WHY DO I RECOMMEND THE USANA PRODUCTS?
By Dr Ray Strand, M.D.
Just to lay the record straight, Dr Ray Strand is the Founding Director of the Medical Advisory Board at Usana Health Sciences, Salt Lake City, Utah
Dr Ray Strand:
There are several reasons why I recommend USANA, but the primary reason is because of the consistent results I get when my patients use these products. I believe they are the most potent supplements available on the market today. They are manufactured in a FDA - Registered facility and follow the Good Manufacturing Practices for Pharmaceuticals. This means they are pharmaceutical-grade nutritional supplements.
In other words, they produce these supplements with the same quality as a brand name pharmaceutical drug. They also follow USP guidelines for dissolution of the tablets. This means that they will dissolve readily and will be easily absorbed.
HOW DO YOU TAKE THE USANA NUTRITIONALS?
I like suggest my patients take their Usana nutritional supplements throughout the day, ideally 3 times a day with meals. The nutrients are much better tolerated with food.
WHAT ARE SOME BASIC PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING A NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM?
The USANA supplements are very potent. You will be nourishing your body better than you ever have in your life. The overwhelming majority of patients tolerate my recommended supplementation without any problems. However, for those who experience detoxification responses to the products, I always feel it is wise to slowly build up to the recommended doses of supplementation.
If you are quite ill or are taking a lot of medication, I would even be more cautious. Taking these products, your body will be able to begin detoxifying (ridding itself of accumulated toxins) as you provide all of these antioxidants and supporting nutrients to the cell at optimal levels.
Some patients may note headaches, generalized body aches, skin rash, and diarrhea. Some may experience constipation (for this I recommend Usana's Fibergy). These are all symptoms of detoxification and are temporary and transient. They are usually gone within 7 to 10 days.
Some patients get a mild upset stomach and nausea. This is related to the Poly C that is in the Essentials Mega-antioxidant. This too is usually mild and transient. However, if it is significant, I have patients stop the Mega-antioxidant for a few days and then start back with one Mega-antioxidant with the largest meal. Once they are tolerating that level of supplementation, I slowly increase the amount they are taking until they are up to 3 daily.
Actical can cause significant diarrhea because of the high content of magnesium. Usually you are able to tolerate the recommended doses. However, if the diarrhea persists, I will switch my patients to the chewable Actical. This is the reason why I usually add the Actical until I'm certain my patients are tolerating all of the other supplements first.
Minerals can sometimes cause a natural relaxation response. If you feel tired or fatigued after taking your Usana supplements, take the Chelated Minerals in the evening or even at bedtime. Usually you even get a better quality of sleep.
Rarely do patients experience too much energy when taking the supplements. This again is a transient problem; work up to a full dose until the products are well tolerated.
It takes 6 to 12 months to build up a patient's immune system and antioxidant defense system. Nutritional supplementation does not cure your disease. We are simply providing nutrients to the body at optimal levels so that the body can do what Nature intended. If you experience any improvement with your disease, it is because your body is now more able to heal itself. This is something drugs will never be able to do, however, I always keep my patients on all their prescribed medications and only decrease them if they're clinically doing better.
The body detoxifies through the lungs, skin, bladder and bowel. If you are detoxifying intensively, expect changes in each of these elimination systems. Drink 8 glasses of pure water daily to assist the detoxification process.