SALT LAKE CITY, Dec 19, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (USNA), a health supplement supplier of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), had four PRCA riders who placed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which ended Saturday in Las Vegas.
Steer wrestler Todd Suhn impressed the PRCA and fans alike at the Thomas & Mack Center by grabbing second place in the final round of the Wrangler National Finals. Suhn placed eighth in the year-end world standings and fifth in the overall Wrangler tour standings.
Barrel racer and USANA Associate Vickie Solmonsen, who stands in eighth place in the world standings and third in the overall tour standings, took home sixth place in the final barrel racing round. Bareback rider Kelly Timbermann placed 12th in the finals, holds an eighth-place ranking in the world and holds an overall Wrangler tour ranking of second place in bareback riding. Steer wrestler Sean Mulligan, who sits in fourth place in the world standings this year, finished sixth in the final round and second in the overall standings at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
"It was a great year and the Wrangler National Finals was spectacular," Mulligan said. "USANA's health supplements were a huge reason that I was able to perform at a high level for 10 days in a row. Many contestants got run down over the long 10 rounds in Las Vegas. I was able to win three performances, place in two more, and finish second overall at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. I believe that when I'm away from home that it is imperative that I have quality health supplements available to perform at my best."
USANA is excited to be associated with these great PRCA athletes and congratulates them for their showing at the Wrangler National Finals as well as their impressive overall standings for 2007.
For more information about the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo or the PRCA, please visit http://www.prorodeo.com.
About USANA
USANA Health Sciences develops and manufactures high-quality nutritionals, personal care, and weight management products that are sold directly to Preferred Customers and Associates throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For more information about USANA, please visit http://www.usana.com.
SOURCE: USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
CONTACT: USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
Dan Macuga, 801-954-7100 Network Development & Public Relations Dan.Macuga@us.usana.com
Copyright Business Wire 2007
KEYWORDS:
AHA Scientific Statements AHA Statements Alice Clegg Alternative Medicine antioxidants body building Business Opportunity Calcium California Cancer cardiovascular diseases cooking diets fitness food health health and freedom Jason Kilgore Kilgore and USANA Kilgore Defense Institute Kilgore MMA Martial Arts mens health Mexico USANA Minerals mydreams.usana.com nutrition nutritional Recipes Safety Sierra Foothills Karate nutrition advice sports Sports Health Sports Nutrition Statements Stress Stress Management USANA Usana and Alice Clegg Usana and Jason Kilgore Usana and Sierra Foothills Karate USANA HEALTH SCIENCES USANA HEALTH SCIENCES DISTRIBUTOR Utah vitamins wellness Wellness Misphitz women fitness womens health
Thursday, January 24, 2008
USANA Cleared of Informal SEC Inquiry
Hello Success Team International,
If anyone you know has concerns about the drama which Barry Minkow stirred up in 2007, then the two releases below will be a good read for them to bring understanding and closure to this. Perhaps, save a copy of this email in your file in case someone has concerns around Minkow antics in the future. Keep in mind that USANA is dedicating considerable attention and resources to prosecute Minkow. If USANA's case goes as planned, he will most likely end up back in prison.
The more successful public companies become (examples: USANA #3 in Hottest Growth of Business Week, top 20 in Forbes for past three years, record sales for five years), the more likely it will be a target. However, rest assured that your Independent Distributor Council and USANA Senior Management are implementing several preventative measures so that we are much less vulnerable in the future to short selling schemes or critics.
Keep spreading the vision and charging to your dreams!
Jeremy StansfieldUSANA 8-Star Diamond Director
News ReleaseSEC Closes Informal Inquiry of USANA
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2008--USANA Health Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:USNA) announced today it has received a letter from the Salt Lake Regional Office of the Securities & Exchange Commission stating it has completed the informal inquiry regarding the company and is not recommending any enforcement action be taken.
USANA voluntarily disclosed the SEC's informal inquiry in March 2007, which the company believes was related to assertions appearing in the mass media. The company cooperated fully with the SEC during its inquiry.
"USANA greatly appreciates the diligence of the SEC in completing its informal inquiry, and we are pleased to put this matter behind us," said David A. Wentz, president of USANA Health Sciences Inc. "We have always been confident about the integrity of our company and take pride in our direct selling business model. All of us at USANA look forward to continuing to provide our tens of thousands of Associates and Preferred Customers worldwide with the finest nutritional products and an excellent home-based business opportunity."
Usana Health Sciences Vindicated against Stalker
Usana Health Sciences Vindicated against Stalker- January 11, 2008
David Patch
Any researcher of the Securities and Exchange Commission website looking for information on a scheme of manipulation called the ‘short and distort’ will find themselves hard pressed to find anything of substance. Unlike the extensive warnings and enforcement hearings issued by the Commission on the ‘pump and dump’ method of stock manipulation there is no such information or enforcement track record on the equally abusive ‘short and distort’.
At the present time, there are near a dozen lawsuits littered across this country where executives of public companies have accused short sellers of using access to financial media to disseminate false and misleading information about their companies. The issuers further allege that these same parties will file false claims to the Commission in order to create a bogus SEC investigation into the issuer to distort market sentiment.
The intent of the distortion of fact is to create fear and panic and drive down the market of the public issuer creating profit to any preexisting short position held prior to the news releases.
Usana Health Sciences (USNA) is one such company under the alleged attack of a ‘short and distort’ campaign.
In March 2007 USNA was trading at a market price above $60.00/share. But that was before felon Barry Minkow came calling through his access to the Wall Street Journal.
