Tag Archives: Shaklee

If Life Gives You Lemons…

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If life gives you lemons…add them to some warm water. The following article is by wellness educator, Ashley Pitman.

Why You Should Drink Warm Water With Lemon

The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you’re a mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what you do first thing in the morning matters.

 According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down.

Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature’s rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline.

Your mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids out the door, that you can’t be late for work or that you just don’t have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.

But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this…..

Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.

It’s so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:

1. Boosts your immune system 

Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH

Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they’re alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.

3. Helps with weight loss

Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it’s easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.

4. Aids digestion

The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic

Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin

The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.

7. Hydrates the lymph system

This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can’t perform all of it’s proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don’t want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!

Adopting just this one practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don’t be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light.
Like I said, the recipe is really simple—a cup of warm (not hot) water and the juice from half a lemon.
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Defeat Inflammation

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Eat to Defeat Inflammation

The first nutrition course I ever took in college changed my life. I was absolutely fascinated to learn what vitamins and minerals were and how important they are for good health. It was also about that time I finally understood what Hippocrates meant when he said, “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Today, that saying is even more important as nutrition science has come a long way since I took that first nutrition course. Just think about inflammation, your body’s natural protective response to illness or injury. In fact, a little inflammation under normal circumstances can be a good thing. When you cut yourself, you want your immune system to respond quickly by sending white blood cells to your wound to fight off infection. But a low-grade persistent state of chronic inflammation is not a good thing. In this circumstance, white blood cells inappropriately move into tissues and cause destruction. In fact, chronic inflammation has been linked to a whole host of health conditions from type 2 diabetes and arthritis to heart disease, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Thanks to the anti-inflammatory effects of certain foods, a healthful diet can help you fight off inflammation, (Regular exercise, not smoking, and losing weight are powerful tools, too.) Start by eating less of the “bad stuff”— fast food burgers, French fries, and sodas, as well as sweets such as cookies, cakes, and pies. These highly processed foods loaded with fat, sugar, and salt promote inflammation, while eating more of the “good stuff”—yes, more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts—inhibits and protects against inflammation. Here are some of my favorite anti-inflammatory foods:

Fish and walnuts. Salmon and tuna are great sources of inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids, as are walnuts. These foods help offset the pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 fatty acids, which are pervasive in our diet. Omega-6 fats are found in eggs, corn, soy, and safflower oils.

Olive oil. Studies suggest consuming a Mediterranean-style diet—a diet high in plant foods and olive oil—helps decrease joint tenderness in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Red wine and dark chocolate. Resveratrol, a phytonutrient found in red wine, has been shown to inhibit inflammation, while the consumption of dark chocolate, something I do almost daily, has been linked to lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation in the body.

Turmeric. Spice up your life. Turmeric, also known as curry, is a traditional spice of Indian cuisine. In a recent pilot study, supplemental turmeric helped reduce joint tenderness and swelling in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Tart cherries. It’s cherry season and according to the latest research, tart cherries may have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food. In a recent study, women with osteoarthritis who drank tart cherry juice twice a day for several weeks experienced a significant reduction in important markers of inflammation.

Eating to fight inflammation could be one of the best things you do for yourself. For your next meal, how about some salmon curry and a glass of red wine, followed by some tart cherries covered in dark chocolate for dessert?

 

Article by Pamela Riggs: Director of Medical Affairs and Health Sciences at the Shaklee Corporation

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Digest It

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Interesting article by Mike Barrett from NaturalSociety.com…

How to Dramatically Boost Functions of the Digestive System

While there are numerous possibilities for health problems to arise, the issue  of poor digestion is often overlooked. If your digestive system is not  functioning properly, and there is a great chance that this is the  case, then your body will have a tough time absorbing vitamins and nutrients.  Along with these nutrient deficiencies may also come health issues like fatigue,  skin disorders, emotional instability, and a whole host of other problems. In  order to avoid these health issues, you need to know how to help improve the functions of the digestive system.

