Why take supplements at all?  Are food supplements necessary?  Do we really need them?  Do they do any good? Is it better to take a supplement or to try and get the benefits from regular food?  The decision to take supplements is a lifestyle choice that invo9lves developing a daily habit.  Is this worth the effort?
To be healthy we must assure ourselves foundational nutrition.  We must give the body what it needs.  The heart is an organ and it pumps blood.  The lungs are organs and they pump air.  The kidney is an organ and it filters blood.  The brain is an organic engine that operates well if maintained.  The body does its best with whatever we feed it, and the nutritional value of store-bought food has been steadily declining due to the depletion of natural nutrients in agribusiness soils.  The crops are picked, trucked, stored, shelved, driven home, stored again, cooked, eaten, and hopefully adsorbed into the body through the cell walls of the intestines.  The need for additional food supplements has practically become a necessity. The average American eats very few helpings of vegetables.  Processed foods remove the natural nutrients and replace them with artificial supplements, and then go on to dye and preserve them.  The air we breathe contains increasingly more oxidizing pollutants.
The American Medical Association has officially declared that all adults should be taking food supplements. Taking a multivitamin/mineral and an antioxidant every day is now doctor-recommended.

Following is a brief list of reasons why to supplement the food we eat:

• Mineral depletion in the soils
• Early harvests
• Crops are raised with artificial fertilizers and are treated with pesticides
• Fruits and vegetables are picked before ripe
• Freshness disappears with time spent in transportation, handling
• Storage
• Exposure to sun and light
• Food value is removed through processing
• Nutrients are reduced or lost during preparation and cooking
• Vegetables are an insignificant portion of average meals, even in restaurants
• Most diets are supplemented with snack foods made of starch, salt, sugar and grease.
• The food we eat does not supply a sufficient amount of daily nutrients.
• Genetically engineered foods in prepackaged meals have unknown effects
• The American Medical Association has officially declared that all adults should be taking food supplements.

    Click here for more answers to why we should take supplements.

If you want even more reasons why it is imperative that we supplement our diet, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

Having answered the initial question "why take supplements?" the next question is "which supplements to take?"  It is often difficult to know which supplements are worth considering since there are so many different kinds available.  Each company claims to have the best combination of ingredients, the latest technology, and to be able to produce the most effective results.  How is a person to decide who is right, which is best, and what would be most appropriate for each individual case?  Below is a list of questions to ask when evaluating any supplement.

1. How good are the various brands?
2. How fresh are they?
3. Are the ingredients sufficient?
4. Are the ingredients natural or synthetic?
5. Are they standardized: are the proportions consistent?
6. Is the selected combination of ingredients correctly balanced?
7. What is the cohesive base used to hold the ingredients together?
8. Are the tablets hot pressed or cold pressed?
9. What is the disintegration rate: how quickly do they break down?
10. How do they dissolve?  Are they time-released?
11. How are the minerals bonded or chelated?
12. Which are better: liquids, powders, gels, capsules or tablets?
13. What is the absorption rate?
14. How carefully were they tested? What kind of research was done?
15. Are they patented?
16. Are they easy to swallow?
17. How do they taste and smell?
18. How much do they cost?  Are they worth the price?
19. Are they convenient to purchase?
20. Are they guaranteed?  Can I get my money back?
21. How are they packaged?
22. What is the proper dosage?
23. Are there any supplements that aid digestion?
24. Is there an accompanying anti-oxidant?
25. Are they customized for men and for women?
26. What do other people say?  Are there many personal stories and testimonies?

SUMMARY

Is there really any difference at all between different types of supplements?  Aren’t they basically all the same? Before picking up another bottle or package of supplements, ask a few more questions.
 How did you decide to purchase the brand you have been taking up until now? Did you read the ingredients and guess that it must be all right?  Did someone recommend them?  Did you try different brands until you found one you liked?  Did the store workers help you decide?
Did the health food store (e.g. RiteAid etc.) make the complex that you are taking?  Does the retail store where you purchased your products really know what is in the containers they sell?  Does the store you purchased your nutrients from know when those nutrients were manufactured?  In other words, do you know how long they have been on the shelves?
     It has been well documented that Americans have the most expensive urine in the world because most minerals that people take are not pre-bonded or chelated and are consequently excreted from the body.  They simply do not absorb.  Remember, too, that the products that you buy from a retailer have been marked up several times by middlemen before they get to the retailer.
It doesn't make sense to buy products from a retailer that is:
      - Not involved in the direct manufacturing of the product.
      - Doesn't really know exactly what is in the container because he didn't see it made.
      - Doesn't guarantee their products if you open the container.
      - Does not tell you how long the products have been sitting on the shelf before you bought them.
      - Producing products that contain lower than adequate nutrient doses of ingredients.
Combine all of the above with the additional expense of advertising that adds cost, not value, to the product, and you have an inferior product.  Take some time to read carefully the following answers to these and more questions and the difference between standard supplements and these will become quite obvious.

