At the USANA International Convention I used facts and numbers from astronomy and the life sciences to illustrate what the phrase “No Limits” might mean to a scientist. The fact that there are billions of stars in the Milky Way, the galaxy that is our “home” in the universe, and the fact that we have billions of connections between the nerve cells in our brains, are concepts that can be difficult to grasp. They are of such large proportions that the mind wants to shut down when confronted with such complexity.
   The truth is, the numbers I quoted in my speech are only half the story. The closer you look at the natural world, on scales from the macroscopic universe to the microscopic world of cells, the more mind-boggling is. And trying to match these huge numbers with entities we may deal with on a daily basis can end up making them even more difficult to comprehend.
   For example, we know that there are about two hundred billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. That means if we handed them out to everybody, every man, woman and child on the Earth would get more than thirty stars, all to their own. These stars almost all have their own planets, and some of them might even contain alien life forms. That’s just in this one galaxy. We also know that there are more than a hundred billion galaxies existing beyond the Milky Way system. In total, the estimated number of stars in all the galaxies in the universe vastly exceeds the number of grains of sand on all the beaches in the world.
   I also talked about the human brain, the most complex structure we know of in the universe. Your brain contains about a hundred billion neurons, nerve cells with long extensions that reach to other nerve cells. Each neuron connects with a thousand to ten thousand other neurons. The connections are called synapses. While each of us got a (very) big box of thirty or more stars from the Milky Way in the example above, the number of interconnections in a single human brain far exceeds the number of stars in our galaxy. There are about 1011 stars versus 1015 synapses.1 In scientific notation, each number represents a power of ten, so there are 10X10X10X10 more synapses than there are stars. And they all fit in the box we call our head!
   It’s one of the marvels of the human brain that we can even comprehend such things. And you don’t have to feel bad if you just end up baffled by the whole thing. As Albert Einstein said, “The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is at all comprehensible.”
   I hope you haven’t been bored with this; it’s just a thought.

   In my last message on vitamin D I talked about how frequent deficiency of this important nutrient is among all age groups. We know that more than 1 billion people worldwide and 30-to-40% of the adult US population have inadequate levels of vitamin D. In addition, new evidence indicates that optimal levels are significantly higher than previously believed.
   Vitamin D is unique among essential nutrients in that we normally obtain most of what we need from exposure to the sun, rather than from our diet. Today we have various reasons for not being out in the sun as much as previous generations did. We have an exaggerated fear of sunburn and skin cancer, and too many excuses—from big-screen televisions to computer games—to stay inside.
   That means dietary sources and supplementation need to be resorted to to carry the day. Natural dietary sources of vitamin D include oily fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish oils. Small amounts are found in beef liver, cheese, and eggs. Fortified foods (dairy, breakfast cereals, fruit juices and meal replacements) provide most of the vitamin D in the Western diet.
   However, we obtain very little of our vitamin D from food, even from a healthy, well-balanced diet. The average American obtains only about 200 IU of vitamin D per day from food. This amount is only about 30-50% of the adult RDA. And given what we know now, it is only about 5-10% of the amount of vitamin D we need daily to maintain optimal health. Supplemental vitamin D, therefore, is critical to long-term good health today. The only option, then, if we don’t get proper sun exposure, is supplementation.
   How much supplemental vitamin D is required to make up for these shortfalls? On average about 2,000 IU of vitamin D in the summer and higher levels during the winter. We know this from a wide range of published clinical studies, as well as from clinical research conducted at USANA Health Sciences. It takes about 100 IU of supplemental vitamin D per day to increase blood concentrations of vitamin D by ~1 ng/ml. As a rule of thumb, advanced supplemental doses of vitamin D, to the tune of 2000-4000 IU/day, depending on season and lifestyle, are required to reverse vitamin D deficiency in most people. 
   I urge all of you to adopt a program of advanced vitamin D supplementation, one that supplies at least 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day, and preferably more during the winter months. As part of your overall strategy for maintaining optimal vitamin D status, you also need to complement this program with prudent sun exposure and regular vitamin D blood tests. I discuss both of these topics in detail in the future.

