Category Archives: Today’s World

Farming, Health + Wellbeing, Optimal Health, Reflections, Today's World

The Optimism We Create Becomes the Future We Live In

December 20, 2024 Dr. Sam Leave a comment

As we near the beginning of a new year, I, for one, believe that the optimism we create is going to become the future we live in. In a world too often dominated by headlines of challenge and disruption, optimism — and a positive mental attitude — has the potential to transform us, and surprisingly enough even help increase our healthspan.

A Foundation of Personal Wellbeing

Have you ever thought about where wellbeing really comes from? Why we might be motivated to stay healthy? We can probably list many reasons. And some of those reasons might really impact us!

But here’s something important I’ve come to understand: Personal wellbeing isn’t just about you (or me). It’s about the people around us, our family, friends and the greater community.

It’s always wonderful to be with family during the holidays.

Once you realize that you can best help others when you are healthy and by being your best self, you see how interconnected we are and how your own health contributes to everyone and everything around you. That is the biggest motivator!

So, think of it this way, before we can nourish others, we must first nourish ourselves. This isn’t selfish—it’s essential.

Our physical well-being forms a foundation from which our mental optimism is built. Not only do our actions increase the quality of our lives and our own healthspans, but they can also contribute to increasing the quality of life for those around us.

Finding Sanctuary in Nature

I often talk about the walks I like to take, and the simple way each step can connect us to our purpose. And there’s also profound wisdom in simply staying connected to the earth – not only with both feet, but also with our intentions. Stepping away from technology and the constant interruptions it creates in our lives has never been as important and beneficial to our wellbeing.

Whether you have a small garden on your balcony or you are just walking through a field, nature offers us a break from the chaos of the modern world. It’s another reason why Amway is so interested in organic and regenerative farming; because in providing the plants used to make botanical ingredients for Nutrilite products, they’re also staying connected to the earth and cultivating it in such a way that the soil remains fertile and ready for future generations to benefit from.

Surveying the vineyards on the family farm in Oregon.

Not to mention that finding sanctuary in nature allows us to reconnect with something much larger than ourselves—the cycle of life, seasonal renewal, and the natural abundance that has sustained us for generations.

The Ripple Effect of Kindness

True optimism manifests in us in how we might respond to our own struggles. In a world where negativity prevails, suffering can lead to bitterness and a mistaken desire for others to share in our pain. Optimism offers a different path. It can transform our challenges into opportunities for positive change.

Look at it this way. When we face difficulties, we can use the wisdom and empathy we gain from the experience to help others navigate similar struggles. This is authentic kindness in action—it’s not superficial. It can lead to a deeper commitment that sees others positively and finds ways to help them avoid the challenges you went through.

The ripple effect it creates leads to stronger social connections that lift everyone and makes the world a better place.

Looking Forward with Optimism

So, as we move into the future, we get to choose how we show up in the lives of other people. By choosing optimism, we end up creating a better world in every moment for the people we interact with.

Taking care of yourself, nurturing your connection with nature, and all the effort you make to transform personal challenges into opportunities to help others, leads to a future where we can happily coexist.

Optimism isn’t just about hoping for a better future—it’s about actively creating it, starting with us and rippling outward to others.

It makes all the difference in the world.

Happy Holidays!

Farming, News & Views (Amway & Nutrilite), Today's World

Happy Cows and Healthy Soil

August 1, 2024 Dr. Sam 1 Comment

Ever since my father began growing his own crops for his food supplements in the 1930s, Nutrilite has been farming organically. He didn’t call it organic farming then because the term didn’t yet exist.

It was J.I. Rodale who coined the term in the 1940s and he was heavily influenced by the ideas of Sir Albert Howard, a British scientist who spent years observing traditional farming in India. Howard envisioned agricultural systems that were reliant upon returning crop residues, green manures and wastes to soil. He promoted the idea of working with nature by using deep-rooted crops to draw nutrients from the soil.

My father Carl F. Rehnborg in a field of alfalfa at the Lakeview Farm, California; circa 1958. The Lakeview farm is now retired, but historically it was considered the “workhorse” farm where we grew many of the long-term crops destined for Nutrilite products. The farm sat on a prehistoric lake bed, which accumulated nutrient-rich sediment that helped contribute to the fertile top soil.

My father was also a keen observer of the world around him. Early in his career when he was working as a milk salesman for Carnation Milk, he was able to study Carnation’s research showing that cows consuming nothing more than alfalfa and water produced the most milk and gained the most weight.

While visiting the company’s research facility and condensory near Madison, Wisconsin in the early 20^th century, a chemist held up an alfalfa plant and said to him, “This is as complicated as the universe!” It was undoubtedly an “a-ha” moment that further seeded the idea for Nutrilite and inspired him to continue exploring the power of plants.