You deserve the highest quality supplements. Read on to decide what is best, or email me at petrich@whidbey.com

    What is the shelf life and how and where must your supplements be stored? Some supplements sit on store shelves longer than others do.  All supplements have a shelf life. Keep in mind that old inventory is placed on the front of the shelves because any organic nutrient will lose its effectiveness as it ages.
The ideal situation would be to begin taking supplements as soon as they are manufactured.  If a company were to know fairly accurately how many supplements will be ordered each month, then each month's orders could be guaranteed to be always fresh.
    There is one particular company that does exactly this.  They have a system whereby they know how many orders will be placed each month, which allows them to avoid over-production or shortages. The result is extremely fresh ingredients. As soon as a customer places an order, the products are shipped, without shelf time, directly from the conveyor belt to the customer's doorstep.

        If you are looking for the freshest supplements possible, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

     Many store brands contain ingredients and fillers you don’t need.  Most provide inadequate nutrient doses.  For example, Centrum contains only 4% of the effective dose of the critical antioxidant lutein, 6% of the effective dose of lycopene, and only 29% of the Recommended Daily Intake of selenium.  (Studies show that selenium may be a factor in prevention of certain types of cancer.)  Centrum contains just 16% of the RDI of calcium.  A lack of calcium contributes to the development of osteoporosis.  Without the complete therapeutic dose, the ingredients do little and are virtually non-existent.
     On the other hand, these supplements contain the full therapeutic dose of all the key vitamins and minerals in high-quality nutrient forms that are easily absorbed by your body.  This includes more B vitamins at higher doses than store brands for increased energy: 10 times more B6 and 2.5 times more B12 than Centrum, and significantly more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.  Instead of oil-based vitamin A, the Vitality Pak is made with 100% beta-carotene, the safest form of vitamin A and a powerful antioxidant that protect the eyes, the body’s mucous membranes, and helps prevent the oxidation of vitamin C.

If you want a supplement that actually has 100% of each ingredient listed, email me at petrich@whidbey.com

    Ideally the best supplements would consist exclusively of natural ingredients, with no artificial colors or added preservatives.  Most of the less expensive supplements are made from synthetic ingredients.   Did you know that the main ingredient of One-a-Day tablets is a by-product of Kodak film?  Kodak's biggest client, next to the film industry, is the vitamin industry, because this petroleum by-product is cheap, is approved by the FDA, and is the main ingredient in almost all of the synthetic vitamins.  Can you imagine what that petroleum does to our insides? Would you prefer to swallow something petroleum-based or plant-based?
     All nutrient sourcing should be based on the latest science. Ideally, the ingredients should be all natural, vegetarian, vegan and kosher, as well as organic.

If you would like supplements made of natural ingredients, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

     Check to see if the supplements you are considering are standardized. Only 3% of nutritional companies use Standardized Ingredients because of the high cost of the ingredients. Standardization is very important in the vitamin world.  Many supplements on the shelves are not standardized, which means that the ingredients on the label are always the same, yes, but the proportions may vary. One week the company might be a little short on Vitamin B12, or another week they might put in a little more of something else. If the product is not standardized, there is no guarantee as to what proportions of which ingredients are inside.
    These supplements are standardized.

If you want the security of knowing that every tablet is standardized and will produce exactly the same results, contact petrich@whidbey.com.

