Eco-Friendly Wrapping, Crafting & Gifting

    ~Have Fun, Save Money, Gift Kindly, Help the Planet~

I am by no means a crafting expert, but I do enjoy an easy and fun craft.  In addition, I am truly passionate about the environment and always looking for ways to up-cycle or reuse anything!  Including wine corks~which made this simple up-cycled cork Christmas tree ornament.

With, "going green" a huge movement, you might think more people would opt for greener gifting and wrapping. Turns out that our irresistible attraction to glistening wrapping paper and foil bows are filling landfills by the tons.  And would you believe that half of the paper America consumes is used to wrap and decorate gifts. Yikes!
Here are a few other details about the waste of wrapping and gifting:

• From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills. (Source: EPA)
  
  
• In the U.S., annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals 4 million tons. (Source: Use Less Stuff)
•  
  If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. (Source: CalRecycle)

If you're like me, I find these numbers startling...which encourages me to do something different...and fun!

        ~A few enjoyable ways to reduce waste & add a personal touch to your gifts~

 

Re-Use packing paper, brown paper bags, the back of wrapping paper, old maps, etc., add your own message. Paint a greeting, use stamps, stickers, glue, markers, glitter, etc.  Kids (and adults) of all ages enjoy the fun of making their own wrapping paper, and I guarantee that their loved ones will enjoy receiving gifts wrapped in one-of-a-kind, made-with fun & love paper! (shhhh...My brother is receiving his gift wrapped in the paper shown here!) This is a great activity to do for birthdays and all occasions.

Re-Use last years Christmas Cards as a candy (cane) gram! Simply rip apart card at seam, (recycle the back side) and punch 2 holes along one side of the card. Slip the candy cane thru the holes. Write a personalized note on the back side of the card. I find these perfect to use as gift tags or for classroom, business networking, or when gifting large groups.  This is also a great way to reuse birthday and other holiday cards. Instead of a candy cane, use a pencil, glitter pen, tea stick, etc.
 

Re-Use candle holders, jam and jelly jars, decorative food tins, etc. Instead of tossing , why not upcycle? Candle, food, and holiday containers are typically beautiful and perfect for holding small gifts or home-made goodies.  Simply clean containers, jars, and tins with hot water to remove wax, food, etc., then fill with gift items.  Pictured here, I've used an old snowman candle, cleaned out the wax, and filled with Shaklee Pomegranate Energizing Tea Sticks.  Get creative! Fill containers with homemade granola, healthy snacks, lotions, plants, book mark, colored pencils, dried herbs, seasonings, office supplies, gift cards, etc.  These containers are great for gift giving of any occasion and for storage around the house, office, and garage as well. 

Re-Use small clay or other flower pots to make mini Christmas trees with pine cones. Another activity that looks adorable yet doesn't take a craft wizard to create!  Simply paint pine cones and/or decorate with dried berries, miscellaneous craft items, fabric scraps, mini-tree decorations, glitter, pipe cleaners, ribbons, etc. and hot glue cone onto a decorated clay or small flower pot.  These make great gifts, but be sure to keep some for yourself. We've had these mini pine cone trees for years; they have packed away well and by placing cinnamon sticks in their storage bin, they smell lovely too!

There are many ways for us to be thoughtful in gifting and at the same time be thoughtful to the Planet. 
 I hope these ideas have inspired you to think not only outside of the box, but also outside of  the traditional wrapping paper, and bows!  

I'd love to hear what eco-friendly ideas you've used to wrap & give gifts! Please share~

Merry Christmas, 

Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
gaskellwellness@comcast.net

Does Soy Increase The Risk Of Breast Cancer Recurrence?

The Truth About Soy And Breast Cancer

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

With so much misleading information about Soy, I am sharing this great informational piece by Dr. Stephen Chaney...

You've probably heard the warnings: "Soy may increase the risk of breast cancer!" "Women with breast cancer shouldn't use soy!"

