special needs living – sponsor of the month
By Maria Smietana
LifeVantage
KRISTIN & ERIK RICHARDS For many, starting a new career can be the way to a more rewarding, purposeful life. It can also be part of the healing process after personal setbacks. For Kristin Richards, it was some of both.
Kristin, a native Hoosier, had gone through a painful divorce when she met co-worker Erik Richards. “We were working in corporate America for a large insurance carrier,” Kristin said, “and while we were both successful in our positions, we just had no passion for the work we were doing. We are both college drops outs, so we planned to work our tails off until, hopefully, retiring someday.” Then the Richardses stumbled into network marketing when they were introduced to LifeVantage and signed up as independent distributors. Founded in 2003, the Utah-based company develops and sells nutraceuticals aimed at reducing oxidative stress in the body, thereby improving health and extending lifespans. “Finding these amazing products truly changed not only our health but our family’s health, Kristin said. “I was blessed to retire from corporate America in May of 2018 to build our [sales] team and business full time.” LifeVantage frequently uses the term “biohacking” and in conjunction with their products, which are proprietary blends of plant extracts, vitamins, amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), and minerals. The company defines biohacking as “a desire to understand the body and mind you’ve been given and using everything at your disposal – cutting-edge technology, tools, and science – to become the best version of yourself.” “Our biohacking products help activate the body to function at its most optimal state,” Kristin explained. “These products have a proven record of helping not only our special needs children but their caregivers as well! It’s important, especially in the special needs community, that we address mitochondrial dysfunction.” Mitochondria, which are the tiny energy-generating structures within our cells, are critical to life itself. There are hundreds of genetic mutations that can cause mitochondrial abnormalities. If passed along from parents to children, serious disability results, usually in more than one organ of the body. Fortunately, most
34 Special Needs Living • May 2021
Erik and Kristin all dressed up for a team Welcome Party
genetic diseases are quite rare, and though there are no cures yet, some patients can be helped with drugs, supplements, dietary changes, and various forms of therapy. https://www.umdf.org/ what-is-mitochondrial-disease; https://my.clevelandclinic.org/ health/diseases/15612-mitochondrial-diseases. That’s where research comes in. Kristin noted that the one thing that sets LifeVantage apart from other supplements on the market is SCIENCE. The company’s literature frequently talks about nutrigenomics, which is the study of how specific nutrients, and other components in food called bioactives, interact with genes and influence how they function. “Our proprietary line is 15 years ahead of anything currently on the market,” she said. “To date, there are over 30 published peer reviews by product name. Why does that matter to you? You don’t have to trust me, but do you trust the American Heart Association? How about Harvard or The Ohio State University? Those are just a few of the institutions that have all independently studied our products and published their own findings!” Given everything she’s learned since starting with LifeVantage three years ago, Kristin still believes that the best advice she can give is to encourage potential clients to take ownership of their health. “Dig deeper, and ask more questions when starting new health protocols,” she said. “Our product line is designed to get to the root of what causes over 220 different diseases that all start with oxidative stress.”
