Clearly MyPlate will be better than MyPyramid, but the most important issues are in the details that are not captured by the icon,” Willett said. “What type of grain? What sources of proteins? What fats are used to prepare the vegetables and the grains?”

PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teachers and coaches certified in a fundamentally sound teaching method. PTR is the only service provider offering educational materials, career assistance, and recognition and respect in the tennis industry – worldwide. PTR was founded by world renowned tennis coach, Dennis Van der Meer more than 30 years ago.

Choose-Health will be providing valuable information about another world class organization, USANA Health Sciences.

Founded by Dr. Myron Wentz in 1992, USANA Health Sciences has been the Official Health Supplement Supplier of the Woman’s Tennis Association since 2006.

The Essentials, USANA’s core adult multiple vitamin, (Mega-Antoxidants and Chelated Minerals), is the Official Multiple Vitamin of the WTA.  These and other core USANA products Proflavonal, Procosa II, Active Calcium, and USANA Body Rox multiple vitamin for teenagers, have all received NSF-International Certified for Sport independent third party certification and are free of all banned substances prohibited by the strict World Anti-Doping Agency, (WADA).

These WADA compliant USANA products are taken and endorsed by WTA professionals like Kim Clijsters, Samantha Stosur, Liezel Huber, Melanie Oudin, Zheng Jei, Alexsandra Wosniak and countless other elite athletes worldwide.

As an independent distributor of USANA Health Sciences’ top-rated nutritional supplements, Choose-Health will bring USANA’s world class, science-based, pharmaceutical grade and independently certified nutritionals, sports performance products, and weight management programs to PTR members and their clients. Choose-Health is proud to introduce these exceptional products and to develop unique customer and business partnership opportunities with PTR members.

For additional information on why these supplements are trusted by athletes and coaches, see the Choose-Health SlideShare presentation,“Nutritional Supplements for Athletes”

Select this link for information on The Professional Tennis Registry, (PTR).

My presentation briefly reviewed our national obesity epidemic, with specific emphasis on the Southeastern US.  The close relationship of Insulin Resistance to Obesity was demonstrated through the work international authorities Dr. David Jenkins and Dr. David Ludwig.  I  suggested appropriate lifestyle interventions needed on a community level to combat this epidemic.  Finally, I  mentioned several key contributions of The Healthy Savannah Committee to increase community wellness through appropriate lifestyle change initiatives.

Select this link to read  The Savannah Morning News article on the MPC Workshop

For more information on the relation of the Obesity Epidemic to Insulin Resistance, see my SlideShare Presentation, Low Glycemic Nutrition for Weight Loss.

USANA at WTA BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California

Supplements a Hot Topic for WTA Players

In 2006, the Women’s Tennis Association selected USANA Health Sciences as the WTA’s Official Health Supplement Supplier. USANA was chosen after an extensive search by the WTA for a health supplement company that could meet the strict WADA standards required of all WTA professionals.  Currently, many of the WTA’s top players like Kim Clijsters, Samantha Stosur, Liezel Huber, Melanie Oudin, Zheng Jei, and Alexsandra Wozniak use and endorse USANA’s top rated nutritionals.  USANA’s pharmaceutical grade manufacturing, strict quality control and independent third party testing was recognized by the WTA as mark of distinction, unequalled in the Nutritional Supplement Industry.  Additionally, many of USANA’s core products are NSF-International Certified for Sport, and certified by Informed-Sport.  These are reasons I take and endorse USANA supplements.  Select this SlideShare link to learn more about “Why Athletes and Coaches Trust USANA Nutritional Supplements”

Among Americans 45 and older, 25% were taking the lipid-lowering therapy in the period from 2005 to 2008, up from just 2% in 1988-1994. This is according to the National Center for Healthcare Statistics’ report on health in the U.S. in 2010, released this week.

Heart disease is still responsible for 25% of deaths despite an unprecedented campaign to lower cholesterols with Statin drugs since the 1980′s.

The is little doubt that statin therapy does help prevent complications of heart disease in patients with known pre-existing coronary artery disease, but there is good data that statins have not proved effective in preventing primary heart disease.

The facts remain that 75% of patients taking statin medications are taking them for primary prevention, which is regularly promoted by the pharmaceutical industry. (See “Study on Wide Use of Statins” from the University of Michigan published in the June 28 2010, Archives of Internal Medicine.)

My concern is we are not using effective lifestyle changes, including medical evidence based nutritional supplementations, to assist in heart health.

Specifically, I believe we are not adequately addressing the underlying source cardiovascular disease, which is inflammation affecting the sensitive lining of small arteries feeding the heart.  This inflammation leads to atherosclerosis.

