November Web Cast AND Teleconference Call Dates

Each month the NSP Training Department offers intense training on one NSP product. Product Focus Meetings are conducted via a tele-conference call and are available, at no cost, to anyone who has a touch-tone phone. Feel free to share the number with clients and friends. During this meeting, health experts from both inside and outside NSP will provide in-depth information on how to use the product and how it can improve your health.

Benefits:
i Expand your knowledge of specific NSP products.
i Ask questions of product experts.
i Take advantage of free training.

November WebCast

When: Wednesday, November 9th

Time: 6:00 p.m Pacific, 7:00 p.m Mountain, 8:00 p.m Central & 9:00 p.m Eastern

Please join us for a WebCast where we’ll discuss our brand new weight-management product, Nature’s Hoodia Formula. Listen to our experts as they discuss how this product may:
a Curb your desire to eat
a Increase metabolism of fats
a Support cellular energy and normal glucose levels
a Our experts will include Dr. William Keller, NSP Vice President of Health

Sciences and Educational Services and NSP Area Manager and natural health advocate, Laura Jacobs, N.D.

WebCast technology allows you not only to listen to our experts via the phone, but also to see pictures and other information resulting in a more effective learning experience. If you aren’t too computer savvy, don’t worry, you may also participate on the phone.

Don’t miss out on this great learning opportunity. Get detailed information on each ingredient in this new formula. You’ll also hear product testimonials and success stories.

Participate in the WebCast in two different ways:

Method #1-Hi-speed Internet connection (includes Cable, DSL, etc.)

Before the WebCast: Go to this link http://cd.ilinc.com/autotest/ to ensure that your computer is setup with the appropriate software prior to the WebCast (You should do this several hours before the meeting). Enter your name and follow the instructions on screen. The setup will ask you to download a file.

On the night of the WebCast: Click on the following link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time and enter your name and email address. http://natr.ilinc.com/cgi-bin/ilinc/lms/vc_launch.pl?activity_id=160404

At the scheduled time, call 1-800-756-4697, and enter pin number 8626#.

Method #2-Participate via Telephone/view downloaded slides
Before the WebCast: Download the presentation slides (pdf**). The slide presentation will be available for download prior to the WebCast.

At the scheduled time, call 1-800-756-4697, and enter pin number 8626#.

**To view the PDF documents you will need Adobe Acrobat. If you do not have Acrobat you can download Adobe's Acrobat Reader. This program is available for free from Adobe's Internet site. Just follow the directions to download and install Acrobat Reader, then return to this page.

November Teleconference Training
Product Focus Meeting

When: Wednesday, Nov 16th

Time: 6:00 p.m Pacific, 7:00 p.m Mountain, 8:00 p.m Central & 9:00 p.m Eastern
At the scheduled time, dial 1-800-756-4697 and enter pin 8626#.

The product focus call in November will feature Master Herbalist Steven Horne. Steven will be discussing how to build your immune system for the upcoming winter season. The call will also focus on how to select the appropriate NSP product. Jennifer Weiss, NSP Senior National Manager will help explain how you can use this information to hold your own meeting. We will wrap up the call with a question & answer period.

Nutrition and Vitamins for Your Eyes - MY STORY

All About Vision website
Here is an excellent web site that gives excellent information about eye health and nutrition. Please see bottom of this blog for additional information from the All About Vision web site.

MY STORY
I have been wearing glasses for distance since I was in the third grade. As is normal for most people, I would need to get a new prescription every 2 or 3 years, because the old glasses would eventually not work any longer.

Here is the amazing part of this story.... It has been 9 years since my last exam and the glasses which were prescribed to me at that time still work perfect. Actually the only reason I went to have my exam this time is because they would no longer allow me to order new contacts with the old prescription.

Even more amazing!!!! The last time I went for my exam (same doctor as this time), he was quite concerned because he said I was showing some signs of macular degeneration at the age of 30. This threw up a red flag because this type of eye problems is not something which normally shows up in people this young. Since it had been over 9 years since my last visit, my doctor no longer had my past records in his office, and of course, he didn't remember discussing my macular degeneration problem, even though it was fresh in mind. I was very curious to see if it had gotten any worse. Miraculously... when he checked me this time he said there is no sign of this at all and he even took a picture of it so I could see for myself. He actually doubted me when I even told him what he said at my last visit.

What did I do different? After my exam 9 or so years ago, I began to pay attention to what I was putting into my body (both nutritionally with foods and with vitamins and herbs). This coincided with the beginning of my Nature's Sunshine membership which I began December 1995 and was the start of an eye opening experience (no pun intended) regarding my health in general. Genetically, my Grandmother and Great Aunt on my fathers side both lost their sight to Glucoma, and my Father has already lost one eye to Macular Degeneration. In attempt to save my Dad's "good" eye and to reverse what damage had already begun in my eyes, we began a rigorous regimen in both diet and supplementing.

Some steps I took ~ These are some of the Nature's Sunshine vitamins and herbs which I have focused on over the past 10 years. NSP is a Reputable company which formulates Excellent quality herbs and vitamins. I can only attest for the results I had with these products and not with other brands.

Omega Essential Fatty Acids
FLAX SEED OIL LIQUID (8 FL OZ) I like to mix this with cottage cheese. I have studied where this is also a help when trying to prevent cancers so I felt this would be a great addition to my daily diet and would help me to increase my intake of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's). It is also available in gel capsules for those who prefer (however the concentration of EFA's is lower). You always want to take your EFA's separate from your fiber supplements so it won't be absorbed by the fiber and taken out of your body before being absorbed.
SUPER OMEGA 3 EPA SOFTGEL CAPSULES (60) a source of two fatty acids, EPA and DHA
DHA SOFTGEL CAPSULES (60) supports and protects retinal cells.

Herbal combination
EYEBRIGHT (100)
PERFECT EYES (60) Specifically for the eyes, this product was developed to help the eyes receive the nutrition they need. Includes eyebright, lutein, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC), bilberry fruit, curcuminoids powder extract, eyebright herb, alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, zinc gluconate, selenium, taurine, quercetin and hesperidin.
Chewable Vitamins
CHEWABLE VITAMIN C and ZINC LOZENGES (96) - Since I have children who I am also concerned about the genetic genes affecting - we all take these easily absorbable forms of Vitamin C & Zinc.

Minerals
Over the years I have switched back and forth between different NSP mineral products. All are very good and which one I choose on any given day depends greatly on what my day is looking like and how I am feeling.
TRACE MINERAL MAINTENANCE (450) (tablet form)
MINERAL-CHI TONIC (32 FL OZ), CHINESE (liquid, which I use in Smoothies on days I am a bit more stressed out and needing a little more adrenal support)
COLLOIDAL MINERALS (32 FL OZ) (liquid, which I also use in my smoothies)

Multi Vitamins
Nature's Sunshine carries a variety of Vitamin and mineral products to help each individual choose depending on which body systems are needing support and balancing. I personally used (Nutri-calm, Nature's Prenatal, Master Gland, Skeletal Strength and the Children's Chewables) different ones over the years depending on what was going on in my body at the time.
MULTIPLE VITAMINS & MINERALS, SYNERPRO (60)
MULTIPLE VITAMIN & MINERALS TIME RELEASE (60)
NUTRI-CALM (100)
MASTER GLAND (120)
MEGA-CHEL (180)
SKELETAL STRENGTH (150)
SUPER SUPPLEMENTAL VITAMIN & MINERAL (120)
SUPER SUPPLEMENTAL WITHOUT IRON (120)
TARGET ENDURANCE (90)
CELLULAR ENERGY (60)
MONTHLY MAINTENANCE (180)
NATURES PRENATAL VITAMIN (180)
NATURAL CHANGES (42 PACKETS)
HERBASAURS MULTIPLE VITAMIN & MINERAL-CHEWABLE (90)
HERBASAURS LIQUID MULTIPLE VITAMIN WITH IRON (4 FL OZ)
LIQUID VITAWAVE (32 OZ)

Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Antioxidants for Sight
A&D, VITAMIN 10,000/400IU SOFTGEL CAPSULES
LUTEIN (10 MG) (60)
CAROTENOID BLEND (60)
THAI-GO DRINK (2/25OZ)

If you choose a brand other than NSP, please make sure it is a reputable company that offers pure quality products.... for example it is my guess that products sold in Walmart won't cut it. Many vitamins companies don't have the quality herbs and vitamins, the manufacturing equipment, the processing and testing facilities that warrant quality products. NSP quality assurance begins with the raw product and it stays in NSP hands right down to the distributor that sells it to you... no third, fourth, fifth parties etc. are involved at all. It begins with NSP and ends with NSP. How many companies can you say that about?

