Q) Do I need to supplement my diet with ConcenTrace® even though the minerals are used as a base ingredient in other MRI products?

A) Yes, the daily need for minerals is constant and our liquid minerals are the most readily assimilated form the body can use. According to Mildred Seelig, M.D., M.P.H., Master of the American College of Nutrition, numerous dietary surveys have shown that most Americans do not receive enough magnesium, one of the most abundant minerals in ConcenTrace®. Most peoples' intake of magnesium is well below the ECRDA of 300mg established by the Food Standards Agency. Therefore, additional supplementation may not be a bad idea. A good rule of thumb is 1 drop of ConcenTrace® for every 6 pounds of body weight.


Q) What does ConcenTrace® taste like?

A) ConcenTrace® has a mineral flavour that is quite strong. One suggestion is to drink it with juice (orange, lemon, or tomato juice works well) as it will mask the flavour of the minerals or you can divide the dosage and add 8 to 10 drops to an 227ml bottle of water and drink that 2 or 3 times a day.


Q) I purchased a bottle of ConcenTrace® and also pH chemical paper to measure the pH of liquids including water. I tested the pH of distilled water and found it to be acidic. I then placed ten drops of ConcenTrace® in a glass filled with distilled water and tested the pH again. According to the results I received, the distilled water remained as acidic as it was prior to adding ConcenTrace®. I also tested the pH of ConcenTrace® by itself and, again, according to my test results, it was acidic. Do you have an explanation for this? Is ConcenTrace® acidic?

A) Jared Bowden, MRI's Chemist and Lab Manager, answers: According to the experiments I have performed in the lab using a Fisher Scientific Digital readout pH meter calibrated before each experiment, I recorded the pH of the trace mineral drops to be approximately 5.8 - 6.1. On average, distilled water has a pH range of 5.5 - 6.0 depending on the type of mechanism used to make the distilled water. Therefore, the pH of ConcenTrace® and distilled water are roughly the same and would change the pH of distilled water only a small amount. However, if you adjust the pH of the distilled water by adding a drop of vinegar to it and use your pH paper to test the acidity of the solution, you will find that it becomes acidic. By adding 20 - 30 drops of the ConcenTrace® to the acidic solution, you will find that the solution will return to the original pH due to the buffering effect of the trace mineral drops. In my research, I have found that ConcenTrace® acts as a buffer. A buffer has an effect that when an acid or base is added to a buffered solution, the solution can absorb a great deal of acid or base with very little change to the pH.


WithIn (Hair, Skin and Nails)


Q) Can I take WithIn with other MRI products?

A) Yes, WithIn compliments many of the other products and is an important part of the daily health and skin care regimen. It works well in combination with our female products Transcend and Perfect Balance.

Q) Does this replace my multi-vitamin?

A) Yes, in addition to providing nutritional support for the hair, skin and nails, WithIn also provides the necessary minerals, vitamins and nutrients necessary for maintaining optimal health. In addition, WithIn contains a food base and digestive enzymes that allow for gentle assimilation of all the nutrients. Therefore, WithIn is an excellent daily multi-vitamin, multi-mineral and nutrient supplement.

Q) I am taking the WithIn formula. Do I need to take the Electro-Vita-Min tablets as well?

A) This is one occasion where it is not necessary to use Electro-Vita-Min as a synergistic companion product. The WithIn formula uses a total vitamin, mineral, trace mineral and raw food enzyme formula that does not need further supplementation such as the Electro-Vita-Min tablets would provide. In fact for some people, WithIn has become their favoured supplement. It all depends on each person's health requirement and metabolism.


Stress-X


Q) Should I take this product everyday?

A) Stress-X is formulated to provide the body with the minerals, vitamins and nutrients the body needs to adapt and cope with stress. When we are under stress, minerals such as magnesium and vitamins such as B and C are quickly utilised and lost. However, if you are experiencing long-term or prolonged stress, then proper nutrition and supplementation is absolutely necessary. Take Stress-X as often as needed to adapt to stress and, consider, for prolonged stress, proper nourishment in combination with an exercise regimen or time devoted to relaxing and less-stressful activities.


NatuRest


Q) Will this product make me drowsy?

A) Naturest-Restful is not a drug, it is a mineral-herbal combination product that calms, relaxes and nourishes the nervous system. Naturest-Restful contains minerals like magnesium and calcium that aid nerve stability combined with calming herbs like hops, valerian and chamomile that relax and smooth muscle and ease tension. It promotes relaxation but will not cause drowsiness.

Q) Can I take this product during the daytime?

A) Yes, some of our customers have remarked they prefer to take Naturest-Restful during the daytime in order to promote calmness and to help cope with stress. Naturest-Restful is also great for daytime stress as well as anxiety, muscle spasms and nervousness. As with any product, results will vary from person to person.


