I recommend that all my patients take the basic nutritional support I refer to as cellular nutrition. This foundational regime provides all the necessary micronutrients to the cell at ideal levels (not RDA levels) for significant health benefits as documented in the medical literature. When the cell is given maximum support, it can then determine what it does and does not need. Over a six-month period each cell is able to not only overcome nutritional deficiencies but also to optimize ALL the nutrients, which are needed to combat oxidative stress.

The synergistic affect of providing all the nutrients needed by one’s body at the most advantageous levels results in optimizing and rebuilding the body’s natural immune system, antioxidant, and repair systems back to their fullest fighting potential against disease.

My minimal recommendation for creating cellular nutrition is to simply take Usana’s Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Minerals, called "The Essentials" at their recommended doses (3 of each daily). The Essentials offers the cell ALL of the antioxidants, B-cofactors, and antioxidant minerals needed by the cell at ideal levels. In order to achieve the best results, I recommend taking 1 Mega Antioxidant and 1 Chelated Mineral with each meal. Nutritionals should always be taken with food because of better absorption and better tolerance. However, as a physician, I realize that compliance with taking supplements three times a day is a major issue. Therefore, if you tend to frequently forget the lunchtime dose, I suggest taking the supplements twice daily: taking 2 Mega Antioxidants and 1 Chelated Mineral in the morning with breakfast and 1 Mega Antioxidant and 2 Chelated Minerals in the evening with the evening meal.

For the most favorable results for basic cellular nutrition, I also recommend adding to the Usana Essentials either OptOmega (2 tsps daily) or BiOmega-3 (4 capsules daily), which provides the essential fats and Fibergy, which assures the individual is receiving the additional fiber his or her body needs. I also recommend adding Active Calcium (4 tablets daily) to provide additional calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D that our bodies need. These recommendations provide all the nutrients at their ideal levels creating the cellular nutrition I recommend in my book, What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You.

It is critical that you know the necessity of adding optimizers to your foundational cellular nutrition for optimal results. Patients who are suffering from a chronic degenerative disease or illness are under more oxidative stress than the average healthy individual. Therefore, adding potent Optimizers to the basic cellular nutrition offers you the best chance to bring this oxidative stress back under control. The synergy and increased potency created by this approach to nutritional medicine is why I’m able to get such consistent results in my patients.

However, to suit each individual’s unique needs, I always offer both an optimal and a minimal plan for cellular nutrition and for adding Optimizers. Obviously, one’s improvement will be quicker and more consistent with the optimal recommendations; however, a minimal regime can still produce significant clinical results.

Recommended Optimizers:

• Garlic EC—2 tablets daily
• Niacin—500mg slow release (from your health food store)
• Additional Fiber—especially soluble fiber (guar gum, psyllium, pectin)
• Policosanol*—10mg to 20 mg daily
  * Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane. If you are unable to lower your cholesterol adequately with the above recommendations but still desire to avoid “statin” prescription drugs, then try using 10mg to 20 mg of Policosanol. You can get this at your health food store or at the Life Extension Foundation—http://www.bionutrition.org/www.LifeExtension.com

• Garlic EC—2 tablets daily
• Additional Fiber

Optimal Recommendations

Minimal Recommendation

If you are frequently going to miss taking your lunchtime dose, it is better to simply take your nutritionals twice daily. I recommend taking 2 Mega Antioxidants, 1 Chelated Mineral in the morning with breakfast and then taking 1 Mega Antioxidant, 2 Chelated Minerals in the evening. You should try to divide up your Active Calcium, essential fats, and Optimizers equally as possible between the AM and PM dose.

USANA has a fantastic line of nutritionally balanced drinks that many of my patients consume as a meal substitute. In fact, I personally start every morning with 2 scoops of Fibergy, 2 scoops of Soyomax, and 2 teaspoonfuls of OptOmega. This provides me with a perfect, balanced, unpolluted meal to start my day. It allows me the opportunity to supplement my diet with soy protein; extra needed fiber, and essential fat. This meal is also a low-glycemic meal, which will not spike my blood sugar. Likewise, many USANA associates are using their imaginations to create exceptionally tasting meals with Fibergy and OptOmega. By blending in frozen, whole fruit for added flavor they are creating a variety of great tasting drinks.

Isn’t it remarkable that by simply taking USANA Essentials, Active Calcium and a power drink (remember, to consider this part of your food budget, since it is replacing an entire meal), the body is supplied with complete, and balanced cellular nutrition for every cell in the body? The synergy that is created, especially when adding needed Optimizers is phenomenal. Remember, the underlying problem is oxidative stress NOT a nutritional deficiency.

USANA strictly follows pharmaceutical-grade Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). This means they not only purchase pharmaceutical-grade raw products, but also manufacture the products according to tough pharmaceutical-quality guidelines. In addition, USANA Health Sciences follows USP guidelines for potency, uniformity, and dissolution of the tablet. In a nutshell, USANA manufactures their products to the strict standards of over-the-counter drugs even though not required to do so—assuring all of their customers and associates that what is on the label is actually in the tablet.