More information from the All About Vision Web site

EFAs: Fat You Can Use
You're getting too much fat in your diet ... and not enough: the average American consumes way too much omega-6 fatty acid and not nearly enough omega-3. These fatty acids affect the eyes in a wide variety of ways. Find out how, and learn which foods to avoid and which to add into your diet.

Nutrition and Your Eyes: In a Nutshell
(See this link for food sources of important vitamins).
Whether you've read all the articles in this section and want a condensed recap, or you just want to cut to the chase about what foods you should be eating to protect your eyes, this summary is the place to go!

Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Antioxidants for Sight
Is carotenoid a fancy word for carrot? Not quite, but they are related. Carotenoids give carrots their orange color. You can find them in many red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, as well as in green, leafy vegetables (which are a great source of the carotenoid lutein). Find out how they're linked to blindness, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids:
The Batman and Robin of Eye Health
Ever-popular vitamin C may reduce your risk of glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. Bioflavonoids help your body to absorb vitamin C and sometimes work as antioxidants themselves. Learn which common fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C and bioflavonoids.

Vitamin E and Minerals: Nutrition from Nuts
Like vitamins A and C, vitamin E may reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. The minerals selenium and zinc help your body to absorb antioxidant vitamins and may have their own protective effects as well.

If you choose a brand other than NSP, please make sure it is a reputable company that offers pure quality products.... for example it is my guess that products sold in Walmart won't cut it. Many vitamins companies don't have the quality herbs and vitamins, the manufacturing equipment, the processing and testing facilities that warrant quality products. NSP quality assurance begins with the raw product and it stays in NSP hands right down to the distributor that sells it to you... no third, fourth, fifth parties etc. are involved at all. It begins with NSP and ends with NSP. How many companies can you say that about?

Please vote NO on H.R. 3156

Take Action Now!

We need your help to put the brakes on a bad bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. H.R. 3156, otherwise known as the Dietary Supplement Access and Awareness Act, would give the FDA authority to ban virtually any herb or specialty product from the market if it failed to pass an arbitrary risk/benefit analysis.

Please go to this link and take just a minute of your time to make your opinion count. Fight for your freedom to enjoy Good health via nutrition.
http://www.healthactioncenter.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=27248

Keep Organic Standards Strong - News from Citizens for Health

News from the Hill

Thanks to the efforts of you and thousands of other concerned citizens we were able to convince the U.S. Senate that America wants strong organic standards. Instead of inserting an amendment to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill that would have weakened some elements of the Organic Rule, the Senate called for a 90-day study and comment period.

This victory demonstrates that we have the power to affect national rulemaking when it comes to organic standards. Let's keep up the pressure until the Agriculture bill is passed--without the compromising language.

On October 20th the bill entered conference committee, where the differences between the House and Senate versions of the will be resolved. Citizens for Health supports the current version of the bill, which keeps organic standards strong. However, conference committee presents a final opportunity to insert the problematic amendment that would weaken the definition of “organic”.

We are following the progress of this bill and will be sending out an Action Alert and update soon. Stay tuned for ways that you can help.

RESOURCES:
Citizens for Health

Track the progress of the Agriculture Appropriations bill at the Library of Congress' THOMAS database

The Center for Food Safety

Are you interested in helping others? Attend our first NSP Business Building meeting ~ Sunday Oct 30th

If you are interested in teaching others, and helping others to achieve better health please join me:

(This is basically an invitation to members in my NSP downline, however if you are not in my downline and would like to attend please just give me a call.)

Where: In my home ~ NSP District Manager, Karen Doolan
Address: 4024 Coopersdale Road, Charlotte, NC 28273
When: Sunday, October 30, 2005
Time: 2:30-4:30 pm
Please RSVP: by October 29th so I can plan for door prizes, gifts and literature. 704-588-7638 ~ Karen
Cost: $FREE

Most of us who have become interested in Health and Nutrition via Natural means, have come here through sicknesses of our own. It often takes life changes to make life changes. Through Natural health classes I have found so much satisfaction in helping others that it has driven me to learn more and teach more. I would like to invite anyone who has these same aspirations to join me October 30th, to begin organizing our ideas, thoughts and techniques so we can begin our focus on Educating America. Help me to get a better understanding of how I can be more helpful to each of you, in both your own Health, in the health of those you love and care for as well as your individual clients.

Nature's Sunshine has so much to offer each of you. Let me help you find the tools you need to succeed in your Nature's Sunshine, Health and Nutritional business.

Light snacks and delicious Natural drinks will be served.

Share the Health,
Karen Herrmann-Doolan
NSP District Manager
An Independent Distributor of Nature's Sunshine Products
Herb & Cleansing Specialist
Nutritional & HomeSpa Aromatherapy Consultant
herbsplus@mynsp.com
704-588-7638
www.mynsp.com/herbsplus
Learn about the Body Systems
http://www.herbsplus4health.com/
Check out my Health & Nutrition Blog!
http://herbsplus4health.blogspot.com

Baby Items in Charlotte, NC

CLEANING OUT!
I have a Crib mattress and Full size stoller. If anyone is interested, please call me. 704-588-7638.

If anyone has a Box spring for a Double Bed, I am looking for one for my little man. (I already have a mattress and bed frame w/ head and foot boards).

Thanks!
Karen

Are Antibiotics Killing Us? Are there other Options?

For every cell in your body, you support 10 bacterial cells that make vitamins, trigger hormones, and may even influence how fat you are. Guess what happens to them when you pop penicillin?

By Jessica Snyder Sachs
Photography by Joshua Lutz
Discover Magazine online
DISCOVER Vol. 26 No. 10 October 2005 Biology & Medicine

A lan Hudson likes to tell a story about a soldier and his high school sweetheart.

The young man returns from an overseas assignment for their wedding with a clean bill of health, having dutifully cleared up an infection of sexually transmitted chlamydia.

"Three weeks later, the wife has a screaming genital infection," Hudson recounts, "and I get a call from the small-town doctor who's trying to save their marriage." The soldier, it seems, has decided his wife must have been seeing other men, which she denies.

Hudson pauses for effect, stretching back in his seat and propping his feet on an open file drawer in a crowded corner of his microbiology laboratory at Wayne State Medical School in Detroit. "The doctor is convinced she's telling the truth," he continues, folding his hands behind a sweep of white, collar-length hair. "So I tell him, 'Send me a specimen from him and a cervical swab from her.' " This is done after the couple has completed a full course of antibiotic treatment and tested free of infection.

"I PCR 'em both," Hudson says, "and he is red hot."

PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction—a technique developed about 20 years ago that allows many copies of a DNA sequence to be made. It is often used at crime scenes, where very little DNA may be available. Hudson's use of the technique allowed him to find traces of chlamydia DNA in the soldier and his wife that traditional tests miss because the amount left after antibiotic treatment is small and asymptomatic. Nonetheless, if a small number of inactive chlamydia cells passed from groom to bride, the infection could have became active in its new host.

Hudson tells the tale to illustrate how microbes that scientists once thought were easily eliminated by antibiotics can still thrive in the body. His findings and those of other researchers raise disturbing questions about the behavior of microbes in the human body and how they should be treated.

For example, Hudson has found that quiescent varieties of chlamydia may play a role in chronic ailments not traditionally thought to be related to this infectious agent. In the early 1990s, he found two types of chlamydia—Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumonia—in the joint tissue of patients with inflammatory arthritis. More famously, in 1996, he began fishing C. pneumonia out of the brain cells of Alzheimer's victims. Since then, other researchers have made headlines after reporting the genetic fingerprints of C. pneumonia, as well as several kinds of common mouth bacteria, in the arterial plaque of heart attack patients. Hidden infections are now thought to be the basis of still other stubbornly elusive ills like chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War syndrome, multiple sclerosis, lupus, Parkinson's disease, and types of cancer.