Barry Minkow has served prison time in the 1990’s for security fraud and since obtaining his freedom has developed a research company called Fraud Discovery Institute. The primary focus on the operation is to identify and then publicly trash companies Minkow perceives of running a scam.
Like former Crazy Eddie CFO and convicted felon Sam Antar, Minkow goes out and stalks public companies and presents his unsubstantiated allegations through his site distribution. Each disseminates relentless levels of negative information on the targeted companies under the guise of more material makes the story more credible.
In the disclosure statement on Fraud Discovery Institute Minkow admits that he may hold short positions in the issuers they are stalking. The disclosure statement is buried deeply into his Privacy Policy and Disclaimer statement located elsewhere and not on the individual accusatory publications.
Like Antar, Minkow has no actual evidence to support his allegations instead dressing up public information and investigative information in a manner that looks convincing but with a flaw, it is not always accurate.
Minkow and Antar use their history as a criminal in the stock market to ultimately justify the accuracy of their findings. After all we have all heard the “takes one to know one” phrase. These two should seek out patent rights to the phrase as they use it so much in their self-advertisement of who they are and why they now do what they do.
In March 2007 Minkow and the Wall Street Journal discussed his baseless allegations of fraud taking place within Usana. Minkow accused the firm of running a pyramid scheme and the WSJ ran the report in a ‘Heard on the Street’ report. The impact of the article was definitive.
Shortly after the Wall Street Journal article was released the $60.00/share market for Usana began an abrupt shift and by April 30th the market in Usana was trading below $40.00/share. By August 7 the stock had fallen to levels below $30.00/share. The market cap in Usana had dropped nearly $480 Million in a matter of 4 months after the article was relased.
A look into Minkow’s site documents the level of public stalking by Minkow during this period of ‘market adjustment’.
In fact, the attention Minkow was creating brought in the standard package of support networking as the Securities and Exchange Commission initiated an informal investigation into Minkow’s allegations and the associate firm to short sellers, Milberg Weiss, initiated a Class Action lawsuit against the company within days of the report.
Why Milberg Weiss?
Milberg Weiss is presently under indictment for providing kickbacks to planted plaintiffs in class action lawsuits filed. The federal indictment contains language stating that Weiss had advanced knowledge of companies whose market was about to come under pressure and planted lead plaintiffs in the company as long investors just prior to the market collapses.
The US Attorney has not yet detailed exactly how Milberg Weiss had the foreknowledge of the upcoming market adjustment and likewise, the SEC appears disinterested in investigating insider trading and stock manipulation charges on this foreknowledge. I would certainly want to know how this takes place if market regulation was my career responsibility and I certainly would want to understand the frequency and mechanics of how such takes place.
As for the allegations against Usana Health Sciences Minkow, Weiss, and the SEC were all proven to be wrong this week.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded their informal investigation into Usana Health Sciences and issued them a clean bill of health.
The negativity about Usana created by the financial media, Minkow, and Milberg Weiss were all shown to be nothing but distortions of the truth. The distortions initiated by stock fraudster Barry Minkow created nothing short of a venue for market manipulation that benefited all short sellers in the company.
Barry Minkow himself is accused by Usana of holding a short position in the company during this window of extreme financial opportunity. The short position acting as his catalyst to increase the public dissemination of more and more distorted facts.
Under SEC policy, the SEC would not confirm or deny whether an investigation exists into Minkow or his site publications of false material. Minkow has made no public disclosures on his site of a possible SEC investigation but he does not have to either. Only public companies are required to disclose such material events.
How many more stock manipulation opportunities like this exist in the capital marketplace? Opportunities where intended distortions of fact are confused by authorities with free speech rights when it comes to public issuers.
A FOIA Request into the SEC would not shed much light on this question. The SEC responded to my request by declaring that the agency fails to maintain records of how investigations are initiated and what source created such investigations. There is no way to identify patterns of abuse by interested third parties using the complaint process to create bogus investigations and manipulate markets.
That would of course be logical in a non-logic orientated agency.
What we are aware of through public information is that court transcripts of the trail against convicted felon Anthony Elgindy provide significant insight into Mr. Elgindy’s ability to generate SEC Investigations into public companies. Convicted Felon Sam Antar has likewise admitted to gaining access to several bureaus of the SEC to launch his allegations against public issuers, and former SEC Enforcement Attorney Richard Sauer admitted in a NY Times Op-Ed piece that he utilized the short seller frequently when initiating investigations. Sauer used the Op-Ed space provided by the NY Times to canonize the short seller as the unsung hero for maintaining market controls.
At the time of the Op-Ed piece Sauer had left the SEC and was employed by the short interest hedge fund that previously provided Sauer with many of his cases. No conflict of interest there and no full and transparent disclosure in the Op-ed piece published that his employer was one and the same with the investigations he conducted.
With this evidence before us it dos not take a rocket scientist to figure out that a significant flaw in SEC enforcement exists. The financial press has provided stock manipulators with access to the public and instead of investigating the validity of such access, and taking appropriate actions against those distorting the facts the SEC focuses on the issuers and in the process aiding the manipulation process. The problem is exacerbated when felons, convicted of securities fraud, become the point of credibility in this process.
So you ask, what did the SEC’s clean bill of health disclosure have on the market in Usana? The stock gapped open up 25% today providing credence to the negative impact a bogus SEC investigation can have on a public issuer.
Usana has sued Minkow for defamation based on the allegations presented on his website and public statements issued through the financial press.