CellEnergy


Q) Can I take CellEnergy at night?

A) CellEnergy was formulated to provide minerals, vitamins and nutrients to assist each cell within our body. The nutrients in this product energise, rejuvenate and detoxify cells burdened by excess waste or toxins thereby increasing bio-electrical energy. As such, this formula tends to have an energizing effect rather than a calming one. CellEnergy can be taken at night, however, it is not recommended as it might impede slumber.

Q) Do I need to take any of the other MRI products with the CellEnergy?

A) CellEnergy works best when it is consumed with a meal. To complement the nutrients in CellEnergy or to increase the synergistic effect of this product, Electro-Vita-Min and WithIn are an excellent companion product.


Transcend


Q) Do I need to take additional calcium when I use this product?

A) Transcend contains 400 milligrams of calcium. The ECRDA for calcium is 800mg/day. To ensure you receive the recommended amount of calcium each day in addition to the necessary minerals and trace minerals like magnesium, boron, copper and manganese that work in cooperation with calcium to increase bone density, try our Complete Calcium or Calcium & Magnesium. Both are fine products and are a great companion product to Transcend, especially if you are concerned about obtaining optimal intakes of calcium.


Perfect Balance


Q) Will Perfect Balance help the cramps and mood swings I feel before I start my period?

A) It may. It is estimated that nearly 1/3 of American women are affected by Premenstrual Tension (PMT). Perfect Balance was precisely formulated to replace the minerals, vitamins, herbs and nutrients that a woman's body loses or uses up prior to or during her Menstrual cycle. It also helps to replace nutrients that are lacking due to poor diet or stress. Studies have shown that women suffering from PMT have lower levels of calcium and magnesium in their body before their period. Research also corroborates that PMT responds to supplementation of magnesium or a combination of magnesium with trace minerals and vitamins. Perfect Balance replaces these valuable minerals in addition to valuable B-vitamins and herbs such as chaste tree berry, dong quai and black cohosh herbs valued for their ability to correct hormonal imbalance and painful cramps. Over the years, MRI has received numerous testimonials from satisfied customers reporting that Perfect Balance eliminated or reduced menstrual cramps, mood swings and food cravings.


Arth - X Plus


Q) How is this product different from the original Arth - X?

A) Arth - X Plus, as with Arth-X, is designed to provide essential minerals, vitamins, herbs and other nutrients key to nourish the body and provide it with the nutritional building blocks it needs to maintain optimal joint health and mobility. Arth-X Plus contains additional ingredients such as glucosamine sulphate, a naturally occurring substance found in high concentrations in healthy joints. Studies show that glucosamine provides relief from pain and stimulates the production of chondroitin, another component of healthy cartilage. The herbal blend of Arth-X plus contains horsetail, which promotes healing of connective tissue and bone; red clover blossom, which acts as a blood purifier and celery seed, which is utilised as a soothing agent for arthritis and rheumatism as well as an acid neutraliser.


ImmunoMax


Q) There seem to be so many immune-related illnesses around these days. Is there anything that I can do to strengthen my immune system?

A) Our immune systems have never been under as much concerted attack as they are today. Stress, of course, is one of the major contributors to immune system breakdown. In addition, other factors such as pollution, pesticide residues present in our foods and the highly refined, unhealthy nature of our diet compound the problem. To boost immune system health, MRI has formulated ImmunoMax. This exceptional product contains the necessary minerals, vitamins, herbs and food factors your body requires to fight the germs that threaten to overwhelm your immune system every day. ImmunoMax contains zinc, vitamins A and C in addition to powerful herbs like astragalus, olive leaf, echinacea and shitake mushroom to enhance your body's natural killer cell function. Also, Electro-Vita-Min (EVM), one of MRI's daily multi-vitamin, multi-mineral formulas, is one of the most powerful means available to boost energy, nutrition and the immune system. It is a blockbuster nutritional formula comprised of minerals, trace minerals, the full spectrum of essential vitamins (all the vitamins needed for health) in addition to concentrated food bases that provide additional nutrients. EVM also contains raw food enzymes that enhance the absorption and assimilation of the minerals, vitamins and nutrients. The results are phenomenal, particularly for those with a weakened immune system.


General


Q) Why are your tablets so large?