    The ingredients of an ideal food supplement must be in the correct combinations and proportions.  A great deal of research and study has gone into vitamin-mineral combinations, and it has been found that although vitamins by themselves help the body, they will synthesize better and will be more effective if they are combined with minerals.  Even minerals must have the proper combination of adjoining components to be useful.  Calcium alone, for example, is like eating chalk.  In order to be properly synthesized, it must be combined with zinc, phosphorous, magnesium, and a few other things to work at all.
All this is known in the field.  The goal is to find a company that has put together the correct combination of ingredients in the proper proportions.
    Some people have an entire cupboard full of pills, tablets and powders in an attempt to assure themselves of taking every ingredient they should.  However, it is a know fact that even if someone takes all the appropriate ingredients, if the proportions are not correct, such as taking too much of Vitamin B and not enough of Vitamin E, that person can actually suffer from a vitamin deficiency.  Particularly if a person were to take one of each thing but none at all of some other things, this can definitely lead to a vitamin deficiency.  Not many people truly know all the proportions.
    It is easier and more logical to take a multi-vitamin that already has the proportions and combinations combined into one or two capsules or tablets, rather than to take a large number of pills each meal.  Life is simpler, the cost is less, and the correct balance is assured.  Good supplements should meet USP specification for potency and uniformity.

If you want to be assured of using a balanced supplement that has the proper proportions, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

    What holds the capsule or tablet together?  What is the cohesive base?  Hopefully it is not a bi-product of Kodak film, a petroleum base that is actually used by several major vitamin manufacturers.  Other companies use various forms of oils and salts.  Look for the substrate that bonds the ingredients.
   Our supplements are 100% plant-based are all suitable for a vegetarian diet.  Plus, our tablets are odorless and easy to swallow.

If you want a supplement that truly heals, conatct me at petrich@whidbey.com.

    What effects the efficacy of the supplement?  When the tablets are manufactured, a key question is whether they are hot pressed or cold pressed. Hot-pressing, unfortunately, actually cooks out a portion of the nutrients.  Cold-pressing is more costly, but retains the entire food value.

If you would like to enjoy the entire food value of cold-pressed tablets, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

    A key factor with all supplements is the disintegration rate -- how quickly or slowly the tablets break down.  Most store brand tablets are hot-pressed; some never break down.  The length of time for supplements to dissolve varies from twenty minutes to several hours, or sometimes never.  My friends who clean outhouses and chemical toilets have told me how they frequently find entire tablets that have passed all the way through whomever ate them: the tablets never even disintegrated at all.
    Most disintegration tests are done in warm vinegar or mild acid solutions to simulate stomach acid.  Any supplement that will break down in water – especially in cold water -- is noteworthy. Try your own comparison of tablets, each in a glass of water, and time them.  A good supplement should dissolve within twenty to thirty minutes. Each of our supplements  meets USP specification for potency, uniformity, and disintegration.
 

For a supplement that disintegrates quickly in your stomach, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

 During digestion, nutrients compete with each other and become ready for uptake into the blood stream at different intervals. Using more than one source of a nutrient allows slow release absorption throughout the day because the different sources become soluble or available for absorption at different times.  For example, our antioxidant contains four different types of calcium, each of which dissolves at a different rate, resulting in an even spaced-out release of calcium.

For supplements that dissolve well, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

    In order for minerals to be adsorbed, they need to be chelated.  Chelation is bonding.  If minerals are not bonded to something that will absorb, they will pass through the body without being used.  It would be like eating chalk or sand or like swallowing a rock.  Unbonded minerals pass right through us.     If the minerals are bonded to something that the cells will absorb, then they, too will be absorbed.
    There are three basic media that enable cellular adsorption: salts, amino acids, and sugars.  The typical way to administer such pills is in a chloride solution.  Anything ending in "-ate" is most likely a salt, such as ferrous sulfate, calcium carbonate, etc. Salts -- all sulfates and chlorides -- produce 10%-22% absorption.  "Tums" is calcium carbonate, which breaks down in the stomach, not the intestine.  "Tums" need an acid stomach to work, and "Tums" turns it alkaline.  The published adsorption rate of "Tums" is 5%, which means that the other 95% are useless.
    Another form of chelation uses amino acids to produce a tertiary sulfate bond.  Most of the better vitamins use an amino acid process, which gives 23%-40% adsorption.  The problem is that if the proteolytic enzyme is too weak, it won't bond, and if it is too strong, it won't pull the minerals through.
    There is a third way to achieve adsorption, and that is through sugar.  If you were to eat a lot of sugar, like all of your Halloween candy plus cake, cookies, and whatever, you would not urinate any of that sugar.  In fact, it would not come out in the bowels, either.  What happens to it?  Sugar is totally adsorbed.   We never pass sugar.  The carbon molecules are combined with oxygen and we breathe out carbon dioxide.  The rest of the components are broken down and distributed
throughout the body as cellular building blocks – amino acids.
    Some sugars adsorb faster than others. Sucrose produces insulin spikes.  Fructose, from fruits, is readily adsorbed by the cells and is easily assimilated.  The adsorption rate of fructose is close to 100% due to the molecular structure of sugar.  Acid in the gut does not effect sugar, plus fructose is not insulin dependent. Sugar adsorption takes the least amount of steps and works the greatest length of time. There is only one company that has a patented technique to bond minerals with fructose. This fructose-compounding process achieves the highest possible adsorption rate.

