to blood sugar poses major risks-and little benefit
I know I talk about blood sugar a lot, but there's a reason for that. Healthy blood sugar levels are an essential part of good health.
So it's important to keep your levels in check. But it's equally important to do it the right way. The fact is, the best approach is to maintain healthy blood sugar levels from the start. That way, you NEVER have to worry about getting to the point where you may need drugs.
Because unfortunately, the typical mainstream approach isn't working. In fact, according to a new study, keeping an overly tight rein on blood sugar with prescription drugs causes some serious problems. And very few-if any-benefits.
Researchers analyzed a group of 1,288 people age 65 or older. They found that tighter blood sugar control with medications did not make these people any better over a 10-year period. In fact, they experienced more low blood-sugar attacks (hypoglycemia). And hypoglycemia can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, dizziness, and even loss of consciousness.1
So much for the "more is better" approach, which is so typical of conventional medical therapy.
But the good news is, you can avoid these pitfalls altogether-by giving your body the support it needs from the outset.
I know it can seem daunting to avoid the up-and-down rollercoaster ride those everyday blood sugar swings can bring. But my goal is to make that as simple as possible for my patients-and for you. And of course, the best place to start when it comes to avoiding those blood sugar swings and keeping your levels healthy in the first place is with a wholesome, nutritious diet and regular exercise (both of which I'm always reminding you about).
But I've also found that there are some supplements that can help give your body some additional support as well.
In fact, last year I introduced a revolutionary approach that addresses one of the most overlooked aspects of maintaining healthy blood sugar: liver health.
A new and effective way to naturally support blood sugar in healthy adults
Quite simply, there's currently no other ingredient in the world like Glucevia(tm). Glucevia is a proprietary version of Fraxinus excelsior-the European Ash tree. What makes this standardized Fraxinus excelsior extract so different from every other blood-sugar supplement on the market is that it directly supports liver function in healthy people.
Under normal conditions, your muscles and liver store excess glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream as glycogen-or as I call it, "stowaway sugar." Your liver hangs on to this secret stockpile of sugar as a form of backup energy in case of emergency.
The problem is, we rarely face those kinds of emergencies today.
And living in a constant state of excess interferes with your body's ability to convert extra glucose into glycogen. While at the same time prompting your liver to release even more sugar into your bloodstream.
This means your glucose levels just keep getting higher-both directly following a meal and long after. And what happens to all that excess stowaway sugar?
It turns into triglycerides-and you wind up with a layer of fat around your liver. Meanwhile, anything that's leftover simply remains in your bloodstream, where it wreaks havoc on your body in a nonstop cycle.
As you can see, if your liver isn't operating at peak performance, it simply can't clear the sugar out of your blood effectively.
And that's exactly where Glucevia comes in...
It helps promote proper uptake of blood sugar into your liver and muscles. And early lab research shows it can help maintain proper liver function AND blood-sugar levels in healthy people. There's no other product on the market that I know of that can make the same claim.
Unfortunately, since it's still so new, Glucevia can be hard to find. But when I learned about it, I wanted all of my patients and readers to be able to benefit from the revolutionary approach to blood sugar support it offers. So I included it-along with a few other carefully selected ingredients-in a new formula to help maintain normal blood sugar levels in healthy people.
I call it Glucynergy Advanced, and-so far, it's showing stunning results in readers and patients alike
Amazingly, no one appears to have looked into this liver-blood sugar connection but me. That's why I was so excited to bring you Glucynergy Advanced last April. And the results I've had with my patients who take it have been staggering. They tell me all the time how much they love it.
Not to mention the letters I've received from readers like you, who have tried this truly breakthrough formula. Like this one, from D.K.:
"Exactly as you stated, for the first time in my past 50 years my A1C numbers [went] from 8.8 down to 6.8, which to me is incredible. The past four years, I have dieted, and my A1C would not budge! I have also followed your other advice and eliminated sugar and all refined carbohydrates from my diet. Thank you, Dr. Fred-you are the best thing I've discovered in my 77 years!"
This is what keeps me going.
