Nurturing Health Nutrition that works!
July – August 2019 • Volume 9 Edition 4
Staying Hydrated This Summer This summer, we hope that you’re taking every opportunity to bask in the warm weather, being active outside, and, just in general, enjoying the beauty of the season around you. However, more than ever, we are exposed to the harmful effects of heat. Aside from the risk of sunburn, heat exhaustion, and dehydration, there is the danger of our electrolyte levels being depleted. Especially when accompanied by heat exhaustion, electrolyte depletion can result in muscle cramps, dizziness, elevated heart rate, diarrhea, and vomiting, or worse. Electrolytes - minerals that carry an electric charge when dissolved in our blood - help regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain the acid and water balance in our bodies. Because the symptoms of electrolyte depletion may be similar to dehydration, we may be tempted to compensate by drinking huge amounts of water. However, this may make the situation worse as the water flooding our systems further dilutes those electrolytes which are secreted by our sweating. Many of us may then turn to sports drinks proclaiming their electrolyte content. However, along with electrolytes, these beverages are often ladened with sugar and food colourings. Coconut water may be preferable to such drinks; however, Mayo Clinic’s Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., suggests that it may be no more effective than plain water and daily consumption of its 60 calories per 250 ml could add nearly 3 kg to your body mass over the course of a year. Fortunately, AIM offers at least two products excellent for warding off electrolyte depletion, all the while avoiding the pitfalls of these other options. Peak Endurance contains six major electrolytes – potassium, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and chloride. Peak Endurance energizes and replenishes your body with absorbable adenosine triphosphate (ATP), electrolytes, and vitamins, promoting optimal muscle function and
overall wellness. Amongst its seemingly endless benefits, BarleyLife with its chlorophyll has vital alkalizing benefits for the body and aids the absorption of nutrients like electrolytes. Along with your morning BarleyLife routine, why not pop some individual packs in your bag or backpack to mix into your bottle of water, and also keep a tube of Mag-nificence magnesium lotion in there while you’re at it. Magnesium is especially well-absorbed topically.
Extra Benefits of BarleyLife and Mag-nificence in the Summer Heat, humidity, and outside activities all result in something everyone’s body produces: perspiration. As a result, it’s not always easy to smell good and fresh, especially on those days the thermometer is at body temperature or higher, and the air’s dripping with moisture. Of course, we all take pains to shower regularly and use every kind of hygiene product to avoid unwanted odours, but these steps – all important, of course - address the outside problem. AIM’s BarleyLife and Mag-nificence magnesium address the issue from the inside. BarleyLife’s rich supply of chlorophyll with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties reduces body odours. Probably all of us have experienced the refreshing and cleansing sensation that a morning glass of BarleyLife provides! Magnesium helps in “deodorizing” our internal organs and thus reduces odours that may develop in our perspiration. By the way, if you or your loved ones are consuming too much caffeine or sugar, magnesium levels may be depleted, so applying AIM’s Magnificence products can help to increase magnesium intake topically. Reference Zaratsky, K. (June 18, 2016). What is Coconut Water and What’s Behind the Hype? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthyeating/expert-answers/coconut-water/faq-20207812
Trusting Your Gut Feeling Whether you have gone with your “gut feeling” to make important decisions or felt “butterflies in your stomach” under nerve-wracking circumstances, you are most likely getting signals from your second brain – the enteric nervous system (ENS). There are emerging views from researchers that the ENS does much more than merely handling digestion or causing nervous pangs. Your second brain may play an important role in determining your mental state and certain diseases throughout your body. ENS is the thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells embedded in the wall of your gastrointestinal tract, or socalled “gut”, from esophagus to rectum. It controls the whole process of digestion, which includes breaking down food, chemical processing for absorbing nutrients, and rhythmic muscle contractions to move everything on down the line
Gut, you boost my serotonin baby!
and expel waste. With the massive network of neurotransmitters lining your gut, your second brain can control your gut behaviour independently and communicate back and forth with the big brain in the skull. “For decades, researchers and doctors thought that anxiety and depression contributed to digestive problems. But our studies and others show that it may also be the other way around,” said Jan Pasricha, M.D, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology. Researchers found that irritation in the gut may send signals to the brain that trigger mood changes. “These new findings may explain why a higher-than-normal percentage of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional bowel problems [e.g., constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and stomach upset] develop depression and anxiety,” said Pasricha. The “brain-gut” connection is still an area that needs more research, especially Oh Brain! to discover how signals from the digestive You give me system affect metabolism, raising or butterflies reducing risk for health conditions like type 2 diabetes. “This involves interactions between nerve signals, gut hormones and the bacteria that live in the digestive system,” said Pasricha. Therefore, you are connected to your digestion from the food you eat to the way you digest life. Here are some guidelines to help heal your gut and support it in the long run. Keep your gut happy over time as YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.