Helping Functions of the Digestive System

There are entire texts which focus on the topic of digestion and how your body  breaks down and utilizes nutrients. Considered by some experts to be the ’2nd  brain’, the human digestive system goes through extremely complex processes and  even has the ability to produce neurotransmitters. In addition, this system  possesses an advanced communication network similar to that of a human brain.  While the research concerning digestion is still in the early stages, we know  that keeping functions of the digestive system strong is crucial for optimal  health. So how do we help the digestive system to be strong?

  • Chew Your Food and Eat Slowly – An extremely basic  eating principle, chewing your food and eating slowly is essential to maintain  digestive health. While digestion may seem like it starts once you swallow, the  entire process actually starts in your mouth when enzymes from the salivary  glands help to chemically break down food molecules into a absorbable size for  your body. It is recommended to chew each bite of food at least 20 times, and  don’t rush the process.
  • Consume Foods that Promote Easy Digestion – Foods like dried  fruit, beans, apples, vegetables, and flaxseeds are great for improving  digestion. One particular food that has amazing digestive-promoting properties  is papaya, or papaya  leaf extract. This food can help with the digestive system by  breaking down proteins and supporting production of digestive  enzymes. Although Papaya  Leaf Extract is often viewed as an excellent treatment for  digestive disorders as well as disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract, it  provides many more health benefits. Oregano  oil benefits also encompass the supporting of the digestive system
  • Drink Warm Water  with Lemon – The hydrating power of pure water is largely  beneficial on its own, but when matched with a few slices of nutrient-packed  lemon, warm lemon water can empower your health through boosting your energy,  helping to improve functions of the digestive system, and even be a powerful  ally in your quest for natural fat loss. It’s atomic composition is similar  to that of saliva’s and the hydrochloric acid of digestive juices.
  • Take care of Inflammatory Issues – Inflammation is one of the  most common causes of poor digestion and overall gut health. Sugar is the main  culprit behind the causes of inflammation, so sugar consumption should be  reduced drastically. The only way to reduce sugar consumption is to count the  grams of you sugar consume daily, and ultimately limit the number to ~25g. In  addition, vitamin D, magnesium, quality fish oil and turmeric  can help with inflammation. Taking care of digestive issues is also one of  many ways  to improve mental health and clarity.
  • Drink More Water – The digestive system needs to be well  hydrated like the rest of the body, but downing glasses of water near mealtime  will impair digestive strength and may cause upsets. Water is best sipped  lightly during a meal. Otherwise you should get your water in at least 15-30  minutes before a meal and preferably at least an hour after. This is also a  basic technique to improving functions of the digestive system.
  • Avoid Splenda – Ghrelin is your stomach’s appetite signal. While  it has many roles, it also releases a growth hormone that repairs the body.  Ghelin levels increase in response to digestive distress. With the increase in  ghelin levels comes the increase in appetite, causing you to eat more food.  Splenda’s link  to a digestive imbalance means that this process will occur, ending in  weight gain. Elevated ghelin levels increase your cravings for sugar and  carbohydrates, causing you to eat an excess amount of food that goes through an  already-distressed digestive system. If you have these cravings, then it’s time  to fix your digestive system.

Hang Out

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Simple Steps to Increase Your Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy Increased by Hanging Out

From

Life expectancy can be increased by just hanging out with your friends and family. The more connected someone is, the better their overall health. Having positive relationships with a spouse, friends and family is the best way to be connected.

We are not sure why relationships play a role in health and life expectancy. It could be that people in positive relationships are less likely to take on risky behaviors and are more likely to take care of themselves. It could be that having people around you reduces the impact of stress on your health. We can make up lots of theories about why relationships have a positive impact, but the bottom line is that people who are engaged in “meaningful” relationships have better health (and therefore better life expectancies).

One way of improving your relationships with people is to get in the habit of telling good stories. Stories are how we communicate with one another, and telling a good story strengthens communications. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been on the phone with someone and was just talking about the weather or giving a dry update on my family. Instead, I should be telling a story about a funny thing my kids did or something crazy that happened at work. Stories keep relationships alive.

So make more time for friends and family. Go do things together (create stories together), and make a real effort to improve your communication with them (whether by e-mail, phone or in person) by having a good story always ready for the telling.

