Well, let’s first start with a question, what is inflammation?, "Inflammation is a process by which the body’s white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses." But what triggers inflammation? That my friend can be best described this way. There are four basic triggers, one is trauma, another deficiency and stress, and don’t forget good old toxins. So let’s break these down in order to better understand.

When you mention the word "trauma",accidents come to mind, associated with pain and suffering as a direct result of injury. Inflammation is a natural part of the healing process. But did you know that if we don’t move our bodies, such as exercising, we eventually become less able to move? Muscles and other tissues weakened, thus any movement can cause injury. It is important to keep your body moving everyday to strengthen and develop muscles and tissues in order to prevent injury.

Our cells are life, they are directly affected by everything we do right down to the foods we eat. Thus deficiencies can and do happen weakening the cells causing a chain reaction within our body, ultimately pulling the trigger of inflammation. Emotional stress can also cause inflammation. In stressful situations our brain releases chemicals that trigger the release of many inflammatory processes, and too much stress over a long period of time will cause major problems. Stress is a huge cause of inflammation.

Our bodies are swimming in toxins. Let’s face it we live in a toxic world, it’s every where you turn, and in every breath we take. Toxins created inside our bodies and outside, there is seemingly no escape from inflammation producing poison.

Our bodies are truly amazing as it can respond to trauma, deficiency, stress and toxins with inflammation. As mentioned inflammation is the bodies natural healing process, but where it all goes wrong is with runaway inflammation wherein the body can’t shut it down causing auto immune diseases and so much more.

So how can you keep inflammation in check? Learn to become a partner with your body, watch the signs that trigger inflammation. Reduce basic nutrient deficiencies by eating healthy foods and taking quality supplements, one positive fighter of inflammation is found in the nutrient called Betalains. Walk, run, stretch, just move that bod of yours, exercise in any form keeps your mind alert and muscles moving. Ease your emotional stress, relax, and rejuvenate.

Get the greatest abundance of all 24 Betalains from the Nopal fruit found in the Sonoran Desert, and find the best source of Betalains in Sonoran Bloom Nopalea. Take the Sonoran Bloom Nopalea Wellness Challenge, and it all starts with the FREE Sonoran Bloom Nopalea Gift of Health! Sign up for your FREE gift today!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Resource: TriVita VitaJournal

Inflammation appropriately called "The Secret Killer" lurks in many of us, and the sad thing is, we aren’t even aware of it! Inflammation is the body’s immediate first-aid reaction to heal itself from some type of damage caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, environmental toxin, or an injury. Without the crucial process of inflammation, the body cannot restore itself in the face of damage. The bodies normal reaction. Once the threat is gone, the body is able to go back to a non-emergency state—and the inflammation process turns off.

Unfortunately, sometimes inflammation never gets the message to shut down, thus chronic inflammation becomes a very serious issue within the body. Dishing out some chronic diseases as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancer.

Frustration personified often describes the relationship between doctor and patient as chronic inflammation often is just under radar. As doctors struggle to find the root cause of symptoms, patients try to hang on to hope for a diagnosis and cure. Chronic inflammation silently works within, ultimately over time compromising the immune system eventually resulting in various diseases.

There is a simple blood test available to detect chronic inflammation. C-reactive protein is a solid indicator for disease potential. In fact, research reveals that chronic inflammation increases the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. According to a study from Copenhagen, Denmark people with high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)have a 30 percent greater risk of developing cancer than those with low CRP levels; this study was found in the March 2009 Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The researchers analyzed the CRP levels in 10,408 people who were part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study; high CRP levels were associated with a 30 percent increase in cancer risk. Among participants who developed cancer, those with high CRP levels were 80 percent more likely to die sooner than those with lower levels. Lead author of this study Kristine Allin, M.D. a physician at Copenhagen University Hospital stated this, "While future research will need to confirm our findings, our study suggest that testing patients’ C-reactive protein levels provides a more comprehensive picture of a patient’s health than we previously thought. In addition to predicting heart disease risk, this simple test could help us assess a patient’s future cancer risk and eventual cancer prognosis,”

There are natural pro-active solutions to try and help prevent chronic inflammation, and if you do have this "silent killer" lurking within there is no better time than now to try and stop it! As always consult with your doctor, inquire about this simple blood test to know for sure.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Resource: TriVita Journal

Do you suffer from an autoimmune disease, if you do, you are not alone. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, there are over 80 autoimmune diseases, affecting millions of people, dishing out such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, type 1 diabetes and many more.

