Xtend-Life-Questionst
11th October 2005
Please click on the question of interest:
Question: From Connie. (Subject: Bird Flu...)q1
I just want to thank you for really taking the time and making the effort to educate your customers. We do get so much hype from so many places that it is sometimes hard to learn to trust again but your complete answers to our questions and availability to our concerns makes it so much easier. I think many of us do trust what you say and I appreciate your input so much.
On another subject, what in the world are we all going to do about the potential bird flu pandemic? Keeping strong and healthy, taking our supplements now is important. Is there something more that we all might do to prepare ourselves for what may be coming? The government and media are going to keep this in our face going forward. Panic in the streets can be avoided better if we each know that we have prepared ourselves as best we can. Are there specific supplements we could take at that time and beforehand?
Answer: From Warren.
Yes, the bird flu is potentially a really serious problem. I have been watching it for a long time now, particularly as I spend so much time in Asia. At the moment it is not an uncontrollable threat as it has not mutated to a form where it can be easily transmitted to humans.
The big fear is that it will mutate at some point and that it will become airborne. That is something that everyone is dreading as it would then spread worldwide. Some 'experts' predict up to 150 million casualties. Let's hope that it doesn't happen.
Although there is a push by many authorities to produce vaccines these will be of limited or no use as they don't know what they are up against until the mutations actually take place. Whereas there may be an effective vaccine available now, it's unlikely to be of any use when the real problem occurs.
Avian flu is a really special kind of flu and at this time there is no way to be 100% certain that you are protected against it. The best you can do is work on ensuring your general health is good which will in turn strengthen your immunity. For building that foundation our Total Balance combined with our Omega 3 is the best option. Your organs need this as the basic 'fuel' for your immune system. We also include a special immunity blend within Total Balance using special fractions of polysaccharides. (Of course, a sensible diet and reasonable exercise is also very important.)
There are however, additional natural substances that you can take which will improve your immunity further...at least against common flu's and colds. But, they are of little use unless you have your 'foundation' in place.
As a matter of fact we have been working on an 'add on' anti-viral product for Total Balance for some time. This is now complete and we will probably manufacture the first batch some time next month. HOWEVER, this is not specifically designed to protect against a potential new strain of bird flu. There is nothing, natural or synthetic at this stage which can be guaranteed to protect you against this.
I have seen companies introduce products already claiming that they will protect you from bird flu...but, it is nonsense.
Your only protection is to work on optimizing your overall health and hope that the virus doesn't mutate and become airborne.
I will probably do a complete article on this subject within the next few weeks.
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Question: From Frank. (Subject: Grape seed extract...)q2
Have just taken delivery of my first course of total balance. I was wondering if it would be beneficial to take an additional supplement of grape seed extract. Have been reading books by RAY. D. STRAND, MD re his view on "optimisers" for various diseases and prevention. Grape seed extract ranks highly on his MUST HAVE as a preventative and supplement list and I noticed that there is no reference to its content on the ingredients of total balance. Your thoughts please.
Answer: From Warren.
Yes, grape seed extract is indeed an excellent substance. We use a special kind of grape extract called Mahonia Grape extract which comes from Canada which is even more effective than the normal grape seed extract. This combined with a high potency Resveratol which is the active ingredient of grape skin we have more than covered this need. Some of the other extracts that we also use in Total Balance such as Bilberry also have similar and complimentary active ingredients.
When selecting the ingredients to use, our R & D people examine all the 'actives' within an ingredient and determine those with the greatest potency and then ensure that they are compatible with each other although they are slightly different. By following this principle and having a broad range of actives we can make sure that we extract the best out of nature that is possible. So, the bottom line is...we agree with what Dr Strand says about grape seed extract, but we have it covered in Total Balance and it is not necessary to take extra grape seed extract.
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Question: From Hector. (Subject: Life Extension Foundation...)q3
I would like to know what your thoughts are on a company named Life Extension (www.lef.org). I am an avid user of almost all your products and have been pleased with the results thus far. The only concern I have is that I still feel unsure that I am getting enough vitamins/minerals, etc. I have a hard time understanding how the low dosages used in your formula are enough for someone like me.
Let me explain. I consider myself an athlete as thus very active above that of the everyday person. I exercise 5 days a week with weights and I do aerobic workouts as well. I exercise to build muscle, as my goal is to be a bodybuilder. Because of this I feel that for someone like myself I need a higher dosage than that of a person who lives a non-active lifestyle.
If my way of thinking is correct, then I wonder if there is any thoughts of creating a multi vitamin/mineral formula for athletes like me which I know is probably a low percentage of your customer base. This is why I ask you about the company I mentioned above since in the bodybuilding world I hear a lot about this company as a quality product with enough dosage for the athlete like myself. I hope you can clear this up for me since I do like your company but I am always open to opportunity for a better product if one comes along
Answer: From Warren.
I do know quite a lot about the Life Extension Foundation and indeed they do have good products and I would have no hesitation about purchasing from them.
However, with regard to vitamins and minerals I know that the amounts seem small in our Total Balance, but if you are taking the full dose of Total Balance there is really no need to take any more. This is because they are combined with a number of other vitamin like substances in the formula. For example, two such ingredients are alpha lipoic acid, and totcotrienols which is a broad spectrum highly potent form of Vitamin E.
I would be really hesitant of taking higher doses as it is easy to overdose even if you are an athlete…particularly if the vitamins and minerals are taken in isolation. You could increase your dosage of TB to 8 per day if you wish but provided that you eat a good diet it should not be necessary to take more. This is the best way to increase your vitamin/mineral intake.
For these reasons we don't propose manufacturing a multi/vitamin supplement.
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