To counteract these killers, some physicians have turned to lengthy or lifelong courses of antibiotics. At the same time, other researchers are counterintuitively finding that bacteria we think are bad for us also ward off other diseases and keep us healthy. Using antibiotics to tamper with this complicated and little-understood population could irrevocably alter the microbial ecology in an individual and accelerate the spread of drug-resistant genes to the public at large.

The two-faced puzzle regarding the role of bacteria is as old as the study of microbiology itself. Even as Louis Pasteur became the first to show that bacteria can cause disease, he assumed that bacteria normally found in the body are essential to life. Yet his protégé, Élie Metchnikoff, openly scoffed at the idea. Metchnikoff blamed indigenous bacteria for senility, atherosclerosis, and an altogether shortened life span—going even so far as to predict the day when surgeons would routinely remove the human colon simply to rid us of the "chronic poisoning" from its abundant flora.

Today we know that trillions of bacteria carpet not only our intestines but also our skin and much of our respiratory and urinary tracts. The vast majority of them seem to be innocuous, if not beneficial. And bacteria are everywhere, in abundance—they outnumber other cells in the human body by 10 to one. David Relman and his team at Stanford University and the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, recently found the genetic fingerprints of several hundred new bacterial species in the mouths, stomachs, and intestines of healthy volunteers.

"What I hope," Relman says, "is that by starting with specimens from healthy people, the assumption would be that these microbes have probably been with us for some time relative to our stay on this planet and may, in fact, be important to our health."

Meanwhile, the behavior of even well-known bacterial inhabitants is challenging the old, straightforward view of infectious disease. In the 19th century, Robert Koch laid the foundation for medical microbiology, postulating: Any microorganism that causes a disease should be found in every case of the disease and always cause the disease when introduced into a new host. That view prevailed until the middle of this past century. Now we are more confused than ever. Take Helicobacter pylori. In the 1980s infection by the bacterium, not stress, was found to be the cause of most ulcers. Overnight, antibiotics became the standard treatment. Yet in the undeveloped world ulcers are rare, and H. pylori is pervasive.

"This stuff drives the old-time microbiologists mad," says Hudson, "because Koch's postulates simply don't apply." With new technologies like PCR, researchers are turning up stealth infections everywhere, yet they cause problems only in some people sometimes, often many years after the infection.

These mysteries have nonetheless not stopped a free flow of prescriptions. Many rheumatologists, for example, now prescribe long-term—even lifelong—courses of antibiotics for inflammatory arthritis, even though it isn't known if the antibiotics actually clear away bacteria or reduce inflammatory arthritis in some other unknown manner.

Even more far-reaching is the use of antibiotics to treat heart disease, a trend that began in the early 1990s after studies associated C. pneumonia with the accumulation of plaque in arteries. In April two large-scale studies reported that use of antibiotics does not reduce the incidence of heart attacks or eliminate C. pneumonia. But researchers left antibiotic-dosing cardiologists a strange option by admitting they do not know if stronger, longer courses of antibiotics or combined therapies would succeed.

Meanwhile, many researchers are alarmed. Infectious-diseases specialist Curtis Donskey, of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, says: "Unfortunately, far too many physicians are still thinking of antibiotics as benign. We're just now beginning to understand how our normal microflora does such a good job of preventing our colonization by disease-causing microbes. And from an ecological point of view, we're just starting to understand the medical consequences of disturbing that with antibiotics."

Donskey has seen the problem firsthand at the Cleveland VA Medical Center, where he heads infection control. "Hospital patients get the broadest spectrum, most powerful antibiotics," he says, but they are also "in an environment where they get exposed to some of the nastiest, most drug-resistant pathogens." Powerful antibiotics can be dangerous in such a setting because they kill off harmless bacteria that create competition for drug-resistant colonizers, which can then proliferate. The result: Hospital-acquired infections have become a leading cause of death in critical-care units.

"We also see serious problems in the outside community," Donskey says, because of inappropriate antibiotic use.

The consequences of disrupting the body's bacterial ecosystem can be minor, such as a yeast infection, or they can be major, such as the overgrowth of a relatively common gut bacterium called Clostridium difficile. A particularly nasty strain of C. difficile has killed hundreds of hospital patients in Canada over the past two years. Some had checked in for simple, routine procedures. The same strain is moving into hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Jeffrey Gordon, a gastroenterologist turned full-time microbiologist, heads the spanking new Center for Genomic Studies at Washington University in Saint Louis. The expansive, sun-streaked laboratory sits above the university's renowned gene-sequencing center, which proved a major player in powering the Human Genome Project. "Now it's time to take a broader view of the human genome," says Gordon, "one that recognizes that the human body probably contains 100 times more microbial genes than human ones."

Gordon supervises a lab of some 20 graduate students and postdocs with expertise in disciplines ranging from ecology to crystallography. Their collaborations revolve around studies of unusually successful colonies of genetically engineered germ-free mice and zebra fish.

Gordon's veteran mouse wranglers, Marie Karlsson and her husband David O'Donnell, manage the rearing of germ-free animals for comparison with genetically identical animals that are colonized with one or two select strains of normal flora. In a cavernous facility packed with rows of crib-size bubble chambers, Karlsson and O'Donnell handle their germ-free charges via bulbous black gloves that serve as airtight portals into the pressurized isolettes. They generously supplement sterilized mouse chow with vitamins and extra calories to replace or complement what is normally supplied by intestinal bacteria. "Except for their being on the skinny side, we've got them to the point where they live near-normal lives," says O'Donnell. Yet the animals' intestines remain thin and underdeveloped in places, bizarrely bloated in others. They also prove vulnerable to any stray pathogen that slips into their food, water, or air.

All Gordon's protégés share an interest in following the molecular cross talk among resident microbes and their host when they add back a component of an animal's normal microbiota. One of the most interesting players is Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, or B. theta, the predominant bacterium of the human colon and a particularly bossy symbiont.

The bacterium is known for its role in breaking down otherwise indigestible plant matter, providing up to 15 percent of its host's calories. But Gordon's team has identified a suite of other, more surprising skills. Three years ago, they sequenced B. theta's entire genome, which enabled them to work with a gene chip that detects what proteins are being made at any given time. By tracking changes in the activity of these genes, the team has shown that B. theta helps guide the normal development and functioning of the intestines—including the growth of blood vessels, the proper turnover of epithelial cells, and the marshaling of components of the immune system needed to keep less well behaved bacteria at bay. B. theta also exerts hormonelike, long-range effects that may help the host weather times when food is scarce and ensure the bacterium's own survival.

Fredrik Bäckhed, a young postdoc who came to Gordon's laboratory from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, has caught B. theta sending biochemical messages to host cells in the abdomen, directing them to store fat. When he gave germ-free mice an infusion of gut bacteria from a conventionally raised mouse, they immediately put on an average of 50 percent more fat although they were consuming 30 percent less food than when they were germ-free. "It's as if B. theta is telling its host, 'save this—we may need it later,' " Gordon says.

Justin Sonnenburg, another postdoctoral fellow, has documented that B. theta turns to the host's body for food when the animal stops eating. He has found that when a lab mouse misses its daily ration, B. theta consumes the globs of sugary mucus made every day by some cells in the intestinal lining. The bacteria graze on these platforms, which the laboratory has dubbed Whovilles (after the dust-speck metropolis of Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who!). When the host resumes eating, B. theta returns to feeding on the incoming material.

Gordon's team is also looking at the ecological dynamics that take place when combinations of normal intestinal bacteria are introduced into germ-free animals. And he plans to study the dynamics in people by analyzing bacteria in fecal samples.

Among the questions driving him: Can we begin to use our microbiota as a marker of health and disease? Does this "bacterial nation" shift in makeup when we become obese, try to lose weight, experience prolonged stress, or simply age? Do people in Asia or Siberia harbor the same organisms in the same proportions as those in North America or the Andes?

"We know that our environment affects our health to an enormous degree," Gordon says. "And our microbiota are our most intimate environment by far."

A couple hundred miles northeast of Gordon's laboratory, microbiologist Abigail
Salyers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been exploring a more sinister feature of our bacteria and their role in antibiotic resistance. At the center of her research stands a room-size, walk-in artificial "gut" with the thermostat set at the human intestinal temperature of 100.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Racks of bacteria-laced test tubes line three walls, the sealed vials purged of oxygen to simulate the anaerobic conditions inside a colon. Her study results are alarming.

