Greetings,

DID YOU KNOW that a study from Nature suggests eating a lot of added sugar while on antibiotic treatment is a recipe for gastrointestinal disaster?

The research found that sugar plus an antibiotic made a harmful gut germ bloom up to 33 times larger than the antibiotic alone. Sweets paired with strong antibiotics were tied to a bigger drop in gut bacteria variety. Among higher-sugar patients, each extra antibiotic day was linked to a 12% higher risk of death, which does not prove cause but is sobering.

The researchers are now calling for trials testing whether short-term sugar avoidance during antibiotic treatment improves outcomes. My strong opinion suggests that the outcomes will be much improved.

Online Gift Cards

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

Loyalty Rewards

Start racking up your loyalty points early. They reset to zero at the end of each calendar year. We track and apply loyalty rewards for you, but you can always text us to see if you're close to a loyalty reward before placing an order.

• WC Feature* Hidden Artery Plaque
• Creatine Bias?
• October 20% OFF Sale
• Case Report - Autistic Children

• Chiro Corner NEW!
• Why Pure Insight?
• Blog Briefs - Less Sugar Early in Life
• Well Connect Member Benefits

Steve: I know I've wrote about creatine several times in the last few years. Given how white hot the topic is through the media and word of mouth, I must remind you to temper the enthusiasm.

If you read this headline, I bet this would draw extreme excitement: "Creatine may help build muscle even without exercise, researchers find." The press release continues with: "Creatine helped middle-aged adults gain muscle and strength even without a structured workout program in a new 12-week study. When combined with exercise and a calorie-reduced diet, it produced even greater strength gains while helping participants add lean tissue and lose fat." Salivating yet?

The problem with this study from Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition is that the lead author is anything but unbiased. Read the Disclosure Statement: "R.B.K. has conducted industry-sponsored research on creatine, received financial support for presenting at conferences, and has served as an expert witness throughout his career. He serves as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for AlzChem (a company that makes creatine monohydrate and provided the supplements for the study), is a co-founder of the non-profit International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), and a member of the scientific advisory boards for Oath Nutrition and Trace Minerals."

As I've said before, when independent creatine studies are performed, some have shown to be slightly beneficial, but not enough to outweigh the side effects that we've seen consistently over decades. Other independent studies show no benefit.

In many cases, the supplement industry is just as culpable for biased research as is the pharmaceutical industry. Luckily, you have us to sift through what is independent and what is not :)

Steve has seen significant improvement in many of his autistic child-aged clients.

While every child's needs are different, there are similar issues that link many autistic children: gastrointestinal dysfunction and nutrient deficiency. Once these are corrected, it is easier for parents and caregivers to work with their children to better their eating habits by expanding variety and accepting more textures.

For example, in one girl who was only stooling a few times weekly and exhibiting adverse behaviors, once Steve corrected her GI function and fixed various nutrient deficiencies, the parents are now seeing so much better communication and a more stable mood. Moreover, they were able to completely eliminate her leucovorin.

Now of course, this takes extreme effort from parents and caregviers because this is never an overnight process, but in the aforementioned case, the improvement was seen in just two months!

Did you have a great experience working with us? Please let others know by leaving a review here.

Disclaimer: Case reports are not intended for self-healing. Case reports are for references purposes only and should be discussed with your health professional.

Did you know that there is a fat transfer breast augmentation available for women who don’t want to receive saline or silicone implants? I did not until I listened to the Rational Wellness podcast, hosted by Dr. Ben Weitz. He recently featured Dr. Robert Whitfield, a board-certified plastic surgeon who does this type of augmentation. He places the fat from the abdomen of a woman into their chest region for breast augmentation. This is only available for those who have had children, as their breast tissue is more pliable for this type of procedure. 

Dr. Whitfield also developed the SHARP Method, which is a Strategic Holistic Accelerated Recovery Program for those with symptoms after they’ve received breast augmentation surgery. Whether it’s silicone or saline, this is a foreign substance to the body, which will form a capsule around the implant as a natural defense mechanism. A certain percentage of patients may experience brain fog, chronic fatigue, joint pain and autoimmune responses after augmentation. These symptoms are often dismissed by health professionals, not acknowledging that implants could be the culprit.

Dr. Whitfield is aware of the peer reviewed data that 29% of tested implant capsules contain bacterial contamination found with PCR testing, not detected through standard culture. Dr. Whitfield developed the SHARP Method to help these patients. Before extracting the implants, he does genetic tests to determine the state of the patient’s detoxification pathways. He also tests hormone and microbiome imbalances along with the PCR test to determine if there is a bacterial overgrowth. The results allow him to create a protocol that prepares the patient a few months before the extraction surgery. 

Afterwords, Dr. Whitfield’s method includes regular follow ups and testing to ensure surgical recovery and improvements in their original symptoms. This individual approach to each patient’s genetic chemical makeup is important as no two people are alike. If you know something is wrong but aren’t getting any answers, be persistent, perhaps a health professional who thinks outside the box can help. 

Dr. Liselotte Schuster is a Holistic Family Chiropractor and has been in practice with Nutritional Concepts since 1989. She uses a variety of techniques, including low level laser, to help patients reach their full potential. Contact Dr. Schuster at (847) 509-9067 or drliloschuster@sbcglobal.net.

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

1. Order a genetic kit directly from Ancestry.com (AncestryDNA for $99) or 23andMe.com (Basic Ancestry 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.

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.

Pure Genomics Wellness Screening

Results are free. Analysis with Steve or Bonnie is a separate fee.

Website Page Dedicated to Members Only

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.

*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.

1. Password to log into your account. This is the password you entered when you first registered at our site. Only you know this password.
2. 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

1. Place your order to be shipped.
2. Place your order for pickup at our office.
3. Place your order online but pay offline by calling in your credit card info.

Pay for Appointments

Pay for your appointment directly from our wellness shop under Service Fees.

Self-Help Action Plans

Inexpensive self-help protocols covering myriad conditions. These do not replace individualized consultations. View all 48 titles under Action Plans.

Bonnie, Steve, Lilo, Cindy, Diana, Sally, Piper (not pictured), and Therese

Nutritional Concepts Inc.

155 Revere Drive, Suite 11

Northbrook, IL 60062

Phone 847-498-3422

Text 847-497-0902

Hours Of Operation

Monday through Friday 9AM to 5PM

Saturday 9AM to 2PM