Category Archives: usana

USANA Assures the Quality of Its Fish Oil Supplement

usana biomegaResponse to fish oil supplement study in New Zealand

A recent study published in the journal of Scientific Reports (Albert et al, 21 Jan 2015) reported that majority of the fish oil supplements in New Zealand are highly oxidized and do not meet label claim for omega-3 contents.

Researchers at the University of Auckland evaluated the quality and content of 32 encapsulated fish oil products sold at retail or online stores in Auckland, New Zealand. All products were tested for total oil content, EPA+DHA content, oxidation status as measured by PV, AV and Totox value. The study found that only 3 out of the 32 fish oil supplements contained quantities of EPA and DHA that were equal or higher than labelled claims, with most products tested (69%) containing less than 67%. The vast majority of products tested also exceeded recommended levels of oxidation markers. Findings from this study had come as a surprise with such high percentage of products that failed to meet label claim and quality standards. It certainly raised alarms for the New Zealand authorities to conduct further investigation. Testing methodology used in the study should be closely examined and re-testing of these products by independent laboratories may also be necessary to avoid misrepresentation.

USANA wish to advise its customers that results from the Auckland study has no relevance to USANA Biomega fish oil supplement sold in Australia, New Zealand and globally. Although the study authors have not disclosed the brand names of the products tested, they did state the country of origin and label claims. There were only two products that were manufactured in USA and their label claims for EPA+DHA content do not match the label claim of USANA BiOmega. We therefore conclude that USANA BiOmega was not included in the Auckland study.
USANA wish to further assure its customers that, when it comes to choosing a fish oil supplement, they can trust USANA Biomega as a high quality and high potency product.

▪ USANA BiOmega is manufactured according to pharmaceutical-grade GMP – a much more stringent manufacturing standard than food-grade GMP. We adhere to such high manufacturing standards to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of our products;

▪ Fish oil in BiOmega is extracted from wild, cold water fish species that come from a fishery
that uses sustainable practices and renewable resources;

▪ We comply with all relevant regulations in regards to purity and potency, and meet our
internal specification to guarantee that heavy metals and other contaminants are well under
the allowable limits set by government authorities;

▪ Fish oil in BiOmega is individually encapsulated and manufactured under nitrogen gas to
prevent the omega-3 EFAs from being oxidized. Each capsule of BiOmega also contains
tocopherol (vitamin E) to further protect the omega-3 EFAs from oxidation to ensure long term
stability. Test results of oxidation markers (PV and AV value) for BiOmega are also well
below the level set by government and international guidelines;

Each batch of BiOmega is tested against our strict specification for label claim and purity at time of product release and throughout long-term stability testing program to ensure that the product maintains its quality and potency throughout its shelf life;

▪ In addition, USANA BiOmega has been independently tested by ConsumerLab and received
approval for label claim for EPA+DHA content and for meeting the purity standards.
BiOmega has also been tested and certified for label claim by NSF international.

If you want to purchase USANA Biomega fish oil, please visit our USANA New Zealand approved website.

NutritionX Health Network

USANA Reset Our Weight Loss Winners

usana resetArticle published in USANA New Zealand & Australia Magazine – RESET Challenge

Pasindu from onlooker to champion!

Cricket is Pasindu Sunilchandra’s passion but his ballooning weight was hindering his dream of playing top class cricket. ‘I couldn’t play premier cricket 0 I was sluggish, lacked confidence and was happy’.

Then, an injury stopped Pasindu’s cricketing altogether and, being unable to drive whilst injured, he couldn’t work either. Stuck at home, Pasindu snacked continuously.

‘Then, my friend Adrian Anthony Ferdinand encouraged me to start the USANA RESET Program; I began researching USANA and the challenge itself.’

Ticking health time-bomb

‘I learnt from the True Health Assessment that I had a 70 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that I am familiar with since more than 60 percent of my family have been diagnosed with it. By that time, I had had enough of the constant backaches and knee problems, I felt during daily activities.’

Standing at 182 cm tall and tipping the scales at 107 kg convinced him that joining the worldwide challenge could help. And so, he committed himself 100 percent.

Jump-starting health

While the 5-Day Jumpstart was a challenge for Pasindu, he soon got into the program and the rapid weight-loss was motivating.

Continuing his personal challenge with a single-minded strength that he- and others around him- never knew he had, Pasindu dropped an incredible 30 kg over the total weight-loss challenge. And, he had transformed from a gym-avoider to gym-regular and from wearing XXL shirts to L in three months.

Now, Pasindu is enjoying eating healthier foods and has found a passion in encouraging others to follow in his get-healthy footsteps.