Salyers says her research shows that decades of antibiotic use have bred a frightening degree of drug resistance into our intestinal flora. The resistance is harmless as long as the bacteria remain confined to their normal habitat. But it can prove deadly when those bacteria contaminate an open wound or cause an infection after surgery.

"Having a highly antibiotic-resistant bacterial population makes a person a ticking time bomb," says Salyers, who studies the genus Bacteroides, a group that includes not only B. theta but also about a quarter of the bacteria in the human gut. She has tracked dramatic increases in the prevalence of several genes and suites of genes coding for drug resistance. She's particularly interested in tetQ, a DNA sequence that conveys resistance to tetracycline drugs.

When her team tested fecal samples taken in the 1970s, they found that less than 25 percent of human-based Bacteroides carried tetQ. By the 1990s, that rate had passed the 85 percent mark, even among strains isolated from healthy people who hadn't used antibiotics in years. The dramatic uptick quashed hopes of reducing widespread antibiotic resistance by simply withdrawing or reducing the use of a given drug. Salyers's team also documented the spread of several Bacteroides genes conveying resistance to other antibiotics such as macrolides, which are widely used to treat skin, respiratory, genital, and blood infections.

As drug-resistant genes become common in bacteria in the gut, they are more likely to pass on their information to truly dangerous bugs that only move periodically through our bodies, says Salyers. Even distantly related bacteria can swap genes with one another using a variety of techniques, from direct cell-to-cell transfer, called conjugation, to transformation, in which a bacterium releases snippets of DNA that other bacteria pick up and use.

"Viewed in this way, the human colon is the bacterial equivalent of eBay," says Salyers. "Instead of creating a new gene the hard way—through mutation and natural selection—you can just stop by and obtain a resistance gene that has been created by some other bacterium."

Salyers has shown that Bacteroides probably picked up erythromycin-resistant genes from distantly related species of staphylococcus and streptococcus. Although
neither bug colonizes the intestine, they are routinely inhaled and swallowed, providing a window of 24 to 48 hours in which they can commingle with intestinal flora before exiting. "That's more than long enough to pick up something interesting in the swinging singles bar of the human colon," she quips.

Most disturbing is Salyers's discovery that antibiotics like tetracycline actually stimulate Bacteroides to begin swapping its resistance genes. "If you think of the conjugative transfer of resistance genes as bacterial sex, you have to think of tetracycline as the aphrodisiac," she says. When Salyers exposes Bacteroides to other bacteria such as Escherichia coli under the disinhibiting influence of antibiotics, she has witnessed the step-by-step process by which the bacteria excise and transfer the tetQ gene from one species to another.

Nor is Bacteroides the only intestinal resident with such talents. "In June 2002, we passed a particularly frightening milestone," Salyers says. That summer, epidemiologists discovered hospital-bred strains of the gut bacterium enterococcus harboring a gene that made them impervious to vancomycin. The bacterium may have since passed the gene to the far more dangerous Staphylococcus aureus, the most common cause of fatal surgical and wound infections.

"I am completely mystified by the lack of public concern about this problem," she says.

With no simple solution in sight, Salyers continues to advise government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, a practice banned throughout the European Union. She supports the prescient efforts of Tufts University microbiologist Stuart Levy, founder of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, which has been hectoring doctors to use antibiotics more judiciously.

Yet just when the message appears to be getting through—judging by a small but real reduction in antibiotic prescriptions—others are calling for an unprecedented increase in antibiotic use to clear the body of infections we never knew we had. Among them is William Mitchell, a Vanderbilt University chlamydia specialist. If antibiotics ever do prove effective for treating coronary artery disease, he says, the results would be "staggering. We're talking about the majority of the population being on long-term antibiotics, possibly multiple antibiotics."

Hudson cautions that before we set out to eradicate our bacterial fellow travelers, "we'd damn well better understand what they're doing in there." His interest centers on chlamydia, with its maddening ability to exist in inactive infections that flare into problems only for an unlucky few. Does the inactive form cause damage by secreting toxins or killing cells? Or is the real problem a disturbed immune response to them?

Lately Hudson has resorted to a device he once shunned in favor of DNA probes: a microscope, albeit an exotic $250,000 model. This instrument, which can magnify organisms an unprecedented 15,000 times, sits in the laboratory of Hudson's spouse, Judith Whittum-Hudson, a Wayne State immunologist who is working on a chlamydia vaccine. On a recent afternoon, Hudson marveled as a shimmering chlamydia cell was beginning to morph from its infectious stage into its mysterious and bizarre-looking persistent form. "One minute you have this perfectly normal, spherical bacterium and the next you have this big, goofy-looking doofus of a microbe," he says. He leans closer, focusing on a roiling spot of activity. "It's doing something. It's making something. It's saying something to its host."

YOUR BODY'S ABUNDANT BACTERIA

More than 100 trillion bacteria inhabit your body. And they aren't just silent partners. They digest your food, make vitamins, and protect you from pathogens. A recent study has found they may even play a role in regulating appetite and weight. —Jocelyn Selim

EYES Natural antibiotics in tears kill most organisms, but the eyes are home to a few hardy forms—mostly harmless strains of Staphylococcus, such as S. epidermis, and Streptococcus—that keep more virulent strains, such as pinkeye-causing Moraxella or Chlamydia trachomatis, at bay.

EARS Although waxy secretions contain antibacterial components, more than 200 bacterial species normally maintain residence in the outer ear.

NOSE At least 20 percent of us carry a virulent strain of Staphylococcus aureus. Normally it's not much of a problem, unless a cut lets it into the bloodstream. Then it can be serious and even fatal. All of us harbor less harmful strains of Staphylococcus, Neisseria, and Corynebacterium that provide a buffer against colonization by such pathogens as Streptococcus pneumonia.

MOUTH Of the estimated 500 microbial species in the human mouth, only 150 have ever been cultured in laboratories. On your teeth, Actinomyces viscosus secrete plaque, which traps volatile sulfur producers and acid-leaking Streptococcus mutans, the cause of bad breath and cavities.

SKIN Relatively low moisture, a low pH, and high salinity make most areas inhospitable to all but a few species.

ARMPITS Most of the 12 trillion or so total skin bacteria prefer the moist climate of the armpits and groin, where urea, protein, salts, and lactic acid leak out of sweat ducts and gather around hair follicles. Some people are hosts to more of the Corynebacterium species that feast on these odorless compounds and convert them to 3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid, the volatile compound that makes armpits smell distinctive.

STOMACH Once thought too acidic to harbor life, it is now known to harbor the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can cause ulcers in some people.

SMALL INTESTINE Bile and antimicrobial mucus keep the small intestine sparsely populated, but Bacteroides, streptococci, bifidobacteria, and clostridia remain. A November 2002 study showed that one of these, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, sends signals needed for the blood vessels of the bowels to develop properly after birth.

COLON There are over two pounds of bacteria in your colon, and they make up a third of human feces by weight. Predominantly composed of the anaerobic members of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, these organisms metabolize bile acids, break down indigestible parts of our food, and produce vitamins K and B12. A study last February identified a strain capable of contributing to obesity by disrupting the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin.

URINARY TRACT The urethra is normally sterile, except for the half inch near the exit. Urinary tract infections occur when certain strains of colon-dwelling Escherichia coli bacteria manage to colonize the opening and migrate upward.

REPRODUCTIVE TRACT Various species of Lactobacillus keep the vagina at a slightly acidic pH ranging from 4 to 5. If the bacteria are killed off, the pH goes up, encouraging the overgrowth of Candida fungus.

FEET Various species of moisture-loving bacteria flourish between the toes. Some ferment acids, producing the smell of sweaty feet.

STERILE AREAS liver, gall bladder, brain, thymus, blood, lower lungs.