The farming he first undertook on the original Nutrilite farm in Reseda, California was done using a specially designed scythe with a basket attached so that he could keep all the alfalfa he was harvesting from ever touching the ground. Initially, it was the alfalfa that he processed in his own lab that provided the nutrients for his food supplements. The same plant he watched contented cows consume 20 years earlier.

Of course, he didn’t use synthetic chemicals or fertilizers to grow his crops back then. Today, our farming operations span nearly 6,000 acres across three countries where the same ethos is operating on a much larger scale.

But organic isn’t the only mindset that is driving the farming industry.

Field technician tests the soil. Trout Lake Farm East, Washington, USA; 2014.

It has truly become about the soil – protecting it long-term so that future generations can benefit from the healthy mix of nutrients and life-giving substances that exist right below our feet.

The biggest challenge for organic farms is weed control. How you keep weeds from proliferating is where the industry is ripe for innovation. And there are ways to do it without damaging the soil. Even by using lasers!

Regenerative agriculture is also gaining momentum as an effective way to preserve soil and the environment while also creating carbon sinks to recapture carbon dioxide that has been expelled into the atmosphere. It is one way to promote circular economies through farming.

On a farm that uses regenerative practices near the Trout Lake East farm in Ephrata, Washington, “happy” cows rotate in controlled grazes on the land. Cattle munching and trimming the grass helps stimulate the plants to double the root growth and keep the soil healthy. Ephrata, Washington, USA; 2021. Photo: Darwin Hintz

And about those cows. Happy cows that graze on healthy soil have a magical way of improving the soil biology through their saliva and organic waste. It’s how nature meant it to be. Circular, returning what we use in a virtuous cycle that helps balance our existence on this planet.

I, for one, am grateful to the farmers, innovators, and champions of sustainable farming that are following in the steps of the pioneers before them.

To me, one thing is certain: Save the soil, save the future. I hope you think so too.

Cheers,

Reflections, Today's World

Harnessing the Power of Nature

May 15, 2024 Dr. Sam Leave a comment

With springtime upon us it’s a good time to share a previous post about harnessing the undeniable power of nature. It’s becoming ever more important for us to listen to Mother Nature and to find innovative ways to help create a sustainable future. A future based on nature’s design.

The wisdom of nature fascinates me. You need only take a walk in the outdoors to see why. At first glance, you may marvel at its beauty, but when you look closer, you’re sure to spot the elegant efficiency that is uniquely Mother Nature. Nothing is wasted. All is needed. Everything counts. To me, nature is a perfect place to find inspiration for sustainable solutions not only for healthy living, but for a healthy planet. So perfect, in fact, it has inspired a movement.

A majestic tree at Fazenda Nutriorganica, Ceará, Brazil, 2014. Branches jut out without any right angles, allowing for more efficient distribution of water and nutrients, just like the blood vessels in our circulatory system.

Sustainability inspired by nature

For eons, man has found solutions to problems big and small by watching, learning, and modeling the wisdom of nature. Today, we’re watching even more closely to find sustainable solutions, thanks to the biomimicry movement. I like that.

Biomimicry, a term coined by naturalist Janine Benyus about 25 years ago, is now a mainstream movement. A growing number of researchers, architects, inventors, and other creative types look to nature to inspire their own well-designed solutions. Each one starting with a simple question: “I have a problem; how would nature solve it?”

Water beadlets on the surface of a leaf. Certain leaves, such as the lotus, are textured, which helps water and dirt to roll off easier. This feature has inspired fabric and paint finishes that repel stains without the need for excess chemicals.

What exactly is Biomimicry?

According to The Biomimicry Institute (yes, there is an institute), the goal of biomimicry is to find sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating the patterns and strategies found in nature that have stood the test of time. The result is products, processes and policies that not only help us thrive, but protect the planet.[i]

The bur is a common example of biomimicry in action. These airborne specks of dry plants have hooks that can cling to clothes with impressive tenacity, much to the dismay of most hikers. But not to Swiss engineer George de Mestral, who took a closer look at the bur and was inspired to create the Velcro® hook-and-loop fastener, which he patented in the mid-1950s.

You may also recognize biomimicry in other products: bullet trains inspired by king fisher birds, houses modeled after baobab trees, air conditioning systems patterned after termite hills, or solar power systems inspired by leaves.

Nutrilite solutions powered by Biomimicry

My father understood the wisdom of nature long before the biomimicry movement. As a young man traveling in China, he was intrigued by the shiny coats of cows grazing only on alfalfa and drinking water. He also noticed people in rural areas, who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, were healthier than their urban counterparts who consumed more refined foods. These types of observation eventually led to the creation of Nutrilite® brand supplements — a supplement inspired by nature.

