National Institute for Complementary Medicine

15 June 2007

The Commonwealth Government will provide $4 million to the University of Western Sydney to help establish a National Institute for Complementary Medicine.

The institute will develop national priorities for complementary medical research and will coordinate work on these priorities with other research bodies, with an emphasis on clinical trials and studies on herbal medicines.

The institute will also support postdoctoral training to ensure that the industry has the research personnel it needs to expand. It will also provide research findings to the medical community and general public.

The Commonwealth Government has also provided $5 million in grants through the National Health and Medical Research Council to investigate the use and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics show that Australians spend about $1 billion annually on complementary and alternative medicines, including vitamin supplements, homeopathic medicines and traditional Asian and Indigenous medicines.

Source: www.health.gov.au

About Mannatech, Incorporated
Mannatech, based in Coppell, Texas, is a wellness solutions provider that sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care products, through a global network-marketing system throughout the United States and the international markets of Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Denmark. For additional information about Mannatech, please visit its corporate Web site: www.mannatech.com

Kellogg no longer targets children

From correspondents in New York

June 15, 2007

US CEREAL giant Kellogg has announced new worldwide marketing standards, saying it will no longer produce ads aimed at children for products that fail to meet certain nutritional criteria.

"The initiatives we're announcing today set a new standard of responsibility and are consistent with our 100-plus year heritage, further strengthening our commitment to helping consumers make informed food choices,'' said David Mackay, Kellogg's president and chief executive officer.

The new nutrient criteria starting in 2008 set an upper limit per serving of 200 calories, and a maximum of two grams of saturated fat.

It also would call for no transfats, which are linked to arterial illnesses, and limits on sugar and sodium per serving.

"The nutrient criteria Kellogg has adopted are based on a broad review of scientific reports and experts,'' said James Hill, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Centre, in the statement from Kellogg.

The move comes as US food companies and restaurant operators are trying to improve nutritional standards and combat a growing obesity problem.

The move was applauded by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest and the Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood, which said it would drop a lawsuit against the company.

"By committing to these nutrition standards and marketing reforms, Kellogg has vaulted over the rest of the food industry,'' said CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson.

"As a practical matter, this commitment means that parents will find it a little easier to steer their children toward healthy food choices -- especially if other food manufacturers and broadcasters follow Kellogg's lead.''

The groups said Kellogg agreed that foods advertised on television, radio, print, on the the Internet that have an audience of 50 per cent or more children under age 12 would have to meet Kellogg's new nutrition standards.

In 2006 CCFC and CSPI, along with two Massachusetts parents, announced plans to sue Kellogg as well as media group Viacom for targeting children with ads for unhealthy foods.

Kellogg said it would apply the new standard for all of its products marketed to children under age 12 around the world. Products that don't meet the criteria will either be reformulated or will no longer be marketed to children under 12 by the end of 2008.

"We're taking these steps to address increasing concerns about marketing to children and further strengthen our commitment to responsible marketing,'' Mr Mackay said.

``In addition, we plan to increasingly emphasize products with enhanced nutritional value as well as continuing to find ways to emphasize nutrition and healthy lifestyles in our marketing to children.''

Source: Article from: Agence France-Presse

About Mannatech, Incorporated
Mannatech, based in Coppell, Texas, is a wellness solutions provider that sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care products, through a global network-marketing system throughout the United States and the international markets of Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Denmark. For additional information about Mannatech, please visit its corporate Web site: www.mannatech.com

The quick and the buff

June 18, 2007

Can 10 minutes' exercise really make a difference? Is there an optimum hour of the day for working out? Peta Bee reports.

Hours, minutes and seconds
How much of your day should you devote to exercise to stay healthy? According to Australian Government advice, adults should spend 30 minutes performing moderate physical activity five days a week. But, if that doesn't suit your lifestyle or body clock, there are other options.

As little as 10 minutes of exercise a day can have significant health benefits, from helping to whittle waistlines to controlling blood pressure. Indeed, a recent study in the International Journal of Cancer showed that just 10 minutes a week of exercise can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 11 per cent.