If you would like to receive the highest possible adsorption rate in your supplements, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

     The goal for all vitamin manufacturers is to achieve maximum mineral absorption.  The coatings on capsules are meant to dissolve quickly so that the powders contained inside will be digested and dissolved.  Although most gel coatings are made from rice or a form of plant cellulose, some actually use a petroleum base.  Basically capsules are a powder in a wrapper.  Powders are mixed in water in the hopes that they will be assimilated more easily.  Gels are a liquid in a dissolvable container.  Tablets are a compacted powder that theoretically breaks apart quickly when moistened.  It doesn’t really matter what form the supplements are so much as what process is used to enable cellular absorption.
     Liquid vitamins have become very popular recently.  It sounds logical that because liquid is so easy to swallow then the minerals must be easier to absorb.  The fact is that the minerals still need to be bonded somehow, and generally they are bonded with salts or amino acids because fructose bonding does not work in liquid form.  There are a few other drawbacks to liquid vitamins.  One is that the bonding process is rather weak and does not remain bonded by the time it is consumed.  Another is that the ingredients tend to separate.  Vitamin C floats to the top, Vitamin A falls to the bottom, and there will be a lot of Vitamin D in the middle.  Liquid vitamins also do not necessarily taste good.
      Gels are basically liquids inside of a capsule.  Powders are like the ingredients of a capsule without the time required for the capsule shell to dissolve.  Powders and capsules can not contain as many ingredients as compressed tablets because there is more air space inbetween the particles.  The more compressed a tablet is, the more ingredients can be packed inside.  The smaller it is, the easier it is to swallow.
 

For small, highly compacted tablets that are easy to swallow and that contain maximum ingredients, contact petrich@whidbey.com.

    By far the most important attribute to look for in a quality supplement is the adsorption rate.  If what you are taking does not even adsorb, why even take it in the first place.  The problem with most supplements is their small adsorption rates.  Have you ever taken an iron supplement?  Did you enjoy it?  These rather large pills often cause constipation, tarry black stools, and maybe a little nausea, and the pills are so large in the hopes that some portion will be adsorbed.  The rest passes through the body like eating a rock.
    On the other hand, do you know that your body never eliminates the carbohydrates that you eat unless you have diabetes or a serious kidney disease? In other words your body is either going to use or to store all carbohydrates! Fructose is a carbohydrate, and as a carbohydrate fructose is never excreted from your body. There is a patented process called "fructose compounding" whereby the minerals are "pre-bonded" to a fructose molecule, providing one of the highest absorption rates possible.  The cells sense and readily accept the fructose, consequently absorbing the mineral simultaneously, since it is part of the same molecule.
    One of the ways scientists can tell whether or not something has been adsorbed into the body is to observe how it comes out of the body later.  Anything that comes out as feces did not get adsorbed at all.  Whatever comes out as urine did get adsorbed, and was used by the body, processed by the spleen, etc.
   In order to make anything in the body, an ingredient has to get into a cell.  All foods are fighting for adsorption, and the intestinal cell walls can adsorb only so much.  Vitamins adsorb fairly well, but minerals have a free electron and will bond with whatever is handy, which is often something too large to be able to pass through a cell wall.  Consequently most minerals pass directly through the body without ever being adsorbed.
    Most over-the-counter vitamins are only adsorbed 3-9%. The mineral pathway procedure (generally salts) used by most other pharmaceuticals is only 3-4% efficient.  The published absorption rate for "Tums" is 5%.  Colloidal minerals, which are very expensive and may not be of benefit to use long-term, have a 68% absorption rate. "Sea Silver" claims a 100% absorption rate, but because it is colloidal, it is only 30% usable.  Fructose-compounded minerals have an extremely high absorption rate because the fructose is 100% efficient for absorption, and this process is 98% usable.
    The ideal substance for bonding minerals would be fructose, because it so readily soaks into the cells. Do an internet search on absorption rates and you will find fructose to be at the top of the list. Whenever a fructose molecule is adsorbed, it would pull the bonded mineral molecule with it.  This means that the supplements would have close to 100% absorption rate.  Instead of the larger doses required for sulfate or amino acid processes, with fructose compounding the doses could be reduced, thus allowing the numbers of tablets and the sizes of tablets to be minimized while at the same time guaranteeing far greater absorption.

