DR. WEIL'S VITAMIN ADVISOR OFFERS A COMPLETE SUPPLEMENT PLAN BASED ON CONSUMERS' UNIQUE NEEDS
Web Site's "Vitamin Advisor" Tool Calculates Proper Supplement Needs Based on Individual Lifestyle Factors and Offers Vitamin Facts and Personalized Daily Dosage Supplement Packets
PHOENIX (February 07th, 2008) - Weil Lifestyle, LLC, a leading internet provider of information, products and services that enhance health and well-being, is offering a free online resource to help individuals take the guesswork out of vitamin selection. Andrew Weil, M.D., world-renowned leader in the field of integrative medicine, and his science advisory team created DrWeil.com's Vitamin Advisor®, an online tool for those seeking vitamin facts and guidance on prudent supplementation. The tool provides visitors with recommendations based specifically on their lifestyle, medical concerns and diet - utilizing the research of leading scientists in the fields of nutrition and health, including Dr. David Heber, professor in the University of California Los Angeles Department of Medicine, and Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the Harvard School of Public Health's Nutrition Department.
"There is a surplus of information available on vitamin intake, leaving many people confused about which supplements to take to help them reach their optimal level of health," said Brad Lemley, editorial director, DrWeil.com. "Vitamin Advisor is a reliable tool that provides users with personalized vitamin facts and nutritional supplement recommendations based upon their age, gender, medical history, diet and lifestyle, making it easier for people to meet proper guidelines. As the science changes, the recommendations change too."
Vitamin Advisor's questionnaire was developed based on Dr. Weil's 40 years of medical experience, including his work with recognized experts in science and nutrition to make this tool valuable and scientifically cutting-edge. Among these professional colleagues is Dr. Heber, director of the American Board of Nutrition and former chair of the Education Committee of the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, who has authored over 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 25 book chapters, as well as many professional texts. Dr. Heber's publications in nutrition, botanical dietary supplements and the role of phytochemicals and botanical dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of common forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease, have aided Dr. Weil and his advisory board in defining the Vitamin Advisor program.
In addition, Dr. Willett, who pioneered the development of a dietary assessment tool which later became known as the Food Frequency Questionnaire, has authored more than 900 articles and been honored with numerous distinguished awards including the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Award, the Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Society for Preventive Oncology and the International Award for Modern Nutrition. The findings of his peer reviewed studies were instrumental is establishing the new calcium guidelines in the Vitamin Advisor.
Based on these expert opinions and Dr. Weil's expertise, Vitamin Advisor's personalized recommendations guide visitors in making prudent choices in supplementing their diet or modifying their existing supplement regime. Supplements can provide benefits to a wide variety of people, including those who are over 55 years of age; those following weight loss diets or who have irregular eating habits, and individuals lacking generous amounts of vegetables, fruits and whole grains in their diets. Nutritional and herbal supplements can also support those who have specific health problems or are taking medications that may deplete or inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients.
After logging onto www.DrWeil.com and selecting the "Vitamin Advisor" page, visitors complete a free online questionnaire on family health history, exercise habits, sleeping behavior and other lifestyle factors. Once the survey is finished, in about 15 minutes, the consumer is offered a list of recommended supplements and vitamin facts, and may then take the list to their health care provider, or to any store or online merchant to fill it. If the consumer chooses, he or she can purchase supplements directly from the Weil Lifestyle Web site - www.DrWeil.com - that conform to Dr. Weil's customized recommendation. As an individuals' lifestyle changes, they are encouraged to take the questionnaire again, at no cost, to determine the most appropriate supplements to consider.
All Weil Lifestyle supplements use the highest quality, most bioavailable forms of nutrients, including:
- Vitamin A: Some forms of supplemental vitamin A, when taken in even moderate daily doses, can be toxic. Dr. Weil specifies the use of mixed carotenoids in his supplements – these are substances that the body converts to vitamin A, avoiding toxicity potential and maximizing effectiveness.
- Vitamin D: Some inexpensive vitamins may contain vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), the kind synthesized by plants. But when humans eat plant-derived D2, very little is converted to D3 (choleciferol), the kind most readily used by the human body and which skin makes when exposed to ultraviolet light. Dr. Weil specifies D3 in his supplements, as this form has been shown to have greater biological activity in human tissue.
- Vitamin E: In nature, this vitamin is found as a combination of eight different active compounds - four are called tocopherols, and four are called tocotrienols. Many manufacturers use inexpensive, synthetic versions of one or only a few of those eight forms. In his supplements, Dr. Weil specifies a complete, naturally derived tocopherol/tocotrienol complex that more closely mirrors the natural vitamin E found in foods.
- Fish Oils: Oils derived from the fat of cold-water fish, a source of essential omega-3 fatty acids, can be contaminated with toxic heavy metals. Dr. Weil recommends seeking out products that have received the highest rating for purity - five out of five stars - from the International Fish Oil Standards program (www.nutrasource.ca/ifos.cfm).
To support these personalized recommendations, Weil Lifestyle offers products to exactly match the suggested formulations and ships them in personalized Complete Program Daily Dose Packets directly to the consumer's door, making multiple bottles and confusing supplement regimens obsolete.
Consumers can go to www.DrWeil.com and click on the Vitamin Advisor tab to take the free questionnaire, get a recommendation with vitamin facts or order the Dr. Weil vitamins in Daily Dose Packets.
About DrWeil.com and Weil Lifestyle
Weil Lifestyle, LLC, provides the public with information, products and services that enhance health and well-being, and helps individuals achieve a lifestyle guided by the philosophies of integrative medicine. The organization was founded to provide a funding platform to support the Weil Foundation, a non-profit organization that develops research and educational programs that support integrative medicine, improve health care and empower individuals to make better health choices. Headquartered in Phoenix, Weil Lifestyle is the owner of the Web sites, www.DrWeil.com, www.MyOptimumHealthPlan.com, and www.HealthyAging.com, and is the exclusive worldwide licensor of distinctive products and services that are developed, reviewed and approved by Dr. Andrew Weil.
DrWeil.com, created by Weil Lifestyle, is a free, all-inclusive consumer resource for healthy living information guided by the principles of integrative medicine. The site is comprised of first-generation content developed or supported by Dr. Weil, and is a leading resource for education, information, products and services that address consumers' health and well-being. Since 2000, the Web site has helped millions of consumers and health professionals stay abreast of news and information in the field. Its servers log more than 8 million page views and deliver more than 14 million free opt-in e-bulletins each month.