Experts agree that more time spent exercising is not necessarily better. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) says that often, people who plod away for lengthy periods on exercise equipment are clocking up "dead miles". In its guidelines, the ACSM says that 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise (that's at 80 per cent of your maximum aerobic capacity, a level at which you would be puffing and sweating) is as good as an hour at a workload of 60 per cent.

However, if you've been a bit out of practice you'll still need to work up to that intensity. As Adrian Heffernan, health and fitness specialist with YMCA Victoria, explains: "Research does support this theory; however, consideration needs to be given to an individual's fitness. Too high a training intensity for less fit individuals can cause a high amount of discomfort and increase risk of injury. To maximise results, we need to gradually increase the intensity of our training over time. When people are beginning exercise, 60 per cent intensity is a more realistic intensity for them. Getting up to 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate can be challenging and to be able to maintain that for deconditioned people isn't realistic.

"Certainly, at a higher intensity, you're going to burn more calories and make your heart stronger, depending on your level of conditioning and depending on your capacity to actually work at those intensive levels," Heffernan says.

Meanwhile, a number of high-profile American fitness experts believe that strengthening sessions needn't drag on. Hollywood trainer Ken Hutchins says that by using weights that are a high percentage of the maximum you can lift and slowing the pace of each exercise (instead of the usual four to five seconds it takes to lift and lower a weight, take 10 seconds to raise and 10 to lower it), a weight session need last no longer than eight to 20 minutes.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

For consumers looking to live healthier and nutritionally enriched lives, Mannatech Inc. offer hope. Based in Coppell, Texas, Mannatech sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care.

Stressed people age faster

June 19, 2007

Severe emotional strain makes the body age faster, according to scientific tests on extremely stressed people.

Internationally-renowned Australian biochemist Professor Elizabeth Blackburn has revealed new research into the links between stress and ageing. The US-based scientist discovered a special enzyme, telomerase, which is pivotal in the ageing process.

It works by protecting the end of chromosomes, called telomeres, which gradually wear away in normal ageing.

In a new study, Prof Blackburn and her team at the University of California have found that severely stressed people have extreme "wear and tear" to their telomeres.

They tested their hypothesis with controlled studies involving dementia carers and a mother who looked after her disabled child for long periods.

"In the long-term, in situations such as where a mother is caring for a child with a disability or a carer is looking after an old person with dementia, that constant high stress level leads to the telomere being shortened," Prof Blackburn said.

"If the telomere is run down, the cell will stop operations and will not self-renew.

"The shortening of the telomeres appears to be over and above what would normally happen in the natural course of ageing."

The researchers also found diminished levels of the enzyme in people with heart disease risks.

Prof Blackburn has won a series of high profile accolades for her research into telomerase, including the Lasker Award, which has historically put recipients in line for a Nobel Prize.

The award, bestowed last October, also commended Prof Blackburn for speaking out against the "politicisation" of medical research.

The scientist was controversially dismissed from US President George W Bush's Council on Bioethics over her insistence that council's reports should be protected from the influence of politics.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

To consumers, the basic building blocks of nutrients are well known: essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. What Mannatech has discovered is a brand new category of important nutrients: glyconutrients. Following their initial breakthrough discovery, Mannatech filed patents across the globe. Ambrotose® complex has now been issued patents in 29 countries, including the United States. Securing its position of leadership, Mannatech dedicates approximately 30 employees to its science department, and continues to develop new technologies, review research, and conduct studies.

Why use supplments?

Low Body Reserves

Although the body is able to store reserves of certain vitamins such as A and E, data has shown that up to 30% of the Canadian population e.g. had low "at risk" levels of vitamin A.

Athletes

Athletes consume large amounts of food and are subject to considerable stress. Test on athletes have shown a wide range of risk deficiencies including B-group vitamins, vitamin C and zinc and iron.