For the maximum possible adsorption of your minerals, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

    Testing is crucial for customer confidence.  Many companies have come up with break-through latest discovery products, only to have to recall them later due to new discoveries or lack of complete testing.  Rigorous testing of nutrients is crucial for a healthy society.  All forms of testing should be conducted, both in test tubes and in humans.  Only those supplements that have passed the test of time, science, technology and human consumption are worth considering.
    Studies don't guarantee that a product will work for everybody. Whether the product will work for you or not is what is most important. There is not one manufacturer's vitamin/mineral complex that will work the same for everyone because no two people have the same metabolism, diet, or exercise level.  The bottom line on testing is whether it works for any particular individual.  The only way to know is to try them, generally over a three-month period.
    When looking for a quality supplement, ask these questions:
What research was done on the supplements?
Who did the research?  Who conducted the studies? Did the company do its own research?
Who sponsored and paid for the studies?  How independent were they?
Have the products been tested by independent labs and by independent researchers?
Have the results been peer reviewed?
Is the complex that you are taking unique enough to have a patent?

To feel confident that you are taking highly tested and documented supplements, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

     Most vitamins carry no patent at all.  Anybody can get a patent. All the other manufacturers must be content with the mainstream existing techniques by using salts or amino acid chelation.  There are no patents on these common processes.
   There is only one type of  supplement in the U.S. with a scientific patent on the bonding process.  This is not just any ordinary patent.  A scientific patent is very difficult and expensive to obtain.  The process must be screened and tested by independent labs with stringent specifications and requirements.  Only after sufficient documentation and verification can a scientific patent be obtained.  This unique fructose bonding process for minerals is so effective that many other companies would like to adopt this process, but only one company has the privilege of using such a highly effective process.

For a remarkably absorptive supplement, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

        Are the tablets easy to take?  If they are too big to swallow, you won't be taking them for very long.  If they are shaped awkwardly, they will be hard to get down.  If they are inconvenient to take, they will soon be neglected.  These particular supplements are small, well-shaped capsules and tablets that are easy to swallow.  Rather than making one giant one-a-day pill, this company chose to divide the ingredients into two tablets – vitamins and minerals – and to make them smaller so that they are quite easy to swallow.
     In fact, the company has invested in a state-of-the-art compacting process that enables the tablets to be made considerably smaller than standard tablets.  Their shape and size makes them very easy to swallow.

For some small, well shaped capsules and tablets that are easy to swallow.  Contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

 At the mention of “vitamin taste” people generally scrunch up their faces.  Most vitamin supplements have a recognizable “vitamin” smell, and the bitter aftertaste often matches this smell.  One company has flavored their vitamins and minerals with a natural mild vanilla coating, and the antioxidant is flavored like cloves.

Taste some vitamins Try some vitamins that actually smell and taste good.  Contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

 There is an attitude involved when considering the cost of anything.  First, one must consider if it is even worth spending any money at all, and if it is, the goal is to find the absolute least amount of money that can be spent regardless of quality.  I call this penny-pinching approach “one-upsmanship.”  The second is the issue of priorities.  What is more important: should your limited amount of money be devoted to supporting your health or to purchasing luxury items, toys, impulse-purchases?  Setting priorities can avoid a lifestyle that lives from crisis to crisis.  The third approach is to compare the actual value per dollar and to get whatever is the most effective supplement for the price.  Of course, this third approach is the most logical and valid.

