The Solution to your Resolution(s)!

  Like many people around the globe, most of us will be making health or wealth resolutions at the end of 2011 and implementing new plans and goals in 2012.  Whether you are looking to improve your health, increase your income, or go green, you might be surprised to find a company to partner with that is passionate about all three!  

Shaklee Corporation has been in the health & wellness industry for over 55 years and has been committed to greening up the Planet all along. 
     A bit about who we are and what we offer:


The Income Resolution:  Today, most of us know someone who has been let-go, downsized, reduced hours, etc.  Know anyone who absolutely loves their job?  That American Dream seems to be disappearing.  At Shaklee, we are always hiring, and our distributors definitely love what they do!  Our mission and our passion include offering people the chance to dream again-to help people achieve both extra income and full financial freedom simply by referring our products to others who need them. We call that Social Marketing and Dr. Shaklee pioneered the idea more than 55 years ago.   
Join us any Thursday evening at 7pm cst, for a brief live webinar to learn more about Shaklee:  The Company, The Products, and The Opportunity. Simply click following link Thursday eve: Webinar Link


The Health Resolution:  With reports that Heart Disease is the #1 Killer in both Men & Women, with more people diagnosed with Cancer every year, and with Diabetes, and Prescription Drug (Pain Med's) addiction on the rise, you can rest assured that by choosing Shaklee's Clinically Proven products, you will help to improve your overall health-guaranteed.  That's right!  It has been proven that  consumers who choose Shaklee's nutritional products have:  Lower Triglyceride Levels, Lower Cholesterol, Lower Inflammation, Better Overall Health, and more.  Shaklee's solid science and commitment to integrity offer us products that you can trust and that truly make a difference in our health. To learn more visit:  Landmark Study
                                      
The greatest wealth is health.  ~Virgil


Go Green Resolution:  With regard to the environment, many of you may have seen images of the "plastic islands" floating in our oceans and the irreversiblel damage the discarded plastic items are causing our Eco-system.  If you are not familiar with these islands of garbage, you might like to search "garbage island" on your computer-I must admit that I was completely blown away by the size of these floating garbage patches; some twice the size of Texas.  That in mind, you might like to know that by choosing Shaklee's extremely concentrated and green cleaners, in just one year Shaklee consumers like you have eliminated 2.7 billion bottles of conventional 26-ounce window cleaner—if placed end-to-end, these bottles would wrap around the earth more than 18 times!

Sound like a company who's products or opportunity you'd like to learn more about?  Feel free to
visit My Website

Wishing you an Abundant, Healthy, and Blessed 2012~

Shaklee Videos: Why Supplement?

Shaklee Videos: Why Supplement?

Do I really need to take Supplements?

There Are Trillions of Reasons Why You Should Supplement! 

Your body contains trillions of cells.  Billions of new cells are created every day.  Each cell is like a high-performance engine.  It needs high-quality raw materials (nutrients) to function perperly.  The quality and quanitty of nutriens you ingest affects every system in your body; cardiovascular and digestive, muscular and skeletal, lymphatic and endocrine, reproducts, urinary, and even your nerfous system.  In other words, how you look, feel and perform is directly affected by your daily nutrient intake.

Your Body Can't Manufacture All the Nutrients It Needs on its Own!
Scientists define a viamin as a compound essential for life.  And since your body cannot manufacture most of these vitamins on its own, they can come only from the food you eat and the supplemtns you take every day.  Over the long term, proper nutrition impacets every aspect of your health-from its ablitity to maintain health to its role in preventing nutrition-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

PROPER NUTRITION AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CAN PREVENT MANY MAJOR DISEASES 60-90% OF THE TIME.
Every day you make choise that will either improve your health or harm it.  Studies show that if you don't eat right, get to a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and supplemtn your diet iwth proper nutrition, you increase your risk of developing ettain disaeses such a s heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.  Good health is a CHOICE, which means that disease (in many cases) also is a choice.

Heart Diease:  #1 Killer in the U.S.
Every minute of every hour of every day, someone dies from a heart attack.  According to the American Heart Association, 80% of all heart disease in women in preventable with proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices.

Cancer:  #2 killer in the U.S.
Approximately one in every two adults will be diagnosed win cancer sometime during their life.  The American Cancer Society reports that 60% of all cancer-related deaths can be prevented by improveing lifestlye choices-being physically active, losing wieght, stopping smoking, and getting proper nutrition.

Diabetes:  The Illness Multiplier
Diabetes contributes to more than 230,000 deaths every year. Plus, if you have diabetes, you are tow to four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke and 10 times more likely to have a limb amputates; also diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure and blindness.  A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggest that 90% of all type 2 diabetes is preventable with proper nutrition, achieveing a healthy weight, and engaging in other healthy lifestyle behaviors.