But it's not just these personal experiences that support this revolutionary approach to blood sugar health. There have also been a number of new studies showing just how effective some of the individual ingredients in Glucynergy Advanced really are.
Impressive results backed by solid science
The main ingredient in Glucynergy Advanced is Glucevia-made from the seeds and fruits of the European ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior). And the research on this extract just keeps getting better and better.
For instance, a new study of 22 men and women, ages 50 to 80 found that people who took capsules containing an extract made from Fraxinus excelsior had significantly better blood sugar than those who took a placebo.2 After just three weeks.
Glucynergy Advanced also incorporates two other cutting-edge ingredients that I believe are indispensable for complete blood-sugar health.
The first is a specialized, "supercharged" form of the B vitamin thiamine, called benfotiamine.
This ingredient addresses one of the most dangerous side effects of too much sugar in your body: the formation of advanced glycation end products. Known appropriately as AGEs, because they age your body cell by cell. Benfotiamine helps prevent AGEs from forming.
Glucynergy's other key ingredient is mulberry leaf extract, which also is the subject of exciting new research.
In the first study, published last fall, participants who took a mulberry leaf extract for four weeks showed an improvement in their blood sugar levels after meals, plus lower insulin levels.3 This is a key finding because it's critical to preserve your insulin. The more you use, the more you need. It's a slippery slope you don't want to go down.
Another new study showed a potential side benefit of mulberry leaf extract. Researchers found that cells treated with mulberry leaf extract actually accumulated less fat.4 And there were no toxic side effects. So in addition to supporting blood sugar, this simple, natural ingredient may offer a safe way to help you maintain a healthy weight.
If I wasn't convinced that these ingredients were amazing both alone and in combination before, I sure am now. In fact, thanks to this new research, I am more convinced than ever.
Personally, I've never seen a more well-researched line-up for natural blood-sugar support. And I'm both proud and excited to be the one who introduced this revolutionary formula to you.
And I'm so happy to hear all the success stories-not only from my patients, but my readers as well.
Helping people is why I became a doctor. And I'm thrilled to keep bringing you the latest and greatest supplements that can help you maintain optimal health safely and naturally-including Glucevia. I believe it's one of the most exciting breakthroughs in natural blood sugar support to come along in years. But, amazingly, it's still not widely known in the natural medicine world.
You can find Glucevia as a stand-alone ingredient in a product called Nanogluco Control by a company called BioPharma (www.biopharmasci.com). And, of course, you can also find it in my Glucynergy Advanced formula, along with benfotiamine and mulberry leaf extract.
Glucynergy Advanced is available by clicking the Shop tab on the top of the website. It works best when taken directly before a meal, and I recommend two capsules per day. You can take the two capsules at once or you can split them up over the course of two meals. Whatever suits you best.
Sources:
1Lipska KJ, et al. Potential Overtreatment of Diabetes Mellitus in Older Adults With Tight Glycemic Control. JAMA Intern Med. Published online January 12, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7345.
2Zulet MA, et al. A Fraxinus excelsior L. seeds/fruits extract benefits glucose homeostasis and adiposity related markers in elderly overweight/obese subjects: a longitudinal, randomized, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled nutritional intervention study. Phytomedicine. 2014 Sep 15;21(10):1162-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2014.04.027. Epub 2014 May 28.
3Kim JY, et al. Mulberry Leaf Extract Improves Postprandial Glucose Response in Prediabetic Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Med Food. 2014 Oct 24. [Epub ahead of print].
4Yang SJ, et al. Anti-adipogenic effect of mulberry leaf ethanol extract in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
5Nutr Res Pract. 2014 Dec;8(6):613-7. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2014.8.6.613. Epub 2014 Nov 28.
supplements now more than ever
Now another new study shows I was right.
Researchers analyzed both the body mass index (BMI) and nutrient intake of more than 18,000 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that the higher a person's BMI, the more likely they were to suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Over 40 percent of the participants didn't get enough vitamins A, C, D, and E, calcium, and magnesium from their diets.2
And if that weren't bad enough, the people who were obese were even more malnourished. Overall, they got 5 to 12 percent fewer of those nutrients than their normal-weight peers.