ONE-UPSMANSHIP
 “I can get mine cheaper than that.”  “Oh, yeah?”  “Well, mine cost even less than yours.”
When trying to find the lowest price, the question of quality goes out the window.  Who cares if it works?  It’s cheaper, right?  This penny-pinching attitude has people spending their shopping time at places like WalMart, Costco and the Dollar Store.  “Well, they look pretty good, and the bottle says it’s for me.”  “Wow, here’s a bottle of 600 tablets for only $2.50!  That’s what I need.”  But what does it do?
 If a person is honestly concerned about the bottom line, regardless of quality, I can beat any price found, and as a bonus the quality will be far better. How can this be true?  To begin with, the value-per-dollar is better.  Although this is the most important consideration, the “Dollar Store mentality” does not care.  The only question is “how low can the price be?”  Lots of people with excellent insurance coverage get expensive supplements for only $5/month.  That’s pretty good.  How about $2.00?  How about $1.00?  How about free?
 How about this: what if your supplements actually were free?  In fact, it is possible for customers to be paid to buy their supplements.  In other words, not only are the supplements free, but one company actually sends people checks every month simply for taking their vitamins on a regular basis.  In fact, there is no limit as to how big that check can become.  This is unquestionably the best price possible for supplements.  So there.

PRIORITIES
 It is interesting to see where people spend their money.  They will skimp on little things by trying to save a few cents on light bulbs or toilet paper and then they will spend unlimited amounts on junk food and toys.  Why be tight on whether or not to buy an apple, and then go out and buy a boat or a big-screen TV without a moment’s hesitation?  Where are our priorities?  What is more important: your body or your car?  Hopefully your body will last a long time, whereas a car might last only ten years or so.
 Compare the cost of a car that has a ten-year lifespan to the cost of ensuring your health to maintain at least a seventy-five-year lifespan for your body.  Both require some investment.  If your body’s health is not maintained, the cost jumps up with hospital bills, lost pay from missed work, increased insurance costs, and many other penalties.  Good supplements are a form of health insurance in that they keep us healthy and avoid medical costs by preventing issues in the first place.  Health insurance pays only after we are already messed up.  With this in mind, it is well worth spending at the most a couple dollars a day on the maintenance of our bodies.  This can easily be considered a part of the daily grocery bill.
 Now take a look at the cost of a car.  Car payments might be $300/month, insurance maybe $50/month, maintenance $50/month, depreciation $175/month, and gas & oil about $125/month, without including extras like parking fees and traffic tickets. This comes to $700/month for the privilege of getting your body from one place to another quickly.
 With this in perspective, is it worth skimping a few cents on your body in order to spend hundreds of dollars on your car?  I don’t think so.

VALUE
    The bottom line is the cost-to-value ratio.  For the amount of money spent, how much value is derived from the product?  With supplements the key issue is adsorption.  For each dollar spent, what percent of the supplement is actually adsorbed and used by the body, versus the percent that passes through without being adsorbed at all?
    A significant advantage of fructose compounding is the inherent economical value. With any other vitamin product you are not getting your money's worth because of the low percentage of cellular absorption by your body.  The savings are as much as 25 times better than anything else on the market. From a monetary standpoint alone, the choice is obvious.  If both tablets were priced the same and contained similar ingredients, but one was adsorbed only half as much as the other, which is the better deal?  Considering that most good supplements are only a third adsorbed at the most, in order to make an equal value price comparison of cost per use, the price of the other brand should be multiplied by 3.  The majority of supplements are adsorbed even less.  Consequently, any fructose-compounded supplement is well worth the low price.
     One saving that initially isn’t as obvious is the cost and value of food supplements.  The essence of any vitamin or mineral is determined not only by which ingredients are selected, the quality of the source of the ingredients, and the proper proportions and cominations, but also by the most important factor of all: the percentage of absorption that is achieved.  Even if the supplements have remarkably unique and wonderful ingredients, if they do not absorb into the body’s cells they are useless.  The documented absorption rate of most supplements on the market is 5%-7%.  Tums is 5%.  Shaklee’s is 10%-15%.  The best amino acid combinations can get up to around 40%.  Fructose compounding enables the highest possible absorption, up to 98%-100%. If the prices and number of tablets were all the same, which is the better deal?
    From a monetary standpoint alone, the choice is obvious.  For example, if a 100% absorbed calcium supplement costs $8.00 and a bottle of Tums, which is 5% absorbed, costs maybe $2.00, that $2 should be multiplied by 20 to equal the100% value, making a bottle of totally absorbed Tums worth $40.  This $40.00 vs. $8.00 is quite a difference in price for an equivalent value.  Even if a co-op brand gets 50% absorption and costs the same per number of capsules, to get the cost per use, the co-op price is of necessity twice as high as the label price.  Why spend money on a cheap bottle that does practically nothing when you can guarantee yourself full value and know you are getting your money’s worth? Quality supplements are well worth their reasonable prices.
    To lower the prices even more, some companies offer choices of combination packs of supplements.  These save the customer money as compared with purchasing individual bottles.