Them Bones

Posted by Healthy Wealthy Help in Healthy Living, Nutritional Supplements and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wellness To-Do List: Keep Bones Strong and Healthy

by Dr. Jamie McManus

When you think about getting healthy, what comes to mind first? If you are like most Americans, you first think about losing weight or maybe trying to eat less fat to lower cholesterol levels. While these are both important, in my opinion there is probably nothing more critical to your health than having strong bones! Your skeleton holds you up and together. The 236 bones that make up your skeleton anchor your muscles in place and protect your vital organs—including your brain. And did you know your skeleton completely replaces itself every 12 months or so? That’s right—the cells of your bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt again. Your highest bone density is reached in your 20s—after that, it is a lifelong process to maintain that bone density. Factors such as aging, menopause, smoking, and anorexia can increase bone loss, but everyone— yes, men and women—is at risk to develop osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become porous and less dense, and are more likely to break. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, this condition affects 44 million Americans, and by 2020, half of all American over age 50 are expected to have osteoporosis. In honor of Osteoporosis Awareness Month, here are the THREE most important things you can do to keep your bones strong and healthy:

1) Consume adequate amounts of calcium. Men and women between the ages of 18 to 50 need about 1,000 mg of calcium per day. Women over age 50 and men over age 70 should increase that total to at least 1,200 mg per day. This equates to 4 servings of dairy products such as milk or yogurt. If you don’t consume dairy products, consider fortified soy products or soy milk, and dark, leafy green vegetables (broccoli is my personal favorite). To ensure your calcium intake is adequate, consider a calcium supplement. Supplemental calcium is best absorbed when consumed in amounts of 500 mg or so and taken with a meal.

2) Get plenty of vitamin D. Vitamin D is absolutely essential for your body to absorb and utilize calcium. Recent studies suggest up to 80% of adults may have insufficient vitamin D levels in the blood. This may be due to a number of factors. Although scientists don’t know exactly what the optimal daily intake of vitamin D is yet, a good starting place is between 1,000 and 2,000 IU per day, and I urge all adults to ask your doctor to run a vitamin D blood test.

3) Exercise, exercise, exercise. It not only helps build strong bones, but it slows down bone loss. Strength-training exercises that work your upper body—your arms and upper spine—are great, especially when combined with weight-bearing activities such as walking, jogging, and stair-climbing that work your lower body—including your lower back, hips, and legs. Osteoporosis is not an inevitable part of getting older. Although some risk factors—such as age, race, and family history—can’t be changed, it’s never too late to start improving your eating habits, increasing your exercise levels, and taking supplements to help maintain your bone strength and integrity.

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Spring Cleaning

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Three Simple Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring cleaning time is here! I say this with joy and excitement, ready to clean  under the beds, organize the garage, dust the ceiling fans, move the  refrigerator, and sweep. Most people aren’t as eager. Spring cleaning can feel  overwhelming, daunting—and knowing where to start can be half the battle.
With these three simple spring cleaning tips, the job is far less intimidating:

1. Make a plan. List what tasks you want to accomplish in each room, the  estimated number of hours or minutes you’ll need, and who in the family will  help you. Organized Home provides free printable spring cleaning checklists that  could be helpful if you’re uncertain where to begin.

2. Make a date. Yes, a date—but most likely not a very romantic one! Which  weekend or weekday will you work on these spring cleaning tasks? Enlist the  entire family so that everyone can mark their calendar and show up for spring  cleaning duty! To ensure that nobody forgets, try using Cozi, an online family  calendar with phone applications that make family planning and communication  seamless. Nobody will have an excuse for not helping clean the garage this year!

3. Baskets and supplies in order. With the plan of action set, the date squared  away, and the troops rallied, having your supplies organized is essential! I reccomend the Get Clean® Starter Kit, you’ll have everything you need to clean the house  from top to bottom this year and next! Plus you’ll keep 108 pounds of packaging  waste from landfills. Arrange your laundry baskets to  collect items you’ll donate, recycle, or sell. As you go from room to room, fill  the baskets with items that you’re not using anymore (e.g. clothing, toys,  tools, kitchen supplies, pet items, etc.). One of the goals of spring cleaning  is getting rid of all the clutter!
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to feel like a black cloud each season. Look at it  as a way to spend time as a family or donate items you don’t use anymore. And  with some good tunes and fresh air, you’ll feel rejuvenated—and the house, yard,  attic, and garage will look spiffy clean!

