Mannatech has a Heart for Helping Nourish the World

According to the World Health Organization, approximately five million children die each year from issues related to malnutrition. The World Health Organization also states that childhood malnutrition can hinder brain development, reduce intellectual capacity and stunt growth. Mannatech is helping to make a difference. The Mission 5 Million℠ movement, or M5M℠ movement, represents Mannatech’s commitment to linking five million consumers of its products with five million children in need of better nutrition.

What does “malnourishment” mean to you? Sadness, drought, third-world countries, someone who is overweight? Malnourishment is not just the result of a lack of calories; it’s caused by a lack of vitamins, minerals and protein. And, it doesn’t target only those who are hungry.

Malnourishment is a global issue:

• More than 40 percent of Europeans are mildly deficient in iodine from eating less dairy and consuming non-iodized salt. ¹
• Nearly 50 percent of South East Asians are deficient in vitamin A. ¹
• Many people in the United States eat diets heavy in processed foods, resulting in inadequate intake of potassium, fiber, calcium and vitamin D ¹

Climate also plays a big role in malnourishment. Climate changes can affect fisheries around the world, too. Climate changes may decrease crop yields, as in some African countries. For example, yields from rain-fed agriculture in drought years could decline by as much as 50 percent by 2020.²

Deficiencies in certain nutrients are particularly devastating and can have huge effects on the body. The following key nutrients are especially important for growth and development in children. How do these deficiencies manifest themselves?

• Vitamin A — a deficiency can cause blindness and a weakened immune system. ¹
• Iron — Iron deficiency causes anemia – a lack of red blood cells. This makes people feel tired and lethargic. ¹
• Iodine — Iodine is needed to help the thyroid gland function. The thyroid regulates all hormones in the body. This means that children can have poor brain development and IQ. ¹

Mannatech created PhytoBlend™ powder, a potent product designed to bolster the nutritional value of the food provided to children by relief organizations worldwide. Mannatech’s 2014 donation was equal to 20 million servings of PhytoBlend powder to help fight global childhood malnutrition.

Because PhytoBlend powder is synthetic-free and contains nutrients from natural plant sources, children can now get standardized and nutritionally effective amounts of vitamins and minerals in natural form that has never before been commercially available. The vitamin and mineral blends and phytonutrients in PhytoBlend contain sources from plants and help promote and maintain good health and vitality.

This January, Mannatech announced the launch of the M5M Foundation, which is now Mannatech’s main distributor of PhytoBlend powder to orphanages and relief organizations. Visit the site and learn more.

¹ http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zw2qq6f

² http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/international.html