Vitae Health | Blog

What you focus on gets bigger!

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:32:00 +1000

At Vitae Health we place a major focus on enhancing nervous system function because a healthier nervous system simply means that you will be healthier.

It is also vital to understand that the way we choose to deal with different emotions will determine the overall health of our body, both short and long-term.

We all face circumstances that bring up different emotions, both good and bad. Some people choose to try to bury the negative experiences and emotions because of the pain that may be associated with these memories (remember the link between memory and emotions). This may help for a short time, but eventually this will be devastating to the health of the person.

A classic example of this may be a negative experience during our childhood; maybe due to the way our parents acted or something they said. We vow that we will never be like that or say things like that. We avoid dealing with what really hurt us and focus on not becoming like that. Unfortunately, what we focus on gets bigger. That is, as we focus on NOT becoming like that we actually end-up becoming MORE like that because the hurt/pain remains unresolved.

The key lies in truly dealing with negative emotions before they get so big that it becomes too hard. If you are reading this and realise that maybe the “situation” has already become “big”, or know someone else who fits into this category, stay tuned.

The best news of all, the nervous system is so powerful, that all you need to do to begin with is change the way you think. This will immediately activate new nerve pathways and you will begin to be transformed into a more positive person. Amazing!

- Jonathan

Limbic Memories

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:17:00 +1000

Have you ever had an occasion where you smelled a smell or heard a sound and immediately you remembered something (good or bad) from the past? I will often smell a particular flower and be taken back to playing in the schoolyard when I was in year 1. (Quite some time ago now!)

It is amazing how powerful this can be and how easily we can remember when our senses are stimulated. This is because our senses, our memory and our emotions are intimately linked in the limbic part of our brain (see last email). All of us can probably remember where we were when we found out about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, or maybe where you were when JFK was assassinated, or other times associated with heightened emotional experiences such as, falling in love, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one.

The reason for this is that these emotions are generated within the limbic region of the brain, the same part that is responsible for generating memories. Each time this part of the limbic brain (called the hippocampus) is stimulated it produces new neurological (nerve) pathways. This stimulation may be in the way of smell, sight taste or other senses, emotions or actions (eg: driving a car). The more intense the stimulation (a major event) or the more often the memory is repeated, the stronger the nerve pathway becomes and the better the brain/body remembers.

Chiropractic adjustments repeatedly stimulate the nervous system resulting in new pathways being formed (neurogenesis) and therefore a more organised nervous system.

In order to build great long-term memories, add an emotion or another stimulus to the event. For example, every time you learn something new, ring a bell. From then on, when you hear a bell ring the same tone, your nervous system will have a better chance at remembering what you have learned.

Neurological Emotions

Mon, 31 May 2010 11:45:00 +1000

Today we are going to look at the link between the nervous system (brain) and the emotions we experience every day.

Your brain can be broken up into many distinct regions, each part with its own different function. There is a specific region for helping to create speech, one region for vision, one for movement, and many, many others for all the unique functions within the body.

Not surprisingly, there is also a region in the brain that specifically deals with emotions. This is the "limbic" part of the brain and has many smaller parts that make it up. It has been described as "The emotional core of the human nervous system", and the region that "controls emotional behaviour and motivational drives".

Recently it has been discovered that new memories are formed in part of the limbic brain called the "hippocampus". This is a primary site for neurogenesis (see last email) and demonstrates the close link between emotional states and memories. All of these are controlled and co-ordinated by the nervous system.

Stimulation of the nervous system with chiropractic adjustments will enhance not only memory, but also a balanced emotional state.

Interestingly, scientists have mapped every area of the brain by using different stimulations and noting which regions "light-up" on brain scans. Given the close link between emotional and spiritual health, we might expect to find a similar "region" associated with spiritual experiences. In fact, this is not the case.

When people were experiencing what they called a "spiritual connection with God", many different areas of the brain lit-up at the same time. The conclusion drawn was that there is no single "God-spot", but that the entire nervous system is involved in these experiences.