Pesticides

Pesticides pose a risk in any area where the tap water is from an underground source and in areas where agriculture is a major part of the economy. Pesticides are also prevalent in the home where sprays are used and as a residue on fruit and vegetables not classified as organic or biodynamic. Some pesticides mimic estrogen in the body and others tend to tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of the body. Exposure to pesticides and toxins gives rise to many health problems and places pressure on the human body, for example load on the liver, nervous system, hormonal system and respiratory systems. Vitamins and minerals (eg zinc, selenium, magnesium, calcium) possess actions which help the body to deal with toxic chemicals and heavy metals.

For consumers looking to live healthier and nutritionally enriched lives, Mannatech Inc. offer hope. Based in Coppell, Texas, Mannatech sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care. Steve Lemme, senior vice president of sales and marketing, says Mannatech has been entrusted with a divine technology.

Why use supplments?

Accidents and Illness

Burns lead to a loss of protein and essential trace nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Surgery increases the need for zinc, vitamin E and C and other nutrients involved in the cellular repair mechanism. The repair of broken bones will be retarded by an inadequate supply of calcium and vitamin C and conversely enhanced by optimum dietary supply. The challenge of infection places high demand on the nutritional resources of zinc, magnesium and vitamins B5, B6 and C.

Stress

Chemical, physical and emotional stresses can increase the body's requirements for vitamins B2, B5, B6 and C. Air pollution increases the requirements for vitamin E.

PMT

Research has demonstrated that up to 60% of women suffering from the symptoms of premenstrual tension, such as headaches, irritability, bloatedness, breast tenderness, lethargy and depression can benefit from supplements such as vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil, a source of essential fatty acids.

Teenagers

Rapid growth spurts such as in the teenage years, particularly in girls, place high demands on nutritional resources to underwrite the accelerated physical, biochemical and emotional development in this age group.

For consumers looking to live healthier and nutritionally enriched lives, Mannatech Inc. offer hope. Based in Coppell, Texas, Mannatech sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care. Steve Lemme, senior vice president of sales and marketing, says Mannatech has been entrusted with a divine technology.

Everyday Exercise

Take the hassle out of getting in shape, with exercise you’ll hardly recognise as, well, exercise.

We all know the ups of getting fit – it makes you feel good, helps get over mild depression, puts more fizz in your confidence cocktail, and gives your energy levels a big fat helping hand. Putting aside time to go to the gym or join a sporting team are obvious routes to gaining more exercise, but there is also a smorgasbord of ‘incidental’ ways to work out.

Your car

Give it a little rest. You might, for instance, walk to the shops rather than drive, cycle to work rather than drive, or even walk to a bus stop and opt for public transport. On your way home, why not get off a stop early and spend a few extra minutes pounding the pavement?

At work

You could duck out for a coffee when in need of a break, but a much healthier idea is to take a stroll. If you work in an area that allows for it, walk to the nearest park and back, or if working in a busy CBD, walk around the block. Need to talk to a colleague? Get up and walk over rather than jump on the phone. Stretches at your desk also help to make sure your neck and back muscles don’t knot up.

Your home

Live large – if you’ve finished a good bout of housework, cooked a meal or filed some bills, you deserve to break out: put on your favourite up-beat music and dance around your living room (if you have flatmates, time this carefully). For another ‘homey’ option, try creating a garden, or clean up your existing one with some hearty mowing or raking.

Glyconutrients, or plant-based "health sugars," are a key factor in Mannatech's products. They support your body's natural ability to reach optimum nutritional levels and play a role in enhancing the quality of life. Mannatech are the leaders in this industry and want to share this exciting opportunity for maintaining good health with you! Mannatech’s proprietary products redefine wellness and are designed to give you assurance of nutritional health.

Sugar supplement may treat immune disease

• 07 June 2007
• NewScientist.com news service
• Aria Pearson

A sugar supplement may sweeten the overactive immune cells responsible for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes and stop them attacking the body's tissues.

Autoimmune diseases are triggered when receptors on the outside of immune cells called T-helper 1 (Th1) cells start binding "self" antigens rather than pieces of foreign invaders. Anything that decreases the amount of binding should suppress the autoimmune response.

Previous studies suggested that glucosamine, a dietary supplement commonly taken by people with osteoarthritis, has some immunosuppressive effects. This led Michael Demetriou and colleagues at the University of California, Irvine, to investigate a similar but more potent compound called N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc).

A large number of proteins in the body are modified by the attachment of sugar molecules to their surface through a process called glycosylation, and altered glycosylation has been implicated in some autoimmune diseases. Demetriou's team found that naturally occurring GlcNAc molecules attach to T-cell receptors and these GlcNAc "branches" form a lattice on the cell surface that prevents the receptors from clustering near where the antigens are located (see Diagram). Less clustering means less antigen binding, and less activation of Th1 cells, reducing the autoimmune reaction.

Mice given oral GlcNAc supplements had twice as much GlcNAc branching on their T-cell receptors as untreated mice. The researchers also found that T-cells engineered to cause the mouse equivalent of MS failed to do so if they had been incubated in GlcNAc first. A daily oral dose of GlcNAc also prevented type 1 diabetes in mice genetically engineered to develop the disease (The Journal of Biological Chemistry, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M701890200).

“T-cells engineered to cause the mouse equivalent of multiple sclerosis failed to do so if they had been incubated in GlcNAc”

"I'm astounded by their outcomes," says Nick Giannoukakis, a pathologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. In 2002, he showed that glucosamine worked as well as standard immunosuppressants in increasing the amount of time transplanted hearts lasted in mice.

However, he warns that evidence is still needed that glucosamine or GlcNAc can reverse symptoms in animals with autoimmune diseases, rather than just preventing them from occurring in the first place.

There is some preliminary evidence to support this. In 2005, Abdolmohamad Rostami's team at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, showed that glucosamine can suppress MS symptoms in mice that had recently developed the disease. Meanwhile, a small study of 12 children with autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease, suggested that GlcNAc lessened symptoms in eight of them.

Rostami also cautions that, as they are immunosuppressive, more research is needed to prove the safety of glucosamine and GlcNAc supplements in humans with autoimmune disease. Also, the blood-brain barrier is open in MS patients and little is known about what these compounds do in the brain, he says.

From issue 2607 of New Scientist magazine, 07 June 2007, page 20

Medical research acknowledges that eight glyconutrient sugars are needed at the cellular level for optimum immune system function. Considering that six of these glyconutrients are often lacking in modern diets, Mannatech sought new and better sources of the nutrients. The effort culminated in the Ambrotose complex. Twenty patents – including one from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office – have been issued to Mannatech for technology related to the Ambrotose complex.

Crohn's Disease

When the intestines have chronic inflammation it is an inflammatory bowel disease. The two inflammatory bowel diseases are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. They have many of the same symptoms, so it is sometimes difficult to distinguish them. Causes of inflammatory bowel diseases are unknown. Crohn's disease usually affects the full thickness of the intestinal wall and develops in the lower part of the intestine, but it can inflame the entire tract from the mouth to the anus. This infection has a tendency to run in families who have ulcerative colitis. Early indications of Crohn's Disease are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever and loss of appetite.

The conventional comment on Crohn's Disease is "there is no cure for it, but many drugs from a doctor may relieve some of the symptoms". However, a healthy lifestyle of exercise, weight control and proper nutrition has been successful for many people. Proper nutrition is of the utmost importance along with some food supplements. Extra virgin coconut oil is extremely beneficial in all cooking and can be taken orally, inclusive of its amount in food, up to three tablespoons full per day. All refined glucose or carbohydrates should be excluded from the diet, but eat fruits, vegetables, lean protein, sprouted grain bread, eggs from free roaming chickens that have the omega 3 fatty acids, and for fiber eat ground flax seed. The best supplements are cod liver oil, a good multivitamin and probiotics.