Such a lawsuit, win or lose, will never provide comfort to all those investors who lost hundreds of millions in losses. With 16 Million shares issued and outstanding the $30.00 drop in market value erased $480 Million in market capitalization. Such a decline also limited the company’s access to capital, a business impact that can never be fully evaluated.
So the next time you peruse the SEC web site take that search on the ‘short and distort’ and compare the results to the ‘pump and dump’. When you see what I have seen, write to your Congressman and ask why the SEC has turned a blind eye to this method of abuse. The evidence proves it exists, why hasn’t the SEC taken the necessary steps to clean it up? Worse, the SEC has become a major player in the fraud itself.
UPDATE: Court Documents in the Usana v. Minkow case has revealed that Sam Antar is a major financier of Minkow in this stalking attack. (See Page 4 of this attachment)
For more on this issue please visit the Host site at www.investigatethesec.com Copyright 2008
KEYWORDS:
AHA Scientific Statements AHA Statements Alice Clegg Alternative Medicine antioxidants body building Business Opportunity Calcium California Cancer cardiovascular diseases cooking diets fitness food health health and freedom Jason Kilgore Kilgore and USANA Kilgore Defense Institute Kilgore MMA Martial Arts mens health Mexico USANA Minerals mydreams.usana.com nutrition nutritional Recipes Safety Sierra Foothills Karate nutrition advice sports Sports Health Sports Nutrition Statements Stress Stress Management USANA Usana and Alice Clegg Usana and Jason Kilgore Usana and Sierra Foothills Karate USANA HEALTH SCIENCES USANA HEALTH SCIENCES DISTRIBUTOR Utah vitamins wellness Wellness Misphitz women fitness womens health
If anyone you know has concerns about the drama which Barry Minkow stirred up in 2007, then the two releases below will be a good read for them to bring understanding and closure to this. Perhaps, save a copy of this email in your file in case someone has concerns around Minkow antics in the future. Keep in mind that USANA is dedicating considerable attention and resources to prosecute Minkow. If USANA's case goes as planned, he will most likely end up back in prison.
The more successful public companies become (examples: USANA #3 in Hottest Growth of Business Week, top 20 in Forbes for past three years, record sales for five years), the more likely it will be a target. However, rest assured that your Independent Distributor Council and USANA Senior Management are implementing several preventative measures so that we are much less vulnerable in the future to short selling schemes or critics.
Keep spreading the vision and charging to your dreams!
Jeremy StansfieldUSANA 8-Star Diamond Director
News ReleaseSEC Closes Informal Inquiry of USANA
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2008--USANA Health Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:USNA) announced today it has received a letter from the Salt Lake Regional Office of the Securities & Exchange Commission stating it has completed the informal inquiry regarding the company and is not recommending any enforcement action be taken.
USANA voluntarily disclosed the SEC's informal inquiry in March 2007, which the company believes was related to assertions appearing in the mass media. The company cooperated fully with the SEC during its inquiry.
"USANA greatly appreciates the diligence of the SEC in completing its informal inquiry, and we are pleased to put this matter behind us," said David A. Wentz, president of USANA Health Sciences Inc. "We have always been confident about the integrity of our company and take pride in our direct selling business model. All of us at USANA look forward to continuing to provide our tens of thousands of Associates and Preferred Customers worldwide with the finest nutritional products and an excellent home-based business opportunity."
Usana Health Sciences Vindicated against Stalker
Usana Health Sciences Vindicated against Stalker- January 11, 2008
David Patch
Any researcher of the Securities and Exchange Commission website looking for information on a scheme of manipulation called the ‘short and distort’ will find themselves hard pressed to find anything of substance. Unlike the extensive warnings and enforcement hearings issued by the Commission on the ‘pump and dump’ method of stock manipulation there is no such information or enforcement track record on the equally abusive ‘short and distort’.
At the present time, there are near a dozen lawsuits littered across this country where executives of public companies have accused short sellers of using access to financial media to disseminate false and misleading information about their companies. The issuers further allege that these same parties will file false claims to the Commission in order to create a bogus SEC investigation into the issuer to distort market sentiment.
The intent of the distortion of fact is to create fear and panic and drive down the market of the public issuer creating profit to any preexisting short position held prior to the news releases.
Usana Health Sciences (USNA) is one such company under the alleged attack of a ‘short and distort’ campaign.
In March 2007 USNA was trading at a market price above $60.00/share. But that was before felon Barry Minkow came calling through his access to the Wall Street Journal.
Barry Minkow has served prison time in the 1990’s for security fraud and since obtaining his freedom has developed a research company called Fraud Discovery Institute. The primary focus on the operation is to identify and then publicly trash companies Minkow perceives of running a scam.
Like former Crazy Eddie CFO and convicted felon Sam Antar, Minkow goes out and stalks public companies and presents his unsubstantiated allegations through his site distribution. Each disseminates relentless levels of negative information on the targeted companies under the guise of more material makes the story more credible.
In the disclosure statement on Fraud Discovery Institute Minkow admits that he may hold short positions in the issuers they are stalking. The disclosure statement is buried deeply into his Privacy Policy and Disclaimer statement located elsewhere and not on the individual accusatory publications.
Like Antar, Minkow has no actual evidence to support his allegations instead dressing up public information and investigative information in a manner that looks convincing but with a flaw, it is not always accurate.
Minkow and Antar use their history as a criminal in the stock market to ultimately justify the accuracy of their findings. After all we have all heard the “takes one to know one” phrase. These two should seek out patent rights to the phrase as they use it so much in their self-advertisement of who they are and why they now do what they do.