Next blog: Long-term memory building and "Limbic Memories"

Neurogenesis

Tue, 25 May 2010 10:41:00 +1000

New discoveries are being made in science all the time. One of the most significant findings that has been made over the last few years is the ability of the nervous system to repair itself. Only 10-15 years ago we were taught what many of you would know - "the number of nerve cells (called neurons) you are born with is the maximum you will ever have. Once they die, they are never replaced."

Recent research shows that this is not true. New neurons are being formed all the time. The term for this is NEUROGENESIS.

Neuro = nerve; Genesis = creation.

Neurogenesis is the creation of new neurons. This is amazing as it opens up enormous possibilities. What stimulates neurogenesis is a new or repeated event, action or thought.

This links to emotional health in a very real way. If you repeat a thought over and over and over again, new neurons will be formed and your brain will then start to play this tape automatically.

If it is a positive thought (love, joy etc.) then the program that continues to run will be positive. If the thought is negative (hate, disappointment, bitterness etc.) then the brain will be programmed with these negatives and they will have far-reaching negative effects.

So what you think about over and over needs to be positive. If you do, your brain will become "programmed" this way. The best news of all, the nervous system is so powerful, that all you need to do to begin is to change the way you think. This will immediately activate neurogenesis and you will begin to be transformed into a more positive person. Amazing!

This is one of the most important discoveries in years. The brain can in fact be reprogrammed and recreated.

So it seems that you can teach an old dog new tricks after all!

- Jonathan

Stress & Emotional Health

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:33:00 +1000

Over the coming weeks we will be running a series all about "stress and emotional health". We will be addressing the brain's role in emotions and the importance of a healthy nervous system for healthy emotions. We will discover how stress impacts the body and how to cope with everyday stress better. We'll also look at how chronic stress play's such a major role in many of the sicknesses we see in society currently.

If you have any friends or family members that you think would like to be on our email list to get this information and to gain some tools and resources to take control of their mental/emotional health, or just to live their life to their best, then forward this on to them or have them email us within the next week.

"Stress and Emotional Health" is not just for those who are struggling with mental/emotional issues. It is for everyone who desires to be healthy and to function at their true health potential.

To be truly well, to be at our true potential we need to consider the health of our emotions.

Stay tuned!!! - Jonathan

Food & Your Brain - Help!

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:27:00 +1100

"You are what you eat" - I know this phrase has been used loosely over the years, to the point that we may respond with "yeah, whatever!". However, IT IS TRUE!

Why is sickness, disease, developmental delay, learning & behaviour difficulties on such a rapid increase? Little thought seems to go into what the effects of what we eat & do have on our body & our brains...& how this has changed over the decades.

Food is not JUST fuel/energy for our body. Don't be fooled that your body only takes what it needs & passes the rest out in the toilet! Our body actually stores these toxins - it stores them mostly in fat cells in an attempt to protect our body. Did you know that your brain is largely made of fat cells? It is no wonder that we have a "foggy" head or difficulty concentrating if our brains are full of toxins. This is one of the reasons for feeling lousy or experiencing headaches when on a detox diet - as the fat cells breakdown, so they release more toxins - toxins that they have been storing up for years. Toxic overload is another reason why we put on weight - the fat is full of toxins from the food & drink we consume & the medications we take!

What children eat during the day at school is the fuel, nutrients & building blocks that they have to learn with.

Poor Food = Poor Brain

Poor concentration, poor behaviour, poor development is a result of stress - not just emotional stress. A lot of this stress is chemical stress from poor food, drink & medication.

I can't emphasise this enough! The food that you eat & drink becomes you! It also becomes the child that you are bearing & the breast milk that you are feeding your child! Your child & your breast milk is made from your body cells (you) which is made from the food, drink & medications that you consume!

Again, I will say: Your body is made from what you eat & drink.

Is your body made up of the simple ingredients, found in nature, untouched & designed to give you EXACTLY what your body needs & craves? Or is your body made up of man-made chemicals (which include dyes, flavours, preservatives & other ingredients), processed & packaged foods - all of which are toxic to your body?

Lets revisit the days where we (or our great grandparents!) ate healthy home cooked meals & whole foods made from raw ingredients rather than packet sauces & frozen foods. Where more time was taken to stop & "smell the roses", allowing bodies & brains to rest, recover...heal. Was sickness, disease, developmental delay, learning & behavioural difficulties as prevalent then?