As mentioned in previous posts, our S.A.D. diet is a BIG, FAT problem.  Americans are Overfed yet undernourished.  Our foods are fast and our metabolisms are slow, our drinks are soft and our arteries are hard, our nerves are fried, and so is the junk we put into our bodies!  90% of Americans fall short in getting essential nutrients in our diets.  In addition, our children are tragically suffering as well.  The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement recently that suggests, unless current trends revers, one-third of all children born today can expect a shorter life than their parents due to type 2 diabetes.

The Good News is that the very latest research suggests you can positively influence your health every day through the lifestyle changes you make and through the qualify of your nutrition intake! 


Many of the world's leading experts in medicine, biochemist, and nutrition believe nutritional supplementation positively affects overall health.  Doctors from Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, and researchers from the American Heart Association, the American Medical Associate, and the American Cancer Society can't all be wrong!  If you want to improve your health, be sure to get some of the most important nutrients your body and your brain need to function optimally.;  A Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Calcium, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Omega-3 fatty acids, Antioxidants, and Probiotics.

You might now wonder, Does it matter what supplements I buy?  Well yes, it does!  Just like the quality of food matters, so does the quality of supplement.  A few tips for buying a brand of supplements: 

• Look for Clinical Studies on the ingredients or products
• Look for Natural Ingredients on the label-avoid artificial sweeteners, flavors, and preservatives
• Look for a company that focuses on safety and quality
• Look fro an unconditional money-back guarantee

  
Choosing the right Brand Can Change Your Life!
A recent clinical study confirmed that people who consumed the Shaklee supplements showed dramatic benefits compared to those who took other supplements or no supplements at all.  Shaklee consumers were 73% less likely to have diabetes, 39% less likely to have high blood pressure, had lower incidents of inflammation and more. This is why I choose Shaklee supplements!  Plus Shaklee makes it super simple with their Vitalizer packs designed For Women, For Men, and For 50 Plus.

 Shaklee Vitalizer
 
To your health~














http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/shaklee/whysupplement/index.php?startid=1

Vegetarian Chili

Cooler weather have you craving a warm & healthy bowl of delicious chili?

This easy and yummy vegetarian chili recipe will fill you up-without filling you out!

VEGETARIAN CHILI


 4 teaspoons olive oil
 1 cup onion, chopped
 1 can (14 1/2 oz) Mexican-style diced tomatoes
 2 boxes or cans (14 1/2oz) vegetable broth
 10 Tablespoons Shaklee Instant Soy Protein Powder Mix
1/2 cup bulgur (cracked wheat) I use Bob's Red Mill brand
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
 1 can (15 1/4oz) organic kidney beans
 1 cup frozen organic corn
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
   Salt to taste

Heat oil in a saucepan or Dutch oven and cook onions about 5 minutes or until soft.

Stir in tomatoes, 1 box/can of vegetable broth, bulgur, and bell pepper; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered., stirring as needed, until bulgur is tender; about 10 minutes.

Add beans, corn, and chili powder.

Mix second box/can of vegetable broth with the Shaklee Instant Soy Protein Mix and then stir mixture into chili.  For thinner chili, add additional vegetable broth or water, as desired.

Makes 8 servings


~Enjoy~

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size:  about 10.4 oz   (1 cup = 8 oz)
Calories         300
   Calories from fat     40
Total Fat          4g
Total Carbs     43g
Protein            22g  (10g soy protein)


 

Overfed and undernourished

OUR S.A.D. DIET IS A BIG, FAT PROBLEM

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is causing a plethora of health challenges. Believe it or not, the United States ranks 37th in longevity behind countries such as Cuba, Chile, Costa Rica, and Greece, even with all of the medical technology and pharmaceutical innovations available today. A major consequence of our S.A.D. is the obesity epidemic, which affects even our children! In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement recently that suggests, unless current trends reverse, one-third of all children born today can expect a shorter life than their parents due to type 2 diabetes.

Our super busy lifestyles drive us to make compromises of convenience with regard to what we eat, when we
eat, and how much we eat. And many products that are marketed as “healthy” foods are filled with sugar, fat, and artificial ingredients. Fast food sales have increased nearly 2,000% over the past 30 years. One-third of our total calories come from fast food, which is lacking in good nutrition. Not only does high-fat, high-carbohydrate fast food deliver a lot of calories, but the latest research shows that it also may result in acute inflammation. And consuming these high-fat, high-calorie fast food meals regularly may lead to chronic inflammation, which may put you at risk for many diseases linked to inflammation, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, certain cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease.