A) "Our philosophy has always been to give the public good value," answers Farley Anderson, co-owner of MRI. "As a result, our tablets contain 2 to 3 times what is found in competitors' capsules. This is so even though our prices are lower than theirs! When we first started to produce our tablets, we spent a great deal of time researching the ideal tablet size. We came across a scientifically designed new shape that was proven easy to swallow, yet delivered the maximum amount of nutrients to satisfy our corporate philosophy. This shape was also ideal for our company because we had so many good things we wanted to put into our products to deliver maximum results." Most supplement manufacturers, says Anderson, only use plant extracts. This allows for a smaller tablet but also affect the freshness and quality of the supplement as well. Because MRI is committed to providing the highest quality dietary supplement products, we utilise whole herbs in its formulas in conjunction with plant extracts (in some of its formulas) to assure potency and value. Although the tablet size is slightly larger compared to most tablets and capsules. In addition, says Anderson, customer feedback indicated that most consumers did not want to take a larger quantity of smaller tablets. Most preferred taking a smaller quantity of tablets even if the size was a little bit larger than the average tablet size. Anderson notes, "Tablet swallowing is a skill similar to riding a bike - once mastered, it becomes second nature. The rewards are well worth the effort."


Q) Why do some customers experience mild diarrhoea when they first take the minerals? What should I advise my customers if they experience mild diarrhoea?

A) Anae Campbell, nutritionist and master herbalist, who formulated the CellEnergy product responds, "As we live in a world of mineral depleted soil and water, we have more and more foods which are mineral depleted. Wheat, for instance, now has about half the nutritional value it had 10 years ago!! This in turn, causes our bodies to become deficient in certain minerals and, as a result, we lack the strength our forefathers had. With this in mind, when minerals are first taken into one's body, in strength, and there is a deficiency, the liver immediately notices this difference. The liver is highly reactive to any substance it is not used to and, therefore, will produce bile to remove it from the system. This is a healthy reaction of the body and is completely natural. This is why some of the products may cause diarrhoea: the system is becoming cleansed, rejuvenated and accustomed to the 'nutritional sparkplug' action of the body becoming bio-electrically balanced. If your body shows a reaction to supplementation or food, start slowly and build up to the desired amount. Customers taking this product for the first time should begin with a reduced dosage, gradually increasing the dosage to the recommended amount or to an amount he or she feels comfortable with.


Q) What is the difference between ConcenTrace® Trace Mineral Drops, ConcenTrace® Trace Mineral Tablets, and Electrolyte Stamina Tablets?

A) Hartley Anderson, Founder of MRI, answers, "The liquid trace minerals are a highly concentrated form of Utah's Inland Sea. The sodium chloride 'salt' has been removed using natural methods. For years, we were unable to achieve a dry powder status with our liquid because it is 'hygroscopic,' meaning it absorbs moisture from the air. Through research and development and careful testing, however, we discovered a special method of taking the liquid minerals and adding herbs such as alfalfa and kelp to form a tablet. Thus, our Trace Mineral Tablets were born.' 'Electrolyte Stamina Tablets are a balance of chloride, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. A minor miracle is achieved by then adding a small amount of Inland Sea® Water (to attain the proper 1:2 ratio of potassium to sodium).' 'Adequate blood levels of potassium and magnesium are necessary to stabilise and prevent "leakiness" of the membrane that surrounds our body's cells and are essential for normal balance of levels of sodium and potassium across this membrane. All these vital minerals are the base of all trace mineral products."


Q) How do minerals and trace minerals actually work inside our body?

A) Voluminous research has proven that minerals and trace minerals are vital to our well being and are the key to abundant good health and vitality. These elements work together to operate in complete harmony. The minerals and trace minerals work with one another in addition to vitamins, enzymes and amino acids to maintain proper acid-base and water balance and a number of other important physiologic functions, in addition to conducting electrical activity from the brain to the body and vice versa. Once an ionic mineral is absorbed it is carried via the bloodstream to the cells, transported across cell membranes and then utilised by the body. For more information about the specific functions certain minerals perform in the body, please refer to mineral monographs located near the end of the training manual.


Q) What is more important? Vitamins or Minerals?

A) Both are absolutely essential to human health. Every living cell depends on minerals and vitamins to form the proper composition of body fluids, to build bone, to transmit nerve impulses from the nervous system, etc. Both vitamins and minerals are interdependent on one another. As important as vitamins are to our health, without minerals and trace minerals, the vitamins simply do not work! What is needed is a combination of both minerals and vitamins because research had proven the fact that when taken together, the result is a synergistic action (the whole being larger than the parts).


Q) Are all minerals and trace minerals the same? What is the difference between "Ionic"      minerals and "colloidal" minerals?

A) No, all minerals and trace minerals are not the same. An ionic mineral is a charged element that, when broken down into solution, becomes either positively or negatively charged. In solution, ionic minerals work to find a neutral balance by associating positive and negative charges. As minerals pass through the small intestine, your body binds ionised elements and transfers them to the blood stream where they are then directed to the specific area(s) of your body requiring additional support. Colloidal minerals are those elements that are mined from ancient sea beds and vegetation. They are whole clumps of atoms that are suspended in a solution. As such, they cannot be easily assimilated by the body and do not conduct body electrically.