I will leave you to ponder that thought...

Lee-Anne

Why organic?

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:30:00 +1100

Food was largely organic until the introduction of chemical pesticides, fertilisers, hormones & antibiotics, last century.

Certified organic food is free of chemical pesticides, herbicides & fertilisers. Animal products are free of the use of growth hormones & antibiotics. Rather, organic animal & plant waste/compost is used to feed the soil & sustainable land-practices are used. As a result, the food is richer with vitamins & minerals, & far more beneficial to us.

These days, it is much more rare to see crops rotated & land allowed to rest to ensure that the soil is not stripped of it's vitamins & minerals. The food can only be as good as the soil that it is planted in because the plants are created from the soil, ie. they get nutrients from the soil. Similarly, the lifestyle of the animal (eg. stress-free, open pastures), & the food & chemicals it consumes has a direct effect its health & therefore a direct effect on us & our health when we eat/drink it. Chemical pesticides, herbicides & fertilisers tend to remain part of the food that we consume. Likewise, we consume the hormones & antibiotics that are used in the animal products we eat & drink.

Don't let this discourage you, though! Be informed about the quality of our food & be empowered to choose. Eating natural foods are by far more healthier than processed foods! Processed foods are made from these treated products anyway but have even more chemical/artificial ingredients added to them & often loose a lot of the remaining nutrients with the processing it undergoes.

Every little bit that you do, counts! Become more aware of the source of your foods & choose foods accordingly. Organic food may be more expensive because of the extra care that goes into it. If affording it is a problem, try to introduce some organic foods slowly. Remember that the cost involved in investing positively into your health now, will surely be rewarded not only now with increased energy, vitality & health but will save you the enormous cost of ill-health later in life.

Enjoy discovering the benefits of great, natural food!

Lee-Anne

It's Not About the Calories

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:15:00 +1100

Increasingly, too much value is being placed on calories & not enough value on the quality of the food itself. Why is there so much focus on counting calories & losing weight at the expense of our health? It's ironic, don't you think?

It's becoming more & more common that diets have whole, natural foods removed from their list of recommended foods because of their higher calorie count. Then they substitute these healthy foods with chemicals, artificial ingredients & modified foods that are supposed to have less calories! And this is supposed to be healthy? Crazy!

Most of us find it very difficult to sustain these diets & keep the weight off long term. Does anyone actually feel alive, positive, truly healthy, & with high energy when on these diets?

Eating sugar substitutes or low/no carbohydrate 'foods' does not make us healthier!

The truth is that our bodies are chemically stressed when chemicals, artificial ingredients & modified or processed foods are consumed! When we deprive ourselves of vitamins & nutrients that are found in whole, natural foods our bodies are stressed even further, not to mention starving! This has a huge impact on our health.

Sugar itself is not the cause of diabetes & carbohydrates alone don't make you fat!

Let's think about the effect that stress really has on our body. Stress causes blood sugar to increase to provide energy to our body to escape 'danger' - this is absolutely necessary! However, if this stress (chemical, emotional, physical) is prolonged (anything more than a few seconds to 2 minutes) our body remains in the 'fight-flight' stress response & our blood sugar levels remain high. This becomes a precursor to diabetes & other increasingly common diseases, as it has a flow-on effect on other organs. Is it any wonder that chronic stress can lead to diabetes & many other diseases?

We need to look at the quality of the food we eat. For example, most of us are aware that refined sugars are unhealthy for us, but are you aware that artificial sweeteners, cutting out carbs altogether or the meal-replacement diets are even more harmful & stressful to your body? Sugar & carbohydrates in their natural state, such as those in whole foods like fruit, honey & raw sugar cane, are necessary for energy & are full of vitamins & nutrients. It's all about balance & variety, true nutritional value & whole, natural state of our food.

If you need to use sugar in cooking, try 'rapadura' sugar (especially organic), available at good health-food stores. This is evaporated cane juice - not heated or processed - it's better for you & a whole lot more tasty! Remember, however, moderation is the key! Good quality (especially organic) fruit & whole grains may be high in carbohydrates but they contain bucket-loads of nutrients & vitamins that our bodies need & crave!