Usana's essentials are complete and balanced and provides the cellular nutrition that I strongly recommend in my book, What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You. This improves compliance and makes taking these advanced levels of nutritional supplements easier.

Over eighty percent of my patients are able to start the USANA Nutritional Program with absolutely no set backs while beginning to experience the health benefits of high-quality nutritional supplements immediately. Please keep in mind these supplements are extremely potent and optimal levels of nutrients are being provided that the body has never had before. The body is therefore able to finally rid itself of toxins, which have been accumulating for years (called detoxification). This is especially true in those who are suffering from a serious illness and are taking a significant amount of medication. It is important to understand the possible signs and symptoms of detoxification so that you can deal with them confidently and properly.

Detoxification:

The most common detoxification reaction is muscle aches and/or mild headache. These symptoms will usually pass within a few weeks. If the discomfort is not unbearable, I simply have my patients continue their program as I have prescribed. However, occasionally there is a more severe reaction. The patient is not in danger, rather, the amounts of nutrients are just too much too fast. In this case, I have my patients quit their supplements for a few days until the reaction subsides. I will then have them start back on their program but initially at lower doses (approximately one third of the recommended dose). Once they are tolerating this amount of supplementation, I suggest slowly building up to the recommended doses.

Some of my patients actually develop a "detox" skin rash somewhere on their body. As you know, the skin is an important route for ridding the body’s toxins. This rash is a dry, red rash that looks almost like a mild sunburn. Some people confuse this with an allergic reaction to the supplements. This is not typically so. I have never seen an allergic reaction to the USANA Essentials and can only recall a couple of patients who reacted to Proflavanol because they were actually allergic to grapes.

Patients may also experience some aspect of loose stools or even diarrhea. This again is a common "detox" reaction because the GI tract is another prime route for eliminating toxins from the body. This symptom will usually diminish within a couple of weeks. It is an important part of the detoxification and healing process. Therefore, I usually encourage my patients to continue the supplements as recommended unless their bottom gets too sore. I will then again recommend lower doses of the supplements until they feel better and then begin adding the supplements back more slowly until the recommended doses are reached. Diarrhea can be the result of the magnesium in the Active Calcium or by the Proflavanol. Again, this is usually a mild reaction and will improve over the first week or two. However, some of my patients need to discontinue the Active Calcium and/or the Proflavanol until this settles down. I then have them slowly add back the Proflavanol and eventually the Active Calcium.

Increasing dietary fiber may also increase the amount of intestinal gas and the frequency of bowel movements. This will improve with time as the body adjusts to the higher intake of fiber, but is an important aspect of getting rid of the toxins, which have accumulated in the body.

Natural Relaxation Response:

A small percentage of patients develop a natural relaxation response when minerals are absorbed into their body. This is of great concern to those patients who have just been told that nutritional supplementation will help improve their energy level. They take the supplements as recommended only to find themselves more fatigued and dragging themselves through their day. If you experience this response, I recommend that you take all of your minerals (including the Active Calcium) with a light bedtime snack. This allows you to take advantage of your body’s response while getting a good night’s sleep.

Stomach Upset:

A small percentage of patients have difficulty tolerating vitamin C. It can cause an upset stomach that will usually become evident a couple days after starting their nutritional program. With USANA’s specially combined vitamin C into Poly C, I have seen many of people who could not previously tolerate any nutritional supplements do very well with USANA’s Mega Antioxidant. However, if nausea is experienced, I suggest taking one Mega Antioxidant with the largest meal. Once this level of supplementation is better tolerated, I suggest slowly adding another Mega Antioxidant to the next largest meal. I anticipate building them up to the recommended level of supplementation, but sometimes this is just not possible. For those extremely sensitive, I advise using Body Rox (the teenage dose of Antioxidants and Minerals) as the best alternative option.

Taking Your Supplements with Your Medication

I am often asked, "Can I take my nutritionals with my medication?" To this I respond with this question, "Can you eat?" I hope my point is made gently but clearly—nutritional supplements simply contain nutrients we should be getting from our foods, but at levels we can no longer obtain from our foods. If you can eat anything, you can also take nutritional supplements. The only exception to this is for those taking the medication, Coumadin (Warfarin), which blocks vitamin K in the body as a way of thinning the blood. If a patient is on Coumadin, I recommend he or she take the Canadian Essentials and Canadian Active Calcium because they contain no vitamin K. Also, patients who are on thyroid medication should take their medication on an empty stomach at least 1 hour prior to meals or prior to taking supplements. Thyroid medication should not be taken with food or with supplements because calcium can block the absorption of the medication.

Every effort has been made to make this web site as accurate as possible. The purpose of this site is to educate and inform. As such it is based on scientific evidence and my clinical training and experience. No individual should at any time use the information found on this web site for self-diagnosis, treatment, or justification in accepting or declining any medical therapy for any health problems or diseases. Any application of the advice herein is at the reader’s own discretion and risk. Therefore, any individual who has a specific health problem or is taking medications must first seek advice from his or her personal physician or healthcare provider before starting a nutritional supplement program. Dr. Strand shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this web site. We assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional.

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