Another Nutrilite example of biomimicry is the natural pesticide BIOTROL developed by scientists at Nutrilite Products, Inc., in the 1950s. They were looking for spotted aphids, dead ones in this case, that had been rampaging the alfalfa fields. They noticed some of the dead aphids were covered with a fuzz from mold. After testing, they found the mold spores could control the aphid problem and do so without the bugs developing a tolerance to the fungal material. This discovery didn’t result in a commercial product (spotted aphids are not a big pest), but it did inspire my father to find a way to naturally ward off certain destructive caterpillars. He hired entomologists, biologists and fermentation experts and eventually produced BIOTROL. It was derived from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis and considered the first natural biological pest control in the marketplace.

An insect shows off its colorful exoskeleton while blending into the foliage. Some insects are predators of common pests, making them a natural solution to help protect crops.

Good bugs, bad bugs and more

Finding inspiration in nature is a huge part of what Nutrilite scientists do. They use beneficial bugs – lady bugs, green lace wings and others – to balance harmful bugs. They rely on sheep droppings to feed earthworms, microbes and other organisms needed for rich, fertile soil. They closely monitor harvesting time to ensure optimal nutrient content in plants.

It is also important to look to nature to see what is suited for the land. For this reason, we source plant ingredients for Nutrilite® brand products from farms that have the right climate, soil and weather conditions for a particular crop, and why we partner with like-minded farmers around the world in our NutriCert™ certification program.

Surround yourself with nature’s inspiration

We spend a lot of time at our home in Telluride, Colorado, but this year was the first time we were there to see the Aspen leaves changing color. It was an unbelievable sight, true living color in brilliant greens, translucent yellows and deep golds. These majestic trees paint a spectacular picture, but to me, they also offer inspiration for biomimicry of a cultural sort. You see, the Aspens are all connected by one massive root system that allows them to thrive, year after year, earning them the moniker of largest living organism on the planet. Imagine what we could accomplish for our planet if we could be as connected?

The sparkling leaves on Aspen trees near our home in Telluride begin to change color. Telluride, CO, September 2018. Photo: F. Rehnborg

I encourage you to get outdoors as much as you can. Go somewhere that soothes your soul –walk along a beach, hike a mountain trail, sit in a city park or enjoy your own garden more. While there, look closer at the flowers, trees, shrubs and nature’s other wonders. Look for symmetry, check out the patterns, and find something you haven’t noticed before.

I believe the more we connect with nature, the more we open our minds to nature-inspired solutions and, most importantly, the lighter we will tread on our planet. Who’s ready for a nature walk?

Till next time!

Optimal Health, Today's World

Fueled by the Power of Friendship

April 2, 2024 Dr. Sam 2 Comments

I am all smiles as I hold a plaque given to me as a bon voyage present from our Guest Relations Team as I depart for a sailing adventure to the South Seas. It depicts a motto dear to me heart: Live. Laugh. Love. Newport Marina, Calif., November 7, 2015. — I am all smiles as I hold this plaque given to me as a gift depicting a motto that is near and dear to my heart: Live, Laugh, Love. Newport Marina, 2015.

Throughout my life, I’ve met many successful people who are fueled by the power of friendship. One quality they share is an ability to take genuine interest in making space for the people they meet. When you interact with them, they make you magically feel like you’re the only person in the world, even if it’s only for a moment.

Friendship is deeply embedded in Amway’s approach to Health and Wellbeing; an approach which also recognizes core Nutrilite values that mean so much to me, like optimal health, community, and care for our planet.

A variety of categories comprise our Health and Wellbeing approach, including “community connection” and “personal growth” – two pillars that truly go together because we can’t go it alone in this world and expect to be successful for the long term.

That’s why I’ve been reflecting lately on how important healthy relationships – and friendship – have become when you are meeting people and making connections.

I’m sure you know people who seem to easily build incredible networks with numerous connections, which makes sense in a world dominated by social networks – and social media influence – where connections are like currency.

The more connections you have the more validated you might feel. But we should also ask ourselves whether these types of “connections” are supporting our individual wellbeing and making us feel happier.

The Fabric of Relationships

There’s nothing wrong with being well connected, but not if you’re unable to go deeper and turn a connection into a healthy relationship. That takes more effort and a willingness to see people more fully.

Think of a connection as a single thread, and a relationship as a woven fabric. A connection is a basic point of contact – you might share a common interest with someone or have a brief interaction. Whereas a relationship has more depth – and breadth – because you are sharing experiences and feelings. In a healthy relationship, there is mutual respect and a willingness to reciprocate because you support each other and better understand each other.

Starting from your Base Camp

Our partners and our families should be like a base camp for healthy relationships. How we connect with our loved ones is a blueprint for how we treat our friends and neighbors, and how we can turn our connections into healthy relationships when appropriate.

I care deeply about my family and circle of friends. They create joy for me and keep me motivated to live a long healthy life so I can get to know my grandchildren, and eventually my great grandchildren!

Getting ready to take a brisk walk with Francesca. Being outdoors surrounded by nature is one of our favorite ways to maintain a positive outlook.

A World of Social Media

Social media is here to stay, and the reality is that for many people in today’s world it has fundamentally altered how we interact with each other. Even though we are hyper-connected, studies have shown that depression and loneliness are on the rise in a world where face-to-face interaction is often interrupted by a smart phone.

In some ways we are multitasking our relationships. We’re often so focused on capturing our experiences that we forget to live in the wonderful moments that make up our lives. I believe it’s those moments that create momentum and make us who we are, which is why we might need to do better at focusing on what’s important to us.

A Final Word on Success

The most successful people are also the people who will turn out to be your best friend. They connect with others on an emotional level, and they easily turn connections into relationships. They’re the people who will make a difference in your life, and the ones you will want to be around no matter whether you are feeling happy or sad.

In the end, it’s exceedingly rare for anyone to achieve success without the help and support of others.

That’s why being successful and being a product of the product takes a rich community of friendship, laughter, and maybe most of all, healthy relationships that last for the long haul.

Cheers!

Optimal Health, Reflections, Today's World

Going on Tour, and Going Full Circle

November 10, 2023 Dr. Sam 1 Comment

Last month, Francesca and I toured through Asia visiting China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan. The trip was an opportunity for us to talk about Amway’s leadership as a Health and Wellbeing company and to begin celebrating the upcoming 90^th anniversary of Nutrilite.

Throughout my visit, I spoke to employees, company leaders and – from the stage – tens of thousands of Amway Business Owners all of whom were eager to learn more about the legacy of the Nutrilite™ brand and the power of nutrition in today’s world. Many leaders have enthusiastically embraced the Product of the Product philosophy and are doing all they can to improve their health and wellbeing, and their outlook about the future.

In the Beginning

It’s what my father, Carl F. Rehnborg, envisioned when he founded Nutrilite nearly 90 years ago. He was an adventurous man who was innately curious. As a young entrepreneur living and working in China in the early 1900s, he spent lots of time building his business by traveling throughout the Chinese countryside.

While doing so, he made the quintessential observation that ultimately led to the creation of the Nutrilite™ brand: People living in the countryside were much healthier than people living in the city; they were more physically active, and they ate more fruits and vegetables.

Historical image of man standing in front of steps leading up to a building facade. — Photo of Carl F. Rehnborg in Shanghai, Picture During the Years of 1915 and 1916, Carl F. Rehnborg was an accountant with standard Oil Company of New York, in Tientsin, China, which is in the northern part of the country

But let’s rewind and think about this. Just getting to China from the United States in the early 1900s was a monumental task. For him, it included traveling across the continental United States, and then extended passages across the Pacific Ocean where he had lots of time to dream about the future, and the opportunity to learn about a completely different culture – and build a business.

As a young businessman, he started off in China representing Standard Oil selling cooking oil traveling up and down the Yangtze River. But, again, based on his observations, he believed that selling canned milk in China would serve an immediate need and benefit the Chinese population. He soon returned to the States and was able to convince Carnation Milk to let him represent their company in China.

It was while selling canned milk and becoming more embedded in Chinese society, that he realized most people he was interacting with had nutritional gaps in their diets that plant materials could help fill. He also soon understood that eating well, exercising, and leading a healthy lifestyle was the best way to combat poor health. Simply because it helps prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

So, from the very beginning, through my father’s observations, a deep understanding of health and wellbeing has been engrained in the DNA of the Nutrilite™ brand.

The New Opportunity

Today, Amway understands how Health and Wellbeing can help improve peoples’ quality of life and help increase health span – helping people live better, healthier lives. The commitment to Health and Wellbeing is coming to life in different ways across the globe, but everything is rooted in a consistent direction.

Together, we are focused on six interconnected domains that illustrate how a healthy body, a healthy mind, personal growth, community connection, financial wellbeing, and taking care of our planet can positively transform our overall wellbeing.

Going Full Circle

An exciting part of our Asian trip was the opportunity to share the stage with co-chairmen, Steve Van Andel and Doug DeVos, and CEO, Milind Pant. Spending quality time with them in each country we visited made me realize how interconnected we are and how important our partnership is.

During our final presentation in Taipei, an on-stage interview session between the four of us and Michelle Lin, Managing Director of Taiwan and Hong Kong, I heard Doug say something that truly resonated.

The whole team onstage at the Platinum Rally in Taipei.

While speaking about the direction we are going as a company, Doug said:

“Health and wellbeing is who we were in the first place. And now we’re discovering more about who we are. And if we do that, we can build an even better future together.”

Listening to Doug speak, I realized that we are – in many ways – going full circle.

What my father observed so many years ago is as important today as it ever has been. And it is now at the center of the future Amway is pursuing.

What an incredible opportunity!