This article was published on http://www.discovery.com

Are there other options?
The following are Nature's Sunshine products which can help to increase the good bacteria (friendly flora) in the body. An abundance of good flora is imperative to good health.
Acidophilus (Milk Free), Bifidophilus Flora Force, Colostrum, Colostrum with Immune Factors, L-Reuteri Chewable (suitable for Children), Probiotic Eleven

$90,000 donated by Nature's Sunshine Products

American Red Cross
For Immediate Release
October 11, 2005

865 N. Freedom Blvd.
Provo UT 84604
MountainValley.redcross.org

Contact: Garr Judd
Phone: (801) 373-8580
Cell: (801) 362-3272
garr@mtnvalleyredcross.org

$90,000 Donation

PROVO, Utah—In response to the destructive hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc., a Provo-based nutritional supplement company, presented a check of $90,000 to the Mountain Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross to assist in relief efforts.

Executive Director Garr Judd said this gift is the largest he has seen during his career at the Mountain Valley Chapter.

“It has been more than a month since Katrina first hit, and it just amazes me how deep the generosity in our community, nation and world goes,” he said. “This donation will be a driving force to aid those who suffer from the devastating hurricanes and will be helpful as we work through obvious financial and logistical challenges.”

The large donation to the hurricane relief effort came about due to the tremendous interest of Nature’s Sunshine’s distributors who were gathered in Salt Lake City for Nature’s Sunshine’s annual convention, which was held during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. The distributors in attendance expressed a desire to help, not only as individuals but as a company as well.

“I was impressed that our Managers and employees wanted to help the victims of the recent hurricanes,” said Doug Faggioli, president and CEO of Nature’s Sunshine. “I appreciate the willingness of our Managers and employees to give so freely to such a worthy cause. We decided to match 100 percent of what they were able to donate.

Gene Hughes, one of the founders of Nature’s Sunshine, echoed Faggioli’s sentiments. “Our NSP Managers and employees have gone the extra mile to show our compassion to those in need,” he said. “Thanks to the American Red Cross for helping us help those in need.”

Since hurricane Katrina hit, the American Red Cross has provided more 3.2 million overnight stays in 1,088 shelters and evacuation centers across 25 states and the District of Columbia. It has provided almost 21 million hot meals to survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross to provide immediate emergency assistance, including food, shelter and mental health services, to the victims of all types of disasters. American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by the generous, voluntary donations of time and money from the American people.

Note to the Editors:
Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 900 chapters and Blood Services regions dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by 1.2 million volunteers and 30,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 67,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchanges more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide.

The Chemicals inside your Cigarette

About 16 years ago a Nature's Sunshine member shared this list of ingredients inside the everyday Cigarettes. It was about this time that I quit smoking 2 packs a day. An alternative for many are All natural cigarettes. At least your body would be spared all the toxic elements involved in the processing of what is on the market today to make them so addictive.

Read this list of ingredients which are inside our manufactured cigarettes and let me know if it isn't enough to make you quit?



Water is the Only Ingredient Added to Tobacco in the Manufacture of Pure Cigarettes by Tobacco Alternative, Inc,

The lngredients Added to Tobacco in the Manufacture of Cigarettes by the Five Maior American Cigarette Companies:

In addition to tobacco, which contains nicotine, the following 599 ingredients have been identified in tobacco industry documents as being added to tobacco in the manufacturing of cigarettes by the five major American cigarette manufacturing companies. While some of these chemicals, such as sugars, vanilla extract, prune juice, and vinegar, are generally recognized as safe when used in food products, all produce numerous additional chemical compounds when burned. None, probably, is more deadly than nicotine, however.
Acetanisole, Acetic Acid, Acetoin, Acetophenone, 6-Acetoxydihydrotheaspirane, 2-Acetyl-3- Ethylpyrazine, 2-Acetyl-5-Methylfuran, Acetylpyrazine, 2-Acetylpyridine, 3-Acetylpyridine, 2-Acetylthiazole, Aconitic Acid, dl-Alanine, Alfalfa Extract, Allspice Extract, Oleoresin, And Oil, Allyl Hexanoate, Allyl Ionone, Almond Bitter Oil, Ambergris Tincture, Ammonia, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Hydroxide, Ammonium Phosphate Dibasic, Ammonium Sulfide, Amyl Alcohol, Amyl Butyrate, Amyl Formate, Amyl Octanoate, alpha-Amylcinnamaldehyde, Amyris Oil, trans-Anethole, Angelica Root Extract, Oil and Seed Oil, Anise, Anise Star, Extract and Oils, Anisyl Acetate, Anisyl Alcohol, Anisyl Formate, Anisyl Phenylacetate, Apple Juice Concentrate, Extract, and Skins, Apricot Extract and Juice Concentrate, 1-Arginine, Asafetida Fluid Extract And Oil, Ascorbic Acid, 1-Asparagine Monohydrate, 1-Aspartic Acid, Balsam Peru and Oil, Basil Oil, Bay Leaf, Oil and Sweet Oil, Beeswax White, Beet Juice Concentrate, Benzaldehyde, Benzaldehyde Glyceryl Acetal, Benzoic Acid, Benzoin, Benzoin Resin, Benzophenone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Butyrate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Propionate, Benzyl Salicylate, Bergamot Oil, Bisabolene, Black Currant Buds Absolute, Borneol, Bornyl Acetate, Buchu Leaf Oil, 1,3-Butanediol, 2,3-Butanedione, 1-Butanol, 2-Butanone, 4(2-Butenylidene)-3,5,5-Trimethyl-2-Cyclohexen-1-One, Butter, Butter Esters, and Butter Oil, Butyl Acetate, Butyl Butyrate, Butyl Butyryl Lactate, Butyl Isovalerate, Butyl Phenylacetate, Butyl Undecylenate, 3-Butylidenephthalide, Butyric Acid, Cadinene, Caffeine, Calcium Carbonate, Camphene, Cananga Oil, Capsicum Oleoresin, Caramel Color, Caraway Oil, Carbon Dioxide, Cardamom Oleoresin, Extract, Seed Oil, and Powder, Carob Bean and Extract, beta-Carotene, Carrot Oil, Carvacrol, 4-Carvomenthenol, 1-Carvone, beta-Caryophyllene, beta-Caryophyllene Oxide, Cascarilla Oil and Bark Extract, Cassia Bark Oil, Cassie Absolute and Oil, Castoreum Extract, Tincture and Absolute, Cedar Leaf Oil, Cedarwood Oil Terpenes and Virginiana, Cedrol, Celery Seed Extract, Solid, Oil, And Oleoresin, Cellulose Fiber, Chamomile Flower Oil And Extract, Chicory Extract, Chocolate, Cinnamaldehyde, Cinnamic Acid, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Bark Oil, and Extract, Cinnamyl Acetate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Cinnamyl Cinnamate, Cinnamyl Isovalerate, Cinnamyl Propionate, Citral, Citric Acid, Citronella Oil, dl-Citronellol, Citronellyl Butyrate, Citronellyl Isobutyrate, Civet Absolute, Clary Oil, Clover Tops, Red Solid Extract, Cocoa, Cocoa Shells, Extract, Distillate And Powder, Coconut Oil, Coffee, Cognac White and Green Oil, Copaiba Oil, Coriander Extract and Oil, Corn Oil, Corn Silk, Costus Root Oil, Cubeb Oil, Cuminaldehyde, para-Cymene, 1-Cysteine, Dandelion Root Solid Extract, Davana Oil, 2-trans, 4-trans-Decadienal, delta-Decalactone, gamma-Decalactone, Decanal, Decanoic Acid, 1-Decanol, 2-Decenal, Dehydromenthofurolactone, Diethyl Malonate, Diethyl Sebacate, 2,3-Diethylpyrazine, Dihydro Anethole, 5,7-Dihydro-2-Methylthieno(3,4-D) Pyrimidine, Dill Seed Oil and Extract, meta-Dimethoxybenzene, para-Dimethoxybenzene, 2,6-Dimethoxyphenol, Dimethyl Succinate, 3,4-Dimethyl-1,2-Cyclopentanedione, 3,5- Dimethyl-1,2-Cyclopentanedione, 3,7-Dimethyl-1,3,6-Octatriene, 4,5-Dimethyl-3-Hydroxy-2,5-Dihydrofuran-2-One, 6,10-Dimethyl-5,9-Undecadien-2-One, 3,7-Dimethyl-6-Octenoic Acid, 2,4-Dimethylacetophenone, alpha,para-Dimethylbenzyl Alcohol, alpha,alpha-Dimethylphenethyl Acetate, alpha,alpha Dimethylphenethyl Butyrate, 2,3-Dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-Dimethylpyrazine, Dimethyltetrahydrobenzofuranone, delta-Dodecalactone, gamma-Dodecalactone, para-Ethoxybenzaldehyde, Ethyl 10-Undecenoate, Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate, Ethyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetoacetate, Ethyl Alcohol, Ethyl Benzoate, Ethyl Butyrate, Ethyl Cinnamate, Ethyl Decanoate, Ethyl Fenchol, Ethyl Furoate, Ethyl Heptanoate, Ethyl Hexanoate, Ethyl Isovalerate, Ethyl Lactate, Ethyl Laurate, Ethyl Levulinate, Ethyl Maltol, Ethyl Methyl Phenylglycidate, Ethyl Myristate, Ethyl Nonanoate, Ethyl Octadecanoate, Ethyl Octanoate, Ethyl Oleate, Ethyl Palmitate, Ethyl Phenylacetate, Ethyl Propionate, Ethyl Salicylate, Ethyl trans-2-Butenoate, Ethyl Valerate, Ethyl Vanillin, 2-Ethyl (or Methyl)-(3,5 and 6)-Methoxypyrazine, 2-Ethyl-1-Hexanol, 3-Ethyl -2 -Hydroxy-2-Cyclopenten-1-One, 2-Ethyl-3, (5 or 6)-Dimethylpyrazine, 5-Ethyl-3-Hydroxy-4-Methyl-2(5H)-Furanone, 2-Ethyl-3-Methylpyrazine, 4-Ethylbenzaldehyde, 4-Ethylguaiacol, para-Ethylphenol, 3-Ethylpyridine, Eucalyptol, Farnesol, D-Fenchone, Fennel Sweet Oil, Fenugreek, Extract, Resin, and Absolute, Fig Juice Concentrate, Food Starch Modified, Furfuryl Mercaptan, 4-(2-Furyl)-3-Buten-2-One, Galbanum Oil, Genet Absolute, Gentian Root Extract, Geraniol, Geranium Rose Oil, Geranyl Acetate, Geranyl Butyrate, Geranyl Formate, Geranyl Isovalerate, Geranyl Phenylacetate, Ginger Oil and Oleoresin, 1-Glutamic Acid, 1-Glutamine, Glycerol, Glycyrrhizin Ammoniated, Grape Juice Concentrate, Guaiac Wood Oil, Guaiacol, Guar Gum, 2,4-Heptadienal, gamma-Heptalactone, Heptanoic Acid, 2-Heptanone, 3-Hepten-2-One, 2-Hepten-4-One, 4-Heptenal, trans -2-Heptenal, Heptyl Acetate, omega-6-Hexadecenlactone, gamma-Hexalactone, Hexanal, Hexanoic Acid, 2-Hexen-1-Ol, 3-Hexen-1-Ol, cis-3-Hexen-1-Yl Acetate, 2-Hexenal, 3-Hexenoic Acid, trans-2-Hexenoic Acid, cis-3-Hexenyl Formate, Hexyl 2-Methylbutyrate, Hexyl Acetate, Hexyl Alcohol, Hexyl Phenylacetate, 1-Histidine, Honey, Hops Oil, Hydrolyzed Milk Solids, Hydrolyzed Plant Proteins, 5-Hydroxy-2,4-Decadienoic Acid delta- Lactone, 4-Hydroxy-2,5-Dimethyl-3(2H)-Furanone, 2-Hydroxy-3,5,5-Trimethyl-2-Cyclohexen-1-One, 4-Hydroxy -3-Pentenoic Acid Lactone, 2-Hydroxy-4-Methylbenzaldehyde, 4-Hydroxybutanoic Acid Lactone, Hydroxycitronellal, 6-Hydroxydihydrotheaspirane, 4-(para-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-Butanone, Hyssop Oil, Immortelle Absolute and Extract, alpha-Ionone, beta-Ionone, alpha-Irone, Isoamyl Acetate, Isoamyl Benzoate, Isoamyl Butyrate, Isoamyl Cinnamate, Isoamyl Formate, Isoamyl Hexanoate, Isoamyl Isovalerate, Isoamyl Octanoate, Isoamyl Phenylacetate, Isobornyl Acetate, Isobutyl Acetate, Isobutyl Alcohol, Isobutyl Cinnamate, Isobutyl Phenylacetate, Isobutyl Salicylate, 2-Isobutyl-3-Methoxypyrazine, alpha-Isobutylphenethyl Alcohol, Isobutyraldehyde, Isobutyric Acid, d,l-Isoleucine, alpha-Isomethylionone, 2-Isopropylphenol, Isovaleric Acid, Jasmine Absolute, Concrete and Oil, Kola Nut Extract, Labdanum Absolute and Oleoresin, Lactic Acid, Lauric Acid, Lauric Aldehyde, Lavandin Oil, Lavender Oil, Lemon Oil and Extract, Lemongrass Oil, 1-Leucine, Levulinic Acid, Licorice Root, Fluid, Extract and Powder, Lime Oil , Linalool, Linalool Oxide, Linalyl Acetate, Linden Flowers, Lovage Oil And Extract, 1-Lysine, Mace Powder, Extract and Oil , Magnesium Carbonate, Malic Acid, Malt and Malt Extract, Maltodextrin, Maltol, Maltyl Isobutyrate, Mandarin Oil, Maple Syrup and Concentrate, Mate Leaf, Absolute and Oil, para-Mentha-8-Thiol-3-One, Menthol, Menthone, Menthyl Acetate, dl-Methionine, Methoprene, 2-Methoxy-4-Methylphenol, 2-Methoxy-4-Vinylphenol, para-Methoxybenzaldehyde, 1-(para-Methoxyphenyl)-1-Penten-3-One, 4-(para-Methoxyphenyl)-2-Butanone, 1-(para-Methoxyphenyl)-2-Propanone, Methoxypyrazine, Methyl 2-Furoate, Methyl 2-Octynoate, Methyl 2-Pyrrolyl Ketone, Methyl Anisate, Methyl Anthranilate, Methyl Benzoate, Methyl Cinnamate, Methyl Dihydrojasmonate, Methyl Ester of Rosin, Partially Hydrogenated, Methyl Isovalerate, Methyl Linoleate (48%), Methyl Linolenate (52%) Mixture, Methyl Naphthyl Ketone, Methyl Nicotinate, Methyl Phenylacetate, Methyl Salicylate, Methyl Sulfide, 3-Methyl-1-Cyclopentadecanone, 4-Methyl-1-Phenyl-2-Pentanone, 5-Methyl-2-Phenyl-2-Hexenal, 5-Methyl-2-Thiophenecarboxaldehyde, 6-Methyl-3,-5-Heptadien-2-One, 2-Methyl-3-(para-Isopropylphenyl) Propionaldehyde, 5-Methyl-3-Hexen-2-One, 1-Methyl-3Methoxy-4-Isopropylbenzene, 4-Methyl-3-Pentene-2-One, 2-Methyl-4-Phenylbutyraldehyde, 6-Methyl-5-Hepten-2-One, 4-Methyl-5-Thiazoleethanol, 4-Methyl-5-Vinylthiazole, Methyl-alpha-Ionone, Methyl-trans-2-Butenoic Acid, 4-Methylacetophenone, para-Methylanisole, alpha-Methylbenzyl Acetate, alpha-Methylbenzyl Alcohol, 2-Methylbutyraldehyde, 3-Methylbutyraldehyde, 2-Methylbutyric Acid, alpha-Methylcinnamaldehyde, Methylcyclopentenolone, 2-Methylheptanoic Acid, 2-Methylhexanoic Acid, 3-Methylpentanoic Acid, 4-Methylpentanoic Acid, 2-Methylpyrazine, 5-Methylquinoxaline, 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran-3-One, (Methylthio)Methylpyrazine (Mixture Of Isomers), 3-Methylthiopropionaldehyde, Methyl 3-Methylthiopropionate, 2-Methylvaleric Acid, Mimosa Absolute and Extract, Molasses Extract and Tincture, Mountain Maple Solid Extract, Mullein Flowers, Myristaldehyde, Myristic Acid, Myrrh Oil, beta-Napthyl Ethyl Ether, Nerol, Neroli Bigarde Oil, Nerolidol, Nona-2-trans,6-cis-Dienal, 2,6-Nonadien-1-Ol, gamma-Nonalactone, Nonanal, Nonanoic Acid, Nonanone, trans-2-Nonen-1-Ol, 2-Nonenal, Nonyl Acetate, Nutmeg Powder and Oil, Oak Chips Extract and Oil, Oak Moss Absolute, 9,12-Octadecadienoic Acid (48%) And 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic Acid (52%), delta-Octalactone, gamma-Octalactone, Octanal, Octanoic Acid, 1-Octanol, 2-Octanone, 3-Octen-2-One, 1-Octen-3-Ol, 1-Octen-3-Yl Acetate, 2-Octenal, Octyl Isobutyrate, Oleic Acid , Olibanum Oil, Opoponax Oil And Gum, Orange Blossoms Water, Absolute, and Leaf Absolute, Orange Oil and Extract, Origanum Oil, Orris Concrete Oil and Root Extract, Palmarosa Oil, Palmitic Acid, Parsley Seed Oil, Patchouli Oil, omega-Pentadecalactone, 2,3-Pentanedione, 2-Pentanone, 4-Pentenoic Acid, 2-Pentylpyridine, Pepper Oil, Black And White, Peppermint Oil, Peruvian (Bois De Rose) Oil, Petitgrain Absolute, Mandarin Oil and Terpeneless Oil, alpha-Phellandrene, 2-Phenenthyl Acetate, Phenenthyl Alcohol, Phenethyl Butyrate, Phenethyl Cinnamate, Phenethyl Isobutyrate, Phenethyl Isovalerate, Phenethyl Phenylacetate, Phenethyl Salicylate, 1-Phenyl-1-Propanol, 3-Phenyl-1-Propanol, 2-Phenyl-2-Butenal, 4-Phenyl-3-Buten-2-Ol, 4-Phenyl-3-Buten-2-One, Phenylacetaldehyde, Phenylacetic Acid, 1-Phenylalanine, 3-Phenylpropionaldehyde, 3-Phenylpropionic Acid, 3-Phenylpropyl Acetate, 3-Phenylpropyl Cinnamate, 2-(3-Phenylpropyl)Tetrahydrofuran, Phosphoric Acid, Pimenta Leaf Oil, Pine Needle Oil, Pine Oil, Scotch, Pineapple Juice Concentrate, alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene, D-Piperitone, Piperonal, Pipsissewa Leaf Extract, Plum Juice, Potassium Sorbate, 1-Proline, Propenylguaethol, Propionic Acid, Propyl Acetate, Propyl para-Hydroxybenzoate, Propylene Glycol, 3-Propylidenephthalide, Prune Juice and Concentrate, Pyridine, Pyroligneous Acid And Extract, Pyrrole, Pyruvic Acid, Raisin Juice Concentrate, Rhodinol, Rose Absolute and Oil, Rosemary Oil, Rum, Rum Ether, Rye Extract, Sage, Sage Oil, and Sage Oleoresin, Salicylaldehyde, Sandalwood Oil, Yellow, Sclareolide, Skatole, Smoke Flavor, Snakeroot Oil, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Solanone, Spearmint Oil, Styrax Extract, Gum and Oil, Sucrose Octaacetate, Sugar Alcohols, Sugars, Tagetes Oil, Tannic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Tea Leaf and Absolute, alpha-Terpineol, Terpinolene, Terpinyl Acetate, 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,9-Tetramethyl-13-Oxatricyclo(8.3.0.0(4,9))Tridecane, 2,3,4,5, and 3,4,5,6-Tetramethylethyl-Cyclohexanone, 2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Thiazole, 1-Threonine, Thyme Oil, White and Red, Thymol, Tobacco Extracts, Tochopherols (mixed), Tolu Balsam Gum and Extract, Tolualdehydes, para-Tolyl 3-Methylbutyrate, para-Tolyl Acetaldehyde, para-Tolyl Acetate, para-Tolyl Isobutyrate, para-Tolyl Phenylacetate, Triacetin, 2-Tridecanone, 2-Tridecenal, Triethyl Citrate, 3,5,5-Trimethyl -1-Hexanol, para,alpha,alpha-Trimethylbenzyl Alcohol, 4-(2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohex-1-Enyl)But-2-En-4-One, 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohex-2-Ene-1,4-Dione, 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexa-1,3-Dienyl Methan, 4-(2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexa-1,3-Dienyl)But-2-En-4-One, 2,2,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone, 2,3,5-Trimethylpyrazine, 1-Tyrosine, delta-Undercalactone, gamma-Undecalactone, Undecanal, 2-Undecanone, 1 0-Undecenal, Urea, Valencene, Valeraldehyde, Valerian Root Extract, Oil and Powder, Valeric Acid, gamma-Valerolactone, Valine, Vanilla Extract And Oleoresin, Vanillin, Veratraldehyde, Vetiver Oil, Vinegar, Violet Leaf Absolute, Walnut Hull Extract, Water, Wheat Extract And Flour, Wild Cherry Bark Extract, Wine and Wine Sherry, Xanthan Gum, 3,4-Xylenol, Yeast