People ask me why—along with comprehensive diagnostic and medical programs—does Sanoviv also have an Oral Care Center. The reason is that you cannot truly say “I am healthy,” until you are sure that your teeth and gums are in good health. Gum disease alone can increase the risk of heart attack by as much as 25 percent, the risk of stroke by a factor of 10, and increase the severity of diabetes. Unfortunately, when you go to a physician to get a ‘clean bill of health,’ the oral cavity is frequently ignored.
I also believe that dentistry is not limited only to the teeth and gums. Sanoviv has a unique approach to oral conditions that involves many different health professionals in your oral health assessment. By having physicians, chiropractors, psychologists and nutritionists meet and collaborate, Sanoviv can provide a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plan far beyond what you’ve experienced before.
Traditional dentistry does not go to the extent of checking if dental materials that will go into your mouth are biocompatible or not. Nor do they check for hidden infections or oral cancer, metal galvanism, or dental procedures that could disturb the natural flow of energy in your body. There is perhaps only one other place in the world—Switzerland—where you can find dentistry that’s comparable to Sanoviv.
And you will hardly ever hear a traditional dentist refer to your tooth as an ‘organ’. That’s correct, you have 32 organs (including wisdom molars) in your mouth and all the other organs of your body are connected to your teeth in one way or another. At Sanoviv, dental health is an integral component of our approach to the whole person and all of his or her organs and systems.

   One of the events at the USANA International Convention in Salt Lake City that is always a highlight for me is the annual get-together sponsored by the Sanoviv Medical Institute. That’s where many of the people who have participated in the Sanoviv experience in the past gather to hear the most recent developments and to recount their memories of times spent in the wonderful, life-giving surroundings of Sanoviv. We also hope to attract people who want to know more about the Sanoviv concept of health and wellness. At this dinner you’ll hear the personal experiences of people who know first-hand what Sanoviv can do for your mind, body and spirit.
   Along with plenty of valuable information, the dinner always features real Sanoviv food. By that I mean you can get a good idea of how delicious and satisfying truly healthy cuisine really can be.
   This year there will be several speakers sharing their experiences at Sanoviv, including Dr. Denis Waitley, myself, and others. The special entertainment guest is David Osmond. Yes, from the famous Osmond family. The event happens on Friday, August 28, 2009, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the Salt Palace.
   Anyone who has not already signed up and would like to get a better idea of what Sanoviv is all about should probably hurry and make a reservation
   I’d love to see you there.

Prudence and I are soon to return to North America to prepare for USANA’s annual International Convention in Salt Lake City. It’s the biggest event of the year. Weeks before the event takes place, I start to get excited about the prospect of once again seeing so many friends and my USANA family.

I’m also anxious just to see what things are going to happen this year, to see all the effects and showmanship and surprises—yes, they pull surprises on me every year. I never know what Dr Waitley has up his sleeve. And I always leave convention inspired and committed, convinced that USANA is on the right track for this critical time, engaged in a worthy cause and truly making a difference in the world.

In my opinion, I think USANA year after year produces the best conventions anywhere. Of course I may be a bit prejudiced because I like just about everything that USANA does. But this year we received some exciting recognition. In June USANA received a “Stevie” for the best convention in the U.S. The Stevie Awards were created in 2002 to generate public recognition of the accomplishments and contribution of companies and business people worldwide. In just the few years since its inception, the “Stevies” have become among the world’s most coveted awards among corporations, and are now considered the business world’s own Oscar awards. It’s a great honor to be recognized amongst hundreds of business events across the nation as being the best. Wow! That’s real recognition!

It would be my wish that every USANA Associate could attend our annual convention, but that would require a bigger building than exits exists in Utah or anywhere else. There are many, many rewards of participating in USANA gatherings, large and small. USANA Studios works hard to make sure that every USANA event, from the International Convention to each of the regional Celebrations, is valuable and worthwhile attending.

I look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City.