Guidelines to Heal Your Gut Naturally Eliminate the irritants that cause gut issues
Nourish with supplements:
There are common foods that many people cannot tolerate. Avoid these foods even if they do not have an immediate negative impact: • wheat and gluten • conventional meat, poultry, eggs, dairy • refined sugar products and sugary beverages
Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes – Good bacteria and digestive enzymes not only aid in alleviating functional bowel issues but also help strengthen your immune system. Give your gut a boost with FloraFood, which provides 3 billion live cells of good bacteria, and PrepZymes, containing 9 cultured digestive enzymes for effective digestion. But take them separately at different meal times so that the enzymes don’t break down the good bacteria!
Replenish with healing foods Eat fresh and eat clean is the rule of thumb for getting your gut back in shape. Processed foods are loaded with saturated and trans fats, sugar, salt, chemicals, and additives that will interfere with the absorption of nutrients and increase the risk of degenerative diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and cancer.
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Super Greens – Start your day by drinking a glass of super greens such as BarleyLife or LeafGreens. These concentrated, green whole-foods are full of antioxidants which can help to fight free radical damage and alkalize your body pH to reduce inflammation in your gut.
Soluble and insoluble fibre - Fibre keeps your gut clean and prevents toxins from accumulating in your body. Herbal Fiberblend and fit ’n fiber contain psyllium husk that helps to bulk and soften food as it passes through your gut. The addition of konjac fibre in fit ’n fiber promotes satiety, which can help in weight control.
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Adopt “gut-healthy” habits Cut back on alcohol and caffeine – caffeine can irritate nerves in the gut and may trigger the release of stress hormones impacting the transition of food. Alcohol is high in sugar which entices the growth of bad bacteria in the gut and can cause complications such as candida or leaky gut. Chew your food slowly – chewing stimulates the release of digestive enzymes, from the mouth through the stomach and duodenum, making digestion and assimilation of food much easier. Drink more water – drink at least 2 litres (8 glasses) of water a day, especially a big glass of lemon water when you wake up in the morning. Water lubricates the gut and helps to keep things moving. Exercise daily – a simple daily movement such as deep breathing, walking, or stretching exercises can increase heart rate and aid in oxygenating your cells that rejuvenate your gut. Reference • The Brain-Gut Connection. Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/ health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection • Colquhoun, J. (May 15, 2019) 11 Signs You Have Unhealthy Gut and How to Heal It. Retrieved from https://www.foodmatters.com/article/11-signs-you-haveunhealthy-gut-and-how-heal-it
AIM Fibre Makes My Day shared by Helena Kim, Preferred Member, White Rock, BC
I suffered from constipation for many years. I had to put up with the unpleasant symptoms including discomfort when going to the bathroom, abdominal bloating and pain due to stools being hard and difficult to excrete. I tried many alternatives which seemed to work; however, the issue came back after a very short period of time. In April, I spoke to Dr. Lanny Donald, Chairman’s Club Director, and she recommended taking Herbal Fiberblend and fit ’n fiber together for a thorough cleanse and detoxification, which was critical for me, having been constipated for years. I mixed 2 tablespoons of fit ’n fiber and 1 tablespoon of Herbal Fiberblend in a large glass of water and drank it an hour and a half before eating breakfast. I took another “AIM fibre mix” in the late afternoon, usually an hour before supper. I drank two cups of water right after taking the fibre every time.