•  Our foods are fast and our metabolisms are slow

• Our drinks are soft and our arteries are hard

• Our nerves are fried, and so is the junk we put into our bodies 

Fast food sales have increased nearly 2,000% over the past 30 years. One-third of our total calories come from fast food, which is lacking in good nutrition. Not only does high-fat, high-carbohydrate fast food deliver a lot of calories, but the latest research shows that it also may result in acute inflammation. And consuming these high-fat, high-calorie fast food meals regularly may lead to chronic inflammation, which may put you at risk for many diseases linked to inflammation, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, certain cancers, and
Alzheimer’s disease.

EATING RIGHT ISN’T AS EASY AS IT SEEMS

98% of Americans do not eat the recommended seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. What might surprise you even more is that, even when you try to do the right thing, the nutritional value of our produce isn’t what it used to be. In fact, a 2004 study of 43 crops showed a decline in the nutrient content of up to38% over the past 50 years.

Next post I'll share: How & Why Supplementing, Proper Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle can prevent many major diseases 60–90% of the time.

~Every day you make choices that will either improve your health or harm it.  Which will you choose today?~

Ready for School to Start?

Class is in Session!

Summer is drawing to an end and parents all over the country are getting ready for the back-to-school blitz. This year, take a little stress out of the season by making sure you and your family are well-prepared for the first bell.

Childrens Nutrition

Brain Boosters

An alert, healthy brain is essential for scholastic success, and one of the most important elements of brain health is proper nutrition. Natural nutrients, especially omega 3 fatty acids, improve brain function and your child´s ability to focus for long periods of time. Loaded with healthy DHA (the brain health portion of Omega 3 versus the hearth health EPA), Shaklee´s Mighty Smart chews are the perfect way to keep your little one´s brain in tip-top shape. Try to give them just one of these tasty treats each day--it's harder than you think! They are so yummy that your kids will want "more" all day long.


"Jessie is a 9 year old with a learning disability. She has trouble focusing and reading. Her mom ordered the Incredivites (Shaklee's chewable multi for kids) and Mighty Smarts. She started on them the day they arrived.


On May 26 Jessie was doing her reading. This is difficult for her. She was sounding out her words for her mom. Her focus seemed to be much better than usual. Then she came to the word "look" which she did not sound out. Mom noticed she had not and asked her why she had not sounded it out. She replied "that was one of my spelling words from yesterday." Jessie has not been capable of having this memory before. Mom said she got tears in her eyes at this point. She states that Jessie is just a different child since the vitamins. Mom anticipates Jessie will have a very improved reading capability by the beginning school year in August." ~C. Wainwright




Keep ‘em Clean

Go Green-Get Clean

No matter how many times you tell them to keep their brand new school clothes clean, you know your adventurous teens collect stains that even Scotland Yard couldn´t identify. This year, keep everything clean with our Get Clean Laundry Mini Kit. This comprehensive kit contains everything you´ll need to clean even the most stubborn stains, using only the safest suds found in nature.


Fresh Liquid Laundry Testimonial---"My husband is building a hotrod and he comes in every night in grease, transmission fluid, etc. He uses Shaklee’s Fresh Liquid Laundry with Nature Bright and the results are amazing!" J. Thackrey

ADHD Webinar

Monday, August 15th at 8:30pm cst join us for a webinar on ADHD by clicking HERE http://healthandwealth.adobeconnect.com/adhd31/


Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood conditions. School age children are the most commonly affected by ADHD, a condition characterized by excessive hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. If you have children or know someone with children who may fall into this category, join us for our webinar on ADHD.



After School Snacks

Heahlthy Snacks

You know the drill. As soon as your kids get home from a long day at school, they head straight for the fridge. Their young bodies need the extra fuel, but 3pm junk food binges can lead to struggles with obesity down the road. Fortunately, Shaklee´s Cinch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Crisp Meal-In-A-Bars are packed with powerful proteins to promote healthy growth. These satisfyingly sweet snacks make an excellent option for the teen on the go.




Freedom, Fortune and Family

Join Our Shaklee Family

Finding time to take care of your family and your bank account isn´t easy – especially when the school bells start ringing. If you´re sick of slaving away at your day job and stressing about family schedules, maybe it´s time to consider the income potential of self-employment. As a Shaklee Distributor, you´ll set your own hours, leaving ample time to manage your family responsibilities – not to mention making it easy to earn the kind of salary you´ve always dreamed of.


Join us for a Thursday night webinar to learn more! Our webinars are from 7-7:45pm cst--join by visiting http://healthandwealth.adobeconnect.com/teamglacken/

Toxic World

Are your cleaning products causing Asthma?