So, next time you find yourself going to grab the 'sugar-free' item or check the calories on the label, rather read the ingredients & consider the quality of the food in your hand. If you are tempted to start a low calorie, low carbohydrate or meal-replacement diet, think about whether you will be compromising on the nutritional value of the food or the natural, whole state of the food.

Enjoy - Lee-Anne

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Fat Facts

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:16:00 +1100

Further to our email sent earlier this week, here are some more facts about fat - ie: some FAT FACTS!

Fat is 1 of 3 essential categories of our diet together with carbohydrates & protein. Without a healthy amount of fat in our diet our health will be compromised & we will get sick. Our bodies need fat & oil to help us absorb vitamins & nutrients. There are different types of fats that when used or prepared inappropriately will cause health issues.

Saturated Fat: Largely animal-derived fats that solidify when cooled. Widely, yet INCORRECTLY considered to be "bad fats". Common examples include butter & coconut oil. Healthier to cook with these (organic if possible) because the chemical structure is more stable & does not become a trans-fat when heated.

Unsaturated Fat: Largely plant-derived fats that remain in a liquid form at most temperatures. Common examples include cold-pressed olive oil. These oils should be used cold or at room temperature. Do not cook with these oils as their chemical structure is less stable & becomes trans-fats when heated.

Trans-Fat: Not a naturally occurring fat. Rather it results from heating unsaturated fat/oil & is common in modified fats & oils. For example, it is prevalent in margarine, chips & many fried foods. They are destructive to our bodies & are widely accepted as a leading cause of ill-health.

High cholesterol does not result from fat or cholesterol intake. It is a naturally produced constituent within our body that is necessary to transport sex & stress hormones around our body. Excess cholesterol is a result of excess stress. Excess stress can be physical, chemical or emotional in nature.

So, simply, cook with saturated fats, use unsaturated fats cold as a salad dressing and avoid trans fats.

Enjoy - Lee-Anne

More Fats, More Salt!

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:53:00 +1100

"Saturated fats and cholesterol are not the cause of coronary heart disease. That myth is the greatest scientific deception of this century". Dr George V Mann (O'Meara (2007) p76)

OK...Wait! Weren't we were always told to AVOID fat, cholesterol & salt?!

We should ask ourselves these questions:

Why is obesity, heart disease & cancer increasing when low fat/no fat & cholesterol & low salt/no salt diets & products are all so common & recommended?

Why is it that some of us can't lose weight & lower our cholesterol & blood pressure even though we eat food with low/no fat, cholesterol & salt?

The Truth Revealed:

Firstly, research is proving that our lifestyle & stress is actually the main cause of heart disease, diabetes & many other diseases. In our current society, we don't allow ourselves to rest enough. Our bodies weren't designed to remain in the fight-flight response all the time, which by the way, is only meant to last a few seconds to minutes to flee from danger! Our blood pressure, heart-rate, blood sugar & cholesterol (among other things) all need to increase to get us out of danger, be it physical, chemical or emotional - this is part of the fight-flight response. Is it any wonder then, if we are in a constant state of fight-flight, that we end up with heart disease, diabetes & many other increasingly common diseases?! More on this later in our "Stressed Out" workshops or click here to read more about it in our website! We need to be kind to our bodies - our hearts & bodies need to recover & rest. It's OK to rest...we REALLY NEED to learn to rest!

Secondly, our bodies are stressed chemically, when we feed it chemicals or food stripped of all its goodness, depriving our bodies of what it really needs, as opposed to what nature has produced for us. The truth of the matter is that our bodies NEED SALTS & FATS that nature has provided for us. We starve ourselves of nutrients, minerals & essential building blocks when we avoid fat & salt or if we eat refined or substitute products. We end up feeling lousy, being even more hungry & never satisfied! Sound familiar?

Nature has provided all that our bodies need, neatly packaged. The moment we start to modify food to increase or reduce a component of it, we start to run into health problems. Do the food companies really look at the holistic benefit for us, or just one component in isolation...such as reducing fat, cholesterol or salt?