NSP Leaders Conference February 13-16

All NSP members Please join us!!!!

Who: Anyone who wants to be a better leader
When: February 13–16, 2006
Where: Panama City, Florida New Location!
Why: To become a leader in natural health

Leaders Conference 2006 will be held February 13-16, 2006 at the Edgewater Beach Resort in beautiful Panama City, Florida.

Room rates start at just $89 for a condo-style suite with a full kitchen. Larger suites are also available for an additional charge.

The conference will focus on inflammation and will continue the tradition of dynamic and rewarding workshops and general sessions.

Plan now to join us for a few days of great training and motivation in sunny Florida at NSP’s Leaders Conference 2006!

Click here to see the resort’s Photo Gallery or to take a Virtual Tour.

Recipes featuring Flax Seed oil

All recipes taken from:
Flax for Life! 101 Delicious Recipes and Tips Featuring Fabulous Flax Oil
by Jade Beutler



Hummus
A fantastic-tasting Middle Eastern dish to be used as a dip or as a filling in pita sandwiches. An excellent source of complete protein and, now, essential fatty acids.

1-15 oz. can or 1 2/3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 tbsp. Liquid Flax Seed oil
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley for garnish
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 medium cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup minced scallions
dash of cayenne

In a blender or food processor, process the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, and flax oil until the mixture reaches the consistency of a coarse paste. Use as much of the garbanzo liquid or water as needed.
Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, and cayenne and blend thoroughly.
Transfer the hummus to a bowl and stir in the scallions.
Cover the hummus and refrigerate.
Garnish with parsley before serving.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.




Delicious Flax Pesto
1/4 cup Liquid Flax Seed oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 head roasted garlic
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
4 tbsp. pine nuts

Blend all ingredients in the blender.
Great dip for crusty bread or use to serve over the pasta of your choice.




Dreamy Creamy Avocado Dressing
1 large ripe avocado, diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
2 tsp. dried dill weed
seasoned salt or salt-free seasoning (to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp. Liquid Flax Seed oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process to a smooth, even consistency. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.




Guacamole
A great dip containing healthful essential fatty acids

2 ripe avocados, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp. (packed) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp. Liquid Flax Seed oil
dash of salt
2 cloves garlic
pressed cilantro, cayenne and a wedge of lime for garnish
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
2 to 3 tbsp. chopped onion
dash of cumin powder
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

Place the avocados in a food processor and puree.
Add the remaining ingredients and puree to a thick, even consistency.
Transfer to a small bowl and garnish with cilantro, cayenne and a lime wedge.




Bean Dip
Serve this dip with tortilla chips or firm vegetables, such as celery, carrots and bell peppers.

1 -16 oz. can or 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed.
4 large cloves garlic, boiled for 5 minutes, then peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. Liquid Flax Seed oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce.
1 to 2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper (fresh or canned).
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.