In March 2007 Minkow and the Wall Street Journal discussed his baseless allegations of fraud taking place within Usana. Minkow accused the firm of running a pyramid scheme and the WSJ ran the report in a ‘Heard on the Street’ report. The impact of the article was definitive.
Shortly after the Wall Street Journal article was released the $60.00/share market for Usana began an abrupt shift and by April 30th the market in Usana was trading below $40.00/share. By August 7 the stock had fallen to levels below $30.00/share. The market cap in Usana had dropped nearly $480 Million in a matter of 4 months after the article was relased.
A look into Minkow’s site documents the level of public stalking by Minkow during this period of ‘market adjustment’.
In fact, the attention Minkow was creating brought in the standard package of support networking as the Securities and Exchange Commission initiated an informal investigation into Minkow’s allegations and the associate firm to short sellers, Milberg Weiss, initiated a Class Action lawsuit against the company within days of the report.
Why Milberg Weiss?
Milberg Weiss is presently under indictment for providing kickbacks to planted plaintiffs in class action lawsuits filed. The federal indictment contains language stating that Weiss had advanced knowledge of companies whose market was about to come under pressure and planted lead plaintiffs in the company as long investors just prior to the market collapses.
The US Attorney has not yet detailed exactly how Milberg Weiss had the foreknowledge of the upcoming market adjustment and likewise, the SEC appears disinterested in investigating insider trading and stock manipulation charges on this foreknowledge. I would certainly want to know how this takes place if market regulation was my career responsibility and I certainly would want to understand the frequency and mechanics of how such takes place.
As for the allegations against Usana Health Sciences Minkow, Weiss, and the SEC were all proven to be wrong this week.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded their informal investigation into Usana Health Sciences and issued them a clean bill of health.
The negativity about Usana created by the financial media, Minkow, and Milberg Weiss were all shown to be nothing but distortions of the truth. The distortions initiated by stock fraudster Barry Minkow created nothing short of a venue for market manipulation that benefited all short sellers in the company.
Barry Minkow himself is accused by Usana of holding a short position in the company during this window of extreme financial opportunity. The short position acting as his catalyst to increase the public dissemination of more and more distorted facts.
Under SEC policy, the SEC would not confirm or deny whether an investigation exists into Minkow or his site publications of false material. Minkow has made no public disclosures on his site of a possible SEC investigation but he does not have to either. Only public companies are required to disclose such material events.
How many more stock manipulation opportunities like this exist in the capital marketplace? Opportunities where intended distortions of fact are confused by authorities with free speech rights when it comes to public issuers.
A FOIA Request into the SEC would not shed much light on this question. The SEC responded to my request by declaring that the agency fails to maintain records of how investigations are initiated and what source created such investigations. There is no way to identify patterns of abuse by interested third parties using the complaint process to create bogus investigations and manipulate markets.
That would of course be logical in a non-logic orientated agency.
What we are aware of through public information is that court transcripts of the trail against convicted felon Anthony Elgindy provide significant insight into Mr. Elgindy’s ability to generate SEC Investigations into public companies. Convicted Felon Sam Antar has likewise admitted to gaining access to several bureaus of the SEC to launch his allegations against public issuers, and former SEC Enforcement Attorney Richard Sauer admitted in a NY Times Op-Ed piece that he utilized the short seller frequently when initiating investigations. Sauer used the Op-Ed space provided by the NY Times to canonize the short seller as the unsung hero for maintaining market controls.
At the time of the Op-Ed piece Sauer had left the SEC and was employed by the short interest hedge fund that previously provided Sauer with many of his cases. No conflict of interest there and no full and transparent disclosure in the Op-ed piece published that his employer was one and the same with the investigations he conducted.
With this evidence before us it dos not take a rocket scientist to figure out that a significant flaw in SEC enforcement exists. The financial press has provided stock manipulators with access to the public and instead of investigating the validity of such access, and taking appropriate actions against those distorting the facts the SEC focuses on the issuers and in the process aiding the manipulation process. The problem is exacerbated when felons, convicted of securities fraud, become the point of credibility in this process.
So you ask, what did the SEC’s clean bill of health disclosure have on the market in Usana? The stock gapped open up 25% today providing credence to the negative impact a bogus SEC investigation can have on a public issuer.
Usana has sued Minkow for defamation based on the allegations presented on his website and public statements issued through the financial press.
Such a lawsuit, win or lose, will never provide comfort to all those investors who lost hundreds of millions in losses. With 16 Million shares issued and outstanding the $30.00 drop in market value erased $480 Million in market capitalization. Such a decline also limited the company’s access to capital, a business impact that can never be fully evaluated.
So the next time you peruse the SEC web site take that search on the ‘short and distort’ and compare the results to the ‘pump and dump’. When you see what I have seen, write to your Congressman and ask why the SEC has turned a blind eye to this method of abuse. The evidence proves it exists, why hasn’t the SEC taken the necessary steps to clean it up? Worse, the SEC has become a major player in the fraud itself.