                               The real dirt on clean
 
You know that good, healthy feeling you get when you’ve just cleaned house? Sorry to spoil it, but you may have just made your home dirtier.
Think of it this way. You wouldn’t let your kids play with toxic chemicals, so why would you let the baby crawl over a floor that’s just been wiped with them? That’s much more dangerous than the
orange juice that was just there.
           

 How dangerous? Just take a look:
• Over 90% of poison exposures happen at home.
• Common chlorine bleach is the #1 household chemical involved in poisoning.
• Organic pollutants, found in many common cleaners & air fresheners, are      found at levels 2 to 5 times higher inside your home than out.
• A person who spends 15 minutes cleaning scale off shower walls could inhale three times the “acute one-hour exposure limit” for glycol ether-containing products set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
• Common cleaners give off fumes that can potentially increase the risk of kids developing asthma, the most common chronic childhood disease.
• 1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma. Rates in children under five have increased more than 160% from 1980 – 1994.

• Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound for pound of body weight, children drink more water, eat more food, and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than adults to any toxicants that are present in water, food, or air.

• If your home is anything like the average U.S. home, you generate more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste each year (the EPA designates toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and bleach as hazardous waste). 

Just a few common chemical ingredients to look out for:
Find out what's lurking on your shelves:  Read labels to discover what brands contain: • Sodium hydroxide
• Hydrochloric acid • Butyl cellosolve (2-Butoxyethanol) • Formaldehyde • Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
• Ammonia • Sulfamic acid • Petroleum distillates • Sulfuric acid • Lye (potassium hydroxide) • Morpholine

4 simple ways to Get Clean
                     Your home should be the safest, healthiest, cleanest place in the whole world!
Here are some pretty easy things you can do to make your family safer and your home healthier. And, as it turns out, what’s good for your home is good for the earth and everyone else on it, too. So let’s make our homes healthy. Let’s clean our hearts out. Let’s Get Green Clean!

1. Get the dirt. Educate yourself about what you bring into your home at
www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/products.htm

2. Have a clean-for-all. Put on the gloves and get rid of the nasty stuff in your home. Responsibly, of course. Local waste collection services have guidelines for proper household hazardous waste disposal, as well as collection sites for paint, batteries, cleaners, etc. Whatever you do, please don’t toss this stuff in the garbage.

3. Welcome healthy into your home. Commit to carefully considering everything that crosses your doorstep.
Here are some safe, healthy things to have in your home:
• Cleaners that are truly cleaner. Shaklee Get Clean offers product choices that are: nontoxic, natural, biodegradable,concentrated, and hypoallergenic. To learn more, please visit www.gaskell.myshaklee.com
• Fresh air. Open your windows to reduce indoor air pollution.
• Essential oils. Use these instead of air fresheners.
• Plants. Besides being nice to look at, they can absorb harmful gases and help clean the air.
• Organic cotton bedding. Avoid standard bedding treated with chemicals.
• Floors made of recycled and renewable resources.
• Healthier paint. That new paint smell can be as nasty as it smells. Choose low VOC paint instead.

4. Clean up our collective home. Make Earth healthier for all of us who call it home by using:
• Compact fluorescent lighting. They last a whole lot longer. (Recycle them properly when burned out)
• Energy Star-rated appliances. Save money and energy.
• A low-flush toilet. Replace the largest user of water in your house!
• Low-flow showerheads. Same pressure. Less water.
• Your flicker finger. Turn off lights and appliances when you’re not using them.
• Gray water system. Install one to recycle used household water for your lawn.
• Tankless water heater. Save money, energy, and space in the broom closet.

I hope you have found this information useful.  But mostly I hope that the information has encouraged you to review the products/chemicals/toxins you may have in your home-and moved you to REMOVE them!  If you have already made Green changes to your cleaning regimen-Kudos to you!  Now, go tell a friend-it just may improve their health or save a child from an unnecessary poisoning.




 

NutriFeron

Who's Boss, You or Your Cravings?

 It’s March! And even though “Heart Health Month” is considered February, I am hopeful that we are all working toward a healthy heart every day-of-every month.

Today’s entry shares the final Heart Health tips in this 4 part series.  I have received a lot of feedback about the information shared.  I hope you too have found the information useful. 

To review, we have discussed many factors in improving your Heart Health including Getting Active, Controlling Cholesterol, Eating Better/Healthier, Managing Blood Pressure and Losing Weight.   How are you doing implementing the above health habits?  Have you tried any new recipes?  Added in a new fitness routine?  We all know that getting healthy is a work in progress and doesn’t happen over night, however making daily choices to do at least one thing different could mean the difference in health and disease.  This week’s email we will discuss:

Reducing Blood Sugar, Smoking, and Proactive Solutions.