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Healthy Kids

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Children’s Health

Super Wellness For Super kids  

Children grow at a much faster rate during their first few years than at any  other time in their lives, stressing the need for parents to ensure optimal  nutrition. Of special importance are macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins,  and fats) that provide calories and essential vitamins and minerals critical to  proper growth, development, and immune function—including all eight B vitamins  and vitamins C, A, and D, as well as calcium, iron, and zinc. In addition,  growing children should achieve adequate intakes of omega-3 fatty acids such as  DHA, which is essential for early brain and eye development.

Although  specific nutrient needs vary throughout the different stages of life, there is  probably not a more critical time for optimal nutrition than during  childhood—especially early childhood. Good nutrition is absolutely essential for  the development of healthy bodies that will thrive with abundant energy, healthy  brain function, a responsive immune system, and strong bones and teeth.  Healthful eating and exercise habits  established during childhood also  will help reduce the risk of obesity as well as many degenerative and  lifestyle-related diseases of adulthood, including diabetes, heart disease,  cancer, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and other conditions related to nutrition,  weight, and lifestyle. In other words, acquiring beneficial lifestyle habits  early in life, making nutritious and healthful food choices, being physically  active, and filling in nutritional gaps with the appropriate dietary  supplements can provide a strong foundation for a lifetime of health and  wellness.

For more information on supplements click HERE.

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It’s Not Easy Being Green…Or Is It?

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Going Green

10 Ways We Can Help Make a Difference

Today is Earth Day, so it would seem to be a good time to think about what we can do in our day to day lives to help make a difference in the world around us. In January we make our New Year’s resolutions and look for ways to make a change in our lives, hoping for better health, a better job or less stress. Some resolutions are small, others are big life-changing challenges.

New Year’s resolutions are often broken, especially if they are hastily made without thinking through the logistics. Perhaps today would be a good day to make some resolutions for “going green” in the upcoming months. Earth Day is a great time to remember and appreciate nature, as well as learn ways to protect and care for our environment. Everyone can find a few small ways to help do their part.

Going green is a great way to start off the new year, but it’s such a broad term that the specifics of how you’ll go green could end up taking a back seat to daily life. Instead of making a broad generalization, choose a few specific ways to green your life in 2012.

Not Sure Where To Start? Here Are 10 Suggestions to Help You Get Started…

1. Banish paper and plastic bags from your life. Always carry at least one reusable bag with you and it will soon be as routine as grabbing your keys when you head out.2. Switch your monthly bills to e-billing. Even if you print them out at home, you’ll eliminate the postage carbon footprint and reduce paper use (no envelopes and annoying “special offer” inserts).3. Before you throw anything away, ask yourself if you can use it in a new way or if someone else could use it.

4. If you’re replacing appliances in 2012, pay a little more for the most efficient Energy Star models — they’ll save you money in the long run.

5. Walk more, particularly if your destination is less than 30 minutes on foot. It’s good for your health and the environment.

6. Take public transit. Students often have a transit pass included in their fees, and some cities even have free public transit, so use it!

7. In the market for a new car? Choose a green hybrid or electric.

8. Go vegetarian one day a week. The livestock industry is a huge greenhouse gas emitter.

9. Refuse to buy foods that are unnecessarily packaged, such as fruits and vegetables.

10. Buy a water filtration pitcher and refill your own bottles instead of buying bottled water.

These are just a few of the ways you can commit to going green in the new year. Just remember: It can be a challenge as you adjust to a new way of thinking, but it’s worth sticking with it.

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Gesundheit!

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Tis the Season…

The lower 48 states are experiencing one of the worst allergy seasons on record.  The mild temperature during the end of winter has allowed for earlier growth and blooming. Levels of pollen, tree, grass, mold and others are all high. The fact is,  all of us are allergic to these things because they are foreign invaders. So why do some seem symptom free, while others are so bad that they are having asthmatic conditions? The answer is balance.

