“My grand-ma didn’t take supplements and she lived to be 84,” a 40-something woman said to her doctor who suggested she take iron supplements. “You’re right but neither did she live with all the pollution, the chemicals or the stress that we have to contend with,” came the reply. Yes, it’s true. In the ‘old days’, plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet and a physically active lifestyle, was all that was needed.

If the success of the supplements industry is any yardstick, diet and physical activity coupled with supplements, is the way to go. In the USA, 50% of all individuals use supplements and spend nearly $20 billion annually. I don’t even have to open my medicine cabinet to know that I am one of those people! So if supplements are necessary, how does one cut through the chatter and pick a product that really works, while meeting halal requirements?

That was a question Access Business Group, a manufacturing company that produces Amway® products under the Nutrilite® brand, asked more than a decade ago. Their search led them to initiate their halal certification process under the guidance and partnership of IFANCA. At the time, they offered only a few products and these were marketed in Indonesia and Malaysia. Today, this multi-level marketing company has over 65 products in 11 markets that are halal certified. We spoke to Liliana Totoiu, Research Scientist within the Technical and Regulatory Affairs Department to learn more about their foray into halal, and about the popularity of supplements in general. She coordinates the halal program at Nutrilite.

Halal certification was a natural process for a company that listens to its customers and works to fulfill customers’ needs, says Ms. Totoiu. “Approximately 240 million people, who translate to about 40% of the entire population of South Asia with the majority in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are halal product consumers. Nutrilite® supplements offer adequate nutritional value while meeting religious dietary laws, through product formulation. The Nutrilite brand’s expansion for over more than a decade into 11 markets seeking Halal products, speaks for itself,” says Ms. Totoiu.

The cynics claim that supplements offer a placebo effect, or that research comprises small trials. Believers counter those statements by reminding us that supplements are just what their name suggests. They are supplements not replacements for diet, exercise or lifestyle choices. Bone health, for instance, depends not just on calcium and Vitamin D supplements but weight-bearing exercises as well. Even our genetic make-up is part of the equation in the quest for a healthy life.

As for the quality of Nutrilite products, its growing presence for over a decade, in 11 markets seeking halal products, speaks volumes. Infact, Nutrilite is a global leader in plant-based nutrition science and is the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest and process plants from their own certified organic farms. “Nutrilite products are among the few brands that are supported by a high level of scientific staff and laboratory facilities. Over 100 dedicated scientists and researchers support our brand through product-focused science, research and education. We have experts in health-related fields, including nutrition, food science, botany, chemistry, pharmaceutical science, agriculture, biology, physiology, and medicine, working to create the best supplements,” says Ms. Totoiu.

Towards this end, Nutrilite has also been partnering with top clinical research organizations for more than 50 years. It has pursued many different kinds of research programs, often collaborating with prestigious institutions.

Globally, the demand for halal products has risen noticeably in the last year or so, says Ms. Totoiu. Consequently, “Our focus in relation to halal certified products for next year is based on current increasing demand in markets such as Europe and South America. More than 10 million Muslims in North America seek halal-certified products.”

As the company looks to the future, the Nutrilite brand is at the forefront of a new scientific discipline: Nutrigenomics. This is the science that explains the extent to which diet and its influence on health is a factor of your unique genetic makeup. In other words, that old adage rings quite true – one man’s meat literally is another man’s poison.

“Nutrigenomics will soon make it possible for individuals to assess their potential risk for certain health-related conditions – through DNA analysis. Eventually, we hope to be able to precisely tailor diet and supplement recommendations to address individual personal risk for many health-related conditions,” says Ms. Totoiu.

The success of the Nutrilite brand is based on a commitment to total customer satisfaction. This has been achieved through reliable delivery of products that continually meet or exceed customer’s expectations. With 70 years of nutrition leadership and innovation, Nutrilite does deliver “The Best of Nature, The Best of Science”.  To view a list of certified products, visit www.ifanca.org.

 

Nutrilite Distributors Include:

Taimur Baig:

Newzdynasty@yahoo.com
1-847-275-4494

 

Sajid & Sarwat Sayed:

sms1305@bww.com
1-586-420-7356

 

Fareed & Bushra Khaja:

bushra1525@bww.com
1-630-776-2445

 

Sabeeha & Mateen Hussain:

sabeeha_hussain@yahoo.com
1-630-469-2121

 

Saleha Akhoon:

saleha_allstate@yahoo.com
1-630-202-3814