The first warning was never true. Numerous clinical studies have shown that consumption of soy protein is associated with a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

Furthermore, the science behind the second warning has never been very strong. The concerns that soy might stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells was based primarily on cell culture experiments and one experiment in mice - even though a second experiment in mice came to the exact opposite conclusion.

Was The Hypothesis That Soy Could Increase The Risk Of Breast Cancer Recurrence Plausible?

The possibility that soy isoflavones could stimulate the growth of estrogen- responsive breast cancer was biochemically plausible because soy isoflavones bind to the estrogen receptor and have a very weak stimulatory effect (much weaker than estrogen itself).

Even that evidence was not definitive because soy isoflavones also turn on several tumor suppressor pathways in breast cells and help strengthen the immune system - so they could just as easily inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

However, because the concerns were plausible and had not been definitively disproved, most experts, including me, recommended for several years that women with estrogen- responsive breast cancer might want to avoid soy protein.

Has The Hypothesis Been Rigorously Tested?

In fact, the definitive clinical studies have been performed, and it turns out for women who are breast cancer survivors, consumption of soy foods does not increase either the risk of breast cancer recurrence or of dying from breast cancer.

The first of these studies was reported in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association by researchers at Vanderbilt University and Shanghai Institute of Preventive Medicine (Shu et al, JAMA, 302: 2437-2443, 2009).

It was a large, well designed, study that enrolled 5042 Chinese women aged 20 to 75 years old who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and followed them for an average period of 3.9 years.

The women were divided into four groups based on the soy content of their diet (ranging from 5 grams/day to 15 grams/day). The results were clear cut. Breast cancer survivors with the highest soy intake had 25% less chance of breast cancer recurrence and 25% less chance of dying from breast cancer than the women with the lowest soy intake.

The effect was equally strong for women with estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor negative cancers, for early stage and late stage breast cancer and for pre- and post-menopausal women. In short this was a very robust study.

The study also showed that soy protein intake did not interfere with tamoxifen, a drug that blocks the binding of estrogen to its receptor on cancer cells. Tamoxifen is used for both for treating estrogen-responsive breast cancer and preventing its recurrence. In this study, the reduction in the risk of breast cancer recurrence & death was just as great whether the breast cancer survivors were taking tamoxifen or not.

In fact, tamoxifen was protective only for women with low soy intake. It conferred no extra protection for the women at the highest level of soy intake because the soy isoflavones were also blocking the binding of estrogen to its receptor.

Other Clinical Studies

If that were the only published clinical study to test the soy-breast cancer hypothesis, I and other experts would be very cautious about making definitive statements. However, at least four more clinical studies have been published since then, both in Chinese and American populations. The studies have either shown no significant effect of soy on breast cancer recurrence or a protective effect. None of them have shown any detrimental effects of soy consumption by breast cancer survivors.

A meta-analysis of all 5 studies was published earlier this year (Chi et al, Asian Pac J Cancer Prev., 14: 2407-2412, 2013). This study combined the data from 11,206 breast cancer survivors in the US and China. Those with the highest soy consumption had a 23% decrease in recurrence and a 15% decrease in mortality from breast cancer.

The Bottom Line:

What does this mean for you if you are a breast cancer survivor?

1) There are many reasons to include soy protein foods as part of a healthy diet. Soy foods are one of the highest quality vegetable protein sources and provide a great alternative to many of the high fat, high cholesterol animal proteins in the American diet.

2) I personally feel that these studies are clear cut enough that breast cancer survivors no longer need to fear soy protein as part of a healthy diet.

3) The responsible websites agree with this assessment. For example, WebMD and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) both say that breast cancer survivors need no longer worry about eating moderate amounts of soy foods.

4) The irresponsible websites (I won’t name names, but you know who they are) are still warning breast cancer survivors to avoid soy completely. As a scientist I really have problem with people who are unwilling to change their opinions in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary.

5) Of course, some of those bloggers have now shifted their arguments to say that it is unfermented or genetically modified soy that causes breast cancer. Those statements are equally bogus - but that’s another story for another time.