Obviously, this is just one more reason why it's important to maintain a healthy weight. But it also shows just how vital nutritional supplements are for good health.
In fact, a daily multivitamin may be one of the most important parts of any weight loss regimen. And not just because you need additional nutritional support if you're carrying extra pounds. Other research shows that daily multivitamins can actually help you lose weight.
I'll tell you more about that in a moment, but first, let's look more closely at this new study.
They're called essential nutrients for a reason
All of the vitamins and minerals found lacking in the study are crucial to good health. A shortage of even just one of them can play havoc with any number of your bodily functions.
Here's a quick rundown of what each of these essential nutrients does:
Vitamin A. This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for healthy eyes-helping protect against macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts. It also keeps your immune system strong so you can fight off infections. And vitamin A is also known as the anti-aging vitamin because it helps make your skin supple and reduces wrinkles.
I recommend 2,000 IU of vitamin A acetate per day.
Vitamin C. Humans are the only animals that can't make their own vitamin C internally, so it's vital that we get this essential nutrient from food or supplements.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help fight heart disease and strokes. And, as I told you in the Reality Health Check back in September ("Oldie-but-goodie nutrient making headlines again"), new research shows that this cold-fighting nutrient can also boost your energy as well. Furthermore, it's an essential component of collagen, which helps heal wounds and, like vitamin A, makes your skin look younger.
I recommend at least 3,000 mg of vitamin C a day
Vitamin D. More research comes out about the benefits of this essential nutrient every day. There's almost nothing it CAN'T do.
As I wrote in the May and October 2014 issues of Logical Health Alternatives, this wonder vitamin can substantially boost your cognitive health, help fight Alzheimer's disease, guard against depression, cut your risk of breast or prostate cancer in half, help prevent heart disease, and improve fibromyalgia symptoms. And of course, it's essential for strong bones.
I recommend at least5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. And as much as 10,000 IU per day in the winter, when there's not enough sun to help your body make this essential vitamin.
Vitamin E. Studies have shown this potent antioxidant can protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, eye problems, and pneumonia. And, as I reported a few months ago in the Reality Health Check (1/26/15, subject line "'Everyday' vitamin offers 1,000 times more protection against deadly pneumonia"),interesting new research shows that vitamin E may even be able to make your immune system younger. Which makes it an ideal weapon against immunity rot-the gradual erosion of your immune defenses over time.
(You can read the full story on immunity rot in the May 2014 issue of Logical Health Alternatives. To access this issue-and all of the other articles and Reality Health Checks I've referenced here, you can access the archives by clicking on "Subscriber Sign-In" at the top of the page and entering your username and password. Then simply enter what you're looking for in the Search box in the upper right corner of the website.)
I recommend 800 IU of vitamin E per day. Just be sure to look for a full-spectrum product. Most common forms of vitamin E are straight alpha tocopherol. But this is actually the synthetic form of vitamin E-and it's not what you want.
Look for a supplement with high levels of gamma tocopherol, along with all the other tocopherols and tocotrienols (there are four of each, for a total of eight), instead.
Calcium. This mineral is best known for its role in building and protecting bones. But as I've said before, it does much more.
Research shows that when it's paired with vitamin D, calcium can help you lose weight-including dangerous belly fat. And other research found that calcium plus vitamin D3 can help balance blood lipids (specifically, it's been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol).
I recommend 500 mg of calcium per day.
- Research is rapidly showing that magnesium may be as all-around beneficial for your body as vitamin D.
And the National Institutes of Health also cites magnesium's role in lowering the risk of diabetes, boosting immunity, maintaining proper muscle and nerve function, and strengthening bones.
Magnesium comes in many forms. I generally recommend magnesium orotate (32 mg a day) or magnesium taurate (125 mg a day).
The best-and easiest-way to get all the nutritional support you need
You can get all of these nutrients individually, but an easier option is to take a high-quality multivitamin. And as I mentioned earlier, new research suggests taking a multivitamin can help your weight-loss efforts.