UPDATE: Court Documents in the Usana v. Minkow case has revealed that Sam Antar is a major financier of Minkow in this stalking attack. (See Page 4 of this attachment)
For more on this issue please visit the Host site at www.investigatethesec.com Copyright 2008
KEYWORDS:
AHA Scientific Statements AHA Statements Alice Clegg Alternative Medicine antioxidants body building Business Opportunity Calcium California Cancer cardiovascular diseases cooking diets fitness food health health and freedom Jason Kilgore Kilgore and USANA Kilgore Defense Institute Kilgore MMA Martial Arts mens health Mexico USANA Minerals mydreams.usana.com nutrition nutritional Recipes Safety Sierra Foothills Karate nutrition advice sports Sports Health Sports Nutrition Statements Stress Stress Management USANA Usana and Alice Clegg Usana and Jason Kilgore Usana and Sierra Foothills Karate USANA HEALTH SCIENCES USANA HEALTH SCIENCES DISTRIBUTOR Utah vitamins wellness Wellness Misphitz women fitness womens health
USANA President Dave Wentz
Watch a video of USANA President Dave Wentz sharing a crucial announcement concerning the company. You DO NOT want to miss this!
Here are the direct video links to for anyone to access this 3 minute video.
Click here for Windows Media Player Format
Click here for MOV Format
Here are the direct video links to for anyone to access this 3 minute video.
Click here for Windows Media Player Format
Click here for MOV Format
Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good?
On newsstands now, for the first time ever on a major magazine (BusinessWeek) is a cover story entitled, "Lipitor: For Many People, Cholesterol Drugs May Not Do Any Good."
Follow this link Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good? to BusinessWeek online.
Here are the reasons that I think this would be of interest to those in USANA:
1. Heart disease is the number cause of death for both men and women, and it is mostly caused by our lifestyle choices; diet, lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, high homocysteine levels, deficiency of antioxidants (oxidized LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and arteries). It is not caused by a lack of statin drugs. Heart disease and atherosclerosis is caused by oxidative stress. To maintain heart health antioxidants and a proper lifestyle (diet, exercise, etc.) are critical; i.e.; the USANA message.
2. Statin drugs are the number one prescribed drugs in the U.S., let alone the world, and cause a depletion in co-enzyme Q10 levels in the body, with resultant serious side-effects. We in USANA know something about the importance of co-Q10.
3. It is difficult for USANA associates to encourage potential customers/associates to be on USANA because their doctors have them on statin drugs, and put down the use of nutritional supplements.
4. The article in BusinessWeek (January 28, 2008) provides 3rd-party information that shows that statin drugs, although they lower LDL cholesterol, they do NOT prevent heart attacks, strokes, and death in the majority of cases (actually, according to the article out of 100 people on a statin drug, only 1 person will benefit). All of them are having their co-Q10 levels depleted, and their cardiac function is being impaired, among other side-effects.
5. The article ALSO points out that the ONLY people to benefit from statin drugs are those who are at high risk for heart attacks (people with coronary artery disease), and even then, they should be on low-dose statin drugs (10 to 20 mg), ...with combination use of co-Q10 to off-set the side-effects of the drug. (I want to point out here that there are many good physicians both in and outside USANA who are properly prescribing low-dose statin drugs WITH antioxidants, including co-Q10 because the medical research indicates that is the responsible protocol at this time among those who are at high risk for heart disease.)
6. The statin drugs mechanism of action in reducing the risk of repeat heart attack in those who are at high risk of heart attack is NOT through the lowering of LDL cholesterol (as I have been writing about for years), but is through this drugs anti-inflammatory / antioxidant effect ! This has been one of the on-going themes of my messages, and add all of the above together, I believe it all applies to the TRUE HEALTH message.
I think it is a turning point in the media, ....unless of course, Pfizer steps up its ads in BusinessWeek and spins, ...excuse me, "sponsors" favorable articles about Lipitor over the next few months, while trashing the use of nutritional supplements, which is par for the course in the battle for people's opinion in the media.
Written by:
Ladd McNamara, M.D.
Follow this link Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good? to BusinessWeek online.
Here are the reasons that I think this would be of interest to those in USANA:
1. Heart disease is the number cause of death for both men and women, and it is mostly caused by our lifestyle choices; diet, lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, high homocysteine levels, deficiency of antioxidants (oxidized LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and arteries). It is not caused by a lack of statin drugs. Heart disease and atherosclerosis is caused by oxidative stress. To maintain heart health antioxidants and a proper lifestyle (diet, exercise, etc.) are critical; i.e.; the USANA message.
2. Statin drugs are the number one prescribed drugs in the U.S., let alone the world, and cause a depletion in co-enzyme Q10 levels in the body, with resultant serious side-effects. We in USANA know something about the importance of co-Q10.
3. It is difficult for USANA associates to encourage potential customers/associates to be on USANA because their doctors have them on statin drugs, and put down the use of nutritional supplements.
4. The article in BusinessWeek (January 28, 2008) provides 3rd-party information that shows that statin drugs, although they lower LDL cholesterol, they do NOT prevent heart attacks, strokes, and death in the majority of cases (actually, according to the article out of 100 people on a statin drug, only 1 person will benefit). All of them are having their co-Q10 levels depleted, and their cardiac function is being impaired, among other side-effects.
5. The article ALSO points out that the ONLY people to benefit from statin drugs are those who are at high risk for heart attacks (people with coronary artery disease), and even then, they should be on low-dose statin drugs (10 to 20 mg), ...with combination use of co-Q10 to off-set the side-effects of the drug. (I want to point out here that there are many good physicians both in and outside USANA who are properly prescribing low-dose statin drugs WITH antioxidants, including co-Q10 because the medical research indicates that is the responsible protocol at this time among those who are at high risk for heart disease.)