‘But the best part is how much better I feel,’ says Pasindu. ‘I now have more energy and my sleeping patterns have improved. My mind is much clearer and I can concentrate sharply on my tasks – something that never happened when I was eating junk foods. I have an overall sense of wellbeing that I never experienced when I was heavier. My knee problem has disappeared and I feel so much more athletic.’

Great job Pasindu!

Maria: No more drab only time for fab!

Motivation is the driver behind every lifestyle change. And for Maria, the biggest motivator was the desire to fit into her pretty dresses again.

‘I really wanted to wear the pretty dresses I used to wear 15 years ago. And so, I placed pretty clothes opposite my bed. I could see them every day and told myself that I was going to be able to fit in them soon!’

Congratulations to all of our wonderful RESET Challenge weight-loss winners in Australia and New Zealand And if you haven’t met them already, get to know our three top winners from our region!

Another incentive for Maria was the incredible trip to Sanoviv plus, she wanted to realize her lifelong goal – to try kite surfing: ‘I needed strength and fitness to do this, so I set my goal. And my goal was to do it this year!’

Weight-loss made easy

And so Maria began her incredible transformation. ‘I chose the USANA RESET Program because it was so easy to follow. I love the Nutrimeal shakes, they are delicious. USANA Foods and shakes are scientifically balanced in carbohydrates, proteins and good fats that the body needs plus essentials micronutrients. They are also low glycemic index; I trust USANA products.’

On the journey

For Maria, it was great to know that people around the world were setting themselves similar goals. ‘It was nice to see that thousands of people around the world were working out and overcoming the same obstacles as me. I felt like I was not on my own and that I was part of a community. Entering my weekly weight on the RESET Challenge website and seeing my statistics changing was also great because I could see my improvement over a period of weeks,’ says Maria.

Hurdles along the way

Although the RESET Program takes care of your calorie intake and encourages a balanced diet, exercise is a significant contributor to any weight-loss journey. For Maria, being active was her biggest challenge. And, she admits that there were some days that she couldn’t fit exercise into her already-busy schedule. She believes that if she had been able to exercise daily, her goal weight could have been reached even faster.

Sanoviv – the dream!

So it was with a great deal of delight that Maria realized that she had won the USANA RESET Challenge for New Zealand. And, the incredible trip to Sanoviv in Mexico.

‘It was an incredible experience,’ says Maria. ‘I was detoxing, wearing organic cotton clothes and eating delicious organic meals. I recommend it to anyone who wants to treat an illness with an integrated and holistic approach and also to people who want to get healthier.’

So what about the future?

Maria is delighted to report that she is the product of the product that is the RESET Program. ‘It really works and I want to share my story and inspire and help other people to lose weight, too. I have a fitness background, a Diploma in Fitness Training and a Bachelor in Sport and Recreation with a major in Exercise Science. Bur in the past, I had the knowledge but not the fitness, energy, stamina or the silhouette I have now. Today, I have my fitness career back thanks to the RESET Challenge!’ And we know, Maria’s going to run with it!

Congratulations Maria!

From overweight to great mum and chef Ann’s RESET health revival!

In 2013, super busy chef, 35-year-old Ann Perera and her husband about to celebrate their ten year wedding anniversary and their two wonderful little girls; they decided to commemorate the decade with a commitment ring.

Ann says: ’I was pretty unhappy at being a size 14-16 dress size. But things were about to get worse! When we went along to take a look at the rings in a jeweller, I was amazed to find that there were no rings big enough to fit my finger! None! I think that was my lowest time.’

Ann weighed 89.9 kg and was constantly tired. Her knees ached at the end of every day and her doctor diagnosed early arthritis.

Health focus

‘Then one of my friends introduced USANA supplements to me. I started thinking about health much more and joined USANA as an Associate. I met Jerome Amarasinghe the winner of USANA RESET Challenge 2013 and was amazed!’

With better health was her main motivation, she determinedly gave the 2014 USANA RESET Challenge a go. She lost 1.75 kg during the USANA 5-Day Jumpstart and was encouraged to continue. Ann began to train with a personal trainer – Carolyn from Snap Fitness – twice a week.

Carolyn and commitment 

‘I noticed one day that I was sixth in the leader board and excitedly told my friends. Later I told Carolyn and she said that I could be number one if I wanted to. But, I needed to be mentally and physically up for it. So I stepped up my game – and my exercise intensity. I hope you understand me when I say that every time I left that gym, there was a new part of me that was aching…’

With the family enjoying the healthier meals Ann was cooking, the whole of the Perera clan’s health began to improve.

