Food & Tips

1. What Are Dairy-Free Probiotics? Dairy-free probiotics are probiotic foods and supplements that do not contain milk or other products from cows or other livestock. Dairy-free probiotics are thus lactose-free. Many people around the world have an intolerance to lactose – the sugar in milk – and, according to a 2013 report, 75 percent of people with lactose-intolerance or milk allergies either reduce their dairy consumption or go dairy-free altogether as a way to manage symptoms.[1] Other people may want to avoid dairy for health reasons or because they live a vegan lifestyle, avoiding dairy, meat and animal products. What Is Lactose-Intolerance? According to the NIH, 65% of people around the world – that’s 30 to 50 million people in the United States alone – have a hard time digesting lactose beyond infancy.[2, 3] Some people also have a true allergy to the proteins in milk, including the protein casein. While some people will use the terms allergy, sensitivity, and intolerance interchangeably, allergy and lactose intolerance are quite different. An allergy is when the body’s immune system sees a substance – milk protein in this case – as a foreign invader, or allergen, and then the body produces antibodies in response. The allergic reaction can range from mild — itching, red skin — to severe, causing an inability to breathe due to swelling in the throat, or even anaphylactic shock. Fortunately, there are far fewer milk allergies compared with lactose-intolerance – 2-3% of the population in the developed world, though that still makes it the most common food allergy among kids. In contrast, people with lactose-intolerance do not produce adequate lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, which is the sugar in milk. People who are lactose-intolerant experience different symptoms from people with a milk allergy. Lactose-intolerance causes digestive symptoms, including stomach pain, diarrhea, gas, and bloating. What Are PLU Codes? PLU codes, also known as produce codes are unique, four or five digit numbers that grocery stores use to control and manage their inventory of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The codes also help cashiers identify the produce being purchased to ensure accurate prices at check out. Although PLU codes were designed for retailers and not the consumer, you can benefit from knowing how to read them.[1] The International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS) is a global organization comprised of national produce associations from around the world. They’re responsible for deciding which codes are assigned to which foods. There are currently 1,400 PLU codes used worldwide. The IFPS assigns codes using the 3000, 4000, 83000, 84000, 93000, and 94000 series. Can’t Sleep? Discover Causes & Natural Solutions The United States is a sleep-deprived nation. It shows in our health as well as how we age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sleep deprivation is a serious public health issue, and one

2. in three adults don’t get enough sleep.[1] Our ancestors did not have this issue, but the world has changed. Unnatural light sources affect our natural biorhythms. Processed foods and caffeine can alter energy levels. The need to connect to social media, play online games, and other computer or phone-related activities can keep you in a state of perpetual excitement. It’s time to identify these and other sleep-altering factors and explore solutions to get your sleep cycle back on track. The Top 6 Dietary Supplements So what are the best dietary supplements? That depends. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of dietary supplements, and each has its uses. The best supplements for you depends on your needs, lifestyle, and physiology. This is a general list of the supplements most people could benefit from based on observations I’ve made over the course of my career. 1.Calcium Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, making up nearly 2 percent of total body weight. The vast majority of the calcium in your body is used to make and maintain your bones, but trace amounts are also crucial to the proper functioning of your enzymes, nerves, heart, and blood.[6] Globally, a staggering 3.5 billion people are at risk for calcium deficiency.[7] Many of these are among the elderly. As we age, we tend to lose bone mass. A calcium supplement may help make up the difference. I recommend IntraCal™, a formula that combines calcium orotate and magnesium orotate to ensure optimal absorption. [8] 2.Vitamin D Vitamin D is involved in numerous physiological processes and is particularly important to your skeletal, immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems. Your body can produce this nutrient when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Unfortunately, our society spends more time indoors now than at any point in history. Complicating this is our overreliance on sunscreen when we are outdoors.[9] We’re so worried about skin cancer that we’ve become overly vigilant against the sun, blocking out all exposure to sunshine and depleting our vitamin D levels. Some studies estimate that as many as 77 percent of Americans live with some form of vitamin D deficiency, most without even realizing it.[10] According to the Harvard School of Health, one billion people worldwide have low levels of this nutrient.[11] The best way to solve this is to spend more time outside in the sun, but failing that, a vitamin D supplement like Suntrex D3™ can help. 3.Iodine Iodine deficiency is one of the most common health issues on the planet. According to the WHO, over two billion people worldwide are iodine deficient. Of these, as many as 50 million live with severe repercussions of iodine deficiency, such as brain damage. Iodine is crucial to the proper functioning of the thyroid and hormonal health. Overall, a quality iodine supplement can help you get the iodine you need.[12]

3. 4.Vitamin B-12 Do you feel sluggish and sleepy during the day? You may be one of the estimated two-fifths of Americans who live with a vitamin B-12 deficiency.[13] Vitamin B-12 is required for healthy red blood cells, brain function, and DNA synthesis. A deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, and loss of appetite.[8] Left unchecked, it can lead to difficulty walking, poor balance, confusion, and, in extreme cases, dementia.[13] 5.Probiotics Your body, especially your gut, is home to colonies of beneficial bacteria. We call this your microbiota, and it can influence your health in significant ways. It helps support digestion and your immune system. A healthy microbiota can even affect mental health.[14, 15] It’s important to keep your good bacteria healthy or the bad ones might take over. A good probiotic supplement can help keep your microbiota strong and your body in balance. 6.Weight Loss Supplements More than any other supplement on this list, be cautious with weight loss supplements. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Weight loss doesn’t come from pills, it comes from hard work, willpower, and long-term lifestyle changes. That said, there are some nutrients that, when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, can help a sluggish metabolism. These metabolism-boosting supplements can help give you an extra edge as part of an overall healthy lifestyle but will do absolutely nothing if you maintain bad eating habits and poor lifestyle choices.