A study of 96 obese women, ages 18 to 55, found that those who took a multivitamin daily for six months lost an average of about 8 pounds each, compared to about 2 pounds for women who took a stand-alone calcium supplement, and just half a pound for women who received a placebo. The multivitamin group also had significant reductions in BMI and waist circumference.3
Another study analyzed the effects of multivitamin supplementation on 45 obese men and women who were also on a calorie-restricted diet. The study participants were given either a multivitamin or a placebo for 15 weeks. Both groups lost significant amounts of weight. But the women who took the multivitamins were less hungry than the women who took placebos-which is no small benefit. And the men who took the multivitamins lost more weight and body fat than any of the other groups.4
Of course, not all multivitamins are created equal. Most of the popular brands you find in supermarkets and big chain retail stores rely on government recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for nutrients, which mountains of studies show are woefully inadequate. These common brands also tend to use synthetic, less-potent forms of vital nutrients like vitamin E. And then there are the "one-a-day" formulas that try to fit a whole day's worth of nutrients into a tiny pill that you take once a day, or worse yet, a handful of sugar-filled gummies!
These formulas are convenient. But they won't make much of an impact on your health-let alone the sweeping epidemic of malnutrition happening in this country.
Thanks to the new research I told you about above, we know just how widespread nutrient deficiencies really are. Current estimates indicate roughly 69 percent of adults in the U.S. over age 20 are overweight. That means more than 2 out of every 3 people aren't getting the nutrients they need to be healthy. So it's absolutely critical to find a high-quality multivitamin formula that will provide you with the right nutrients in the right doses.
Instead of opting for one of those one-a-day store brand multis, you're much better off looking for a liquid or powdered drink mix multivitamin formula. These forms can pack in far more nutrients-in far more optimal doses-than a pill.
Sources:
1 "Households with a Stunted Child and Obese Mother: Trends and Child Feeding Practices in a Middle-Income Country, 1992-2008."Matern Child Health J, epub ahead of print 12/12/14
2Agarwal S, et al. Comparison of Prevalence of Inadequate Nutrient Intake Based on Body Weight Status of Adults in the United States: An Analysis of NHANES 2001-2008.Am Coll Nutr. 2015 Jan 7:1-9. [Epub ahead of print].
3Li Y, et al. Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women.Int J Obes (Lond). 2010 Jun;34(6):1070-7. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2010.14. Epub 2010 Feb 9.
4Major GC, et al. Multivitamin and dietary supplements, body weight and appetite: results from a cross-sectional and a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study. Br J Nutr. 2008 May;99(5):1157-67. Epub 2007 Nov 1.
up in the Geritol Generation
But as it turns out, the opposite problem is much more common-and much more deadly.
A study of about 1,400 American men and women ages 67 to 96found that only about 3 percent of the participants had too little iron in their bodies. But a surprising 13 percent had iron levels that were too high.1
Why? Well, first of all, we just naturally accumulate iron in our cells as we age. In fact, one lab study found that older cells have 10 times as much iron as younger cells.2
And of course, as with every health issue, lifestyle is a key factor. In a follow-up to the study I mentioned above, researchers found that the people who had excess iron in their bodies mainly fell into three categories: They ate more than four servings of red meat a week, they took more than 30 mg of iron supplements a day, or they consumed more than 21 servings of fruit a week.3
I'll tell you why these are all risk factors for iron overload in a moment. But first, let's look at what iron does for your body, the serious consequences of iron overload, and some natural ways you can help your body flush out excess iron.
Too much of a good thing
Iron is an essential mineral that your body needs to function properly. Iron's main job is to transport oxygen throughout your body. Two-thirds of your body's iron is in your hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that moves oxygen out of your lungs and around your body. If you don't get enough iron, your body can't make an adequate amount of red blood cells. And that leads to anemia.
But anemia isn't as common as we've all been led to believe. In fact, as I mentioned above, iron overload is much more prevalent and can be even more harmful to your body than iron deficiency.
Why you probably don't need an iron supplement
Once iron enters your body, it doesn't leave very easily. Basically, you have to lose blood-which is why pre-menopausal women rarely have iron overload.