Ann says: ‘As a result of losing weight through the USANA RESET™ Program, getting physically fit, eating healthily and taking USANA supplements i.e., USANA HealthPak™, Procosamine™, Active Calcium Plus™ and HepaPlus™, I felt great. I love the taste of all Nutrimeal shakes and snacks – they helped to keep me healthy and strong and I didn’t feel tired. In fact, I had more energy than before, especially during busy days in the restaurant.

Now, Ann maintains her healthy weight by going to the gym every day. And she wonders how she could have carried that weight with her for such a long time.

A shiny new career

Ann lost 28 kg and is now a size 6-8 with a body fat of just 17.6 percent – she feels so proud. ‘Having seen the changes in me, all my family and friends want to make better-health changes themselves. I am very keen on completing a personal training and nutrition course and combine all that I have learnt together with my chef skills to help the community. I now know how to lose weight and be healthier and I know I can make a meaningful difference to people who want to do the same but don’t know where to start.’

‘Now, I am loving life. Big thanks to USANA for giving me the opportunity to participate in the USANA RESET Challenge!’

Ann finishes by saying: ‘Now, I am loving life. Big thanks to USANA for giving me the opportunity to participate in the USANA RESET Challenge. Thank you also to Rita and Vajira Amarasinghe. This whole experience has helped me to change my outlook. I love the way I feel now and I aim to remain healthy – and to help others, too!’

Congrats Ann – you look wonderful!

usana reset nz

Interest in managing your weight in healthy and effective way? Purchase RESET™ or other Health Products now from USANA NZ Approved Supplements Online Store 

nutritionx health network

The ABCs of USANA Vitamin D

Just when you thought yoVitamin Du knew everything there was to know about vitamin D, USANA goes and uncovers even more benefits of this incredible nutrient! A new research study, done in conjunction with Inter-mountain Healthcare’s The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH) is now published online in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the findings are amazing!

But, if you’re anything like me, all that super smart, scientific jargon can be intimidating…and, let’s be honest, a little boring. Reading the study is one thing—but actually understanding it is a completely different story. That’s why I’ve gone through and pulled out the most important info. You’re welcome!

The Point  

To determine the extent to which vitamin D supplements and other factors influence overall vitamin D levels in the body.

The Subjects

The study examined 743 male and female adults living across the United States during the summer and winter months. They were between the ages of 20 and 65.

The Findings

Taking a vitamin D supplement is the most significant way to improve vitamin D levels in the body.

Ok, so what does this all mean? Can’t we get enough vitamin D through diet and sun exposure? It may sound simple enough, but maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D is much easier said than done.

More than 95% of the subjects in this study did not consume the estimated average requirement of vitamin D through their diet alone.

The Surprise

While it’s true that we can make vitamin D in our skin from sun exposure, there really wasn’t much difference between people’s vitamin D levels between the summer and the winter months!

Researchers found a minimal increase in vitamin D levels in the summer. So what did the researchers conclude from this? We all need to be worried about our vitamin D levels no matter what time of year it is.

Vitamin D from the SunIt’s true that most individuals could meet the vitamin D requirements from sun exposure, but most of us lead busy lives. Even during the summer months, we tend to stay indoors while at work or with our children, and when we do find time to soak up the sun, it’s usually not during the optimal hours for vitamin D synthesis in the skin (11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.). Not to mention the various health concerns associated with increased sun exposure.

That’s why all of us should take a daily vitamin D supplement with at least 2,000 IUs (International Units). It’s a safe and effective approach to increasing your vitamin D levels.

The ExpertsUSANA Vitamin D

“This study provides novel data indicating that the number of individuals with low vitamin D doubles during winter compared to those during the summer. Notably this finding underscores the impact of vitamin D supplementation in order to achieve a good vitamin D level, especially during the winter months.” – Tyler Barker, TOSH Clinical Researcher

“USANA and TOSH are the ideal partnership for conducting nutritional scientific studies. We’re excited about the outcome of our research, which helps to identify risk factors for vitamin D deficiency—a worldwide health concern. And the fact that vitamin D supplementation is a safe, cost effective and potent way to increase vitamin D levels provides a promising and simple solution to the problem.” – Mark Levy, USANA Senior Scientist.

 Purchase USANA Vitamin D from our website:    www.buyvitaminsonline.co.nz

nhn

Weight-loss and alcohol – how can it affect your liver?

usana hepasil

Article from 2014 USANA published Magazine.

Some fat in the liver is normal. But if fat makes up more than 5-10 per cent of the weight of your liver (your doctor can advise you), you may have alcoholic or non-alcoholic liver disease. Both of these conditions can lead to serious complications. And, there are no symptoms in the early stages – only a blood test and abnormal liver enzymes can signal an early problem.

