The upshot on antioxidants

Flipping back the clock 10 years, it’s possible a trip to the supermarket involved few sightings of the word ‘antioxidant’ emblazoned on everything from frozen berry packets to olive oil bottles. Today the story plays out differently. Having a television, reading a newspaper and tuning into the radio all go hand-in-hand with exposure to antioxidant media. So why all the hype?

Perhaps this has something to do with growing concerns over toxins, and the subsequent popularity of ‘detoxing’. Antioxidants help prevent damage to cells caused by anything from cigarette smoke and pollution, through to ultraviolet radiation and toxic substances in our food.

Top sources of antioxidants Berries Broccoli Tomatoes Red grapes Spinach Green tea Carrots Extra virgin olive oil Apples Artichokes

One leading economist has predicted that the wellness industry will become the next trillion-dollar industry due to an enormous shift taking place in the healthcare industry. Mannatech has positioned itself through its nutritional discoveries and patents to play a significant role. Mannatech's record growth is a testimony to the efforts of those who have chosen to share this amazing story of hope with those so desperately looking for answers.

The upshot on antioxidants

Essentially a ‘protector’, antioxidants assist in countering the effects of free radicals. A by-product of the metabolism of oxygen, free radicals damage cells.

If our cells are damaged it will show in the form of premature ageing and reduced resistance to infection. Antioxidants contribute to tissue fortification, and hence offer anti-ageing properties: They’re doing two things: strengthening the tissue and helping make the intercellular mass stronger.

So where can you find them? Beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, the amino acid methionine, zinc, vitamin B6 and selenium form the core group of antioxidants. Running a close second are the herb milk thistle and grape seed extract. In terms of food, look for brightly colored fruit and veggies, including tomatoes, blueberries and dark leafy vegetables such as spinach. Antioxidant powers are even found in wine.

When it comes to supplementation, look for a formula containing beta-carotene, selenium, zinc and vitamins C, E, B1, B5 and B6.

Mannatech have been gifted with a technology that stands alone in the emerging wellness industry. Former U.S. patent examiner and Mannatech Independent Associate, Dr. John Rollins stated that he believes the discovery of glyconutrients was the most important discovery in health care he’d seen in his 23 years of service at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Eat More Fruit and Veggies

Eating more fruit and vegetables improves bone health in young and old alike.

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem affecting millions of people worldwide. The deterioration in bone structure associated with this disease leads to greater risk of breakages, disability and even premature death. It is expected that the number of bone fractures caused by osteoporosis will double in the next 50 years!

Prevention is the key and nutrition and exercise are the best ways to avoid osteoporosis.

Adequate dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D status have long been recognised as factors in maintaining bone health, with diets emphasizing fruit and vegetables and moderate amounts of milk particularly helpful.

However, while fruit and vegetable consumption is known to influence bone health in adults, the evidence is unclear for children – prompting nutritional scientists to investigate.

Dr Celia Prynne and colleagues from Cambridge's MRC Human Nutrition Research laboratory examined the association between bone mineral status and fruit and vegetable intakes in adolescent boys and girls (aged 16-18 years), young women (aged 23-37 years), and older men and women (aged 60-83 years).

Bone mineral measurements of the whole body, hip and spine were made in all participants using a technique called ‘dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry'. Details regarding the participants’ health, lifestyle and physical activity were obtained by questionnaire. Fruit, vegetable and nutrient intakes were determined from food diaries kept by the participants over a seven-day period.

The researchers found that in adolescent boys and girls and in older women, there was a positive association between bone mineral content and fruit intake. However, no associations were found in the young women or older men, or between bone measurements and intake of vegetables alone (after adjustments) in any of the groups.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and supplementing your diet are your best game plan! Feeling terrific and preserving youthful vitality may be less difficult than you ever imagined it could be. Let Mannatech's Optimal Health System be the nucleus of your lifetime health program. It will help you feel more confident, energetic, alert and less stressed-ready to make every day a great day!

Active kids are healthy kids.

What about skill learning?

Kids gain valuable experience and can learn skills such as running, throwing, jumping, catching and kicking, by participating in a variety of physical activities. Active play and informal games, as well as organized sport, provide opportunities to develop these skills, which help to build their confidence and gives them more options to take part in a wide range of activities as they get older.

Cycling and walking on neighbourhood streets and paths also provide kids with skills that make them more street-smart and aware of their surrounding. Swimming is another activity that is not only healthy, but will teach kids about safety when they are at the beach or the pool.

What about TV and computer games?

Television viewing of more than two hours a day in childhood and adolescence is associated with poor fitness, smoking, raised cholesterol and being overweight in adulthood.