Before we begin, let’s take a look at 5 more Heart Facts:

ü      In under a minute, your heart can pump blood to every cell in your body

ü      Physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease

ü      Smoking is a major cause of heart attack.  About 20% of all deaths in U.S directly related to smoking

ü      Some types of heart disease, closely linked to diet and lifestyle choices, are preventable

ü      People with diabetes at age 50 or older were shown to have double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease than nondiabetics

Reduce Blood Sugar:

One word: Diabetes.  Type 2 Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in the US and most medical professionals believe the onset is from our highly processed, overly sweetened diets.  Diabetes or The Silent Killer as it is known is a major risk factor for stroke and coronary heart disease, which includes heart attack.  In fact, two out of three people with Diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.  The good news is that by controlling glucose (blood sugars) you can slow the progression of long-term complications. Often, many small changes add up to surprising improvements.  How to lesson your sugar intake:  Believe it or not, we are not born craving sweets, we learn to crave them.  And the more sugar we have, the more sugar we want.  Kicking the sugar habit may be difficult at first, but the longer you stick to a low sugar diet, the easier it is to keep sugar out.  Here are some tips to keeping sugary sweets to a very minimum, skip all white breads & crackers, significantly lower the amount of sugar you may put in your coffee, tea, drink half your body weight in ounces of water, munch on fresh vegetables, fruits, a handful of nuts. Use herbs like cinnamon, nutmeg and mint. Try a natural sweetener like Stevia.   I would also like to share that I do not believe that artificial sweetener alternatives like, NutriSweet are a better choice.  Feel free to view www.sweetpoison.com for additional info.

Stop Smoking:

Smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Smokers have a higher risk of developing many chronic disorders, including atherosclerosis — the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries — which can lead to coronary heart disease, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and stroke.  Studies have also found tht people who smoke are more likely to get Type 2 Diabetes.  Not only are smokers putting themselves at risk, but their 2^nd hand and now even 3^rd hand smoke is killing innocent friends, family members, loved ones and others. Again, we are not born craving a cigarette; however smoking is mental and physical addition and is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths, and about 8.6 million people suffer from smoking-related lung and heart diseases.  For anyone who has tried to quit, they know better than anyone that quitting is not easy.  Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times."  Most smokers know the damage of smoking and that stopping smoking represents the single most important step that smkers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.  Should you or someone you know want to stop smoking, visit The American Cancer Society at

How to Quit Smoking

Proactive Solutions: 

By now I am sure you realize that it really takes a variety of “tools” to keep us healthy.  Eating right, getting daily exercise, taking prevention products like vitamins, and getting a good dose of a daily laugh.  The link next to the Food Guide Pyramid will take you to the new USDA guidelines.  You may be surprised to learn how many fruits/vegetables, whole grains, calcium intake and proteins we need daily….yes daily!  

     

 Food Guide Pyramid

      

The link below for the Shaklee RX for a Healthier Life will take you to my website where you will find proof that by taking Shaklee products, you will have improved health-100% GUARANTEED!  And don't miss our SPECIAL OFFER! As a Member, you can save 15% off the retail price, plus an additional 10% when you have Rx for a Healthier Life automatically shipped to your door, every month. When you do this you'll receive a coupon valid for any Shaklee product (up to $100 SRP) for just $10, every month you are on AutoShip. Kosher version also available.

RX for a Healthier Life-100% Guaranteed

 

I hope you have found all the Heart Health tips helpful and easy to implement.

(Please note these recommendations are not meant to prescribe or cure. Please see your physician if you think you may have Heart Health issues)

Is there a Silent Killer in YOU?

Today’s Heart Health entry is the 3^rd in our series of 4 that will be shared in honor of Heart Health month. I hope you are enjoying, learning, sharing and implementing the ideas and suggestions.  The first 4 Heart Health discussions shared below are about improving your Heart Health by Getting Active, Losing Weight, Eating Better and what to Avoid.

How are you doing on making the Health Health changes?  Have you found it easy?  What have you found most difficult?  Remember that any change you make will make your Heart happy! 

This week we will be discussing Cholesterol and Blood Pressure.  Before we get started, let’s take a look at 5 more Health Health facts:

ü      Our arteries, veins & capillaries total over 60,000 miles long-That’s long enough to go around the world more than twice!