Getting into a healthy weight range is important. This helps you to avoid insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of symptoms including belly fat and two or more of high blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood glucose). Insulin resistance can occur when insulin tries to normalise the concentration of glucose in your blood by taking glucose in the blood into body cells (where it can be used as an energy source). Insulin resistance is when the cells become resistant to insulin so that there are high levels of insulin and glucose in the blood. Insulin is a hunger hormone and glucose is converted into fat and deposited around the body – including the abdomen and liver.

And, while losing weight is important, it is very important to go slow and steady with weight-loss. Rapid weight loss is not recommended. For example, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can develop in some people following surgery to reduce obesity and may be due to rapid changes of fats in the blood when the body encourages the liver to produce fats to make up for the fat missing from the diet.

Alcohol is also a well-known cause of liver damage – and if you regularly drink over the recommended lower risk guidelines, you increase your chances of developing live problems which can be irreversible. 

The liver turns glucose into fat which it sends round the body to store for use when we need it. Alcohol affects the way your liver handles fat so your liver cells get stuffed full of it.

Alcohol causes oxidative stress when the liver tries to breakdown alcohol into something less toxic. The damage can lead to inflammation and scaring as your liver tries to repair itself. Alcohol also causes toxins from your gut to get into the liver and these can cause inflammation and scarring, too.

What can you do?

Don’t drink alcohol every day. Daily drinking increases the chances of your body becoming tolerant to alcohol. Taking days off alcohol helps to give your body a break and time for your liver to heal itself. If you need help, speak with your GP.

Eat well. Good nutrition can help to support your liver to function and plays a crucial role in your health.Enjoy two fruits and five veggies or more daily and always fill half of your plate with fresh produce and only a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with wholegrain or wholemeal carbohydrates help to shift the balance to healthier eating. You will automatically consume fewer calories if you go for this kind of portion perfection. A healthy weight loss is about half to one kilos per week.

Try a liver lovin’ cleanse. USANA HepaPlus™ supplement contains numerous ingredients including milk thistle extract and alpha lipoic acid.

USANA HepaPlus™ also contains a bioavailable from of turmeric extract to support healthy liver function. 

Turmeric is widely used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive and liver problems and skin conditions. In animal studies, curcumin, the pigment that gives turmeric its distinctive yellow colour can slow the changes caused by excessive alcohol consumption that lead to liver damage.  It can also lower the levels of two body enzymes that cause inflammation. 

nhn

USANA NZ – MOVING ON UP, MOVING ON OUT!

usana new zealandSince USANA first arrived in New Zealand 15 years ago, the offices have been situated in the Albany area and have been at its current location in Canaveral Drive since 4 June, 2005.

Now, because of the need for more space (the current meeting room only caters for 60 people) and in order to accommodate associates needs for larger trainings and special events, USANA NZ will soon be moving offices.

Business Manager of USANA NZ says: “The new location will be much more central for the majority of our associates, around 70% of our USANA NZ associates live in the south and east areas of Auckland. The new offices allow for very easy access from the motorways and main arterial plus there is plenty of parking.”

The new building is in the Greenlane Ellerslie area and is surrounded by beautiful gardens that give a tropical feeling even on a bleak Auckland day!

With a city fringe feel, the new offices will be a fantastic space where associates can conduct business and be proud to bring guests along to. The offices are also close to restaurants, cafes and shopping centre for individuals who require a more relaxed feel for meetings.

USANA NZ manger says: “We spent a lot of time searching for the right location. As well as boosting convenience for associates and their guests, we wanted a place with a welcoming atmosphere and of high quality to fit the USANA brand. It needed to be close to the city with an inner city feel minus the problems of inner city congestion.”

usana nz

The new location avoids the need for expensive parking – as well as free parking that’s easily accessible via the motorway; there is also a t rain station located nearby. Ellerslie also has a number of parking options including a huge 300 spaces free parking area just a few minutes’ walk away.

The new office is close to the airport and is adjacent to the Novotel hotel so it’s idea for visiting VIPs, too.

USANA NZ manger says: “We are so excited about the moving to the new location. It gives us t he opportunity to provide a much better service to our associates plus a home that we can really be proud of! I know that the premises will be buzzing with activity and it will be great to know that the premises will be used ti capacity for meetings, business and product pick-ups. It will be wonderful that so many people will pass our building each day and see the USANA NZ brand! I know that it will be a great place where everyone will want to be and share!”

It was important for the New Zealand team to choose a site that could help to increase the visibility of USANA. It’s exciting to know that we have the naming rights for the building which has fantastic visibility from the Southern motorway. Hundreds of thousands of people will pass out building daily (some twice daily) and the USANA branding will soon be at the forefront of every commuters mind. This publicity is invaluable!

Come and see the USANA New Zealand office at:

Level 1, Ascot Park， 95 Ascot Drive Ellerslie.