroleague in Spain. So, when I first came to the Suns, I asked the coach if I could shoot threes. He said if I can make them, then I can shoot them!” Over the years, Scola has been fortunate not to be plagued with too many injuries. However, the wear and tear of being hammered by other 260-pound giants is taking its toll, so he’s been focusing on nutrition for peak performance. After switching to a gluten-free diet because it made him feel “lighter,” he fills up his 6’ 9”, 245-pound frame with lean protein, fresh fruit and vegetables. He has also grown fond of Garden of Life® supplements that the Suns’ trainer provides to the team. That includes RAW Protein that he drinks before every game. “After every practice, I mix RAW Protein with frozen fruit, almond milk and honey,” he said. “After games, we have RAW Meal in the locker room, and I have that for a recovery drink. It’s great because I have lost a lot of fat, and I feel so much healthier now.” Scola feels so good about his nutritional switch that he’s telling younger players how to take care of themselves. “I tell them that your body changes over the years, and so you have to work more to stay in shape,” he said. “You’re not going to feel the same way you did 10 years ago, so having a better diet is more important than ever.” Volume 17 2013 21 ™ DREW Barrymore is Bouncing Back After Baby! by Rhonda Price 22 www.GardenofLife.com You won’t catch Drew Barrymore trying out the latest Hollywood fad diet after the holidays or making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. After being in front of movie cameras her entire life, Drew’s weight struggles ended in 2004 when she made a commitment to exercise and follow a healthy diet. Even after recently giving birth to her first child, Olive, she’s been concentrating on giving her body the best nutrition rather than obsessing about how quickly she can drop the extra pounds she gained during pregnancy. I don’t like to diet,” said Drew, no doubt echoing the sentiment of millions of women worldwide. “I’m going to enjoy the holidays like a normal person, but most of the time I like to eat right. Over the years, “eating right” has translated into a lot of experimentation for Drew, who has frequently changed diets as often as her hair color. She was a full-blown vegetarian for several years, eventually stopping because she felt she needed more protein. A self-professed “carb queen,” she flirted with vegetarianism again before finally giving it up for good, although her diet still includes plenty of organic fruits and vegetables. While she’s managed to keep her weight in check for years by eating sensibly and exercising, she doesn’t believe it’s possible to be happy while constantly dieting and depriving herself. “If I want some pasta, then I’m going to have it!” said Drew, who occasionally likes to indulge with macaroni and cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich or a glass of wine. “I don’t want to live a life where you can’t have what you want. It just makes you want it more!” Two of Drew’s weight loss success stories were accidental flukes that she would not recommend to anyone. In 2008, complications from a tongue piercing made it difficult for her to eat and inadvertently caused her to lose weight. In 2009, she dropped 10 pounds that she attributed to stress while filming the HBO hit Grey Gardens. Fortunately, Drew stabilized her diet with the help of celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, who turned her on “I’m a green drink fanatic,” confessed Drew. “As a new mom, I live and worship Kim’s program. I actually learned from her how to take care of myself, and I make all of her juices at home. It’s an easy system to follow.” to green smoothies, detoxing and optimizing digestion for a plethora of health and beauty benefits. She continued her nutritious habits throughout her pregnancy when she was seen regularly shopping at Whole Foods and attending prenatal yoga classes. Just a few months after giving birth to her healthy baby girl, Drew showed up in Hollywood for the launch of Kimberly’s new juice and smoothie shop, GLOW Bio. Looking casual and relaxed in skinny jeans, a striped tee shirt and a fitted jacket to show off her post-baby figure, she was back on the red carpet where she belonged. Drew with Kimberly Snyder at opening of GLOW Bio. ™ Other celebrities attending the GLOW Bio launch party included Ben Stiller and his wife; Christine Taylor; Jenna Dewan-Tatum; Dita Von Teese; Kate Mara; and Chord Overstreet from the cast of Glee. Garden of Life® participated in the launch by providing RAW Protein and Extra Virgin Coconut Oil supplements that are included in several smoothies on the GLOW menu, which features a “Glowing Green Smoothie” that is Drew’s favorite beauty libation. “I’m a green drink fanatic,” confessed Drew. “As a new mom, I live and worship Kim’s program. I actually learned from her how to take care of myself, and I make all of her juices at home. It’s an easy system to follow.” Not surprisingly, Drew also endorsed Kimberly’s book, The Beauty Detox Solution, which outlines how to harness energy that is normally wasted in the digestive process to achieve radiant skin, renewed energy and a leaner physique. As a spokeswoman and model for Cover Girl since 2007, Drew’s interest in beauty will ramp up even more next year when she will reportedly launch her own cosmetics line. It will be just one of many projects for the 37-year-old actress, producer, film director, screenwriter and model who has been working since she appeared in a dog food commercial when she was 11 months old. She Was Born This Way Film aficionados and Barrymore fans know that Drew’s Hollywood pedigree reveals an impressive family tree on both sides. Her great-grandparents Maurice Barrymore and Georgie Drew Barrymore, Maurice and Mae Costello, and her grandparents John Barrymore and Dolores Costello, were all stage and screen actors. She is the daughter of John Drew Barrymore, who was regarded as the most talented actor of his generation, and Jaid Barrymore, who was also an actress. As the god-daughter of Steven Spielberg and legendary actress Sophia Loren, Drew could not ignore her acting genes and started appearing in commercials when she was still in diapers. Although Drew’s first movie role was a small one in Altered States in 1980, she captured America’s hearts as the cute and precocious Gertie in Spielberg’s classic tearjerker E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Based on the film’s enormous success, she skyrocketed to fame as one of Hollywood’s top actresses, even though her tumultuous Kimberly Snyder, Celebrity Nutritionist and owner of GLOW Bio. 24 www.GardenofLife.com childhood was plagued with alcohol and drug abuse as well as problems with her family. After several stints in rehab, she penned the autobiography Little Girl Lost in 1990 that detailed how she grew up too fast in Tinsel Town’s limelight, as well as her reasons for filing a court petition for emancipation from her parents, which was granted to her in 1991. Unlike many troubled child stars who are not able to sort out their issues and pursue acting as adults, Drew was a notable exception with several box office hits during her teens and young adulthood, including Poison Ivy, Bad Girls, Boys on the Side and Everyone Says I Love You. During the 1990s, she also starred in several romantic comedies such as 50 First Dates and The Wedding Singer. By then, her wild and rebellious days were over, and she was ready to be a major player in Hollywood by starting her own production company. The Barrymore Brand In 1997, Drew decided to take control of her career by forming her own production company called Flower Films. Her first film was Never Been Kissed, followed by the box office smash Charlie’s Angels in 2000 that she starred in along with best I try to make movies that I would want to go see rather than ones I would just want to do as an actor,” said Drew. “I want people to have movies full of romance and hope and empowerment—something they can escape into and feel good about. I love happy endings. friend Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. The sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, was released in 2003 when she also won an Emmy for her role in the children’s holiday special Olive, the Other Reindeer, which helped endear her to the name for her daughter. Flower Films also produced 50 First Dates, the baseball comedy Fever Pitch, Music and Lyrics and Lucky You, making Drew one of the most recognizable faces at the box office and earning her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. In 2005, Drew accepted a recurring role in the animated comedy Family Guy, and by 2007, she was gracing the cover of People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful list. Signed by IMG Models in New York City, she was also named a spokesmodel for a new Gucci jewelry line in 2007—in addition to her modeling for Cover Girl. Her popularity was solidified in 2009 when she became the only female to host Saturday Night Live six times. By carefully picking and choosing her own projects, Drew has accumulated a worldwide box office gross estimated at more than $2.3 billion. Recent films include Beverly Hills Chihuahua, He’s Just Not That Into You, Grey Gardens and Everybody’s Fine. In 2010, she won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television film for her poignant role as Little Edie in Grey Gardens. Frequently referred to as the “queen of romantic comedies,” she insists that she selects her projects based on what seems interesting to her at the time. “I try to make movies that I would want to go see rather than ones I would just want to do as an actor,” said Drew. “I want people to have movies full of romance and hope and empowerment—something they can escape into and feel good about. I love happy endings.” Drew’s own happy ending eluded her for years, as her personal life seemed to take a backseat to her career. Brief marriages to bar owner Jeremy Thomas and comedian Tom Green, a five-year relationship with The Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti, and dating actor Justin Long for several years, certainly kept the paparazzi busy. In 2011, it seemed that Drew finally found the man of her dreams and was ready to settle down and start a family. Bringing Up Baby In 2011, Drew met art consultant Will Kopelman, the son of former Chanel CEO Arie Kopelman. The couple became engaged in January 2012 and was married at Drew’s estate in Montecito, California, on June 2, 2012. Drew said she could not wait to start a family and gave birth to Olive Barrymore Kopelman on September 26th. The actress said that she hopes to have several children with Kopelman if everything goes well. “We’ll start with one and see how it goes,” she said. “Then, if we could be so blessed, that would be wonderful.” Drew is so excited about becoming a mom that she has put her acting career on hold to focus on a few other projects that are not as time consuming. She has a vineyard in Italy where she’s developing her own wine label, and she’ll be pursuing her interests in directing and photography. For the first time ever, she doesn’t have to act like anyone but herself, and she’s clearly relishing the role. I’ve been acting my entire life, but directing is great,” she said. “I get to wear my own clothes and then go home to my husband and baby. I’m happy in my own life, so I don’t need to play at being someone else right now. ™ How Can I BENEFIT The Most From My BACTERIA ? The subject for today is probiotics, but we’re skipping the beginner’s course—and assuming we’re talking to the already initiated among us: those who’ve been paying attention to the stacks of studies released over the past couple of decades. For you, terms such as gastrointestinal tract, colon, gut and digestion; and diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, painful stools, and bowel movement; and live bacteria as well as beneficial bacteria are already part of your vocabulary. Now, we want to dive down a little deeper and embark on Probiotics 102—the course that helps you answer the all-important question: How can I benefit the most from my bacteria? Now, all good courses include a mini refresher. So, by way of introduction, let’s review: It all starts at birth when you swallow trillions of probiotics during the trip through your mom’s birth canal. Shortly after your arrival, you are invaded and colonized by billions of tiny bacterial organisms which now live along your digestive tract. These invaders came from multiple sources with vastly different interests and agendas. They all share just By Bruce Topping National Educator & Probiotic Expert Garden of Life® one thing in common—their desire to live, breed and protect their new home inside of your gut. (You are not alone!) Many researchers have pointed out that these organisms are a huge part of our health. In fact, our guts have several pounds of bacteria in them! As diverse as these bacteria are, they boil down quite simply into two camps: the good guys and the bad guys. Both of them pay you rent, so to speak, for their space in your gut. The good guys pay by supporting healthy digestion, aiding in the absorption of nutrients— manufacturing and secreting certain vitamins into the bloodstream, and providing meaningful support to your immune system. In a sense, they also pay for the policing of the dwelling, and one of the best parts about having these good renters is that they keep out the riffraff by: hhelping to digest certain sugars and proteins. h actively depriving the bad invaders of nutrients they need to populate. h strengthening the lining of the gut to help block dangerous invaders from penetrating it. hfacilitating absorption of certain minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron. h helping to relieve occasional bloating, gas and yeast overgrowth.† h manufacturing vitamin K and B vitamins. h stimulating and supporting the immune system.† Clearly, these are good tenants. What about the bad renters? Well, let’s just say that they’re not going to get their security deposit back after having left the place damaged! When you’ve allowed these bad renters in, they tend to produce a great deal of gas, bloating, constipation, painful stools, diarrhea and—well—it goes downhill from there. Your goal, at all times, should be to evict the bad renters and to make more space available for the good ones—restoring a healthy flora balance. This goal is much easier to understand than it is to achieve, however. Why? Well, you knew this was coming: our diet and lifestyle often cater to the opportunistic bad guys and leave less rental space for the good tenants. For example, our environment has changed to such a profound degree with chlorinated water, refined sugar and antibiotics—to name just a few— and our “rental property” wasn’t designed for these conditions. What makes matters worse is that these bad critters are persistent, relentless, sneaky and innumerable. So, balance is a constant daily issue, and it’s never going away. So, what can you do to improve the neighborhood inside of your gut? Well, start with the basics—good bacteria; probiotics; eat to live. Good bacteria’s favorite food is fiber, especially soluble and fermentable fiber, and they especially love to feast on the fiber found in raw organic vegetables, fruits, seeds, whole grains and legumes. This is one of the reasons that folks who eat fruits and vegetables live longer and have healthier immune systems.† While you’re at it, make sure your diet includes plenty of probiotic-rich fermented foods such as kefir and yogurt, kimchi and homemade pickles. These foods are known to help correct dysbiosis—an imbalance in digestive flora. Throughout history, our ancestors ate these foods virtually every day with no antibiotics or pesticides in their food or water. We need probiotics more than our ancestors did, yet we consume less of them. What are the bad guys’ favorite munchies? Unsurprisingly, they thrive on predominately refined grains, along with processed foods and refined sugars. For many people, these items make up the majority of their calories every day! It’s your mission to limit these in your diet if you want to achieve a healthy balance of internal flora. In addition to watching your diet, you should strongly consider a daily probiotic supplement. If you do, then you should look for a raw, whole food probiotic supplement that is designed for your exact needs. Why RAW? Well, to be blunt—heat kills. Heat is one of the ways to kill bacteria, both good and bad. Consider again that your gut is now home to millions of renters. And you are on a mission to improve the property values “down under” by evicting the bad guys and replacing them with good renters. Obviously, it is important for the new tenants to be alive and intact when they show up, rather than sick, depressed—or worse. So, if you are trying to introduce new, beneficial bacteria into your digestive system to help achieve and maintain balanced flora, then start by looking in the store cooler. Look for a product that is carefully manufactured in a climate- and humidity-controlled environment, stored in a cool warehouse, shipped cold and kept in the store’s cooler rather than on the store’s shelf. After all, you want high-quality, healthy, “living” renters paying daily for their space in your gut. What’s so important about whole foods? Whole foods such as kefir, yogurt, fruits and vegetables naturally contain an enormous diversity of beneficial probiotics that have been present throughout human history. We are talking about diversity of species and strains, not just a few isolated probiotic strains in a laboratory. Whole foods typically contain dozens of beneficial probiotic organisms peacefully coexisting and offering tremendous benefits for your health. In addition to the probiotic diversity, whole foods are full of enzymes, naturally occurring and probiotic-created vitamins and minerals as well as wholesome beneficial food co-factors such as CoQ10 and glutathione. By contrast, isolated probiotics represent the modern pharmacological approach. They contain very few strains and provide zero vitamins and minerals. So, don’t miss out on all of this extra good stuff found only in whole foods! Now a word about enzymes. You may recall from Biology 101 that enzymes are the working factories inside of your cells. Many books point out that everything is really a building block—protein, minerals, even vitamins—they’re all building blocks, but it’s the enzymes that do all the work in the body. In fact, there are thousands of enzymes that drive trillions of chemical reactions every second. They are fragile, and just like with probiotics, heat snuffs them out pretty quickly. But when you take care of them, you find an amazingly powerful workhorse in the enzyme kingdom. Enzymes actually live and work inside of every living cell, including the cells that make up beneficial bacteria—probiotics. Some experts suggest that the bewildering array of proven benefits is due largely to enzymes that probiotics manufacture. They cause probiotics to grow, reproduce and create energy. What would your probiotic be without an enzyme? It would be like trying to take a Maserati for a spin without the engine—it may look good, but it’s not getting you anywhere. ™ Which RAW PROBIOTICS™ Formula is RIGHT for YOU? Okay. So, you’re convinced you want to supplement your diet with a RAW, whole food probiotic every day. And you want one that is loaded with probiotic-rich kefir, yogurt, fruit and vegetables and includes a heaping dose of live, active enzymes. You also like the idea of filling your body with raw, probiotic-created vitamins and minerals. Clearly, you want RAW Probiotics from Garden of Life® shipped with our industry-leading ARRIVE ALIVE! potency promise which ensures high-potency through the expiration date rather than just the time of manufacture. Which RAW Probiotics formula was designed with you in mind? Q A Are you looking for a well-rounded, comprehensive probiotic formula with record-setting diversity and unmatched attention to detail in production and manufacture for your general health goals? If you answered yes, then you want one of our original RAW Probiotics support formulas, each teeming with 85 billion LIVE active probiotics representing over 30 different beneficial strains, like the diversity found in nature, blended with a heaping serving of RAW fruits, vegetables, enzymes, probiotic-rich kefir and yogurt as well as 17 probiotic- RAW Probiotics Men: • helps maintain digestive and immune system health.† • helps maintain a healthy heart, prostate and healthy stress management.† RAW Probiotics Women 50 & Wiser: • helps maintain digestive and immune system health.† • supports healthy cholesterol levels, healthy thyroid and breast health.† RAW Probiotics Men 50 & Wiser: •helps maintain digestive and immune system health.† •helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, prostate health and healthy blood sugar.† created vitamins and minerals. RAW Probiotics Kids: RAW Probiotics Women: • helps maintain digestive and immune system health.† • helps maintain breast and thyroid health and overall vaginal health.† (does not include yogurt, kefir or added vitamins and minerals) •is a daily whole food probiotic. •helps maintain digestive and immune system health.† •is USDA Certified Organic. •is a pleasant and mild-tasting powder. Q A Are you a woman who has recurrent battles with vaginal health? If you answered yes, then during those times consider adding our RAW Probiotics Vaginal Care formula with clinically studied strains targeted just for this purpose. It’s formulated with 50 billion LIVE active probiotics representing 38 different beneficial strains, blended with raw fruits, vegetables, enzymes, and probiotic rich kefir and yogurt. Q Are you someone who suffers with poor colon health and desires to shift the population of the ecosystem to help support your digestive health and immune system over a 30-day timeframe? If you answered yes, then during those times, consider adding our RAW Probiotics Ultimate Care formula. It’s formulated with 100 billion LIVE active probiotics representing 34 different beneficial strains—especially high in bifidobacterium—and blended with raw fruits, vegetables, enzymes and probiotic-rich kefir and yogurt. A Vaginal Care: Ultimate Care: • contains scientifically studied •is a high bifido formula including strains to support vaginal and urinary tract health.† the clinically studied Replenish Blend featuring four clinically studied strains, making it your ultimate probiotic in times of challenge helping to repopulate your gastrointestinal tract with good bacteria.† • is a whole food probiotic, including a unique yeastdigesting enzyme blend. • is a once-daily, small vegetarian capsule. •includes a protein-digesting enzyme support blend.† •is perfect after completion of a cleanse program or on the road when traveling.† Q Are you experiencing occasional gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation? Are you looking for a probiotic to support better, more frequent and comfortable bowel movements? DOES life has you temporarily focused on the state of your colon health? If you answered yes, then during those times, consider adding our RAW Probiotics Colon Care formula. If you haven’t tried the remedy used for thousands of years to help your gut, then where have you been? Good bacteria is where colon health begins. It’s formulated with 50 billion LIVE active probiotics representing 33 different beneficial strains, blended with raw fruits, vegetables, enzymes, and probiotic rich kefir and yogurt. A Colon Care: • features 3 clinically studied strains to promote regular, healthy and comfortable movements.† • is a high bifido formula including clinically studied strains to help relieve occasional GI distress.† • provides 17 digestive enzymes to support healthy digestion and assimilation of nutrients.† • is a once-daily, small vegetarian capsule. •is a once-daily, small vegetarian capsule. Q A Are you someone who has a focused desire to support your digestive health and immune system over a five-day timeframe? If you answered yes, then during those times, consider adding our RAW Probiotics 5-Day Max Care formula. It’s a unique USDA Organic, mild powder probiotic with 400 billion LIVE active cultures representing 34 different beneficial strains, blended with raw fruits, vegtetables and enzymes. 5-Day Max Care: • is a high bifido formula including the clinically studied Replenish A to Z Blend featuring four clinically studied strains, making it your ultimate complementary probiotic to achieve balance—helping to repopulate your gastrointestinal tract with good bacteria.† • includes a broad-spectrum enzyme support blend.† • is perfect after completion of a cleanse program or on the road when traveling.† • is a once-daily, powder serving. ™ Fred’s First Triathalon By almost anyone’s estimation, 38-year-old Fred Hartman was at the top of his game. A successful oral and maxillofacial surgeon with a thriving practice in Providence, Rhode Island, Fred also had a lovely wife, two young boys and a house in a picturesque neighborhood to round out his American dream. In his spare time, he was involved with several charities, volunteered with the local Boy Scout troop and even traveled to faraway places such as Cambodia to repair cleft palates for needy children and families. While he often felt stretched to the limit while juggling the demands of his career and family, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. Luckily, through a chance encounter with a colleague, Fred discovered triathlons. By Rhonda Price “I was organizing a charity event for uninsured medical and dental patients and invited a few people,” he said. “One guy told me he couldn’t make it because he was participating in a triathlon that day. For some reason, I thought that sounded pretty cool!” Growing up in Florida, Fred was an avid surfer, a fairly good swimmer and played on his high school soccer team. Over the years, while he was attending college, medical school and starting a family, there had been little time to think about sports, and he’d resorted to squeezing in a few sporadic workouts at the gym. Still, he was in reasonable shape—there was no middle-age spread or health problems— so there was nothing standing in his way of becoming a triathlete, except one very skeptical wife. Neile Hartman knew her husband’s schedule was already overflowing with commitments, so she asked exactly how he was going to add months of triathlon training to his schedule. Although he wasn’t entirely sure how he’d pull it off, somehow Fred knew that if he didn’t snatch this opportunity at this moment, it might get lost forever. So, he explained to his wife that it wouldn’t be easy, but that he would somehow fit in extra hours of training without neglecting his family orjob responsibilities because he just really wanted to do this. That’s how Fred suddenly found himself waking up at 4:30 some mornings so he could drive to the gym in total darkness and swim a mile in the pool as the sun was coming up. He’d hurry back home just in time to grab breakfast, help his wife get the kids off to school and scramble out to tackle his surgeries for the day at Rhode Island Hospital where he was a staff member. After ten hours or so of removing wisdom teeth, aligning jaws and prescribing treatments for tongue cancer, he rushed to attend evening classes at a nearby YMCA, where he and other newbies learned the basics of preparing for triathlons. Fred’s goal was to compete in the Amica Sprint Triathlon held in Newport, which was three months away. He learned that a sprint triathlon is not as long as a regular triathlon, which usually consists of a .093 mile swim, a 25-mile bike ride and a 6.2 mile run. Sprints offer a gentler introduction to the sport and typically draw more casual competitors with a halfmile swim, 16-mile bike ride and a 5K run. Nevertheless, it was a challenge for Fred, who was used to standing all day in a surgical suite, but never pushing his body for two hours straight with intense exercise. “I had never even worked out for two hours before starting the class,” admitted Fred. “I felt like I was a good swimmer, but I had not ridden a bicycle in years, and I wasn’t used to running. Some days I ™ would run sprints, and then I gradually built up to longer runs. Cycling was the most difficult thing for me because there was a lot more technique involved.” In addition to adapting to the rigorous training routine, Fred realized his diet would have to be revamped in order to provide enough energy and nutrition for his new activities. Prior to triathlon training, he usually scarfed down an English muffin or cereal for breakfast. After a few hours at work, he’d be irritable and hungry, but would always grab a sandwich or anything he could get his hands on. For dinner, he would finally have a healthy, cooked meal with his family, but by then, his energy levels were almost depleted. Clearly, if he hoped to succeed, Fred knew that he would have to figure out the nutritional component of competing in triathlons. “Figuring out what to eat, how much and when to eat it was the trickiest part of my training,” he said. “I had to calculate how many calories I was burning and then estimate how much I’d have to eat to replenish them. In addition, I realized I needed to add a lot more protein, nutrients and minerals to my diet. That’s when I went to a health food store to get some advice about protein drinks and shakes.” Roaming the aisles of health food stores, Fred noticed that all protein drinks and meal replacement shakes were not created equal. Confusing labels and impossible-to-pronounce ingredients made him realize he wanted plantbased protein with no binders or fillers. After a few hits and misses with protein concoctions, co-workers at Fred’s office and at the hospital noticed that he was always carrying around a shaker cup with some unidentifiable stuff in it. The “stuff” was RAW Meal from Garden of Life®, which Fred discovered was the missing link to his nutritional puzzle. Packed with 34 grams of protein per serving, RAW Meal ensured that he was no longer cranky and hungry before lunch time. It also helped fuel his workouts, which he immediately noticed because he no longer felt fatigued after the first hour. “Before I started using RAW Meal, I used to get a huge energy slump after the first hour of training,” he said. “This made it difficult for me to keep going, so lots of times I would feel like I couldn’t get through another hour. After I added RAW Meal to my routine, I sailed through my workouts with no problem and had energy to spare!” 32 After a few months of training and using RAW Meal, Fred realized he was in the best shape of his life. As his diet improved, he was able to sleep better and feel refreshed every morning. Best of all, it was time for the triathlon, and he was eager to compete. On the day of the race, Fred joined ranks with 640 other entrants and felt like he was part of something special. A few participants with fancy $10,000 road bikes intimidated him a bit, but he made a mental note to look for a better bike in the future. After registration and a quick pep talk from his wife, it was time to put on his wet suit and get ready for the swim. Suddenly, there he was—slicing through the chilly current of the Atlantic—and it was all so invigorating and exciting, except for the fact that throngs of other swimmers kept unknowingly kicking him in the head. Although he ducked and dodged the blows, he realized if he wasn’t careful, that he would soon need his own oral surgeon to straighten out his injured jaw. “In our class, we were warned about the hazards of swimming with crowds,” he said. “But nothing really prepares you for hundreds of flailing arms and legs in such close proximity. It was a big difference from swimming by myself at the gym!” At some point while getting clobbered during the half-mile swim, Fred’s adrenaline also kicked in. He surged ahead of many of the swimmers in his age group and felt confident when he emerged from the water and ran to his bike. That’s when he encountered an unforeseen wardrobe malfunction and wasted precious time fumbling with his bike helmet. People were zooming by him on their bikes, and he was frustrated that he had lost his lead. Determined to make up for lost time, he started furiously pedaling his bike, forgetting all about the proper technique he had learned in class. “I was so excited that I forgot to pedal more with my heels and used too much of my calf muscles,” he said. “I thought I was okay—until I was finished cycling and it was time for me to run. I almost fell over and could hardly stand up when I first started running, and all I could think was, What’s wrong with my legs?” Somehow, Fred managed to shake off the cramps and run the last leg of the triathlon. He crossed the finish line in one hour and 50 minutes, which landed him in the middle of the pack for his age group. It was immensely satisfying to grab his RAW Meal recovery drink and to get high-fives and hugs from his wife and family. It was also rewarding for him to realize that this was his first, but not his last, triathlon. “I loved the competition and the huge sense of accomplishment I felt when I crossed the finish line,” he said. “I’d recommend it to anyone because it’s such a rush!” Currently training for a half Ironman next year, Fred is stepping up his game to prepare for the event. He’s modified his workouts to prepare for the longer distances, and he’s plotting how to level the playing field by overcoming what could be a difficult hurdle. “Somehow, I have to convince my wife that spending $3,500 for a better road bike is the right thing to do,” he said. “I absolutely must get another bike!” NON GMO VERI Project FIE D no ngmoproject.org ™ Garden of Life® Weight Management THRIVE! Pack A perfect way to start a new diet— cleansing the body of toxins. RAW Cleanse™ The Skinny: In and of itself, cleansing won’t help you lose weight. However, if you’re starting a new diet, using a cleanse at the outset can be beneficial. Removing unwanted toxins from the body is not only healthy, but it can also allow your body to function more efficiently, which can be extremely helpful when trying to manage weight. Why RAW Cleanse: RAW Cleanse is one of the most complete digestive cleanse products on the market. The 3-step cleanse starts with oral and intestinal probiotics, moves on to the digestive tract for natural detoxification of the main organ systems, and ends with the capture and removal of toxins in the digestive tract. Best of all, since it’s RAW with no binders, fillers or synthetic ingredients, it doesn’t introduce any new toxins to the body. When to Use: RAW Cleanse is the perfect way to start a new diet. After that, cleansing 3 to 4 times a year is recommended as a way to remove the toxins that have accumulated over time. Will this be the year your weight loss goals finally stick? Every January, thousands of people make the commitment to lose weight. And every year, a majority of those commitments go unfulfilled. Many people look at “weight loss season” as something they will try and survive. At Garden of Life, we don’t want you to simply “survive,” we want you to THRIVE! Weight Management is never about “just one thing.” Instead, proper weight management combines healthy diet, efficient exercise and sensible supplementation. In order to THRIVE!, you need to pay attention to all aspects of weight management. While achieving a healthy diet and managing to exercise frequently are are difficult to keep up with, smart supplementation is often the most confusing issue. Those committed to weight management often ask themselves: What should I take? When should i take it? The Garden of Life® Weight Management THRIVE! Pack was designed to take the guesswork out of weight management supplementation. Whatever your weight management supplement need, we’ve got you covered. Contains RAW green coffee bean extract AND RAW concentrated fucoxanthin in ONE product! Daily multivitamin containing Ashwagandha to help reduce stress-related over-eating and cravings. fücoTHIN® GREEN Vitamin Code® Perfect Weight™ The Skinny: Lifestyle changes regarding diet and exercise often come with a need for additional nutritional support. Multivitamins such as Vitamin Code Perfect Weight are a great way to supply your body with the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it requires to function at its best. The Skinny: If you watch the Dr. Oz Show, then no doubt you’ve heard of two hot ingredients and the promise they have shown in clinical studies focused on weight loss. First was a proprietary blend of fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil called Xanthigen®. Second, was the clinically researched Why Vitamin Code Perfect Weight: Besides providing green coffee bean extract known as Svetol®. fücoTHIN original RAW, food-created vitamins and minerals, Vitamin Code formula, containing Xanthigen, has been the top-selling weight Perfect Weight contains higher levels of minerals known management product in health food stores over the last six years. to help regulate blood sugar levels, which is so crucial for Now, only fücoTHIN GREEN contains both of these clinicallyweight management efforts. Ashwagandha is also included studied ingredients. That means you get the weight loss benefits to help reduce stress-related overeating and cravings for of an increased metabolism (Xanthigen) while supporting the sugar and carbohydrates. body’s natural ability to metabolize sugars (Svetol), rather than When to Use: Preferably twice a day, with or without food. convert them into fat storage—helping in weight loss without jitters, nervousness or other side effects associated with products that rev up your nervous system. There are no diuretic effects or laxative effects, either, unlike many other options on the market. Why fucoTHIN GREEN: Simply put, fücoTHIN GREEN is the only formula available in health food stores that uses the exact formulas used in clinical studies. When you hear Dr. Oz and others reference clinical studies with fucoxanthin or green coffee bean extract, they are referencing the exact ingredients is used in fücoTHIN GREEN. (For more information on fücoTHIN GREEN and results of the studies, see page 36.) When to Use: Take one capsule 3 times daily at the beginning of each main meal. It is important to take it consistently for optimum results. Low-fat, highprotein and high-fiber meal replacement. RAW Meal The Skinny: It may very well be the hardest