Several systems in your body need to be in balance to help deal with environmental allergens. The immune system, inflammatory system, detoxification system, hormone system and structural system all have to be in balance and functioning at 80% capacity or higher. Additionally, we need to have low oxidative stress and healthy bowel function. When all of these are in working order, there is a good chance you will be one of the people who don’t appear to suffer from allergies. The more of these systems that are out of balance, the more likely you will suffer. In fact, over the years I have had many people tell me that they have recently developed allergies, or that over time they have increased.  To help improve your symptoms or eliminate them, you have to support the systems mentioned above. I myself can attest to the power of this approach as I once had terrible environmental allergies and suffered with exercise induced asthma.  I happy to report that the asthma is completely gone and the allergies have not been an issue for several years.

Everything starts with diet. Your diet has a major impact on your inflammatory response.  Try to eliminate processed foods, white sugar, white flour, high carb foods, trans fats, coffee and other high caffeine foods or drinks. Cut down on dairy products and red meats. Grass fed, organic beef is best, but on a limited basis.  Instead, try to eat quality proteins like turkey, fish, pasture raised chicken and eggs. Get plenty of vegetables in your diet as well as healthy fats like olive oil, fish oil, flax oil and coconut oil. I realize this is a tall order, but every little bit helps. Just be mindful of what you eat. Drink plenty of purified water, like Get Clean water.

Move your body. The trash in your body moves through the lymphatic system. The lymph system does not have its own pump. Therefore, you have to move your arms, legs and trunk to help move the garbage along. A ten minute walk, stationary bike with arm movements, yoga and mild cardio movements are all helpful.

Support your systems. There are some really easy and great ways to help support the body and allow it to handle the allergens better without causing you a lot of discomfort. For me, the baseline is the Shaklee Life Strip and Vivix. Together, you have all the things you need to have a positive impact on detoxification, oxidative stress, inflammation and hormonal imbalance. These four systems interact very closely with one another so supporting all four at the same time makes better sense.  Next, consider adding DTX for additional liver support (your oil filter), Nutriferon to regulate the immune response and Alfalfa to clean and alkalize the system. If you have a lot of stress in your life, try Stress Relief Complex to help balance out the stress response. Stressed out stress glands have been shown to have a direct link to increased allergies to both environmental allergens as well as food.

Lastly, keep things as clean as possible. Always use non toxic cleaning products to clean your home, on dishes and clothing. I have chosen to use Get Clean products. Some of the most toxic things you come in contact with are cleaning products.  Women need to find healthier cosmetics that don’t have all those nasty chemicals.  Limit fragrances as they contain hormone disruptors as well as chemicals known to irritate the lungs.

Every little bit helps. Start with one or two, and add on as you can. I know you will see a difference because I did!

Information based on an article by Dr. Joseph Hansen/Omnis Chiropractic

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The Eyes Have It

Posted by Healthy Wealthy Help in Anti-Aging, Skincare and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Eye Wrinkles Can Be Avoided, But How?

Eye wrinkles are a common problem that affect many us of these days. Unhealthy lifestyles, stress, atmospheric pollution and advancement of age contribute to this problem. And while many of these causes are inevitable, you can prevent or at least minimize them.

Facial gestures, such as squinting your eyes, are among the most common factors that contribute to the formation of eye wrinkles. As the skin around the eyes is highly sensitive, exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun and extreme cold and heat can enhance wrinkling of the sensitive skin around the eyes. This wrinkled skin makes us look older than we are and can have a negative impact on our confidence and self-esteem.

The moment we are born, we start to age. But, the damage that the cells of our body undergo are offset by the innate healing capacity of our body. Still, after a particular age, this repair work slows down a great deal. This is why eye wrinkles form. If you want to maintain the good health of your skin, you need to nourish it by protecting your skin, adopting healthy eating habits and exercising. Adding an effective eye cream to your skin care regimen can also assist in helping you maintain healthy skin.

There are umpteen eye wrinkle creams available to diminish eye wrinkles and keep you looking and feeling youthful. But, not all eye creams are created equal. And simply because one worked for someone else, doesn’t mean it will work for you. The key is to test until you find the eye cream that works for you. While this can get expensive, look for trial offers and/or money back guarantees. Positive reviews from others who have used a particular cream are also helpful. Personally, I have had wonderful results with Shaklee Eye Treatment. It comes with a money back guarantee, so there is no risk.

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