Nature's Sunshine Liquid Flax Seed Oil
regularly $17.15 for members

October sale:
Flax Seed Oil Liquid (8 Fl oz) ~ BUY 2 GET 15% OFF
(AVAILABLE OCT 4TH - 31ST)
Member price ~ $29.15 for two bottles

5 Reasons Why Your Work At Home Business Might Be Failing

Article Written By, Christina L

I have seen it many times. Join a company one week, and quit the next. Why are there so many mom's (and dad’s and not-mom’s and not-dad’s) out there joining companies, and then failing so quickly? While there might be plenty of reasons, here are 5 of the top reasons why this is happening:

1. Not treating your new business like an actual job

2. Not giving your new business enough time to grow, giving up too soon

3. Do not know how to market and promote your business

4. Do not really like your new business or service you offer

5. Too expensive to continue, cannot afford marketing materials, supplies, etc..

Now that you have seen the 5 reasons above, does one or more of them sound like something you might be going through right now? Let's talk about solutions for these problems.

To be successful at your new business, you need to put effort into it. Treating your new business just like a job is very important. Put aside time each day to 'go to work' and work on growing your business. Spending a couple hours a week on your business is not going to make it grow into a large income for yourself, so make sure you have enough time devoted to making your business thrive. If you have small kids at home, catch up on business emails during their nap times, or get an hour of work in after the kids go to bed. Or better yet, set up a routine of exactly what your going to work on each day, so you accomplish that task fully and feel like you have achieved and finished a task for the day.

For instance, if you get online and have not set any tasks, you might find yourself answering a couple emails here, doing a little advertising there, and when you get offline after an hour feel like you really did not accomplish anything. You still have tons of emails, and still need to advertise more, nothing feels done. But if you set one single task, like Monday is your advertising day, Tuesday is networking, Wednesday is answer all emails in your inbox, Thursday is offline promotion, at the end of each day you will feel like you actually completed a whole task and you feel like you did so much more! Being organized and setting tasks to complete fully feels great and can increase your chances of being successful at your new business.

Do not join a business opportunity and give up in 2 weeks because you are not a huge success yet. Businesses take time to develop and you're not going to become an instant wealthy business owner overnight. If you're serious about making your new business work, you must allow time for it to grow. Do not become easily frustrated that things are going a little slower than planned. Instead, think of what you can do to change it.

If you do not know how to market your business, or you are having troubles, look to others for advice and help! If you are in direct sales, your sponsor will gladly be able to help you, and if they cannot, find help elsewhere, from networking groups, others in the same business as you, work at home resources, from reading articles, message boards, etc. Do not give up because you are new to marketing, everyone had to start as being the new person and learn the ropes, look up to those who have already done it and learn as much as you can from them.

Loving what you do is a huge key factor in becoming successful. Do not join an opportunity just because it seemed like a good idea, or it was cheap or free to join. If you do not love the product or the service, it will probably end up being a failed business venture. For instance, selling pet products when you do not even own a pet is a sure sign of failure down the road, because how interested are you in selling pet toys when you do not even want to own a pet? Loving your products or the service you offer is key to becoming successful. If you do not like the product or service you are selling, finding a new business is for sure something to think about. Don't settle, find the perfect opportunity for you!

When you join a new business, such as a direct sales company, be aware that you do not have to buy every marketing tool they offer you. You can start your business with very little of that if you are on a tight start up budget. You do not need the company logo pen and other non-needed business tools. Skip that and just get the tools you will need to get started. Once you are earning more money you can splurge on the other tools you want to get. If the company business cards are nice but pretty expensive, make your own business cards with your printer. Cutting down on marketing materials, and even advertising costs can help you create a nice income quicker so you can afford more expensive marketing costs down the road when it becomes more suitable.

If you are promoting your business online, set a monthly budget and after that budget is spent, spend your advertising day finding ways to promote your business for free. Find message boards, networking groups and actively participate as much as you can. Track your advertising by asking any of your leads where they found your ad, so you can know what is working when you do pay for an ad spot online.

Making your business thrive instead of fail can be as simple as taking a few different approaches to how you handle it. Sit down and write out the issues you are facing with your business, and write out the possible solutions and take action to change it. Doing so will make your business take a turn for the better, instead of the worse. Good luck!

Article Written By, Christina L. who is a work at home mom with 3 kids and the owner of www.mommyclassifieds.com

This article shared by Nicole Bandes, B.S.,
Certified Natural Health Educator,
Nature's Sunshine Area Manager

Recipes for Success Card file and Computer Software to manage your NSP Business http://www.sunshinesupport.com

The 'Healing Foods' pyramid

New healthful-foods guide includes chocolate, alcohol, tea

By Anne Harding
Special to MSN

University of Michigan researchers have created a food pyramid with much more than your stomach in mind.

The colorful, 10-tier triangle, introduced in March, is based on two years of research into the power of foods to ward off and fight illnesses such as autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, cancer and heart disease, says Dr. Monica Myklebust, director of University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Clinical Services in Ann Arbor. Myklebust created the pyramid with Jenna Wunder, a nutritionist at the center.

"It seems to boil down to a certain number of essential points on how to eat to prevent and treat these conditions," explains Myklebust, a family physician who spent a two-year fellowship with University of Arizona integrative-medicine guru Dr. Andrew Weil. In a nutshell: Eat less meat and more plant products, enjoy a variety of foods and emphasize healthy fats.

Building blocks
The Healing Foods Pyramid is accessible on the Web at
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/clinical/pyramid . A click on each of the 12 building blocks that form the pyramid's 10 tiers brings up detailed information on the food group's benefits as well as recommended servings and portion sizes.

Water forms the base of the pyramid, followed by five tiers representing foods to be eaten daily: fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, seasonings and healthy fats like olive oil, and eggs and dairy products. The next two tiers are fish and seafood and lean meats, to be eaten weekly. Next are chocolate, alcohol and tea, grouped as "accompaniments," all of which can benefit health when consumed in moderation. Finally, at the very tip, there's an empty triangle, reserved for a "special treat that is healing for you," to be indulged in occasionally.

Myklebust and Wunder emphasize buying organic foods whenever possible, purchasing meat and eggs from free-range animals, and avoiding meat and dairy products containing hormones. The section on fish also provides details on which seafoods should be avoided due to the risk of PCB or mercury contamination. Choosing the proper foods is likely to be healthier for humans as well as for the environment, they say.

Mastering the basics
"For people who really want to be healthy and take their nutrition as far as they can go, I think it's excellent, based on everything we know that's good for us," says Katherine Tallmadge, a Washington-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

But the healing pyramid's complexity could be daunting for some, Tallmadge adds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest version of the food pyramid is much simpler. Five vertical stripes represent grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans, while a figure runs up a set of stairs on the left side to emphasize the importance of physical activity. A few simple guidelines accompany each food group - for example, "make half your grains whole" and "bake it, broil it or grill it" for meats - and tell you how much to eat every day.

The USDA includes additional information on its Web site, mypyramid.gov, and also offers a personal, in-depth diet and physical activity assessment in My Pyramid Tracker.

"For someone that is just starting out as far as they want to improve their diet, they want to eat better, they don't know a lot about nutrition, I would definitely have them start with mypyramid.gov," says Michelle Johnson, an ADA spokesperson based in Phoenix. She said she considers the Healing Foods Pyramid to be a more advanced version that people could move up to once they've got the basics.

Mind what you eat
Johnson says she likes the Healing Foods Pyramid's emphasis on "mindful eating," or taking the time to enjoy and savor your food. "There's been some good research showing that mindful eating is a pretty good tool for maintaining a healthy weight, in addition to choosing healthy foods," she says.

Mindful eating can also prevent digestive problems and help people who have such problems to cope with them, Myklebust notes. "Mindless eating," like bolting a burger behind the wheel, is something many of us do far too often, she adds, and our stomachs don't thank us for it.

Along with eating on the run, Myklebust says, people with gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn should consider avoiding tomatoes, citrus, high-fat foods, peppermint, coffee, chocolate and alcohol, all of which can weaken the sphincter separating the stomach from the esophagus, allowing acid backup.

Johnson suggests using the two pyramids together for tip-top nutritional benefit. "These are two good resources in the sea of bad information that you can find on the Internet when it comes to healthy nutrition," she says. "I really don't see anything conflicting about the two of them. I think they work very well together."

Anne Harding is a science and health writer based in Maplewood, N.J.

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For interactive site where you can see detailed information on the food group's benefits as well as recommended servings and portion sizes please visit http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/clinical/pyramid

For Larger view of Healthy Food Pyramid in pdf format click here
If you do not have the program needed to open the pdf file you can download it here for free ~ Acrobat Adobe Reader:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html