part of any weight management program. Finding healthy on-the-go meals is a challenge for any diet, which is why meal replacements are so popular. A good one can fill you up, provide just the right amount of calories to keep your energy raised and provide you with the key nutrients your body needs to thrive. Why RAW Meal: RAW Meal is the only RAW, USDA Certified Organic, 100% vegan meal replacement available in health food stores. One serving contains 26 different superfoods providing 34 grams of protein, 17 digestive enzymes, 9 grams of fiber, 2.5 grams of healthy fats, good probiotic bacteria and 20 whole food vitamins and minerals. Just as important is what’s NOT included in RAW Meal. It is gluten free, dairy free and lactose free and has no fillers, no synthetic nutrients, no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no preservatives and is non-GMO. When to Use: Any time of day when you are looking to replace a normal meal with a low-calorie, high-protein and high-fiber meal replacement. Exercise buffs Great postlove to take workout drink Wobenzym N to help build between workouts and rebuild to relieve sore muscle that has muscles. been exerted. RAW Protein Wobenzym® N The Skinny: Muscle is the enemy of fat, and building lean muscle mass requires protein. Every weight management program should have an exercise component, and whether your exercise requires heavy lifting, endurance exercise or a combination of both, your body requires protein to help build and rebuild muscle that has been exerted through exercise. The Skinny: Systemic enzymes such as Wobenzym N won’t help you lose any weight at all, so why are they mentioned here? Well, one of the biggest obstacles to any weight management program is overcoming the normal everyday aches and pains that are associated with exercise. Why RAW Protein: RAW Protein is the #1 selling protein in health food stores for good reasons. Packing 17g of Protein it is the only RAW, USDA Certified Organic, nonGMO, vegan plant protein that contains all of the amino acids necessary for complete protein building. Because it’s RAW, it doesn’t contain any binders, fillers or synthetic ingredients—just the protein your body craves. When to Use: RAW Protein is great any time you want to add a boost of lean, plantbased protein to your diet, but it is especially effective within 30 minutes of exercise, when you need protein to help build and rebuild muscle that has been exerted. Why Wobenzym N: Wobenzym N has been a trusted supplement for over 40 years and has been involved in numerous clinical studies. Wobenzym N provides temporary relief from aches, pain and muscle soreness due to everyday activity†; supports the body’s natural inflammation response; leads to increased flexibility and mobility†; and supports overall joint and tendon health.† Many exercise buffs love to use Wobenzym N between workouts to relieve sore muscles faster and to help them get back on the field or in the gym. When to Use: Wobenzym N should be taken twice daily, on an empty stomach and with water. Clinical studies show that Wobenzym N works best when taken over time. ™ When it Comes to Weight Loss— Two Really are Better than One By Jay Bugai B.S. Clinical Nutrition National Educator, Garden of Life® NON GMO ® VERI Project FIE D no ngmoproject .org Some things just belong together—peanut butter and jelly, Kermit and Miss Piggy, sugar and spice, algae and coffee. Okay, so algae and coffee are not a famous pairing yet, but that’s all about to change. Recently, America’s doctor, Mehmet Oz, featured two powerful, clinically studied ingredients to help America in the battle of both of these ingredients in the the right ratio, make up Xanthigen and were same powerful product—until now. studied over a 16-week period in 150 overweight Let’s first take a look at Xanthigen. and obese Eastern European women. They all the bulge. First, was a proprietary preparation The fucoxanthin in Xanthigen is a powerful followed a 1,800-calorie per day diet. Some of of fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil type of antioxidant called a carotenoid—or the women were given a placebo, while others called Xanthigen . Second, was a clinically a pigment—that naturally colors vegetables. took Xanthigen. This “Gold Standard” study had researched green coffee bean extract known This particular fucoxanthin comes from a amazing results. The women taking Xanthigen as Svetol®. These ingredients were profiled— unique brown seaweed harvested in the lost 14.5 pounds on average, while the women and their clinical studies discussed—on pristine cold waters off the coast of taking the placebo lost only three pounds.† entirely different episodes of the Dr. Oz Portugal and is extracted through a Show. Perhaps that’s because each of these proprietary coldwater process to preserve was what it did not do. The antioxidant power researched ingredients works independently and concentrate its potency. It’s then of Xanthigen increased the study participants’ to help make your diet and exercise program combined with cold-pressed oil from the metabolism without having a stimulant effect. more effective.† Or, maybe they were not seeds of pomegranates. That means no jitters, no sleeplessness and ® profiled together because you could not buy These two ingredients, blended at just Just as exciting as what Xanthigen could do no irritability. Just how does Xanthigen work? It works at a cellular level with what’s termed “nuclear receptor” cells—specifically, the nuclear receptor cells responsible for fat formation and storage. These cellular processes have been intensely studied and go by the names adipogenesis and lipogenesis. Essentially, the antioxidants in Xanthigen speed up these cells’ processes, helping them to burn more—and store less—fat. That’s how it helps the body to lose weight. Now, let’s examine Svetol®—a RAW, On average, the group taking Svetol lost 10.9 pounds over the 60-day period, while the placebo group lost only 5.4 pounds. Svetol worked because it supported the body’s natural ability to metabolize sugars, rather than convert them into fat storage— helping in weight loss and body slimming. What’s more is that it did so without having any stimulant effects because the fresh, unripe green coffee bean is naturally decaffeinated. Then there’s the RAW effect. Why does that matter? Interestingly enough, about half of the green coffee bean is made of polysaccharides, such as mannans and decaffeinated green coffee bean extract arabinogalactans. Roasting (heat) destroys these nutrients, so that has been standardized to 50 percent they’re not found in traditional brewed coffee—only the green chlorogenic acid content. coffee beans. Coffee’s “roots” go back to the 13th century, when it was discovered by Ethiopian goat herders in the province of Kaffe. Over the centuries, people not only loved the coffee beverage, but also associated it with various health benefits—and a few challenges. Until recently, both the good and the bad were primarily tied to the caffeine in the coffee. Not long ago, however, the chlorogenic acid residing in the raw, unprocessed green coffee bean came to light as a powerful, high-antioxidant polyphenol with some unique properties. Chlorogenic acid—the powerhouse of Svetol—is mostly associated with Do you see the connection? Xanthigen ® supports metabolism and thermogenesis through its antioxidant power. Svetol® supports the body’s maintenance of healthy glucose levels through its antioxidant power. Both help make diet and exercise more effective—using two different mechanisms—all without undesirable stimulant side effects. A marriage of equals, finally together in one unique product— fücoTHIN® GREEN. fücoTHIN GREEN is the winning combination of clinically slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream after meals. Why does studied ingredients brought to you only by Garden of Life®—the that matter? Well, your body wants to maintain its healthy blood glucose first and only company to introduce Xanthigen® in 2007. Trusted levels. It wants to decrease the intestinal absorption of glucose from foods by millions over the years, fücoTHIN we eat and decrease the secretion of insulin after digestion, until the blood is a perennial best-selling natural sugar levels naturally decline. Specifically, we’re talking about the lowered supplement to support your weight levels of blood sugar that regularly occur in healthy people—not the more management goals. In 2010, Garden chronic conditions associated with blood sugar such as hypoglycemia, of Life introduced the world to the hyperglycemia, diabetes and so on. In healthy people, throughout the day, power of Raw Svetol—Slimpure™— blood sugar levels go up and down and the body works hard to keep them in Diet 360®, also a best-selling regulated to “healthy” levels—and that’s where Svetol comes in. weight management supplement. The cholorogenic acid in Svetol has been clinically shown to support Now, we bring you the innovation the body’s natural process for metabolizing sugar (glucose). In fact, Svetol you’ve been waiting for—the has been the subject of six studies—including a Gold Standard, double- joining of fücoTHIN® and Svetol® blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical study featuring 50 participants with a Decaffeinated Green Coffee BMI of 25 or higher (overweight, but not obese). Bean Extract. Two really are better than one, so try fücoTHIN® GREEN. u o se I H r Healthy e ng w re Recipes Po d ien With ts ™ FL AX SE ED s QUINOA CINNAMON Almonds & PECANS MUSTARD POWDER PIN E SEA SALT NU TS CAYENNE PEPPER 38 www.GardenofLife.com Recipe Section Photography Shot by Brian Coughter www.briancoughter.com What a tasty way to maintain a healthy weight! Quinoa Porridge Quinoa Kale Slaw Makes about 2 cups Ingredients: Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups quinoa 2 1/4 cups chicken stock 2 teaspoons salt, divided 1 /4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 small red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely diced 1 large garlic clove 1 /2 cup chopped red onion 1 /2 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon Tabasco or hot sauce 1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped 2 Tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds /2 cup quinoa /4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 1/2 cups almond milk 1 /2 cup water 2 Tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla pinch of sea salt 1 1 Directions: Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa, season with cinnamon and cook until toasted, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add almond milk, water, honey, vanilla and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until porridge is thick and grains are tender, about 25 minutes. Add more water, if needed. Stir occasionally, especially at the end, to prevent burning. Recipe courtesy of Dr. Josh Axe (www.draxe.com) ALT (Avocado, Lettuce and Tomatoes) Wraps Serves 8 Ingredients: 8 whole grain sprouted wraps Filling: 2 avocados, sliced 1 cup alfalfa sprouts Mrs. Dash® seasoning, to taste 2 cups mixed greens 2 tomatoes, sliced Flaxnaise: 1 /4 cup golden flaxseeds, soaked or 1/2 cup of Garden of Life’s® Super Seed® 1 cup filtered water 2 teaspoons ground mustard powder 1 /4 cup lemon juice 1 Tablespoon raw honey 1 /2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt Directions: Prepare filling ingredients. To make flaxnaise, grind flaxseeds to a meal or use Garden of Life Super Seed. Blend ingredients in a blender. Texture should be smooth and not a jelly-like texture. Add filtered water to prevent thickening. Fill wraps with filling and drizzle immediately with flaxnaise. Serve. Recipe courtesy of Chef Mandilyn Canistelle Directions: Bring quinoa, stock and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa grains sprout, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and olive oil and toss to coat. Cool slightly. Add remaining ingredients, except for the kale, and toss to combine. Stir in the kale. Top with pumpkin seeds and serve warm or at room temperature. Recipe courtesy of Dr. Josh Axe (www.draxe.com) Honey-Garlic Chicken SERVES 4 Ingredients: 12 Tablespoons honey 12 Tablespoons lemon juice 5 Tablespoons organic tamari sauce 3 Tablespoons chicken broth 6 garlic cloves, mashed 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Directions: Mix honey, lemon, tamari sauce, chicken broth and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture. Prick chicken breasts several times with a fork, and place in remaining mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove chicken and discard remaining marinade. Grill over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes on each side, occasionally basting with reserved 1/2 cup marinade. Recipe courtesy of Nicki Rubin ™ Peaches are a great Source of Vitamins A & C Arugula with Balsamic Peaches and Goat Cheese Ingredients: Salad: Directions: Salad: 1Tablespoon honey 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 peaches, cut into wedges 1 pound baby arugula, rinsed 1 shallot, sliced thin 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted 1 bunch purple basil, cut into thin strips 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 Tablespoon honey and vinegar; add peaches and coat. In large pan, sear peaches over medium heat for about 2 1/2 minutes per side or until peaches are caramelized. Remove and let cool. In a large bowl, toss together peaches, arugula, shallot, almonds, basil and 1 /2 cup of the dressing. Serve with 1 ounce goat cheese on top. DRessing: /3 cup yogurt /2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Dressing: Whisk together 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard all ingredients or combine 2 teaspoons honey in a Mason jar. 