Vaxa Commonly Asked Questions & Answers
What does the word Vaxa mean and where did it come from?
Vaxa is a real word coming directly from the Swedish language. Grammatically, it is known as a transitive verb, and literally means "to grow or regenerate/reproduce from biological sources." A fitting name for the world's foremost leader and pioneer in the Nutraceutical Industry: Vaxa International.
What are Nutraceuticals and how are they different from Pharmaceuticals?
A Nutraceutical is defined as a food and/or nutritional food supplement which is formulated or designed to specifically address certain and particular bio-functions of the body, whether it be biological structure or function.
Nutraceuticals, in contrast to pharmaceuticals, are completely utilized by the body, becoming part of the body, as any nutritional entity would.
Pharmaceuticals are not nutritional entities and thus are foreign materials which are not readily made part of the body's structure and architecture, but ultimately are seen as waste or toxic substances. At times the "leftovers" of Pharmaceuticals can remain within the body, hidden in fat tissue, for years.
What makes a Nutraceutical different from an ordinary dietary health supplement?
Nutraceuticals are more advanced than dietary supplements, formulated to address specific dietary deficiencies and particular biochemical structures and functions within the body. In contrast, dietary health supplements offer only a general, broad spectrum nutritional approach and do not specifically address the more complicated problems of specific nutritional needs, whereas Nutraceuticals do.
What makes Vaxa Nutraceuticals different from other Nutraceuticals and health supplements?
Vaxa Nutraceuticals uniquely contain all 3 Biofactors of life, namely, free form amino acids (I), peptides and proteins from botanical sources (II), and vitamins, minerals and synergistic cofactors (III). The cumulative effect of using multiple "synergistic" nutrients to address the body's nutritional needs is far more effective than using just 1 nutrient, or 1 vitamin, or rare herb known to potentiate health. Instead, by using the exact and specific quantities of amino acids, rare herbs, minerals, vitamins and other nutritional cofactors, Vaxa is able to provide a unique "nutritional strategy," rather than a simple arbitrary one like those supplements supplied by most other health companies.
Each Vaxa formula contains the critically essential array of nutrients known to benefit the body in a specific and unique way, nutritionally addressing particular biochemical and neurochemical pathways by supplying nutritional precursors which are needed to potentiate those pathways. Whereas most other health companies persist in using the over simplified and mistaken "one key fits all" approach, each Vaxa formula is designed to address different pathways, different "keys" for different biochemical "locks and switches."
What are amino acids and why are they so important?
Amino acids are the quintessential building blocks of the body. Without them life simply could not exist. Amino acids are integral in maintaining, supporting and governing, either directly or indirectly, most of the biochemical and neurochemical pathways of the body. They are the foundation material of DNA-gene matter, vitamins, enzymes, hormones and other "amines." When linked together in chains they become peptides and proteins. They also play a powerful role as neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers which orchestrate regeneration and sustain all life function.
How do we know which amino acids, herbs, vitamins and minerals target which part of the body?
For the past forty years, researchers have been mapping and studying the biochemical pathways of the body. Although there is still much to be understood, we now know with some certainty which amino acids, peptides, proteins, vitamins and minerals are needed for certain pathways to function, which are essential neurotransmitters, and which demonstrate some probability of function as precursors to other functions, such as hormonal and enzymatic synthesis.
We also know that when the body has been sufficiently supplied with amino acids, peptides and protein materials, there is considerable less likelihood of supplemental free form amino acids being redirected for primary protein synthesis or transmaminated to other amino acids in demand. This, then, allows ample populations of amino acids to travel freely through the circulatory system serving as powerful biosynthetic agents, neurotransmitters, and the like.
The body's so-called chemical "intelligence," or its capacity to prioritize the regeneration of biochemical structure and function within itself, serves to execute just what, how and where something is to be attended to. According to the demand structure of the body, certain functions will be addressed immediately, the body "looking" for those nutrients to satisfy its immediate requirements within the nutritional stores and circulatory system of the body.
In essence, through a series of chemical messengers and chemically orchestrated cascade decisions, the body is literally capable of "shopping for" or "targeting" what it needs on its own but only when reserves are amply in supply. Thus, we speak of being sure that our nutritional "shelves" have been restocked so as to allow the body to "shop" for exactly what it needs to run certain biochemical pathways. Vaxa, in turn, simply "targets" the restocking of those "shelves" that support specific biochemical pathways, pathways which research demonstrates are more likely to become deficient.