Arterial endothelial cell dysfunction is caused by free radical induced oxidative stress, and can be improved with appropriate antioxidants, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications.

The Heart Health Supplement SlideShare reviews these issues and presents data supporting the use of Fish Oil, Grape Seed Extract and Quality Multiple Vitamins for heart health.

Click here to see  updated Joint Health SlideShare

Click here to watch prior Joint Health Webcast

Most adults over age 50 years have some type of Joint Health problems, most commonly Osteoarthritis.  Because exercise and activity are keys to health and longevity, maintaining joint health is critical.  In this SlideShare and WebCast  I discussed medical evidence-based benefits of Glucosamine, Turmeric, Omega-3 fatty acids, Grape Seed Extract, and optimal dose Multiple Vitamins.

Link for Health Benefits of Grape Seed Extract SlideShare

Grape Seed Extract is an extremely powerful antioxidant, with Heart Health Benefits clearly documented in numerous medical studies.  This SlideShare presentation reviews the many potential health benefits of this unique nutritional supplement, including Heart, Brain, Joint, Skin, and Immune System Health.

A recent double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study on Grape Seed Extract at Boston University School of Medicine was completed in 2010. The study demonstrated the synergistic use of a Grape Seed Extract and Vitamin C supplement significantly improved  antioxidant status and vascular function in patients with clinically proven cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is a chronic degenerative disease related to free radical induced oxidative stress.  By significantly improving antioxidant defenses, Grape Seed Extract and Vitamin C where felt to synergistically reduce vascular endothelial cell dysfunction.

Select this link for the PDF file the Boston University School of Medicine study, which used USANA’s Proflavanol, a pharmaceutical grade and independent third party certified Grape Seed Extract and Vitamin C supplement.

Over the past weeks I have been converting many of my Choose-Health Webcasts to a SlideShare format.  For many of you this new presentation format will be much faster and more convenient than the video format.

I am very pleased with the presentation linked above. It shows the tremendous health benefits of Low Glycemic Nutrition. This lifestyle change is really quite easy, and has shown dramatic results for me and many others.

The presentation introduces Insulin Resistance as a key cause of weight gain, and provides clear evidence on simple ways to prevent and reverse it. I also present the recently published University of Colorado clinical trail on which I base my weight loss recommendations.

Using this information, I was able to lose 38 pounds in  3 months, weight loss that has been maintained for well over 18 months.

Sam Young, MD

This brief slide presentation may help you reduce risk of cognitive decline and increase your mental stamina.

Risk of chronic diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, MS, and Depression may also be reduced with quality multiple vitamins, fish oils, and grape seed extract.

In this presentation I review recent medical studies on brain health and show the reasons I support quality supplementation.

Choose this link to learn more on Brain Health Supplements , and for other wellness topics, see the Choose-Health Events Page

In a very recently published medical study, girls ages 9 to 13 were given a supplement with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D for 6 months. Significant increases in bone density and strength were found, compared to girls who received placebo. This

“For building bone in young girls (ages 9 to 13), a study found benefit with a supplement providing, on a daily basis, 800 mg of calcium (from calcium citrate and calcium carbonate), 400 IU of vitamin D3, and 400 mg of magnesium (from magnesium citrate) when taken regularly for six months (Greene, Osteoporosis Int 2011). The supplement (Active Calcium Chewable, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.) was taken as four chewable tablets, two with breakfast and two with dinner.”

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 20 pairs of identical twin girls, ages 9-12 years old at the onset of the study, who were randomly assigned to receive USANA’s Active Calcium Chewable or a matching placebo. The results of the study found that after six months of supplementation, Active Calcium Chewable improved measures of bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and bone strength in these girls. The elegant design of the ACU National study in which one twin received Active Calcium Chewable while her sister received the placebo factored out genetic influences. The results confirm the findings of a similar 2003 clinical trial conducted at the University of Utah.

Because young women accumulate bone mass most rapidly during adolescence, ideal skeletal development can only be achieved when dietary intakes of calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium are optimal during this period.  According to Dr. Greene of ACU National, maximizing bone density and strength during the growing years is essential to offsetting the effects of osteoporosis in later life.

It is estimated that only 10 to 25 percent of children and teens get adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, according to Dr. Christine Wood, an international expert in childhood nutrition, and a member of USANA’s Scientific Advisory Council.

USANA Health Sciences‘ commitment to science based nutritional supplement research, uncompromising manufacturing quality control standards, and ongoing independent third party certifications are three important reasons I strongly endorse USANA supplements.

See a SlideCast on Bone Health Supplements, and for other related wellness topics, see the Choose-Health Events Page.