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 /2 cup extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 1 1 Recipe courtesy of Dr. Josh Axe (www.draxe.com) Crispy Pecans Makes 4 cups Ingredients: 4 cups of raw pecan halves 1 teaspoon Herbamare® Filtered water with 2 Tablespoons cultured whey (to cover pecans) Directions: Soak pecans in salt and filtered water and cultured whey mixture for at least 7 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander. Spread pecans on two stainless steel baking pans and place in a warm oven (no more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit) for 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally, until completely dry and crisp. Store in an airtight container for healthy snacking. Note: For raw nuts or seeds, add 1 Tablespoon sea salt, 2 Tablespoons cultured whey and cover with water. Leave at room temperature for at least 6 to 8 hours. You can air dry them on a towel, but it takes longer than Recipe courtesy of Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions Recipe Section Photography Shot by Brian Coughter www.briancoughter.com Tuna Tahini Salad All recipes are to be completed using USDA organic and Non-GMO ingredients When Possible. Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients: 2 large cans water-packed tuna, drained and flaked 1 /2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups tahini sauce (see recipe below) 4 medium onions, thinly sliced melted butter and extra virgin olive oil 1 /3 cup toasted pine nuts cilantro sprigs, for garnish toasted, sprouted or sourdough bread or sprouted crackers Directions: Mix tuna with cayenne pepper and 1 cup sauce. Meanwhile, strew the onions on an oiled cookie sheet, brush with mixture of melted butter and olive oil, and bake at 375 degrees until crispy. Mound tuna on a platter. Scatter onions and pine nuts on top. Garnish with cilantro and serve with dehydrated, sprouted whole grain crackers and remaining sauce. Tahini SAUCE Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 /2 cup tahini 1 Tablespoon unrefined flaxseed oil 1 cup water 1 /2 cup fresh lemon juice Directions: Place garlic in food processor with salt. Blend until minced. Add tahini and flaxseed oil and blend. Using attachment that allows addition of liquids drop by drop, and with motor running, add water. When completely blended, add lemon juice all at once and blend until smooth. Sauce should be the consistency of heavy cream. If too thick, add more water and lemon juice. Recipe courtesy of Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions Made WITH GARDEN OF LIFE’s CHOCOLATE RAW PROTEIN Brownie Delights Ingredients: 1 can rinsed black beans 3 Tablespoons vanilla extract 1 Tablespoon Garden of Life extra virgin coconut oil 10 drops of liquid stevia OR 3 pitted Medjool dates 1 /4 cup unsweetened almond milk 2 Tablespoons chia seeds 3 scoops Garden Of Life Chocolate RAW Protein powder A HIGH PROTEIN GUILT-FREE TREAT! Directions: Add all of these ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add in a bit more almond milk to smooth out if you are eating it raw. Smooth into a non-stick pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Wait until they cool, and cut into bars and wrap up for a yummy, guilt-free treat! Recipe courtesy of Garden of Life-sponsored athlete Erin Moubray Volume 17 2013 41 ™ FIBER for Healthy Aging The passage of time leaves many physical marks, such as greying hair or fine lines—and people pay a lot of attention to these. There are other signs of aging, however, that can more significantly impact overall health, but because we can’t physically see them, we don’t do much about them. Take, for instance, the aging of our digestive systems. Nearly everyone over the age of 40 encounters some decline in digestive function. It may be a slower metabolism, not being able to eat some foods we once enjoyed or irregularity from a digestive system that doesn’t function as efficiently as it once did. While we may be concerned with greying hair and fine lines, we should be more focused on our aging digestive systems. After all, the ability to get nutrients from food—the main purpose of the digestive systems—is a primary defense against age-related health issues. Interestingly, one of the best pieces of health advice as we age is to “eat more fiber,” but an aging digestive system is not the only area that benefits from fiber. Muscle function does as well, which, in turn, greatly impacts digestion. Anyone who exercises regularly understands that muscles don’t function as well with age. What starts out as soreness morphs into less strength. Simply put, as we age, our muscles get weaker. So, what does that have to do with fiber and the digestive system? Everything—and here’s why. Food moves through the digestive system in a process known as peristalsis— the contraction and relaxation of digestive tract muscles. Like any of our muscles, the ones in the digestive tract work less efficiently with age, resulting in food moving more slowly through the digestive system, constipation and other digestive irregularities. Fortunately, fiber can help this process. In short, fiber provides the bulk that the contracting and relaxing muscles need to “grab” onto the food and move it through the body. Fiber makes peristalsis much more effective, which is especially useful as we age. So, make sure you focus on healthy aging—from the inside out—with fiber. RAW Fiber™ Garden of Life® RAW Fiber is a certified organic, RAW, vegan, daily fiber formula with ingredients specifically selected for their exceptional ability to support digestive health and function.† RAW Fiber is an excellent source of fiber as well as omega-3 fatty acids from flax and chia seeds, and provides six grams of protein per serving. RAW Fiber is a whole food option rather than the typical “fiber-in-a-can” approach! RAW Fiber delivers 9g per serving of fiber from 100% RAW, organic sprouted seeds, grains and legumes—with no harsh fibers such as psyllium, which can be punishing to sensitive colons by sucking up all the moisture and leaving you dried out and bloated. Because it is RAW, you’re also getting nutrition that is uncooked, with no fillers, binders or synthetic ingredients, and no preservatives or artificial sweeteners. As we age, it is particularly important that we feed our body what it needs—and nothing else. RAW Fiber does just that. The benefits of RAW Fiber go beyond typical dietary fiber supplements, supporting digestive and bowel health by helping to maintain a healthy intestinal microbial balance with powerful, clinically studied probiotics for additional digestive support.† RAW Fiber: • supports healthy gut flora balance, regular bowel function, and overall health.† • supports healthy elimination of toxins.† • helps relieve occasional constipation.† • supports healthy cardiovascular function.† • helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels that are already in the normal range.† • helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels that are already in the normal range.† • uses certified organic fiber that does not reintroduce toxins to the digestive tract.† ™ Davita Parks learned early on that health was not something she could take for granted. As an active high school student who stayed busy with cheerleading, gymnastics and dance, she believed she was invincible—like most teens do—and didn’t give her health a second thought. When a sudden, severe asthma attack landed her in the emergency room, she was shocked to discover that she also had pneumonia and her left lung had collapsed. Forced to give up all of her extracurricular activities, she was determined to learn how to be healthy and get her life back. “My body was completely broken down, and I couldn’t breathe on my own for awhile,” she said. “I somehow knew that no one could improve my condition but me, so I was determined to learn everything I could about health and wellness.” Davita’s newfound passions were nutrition, cross training and bodybuilding. After graduating from Arkansas State University, she returned to her home state of Tennessee to pursue a career in personal training while accepting fitness modeling jobs in her spare time. Gracing the pages of magazines such as RxMuscle, World Physique, and Flex, she was also featured on an Aeroba Pro Fitness DVD and other projects while she built up a loyal clientele in her training business. In 2010, she decided to take her training to the next level by competing in bodybuilding competitions. “The level of training for my first show was new to me and completely changed my perception of what it meant to be fit,” she said. “I inadvertently registered for one of the largest shows in North Carolina, and when I arrived there, I was overwhelmed by more than a thousand competitors taking the stage. Although I did not win anything, I was hooked after the first competition and knew I had to do it again!” Since then, Davita has walked away with numerous trophies and regularly competes in shows across the country. Her hectic schedule begins at 4:30 every morning with a Garden of Life® RAW Protein shake to amp up her cardio training. A typical breakfast is oatmeal with fresh berries, hemp seeds and almond milk, while she opts for mixed greens with veggies and a sweet potato or some quinoa for lunch. In the afternoon, she has another RAW Protein shake with almond butter and hemp “My body was completely broken down, and I couldn’t breathe on my own for awhile,” she said. “I somehow knew that no one could improve my condition but me, so I was determined to learn everything I could about health and wellness.” VEGAN Bodybuilder Struts Her Stuff! By Rhonda Price seeds followed by tofu or seitan with chopped veggies for dinner. As a vegan, she gets all the protein she needs from her diet and RAW Protein shakes. “I make sure I’m eating every 3 to 4 hours, and I change my diet every week so I don’t get bored,” she said. “Some of my favorite ‘power’ foods are hemp seeds, chia, green veggies and fruits such as blueberries, acai berries and goji berries because these foods are loaded with antioxidants and are highly digestible.” With the goal of maintaining a slender, healthy and aesthetic physique, Davita prefers CrossFit-or Tabata-style workouts that include conditioning exercises and HIIT, or high intensity interval training. Her workouts are designed to include upper and lower body training to stimulate each muscle group, and she’s currently adding Olympic lifts to her regimen to keep her body guessing. All of the hard work is not only rewarding when she places at competitions, but also because she breathes easier knowing she’s at her absolute best. With her health problems a distant memory, she advises her clients to seek their own motivation. “I tell them to figure out why they want to compete in bodybuilding,” she said. “Unlike other sports, it’s highly subjective, and you never know what judges will think about your physique. For that reason, I think it’s good to compete for yourself and no one else!” Non-GMO Project Verified We recently interviewed Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project. She explains what it takes to be Non-GMO Project Verified—as Garden of Life® is—and why it’s so important. Extraordinary Health™ Magazine: What does Non-GMO verification mean for consumers, companies and all of us? Megan Westgate: Everyone has a right to know what’s in their food and products. In nearly 50 countries, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs (genetically modified organisms). GMOs are the product of genetic engineering that mashes together DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes. Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, no GMO trait offers increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition or any other consumer benefit. Meanwhile, GMOs are connected with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights. Even though a majority of Americans want to know if their food contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby keeps this information from the public. The Non-GMO Project gives consumers the informed choice they deserve. Extraordinary Health™ Magazine: What are the steps in the Non-GMO verification process? Megan Westgate: Our extensive verification process assures that a product has been produced according to consensus-based best practices for GMO avoidance through: • ongoing testing of all at-risk ingredients; any ingredient grown commercially in GMO form is tested prior to use in a verified product. • action threshold of 0.9%. This aligns with laws in the European Union, where products containing more than 0.9% GMO must be labeled. • rigorous traceability and segregation practices (after testing) to ensure ingredient integrity through to the finished product. • a thorough review of ingredient specification sheets to determine absence of GMO risk. • verification maintenance through an annual audit and onsite inspections for high-risk products. Extraordinary Health™ Magazine: What else do people need to know? Megan Westgate: GMOs are present in at least 80 percent of packaged goods sold in the average U.S. grocery store. If you want to avoid GMOs, it’s important to choose products that are Non-GMO Project Verified. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization to help preserve a non-GMO food supply and to give consumers an informed choice. We offer North America’s only third-party verification program for non-GMO. Choosing Non-GMO Project Verified helps ensure that our children and grandchildren have safe, healthy food. There are over 3,000 Non-GMO Project Verified Products currently available. Search for them using our online shopping guide: www.nongmoproject.org/takeaction/search-participating-products Extraordinary Health™ Magazine: What does the future hold for the Non-GMO movement? NON GMO Megan Westgate: In the last 5 years, Non-GMO has become an established trend and core value of the natural and organic products industry. Shoppers increasingly seek out non-GMO products, and in 2011, we hit the $1 billion mark in annual sales of Non-GMO Project Verified products. Non-GMO is also a top trend for 2012, according to SPINS and more. Mambo Sprouts Marketing Research says, “Among consumers who seek out nonGMO foods (66%), a large majority (85%) want food products to be specifically certified and labeled as non-GMO.” The Non-GMO Project label is the only such certification. Extraordinary Health™ Magazine: Any additional insight? Megan Westgate: We want to empower people to make informed choices and to avoid GMOs. In addition to our online shopping guide, here are a couple other key resources we’ve developed: • Our “What is GMO?” page: www.nongmoproject.org/learnmore/what-is-gmo • Our Facebook page: www. facebook.com/nongmoproject • Online submission for product verification request to the brand: www.nongmoproject.org/ take-action/make-a-productverification-request/ VERI Project FIE D no ngmoproject.org “The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization to help preserve a non-GMO food supply and to give consumers an informed choice. We offer North America’s only third-party verification program for non-GMO. Choosing Non-GMO Project Verified helps ensure that our children and grandchildren have safe, healthy food.” Megan Westgate Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project ™ Are YOU Maximizing Your Healthy DIET? The Enzyme Solution My, how a few years changes things. The burgeoning slow-food movement has morphed into a mandate for healthy foods. Discerning parents—and even kids themselves—are turning a critical eye towards school lunches. Whether you agree with it or not, even the government is getting involved. Some states are mandating that calorie counts be published on restaurant menus, and New York City’s soda ban has been well documented. We still have a long way to go because refined, sugary, processed foods are still the norm for many, with foods of convenience taking a heavy toll—more people suffering from debilitating lifestyle diseases at younger ages. The movement to eat healthier leads to an interesting question: What is the next step to eating healthier and being healthier? Unsurprisingly, changing your diet is the first step of many. Good Food vs. Bad Food The impetus to eat healthily is logical. Most people have probably uttered the words, “I need to eat healthier.” Far too often, people ignore that sentiment, but, as noted, times are changing. Why now? Perhaps it’s the looming specter of the long-term health crisis. Or it could be that, as we understand the impact our food choices make on the environment, it’s even more prudent to eat healthier, since your health—and the planet’s health—is affected. Additionally, we know that our children are what we eat, so feeding a child healthy food is a great way to protect their future. Likely, the healthy food movement comes from all these and more. Furthermore, whatever the reason for starting, the goal of eating healthily ends up the same—we eat healthily to be healthy, which is why it’s smart to maximize a healthy diet. Maximized Diet Take a bite of an apple, and you feed your body hundreds of nutrients. Your digestive system will take that bite of fruit, break it down into its constituent nutrients and then disperse those nutrients throughout the body—wherever they’re needed. While you taste that scrumptious apple, your body feeds from a buffet of nutrients. So, how can you maximize the health benefits from consuming nutrientdense foods? By making sure the body can digest and assimilate all the molecules from your foods–which isn’t as easy as it seems. While the digestive system is complex, basically, when food is eaten, it’s broken down into nutrients, which are dispersed throughout the body. The first step to great digestion is to eat great food—nutrient-dense, minimally processed, life-affirming foods. It’s the second step that The Best Part About RAW Enzymes? They’re RAW! They’re uncooked and contain no binders and no fillers—everything your digestive system wants and nothing it doesn’t need. needs addressing, because you can eat the best foods in the world The Enzyme Solution and still have issues breaking down food to get the nutrients. RAW Enzymes™ from Garden of Life® were formulated to make the Let’s review what happens when you eat food—healthy or not. most out of a healthy diet. Make no mistake, though; you need to start Before the food even touches your lips, your body releases enzymes. with a healthy diet. If the goal of eating is to introduce the most nutrients Saliva actually contains enzymes to help break down food and begin possible to the body, that goal is best met by eating nutrient-dense foods. the digestion process. Take how salivary enzymes work on bread, RAW Enzymes exists to aid you after you’ve already made the decision to for example. A piece of bread in your mouth will, at first, taste like eat healthily. RAW Enzymes helps you get the most out of your healthy diet. regular bread, but as the enzymes break down the starch into sugar, RAW Enzymes may also stave off digestive discomfort when you do eat lessthe plain bread begins to taste sweet. As food than-optimal foods—one of the reasons Breaking down food into nutrients is the crux reaches the stomach, it’s churned, and acid that digestive enzymes are so valuable. of digestive function. Unfortunately, several breaks it down further. Additional enzymes Garden of Life’s RAW Enzymes are factors can interfere with breaking down food, including: are then released into the stomach and the among the most potent digestive enzyme rest of the digestive tract. They further break Age— As we age, the body produces less of both stomach formulas available.† Each whole food, acid and digestive enzymes, leaving food much more difficult down the food so that the nutrients can be to digest. plant-based enzyme formula delivers absorbed and assimilated. It’s impossible Refined Diets—It’s more difficult to digest cooked, 22 powerful digestive enzymes with packaged, chemically laden foods than many raw foods. to overstate just how important this is! If unsurpassed enzymatic activity to help Additionally, many raw foods actually contain digestive your body doesn’t properly break down the enzymes that help your body break them down. If you’re not your body digest the complete range of eating those types of foods, then your body must supply all of food, then you can’t use the nutrients that proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber. the digestive enzymes. food contains, which, as mentioned, is the This huge spectrum of enzymes provided Organ & Gland Dysfunction—Digestive enzymes for real answer to why we eat. Additionally, if breaking down food are secreted in the mouth, the stomach, by RAW Enzymes can aid in the digestion the small intestines and by the pancreas. In a cruel ironic twist, enzymes fall short of breaking down food, of dairy, grains, sugars, nuts, seeds, beans, if any of these aren’t functioning well, then digestive enzyme then undigested materials will decay and rot production may be limited, reducing the body’s ability to broccoli and cabbage as well as other break down food and receive nutrients for health, resulting in in the digestive tract—resulting in suffering difficult-to-digest foods. a vicious cycle. and digestive disaster. Amanda Riester Amanda Riester VEGAN Bodybuilder By Rhonda Price For as long as 31-year-old Amanda Riester can remember, she‘s always loved the thrill of competition. As a college student, she competed in wrestling and judo before deciding to become a boxer. During 10 years of competition, she won four Golden Glove titles and qualified for the Olympics in 2000, only to learn that women’s boxing wasn’t approved by enough countries to be counted as a sport that year. Looking for another challenge, the vegan athlete decided to try bodybuilding last year and snagged a first-place trophy in her first competition! “I’m so competitive that I was serious about bodybuilding when I first started training last year,” she said. “My first competition was at The Natural North American Bodybuilding Championships, and I won first place!” As a sponsored Garden of Life® athlete, Amanda uses several of the raw, vegan supplements as part of her daily training routine. She starts each morning with a RAW Meal smoothie consisting of RAW Meal Vanilla, Perfect Food® RAW Chocolate, a banana, four ice cubes and water. She’s lucky enough to live in the mountains near Los Angeles where cardio training consists of “jogs with her dogs” or brisk hiking. A self-professed animal lover with two rescued Pit Bulls and one adopted Westipoo, she also gives her dogs the Perfect Food® Original Green formula. “I love Perfect Food, and I feel amazing when I drink it,” she said. “I use it as a pre-workout drink and even give it to my dogs because they are crazy about it!” In the evenings, Amanda lifts heavy weights and stays true to her boxing roots by hitting a heavy bag. After workouts, she eats an apple and drinks water mixed with RAW Protein Chocolate. “I like RAW Protein because it is great for recovery, and the protein helps rebuild my broken down muscles so they can grow!” she said. “I also like it because even though I’m vegan, my diet is mostly raw foods so the RAW Protein fits perfectly with my diet.” A few weeks prior to competitions, Amanda “carb cycles,” by alternating three servings of carbs one day, two the next and one the following day. She also drinks more water, eliminates all salt and sugar except from fruit, and takes Garden of Life’s Diet 360® to help her shed any extra body fat.† She also prepares mentally for competitions by spending time in prayer and meditation every day. “I’m very spiritual and love being in nature,” she said. “I sleep outside a lot because I feel that moonlight has amazing healing benefits and enlightening energy. I also meditate daily because it helps me imagine and envision what I want to achieve. When people ask me for advice, I always tell them that you can’t win at anything until you can see and feel yourself being victorious!” ™ Garden of Life Sponsors National Omega-3 Index Study ® Last January, Garden of Life sponsored a groundbreaking, large-scale Open Label Human Clinical study with over 200 study participants. The study was conducted over a four-month period, during which the study subjects were monitored for their compliance. The participants were, for the most part, regular users of fish oil. In fact, most of them were health food store employees who were well versed in the benefits of using fish oil. Our goal in the study was to measure—objectively through blood tests—the improvement that participants might derive to their Omega-3 Index by supplementing with a once-daily Minami Minami MorEPA® Platinum Highly Concentrated Omega-3 Fatty Acids Why is it so important to supplement with omega-3 fatty acids? Are they miracle cures or medical marvels? No. They are meeting a deficiency that our modern diet has created in which we consume too many omega-6s from processed grain foods and oils and too little omega-3s from fatty fish such as wild-caught, coldwater tuna and salmon. America is in an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio crisis, and Garden of Life believes we can turn that around. Minami Nutrition® fish oils have five unique qualities in omega-3 supplementation. 