6)    Finally, I want to emphasize that the published studies merely show that soy does not increase the risk of breast cancer and is safe to use for breast cancer survivors. None of those studies suggest that soy is an effective treatment for breast cancer. The protective effects of soy are modest at best. If you have breast cancer, consult with your physician about the best treatment options for you.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Are you letting your calendar age determine how "old" you are?

     ~Tips to Slow Aging Naturally~

Excerpts by Dr. Jamie McManus

The thousands of studies that have been done on aging are beginning to point to one inescapable conclusion:  
we may be able to modify our aging process by changing what we consume and how we live.

 

Here are the steps everyone can take to naturally slow the aging process:

Get active
In recent studies, regular exercise has been associated with a 75% risk reduction in breast cancer, 49 percent for cardiovascular and heart diseases, 35 percent for diabetes, and 22 percent for colorectal cancer. Some studies have suggested that for every minute of exercise, you prolong your life by 7 minutes.

Reduce Stress
Sustained stressors such as emotional trauma, feeling threatened or unsecure, and even natural disasters appear to be associated with increased aging biomarkers. You can work to reduce the stress you feel from those events by practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and biofeedback.

Maintain an ideal weight
Being overweight is associated with a wide variety of aging diseases, including diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke (men only). Achieving ideal weight can be hard, but there are many tools available that can help you maintain your lean body mass and lose weight.

More Sleep
Lack of sleep can have devastating effects on our health, impacting our mood, our memories, and even cold and flu resistance. To improve sleep consider having a consistent sleep schedule, use your bed only for sleep, try a "white noise generator" such as a fan, and avoid caffeine in the afternoon.

Stay Connected
The role of good social relationships is important to our overall health. As we age, having good social ties is linked to less depression, better cognitive skills, and even a longer life.

Nutrients
Eat Fruits and Vegetables: Since only nine percent of Americans eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, the opportunity for improving health (and longevity) by improving diet is great.

Take a Multivitamin: Deficiency of vitamins B12, B6, C, E, niacin, folic acid, iron, or zinc all seem to mimic damage to DNA from radiation.Everyone should consider a good multivitamin to cover their base nutritional needs.

Load up on Polyphenols: Polyphenols are found in many fruits, vegetables, green tea, black tea, red wine, coffee, chocolate, olives, and extra virgin olive oil. They are plant-based nutrients that have antioxidant benefits and are protective effects against cellular aging.

• Muscadine Grapes: Possess one of the highest antioxidant levels among fruits.They contain a high concentration of polyphenols, but unlike other plants they also contain a high amount of ellagitannin and ellagic acid. Extracts of muscadine grape have been studied for their ability to help maintain inflammation and act as antioxidants
• Resveratrol: Studies suggest that resveratrol may slow cellular aging and have antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, and cardio protective properties. Resveratrol can do a whole host of beneficial things – from protecting against a variety of cancers and heart disease to extending lifespan.
• Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a flavanol found in tea, has been shown to act as an antioxidant and possibly protect against aging.

How fast you age may truly be in your hands. There is a lot you can do to help slow cellular aging and perhaps delay some of the diseases that are so common in the aging.

Want to learn more about aging gracefully, polyphenols or resveratrol? 

Go To www.gaskell.myshaklee.com to learn more

Don't Fall For It! Tips for Avoiding Unhealthy Fall & Winter Temptations

 

As the temperatures cool and the days shorten, we see and feel many changes in the Autumn season. 

This time of year becomes a great time to evaluate our personal health changes as well!

For many of us the cooler temperatures and shorter days may mean less time outdoors and reduced activity.  Reducing essential exercise and vitamin D absorbed from sunshine exposure has been proven to increase back pain, increase stress, linked to higher rate of colds/flu's, depression, and more. 

And get this, according to John de Castro, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Sam Houston State University in Texas, we eat about 200 calories more per day in the fall, and not because of Thanksgiving--this is in addition to that weight gain. Yikes!

The good news is that you don't have to, "fall" into this pattern.