If they get the chance, kids may often choose surfing the net, watching TV and playing computer games over other activities. And while these activities can be educational they involve sitting still, often for long periods of time.

Ideally, your child shouldn’t spend more than two hours a day doing these things, particularly at times when they could be enjoying more active pursuits.

Pre-schoolers should be encouraged to take part in active play and their exposure to TV and video limited.

Mannatech's glyconutrient and phytonutrient supplements are especially formulated for children in their growth years - and they supply the nutrients missing from life in the fast-food lane.

Team Up For Teen Nutrition

The more teenagers eat with their family, the better their diet.

Children aged 11 to 18 who eat meals with their family consume more fruits, vegetables, grains and calcium-rich foods than those who eat separately, a study has found. They also drink less soft drink.

Family meal frequency was strongly positively associated with intakes of energy; percentage of calories from protein; calcium; iron; vitamins A, C, E, B-6; folate and fibre.

Teens who ate with their families seven or more times a week ate less snack-food than those who joined their families for meals less frequently.

University of Minnesota researchers surveyed more than 4,500 students with diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds about what - and with whom - they ate.

They found:

• 14 per cent never ate with their family
• 19 per cent ate together once or twice in the past week
• 40 per cent ate together three to six times in the past week
• 25 per cent shared meals with their family seven times or more in the past week.

Youths who, on average, ate with family most often had mums who did not work - and those who ate the fewest family meals had mums in full time jobs.

The vast majority of mums had jobs. The researchers noted that this was unlikely to change; therefore understanding how families with working mums manage to have family meals needed to be closely examined - and new strategies found.

Characteristics associated with more frequent family meals included gender (boys), school level (middle school), race (Asian American), mother's employment status (not employed) and socioeconomic status (high).

Previous studies have also shown declines in the quality of dietary intake, particularly in fruits and vegetables, as youths get older.

Changes in family meal patterns may be contributing to these trends, indicating a need to look for ways to increase family meals or to find alternative solutions to ensure adequate dietary intake among older adolescents.

Hope, Health and, Opportunity: these are the three components of a successful and happy life. Mannatech helps make these goals attainable through progressive, scientifically-proven nutritional products. Mannatech’s goal is to empower you with the nutrients your body needs to stay fit, active and successful. Take control of your health and share wellness solutions with others by learning more about Mannatech's cutting-edge technologies which help provide what every body needs for optimal health.

More of us are overweight

An alarming number of Australian adults are becoming obese or overweight, latest, figures show.

And being overweight carries a much higher risk of health problems.

In the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report ‘Australian Social Trends 2007’, two million more adults were classified as overweight or obese than in 1995.

In 2005, 7.4 million adults – 54 per cent of the adult population – were classified as overweight or obese.

In 1995, 45 per cent of the adult population were overweight or obese.

Overweight and obesity pose a major risk to long-term health by increasing the risk of chronic illnesses, the report says.

Related health problems include diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Overweight and obesity rates vary depending on age and sex.

Among men, the greatest increase in obesity pose a major risk to long-term health by increasing the risk of chronic illnesses, the report says.

Related health problems include diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Overweight and obesity rates vary depending on age and sex.

Among men, the greatest increase in obesity between 1995 and 2005 occurred in 25-34 year-olds, with the figure jumping by 10 per cent to 23 per cent.

For women, the biggest jump was in 35-44 year olds who rose to 20 per cent, up from 12 per cent. There are now 36 per cent of Australian adults classified as being overweight.

Sometimes it's smart to target certain areas of your body for a little extra help and support. Mannatech's Wellness Management products let you deliver targeted nutrients that help you keep all of your body's systems healthy. It's smart to have all your systems stay in peak condition with Mannatech’s Wellness Management products!

Mannatech’s GlycoLEAN® Body System is not just another line of diet products. It is a fat-loss, weight-management system designed to help you optimise your body’s composition and performance by focusing on losing fat, not just pounds.

Healthy Picnic Food Ideas

Lighten up your summer outings with these healthy picnic recipes and tips.

For many of us, packing a picnic basket and heading off to the beach, soccer field, or park is a wonderful rite of summer. But traditional picnic foods like fried chicken and potato salad can wreak havoc on your diet. The good news is that with a little tweaking, you can enjoy a picnic without compromising your waistline. Here are some healthy picnic food ideas sure to delight everyone.

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 1: Use Nature's Bounty

Summer picnics occur at the height of the fresh fruit and vegetable season. And the more colorful produce you add to your menu, the healthier the meal.

Take advantage of the bounty of the season and fill your picnic basket with luscious summer produce like peaches, berries, cherries, watermelon, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, peas, and fresh herbs. That doesn't have to mean elaborate preparations. It's easy to create healthy and delicious picnic foods with fruits and vegetables.