For example, lets look at margarine as a replacement for butter. Margarine, even those spreads that claim to be "cholesterol lowering", is a cocktail of oils, chemicals, flavour, colour & preservatives that undergoes an enormous process to eventually resemble & taste something like butter. They contain trans-fats which are actually destructive to our bodies. And salt? Refined salt & table salt has had most of its minerals stripped during the refining process & has bleaching & anti-caking agents added to it which actually CAUSES health problems. So yes, table salt is bad for us & does add to the problems it's been accused of, HOWEVER, sea salt or celtic sea salt is rich in the minerals we need, that actually helps improve our health!

Have a look at the ingredients in our low fat & low salt products. What has been modified or replaced? Whole foods are replaced with something containing less fat or cholesterol or they undergo a process of stripping the original food to components which are devoid of the nutrients that it had in the first place. Secondly, to maintain flavour & substance, additives include highly processed sugar, artificial flavours & colours & other chemicals & fillers (just look at the numbers & chemicals in the ingredients!). Our bodies aren't designed to process these things & instead they stress our bodies chemically... if we weren't under enough other stress already! We are so hungry on these diet foods because our bodies aren't getting the nutrients & minerals it needs! More stress!

So rather than stressing & starving our bodies of they really need, enjoy eating good quality, cold-pressed oils on salads & high quality fish oil for optimum function of our nervous system & heart. Avocado, nuts, seeds, organic or free-range eggs are just some of the natural foods that contain the good fats that our body needs. Try cooking with butter or coconut oil which doesn't become a trans-fat when heated like most other oils do. Enjoy good quality oils, fat, unrefined sea salt & rest & enjoy the great benefits!

Check back later this week and I'll show you some facts on different fats & how they should be consumed.

Please leave me some comments or thoughts about your experience with salts and oils?

Lee-Anne Moore

Break the Fast & Eat Like a King

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:54:00 +1100

So we've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. No doubt you've heard the saying "Eat like a king in the morning, a queen at lunch & a pauper at dinner". But how many of us just have no appetite in the morning? How many of us skip brekky or eat on the run simply because we lead far too busy lives & "just don't have time".

We are told that eating brekky will give us energy for the day & help us perform better, so we eat, but how many of us find that by mid-morning we are falling asleep at our desks & desperate for our cuppa! Why?

Some of us need to slow down & prioritise stopping to have breakfast (which will save us time in the long-term with increased productivity & health), some of us need to prioritise rest & sleep to avoid exhaustion & sleep-deprivation (which will lead to longer-term problems & disease if not addressed).

Some of us are so dehydrated that simply drinking more filtered/clean water during the day & a glass of water with or without a squirt of lemon juice in the morning will bring back our appetite!

All of us need to look at what we eat though. Many cereal companies claim that we will have energy, be iron-men, be 'regular', look like super-models & the like, but when we look at the ingredients we see that the packet is full of sugar, colour, preservatives & additives, & lack the nutrients & "life" that we need. Similarly most of our bread is devoid of grains & nutrients & rich in preservatives & therefore don't give us the nutrients our bodies crave. Our bodies need fresh fruit, whole grains such as oats, nuts & protein that most cereals & toast lack! Try changing your breakfast to a hearty breakfast full of fresh fruit, oats & nuts or a smoothie with fresh fruit, fresh juice (not milk), natural yogurt, nuts & a raw egg, or an omelette with organic, free-range eggs & feel the difference!!

Lee-Anne

Throw out the diets!

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:03:00 +1100

Welcome to 2010!

Ok, so you've made some New Years Resolutions...Does going on a diet, losing weight, or getting healthy happen to be on your list by any chance?

Well, throw out the low fat/low salt/low sugar/low carbs diet & don't even bother with the meal replacement/shakes diet!

Welcome to our "eat well for life" series for 2010! For the next 8 weeks we will be discussing nutrition, healthy lifestyle & how to not have to go on another diet yet find your healthy weight, regain & maintain health & accelerate the great results you already experience at Vitae Health! We will have a workshop on Saturday February 13, from 8am-10am here at Vitae Health where we will start by making an absolutely delicious breakfast & get inspired about eating great food & feeling great/more healthy! This will cost $40 & include Cyndi O'Meara's top-selling book, "Changing Habits, Changing Lives". Only 10 tickets will be available, so make sure you get in early!