    ~3 simple tips for staying active and healthy in the Fall & all year long~


1. Be proactive and not reactive
You can't just wing it! 

When it comes to exercise and diet decisions in the fall and winter, work on being proactive and not reactive. Think through how you are going to structure your work-out time; when will you exercise? Can you make time on your lunch break, for a few minutes before or after work? It is suggested that we move 10,000 steps a day or exercise 30 minutes several days each week. 
In addition, look up healthy recipes and make a grocery list.  Plan for healthy meals & snacks so shopping doesn't become a cart full of fattening fall fads. 
Just like you have to be organized about your work, child care, vacation planning, etc., use the same organizational skills to map out how you will exercise and eat during challenging times. Need a quick, healthy, and low calorie meal? Check out Shaklee's delicious Shaklee 180 smoothees & bars.

 2. Don’t do it alone
It is a lot easier to maintain good habits if  you have support from trusted others.

Keeping a good diet and exercise plan during the fall and winter is a lot easier if you are reporting in to someone or trying to do it with others. A spouse, close friend, family member, co-worker, or anyone you might trust and enjoy can allow you the opportunity to have a great and collaborative teammate.

Share healthy recipes, cookbooks, and websites, try new ingredients and let others know how its going.  Many people are looking to learn healthy tips, so share what you've tried and hear what others are doing.


3.  Build Your Immune Health

The common cold is highly contagious -- it can be inhaled or picked up from tainted surfaces and rubbed into an eye or the mouth or a nostril. But beyond frequent hand washing, there are a number of ways you can raise your immunity.

Getting enough zzz's is crucial to the proper functioning of your immune system. Make sure you have a well-established sleep pattern and you get at least 7 to 8 hours of solid sleep. High stress levels also play a role in impairing our immune system as people who are under persistent stress are more likely to get ill when exposed to cold viruses than people who aren't. While it seems tough to combat chronic stress, daily meditation can make a huge difference. Up your Vitamin D intake! Research shows,  Adults who have low vitamin D levels are more likely to report having had a recent cough, cold, or upper respiratory tract infection. Another way to strengthen your immunity during cold and flu season is to maintain a regular exercise routine. Aside from helping you stay in shape, exercise has been shown to bolster the immune system. Plus, it takes only five minutes for the mood-enhancing benefits of working out to kick in!

In addition, Shaklee's Nutriferon supplement has been clinically proven to fight the flu naturally!  There is nothing like it on the market! Nutriferon has been clinically proven to activate your Immune System-Naturally. Get started on building your Immune System and fight the flu and other nasties all year long.

So, as we now enter fall and winter is right around the corner don’t let your health and fitness gains made during the spring and summer atrophy. Use these three tips to hopefully maintain or even improve exercise and diet and you’ll thank me later for doing so!


Be Fabulous This Fall & All Year Long~

Too Busy to Cook? Quick & Healthy Tips

Nutritious & Delicious Time Saving Meal Tips~

Whether you're on the crazy, busy school schedule, the crazy busy work schedule, or both...below are several easy tips to help make dinnertime quick, nutritious & delicious!

Before we dive into the tips and meal suggestions.
What are the essentials of every meal?

The basics essentials for each meal:
1.Carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, grains)
2. Proteins (animal and plant)

3. Fats (animal and plant)
4. Dairy (for calcium)


As you can see from the, USDA they recommend we fill our plates with a great amount of vegetables and fruits along with grains, protein, and dairy. In addition, you'll notice the plate is colorful--that is intentional! Fill your plates with colorful foods.

                                                         
A few of our favorite nutritious & quick meal ideas:

Salads-Chock full of...everything!

A dinner salad certainly doesn't simply mean a chunk of iceberg lettuce, tomato and dressing.
To make a meal out of a salad, include cooked chicken, shrimp, tuna, avocado beans, tofu, cheese, and/or hard-boiled eggs for protein.
Add in loads of  fresh vegetables, and even fruits. Instead of loading up with dressing, place your favorite dressing in a small dish next to your salad and simply use as a light "dip."  Gathering, washing, and cutting (supervised of course) are fun for the kids too. For additional nutritional benefit, make your salad colorful and top with a small handful of seeds, nuts, or even unsweetened cereal like Enjoy Life's Perky's Crunch Flax. Yum!

