A Father's Day Interview on Men's Health with Founder/Formulator Paul Schulick
By Erin Wright, Employee

As I was gearing up for the organization of our next Whole Truth e-Newsletter, it occurred to me that June is the month of Father's Day. Since last month we ran a "maternal" theme for Mother's Day - focusing on Perfect Prenatal - I thought it would be fitting, to dedicate the June Newsletter to Men's Health. 

Paul with his children, Rosie & Geremy

I knew that Paul Schulick - New Chapter Founder, Formulator, and most importantly, dedicated father, would be the perfect fit for an interview, so I knocked on his office door and approached him with the idea. Due to his packed schedule, my window of opportunity turned out to be right then and there so I borrowed a pen and a sheet of blank white paper from his printer and scrambled to come up with the right questions. The result was an impromptu, inspiring discussion with Paul whose answers, as always, came straight from the heart.

When formulating your products, in particular men's products, who are you formulating for?

I formulate them as if "everybody" is me. Paul is the testing ground.

 I giggled a little since he just referred to himself in the third person. He smiled back, acknowledging my reaction.

 How do you choose the ingredients for your men's formulations?

First and foremost: I use food, nature's foods and herbs. In the case of the Prostate 5LX formulation, I knew that Saw Palmetto was widely used for prostate health but there was not yet a supercritical extract form, which I felt was crucial for proper delivery. So I start with herbs that I am personally interested in and then seek out the innovation, the "new chapter" that will most benefit my family and friends.

I know that each herb serves its specific purpose, but don't they all have to work together for the ultimate benefit?

We know from traditional Chinese medicine that herbs work together synergistically. I guess you could say, when I am choosing the herbs for a formula, I am building a family in formulation.

 I recognized that familiar affection in Paul's voice. He always speaks of his herbs and formulations as though they were a family member.

When you first begin a formula, it's probably safe to assume that you already have the ultimate benefit in mind. (i.e. prostate health). But how do you determine that first herb which will begin the formulation?

There is always a champion herb -the emperor that leads the formulation.

Does this "champion" herb come to you easily?

Yes. Depending on the health benefit, there is always that one herb that stands out in my mind immediately.  Then, I build my story around that one "emperor" with the other herbs.

Is there ever more than one "emperor"?

Sometimes. They [herbs] are friends but, what's that expression? - "You can't have too many cooks in the kitchen."

What about our multivitamins? Knowing that we have a multi for every stage in a man or woman's life, how does the "emperor" fit into those formulations?

It's a little different with the multi's. The importance of these formulations lies in the fermentation of the organic fruits & vegetables, the herbs, and soy.  Everybody at any life stage needs these fermented nutrients. I consider the fermented probiotic nutrients the foundation of all our multi formulations.

It's the micronutrients such as iron, selenium, and zinc that make the formulations of each life-stage unique. For example, a man over 40 often needs a little more zinc than a man under 40. Or a woman under 40 needs iron whereas a woman over 40 doesn't need any at all.  I often say that people aren't ‘nutrient deficient'; they're ‘micronutrient deficient'. If you pay attention to your body and your health, it's all common sense. That is my prevailing philosophy in formulating New Chapter products - use common sense.

If you had to choose just three herbs that are significant or important for men's overall health, what would they be?

 Without hesitation Paul said,

 Turmeric is the most important herb for men and women.

 He spent the next five minutes or so thinking hard about the remaining two herbs. Paul holds many herbs near and dear to his heart, it was as if I was asking him to pick a favorite child. I could sense his struggle.

You know, it's tough to say because I am connected to so many herbs . . . and these herbs are significant to anyone's overall health, not just men. But if I had to choose only three, it would be Turmeric, Rhodiola, and Holy Basil.

After briefly reflecting on his difficulty with answering this question, Paul continued,

 It's the herbs that connect us with the earth. Anyone can just take one of our formulations to gain the nutritional benefit and be done with it. But if you're not truly connecting with the herbs in that formulation, you aren't getting the deeper benefits of nature's wisdom. Ultimately, the earth's energy is what heals. And the beauty of an herb is how it reconnects you with the earth.

As I struggled to find space on my one sheet of paper already crammed with notes, I realized that my time was running out and I was limited to one last question. "Better make this one good," I told myself.

 Let's pretend that you are approached by a 50-year-old man, a father who has recently encountered some minor health concerns. These concerns could become major issues if he doesn't start paying attention to his overall health and well-being.  Perhaps he isn't taking his health as seriously as he should, and these new concerns just aren't enough to change his mind. As Paul Schulick, the FATHER, what advice would you give him to help change his outlook on health?

 Paul thought for a second and, after asking me to repeat the question a few times, pulled out his calculator.

 Assuming a 50-year-old man eats three meals a day, this man has eaten approximately 54,000 meals in his lifetime so far. I would say to him, "choose just ONE of those 54,000 meals and research online the health benefits/dangers of the foods in that meal. Then, think about those results and ask yourself, "Will these foods give me more or less time with my children?"

I eat every meal like that. And remember, herbs are food too.