Joe Carter, webber naturals & Glucosamine Chondroitin

For some of us Baseball is a favorite pastime.  It starts with all the little league games or the many trips to the ballpark with your family and friends.  The smell of the freshly cut grass, the Cracker Jack box, the sound of the crowd, the Sun filled summers at the park, it all played a part in our love of the game.

Baseball is also a sport filled with legends and legendary moments.  The line between myth and truth are sometimes hard to distinguish.  It is where heros manifest themselves with an aura to last decades or even the entire history of the game.  So it was for one Joe Carter and the Toronto Blue Jays in a game defining moment. 

The scene, who could forget, was game 6 of the 1993 World Series.  It was the bottom of the 9th inning.  On the mound pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies was left-hander Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams.  The Jays were leading the series 3 games to 2.  However, in game 6 they were trailing with a score of 6-5. The future of this game seemed obvious to spectators and sports afficianados alike. There would be a game 7.  After all, Joe Carter was 0-4 against the "Wild Thing." On base was Rickey Henderson and Paul Molitor. With the count at 2-2, Joe Carter belted the ball deep to Left Field. That's right, the ball was "outta here!"  The result was a 3 run walkoff homerun to end the series. If you are like us, you remember it so well.  An elated Carter jumping up and down around the bases with the entire Toronto Blue Jays team waiting at homeplate.

So, you can imagine our very big excitement of having Joe Carter represent our webber naturals brand. We're big baseball fans here at webber naturals, but we're even bigger fans of Joe Carter and all of his great legendary accomplishments.

If you've been watching the sports channels this season you've seen our commercials for Glucosamine Chondrotin.  If you missed it, here it is for your review.  It even includes the historic walkoff homerun by Joe Carter. Also, we've added some behind the scenes which we're sure you will enjoy.

Finally, make sure to follow us on Twitter and visit our Fan page on Facebook for some trivia and prizes.

webber naturals TV commercial

behind the scenes

When people ask my beautiful little girls what they want to be when they grow up, they NEVER say "old". I'm certainly not in any hurry to get there either!

Scientists and get-rich-quick artists around the globe have one thing in common; both have spent a lot of time and energy trying to find (and sell) the proverbial "Fountain of Youth" - whether in a pill, cream, injection or an anti-gravity machine! After weight loss, "age loss" is number two on many people's most wanted list!

Can we slow down or counteract the physical damage done by Father Time? To some extent we can. I can definitely see the improvements in my patients who use natural products to keep their minds and bodies ‘young’. Although it is subjective proof, they have reported having more energy, softer skin, brighter eyes and even sharper wits. Changing (bad) habits and doing the obvious - eat well, go out and play, sleep lots - are more likely to extend and enhance your years than a quest for that fantastical fountain.

Best foods for a youthful body and mind include whole foods; that's another way of saying fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Exercise and diet work together. Without weight-bearing exercise, bones can be weakened by osteoporosis, even when calcium intake is high. Exercise and reasonable amounts of good food keep weight down, reducing your risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, osteoarthritis and heart disease.

Even the best diets and intentions can fall short. The "1-2-3" supplements I recommend most often as anti-aging basics are a high potency multivitamin, a potent omega-3 supplement and a daily greens drink for extra antioxidant protection. (I like All-Greens.)

Unless you've been hiding under a rock (unlikely if you're reading this), you've heard of antioxidants. Long-term studies show that antioxidants slow degeneration and disease in the body by attacking free radicals that weaken your cells and immune system. Free radicals are natural by-products of many cellular processes, but excess free radicals — from too much sun, tobacco smoke, toxins and radiation for example — can damage cells, increase disease risk and accelerate aging.

PCOs (procyanidolic oligomers) and OPCs (oligomeric procyanidins) are not police forces. They are antioxidant compounds that help stabilize collagen and maintain elastin, two important proteins in your skin and connective tissue. PCOs strengthen capillaries, improve vision, and they also extend the protective effects of other antioxidants, like vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.

Your skin likes lots of antioxidants. Give it fruit and veggies or take some supplements as well as slathering on those beautifully packaged expensive creams.

As for maintaining a healthy brain - that's a whole other story and deserves its own article. After all, what good is a long life if you can't remember it?  Live well.

If your joints are stiff and painful it is tempting to pop a pill. As a naturopathic physician I certainly don't want my patients to suffer, but often a "quick fix" painkiller can prevent or delay a real recovery.

Patients who are willing to make a few dietary changes, and give natural products a chance to support their body's natural healing processes, often find long term relief from pain and stiffness of arthritis.

The food connection is shown in research that suggests a low protein diet, high in complex carbohydrates is a preventive basic. Inflammation is the redness and swelling that occurs when blood rushes to an area that has been damaged or infected. Inflammation is a key reason for the pain of arthritis and it can also contribute to other non-optimum health conditions.

To help my patients reduce joint inflammation I give them this simple chart and encourage them to pump up their intake of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.

Prevent inflammation & arthritis	Increase inflammation
Apple cider vinegar	Dairy products
Molasses	Refined sugar, honey, corn syrup
Fatty Fish like salmon (omega-3s)	Corn, corn oil
Walnuts, flax seeds and flax seed oil	Coffee, carbonated drinks
Olive oil	Beef/red meats
Tart Cherries	Trans fats/saturated fats
Berries and antioxidant fruits	Wheat products, gluten
Turmeric, cayenne pepper, rosemary	Egg yolks
Kale, chard, cucumbers	Alcohol
Onions	Processed meats

Do these things help? Yes. Reports from my patients are excellent. Of course anyone with food sensitivities or allergies would have to modify the list to avoid their trigger foods.

Most of my patients (and friends) who have osteoarthritis also use glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates and MSM supplements. Omega-3 essential fatty acid supplements are also unsung heros of joint support. It's almost as if omega-3s "oil" the joints. While that may not be the scientific methodology, fish and flax oils definitely do ease joint pain and stiffness in many cases. Moderate exercise can also ease pain, strengthen muscles and reduce inflammation - but if you have osteoarthritis, check with your health care practitioner before working out.

As an added bonus, lifestyle choices and foods that prevent arthritis also support overall good health.