Alcohol: Worse Than We Thought Valued Client

Celebrating 40 Years!

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NCI Well Connect

December 15, 2025

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Greetings,

DID YOU KNOW that dropping temperatures trigger hormonal changes that increase hunger (ghrelin rises) while decreasing fullness signals (leptin drops), making people feel less satisfied after eating?

Keeping your vitamin D levels optimal is key to preventing increased hunger because less daylight lowers dopamine neurotransmitters, thus triggering elevated reward seeking behavior.

In addition, eating optimal protein with meals and snacks, drinking plenty of fluids, and consuming fiber-rich foods, such as fruit and veggies will assist as well.

Announcements

Services

Holiday and Moving Hours

We will be in our new office Monday, January 5th 2026!

Please put our new address in your phone/address book:

155 Revere Drive, Suite 11

Northbrook, IL 60062

Our new office is 1.2 miles away from our current location, right off Lake Cook Road in Northbrook.

HOLIDAY HOURS
Wednesday, December 24th - CLOSE AT 2PM
Thursday, December 25th - CLOSED
Friday, December 26th - CLOSED

LAST DAY WE'RE OPEN IN 2025
Tuesday, December 30th 9AM-5PM

CLOSED FOR MOVE

Wednesday, December 31st through Sunday, January 4th

FIRST DAY WE'RE OPEN IN OUR NEW OFFICE

Monday, January 5th 9AM-5PM

155 Revere Drive, Suite 11

Northbrook, IL 60062

Phone, fax, text, and email addresses will all be the same.

We're so excited to greet you in our new home!

Loyalty Rewards

You only have a few weeks to stock up and take advantage of your loyalty points. Loyalty points reset to zero on December 30, 2025 this year because our office is closing one day early in the calendar year. We track and apply loyalty points for you, but you can always text us to see if you're close to a loyalty reward. Note: if you order exclusively from our shopsite, ask us if you have rewards BEFORE placing your final order of 2025.

New 2026 Saturday Hours
Starting the Saturday, January 10th 2026, our new Saturday hours are 9AM-2PM.

What Does Steve Minsky MS, HWC Do?

As a Health and Wellness Counselor, Steve evaluates the whole person. While an internist may prescribe meds, procedures, and specialists, Steve evaluates and optimizes your eating style and habits, supplements, physical activity, sleep, stress, and more. His empathy and ability to make the complex understandable sets him apart. Required Materials to Make an Appointment With Steve | Case Studies

40th Anniversary Timeline and Tribute

It started out with humble beginnings. When Bonnie finished her masters degrees, the general public's opinion of nutrition was tepid to say the least. Some people close to her openly laughed at the preposterous notion that this would be her career. No matter. In 1985, Nutritional Concepts was incorporated (story continues at this page).

Text Us If Convenient at (847) 497-0902

Text is the quickest way to communicate with us. Questions for Bonnie do not apply.

Pet Wellness

Our dietary supplement line for dogs and cats, ThorneVet, has an impeccable reputation among veterinarians. Carolyn Martinelli "Coach Care" can answer your questions about ThorneVet pet supplements at nutroconpet@gmail.com. Please leave detailed contact information as well as the name, age, sex, breed, and/or health issue(s) and med(s) of your pet so Carolyn can respond accordingly. To order from our wellness shop, please visit here (for prices, enter the Guest Area password: discount2018).

Online Gift Cards

Giving the gift of wellness has never been easier. Order your gift cards here.

Wellness Screenings

Standard Blood Work

For a list of standard blood tests for new or existing clients, please go to this page and look at Steve or Bonnie's wellness forms.

Stool Analysis

For gastrointestinal, autoimmune, or allergy-related maladies, stool analysis is a wonderful way to detect how to heal from the inside out.

Genomics Testing

For lifestyle and diet genetic analysis, go to the "Pure Insight" section below.

Food Reaction Testing

Because true food allergies are rare, please email Steve or Bonnie for authorization to get our IgE food allergy, IgE mold/fungus allergy, or celiac panel. For questions about the tests and how to prepare, contact our office staff.

Infection Section UPDATED!

Year-round infection is the new normal. We are exposed to many endemic viruses including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), norovirus (stomach flu), adenovirus (common cold), monkeypox, and four other coronaviruses (common cold), among others. Support your immune system with our Free Prevent and Fight Infection 3.0 Protocol here.

Warning: Counterfeit, Adulterated Supplements Online

On the internet, especially at Amazon, there is an epidemic of counterfeit, adulterated, and purposely mislabeled dietary supplements. A recent analysis of methyl vitamin B12 supplements sold on Amazon found only 56% met label claim. A man was arrested for selling counterfeit Pure Encapsulations products. A study from JAMA Network Open found that half of immune products analyzed from Amazon had labels that did not match the contents. Know your supplier!