Boundless Energy and Vitality for just 67 Cents a Day
    Not only do quality supplements make good nutritional sense, it’s economically sensible, too.  For just 67 cents a day—the cost of a candy bar, a can of soda, or a small bag of chips – you can do something good for your health.  Simply skip a trip to the vending machine and invest that 67 cents more wisely: in your health!
 

If you want to get the most value for the least money, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com.

     This is as easy as it gets.  Make a quick phone call or order online and your package arrives at your door UPS within 2-5 days.  This service definitely saves time and gas normally spent driving to the store, wandering up and down the aisles looking for what you want, reading labels to decide which is best, then standing in line to pay, loading the car, driving home, unloading and putting things away.  With supplements it is easy to plan ahead when to order because you can literally count how many are left and then calculate exactly how many days you have until they run out.  If you are traveling, your supplements can be delivered directly to where ever you are.

For convenience, ease and extra time, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com

    Are the supplements you want to take guaranteed?  Does the store that you bought your complex from allow you to open the bottle and use them, and if you are not satisfied will the store refund 100% of your money?  In other words, if you open the bottle and use some or all of the contents, only to find that you don't like them or they don't work for you, can you return the opened bottle and get your money back?  Safeway certainly doesn't have an offer like that, and neither do the health food stores.  Anywhere else if you buy vitamins that don't work you either put them on the back shelf and forget them, or you throw them away and lose your money.
    The ideal offer for trying a new supplement would be an extended trial period.  The traditional length of time it takes to tell if a change of supplement is working or not is ninety days: three months. If you can find any company that offers a ninety day trial period, take them up on the offer.  If you take the supplements regularly as prescribed and do not notice an improvement in your general well being, an increase in your energy, or if you are at all not satisfied with the results, you should receive a full refund for all three months.  Wouldn't that be nice?  You couldn't lose!

To try a guaranteed ninety-day challenge, contact petrich@whidbey.com.

     Brown bottles incorporate the latest packaging technology.  These bottles help protect against vapor, temperature, humidity, and sunlight more effectively than white bottles. These bottles also more accurately convey the premium quality of our supplements.
    AM/PM packets preserve the freshness of the supplements.  They also make it easy to remember what to take when.  They are ideal for traveling, since it is so convenient to carry small organized packets when away from home.  People who frequently skip or forget to take their supplements on a regular basis are able to become consistent.  It is much quicker to open a single packet than a number of individual bottles.  Once the decision has been made as to which packet best fits an individual’s needs, no more thinking is involved.

For supplements that are packaged for convenience and minimal thinking, contact me at petrich@whidbey.com

To order supplements with clearly published dosages, contact petrich@whidbey.com

    Frequent use of antibiotics, combined with our modern diets of fast and processed foods, can lead to an unhealthy balance of bacteria in the digestive tract. Flora supplements help the digestive tract with healthy flora to help ensure optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. By delivering the probiotic in a stand-alone supplement, we are able to increase both potency and shelf life.  The ingredients in one flora product retain potency for 2 years. These ingredients are also acid resistant meaning they are able to survive the stomach and reach the intestines. The strains in this particular flora supplement have passed extensive tests for pH tolerance, bile tolerance, and sensitivity to antibiotics—all essential for surviving in the human body.  The most potent brand contains not 1 billion, but 5 billion cultures.

For the most recent state-of-the-art flora supplement, contact petrich@whidbey.com