To consumers, the basic building blocks of nutrients are well known: essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. What Mannatech has discovered is a brand new category of important nutrients: glyconutrients. Following their initial breakthrough discovery, Mannatech filed patents across the globe. Ambrotose® complex has now been issued patents in 29 countries, including the United States. Securing its position of leadership, Mannatech dedicates approximately 30 employees to its science department, and continues to develop new technologies, review research, and conduct studies.

The Role of Supplements

Ask most nutrition experts and they’ll tell you they’d prefer people to get their vitamins and minerals from foods rather than supplements. But sometimes this isn’t always easy. There are proven circumstances where supplementation is essential. For example, women are advised to supplement their diets with folic acid both before and during pregnancy. And other nutrients that can be lacking, and require supplementation, include calcium and vitamin D for the prevention and management of osteoporosis, and fish oils for heart disease. The same principle applies to glyconutrients. To fill this nutritional gap, Mannatech developed Optimal Health.

It’s a family of four key supplements: the “flagship” glyconutritional supplement. Ambrotose: a multivitamin/multimineral called Catalyst; Ambrotose AO, which provides optimal amounts of water-soluble and fat-soluble dietary antioxidants; and Plus, which provides precursors, molecules for synthesis of essential hormones within the body.

Other glyconutrients exist, but Mannatech’s have a key difference. “Ours are not based on synthetic, non-food sugar structure,.” explains Robert Sinnott, chief science officer and vice president of research and development of US based Mannatech, a company that specializes in glyconutritional science. “They are formulated with rich sources of essential sugars isolated from real plants.”

Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's Disease

COMBINATION OF PESTICIDES LINKED TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE

By Cat Lazaroff

ROCHESTER, New York, January 3, 2001 (ENS) - A combination of two widely used agricultural pesticides - but neither one alone - creates in mice the exact pattern of brain damage that doctors see in patients with Parkinson's disease. The research offers the most compelling evidence yet that everyday environmental factors may play a role in the development of the disease.

"The environmental reality is that several of these chemicals are used on the same crops and in the same geographical locations. You've got to get rid of the weeds. Then the insects. Then funguses. These are different chemicals that do different things, but they're often applied in the same fields," said Cory-Slechta, who was joined in the research by graduate student Mona Thiruchelvam and faculty members Eric Richfield, Raymond Baggs, and A. William Tank.

Mississippi cotton crops may be treated with an herbicide like paraquat to reduce competition by weeds.

Glyconutrients provide nutritional saccharides which are essential to wellness. Mannatech is the world leader in the research of Glyconutrients and has some amazing products that are impacting the area of toxin build up.

One of their products, Immunostart, is really raising curiosity in the area of detoxification and the removal of heavy metals

Herbs & The Secrets of Natural Healing

For thousands of years, natural healing secrets have been passed down to civilizations to aid in the healing process.

Many amazing plants are being used as that can give the potential to healing. There is much to learn from the people that are still using these plants that have been passed down for thousands of years.

Elderberry is one of those herbs, next time you get the flu, try elderberry extract. Scientists have discovered that elderberries contain unique compounds that prevent flu viruses from penetrating your cell membranes. The question on whether Elderberry works or not was put to the test.

A study conducted in Israel, researchers tested the effects of Elderberry and gave half the patients elderberry and half a placebo. The results have made researches sit up and take notice: 90 percent of the people taking elderberry extract were completely symptom free within two or three days! In contrast, the people in the placebo group took a full six days to get well. Elderberry extract is sold in health food stores. It is thought that a Glyconutrient compound by a company called Mannatech could hold some very exciting properties as well.

Science has already proven our bodies need glyconutrients. Mannatech is producing glyconutrients and their company is at the forefront of this exciting era of discovery.

Don Elgin

For three-time Paralympian Don Elgin, life isn’t so much about overcoming obstacles – although he’s certainly done his fair share of that – it’s more about just getting on with it. This is exactly what he does, and how! Don’s “life mantra” is to give 100% commitment to the things that matter and the things you enjoy. In his case, that’s his family (he has three young girls), his sport, his work and the opportunity to inspire others to live life with purpose, regardless of what they think they can or can’t do.