As you may have heard at our Pathway to Wellness Workshops, we all face physical, chemical, emotional & spiritual stresses in our lives! Did you know that our greatest chemical stressors are the food & drink we consume & the medications we take?

There are common misperceptions that low fat, low sugar, low salt & low carb diets are healthy for us & help us to avoid diseases such as heart disease & diabetes. It's being proven that in fact they don't! Rather it is our lifestyle & stress that we face, & inability to adapt to these stresses that causes this (more on that later & in our "Stressed Out" workshops!). These diets & replacement/artificial ingredients can place more stress on our bodies & starve our bodies of the nutrients it needs which actually predisposes us to these diseases even more so!

So before you go on another diet or pick up a reduced/low fat, sugar-free product, let us give you a 'taste' of what REAL food & nutrition is!... How to feel more energetic, think clearer, feel much greater with accelerated changes you experience from your adjustments & never have to be restricted & starved on another diet!

We look forward to the next 8 weeks of great food talk with you!

Lee-Anne

Vitae Health | Nutrition & Health

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:06:00 +1100

It all begins January 4 ...

Next year we are planning some really exciting things at Vitae Health. It all begins on January 4th (as most people are slowly resurfacing from the Christmas period) with an 8-week series all about nutrition and chemical health.
We figured that this was as good a time as any to help you to recover from the usual overindulgence that occurs at this time of year (we know that it is not only the turkey that gets stuffed on Christmas day!).
Stay tuned for great weekly nutrition tips, and maybe even a tasty recipe or two.
We are also planning a workshop for a Saturday morning in February. This will be a special time where we will actually make you breakfast (healthy of course) and then talk about some of the topics we will be covering in the emails.

There will only be 10 places available for this time so get in early if you want to be there!

Email us if you want more information.

Vitae Health begins ...

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:01:00 +1000

Well the day has arrived. We said that we would be launching Vitae Health on July 1, and here it is.

Some things have changed - some things stay the same

We have a new name, new logo, new stationery, new signs (not installed yet) and a new website.

What was Joshua Wellness Practice (West Pennant Hills) has transformed in Vitae Health.

What was Jonathan's business is now Jonathan and Lee-Anne's business.

What have always provided in the past (chiropractic care for pregnant mums, babies, children and adults) will remain the same, and continue to improve.

The work done to help babies sleep and feed better, children develop and learn better and adults feel better and have a higher quality of life will continue. Our work with pregnant mums will also continue.

Our focus on helping you to take control of your health, and to understand the lifestyle factors that either increase or decrease your health remains a vital part of what we offer.

Lee-Anne has now joined and brings a wealth of experience as a paediatric physiotherapist. Her passion lies in assisting children with developmental delays and learning difficulties to help them achieve their full potential in life.

We are planning to offer more health solutions for couples thinking of conceiving (preconception health), and also more help for mums-to-be (pregnancy health) and new mums.

We are adding more tools to help you to be at your true potential. Movement therapy and sound therapy are just two of the new thigs planned for the near future.

It's all about you, your health and your quality of life!

We're here to help you ... to "live well for life".

Vitae Health Intro

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:14:00 +1000

Vitae Health prepares to launch

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:08:00 +1000

We are currently working hard to get things ready for July 1st - our launch date.

Vitae Health | Blog

What you focus on gets bigger!

Limbic Memories

Neurological Emotions

Neurogenesis

Stress & Emotional Health

Food & Your Brain - Help!

Poor Food = Poor Brain

Why organic?

It's Not About the Calories

Eating sugar substitutes or low/no carbohydrate 'foods' does not make us healthier!

Sugar itself is not the cause of diabetes & carbohydrates alone don't make you fat!

Fat Facts

More Fats, More Salt!

We should ask ourselves these questions:

The Truth Revealed:

Break the Fast & Eat Like a King

Throw out the diets!

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.wibiya.com/" mce_href="http://www.wibiya.com/"&amp;gt;Web Toolbar by Wibiya&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; Welcome to 2010!

Vitae Health | Nutrition & Health

It all begins January 4 ...

Vitae Health begins ...

Some things have changed - some things stay the same

It's all about you, your health and your quality of life!

Vitae Health Intro

Vitae Health prepares to launch

Welcome to 2010!