6. The statin drugs mechanism of action in reducing the risk of repeat heart attack in those who are at high risk of heart attack is NOT through the lowering of LDL cholesterol (as I have been writing about for years), but is through this drugs anti-inflammatory / antioxidant effect ! This has been one of the on-going themes of my messages, and add all of the above together, I believe it all applies to the TRUE HEALTH message.
I think it is a turning point in the media, ....unless of course, Pfizer steps up its ads in BusinessWeek and spins, ...excuse me, "sponsors" favorable articles about Lipitor over the next few months, while trashing the use of nutritional supplements, which is par for the course in the battle for people's opinion in the media.
Written by:
Ladd McNamara, M.D.
Folic Acid Saves Baby's Life
Folic Acid Saves Baby's Life
Deficiency in Common Food Supplement Could Have Killed an Infant
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=4173835&page=1
Cute and healthy, Rosendo Rivera was everything his mother dreamed of.
"He slept, he ate, he gained a lot of weight; he was fine, everything was perfect," says his mother, Mayra Rivera.
But when he was 4 months old, Rosendo's mom got an inkling that something was wrong. First his eyes started to cross -- that was just the beginning.
"He went from laughing, rolling to completely being a baby who couldn't hold his head up. He stopped laughing, rolling, babbling. I said this is like a bad dream. I can't believe this is happening," said Mayra.
Doctors were stumped. Rosendo continued to deteriorate and had up to 60 seizures a day. He was diagnosed with everything from mental retardation to cerebral palsy, and then, something worse: mitochondrial disease, a condition in which the body can't produce energy.
His prognosis: He wouldn't live past his teens.
"I was devastated. I was watching my son deteriorate before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do for him. This cannot be my life, this cannot be my son's life. I was waiting for God to give us a miracle," says Mayra.
By chance, she met Dr. Mary Kay Koenig, who believed Rosendo may have been misdiagnosed, and Mayra got the miracle she had been dreaming of.
"I realized that although he had been tested for a majority of conditions that can cause his symptoms, he had not been tested for cerebral folate deficiency," says Koenig.
In folate deficiency, the body is unable to transport the vitamin folic acid to the brain, resulting in seizures, mobility problems and blindness. Fortunately though, this disease is 100 percent treatable in toddlers with a simple supplement.
In August, Mayra got the news: Rosendo had folate deficiency.
"I was so happy I was crying. I was like, thank you God, my prayers are answered. I knew it was a miracle," says Mayra.
Not only was he not going to die, but he could actually recover. Rosendo has been taking the supplements for four months now, and he has made remarkable strides.
"He's sleeping better, he's babbling, he's making new sounds, he's sitting down for longer periods of time. It's really exciting. It may be little for some people but really exciting for us. It's big,"says Mayra.
Bright Future
Dr. Pamela Blake joined "Good Morning America" today to share the latest details of Rosendo's recovery.
"He's gaining ground very quickly from all of the delays that he had. He is doing very well. He's had a great return of his visual function. His motor function is better, he is starting to talk, he can say "Momma," which he could not do before," says Blake.
Nowadays Mayra even has reason to hope that Rosendo might be able to live a normal life.
"Fortunately, because he was diagnosed properly and treated before the age of 3, the expectation is that he will do very well and hopefully should have a full recovery," says Blake.
Age 3 is turning point, because before that brain development is very precious and any deprivation of sensation can cause life-long damage.
"Folic acid is transported by a different receptor, a different protein taken into the brain and he has no problems with that receptor, so it's very simple," says Blake.
What makes it even better is that it's about as easy as it gets to administer. Rosendo takes just one tablet a day now. He'll have to for the rest of his life, but doctors say now that his life should be a long and healthy one.
Deficiency in Common Food Supplement Could Have Killed an Infant
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=4173835&page=1
Cute and healthy, Rosendo Rivera was everything his mother dreamed of.
"He slept, he ate, he gained a lot of weight; he was fine, everything was perfect," says his mother, Mayra Rivera.
But when he was 4 months old, Rosendo's mom got an inkling that something was wrong. First his eyes started to cross -- that was just the beginning.
"He went from laughing, rolling to completely being a baby who couldn't hold his head up. He stopped laughing, rolling, babbling. I said this is like a bad dream. I can't believe this is happening," said Mayra.
Doctors were stumped. Rosendo continued to deteriorate and had up to 60 seizures a day. He was diagnosed with everything from mental retardation to cerebral palsy, and then, something worse: mitochondrial disease, a condition in which the body can't produce energy.
His prognosis: He wouldn't live past his teens.
"I was devastated. I was watching my son deteriorate before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do for him. This cannot be my life, this cannot be my son's life. I was waiting for God to give us a miracle," says Mayra.
By chance, she met Dr. Mary Kay Koenig, who believed Rosendo may have been misdiagnosed, and Mayra got the miracle she had been dreaming of.
"I realized that although he had been tested for a majority of conditions that can cause his symptoms, he had not been tested for cerebral folate deficiency," says Koenig.
In folate deficiency, the body is unable to transport the vitamin folic acid to the brain, resulting in seizures, mobility problems and blindness. Fortunately though, this disease is 100 percent treatable in toddlers with a simple supplement.
In August, Mayra got the news: Rosendo had folate deficiency.
"I was so happy I was crying. I was like, thank you God, my prayers are answered. I knew it was a miracle," says Mayra.
Not only was he not going to die, but he could actually recover. Rosendo has been taking the supplements for four months now, and he has made remarkable strides.
"He's sleeping better, he's babbling, he's making new sounds, he's sitting down for longer periods of time. It's really exciting. It may be little for some people but really exciting for us. It's big,"says Mayra.