1. Dual Supercritical CO2 technology. This technology requires much less heat during concentration than other brands. 2. Concentration and potency. Up to 95% concentrated omega-3s, fewer capsules and less fillers such as saturated fats. 3. Unsurpassed purity. Minami sets the standard for purity with rigorous third-party testing for undetectable levels of dioxins, pesticides and heavy metals. 4. Unique science-based formulas. Minami has participated in 11 clinical studies and uses the latest clinical research to produce fish oils with specific EPA-to-DHA ratios. 5. Environmental stewardship. Minami has achieved the sought-after EMAS certification that audits sustainability from fishing to processing to waste removal to recycling the CO2 . Platinum (now called MorEPA Platinum) softgel. We also wanted to measure more subjective improvements that the participants experienced to their quality of life, including the duration and quality of sleep, potential improvements to mood and concentration, and a host of other important life issues. The initial data and findings are in. “We are beyond thrilled with the results,” said Brian Ray, Garden of Life President. “It is rare that you get to perform a clinical study on an exact supplement formulation—and even more rare that the study provides such dramatic results.” The study is currently being prepared and evaluated by well-known, peerreviewed journals. We will be sure to include updates regarding the release of the results in future publications. Minami MorEPA® Platium is a once-daily formula containing 1100mg total omega-3s, which is more than major health organizations recommend, and it has no saturated fats. It takes three to four capsules of other brands to exceed 1,000mg of omega-3s! MorEPA Platinum also contains 300IUs of vitamin D. All of this is in one easy-to-swallow capsule. Blood Myth We have a fascination with the mythology of blood. Legends of vampires have existed since the Middle Ages, and vampire mythology has experienced a renaissance of late. Up until the 19th century, leeching blood— literally placing leeches on the body to suck blood—was considered medicinal. Ritualistic use of small amounts of blood as body paint or art still take place today. We even use blood to denote the importance of familial relationships, i.e. “Blood is thicker than water.” Clearly, we find blood fascinating. But how much thought do you actually give to the health of your blood? All the time spent watching shows about vampires distracts from the true nature of blood and the primary importance it plays in the body. Simply put, you need healthy blood. Blood Simple The role of blood in the body can be simply in your blood immediately begin the clotting process. Interestingly, the clotting process has stated. Blood transports nutrients and oxygen a dual function—keeping blood in the body to the cells and carries cellular waste products and keeping pathogens out. away from those same cells. However, as with Plasma is the “fluid” part of blood, and as just about everything to do with the human such, it is responsible for carrying nutrients body, it’s much more complex than that. throughout the body. After nutrients enter the Blood is made up of plasma, the fluid body—primarily via the digestive system— portion of blood, as well as red and white those nutrients pass into the bloodstream, mix blood cells, and platelets. The red blood cells with plasma and are then carried to cells in contain hemoglobin, whose primary role is the body—wherever they are needed. Plasma to transport oxygen to cells. That oxygen is also carries cellular waste out of the cells to be basically the fuel that “burns” nutrients for disposed of by the body. energy. The resultant carbon dioxide from You can start to see the multiple functions that process is then transported out of the cell of blood simply by viewing the components by the red blood cells. Hence, blood plays a of blood listed here. That alone should be major role in energy production. enough to make people consider the health of The white blood cells in blood are their blood. However, the function of blood responsible for supporting the immune goes even further. Blood is partly responsible system. They are multifunctional, targeting for producing lymph, the fluid that is tied to bacteria, fungi and parasites, while also the lymphatic system. Additionally, blood flow modulating allergic responses and supporting is regulated by the body to help control body helper cells in the immune system. While temperature in response to outside climate. we don’t often think of blood as supporting Blood is a multifaceted, complex immune function, it clearly plays an component of health whose importance goes important role. far beyond simply transporting nutrients and Perhaps the most well-understood role of removing waste to and from cells. If you want blood is the one that platelets are responsible to build healthy bones and have healthy skin, for. The visceral reaction to seeing your own if you want efficient energy production, if you blood when you have a cut or wound is a need a healthy immune system, then you need familiar one. When that happens, the platelets healthy blood. Blood Healthy Vitamin Code® Healthy Blood from Garden of Life® was formulated to give your body the building blocks it needs to produce healthy blood. Each serving provides RAW, whole food iron (28mg—156% Daily Value) that has been clinically shown to be gentle on the stomach and non-binding,† along with RAW B6 (83% Daily Value) and B12 (750% Daily Value) plus RAW vitamin C (100% Daily Value), to help support cellular transport, absorption and metabolism of these essential nutrients. Healthy Blood also features a RAW Veggie Mineral Blend of 17 RAW, organically grown vegetables, 75 ancient soil-based alkalizing trace minerals, and a RAW Probiotic and Enzyme Blend for optimal digestion.† Blood is built with healthy nutrients, and Vitamin Code Healthy Blood contains the healthiest, RAW vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, probiotics and enzymes. The benefits of Vitamin Code Healthy Blood are, as you would expect, as far reaching as the benefits of blood. Healthy Blood promotes blood circulation, improves physical performance, supports energy increase and helps fight fatigue, and promotes healthy hemoglobin levels. It even promotes bone and skin health.† Simply put, Vitamin Code Healthy Blood is so effective because it affects so much. ™ INGREDIENTS: 5 egg whites 1 serving Garden of Life® RAW Protein Vanilla 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract 1/2 cup favorite fruits stevia (with zero calories) or cinnamon, to taste 1 teaspoon Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil DIRECTIONS: Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth or mix the ingredients with a fork. Cook the pancakes in a non-stick frying pan until light- to golden-brown on both sides. Add your favorite toppings. Recipe courtesy of Toni Lee INGREDIENTS: 1 or 2 scoops Garden of Life RAW Meal 1 banana 1/2 cup pineapple chunks 1 cup plain or vanilla almond milk Optional: 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients in blender for about a minute on high and enjoy. Add an umbrella if you’re outside. If not, pour it in a shaker cup and go! Recipe courtesy of Rhonda Price, Garden of Life Public Relations Director INGREDIENTS: 3 organic kale leaves, stemmed 2 organic celery stalks 1 medium organic zucchini 1 organic kiwi, peeled 1 organic Bartlett pear 1 large organic cucumber ½ organic lime, peeled 1” piece of organic ginger, peeled 1 handful of organic clover sprouts 1 handful of organic parsley 1 scoop Garden of Life Perfect Food® RAW DIRECTIONS: Thoroughly wash and dry all of the vegetables and fruits. Process the kale, celery, zucchini, kiwi, pear, cucumber, lime, ginger, sprouts and parsley in a juicer, according to manufacturer instructions. Mix 8 ounces of the juice with a scoop of the Garden of Life Perfect Food RAW and stir to combine. Serve immediately. Recipe courtesy of Dr. Ken Grey, www.juiceandessence.com INGREDIENTS: 3 cups rolled old-fashioned oats 1 cup of organic peanut butter / cup vanilla almond milk or regular milk 12 1 teaspoon vanilla / cup Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 12 (can also substitute 1/2 cup butter, if you prefer) 1 serving of Garden of Life RAW Protein Vanilla OR Original flavor 1 Tablespoon stevia extract Recipe courtesy of Rhonda Price, Garden of Life Public Relations Director DIRECTIONS: In a large saucepan, mix the stevia extract, coconut oil and almond milk. Bring to a full boil for one minute and stir the mixture constantly so it does not stick to the pan. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until peanut butter is completely melted. Stir in the oats and RAW Protein and stir well with a wooden spoon until combined. Quickly drop spoonfuls on sheets of wax or parchment paper and cool completely. Enjoy!! ™ Garden of Life® Employee Travels to SOS Children’s Villages in One of the major charitable initiatives at Garden of Life is partnering with SOS Children’s Villages International to help raise funds to build a house in Peru for children who can no longer grow up with their biological families. Our very own Michelle Osterhus, a Sales Representative and National Account Manager at Garden of Life, witnessed the work of SOS firsthand. Michelle was selected from a field of international employees as the company photographer to travel to SOS Children’s Village in Pachacamac, Peru, for the ceremonial groundbreaking of Casa Atrium. of Garden of Life. Each member of the group helped out in the Village by painting, gardening or cooking. They also had some free time to engage in a highly competitive soccer match with the kids—and the kids won! Michelle pointed out that “some of my favorite moments were the individual interactions with the children. They were so eager to share and learn from us. I also really enjoyed capturing the kids on camera. They loved just being goofy and playing and then seeing how they looked on camera.” Continuing her reflections, Michelle observes, “In thinking through the entire experience, one thought always keeps my heart smiling—that love, kindness and goodwill have no boundaries. People I have never met gathered from around the globe to come together to help Michelle spent three days in the Village with the children and the SOS Team. She had these families and share in their lives—if only for a small window of time—and these families showed us gratitude like I have never experienced. Sharing in everyone’s excitement and the amazing opportunity to experience dayto-day life in the Village and to meet the child enthusiasm will live in me forever.” sponsored by Garden of Life—Katherine— “It’s the thought of these children and the need to provide a safe, healthy home for them whom Michelle said was “absolutely that keeps our employee population engaged in all our fundraising efforts,” said Teresa charming.” They became instant buddies. Miller, Senior Director of Human Resources and Quality. “Our employees have dedicated Michelle added, “Katherine quickly grabbed an incredible amount of time and energy to this initiative, and to have the house under my hand and led me around the SOS house construction is a milestone of which we should all be very proud.” and village she calls home. Every morning SOS Children’s Villages International is a non-governmental social development organization when we arrived at the Village, she would run that has been involved in the field of children’s rights and committed to children’s needs and to me with a huge smile and swoop into my concerns since 1949. The organization is active in 133 countries and territories, where they are arms for the biggest hug!” currently meeting the needs of, and caring for, over 80,000 needy children. Children who have The group who traveled to Peru included been abandoned or orphaned come to SOS Children’s Villages where they are integrated into a six employees from around the world and the loving family environment. They are nurtured and supported by an SOS Mother and up to 15 CEO of Atrium Innovations, parent company other children who become their SOS brothers and sisters in their SOS home. 52 www.GardenofLife.com -Ch-Chia! Ch-Ch Remember the catchy Ch-ch-ch-chia chant? Well, there’s a new chia in town, and it’s full of