ü      At menopause, a women’s heart disease risk starts to increase significantly

ü      90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease

ü      Most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help

ü      Risk of Heart Disease doubles in inactive people versus people who get regular exercise

  

So let’s start this week by learning more about Cholesterol

When most of us hear the word, Cholesterol, we immediately think “bad” But did you know that Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body?  It’s true.  Cholesterol is used by the body to produce cell membranes and some hormones; it also serves other needed bodily functions.  But too much cholesterol in the blood is a Major Risk for Coronary Heart Disease-which leads to Heart Attack and Stroke.  So where does Cholesterol come from? 

1. Your Body and 2. Your Food.  Your liver and other cells in your body make about 75% of blood cholesterol, the other 25% comes from the foods you eat.

LDL Cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol.  When too much of it circulates in the blood, it can clog arteries, increasing your risk of Heart Attack and Stroke.  LDL Cholesterol is produced naturally by the body, but many people inherit genes from their mother, father or even grandparents that cause them to make too much.  Eating saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol also increases how much you have.  Whether high cholesterol runs in your family or not, it is a good idea to avoid foods that are high in cholesterol.  As I shared last week, increasing your fruits, vegetables, beans, non-gmo soy, legumes, nuts and avoiding or lowering your intake high fat dairy products, red meats and saturated fats can make a heart-healthy huge difference for you, your heart and your overall health.

 

Many people are prescribed a Statin drug to help lower Cholesterol.  Unfortunately, many unwanted and even painful side affects have been reported from using these med’s.  The good news is that the National Institutes of Health recommends and studies have proven that taking in 2,000mg of plant stanols and sterols daily will decrease your cholesterol naturally.  This is great news for people looking to lower their cholesterol naturally.  Sterols and Stanols can be found in many fruits and vegetables.  Taking in 2000mg of plant Stanols & Sterols daily could be a challenge:  As an example 2,000mg may look like 65. Cups of Soybeans or 59 Oranges or 47.5 Cucumbers!

Even better news is that Shaklee has created an easy solution!

Lower Cholesterol Naturally 

NEW! Cholesterol Reduction Complex  

      Size: 120 Tablets  

Lowers Cholesterol Naturally!

Cholesterol Reduction Complex is a proprietary formula with clinically proven ingredients that help prevent absorption of cholesterol and lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol. It is made with a powerful blend of sterols and stanols, which are found naturally in plants, fruits, vegetables, and grains.

 

Manage Blood Pressure:

High Blood Pressure is the single most significant risk factor for heart disease. Uncontrolled high blood pressure or Hypertension can injure or kill you. It's sometimes called "the silent killer" because it has no symptoms.

These changes may reduce your blood pressure: Losing extra pounds & watch wasteline, eating a heart-healthy diet, which may include reducing salt; enjoying regular physical activity; maintaining a healthy weight; managing stress; limiting alcohol; avoiding tobacco smoke.  Want to learn more? Visit Mayo Clinic’s website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/DS00100

I hope you have found these tips helpful and easy to implement.  Stay tuned for next weeks Heart Health update with 2 more easy but essential health changes you can make for a Healthier, Happier You~

(Please note these recommendations are not meant to prescribe or cure. Please see your physician if you think you may have Heart Health issues)

YES, There are GOOD fats!

Keep your heart Happy today and everyday!

This Heart Health entry is #2 of 4 that will be shared this month.  As you may recall from last week, with Heart Disease being the #1 Killer in both men & women, we will be looking at all the ways to improve your Heart Health.  Studies have shown that we can not just focus on one Heart Health area and skip the rest.  Our Heart is beating with us our entire life!  We need to take good care of it in order for it to take good care of us.

Last week we talked about Getting Active & Losing Weight.  How did you do?  Were you able to add in some additional work-out time? or create a goal to lose Just 10 Pounds?  I would love to hear what is working for you.

This week we will focus on Eating Better Foods and discussing what to Avoid.

But first let’s take a look at 5 more Heart facts:

ü      On average, your heart will beat 35 Million times each year and 2.5 Billion times during its lifetime

ü      The heart pumps about 6 quarts blood thru the body 3 times every minute to reach close to 75 million cells

ü      An astonishing 80% of women ages 40-60 have 1 or more risk factors for developing heart disease

ü      More women die of heart disease than the next 4 causes of death combined-including all Cancers

ü      In 2010, heart disease is estimated to have cost the US more than $316.4 Billion.

As you can see, the Heart is the hardest working muscle in our body. And with the high death rate and skyrocketing cost of heart disease, it just makes good sense to be preventive and proactive with your Heart Health.  So let’s take a look at some diet do’s and don’ts that are sure to help improve not only your heart but your overall health.