Try using broccoli slaw instead of coleslaw, toss in some shredded carrots, and toss with a light, low-fat poppy seed or yogurt dressing for a great salad that will be still be crunchy and delicious and lower in calories than the typical coleslaw.

Go for a healthier and more flavorful twist on pasta or potato salads by substituting colorful veggies for some or all of the starchy ingredients. Chopped veggie salads are another great picnic food idea. Making them ahead of time not only makes picnic day less stressful, it makes for better-tasting salads. Vegetable salads (excluding lettuces) prepared ahead of time will taste even better the next day after their flavors have had time together.

If you're grilling at your picnic destination, take along vegetables such as mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, and onions. Grilled or roasted vegetables tossed with olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper (or your favorite vinaigrette) can also be done the night before if there are no grills available -- or if you just want to get ahead of the game.

Grilled vegetables are great as a side dish, as a topping on grilled chicken sandwiches, or alone on a bun as a sort of "veggie burger."

Overall wellness begins with cell-to-cell communication which promotes optimal health throughout your body. The Mannatech Optimal Health System is designed to deliver the nutrients, including glyconutrients--or plant-based monosaccharides--that your cells need to "talk" to one another and to support your immune system. The Optimal Health System protects your cells with antioxidants, nourishes your body with vitamins and minerals and supports your hormonal systems to keep your body in balance. Choose the option that is right for you for total wellness!

Read on for more great Picnic Ideas..........

Healthy Picnic Food

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 2: Light and Crunchy Appetizers

Pack your cooler with a variety of crisp, raw veggies like cucumbers, carrots, celery, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes and radishes are ideal for picnics. Take along a nutritious dip such as hummus, salsa, fat-free bean dip, or low-fat yogurt with herbs and spices. Stuffed celery with peanut butter, and baked tortilla chips and salsa, are favorites for both kids and adults. For the folks who want to dip with a cracker or crisp, try one of the many whole-grain crisps options available such as oat crisps, whole-grain rice chips instead of high-fat chips.

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 3: A Different Main Dish

Instead of picking up a basket of fried chicken or grilling burgers, why not pick up a roast chicken or try making wrap sandwiches. Wraps are easy to eat and transport, and can be super nutritious if you make them with lean meat, stuff them with veggies and a salsa or light dressing.

Making lean beef burgers or ground turkey breast burgers will shave fat and calories over regular ground beef. Skip the cheese and save even more.

Skinless chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, and veggie burgers are other delicious picnic food ideas. Try them brushed with barbeque sauce and topped with lettuce, tomato, and other veggies. Hot dog lovers, choose the lower-fat brands or try a chicken or turkey dog. Brighten up a chicken or turkey entrée salad with green grapes, mangoes, peaches, or toasted slivered almonds.

The future of the world depends upon the children, yet the children’s future depends upon us. Tragically, ten million children under the age of six will die this year from preventable diseases. Experts agree that proper nutrition can support the body’s ability to defend against disease and illness. With direct access to world-changing glyconutritional technology, the founders of MannaRelief commit to providing advanced nutritional products to the world’s future—its children. Founded in 1999, MannaRelief is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that supplies essential nutrition to orphans and children with critical health needs.

Healthy Picnic Food

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 4: Sensational Salads

Resist the temptation to load your picnic basket with high-calorie salads held together with mayonnaise. Mayonnaise-based salads are not only high in fat, but are also a medium for growth of bacteria that can cause food-borne illness.

Instead, use dressings made with less oil and more vinegar or other added liquids such as fruit juices. Using salad dressings that contain acidic ingredients such as vinegar or citrus instead of mayonnaise not only cuts fat but helps keep foods safer at room temperature.

In starchy salads, substitute whole-grain pasta for white pasta and sweet potatoes for white potatoes. Or break free of tradition and try a brown rice salad or whole-wheat couscous salad. Combine cherry tomatoes with green beans and a little whole-grain pasta and add a little pesto for a tasty, nutritious salad that travels well.

Make a Mexican bean salad using a can of drained and rinsed black beans; a can of drained corn; a can of chopped Mexican-style tomatoes in lime juice; a chopped red pepper; a pinch of cumin; and a bit of cayenne.

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 5: Add Some Whole-Grain Goodness

Breads, rolls, and starchy salads can pile on lots of calories. So limit the starches in your picnic basket and wherever you can, make them whole grain for added nutritional value.