nutritional goodness. Ch-ch-ch-check it out. You’ve probably seen or heard of those popular pets that morph from chia seeds, but there’s much more to chia than those iconic chia creations. For starters, a study published in the journal Nutrition Research concludes that chia provides the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids—to the tune of five grams per two tablespoons. Omega-3s, of course, support healthy inflammation levels as well as cardiovascular and brain health, among other benefits. In fact, the omega-3 fatty acid found in chia is known as alpha-linolenic fatty acid or ALA—an essential fatty acid that people must consume in their diets because the body cannot make it. Likewise, the body is able to convert ALA to EPA and DHA, two other important omega-3 fatty acids—and since chia’s plant-based, it offers a good source of omega-3s for vegans and vegetarians. But that’s not all. Chia also contains natural antioxidants and phytonutrients, has no cholesterol, is low in saturated fat, and is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Additionally, chia’s a good source of folate and niacin as well as the following minerals: iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, molybdenum and magnesium. Add that to the fact that chia provides soluble and insoluble dietary fiber to support digestive and blood sugar health; and is a good source of high quality protein—a whopping 20 percent, which exceeds the protein content of most other grains and seeds—and you have some significant nutritional factors. Another interesting fact about chia is that chia seeds are hydrophilic—that is, they readily absorb water—holding about 10 times their weight in water. For athletes and others, this can translate into staying better hydrated during exercise or at times when the body needs to maintain hydration. This hydrophilic action also occurs in the stomach after chia seeds are ingested—even if chia seeds are eaten raw. Some people think that this chia seed “gel” resulting from the chia and water mixture can coat the stomach, which restricts the absorption of calories, and, hence, can assist in a healthy weight. The truth is that chia is one of the best functional foods—foods providing one or more health-promoting components—in the marketplace today. It often shares the spotlight with flax, which has similar nutritional qualities and health benefits as chia does. Unlike flax, however, chia seeds have a long shelf life and can be ground and stored without needing refrigeration or fear of it spoiling. By itself, chia has a bland taste, but it’s easily added to juice, smoothies, salads, yogurt, muffins, breads and other homemade baked goods, and much more—so be sure to ch-ch-ch-check out the versatility and health benefits of ch-ch-ch-chia! Chia Seeds: From the Aztecs to You Dr. Wayne Coates, professor emeritus, ultrarunner and author of Chia: The Complete Guide to the Ultimate Superfood, says that chia has long been known as a runner’s food. Coates explains that the Tarahumara Indians of the Copper Canyon in Mexico, have “been known as the ‘running Indians’ and have used chia for years.” He adds, “The Aztec warriors used to carry it on their campaigns and that chia is what they ate; it gave them sustained energy.” Coates says that, among other things, chia slows down digestion, so an energy boost can kick in later. Here’s the bottom line: What the Aztecs knew centuries ago is now apparent in mainstream America—that chia seeds hold a powerhouse of nutrients for health. Chia seeds are said to have: • two times the protein of any other seed or grain. • five times the calcium of milk, plus boron—a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones. • two times the amount of potassium as bananas • three times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries. • three times more iron than spinach. • copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6— essential fatty acids. ™ Coconut Oil: A Tropical Treasure for Health and Beauty Packed with healthy medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and more, coconut oil provides many health benefits and is one of nature’s beauty boosters. Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils on the planet— especially RAW, USDA organic extra virgin coconut oil. For starters, coconut oil is 92 percent saturated with over two-thirds of the saturated fat in the form of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which are quickly metabolized by the body and used as energy rather than stored as fat. That helps support thyroid function and more. If the words saturated fat freak you out, hold on. Healthy saturated fat. The healthy saturated fats in coconut oil are necessary for health. They: • make up at least 50 percent of all cell membranes and support cellular health. • resist oxidation and stress to blood due to their stable nature. • are vital to bone health, incorporating calcium into the skeletal system. • are easy to digest and don’t require bile for digestion—ideal for those with poor fat digestion or no gall bladder. • protect the liver from toxins and support a healthy immune system. • help utilize essential fatty acids such as omega-3s and to absorb nutrients. • are perfect food for the heart, since the fat around the heart is highly saturated. • are contained primarily in breast milk and coconut oil—perfect fuel sources for growing babies! Additionally, the MCFAs in coconut When used on hair, coconut oil is oil—namely lauric acid, myristic acid, outstanding. When tested among other caprylic acid and palmitic acid—support a oils, coconut oil was the only oil that balanced microbial and fungal environment, reduced protein loss for both damaged hormonal balance, healthy blood sugar levels and undamaged hair. In the study, when and a healthy metabolism. Coconut oil also used as a pre-wash treatment, coconut withstands high temperatures, so cooking oil inhibited the penetration of water or baking doesn’t denature its beneficial into each hair strand. Otherwise, when properties. water infiltrates hair strands, it causes the Likewise, coconut oil has years of shelf cuticle—the surface of the hair shaft—to life with very low rancidity. That’s way rise, making it more prone to breakage different from other common fats and oils— and other damage. In short, coconut oil polyunsaturated fatty acids such as soybean protected the hair at a deep level. oil, canola oil and safflower oil—fats found Truth be told, coconut oil is an frequently in our modern diet which rancify excellent conditioner and is rich in quickly and are toxic in large amounts. antioxidants, making it a perfect food for Let’s not forget about coconut oil’s beauty benefits. It can be used from head to toe—on smoothing skin and hair. Go ahead. Use coconut oil from head skin, hair and more. to toe—for natural beauty. Head-to-Toe Beauty Perks Caution: Not All Coconut Oils are the Same Organic, extra virgin coconut oil is free from chemical additives, making it Don’t use just any coconut oil because a pure and wholesome oil for skin and they vary dramatically in quality. Low- hair. That’s significant, too, because people quality coconut oils are processed by use 15 to 25 different beauty products a chemical extraction, using solvents, or a day containing more than 200 different re hydrogenated, bleached and chemical compounds. deodorized. For years, coconut By using extra virgin coconut oil, you can oil research was done with fully avoid those chemicals—and it takes only a hydrogenated coconut oil, which led small amount of this tropical treasure. people to believe that coconut oil was A little bit goes a long way. not good for human health. Processing is The healthy MCFAs in coconut oil also add to your natural beauty because they deeply important, so look for the best! A high-quality, organic, extra virgin moisturize the skin and hair, protecting them organic coconut oil derived from fresh from environmental and free radical damage. coconuts with no GMO ingredients, Likewise, coconut oil screens out 20 percent bleaching, deodorizing, refining or of UV rays to help avoid sun damage. hydrogenation is what to find for and use. Garden of Life® RAW Extra Virgin Coconut Oil—Straight from the Coconuts to You! At Garden of Life, we start with organic, fresh-from-the-tree whole coconuts and remove the brown outer shell. Then we remove the white coconut meat, grind it into granules and dry it at temperatures between 104 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit (temps ensuring a RAW product) for approximately two and a half hours. After the coconut meat is dried, the RAW coconut is placed in a cold-press expeller to bring out the coconut oil—a process also accomplished at 113 degrees or lower, so that the RAW coconut nutrients are preserved. The coconut oil is then filtered and separated to extract only the highest quality oil and then poured into containers, labeled and shipped. There’s no cooking, pasteurization, fumigation, hydrogenation or any other artificial process. What you get is pure, USDA organic, RAW coconut oil, straight from the coconuts to you. It couldn’t be fresher, unless you picked the coconuts and expelled the coconut oil yourself! Not All Fats are Created Equal Take trans fats, for instance. They’re created when an oil, such as corn oil, is hydrogenated so it becomes a solid fat. They’re artificially hardened fats that give texture and don’t spoil quickly, so they’re widely used in cookies, crackers, chips, fast foods and commercial baked goods. Trans fats increase levels of “bad” cholesterol in the bloodstream and decrease levels of “good” cholesterol, leading to arterial plaque and contributing to many negative health effects. In short, unhealthy fats such as trans fats should be avoided. Historically coconut oil received a bad report because people believed that all saturated fats were bad. Let’s set the record straight: coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils on the planet. NON GMO VERI Project FIE D no ngmoproject.org Well-Balanced Herbs To thrive in our modern world, proper immune system function is critical. The human immune system—a highly complex “security system”designed to protect us—works constantly to defend the body against all kinds of environmental attacks. This system, located mostly in our blood and digestive tract, is designed to identify and eliminate invaders. It does this by producing protective cells and compounds such as antibodies, T-cells, B-cells, macrophages and natural killer cells. If the immune system is out of balance, then it can over-respond or under-respond. Keeping the immune system balanced is critical for maintaining extraordinary health. The Herbal Immune Balance line of products from Garden of Life® was designed to do exactly that. The only question is: Which one is right for you? Herbal Immune Balance Daily Who It’s For: As the name suggests, Herbal Immune Balance Seasonal Who It’s For: It’s for all who require Keep yourself—and your immune system—in proper equilibrium with these well-balanced herbs. Herbal Immune Balance Sinus Who It’s For: If you’ve ever experienced Herbal Immune Balance Daily is for additional immune support during cold- less-than-optimal sinus and respiratory anyone who wants daily support designed weather season or when they are feeling less health, you’ll understand the need to support to support the balanced, efficient function than their extraordinary selves. these key lines of immune system defense. of the immune system. Key Ingredient: EPICOR®, a clinically Key Ingredient: AP-Bio™—a proprietary form of Andrographis paniculata—a Key Ingredient: Wild Crafted Butterbur extract and its active component petasins, which affect the function of immune studied, natural derivative of the probiotic traditional botanical used for centuries Saccharomyces cerevisiae comprised of in Ayurvedic medicine. In a randomized, beta-glucans, mannan oligosaccharides double-blind, placebo-controlled five-day (MOS) and other beneficial metabolites. clinical trial on 223 subjects, AP-Bio was of scientific support including six “Gold In three recent double-blind, placebo- shown effective in supporting nasal, sinus, Standard” double-blind, placebo-controlled controlled human clinical studies on 237 throat and respiratory health; supporting human clinical studies with a total of 780 subjects, EPICOR demonstrated significant the mechanisms that regulate the body’s participants. Study findings indicate that Wild benefits compared to placebo in supporting temperature; and reducing malaise/fatigue Crafted Butterbur is effective in support of the body’s immune system function. and occasional sleep disturbances.† sinus health and respiratory function.† components in the blood, supporting healthy immune function.† Wild Crafted Butterbur extract has a significant amount
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