Bright Future
Dr. Pamela Blake joined "Good Morning America" today to share the latest details of Rosendo's recovery.
"He's gaining ground very quickly from all of the delays that he had. He is doing very well. He's had a great return of his visual function. His motor function is better, he is starting to talk, he can say "Momma," which he could not do before," says Blake.
Nowadays Mayra even has reason to hope that Rosendo might be able to live a normal life.
"Fortunately, because he was diagnosed properly and treated before the age of 3, the expectation is that he will do very well and hopefully should have a full recovery," says Blake.
Age 3 is turning point, because before that brain development is very precious and any deprivation of sensation can cause life-long damage.
"Folic acid is transported by a different receptor, a different protein taken into the brain and he has no problems with that receptor, so it's very simple," says Blake.
What makes it even better is that it's about as easy as it gets to administer. Rosendo takes just one tablet a day now. He'll have to for the rest of his life, but doctors say now that his life should be a long and healthy one.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Supplement Safety Myths & Facts
MYTH: If it's natural, it must be good for you.
FACT: While research has shown many natural treatments to be safe and effective, they should be taken with consideration.
While many vitamins, minerals, and herbs are known to safely prevent or treat a variety of diseases, they work by altering your body chemistry—just like a medicine from your pharmacy. So before you take an herb or supplement, find out how it might interact with medications you are already taking. Sometimes an interaction can mean that a medicine is depleting vital nutrients from your body, and that an extra vitamin supplement is best for your health—but it's always a good idea to check. It’s also important to never discontinue or change dosage of a medication in favor of a natural treatment unless supervised by a doctor.
MYTH: Everything I need to know about a supplement I can read on the bottle.
FACT: Government regulations restrict manufacturers from making specific health claims—even those based on results of scientific studies.
To find out about the potential benefits and risks of taking a supplement start by doing a little research. It’s always wise to talk to a knowledgeable healthcare professional before taking any supplement, especially if you are taking medications. Also, special safety considerations apply to pregnant or breast-feeding women and to children.
To learn what scientific research has found about your medication’s interactions with herbs or supplements, look in Healthnotes Rx Answers. For reported side effects of a specific herb or nutritional supplement, look it up in Vitamins & Herbs.
MYTH: The latest scientific research is the last word on a supplement’s safety or effectiveness.
FACT: The quality of the full body of research should be considered—not just the latest.
In scientific process, scientists never consider one single study to be the last word; rather, each new study is added to previous research and becomes part of the medical community’s “discussion.”
Keep in mind that when the news media report on new studies, they tend to look for the sensational. Though thousands of studies are published every year showing the benefits of herbs and supplements for a wide range of diseases, studies that make the news are frequently those that claim a supplement is dangerous or doesn’t work. On the other hand, some research is conducted by groups that stand to profit from positive results, such as a supplement manufacturer “proving” that their supplement works for a particular health condition.
The next time you see a headline splashed across the news—especially about those supplements that continue to be the subject of heated debate, such as St. John’s wort, echinacea, vitamin E, vitamin C, ginkgo, ephedra, and kava—keep some perspective by thinking about the following:
Who is doing the reporting? Is it a health column describing the study itself? A TV reporter relating second- or third-hand news from a press release or conference proceedings?
How strong is the evidence? (Some studies lead to convincing conclusions while others are preliminary.)
Are the results published in a scientific journal?
Did the researchers use a control group to compare treatment results with the experiences of people who didn't use it? (If not, improvement attributed to a treatment may be a placebo affect.)
Was the supplement given in a form and amount, and for a duration, that could be expected to be effective?
Was the study conducted by people who have no vested interest in the outcome?
Is there a body of research that suggests it may help with a particular health condition?
Caution: It is never advisable to discontinue or change dosage of a medication and/or begin a different treatment without a doctor's supervision.
MYTH: Medicines are always more effective than natural treatments.
FACT: Some natural treatments can be at least as effective as medicines; however, it's important to properly evaluate treatment options before deciding which to use.
When you are considering treatment options, discuss the following with your healthcare provider when considering what to try:
What are the risks of delaying known effective treatment in order to try an alternative remedy?
Is the body of research on a supplement’s effectiveness positive or inconclusive, and does it appear to be safe when taken in the proper amounts?
How strong is the evidence for the medical treatment, and what is the expected degree of improvement from taking it?
Are a supplement’s costs equivalent or less than those of the medicines used to treat the same condition?
How do the potential dangers of taking the supplement compare with the relative dangers of taking the over-the-counter or prescription medicine?
Asking such questions will help you interpret the significance of scientific findings. To find answers, talk to a knowledgeable professional, and use a science-based resource, such as Healthnotes, that provides an evaluation of up-to-date research.
Being informed is the best way to make good decisions for your health.
Learn more
Children & Supplement Safety
Why Take Vitamins?
Supplement Safety in Pregnancy
How Do I Pick the Right Vitamins?
Understanding Herbal Terminology
Jenefer Angell, MALS, MA, has edited fiction and nonfiction material for software, books, Web sites, and other publishing formats. As Healthnotes managing editor, she has come to understand the complexities of sorting out scientific evidence.
FACT: While research has shown many natural treatments to be safe and effective, they should be taken with consideration.