What kind of sugars (refined, raw, brown, etc.) and other carbohydrates are used in Vaxa products?
"Sugar" is listed in the Nutrition Facts box under Carbohydrates on both Systemex and Nutritionizer packaging. As regulated by the FDA (nutritional labeling requirements), "sugar" is a subcategory of Carbohydrates and is defined as either monosaccharides or disaccharides. "Sugars," as listed on the ingredient panels of the Systemex and Nutritionizer, are combinations of monosaccharides of Fructose (a ketone and fruit sugar) and disaccharides of Lactose (milk sugar) and Maltose, all of which are simple carbohydrates.
These are not the white, refined, table sugar derived from sugar cane (sucrose), so many refer to as "the" generic sugar. No "refined" sugar (sucrose) exists either within the Systemex or the Nutritionizer. Also found within the Systemex and Nutritionizer are higher complexes, or longer chains, of carbohydrates called Maltodextrin and Malt-mannose complexes of polysaccharides, which include dietary fiber (glycans and cellulose).
Shouldn't we be careful about the sugars we eat -- Aren't "sugars" harmful to us?
There is nothing wrong with any natural "sugar," per say, be it categorized within the families of monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, the disaccharides of maltose, lactose and sucrose, or the trisaccharides of raffinose and melezitose. The body can effectively use them all for energy sources and other biological necessities. For instance, one of the most important monosaccharide sugar acids is ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C.
"Sugar" and simple carbohydrates, should only become a matter of health concern when used exclusively as the singular entity in one's diet or in one's meal, without other more complex carbohydrates and proteins to act as buffering agents to help "meter their burn." Again, "sugar" by itself can only be harmful if it makes up the majority of one's diet. We were not made to live solely on simple carbohydrates. But indeed, such can be said of any food group that is eaten exclusively in one's diet.
However, when "sugars," or simple carbohydrates, are used in balance with other foods, such as in the Systemex and Nutritionizer, they are safe and healthful, as any biochemistry text will tell you. Be aware of anyone who tells you anything differently. Indeed, rather then develop needless hysteria, panic and fear surrounding the disinformation about "sugars," which wrongly dictate that only certain forms of sugars are "safe" and mistakenly suggest that one kind is preferred to others, it is more important to rely on the science of our own biology to bring clarity to this confused issue.
Upon the revelation and distillation of the scientific facts, we learn that it is more important to use combinations of carbohydrates to yield a more metered burn of calories, as well as to "buffer" or "steady" their burn with dietary protein and longer chains of polysaccharides, instead of fruitlessly pitting one carbohydrate's safety against another in isolation.
Therefore, to further assure such a smooth and steady use or "burn" of all simple to complex carbohydrates, it's important to use a protein source as well as longer chain carbohydrates in our diet to slow down the caloric burn. (Let's not forget that we should always try to achieve a fully balanced diet, a diet made up of both simple and complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats/lipids.) This "even-metered burn" is accomplished both in the Systemex and the Nutritionizer by using Casein (our major protein source), and Maltodextrin-Malt-glycan complexes (longer chain carbohydrates).
Why does Vaxa use milk proteins instead of soy products in the Nutritionizer -- Aren't they bad for us?
Milk has been a nutritious stable food source for the last 5,000 years upon this planet. It has alone been more responsible for civilizations' survival than most other foods. Man, being a mammal with a pancreas which makes lactase (the enzyme which breaks down lactose, a simple carbohydrate), has the biochemical capacity to digest milk protein and other dairy products throughout life, being genetically predisposed to do so.
Unfortunately, much has been marketed about the "evils" of milk simply because there are occasions of milk and dairy product intolerance, ignoring the genetic and biochemical facts that mankind has been amply predisposed to digest all dairy products. Most intolerances to milk and dairy products are caused by allergies, not a missing penchant to digest dairy products. Food allergies are faulty Immune Responses to specific foods generally caused by using too high of a concentration, or too much of that food in one's diet over an extended period of time.
In other words, imbalances within the diet due to either using too much or too little of any of the food groups will lead to eventual allergies and intolerances. This problem is easily remedied by simply fasting from the food that is suspected of causing the allergy for 7-14 days, and then slowly reintroducing the food back into one's diet. The same procedure can be practiced for those who suffer from allergies to wheat products or any other food for that matter.