After a few days, the symptoms slowly vanished as my bowel movements became much more regular, eventually having them up to twice a day. Two weeks after taking the fibre mix, I went on a seven-day cruise with my husband, Winston. I continued drinking the fibre mix and had no bowel issues at all. Without worrying about the pain of going to the bathroom, I enjoyed the variety of food and entertainment on the ship as well as the picturesque scenes along the Alaskan coast every day. This was not the case with Winston. He had bowel issues, but he refused to take the fibre mix before travelling. He suffered big from bowel difficulties and missed ed a lot of fun on the ship. Just two days before disembarking embarking from the ship, he started taking the fibre mix and got immediate ate relief from constipation. We are now both taking the AIM fibre mix early ly in the morning for our daily cleanse. After an hour or so, we take the Garden Trio for breakfast as these whole-food concentrates replenish sh and nourish our bodies. es. Thank you, AIM, as AIM fibre makes my day. Testimonials should not be construed as representing results that everyone can
Nurturing Health • July - August 2019
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Take AIM for Active Aging
Members in Action
by Jan Baxter, Director, Waterloo, ON While out on a winter walk in early March, I had a life-changing accident. I slipped and fell on black ice and totally collapsed down hard. When I got back home, I noticed massive swelling in my knee, about twice the normal size, and I was in severe pain. So I went straight to bed. It wasn’t easy as I couldn’t even bend my knee. We were expecting ten family members to arrive the next day for a potluck luncheon to celebrate my husband’s 76th birthday. I wasn’t sure if I would physically be able to walk, or mentally feel well enough to participate. The good news was that I not only managed through the swelling and pain, but I also had many family members kindly assisting and waiting on me. I always keep additional AIM nutrientrich products in my “First AIM Kitchen Cupboard”. I took more BarleyLife, as it contains anti-inflammatory nutrients that can help reduce swelling. I took Frame Essentials and Proancynol 2000, four capsules each twice a day, to combat the inflammation and free radical damage caused by the injury and to improve my knee function. I know that nutritional healing takes time, but I was determined to try to get back to my normal, active lifestyle as soon as possible. Ironically, at the time I was taking a 6-week Older Group Training Program at the gym. The course used a suspension-based exercise system (TRX) and stability balls to improve body balance, flexibility, strength, and overall physical wellness. About one week after my accident, even though I hobbled around and cabin fever was setting in, I asked my husband to drive me to the gym as I was determined to get back walking again. My instructor, who emphasized that Life is Motion, suggested that I start walking slowly in the large room in order to help my body to get back in motion. I slowly continued doing upper body exercises as I tended to stoop over, getting back to the rowing machine and the stationary bike, working out on the TRX and stability ball. Each time, I took my “AIM Healthy Sports Drink” because it would be critical for my recovery. I mixed 1 scoop of Peak Endurance (for energy) and 1-2 scoops of Redibeets (for a nitric oxide boost that warms up my muscles and helps improve my circulation) with water in my 28-oz AIM Blender Bottle. Four weeks after my accident, I went out on my bike in our neighbourhood, taking it easy and coasting at times. I felt AIMazing! I am looking forward to kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding at our cottage in the summer! I am grateful that I am taking AIM for Active Aging! Thank you, AIM, for Nutrition That Works! Testimonials should not be construed as representing results that everyone can achieve.
Holiday Closure AIM Canada Vancouver office and Calgary warehouse will be closed on July 1, 2019 for Canada Day and August 5 for Civic holiday. 4
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The Active Enzymes Team has been very busy during the past three months! shared by Mélanie Villeneuve, Group Builder, Gatineau, QC On March 23 and 24, the Active Enzymes Team Members—Sylvie Adam, Director, and Lucie Côté and Mélanie Villeneuve, Group Builders— participated in the first edition of the Salon de l’Éveil de Gatineau. This awareness exhibition focused on digestive Mélanie (left) and Sylvie (right) problems and food intolerance. The Team featured AIM whole-food concentrates and an assortment of AIM natural health products that are beneficial for digestive health. At this weekend event, participants showed a keen interest in natural solutions for various health issues. On April 27 and 28, Mélanie and her eldest daughter, Mary-Anne, set up a booth featuring the AIM Garden Trio and Mag-nificence magnesium products at the “Foire de Buckingham”, a health-focused exhibition held in Gatineau, QC. Mary-Anne had an opportunity to serve the delicious and nutritious AIM drink mix to many people. To close the show season, Mélanie was one of the exhibitors at the 10th edition of “Buckingham en Famille” on May 15. The first 40 mothers who attended the event received an exhibitor-sponsored gift pack that included a BarleyLife sample. It was an excellent opportunity to introduce the benefits of healthy eating to young families in the region. Good health and good summer to all! The Active Enzymes Team!
2019 Seniors Day Trade Show shared by Elaine Reimer, Director, St. Catharines, ON On June 10, Anne Downie, Preferred Member, and I participated in the annual Senior Day Trade Show, sponsored by our city mayor. The trade show hosted over 50 exhibitors from senior residences, support services, dentists, fitness and wellness groups, health care, and many others. We had opportunities to introduce AIM’s Living Well Concept, natural supplements and serve juice samples to over 100 people who visited our table. We will be following up with 42 potential customers or Members who expressed interest in knowing more about AIM in the coming weeks. Thank you to AIM Canada for sponsoring the literature and the door prizes. Elaine and Anne