Sandwich Night ~ get creative!

Every family might think about making sandwich night a weekly tradition~ if for no other reason, let's give the cook a break!
Got creative kids?  Let them gather up all of your family's favorite sandwich fixings & go to town.  It may not be your idea of a delicious meal, but you might be surprised what your family comes up with.   And think outside the breadbox:  Consider offering flour or corn tortillas, English muffins, bagels, pita breads, large whole-grain crackers, etc. Or no bread at all:  red, yellow, green peppers, large mushrooms, or thick sliced apples make great customized sandwich "ends"-fill with nut butters, hummus, cream cheese, natural lunch meats & sprouts. 
One of our family favorite quick bites are mini home-made pizzas on whole-grain bagels or English muffins. Simply place a spoonful of pizza sauce on the bread and top with your favorite pizza toppings.  Bake & Enjoy.

Plug It In ~ Smaller Appliances
If you're craving a hot meal, (I totally get it...its about this time of year I crave a bowl of my home-made chili! (Click here for my chili recipe)
Don't forget about those smaller appliances. An electric griddle, wok, toaster oven, or panini maker. We love our panini maker...sometimes it sits out on the counter for days as we fill our favorite breads or pita with everything from left-overs to veggies & cheeses.  One of the beloved kitchen appliances of all time is, The Crock Pot! There are literally thousands of simple and healthy recipes on-line or in cooks books for crock pot use. You will find recipes for your favorites foods, including homemade applesauce, lasagna, and of course soups & stews.  So easy!...just throw in the ingredients, turn it on, and walk away. Cooking Light offers 105 Favorite Slow-Cooker Recipes on their website: Click Here.


Go Raw  ~ Not everything needs to be cooked!

More than just a trend, studies now show many benefits of eating more raw fruits and veggies. Even if you don't want to commit to a raw foods diet long term, pick up a raw food cookbook and experiment with some of the recipes or visit  Meatless Mondays to learn the many reasons we might want to avoid eating meat at least once each week, and review/try their delicious recipe ideas.


Mix It Up ~ in a blender
In a super pinch for time? Why not create a super healthy smoothie! There are many smoothie recipes available that include fruits, veggies, nut butters, yogurts, and the list goes on. One of my very favorite super quick meals; "The healthiest meal on the Planet" according to Dr. Jamie McManus, the Shaklee 180 Smoothee!  Very easy to mix up, absolutely delicious, and packed with 1/3 of all your daily nutrition requirements...simply shake and enjoy. It really doesn't get any easier! I enjoy one of these smoothies every morning, but have been know to enjoy them for dinner on those nights when cooking just isn't in the cards.




Go Outside~to grill that is

Many people might only use their grill in the summer months, but good news, gas or charcoal grills work year round! And hey, maybe you can talk someone else into barbequing dinner!  Grilling your entire meal including, meats, veggies, tofu, fish, kabobs, and even some fruits, etc, outside on the grill will allow you to  create packets of meals ahead of time, or as mentioned, pass the cooking job on to the, "grill-master!"
Check out the Weber website for winter grilling tips.

Whatever way you choose to make your meals, be sure to include all the food groups.  As shown on the above chart, our plates should be full of a variety of mostly vegetables, some fruits, grains, and protein, with a bit of dairy (or calcium is what I like to say).  
Make it fun, enjoyable, nutritious, and delicious.

 Want some additional time saving tips or help getting organized? Here are tips from the USDA as well:

Prepare Healthy Meals

Kitchen Timesavers 

Try these kitchen timesavers to cut back on time and make less work for you. By taking the stress and hassle out of cooking, you’ll have more time to enjoy it and to spend with your loved ones. Click on the hyperlinks below to see quick videos.