Have a happy, healthy day! Steve and Bonnie Minsky

In Today's Issue

Paid Member Content
WC Feature: Intelligent Activity Update
Did You Know? Meds: Pill Timing Matters
Mythbuster: Mortality: Animal Versus Plant Protein
Understanding Lab Tests: Fibrinogen
Green Lifestyle: Second-Hand Smoke
Wild Card: Nicotinamide
eInspire: Louisa May Alcott
Action Plan of the Month: PaleoMediterranean Diet

Free Member Content
Did You Know?
Alcohol: Worse Than We Thought
December 20% OFF Sale
Pure Genomics
Watch and Listen: Holiday Time Relaxation
Loyalty Program
Well Connect Member Benefits

Buy One Year Paid Membership Here

*To get past the Guest Area paywall use password: discount2018

Share This Email

Alcohol: Worse Than We Thought

Steve: You'd think that it could not get any worse with the cancer-causing warnings plastered all over alcoholic drink labels and the fact that alcohol depresses ALL of our brain neurotransmitters. Yet, new research from Nature Metabolism has identified an unexpected link between the way the body processes sugar and the development of alcohol addiction.

Researchers discovered that alcohol doesn't just damage the liver directly, it hijacks the body's sugar metabolism in a way that enhances drinking behavior and worsens liver injury.

Alcohol activates a metabolic pathway that causes the body to produce fructose internally. Fructose is the same sugar found in many sweetened foods and drinks. This internal production relies on an enzyme called ketohexokinase, which appears to strengthen alcohol-seeking behavior while also contributing to liver damage.

20% OFF DECEMBER SALE

Place My Order*

*Use password discount2018 at Guest Area to access pricing

How We Stack Up vs Online Retailers

Amazon 83.60 (360 caps)

Nutritional Concepts 53.82

Savings: 29.78!!

iHerb 57.25 (240 caps)

Nutritional Concepts 37.89

Savings: 19.36!!

Amazon 48.40 (120 softgels)

Nutritional Concepts 32.78

Savings: 15.62!!

While Amazon is the frequent example, we found similar price disparities with many online retailers. We are authorized retailers of all of our brands while many online retailers are not. Our supplements come directly from the manufacturer and never encounter a third of fourth party.

PureInsight (formerly Genomics)

PureInsight (formerly Genomics) harnesses the science of nutrigenomics so you can understand the relationship between your genes, nutrition, and wellness at the deepest level. Covering 72 genes in 11 trait categories, we've used Pure Insight since 2015 to help clients live longer with better quality of life.

How to Get Started

Order a genetic kit directly from Ancestry.com (AncestryDNA for $99) and send back your saliva specimen. When your results are ready, request that we set up a PureInsight account for you. We just need your full name, email address, and date of birth. You will receive an email invitation from PureInsight with a link to set up your account and instructions for how to upload your Ancestry data. You will receive a confirmation from PureInsight when your report is ready and we can then set up an appointment to go over your results.

Watch and Listen: Holiday Time Relaxation

What Is a Paid NCI Well Connect Membership?

Twice Weekly eNewsletters with Tons of Extra Content

Long-form issues on Mondays and Wednesdays address all aspects of wellness including nutrition, mental and emotional health, physical activity, cooking, brand awareness, dietary supplements, medical breakthroughs, and much more.

Members Only Archives

Only paid members have exclusive, password protected access to our 48 title Action Plan Library, Natural Foods Shopping List (updated quarterly), and the most recent 100 issues of our email newsletter.

Start Your One Year Membership Today

*Use password: discount2018 in Guest Area

Loyalty Program

NCI Well Rewards are simple: 1 point for $1 spent on products.

How to Claim Your Well Rewards

We keep track of your points automatically. Discounts are automatically applied to your orders or you will be sent a promo code if you order online.

250 points = $5 off

500 = $10

750 = $10

1000 = $15

1500 = $15

2000 = $15

2500 = $20

Each 1000 thereafter = $25

Rewards can only be applied to dietary supplements. NCI Well Rewards start January 1 and ends December 30, 2025. We reserve the right to alter or cancel this offer at any time.

December Action Plan -

Jump-Start PaleoMediterranean Diet

Our 48 title Action Plan Library is available to paid NCI Well Connect Members at this page (enter password) or free subscribers can individually purchase.

Navigating Our Website

Wellness Shop

*If you prefer to call in or email your orders, continue to do so. Whatever is convenient and comfortable is what we want for you.

Password Required For Website Orders

To make purchases, enter the password discount2018 when prompted at the "Guest Area" firewall, which is necessary for us to show our discounted pricing.

Easy Search

Whether on your computer or mobile device, find anything you want quickly using our website search feature.

Reorder Easily By Registering At Our Website

Registering as a member of our website will allow you to reorder items quickly. At our homepage, simply click on "Log In" and sign up. There, you can create a profile and see all of your previous orders, as well as make a wishlist of items you frequently order. Click the heart icon next to the add to cart button to add any item to your wishlist.

There are two passwords returning customers need to have.

Password to log into your account. This is the password you entered when you first registered at our site. Only you know this password.
Password to get past the "Guest Area" firewall: discount2018. The password will always be discount2018 unless we notify you.

3 Options for Fulfilling Your Order at The Wellness Shop