But for men and postmenopausal women, if you get too much iron-either through supplements or your diet-it has to go somewhere. And unfortunately, its favorite places tend to be your heart, liver, pancreas, and brain. This can lead to problems like heart arrhythmias, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
A study of more than 32,000 women found that those with the most iron in their bodies were almost three times as likely to have diabetes than those with the lowest levels.4 And men fared even worse-one large study found that males with high levels of iron in their bodies had a 63 percent greater chance of developing diabetes than men with lower levels.5
In another study, researchers did MRIs on the brains of 31 people with Alzheimer's and 68 people without the disease. They found that compared to the healthy people, the Alzheimer's patients had excess iron and damaged tissue.6 And other research has shown that iron also affects the part of the brain associated with other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.7
Cancer is another serious consequence of iron overload. Researchers suspect that excess iron can create free radicals that can cause healthy cells to turn cancerous. In fact, a study of more than 1,200 veterans found that those with normal iron levels had a 37 percent reduction in overall cancer incidence compared to people with iron overload.8
Natural solutions for flushing out excess iron
So how can you tell if you have too much iron in your body? Unfortunately, many of the symptoms-like fatigue, joint or abdominal pain, low libido, or depression-are signs of other diseases, so iron overload can be difficult to diagnose. That's why it's a good idea to ask your doctor for a ferritin blood test to specifically measure your iron levels. Generally this level should be around 75.
If it turns out you do have iron overload, one of the quickest, easiest ways to help correct the problem is to become a regular blood donor.
There are also some supplements that naturally bind to iron molecules in the body and can help flush them out through the kidneys. 9,10
- Quercitin, which is found in onions, garlic, tea, or as a supplement. I recommend 50 mg a day.
- Green tea. You have to drink multiple cups of tea to get the health benefits, so I recommend taking 500 mg daily of supplements as well. Look for standardized green tea extracts that are at least 50 percent polyphenols (95 percent is ideal). The best products also contain 60 percent catechins and 30 percent EGCG (green tea's active ingredients).
- Curcumin, which is the active ingredient of the spice turmeric (also available as a supplement). Take 500 mg a day.
- Milk thistle. I recommend 200 mg per day.
- Alpha lipoic acid. Take 300 mg per day.
First of all, if your iron levels are too high, you definitely shouldn't be taking an iron supplement-or any supplements that contain iron (check your multivitamin in particular).
Second, stay away from "fortified" cereals and other packaged products. (These are typically junk food in disguise anyway.)
As for foods that contain iron, the most common sources include red meat, oysters, clams, mussels, and beans, so you want to be careful not to go overboard with these. Three or fewer servings a week is a good general goal.
You should also be careful of your fruit consumption. Some fruits-like watermelon, persimmons, and some berries-naturally contain small amounts of iron. So if you're eating huge amounts (like the 21 servings a week noted in the study I told you about above), it can add up. If you're eating watermelon and berries in moderation, though, you shouldn't have a problem.
Dried fruits, on the other hand, are much higher in iron than fresh fruit. Dates, raisins, currants, prunes, and dried apricots are all particularly problematic. And dried fruits are much higher in sugar, anyway, so you're better off steering clear of them regardless.
The bottom line is you likely need LESS iron-not more. Believe it or not, Geritol still exists, but iron deficiency is increasingly a thing of the past.
Sources:
1Fleming D, et al. Iron status of the free-living, elderly Framingham Heart Study cohort: an iron-replete population with a high prevalence of elevated iron stores. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:638-46.
2Killilea DW, et al. Iron accumulation during cellular senescence in human fibroblasts in vitro.Antioxid Redox Signal. 2003 Oct;5(5):507-16.
3Fleming D, et al. Dietary factors associated with the risk of high iron stores in the elderly Framingham Heart Study cohort. Am J Clin Nutr December 2002 vol. 76 no. 6 1375-1384
4Jiang R, et al. Body Iron Stores in Relation to Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Apparently Healthy Women. JAMA. 2004;291(6):711-717. doi:10.1001/jama.291.6.711.