1. Organize your kitchen. Keep frequently used items such as cooking oils/sprays, spatulas, cutting boards, and spices within easy reach. This will save you from having to search for them later.
2. Clear the clutter. Before you start cooking, clear off your counters. This allows more room for prep space.
3. Chop extra. When chopping up veggies for a meal, chop more than you need. Take the extra, place in a reusable container and freeze. Then next time you need it, you can skip a step.
4. Have everything in place. Grab all ingredients needed for your meal – vegetables chopped, spices measured, and meats thawed. It will be easier to spot missing items and avoid skipping steps.
5. Double your recipe. For your next casserole or stew, try doubling the recipe and freezing the extra. You’ll save time and make cooking next week’s dinner a snap!
6. Clean as you go. Fill up the sink with soapy water and wash the dishes as you cook. It’ll make clean up go much smoother!
7. Save some for later. Freeze leftover soups, sauces, or gravies in small reusable containers.
   

  To your health,

Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
gaskellwellness@comcast.net

Tuesday's Healthy Turnaround Tip~Eat Breakfast! Quick & Easy ways to LOVE Breakfast time

Tuesday's Healthy Turnaround Tip~

This week's simple suggestion for improve long-term health....Eat Breakfast!

Whether you're sick & tired of being sick & tired, or just ready to take your health to the next level, this Healthy Turnaround Tip is sure to help you achieve your goal.

You won't find fad diet tips, extreme meal changes, or excessive work-out plans...as it really is the simple actions we do every day that will get us to our optimal health.

This week's simple Tuesday Turnaround Tip is...Don't Skip Any Meal...Especially Breakfast!

Have you ever run your vehicle out of gas...or rolled into the station crossing your fingers and praying you won't run out? Now picture yourself getting up and skipping breakfast, or hoping that the cup of coffee you downed will get you thru the morning?  How far to you think you will get in your day? This is a great analogy because obviously you can't run a car on empty, but it's the same for our bodies.

Food is our fuel and if you want to start your day right you must eat healthy meals. Without food it's harder to concentrate, you're more likely to be tired, moody and you're probably thinking about lunch way sooner than it will arrive. And did you know, skipping meals only make you hungrier and you will overeat later?
In addition and more importantly, studies have now linked skipping breakfast to harming your health, impairing your heart, increasing your risk of heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and may lead to poor long term health.

Let's stop making excuses and get started on making breakfast a priority for you and your family!

So what does a healthy breakfast look like? The ideal meal should include high-fiber carbohydrates for quick energy, lean protein that digests slowly to help you feel full, and some healthy fat for satiety. This breakfast combo should keep you satisfied for at least three hours. If it doesn't, and you feel hungrier after eating breakfast, then it's probably because you had too many carbs and not enough protein.



Easy breakfast ideas are:
• One cup low-fat plain organic Greek yogurt, with a ½ cup of  high-fiber cereal (minimum 3 grams fiber, and fiber grams should be higher than sugar grams) and a cup of blueberries.
• A whole-wheat English muffin with 2 tablespoons organic peanut butter and banana slices or raisins.
• One cup of high-fiber cereal with 1 cup milk or preferably a milk alternative like rice, almond, organic soy, etc, add a sprinkle of almonds or walnuts, and ½ cup sliced strawberries.
• A half-cup of dry oats cooked (not instant) with 1 cup non-dairy milk, a tablespoon of chia, or flax seeds, a sprinkle of cinnamon, add a handful of nuts or dried fruit..
*Two whole wheat tortillas smeared with an organic nut butter and filled with sliced fruit.
*Two whole wheat tortillas filled with sauteed (in olive oil) veggies from last night's leftovers!
• Two slices of whole-wheat toast smeared with tofu cream cheese, topped with three scrambled egg whites and a tomato slice.
*One whole-grain bagel slice with a generous amount of olive oil and topped with avocado & tomato 
* Protein Shake. A quick and easy breakfast is only a shake away! ...And my favorite is the Shaklee 180 Smoothee Mix as it is delicious, easy to mix, filling, and will help you stay energized and take inches off!