A little bit of background: Don was born with the lower half of his left leg, all his fingers were fused together and he had no Thumb on his left hand. After enduring 25 operations before the age of 13, including open heart surgery at the age of three, Don put all that aside to become a sporty teenager. As his athletic abilities bloomed over the following years, he became an elite athlete.

Don puts much of his progression down to an extremely positive attitude that was instilled in him by his parents, who never focused on his physical shortcomings only his strength. As a kid in country Victoria, Australia, he played Aussie Rules, swam and enjoyed an active life. Sport provided him with an avenue to compete, have fun and just be ‘normal’. However, it soon became apparent that Don was far better than normal, he was exceptional. In his late teens, he qualified for the 1994 IPC World Championships in Berlin, where he won a gold medal as part of the 4 x 100m relay team. With his appetite whetted for bigger things, he decided to move out of pure sprinting into the pentathlon (discuss, long jump, shot put, 400m and 100m) and he hasn’t looked back.

The pentathlon became his great sporting passion. With the support of a scholarship at the Victorian Institute of Sport, he made the Australian team for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, where he finished fourth. Four years later, he went on better and won a bronze medal in Sydney in 2000, and bronze again in Athens in 2004. Still competing and aiming for his fourth consecutive spot on the Australian team in Beijing in 2008, Don hits the track with the attitude that, “If you can’t win, make the person ahead of you break the record.”

Beyond sport, being an amputee has given Don a different attitude of life, which is summed up when he says, “I knew I’d been given the short end of the straw physically, but I never wanted it to get in the way of living a great life.” From that headspace, he has gone on to help many others in similar situations. Anyone who saw his interview on Andrew Denton’s “Enough Rope” program would have seen how important it is to him to support other people who have suffered the trauma of losing a leg or limbs.

Don gets great support in his athletics from sponsors like Australia Post and Mannatech, and understands it is seldom a journey that you can take alone. He volunteers much of his own time to help people cope and adapt to a changed physical reality, always sharing the message, “Don’t be afraid to have a go, even if you think you might not make it. If you want it enough, you’ll achieve it. Always try to be your best.” Don Elgin absolutely does that!

For consumers looking to live healthier and nutritionally enriched lives, Mannatech Inc. offer hope. Based in Coppell, Texas, Mannatech sells more than 24 proprietary and scientifically validated glyconutritional supplements and products for adults and children that address health and wellness issues, weight management and skin care. Mannatech was founded in November 1993 by current CEO and Chairman Sam Caster. During its first two years, the company focused on products that contained aloe vera extract. Mannatech announced its flagship product, Ambrotose, 1996 based on the discovery that the body’s immune system needs eight plant-based sugars – also known as glyconutrients – to function properly.

Press Release

BusinessWeek Ranks Mannatech 12th Among the Nation's Top 100 'Hot Growth' Small Companies and 4th Best in Return on Capital
Wednesday May 30, 12:58 pm ET

COPPELL, Texas, May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (Nasdaq: MTEX - News) Mannatech, Incorporated, has been recognized by BusinessWeek as the 12th-best "Hot Growth" small company in America and as the 4th best in average return on capital over three years.

In its 2007 annual wrap-up of America's Top 100 Hot Growth small companies, the national business magazine recognized Mannatech, with $416 million in annual sales, as among "the most innovative and nimble players around." Annual sales among the companies in the list ranged from $56 million to approximately $1.5 billion.

The BusinessWeek listing follows on the heels of Forbes recognizing Mannatech in the magazine's October 30, 2006, edition as the 5th-best small company in America. Forbes called the companies that made its Top 200 list "the most robust, fundamentally disciplined public companies with sales between $5 million and $750 million."

"We believe these recognitions speak to the strength of the company's financial results and management of its finances," said Sam Caster, Mannatech's founder, CEO and chairman of the board. "We couldn't have achieved this success without the dedication and quality of our employees and independent associates, the ongoing development of new wellness technologies and the growing market recognition and acceptance of our glyconutrient-based products."