5Jiang R, et al. Dietary iron intake and blood donations in relation to risk of type 2 diabetes in men: a prospective cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr January 2004 vol. 79 no. 1 70-75.
6Raven EP, et al. Increased Iron Levels and Decreased Tissue Integrity in Hippocampus of Alzheimer's Disease Detected in vivo with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. J Alzheimers Dis. 2013;37(1):127-36. doi: 10.3233/JAD-130209.
7Bartzokis G, et al.Brain ferritin iron as a risk factor for age at onset in neurodegenerative diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Mar;1012:224-36.
8Zacharski L, et al. Decreased Cancer Risk After Iron Reduction in Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease: Results From a Randomized Trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008;100:1-7.
9Mladenka P, et al. In vitro analysis of iron chelating activity of flavonoids. J Inorg Biochem. 2011 May;105(5):693-701.
10Mandel SA, et al. Multifunctional activities of green tea catechins in neuroprotection. Modulation of cell survival genes, iron-dependent oxidative stress and PKC signaling pathway. Neurosignals. 2005;14(1-2):46-60.
without risky antibiotics or sticky syrup
For up to 40 percent of Americans, though, there's one remnant of winter that continues into spring: a nagging cough that just won't go away. In fact, according to a study published last November in the Lancet, a persistent cough is the most common reason in for seeing a doctor in the US. 1
And of course, far too many doctors end up prescribing antibiotics for these sorts of unexplained, "non-specific" coughs. But unless your cough has an underlying bacterial cause (which is very unlikely), antibiotics won't help. What they WILL do is contribute to the dangerous problem of antibiotic resistance in this country.
The good news is, in most instances, a nagging cough will go away on its own. It just takes longer than you might expect. According to a study published in 2013, the average duration of a normal viral cough is almost 3 weeks (18 days, to be exact).2
But you don't have to be miserable while you're waiting it out. There are some effective natural ways to soothe a cough (ones that are much safer than over-the-counter cough suppressants).
Why the most common natural cough remedy may not be your best bet-and what to do instead
The most common natural cough remedy is honey. And there is quite a bit of research behind it, including an interesting study published recently that tested a honey and coffee mixture against two mainstream treatments for cough-the oral steroid prednisone and guaifenesin, a common ingredient in many over-the-counter cough medicines.3 The honey/coffee mixture was the clear winner. It reduced the severity and frequency of the patients' coughing episodes significantly better than either drug.
But as you know, I'm not a huge proponent of honey. Your body reacts to honey the same way it does to sugar. In fact, honey has slightly more carbohydrates and more calories per teaspoon than sugar. So that makes it a bad idea for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Fortunately, there are other natural ways to soothe your cough that won't wreak havoc on your blood sugar.
Research shows the herb thyme can help relieve coughs. It opens up the airways and helps relax the muscles of the trachea and bronchial tubes. You can make a nice, soothing cup of tea by pouring boiling water over a handful of fresh thyme sprigs (rub them between your palms a bit first to release the essential oils). Let it steep for 10-15 minutes and drink two or three times a day.
There's also some evidence showing that the natural enzyme bromelain (which comes from pineapple) can help thin mucus and quiet a cough. A dose of 200 mg per day is usually plenty.
And of course, the best way to fight off a lingering cough is to make sure your immune system is in good working order. I detailed my complete immune protocol in the May 2014 issue of Logical Health Alternatives, so if you've got a nagging cough, this is a good time to review it. If you don't still have your copy, you can download and view it for free by logging in to the Subscriber area of www.DrPescatore.com.
Sources:
1 "Therapeutic advances for treatment-resistant cough." The Lancet epub ahead of print 11/25/14
2 "How Long Does a Cough Last? Comparing Patients' Expectations With Data From a Systematic Review of the Literature," Annals of Family Medicine 2013; 11(1): 5-13
3 "Honey plus coffee versus systemic steroid in the treatment of persistent post-infectious cough: a randomised controlled trial," PCRJ 2013; 22(3): 325-330
Until next time,
Dr. Fred
P.S. Visit my website, Drpescatore.com, to view my newest products and to check out our special offers. Online ordering is fast, convenient and secure.