     All multi-vitamin mineral supplements should be accompanied by an antioxidant.  Many store-brand antioxidants are nothing more than synthetic vitamin E.  One brand contains a blend of tocopherols, which has been shown in research to be more effective than a single source like alpha tocopherol (vitamin E). We also have mixed carotenoids, which have been proven to be better free radical fighters than beta-carotene (vitamin A) alone.  The natural green color comes from the tocopherols and mixed carotenoids sourced from whole food blends like spinach, which have high amounts of chlorophyll.  Mixed carotenes work synergistically, making them significantly more effective than beta-carotene alone. Also, recent studies have shown that excessive levels of a single carotenoid source, like beta-carotene, can lead to increased oxidative damage in the presence of oxidative stress.
    Research indicates that too much Vitamin C can increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Vitamin C was reduced to deliver a generally accepted therapeutic dose.  Research has also shown that too much Vitamin E is related to toxicity. A mixed blend (alpha, beta, gamma tocopherols and tocotrienols) is safer and more beneficial than using one of source vitamin E as shown in the ATBC and CARET studies.
     In addition to the mixed carotenoid and tocopherol blends, which increase overall benefits and absorption, using different types of antioxidants enables absorption to take place with different cell types and with greater efficiency during cellular interphase. A combination of herbs improves the effectiveness of antioxidants, and the use of flavonoids provides natural antioxidant benefits. This particular antioxidant also promotes more natural antioxidant systems by using cofactors (substances that act with another substances, like enzymes, to bring about certain benefits) and precursors (substances that can create beneficial products within the body – example, beta carotene is a precursor of vitamin A).
     This antioxidant contains other effective ingredients as well.  Cocoa is rich in antioxidants with more GAE and ECE (standard measurements of antioxidants - gallic acid equivalents and epicatechin equivalents respectively).  Green Tea's EGCG (epigalocatechingalate) is a potent antioxidant proving efficacious in heart and cancer research.  The ORAC value  (oxygen radical absorbance capacity – a measure antioxidant strength) has been increased with the addition of cloves.  Alpha-lipoic acid can protect against LDL cholesterol and minimizes disorders caused by radical damage.  SAMe (S-Adenosy-L-Methione) and glutamine act as glutathione precursors. Glutathione is an antioxidant enzyme known to scavenge free radicals. Reduced production of glutathione is associated with ageing and chronic disease conditions.

For a powerful, well-researched and highly effective vegetarian antioxidant that is easy to swallow, contact petrich@whidbey.com

Men and women are very different physiologically and absorb and store nutrients differently. For example, women are at a much greater risk for osteoporosis, yet only 50% of them get the amount of calcium they need daily. Men need very little iron and store it very well.  The supplement for women has more folate, biotin, iron, and calcium. Men’s has no iron and more manganese because men have difficulty absorbing and storing this nutrient. Most men get the recommended levels of iron from their diets. Most post-menopausal women generally need iron. According to the Institute of Medicine, the upper level (within recommended levels) of iron is 45 mg for post-menopausal women. The women's supplement provides 18 mg of iron.
According to the NHANES III study, most women between the ages of 51-70 consume 12.85 mg of iron a day from food. This intake is even lower for Canadian women (Institute of Medicine). That is significantly less than men at that age (18.19). Iron consumption is significantly reduced when a persons diet is lower in meat – even if vegetables high in iron are included – as absorption from these foods can be significantly less than in a meat-based diet. Women should consult their doctor and have their iron levels analyzed before making the decision to exclude iron supplementation given that iron deficiency is among the most common nutritional problems among women in all countries around the world.

Choose the supplement for your needs.  Contactpetrich@whidbey.com

      My own story is that I have not been sick even once since I started taking the fructose-compounded supplements in January of 1998.  Within the first week I noticed that I had more energy with these vitamins.  In fact, I have been in such good health that I have forgotten what it is to be in poor health.

For a collection of personal stories, call  Dean Petrich (360) 730-7992 or email me at petrich@whidbey.com

To summarize, an ideal multi-vitamin and mineral complex should possess all the following attributes:

• fresh, shipped directly from the manufacturer
• 100% vegetarian, vegan & kosher
• properly balanced for full spectrum of vitamin-mineral needs
• sufficient proportions
• standardized proportions
• rapid dissolution rate
• patented
• organic
• cold-pressed to preserve the nutritional value
• fructose compounded for uniquely high adsorption rate
• stringent testing standards
• low cost, high value of dollar per quantity of adsorption
• far better than store brands
• 100% guaranteed for 90 days
• convenient to purchase
• small & easy to swallow
• convenient to remember to take
• customized for men and for women
• taste and smell improved
• published proper dosages
• packaged for freshness and convenience
• includes vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as a digestion aid
• thousands of positive testimonials

In conclusion, even though the ingredients may match those of some other supplement you have tried, the single fact that these are compounded with fructose is significant.  When you take them you will notice the difference.   People keep ordering products that work. You can't go wrong.  Do your own experiment.  Try them yourself and find out.

To give these high-quality supplements a try, email me at petrich@whidbey.com.