While many vitamins, minerals, and herbs are known to safely prevent or treat a variety of diseases, they work by altering your body chemistry—just like a medicine from your pharmacy. So before you take an herb or supplement, find out how it might interact with medications you are already taking. Sometimes an interaction can mean that a medicine is depleting vital nutrients from your body, and that an extra vitamin supplement is best for your health—but it's always a good idea to check. It’s also important to never discontinue or change dosage of a medication in favor of a natural treatment unless supervised by a doctor.
MYTH: Everything I need to know about a supplement I can read on the bottle.
FACT: Government regulations restrict manufacturers from making specific health claims—even those based on results of scientific studies.
To find out about the potential benefits and risks of taking a supplement start by doing a little research. It’s always wise to talk to a knowledgeable healthcare professional before taking any supplement, especially if you are taking medications. Also, special safety considerations apply to pregnant or breast-feeding women and to children.
To learn what scientific research has found about your medication’s interactions with herbs or supplements, look in Healthnotes Rx Answers. For reported side effects of a specific herb or nutritional supplement, look it up in Vitamins & Herbs.
MYTH: The latest scientific research is the last word on a supplement’s safety or effectiveness.
FACT: The quality of the full body of research should be considered—not just the latest.
In scientific process, scientists never consider one single study to be the last word; rather, each new study is added to previous research and becomes part of the medical community’s “discussion.”
Keep in mind that when the news media report on new studies, they tend to look for the sensational. Though thousands of studies are published every year showing the benefits of herbs and supplements for a wide range of diseases, studies that make the news are frequently those that claim a supplement is dangerous or doesn’t work. On the other hand, some research is conducted by groups that stand to profit from positive results, such as a supplement manufacturer “proving” that their supplement works for a particular health condition.
The next time you see a headline splashed across the news—especially about those supplements that continue to be the subject of heated debate, such as St. John’s wort, echinacea, vitamin E, vitamin C, ginkgo, ephedra, and kava—keep some perspective by thinking about the following:
Who is doing the reporting? Is it a health column describing the study itself? A TV reporter relating second- or third-hand news from a press release or conference proceedings?
How strong is the evidence? (Some studies lead to convincing conclusions while others are preliminary.)
Are the results published in a scientific journal?
Did the researchers use a control group to compare treatment results with the experiences of people who didn't use it? (If not, improvement attributed to a treatment may be a placebo affect.)
Was the supplement given in a form and amount, and for a duration, that could be expected to be effective?
Was the study conducted by people who have no vested interest in the outcome?
Is there a body of research that suggests it may help with a particular health condition?
Caution: It is never advisable to discontinue or change dosage of a medication and/or begin a different treatment without a doctor's supervision.
MYTH: Medicines are always more effective than natural treatments.
FACT: Some natural treatments can be at least as effective as medicines; however, it's important to properly evaluate treatment options before deciding which to use.
When you are considering treatment options, discuss the following with your healthcare provider when considering what to try:
What are the risks of delaying known effective treatment in order to try an alternative remedy?
Is the body of research on a supplement’s effectiveness positive or inconclusive, and does it appear to be safe when taken in the proper amounts?
How strong is the evidence for the medical treatment, and what is the expected degree of improvement from taking it?
Are a supplement’s costs equivalent or less than those of the medicines used to treat the same condition?
How do the potential dangers of taking the supplement compare with the relative dangers of taking the over-the-counter or prescription medicine?
Asking such questions will help you interpret the significance of scientific findings. To find answers, talk to a knowledgeable professional, and use a science-based resource, such as Healthnotes, that provides an evaluation of up-to-date research.
Being informed is the best way to make good decisions for your health.
Learn more
Children & Supplement Safety
Why Take Vitamins?
Supplement Safety in Pregnancy
How Do I Pick the Right Vitamins?
Understanding Herbal Terminology
Jenefer Angell, MALS, MA, has edited fiction and nonfiction material for software, books, Web sites, and other publishing formats. As Healthnotes managing editor, she has come to understand the complexities of sorting out scientific evidence.
7 benefits of regular physical activity
Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity
Date updated: July 26, 2007
Content provided by MayoClinic.com
Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than old-fashioned exercise.
The merits of exercise - from preventing chronic health conditions to boosting confidence and self-esteem - are hard to ignore. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out seven specific ways exercise can improve your life.
1. Exercise improves your mood.
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.
Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise might be the ticket.
Regular exercise can help you prevent - or manage - high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.
And there's more. Regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.
3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.
Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.
This one's a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn - and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.
4. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular exercise can leave you breathing easier.
Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system - the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels - work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
5. Exercise promotes better sleep.
Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.
A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And, you guessed it, exercise is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you - but if you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep.
6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.
Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue.
Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise, especially as they get older.
7. Exercise can be - gasp - fun!
Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!
Exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!
Are you convinced? Good. Start reaping the benefits of physical activity today!
Date updated: July 26, 2007
Content provided by MayoClinic.com
Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than old-fashioned exercise.
The merits of exercise - from preventing chronic health conditions to boosting confidence and self-esteem - are hard to ignore. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out seven specific ways exercise can improve your life.
1. Exercise improves your mood.
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.
Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise might be the ticket.
Regular exercise can help you prevent - or manage - high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.
And there's more. Regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.
3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.
Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.
This one's a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn - and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.
4. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular exercise can leave you breathing easier.
Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system - the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels - work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
5. Exercise promotes better sleep.
Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.
A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And, you guessed it, exercise is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you - but if you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep.
6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.
Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue.
Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise, especially as they get older.
7. Exercise can be - gasp - fun!
Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!
Exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!
Are you convinced? Good. Start reaping the benefits of physical activity today!
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