Some intolerances are also caused by the fact that a person's pancreas can no longer produce lactase, or produces so little that milk becomes difficult to digest. Generally, this problem has been caused by the overactivity of the pancreas (often by years of an unbalanced diet) so that it becomes "worn out." If this is the case, it's likely that there are other important enzymes produced by the pancreas that will also be in short supply. Here, we recommend adding Digestin, which supplies lactase as well as other digestive enzymes, to the diet.
Supplementation of Digestin with each meal will aid in Milk/Dairy product digestion, as well as help the body preserve pancreatic function. Other intolerances can also be caused by an unclean colon. Many foods including milk and dairy products will have a difficult time being appropriately digested and assimilated if the colon is not clean and stocked with the appropriate "good" bacteria. So, here of course, we recommend a colon cleansing strategy such as Vaxa Colon-Aid+ and ReFlora+.
Lastly, milk proteins simply taste better for the vast majority of people. Soy protein is often bitter and sour tasting, yielding an aftertaste that is difficult to mask. Also, the milk protein that Vaxa specifically uses, Casein, has the highest ratio of Total Essential Amino Acids to Total Nitrogen of all foods (including soy protein) reported by the FAO/WHO Expert Group. This high ratio makes milk protein one of the easiest to digest and assimilate for the vast majority of people, ironically, far easier and more efficient than soy, as well as milk being one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.
Why does Vaxa use a blend of "artificial and natural" flavors, and are they truly natural or synthetic?
Blends of artificial and natural flavors are used in the Nutritionizer so as to enhance the "Olfactory-Response-Factor," or ORF, to taste. In other words, it's known that the sensation of smell plays an important part with what we taste. If the smell is weak or somewhat undefined, taste becomes modeled and less acute.
Unfortunately, many natural flavors lack sufficient strength in the olfactory realm. Thus, in order to compensate, natural flavors are processed by adding an oxygen or hydrogen atom to its molecule to specifically enhance the smell of the flavor. Yet, when this is done, the FDA insists that we now call it an "artificial" flavor because the molecule has been changed. In actuality, the molecule remains the same, adding to its structure only. It is, therefore, not a "synthetic" molecule, only one which has been improved upon.
What is the "yo-yo syndrome," why do so many of us experience it, and how are Vaxa's products formulated to prevent it?
One of the major reasons so many people experience the "yo-yo syndrome" in dieting is because the needed nutritional balance just isn't there. With most diet drinks and dieting plans, reducing caloric intake subsequently means reducing nutritional intake as well. Stores of amino acids, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and cofactors are generally depleted while dieting.
Even though we may not be experiencing an actual famine, it mistakenly believes otherwise because the body is experiencing reduced caloric and nutritional intake. When this happens, the body is triggered into actually believing or experiencing that it is in a state of "famine." It actually "categorizes" this, and any other previously experienced weight-loss period, as a time of "famine, and begins to build a chemical "memory" of these events - events which are to be guarded against at all costs. Accordingly, it enters into a mode of self-preservation.
Believing that a famine is upon itself, the alarm sounds and it deliberately begins to hoard any calories that the system takes in. Now, under the body's biochemical response to a perceived famine, other biosystems shut down as energy stores are being conserved. Under this new famine-induced biochemical response, the less we eat, the more calories our body hoards and stores, converting every spare calorie it can into fat rather than burn it.
And then, as we innocently return to a more normalized eating pattern, the body quickly adapts an even more precautionary measure of converting even more "food-energy" into fat stores with an efficiency that's scary. For fear of being caught unprepared for yet another untimely "famine" or dieting period, the body "learns" to anticipate the possibility of other "famines" occurring without warning and is directed to rebuild its fat reserves.
In other words, the body, acting in a way that it "thinks" is lifesaving and beneficial, begins to overcompensate for the earlier "famine" or dieting periods, by converting every spare calorie it can into fat while it has the chance. Herein the frustrations and realities of the "yo-yo syndrome" begin. We first lose weight only then to gain it back, and in the process gain more fat as the cycle dogmatically and tirelessly repeats itself over and over again.
Ironically, the key behind breaking the "yo-yo syndrome" doesn't lie in caloric management alone. The real solution is found in understanding that the nutritional value of foods, not just their caloric content, is that which seems to more specifically and speedily govern the body's famine-alarm system. Nutritional values of our meals, then, are much more important than the calorie content alone. This is a critical point most often overlooked by other diet companies, products, and plans. It's not just low caloric values that sound the body's alarm systems. In fact, the alarm sounds first because trends of low nutritional values have been experienced.