One of the best weapons for fighting off heart disease is eating a healthful diet, particularly one rich in whole grains, legumes, fish, nonfat or low-fat dairy products, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Here are some tips:

Avoid: Trans & Saturated Fats


Or at least limit most Saturated Fat.   What is Saturated Fat? This is the fat that raises LDL – the “bad” cholesterol; it’s found in red meats and in high fat dairy foods like ice cream, whole milk, butter, eggs and some fish oil supplements.– How much is limiting?  Just two tablespoons of butter would be the daily maximum limit.

I also suggest completely avoiding Trans Fats or Partially Hydrogenated Oils.  These are the harmful fats that increase heart disease risk by both raising LDL and lowering HDL – the “good” cholesterol. They are found in many baked goods like crackers, cakes, cookies, margarine, prepared and packaged foods, and most snacks.  Be sure to read the labels on your packages as even products labeled “Trans Fat Free” on the front of a product may still include partially hydrogenated oils in its ingredients.  

Avoiding both sweetened and unsweetened soda’s will offer you many health benefits like decreasing your risk for diabetes, obesity, stroke, osteoporosis, tooth decay, dehydration, weight gain, and more. Kick the soda habit!   

Eating Better-Be sure to Include: 


Fiber  The recommended intake of fiber is 25g per day.  However most of us get about half that in our daily diet.  But adding in more fiber is absolutely essential for a healthy heart and a healthy you!   Eat a variety of both Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber.  Don’t worry about choosing a specific type of Fiber.  Many foods are rich in both fibers.  Just eating enough Fiber is more important!  Here are some fiber suggestions:  Eat more oats and oat bran, dried beans and peas, legumes nuts, barley, flax seed, plenty of-and-a large variety of-fruits and vegetables, whole-wheat products, etc.

Healthy Fats: Yes there are healthy fats!  And the fact is everyone needs a little fat in their diet.  Problem is most of us are getting too much of the bad or Saturated fats.  So here’s a list of some of the good fats.  Be sure to include a portion of these in your daily diet:  Olive Oil, Avocado, Nuts: once given a bad rap, nuts are considered a health food because of their healthy fat content as well as their nutrient & fiber content.  Almonds & Walnuts are a great source.

 Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel contain omega 3 fatty acids, which decrease LDL and triglycerides. They may also reduce inflammation in blood vessels, decreasing the chance of a heart attack or stroke. Omega-3’s have also show beneficial for people with eczema & psoriasis. The American Heart Association currently recommends eating fish twice a week.  Be sure to bake or grill your fish as frying can damage the health benefits.

Fruits, Veggies, Water:  It is truly essential that we add in more fruits, vegetables and pure water to our daily diet.  As Americans, our Hearts and our Health are deteriorating and it is not because of lack of nutritious foods and clean water.  It is sadly because our poor eating habits.  So the good news is that you can eat a healthy, delicious, filling diet by adding in the suggestions above.  And by removing the Saturated and Trans Fats, you and your heart will be healthy and happy for years to come!  As a reminder:  5-7 fruits & veggies every day & 8 cups of water is average.

Omega-3 Supplements: For many people, eating 2 servings of the healthy fish; tuna, salmon, sardines or mackerel is not happening weekly, or monthly or even yearly.  In addition, there is concern that eating that much fish that often may add unwanted mercury, pcb’s and other toxins to our diets. And unfortunately many fish oil or Omega-3 supplements may also be contaminated.  You may be familiar with last years Good Morning America show shared that “most fish-oil supplements contain toxins and should be avoided.” Sadly the study showed many popular brands like, GNC, CVS, NOW Foods, Nature Made, and many others. Watch clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xyMx8qNmeA

The One you can Trust:

  

  Shaklee OmegaGuard is Ultra-Pure fish oil YOU can trust!

 

Want the benefits of fish-oil without the dangerous toxins? Shaklee OmegaGuard is your best option.  Shaklee uses sustainable fisheries as their sources and then uses a triple molecular distillation process to remove any and all impurities.  This is a unique process that gives all the benefits of the fish oils without any contaminants.  OmegaGuard also contains all 7 Omega-3’s-no other product that I have been able to find contains all 7.  Shaklee offers the OmegaGuard in 60 and 180 tabs and is available for a 10% discount when placed on autoship.

Click to view OmegaGuard label, health benefits & more

I hope you have found these tips helpful and easy to implement.  Stay tuned for next weeks Heart Health update with 2 more easy but essential health changes you can make for a Healthier, Happier You~

(Please note these recommendations are not meant to prescribe or cure. Please see your physician if you think you may have Heart Health issues)

A Hearty Laugh is Good for the Heart

Happy Heart Health Month!