For a welcome change to the usual picnic fare, use whole-grain buns, pita bread, or wraps for your grilled meat, chicken, fish, or veggies.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and supplementing your diet are your best game plan! Feeling terrific and preserving youthful vitality may be less difficult than you ever imagined it could be. Let Mannatech's Optimal Health System be the nucleus of your lifetime health program. It will help you feel more confident, energetic, alert and less stressed-ready to make every day a great day!

Healthy Picnic Food

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 6: Better Beverages

It is so easy to get dehydrated, without even knowing it, when you are outdoors playing in the sun. Children are especially prone to losing fluids, and often don't want to interrupt their fun to drink. Beat the heat with plenty of ice water, sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea, and an assortment of low-calorie beverages. You can freeze water bottles the night before and use as cold packs to keep food and drinks cold.

If alcohol is on the menu, select light beer and wine spritzers. Both are more refreshing in the midday heat and lower in calories.

Other options to satisfy thirst include:

• Frozen fruit pops
• Lemonade with a splash of cranberry juice
• Fruit juices mixed half and half with water

Healthy Picnic Food Idea No. 7: Sweet Indulgences

Dessert is a must at a picnic, and who can resist summer delicacies like berries, cherries, and peaches? A colorful fruit platter or fruit salad is sure to satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth. Most kids (adults, too) also love diving into big wedges of drippy watermelon.

If you must have cookies, brownies, or cupcakes, keep the portions small. If cake is on the menu, make it an angel food cake topped with fresh berries and a dollop of light whipped topping.

Two More Tips

Finally, to make the most of your summer picnic:

Be Safe. Make sure your picnic food arrives safely by tightly packing cold food into one cooler and drinks in a separate cooler. Keep both coolers in the shade.

Be Active. Enjoy the fresh air. Being outdoors is a great chance to include some exercise and burn some calories. Take a hike, toss a Frisbee or football, play baseball, canoe, or plan a fun game for the whole gang.

Sometimes it's smart to target certain areas of your body for a little extra help and support. Mannatech's Wellness Management products let you deliver targeted nutrients that help you keep all of your body's systems healthy. It's smart to have all your systems stay in peak condition with Mannatech’s Wellness Management products!

Can TV make your child fat?

Statistics show that the risk of adult obesity increases by 7% for every additional hour of weekend television watched by 5 year olds. It was originally thought that TV led to a more sedentary lifestyle but there is no conclusive evidence to support this so what’s going on?

"Rosie ate 3 more pieces of pizza when watching TV"

Eleven year old Rosie is active but still slightly overweight. Rosie was given her favourite food, pizza, on two different evenings, one sitting in front of the television and the other sitting at the table. Rosie ate 3 more pieces of pizza when watching TV which, if she ate pizza every day, would be a whole extra 118 pizzas a year or 81900 calories. Why? It could be that when your brain is distracted by television it ignores your internal satiety signals.

How you eat is as important as what you eat so eat at a dinner table with the television switched off.

Sometimes it's smart to target certain areas of your body for a little extra help and support. Mannatech's Wellness Management products let you deliver targeted nutrients that help you keep all of your body's systems healthy. It's smart to have all your systems stay in peak condition with Mannatech’s Wellness Management products!

Time to Get Tough

Making lunches nutritious and banning lollies, buns and sweetened drinks can have a significant impact on student health at your school.

The number of overweight children has increased in Australia and around the world. Drastic steps are needed to curb this rising trend.

A study where schools only made available healthy nutritious lunches for their pupils has found that four years later the number of overweight six- to ten-year-olds had fallen by six per cent. Schools that had not introduced such rules for lollies and drinks saw a three per cent increase in the number of overweight students.

These results show that programs designed to reduce obesity can be carried out within school budgets and that clear regulations in schools can help parents set standards for their children and improve their dietary habits at home.

Half of the schools ran a healthy diet program and removed all buns, sweetened drinks and lollies from their canteens and recreation facilities. The children were also given the option to choose lower fat and more fibre-rich lunches.

After four years, the rate of overweight had dropped from 22 to 16 per cent in the schools which had chosen the healthy approach - and increased from 18 to 21 per cent in the schools which continued serving lollies and sugary drinks.

The results show convincingly that reducing the intake of sweetened drinks, sweet, and fat snacks, going back to a more regular pattern without snacking between meals, and increasing physical activity, can tackle the problem of childhood obesity head on.

However, initiating these changes is difficult and changing ingrained behaviours can be near impossible. Therefore, the focus must be on younger children and beginning such programs as soon as they begin school.

Sometimes it's smart to target certain areas of your body for a little extra help and support. Mannatech's Wellness Management products let you deliver targeted nutrients that help you keep all of your body's systems healthy. It's smart to have all your systems stay in peak condition with Mannatech’s Wellness Management products!