Indeed, when most people diet, the nutritional values of their meals drop in parallel to their caloric level. And when the nutritional value of incoming food repetitively falls below maintenance levels, biochemical alarms then sound their warning of an impending "famine." But, because caloric values have also dropped, the body is led to believe that a certain number of calories only means so many nutrients. This ratio of "nutritional values to caloric values" becomes a biochemical metric or standard. It becomes the basis of establishing the "fat set-point," and then continues to dictate how much and how often food energy will be converted into fat reserves.
But when the nutritional value of food can remain stable during dieting (and throughout life), or indeed be increased even though caloric values decrease, then the body's biochemical metric and "fat set-point" are changed, and subsequently, the need to hoard additional calories is circumvented. When no competition exists for nutritional resources and stockpiles, nothing out of the ordinary regarding "feast or famine" is suggested biochemically to the body's safeguard systems.
The body has no reason to believe that it's experiencing a "famine" when it is given what it needs nutritionally. So, even though we may be consuming less calories, as long as the quality and the proportion of the nutrients being supplied to the body remains superior, the body's rhythms will not become upset, nor be thrown into a life-threatening biochemical scenario of "famine/caloric-hoarding." Therefore, when the nutritional value of our food increases while the caloric value proportionally decreases, there will be no "yo-yo syndrome" experienced. Lost weight will remain lost, and lean muscle tissue will be retained.
When protein and carbohydrate sources are adequately supplied, balanced and matched with all the vitamins, minerals, cofactors and synergistic agents necessary, as they are in the Systemex meal replacement shake, the body will remain biochemically and nutritionally satisfied, despite the fact that caloric intake has in effect been reduced. Thus, by consuming Vaxa Health-Pac (Systemex and TriCardia+) and reaping the additional benefits offered in the Ultra CitriSlim and other Vaxa Weight Loss & Shape-Up Formulas, proper nutrition will be guaranteed to the body even during times of dieting.
With Vaxa nutritional advantage, the body doesn't even know it's "dieting." Because nutritional values being supplied by the Health-Pac are so high, it doesn't seem to mind that caloric content is reduced. Despite reduced caloric intake, with Vaxa, all the nutrients that the body needs to carry on normally have been supplied and indeed have been increased, and thus the body's normal cycles of operation have not been disturbed. Under these conditions, the body will less likely experience the time of the diet or reduced caloric intake as a "famine" period, (especially when coupled with exercise) and thereinafter, not likely compensate by over-storing fat-energy for fear that a "famine," as perceived by the body, will strike again.
Indeed, then our body can safely begin to burn fat stores, especially when coupled with an appropriate exercise program. (Please remember that all dieting and exercise programs should only be started after consulting with your Physician.)
Why does Vaxa choose ChromeMate® GTF instead of other Chromium sources, such as the picolinates?
Vaxa chooses ChromeMate® GTF because it is the only biologically active yeast-free chromium source which exhibits true Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) activity, and the only chromium source which has demonstrably satisfied "Mertz's Law" (unlike the other chromium sources including the picolinates, which do not exhibit true GTF activity). Dr. Mertz, who was a past director of the U.S.D.A., is the scientist who actually discovered and defined for us what "GTF activity" is and how it works in the body with the hormone, insulin.
Often misunderstood, insulin is in fact a "fat" hormone. Insulin actually makes fat "sticky," making it "stick" to body cells and become stored within the body. If too much insulin is produced, as is generally the case in any unbalanced diet, an increase of unsightly fat will be deposited. And when insulin metabolism can be regulated, less fat is inappropriately manufactured and stored. Mertz discovered that it was a niacin-bound chromium source which demonstrated insulin regulation, one which he later acknowledged reflected the same activities as chromium polynicotinate (or ChromeMate®).
ChromeMate® GTF has repeatedly been shown by independent research
to be a potent fat metabolizer. Moreover, it alone has been able to demonstrate
true GTF activity which regulates and manages insulin production, and
aids in the whole process of energy transfer within the body. This is
why we will use no other source of chromium than ChromeMate® GTF.
Of all chromium sources now available, only chromium polynicotinate (or
ChromeMate®) exhibits true GTF activity. It's considerably more expensive
than other forms of chromium, but it's worth it