With Heart Health tips flooding nightly news, magazine stands, cereal boxes, and more, the “how to’s” of taking care of your Heart; the hardest working muscle in our body, can be a bit overwhelming-but every bit worth reviewing and understanding.  For this month’s blog entries, I would will share Facts and Proven Heart Health solutions to help you make easy and healthy choices to keep your Heart:  Healthy, Happy & Hardy! 

Most people are aware of many of the health tips for a healthy Heart, however many of us have known for years about ways to improve our health and our Heart yet Heart Disease has become the #1 Killer in both men & women and sadly the disease is NOT slowing down and now affecting our children. 

To get a better understanding of the Heart, let’s take a look at 5 Facts:

ü      The heart does the most physical work of any muscle during a lifetime. Grab a tennis ball and squeeze it tightly: that’s how hard the beating heart works to pump blood.

ü      Even at rest, the muscles of the heart work hard-twice as hard as the leg muscles of a person sprinting.

ü      More than 82 Million American adults are estimated to have cardiovascular disease. That’s’ 1 in 3 people.

ü      Heart disease is a lifelong condition-once you get it, you'll always have it. That's why it is so vital to take action to prevent and control this disease.

ü      Obesity is the #1 indicator of potential Heart diseases. Side effects of obesity include increased blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Blood pressure rises in obese people who also are at greater risk of developing diabetes, which can also add to the risks of heart problems.

Through my Heart Health blogs this month, I am going to offer 8 Heart Health necessities I hope you will implement.  The good news is that you can make the changes gradually, one at a time.  But please know that taking steps towards each one of the tips is equally essential to a Healthy Heart and a Healthy You. In addition to the tips and info, I will be sharing which Shaklee products have been proven to offer the health tip suggested. 

 The first 2 changes are Getting Active & Losing Weight:

While most people believe, including me, that you are what you eat, it takes more than great food to keep your Heart healthy and happy.  Playing outside, laughing, volunteering and finding other ways to stay active and maintain balance in your life are keys to staying Heart healthy.

­Getting Active:
Exercise doesn’t have to be a costly gym membership, or require a new wardrobe, simply getting 10,000 steps in every day will help your heart (purchase an inexpensive pedometer to track your daily steps).  Park further away from your destinations; Take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator, Walk to nearby stores when shopping, Dance with your vacuum and twirl with your duster! Turn up the music while cleaning and enjoy it. Also, did you know?  A hearty laugh is also good for the heart.  This laugh attack can actually cause the lining of blood vessels to relax, enabling more blood to flow through for at least 45 minutes afterward.

Lose Weight:

I know, easier said than done, but truth is, Obesity is now recognized as a major independent risk factor for Heart Disease.  If you have too much fat-especially if a lot is at your waist-you’re at a higher risk for health problems such as High blood pressure, High blood cholesterol, some Cancers and Diabetes.

Start by focusing on losing just 10 lbs.  Starting with just 10 lbs is much less overwhelming than a total amount of weight loss however, once you lose the 10 lbs, its very motivating and rewarding to work toward another 10 lbs.

Weight Loss Tips:  Yes, it is a great idea to remove those unhealthy snacks, sugary foods, fattening deserts, and salty temptations, whatever your downfall.  But the very most important tip to remember is to ADD in something good.  Many of us are not eating the daily recommended amount of fruits & veggies.  Did you know the top 3 vegetables consumed in the US are Ketchum, Iceburg Lettuce and French Fries?  I am not joking.  Let’s work on increasing the amount of fruits & veggies and the variety we eat daily. How about, try a new fruit or vegetable every week?

Because of the Obesity, Heart Disease and Diabetes Epidemic currently happening, there have been new dietary guidelines set.   

See http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf for great info.

Another essential is to add in to your daily diet is Leucine.  Never heard of it?  Unless you are a body-builder, most people are not familiar with this essential amino acid.  What makes it so unique?  It builds muscle and muscle equals weight loss and with your Heart being the most important muscle in our body, we want to feed it well.  And don’t worry, by adding in Leucine, you will not be the next muscle master!

Looking for a great way to lose that unwanted fat and build healthy muscle?  Maybe you're ready to get off that yo-yo dieting cycle? Great News! Shaklee has studied and used Leucine for decades.  Our Cinch Inch Loss products offer a balance of nutrients, Leucine, fiber, and protein to keep the muscle you need and burn the fat you don’t want.  Plus Cinch is super yummy, very convenient, cost-effective, and it works.  

Learn more at:

Shaklee Cinch Products & Info

I hope you have found these tips helpful and easy to implement.  Stay tuned for next weeks Heart Health update with 2 more easy but essential health changes you can make for a Healthier, Happier You~