Let’s start with understanding autoimmune dysfunction

Our immune system, is intended to protect us from illness and harmful substances called antigens. Normally, the immune system in response to antigens such as bacteria, viruses and toxins, produces antibodies that affix themselves to the antigens, ultimately destroying them and removing them from the body. Characteristics of a autoimmune disorder is when the immune system cannot differentiate antigens from normal cells. As a result, turns on itself trying to annihilate normal healthy tissue.

In alliance with our immune system is inflammation.

Inflammation fights side by side in defense by warding off such bad guys as germs and toxins. When the enemy shows up such as viruses or parasites inflammation attacks the trespassers and surrounds tissue that may have been debilitated or infected. It then subsides so the healing can begin. As diligent a soldier inflammation can be, it too can also spin out of balance by not getting the proper message from the commanding officer to stop the fight; not shutting off!

Such an aggressive defense team interwoven so carefully together for our good, can and does sometimes lead to the declaration of war as the body turns on itself assaulting normal healthy muscles and tissue. This in turn sounds the alarm for inflammation to continue the attack becoming ongoing and excessive!

As researchers and medical professionals continue to work on answers. What can be done to protect the body from chronic inflammation. They know that inflammation does have a big impact on chronic diseases. Inflammation is a very dangerous enemy indeed.

There is hope on the horizon to lessen the affects of inflammation, and it comes in the form of natural alternatives, such as diet, exercise, losing excess fat, and taking certain nutritional supplements.

One nutritional inflammation fighter is the amazing Betalins. Betalins can bring relief from pain by reducing inflammation, ultimately helping the body function better overall. Now isn’t that a relief?

Until the war is over as to why some immune systems cannot recognize antigens from normal cells, along with its counterpart, out of control inflammation, take heed, fight back and never give up!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Resources: TriVita Vita Journal

The holiday season is about giving, what could be more fitting than the Free Gift of Health!

Each Gift of Health includes the following:

32 oz bottle of Nopalea – the wellness breakthrough that has incredible health benefits

The Secret Killer Health Alert – an informative piece on what TIME Magazine has coined "the secret killer," or inflammation, and how reducing inflammation is crucial to better health

Simply click on the link and fill out the form!

Your Free Gift of Health

Happy Holidays!

Our toxic environment

In North America we are inundated with toxins every moment of every day. Pollution in our air, water and food challenges our ability to detoxify and adapt. Worse still, the place we think of as a haven from stress – our home – is likely the most toxic environment we face in our daily routines. Toxins released from household chemicals, fabric, carpet, fragrances and pesticides seep into our body in tiny amounts even as we sleep.

The toxins in our body build up much like a runner trying to run a marathon with lead shoes…it simply weighers you down, affecting your ability to run effectively. Toxic waste in the body slows the efficiency of our mitochondria (the energy-producing engines inside our cells). Noxious chemicals create fatigue, headaches, digestive disturbances and moodiness. Eventually, toxins become the focus for inflammation.

So what is Inflammation?

Your body uses acute inflammation to try to neutralize toxicity. Think of your reaction to a bee sting: redness, swelling, heat and pain. This is not caused by the toxins in the bee venom. It is the reaction of your body as it tries to eliminate the toxicity: Redness is the increase in blood supply to bring in immune system antibodies and remove the neutralized venom. Swelling is the lymphatic fluid that dilutes the concentrated poison while providing proteins for repair of the tissue damaged by the toxins. Heat comes from immune system activity as it battles the invading contaminant. Pain causes us to guard that area from further damage. Chronic inflammation occurs when the toxins are not completely removed from an area.

What can you do to reduce this deadly killer called "Inflammation?"

Begin at the source, your home. Take toxic cleaning products out of your living area, especially if you have young children as they are more at risk. Take a proactive approach to protecting yourself with two superheroes:

Essential fatty acids – Many of the toxins we face are fat-soluble. We need “clean” fats in abundance to displace toxic fats in our brain, liver and other regions of our body.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants neutralize toxins and Betalain antioxidants found in Nopal figs have two added benefits over standard antioxidants:

Betalains drain away the toxin from an affected area Betalains shore up the cell membrane to help promote healing.
Betalains turn out to be our best tool in combating the causes of inflammation: toxins, stress, injury and nutrient deficiency. Use this excellent tool liberally to help you resist the increasing onslaught of toxins both inside and outside of our home sweet home!

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Resources: Dr. Brazos Menshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer