Archive: Business & Technology

Melanie Towner wants to help people live healthier lives, and be more alert and healthy.  In October she began a program of supplements called IDLife and liked the added energy and wellbeing she felt so much that she decided to offer it to other people.

"I sleep better.  I have more energy.  I don't have the cravings for carbohydrates and sugers that I used to have, now that I'm giving my body what it needs," Towner says.  "People always say if they eat an organic and healthy diet that's all they need.  In a perfect world it would be what you need, but our world isn't perfect any more.  Our soils have been stripped of minerals.  There are GMOs in just about everything unless you search really hard."

When you go to Towner's Web site you are encouraged to take a confidential assessment that she says is HIPPA compliant.  She says the information you provide about your body, health, current medications, family health history, and lifestyle are processed to analyse vitamins and supplements you need, taking the guesswork out of the recommendation.

"It's a not one size fits all company," she says.  "It also looks at when your body needs it.  They call it chronobiology.  Do you need to take theses supplements in the morning, or in the evening?  Something that I never knew is you should take your omegas at night because they work with your liver.  Your liver cleans itself and detoxifies at night, and you give it the vitamins and minerals it needs to do its job better.  I thought that was facinating because everybody is so different."


When you sign on you get a box of supplements each month.  Each morning and evening's pills come in a roll of plastic envelopes, so the next one is always on top.  They are printed with your name and the time and day you are meant to take them.  If youare travelling you simply pull the number of days worth of envelopes you need and toss them in your suitcase.

The core of the program is the assessment and the IDNutrition supplements.  Towner says they are pharmaceutical grade of the highest quality and you get what you pay for.  Other components are for weight loss, IDWellness, an energy shake, and sleep strips.  There's a fitness program that involves pre and post workouts.  The company also offers a hydrate similar to Gatorade but without the sugar.  And they just released organic and gluten free protein bars in his, hers and kids versions.

This isn't the first business she and her husband have ventured into.  But she says this one is a great fit for her personality and life goals.

"What brought me to this is different than what had us exploring some of the other things that we've done.  I believe that my purpose is to help others," she explains.  "That's always been the way I am.  I want to help people.  I'm a social worker by trade.  When you see somebody fall I'm the first one to offer to help them up.  When I saw this it made so much sense to me.  obesity is an epidemic in our country.  People are not healthy, so this is a way that I can be a social worker and help people nutritionally.  Maybe helping you nutritionally is going to reduce some of the stress, some of the anxiety, some of the depression, and you're going to be able to live your life more fully."


Towner is holding monthly meetings for new people interested in the program, some at her home and some in the Bounce Around Inflatables meeting room.  So far, five to seven people have been attracted to each meeting.  She says that while she is selling the products, it's not a hard sell.  She talks about the program and its various elements, and encourages people to try the assessment.

"It's not so much selling as sharing the product, because I am not a salesperson," she says.  "I talk to my friends about it.  People will say 'you look like you've lost weight,' or 'you look like you've got more energy'.  I say, 'Well, I've started taking some new supplements.'"

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