Not hungry or  "have no time?" try these:
• One "granola" type meal bar, I love the Shaklee Meal-in-a-Bar as it is packed with the healthful nutrients, NO artificial ingredients and will Protein and fiber to help keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.
• One hard-boiled egg and a banana.
• One cup plain organic plain Greek yogurt flavored with fruit.
• One whole-grain waffle with 1 tablespoon organic peanut butter.
• One apple, pear, or other fruit with 1 tablespoon organic peanut butter.
*Its worth repeating...A Protein Shake!. A quick and easy breakfast is only a shake away! ...And my favorite is the Shaklee 180 Smoothee Mix as it is delicious, easy to mix, filling, and will help you stay energized and take inches off!


The take-home message here is to EAT BREAKFAST!

Tuesday's Healthy Turnaround Tip~

Whether you're sick & tired of being sick & tired, or just ready to take your health to the next level, this Healthy Turnaround Tip is sure to help you achieve your goal.

You won't find fad diet tips, extreme meal changes, or excessive work-out plans...as it really is the simple actions we do every day that will get us to our optimal health.

This week's simple Tuesday Turnaround Tip is....Move More!

If you're not getting at least 10,000 steps into your DAILY routine, then let's move it!  Sitting for too many hours has been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and more.

How many steps are you taking daily?  You may be surprised to learn that the average American walks just 5,000 steps daily but 10,000 daily steps are suggested for a healthier you.
So if you are not sure how many steps you are taking, may I suggest you purchase a pedometer...this inexpensive and handy gadget can be worn in discretion if you like....or wear it proudly-let everyone know you are on a health journey, and invite them to join you!

Simple Turnaround Tip:

Buy a pedometer and make it your goal to hit 10,000 steps a day!
 


Did you know?  The average American manages just over 5,000 steps a day?  Here are several tips to help you get the recommended 10,000 steps daily:

Any movement is better than no movement~

• Stand while talking on the phone
• If you work at a desk for long periods of time, get up & stretch or walk now & then
•  Instead of sitting on the sidelines at your kids’ sports practices, pace up and down the field
• When you’re watching TV, march in place during commercials
• When you’re on the phone, pace around the room
• Walk laps with your colleagues rather than gathering in a conference room for meetings
• Take the stairs instead of elevator or escalator  
•  Park your car at the spot farthest away from your destination  

• Daily Activities that Burn Calories:

  Supermarket shopping: Pushing a cart around the supermarket for an hour can burn 240 calories or more. Up the ante by bagging groceries yourself and packing and unpacking them from the car.
  Raking leaves: If you spent time manually raking leaves this past fall,  you were doing something good for your body. In addition to working several muscle groups, you may have spent 300 calories.
  Dusting: Spring cleaning is right around the corner, and that can be good news for your health. Dusting alone can burn as much as 160 calories.
  Cooking: Here’s a reason to get fired up about cooking. Making a simple meal can add up to 200 calories lost. Just don’t sabotage those lost calories by cooking up a fattening dinner.
  Moving: Packing and moving may seem like a big task one rarely looks forward to, but carrying boxes can burn 460 calories an hour. Packing, moving and unpacking yourself may be the diet plan you’ve been seeking.
  Painting: Perhaps you’ve been procrastinating on that house painting project. Here’s inspiration to break out the rollers and brushes. Spending an hour painting can burn 350 calories. After several hours applying a primer and then top coat, you may find you painted yourself thinner.
  Community service: If you want to help the environment and your health, spending time picking up trash from a park or seaside can shed some serious calories — 450 an hour.
  Playing with kids: Engaging in some fun family time can burn around 400 calories. Plus, it’s a great way for parents and children to bond.
  
  (above tips Courtesy of Discovery Health and Harvard Medical School,)
  

The impact of movement — even leisurely movement — can be profound. For starters, you'll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss, increased energy, and disease prevention.

Even better, the muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall — and your health risks increase. When you're standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action.

You can do this!  What will you do today to take steps to turn your health around?

To your health,

Denise :)