Soy Benefits? Prove it!

Soy research, what does science say?

Myth 3: No evidence of health benefits of soy

Truth is, plenty of evidence suggests that adding soy foods to your diet has many proven health benefits including Better Sleep, Improved Heart Health, Reducing Osteoporosis, Minimizing Menopause Symptoms, Reducing Some Diseases, Improving Fertility, and more.

First things First, It's a Legume!

Soybeans are of  the legume family which includes beans, peas, and lentils, but soybeans are truly unique because they are much higher in protein and fat than other beans and lower in carbohydrates.  The healthy, yes very healthy fat in soybeans is a combination of heart-healthy essential polyunsaturated omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Soybeans one of the few plant foods to provide both of these essential fatty acids. The carbohydrates in soy are mostly simple sugars that have been shown to act as prebiotics which stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the colon. Soy foods are also a good source of vitamins, including the B-vitamins, which give us energy and offer heart health benefits and more.  In addition soy foods are also a great source of minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium. To include soy into your diet, many recommend non-GMO products including soybeans; also called edamame, miso, tofu, soy protein powder, soy milk, tempeh, and soy flour.

Soy Health Benefits

Osteoporosis-Helps reduce bone fractures

Menopause-Reduces severity & frequency of hot flashes by 50%

Prostate-Lowers the risk of Prostate cancer

Heart Disease-Decreases LDL cholesterol (the bad)

Boosts, HDL cholesterol (the good)

Reduces triglyceride levels

Lowers Blood Pressure

Promotes Artery Health

Skin Health-Increases elasticity & collagen synthesis, improves skin appearance

 Breast Cancer-Soy isoflavones help decrease breast cancer risk

Supports-Healthy Immune System

Fertility-May offset BPA's effect on Fertility

Want to learn more about the health benefits of soy?  Don't be sold on misleading claims! Do the research, read the clinical studies and get the facts. Here are a few great resources:

Soy Connection 

Soy Nutrition Institute 

Soyfoods Association of North America

Enjoy some Soy today! I enjoy a variety of soy foods, but by far my favorite is the Shaklee 180 Life Mix. I love that Shaklee uses non-GMO soy, a cold water wash cleansing process, and includes nothing artificial. I also love that every flavor truly tastes great on its own or mixed into a fruit or veggie smoothie. Visit link below for additional details and be soy healthy!

Shaklee 180 mix offers 23g non-GMO soy protein

Your Weight IS a Heart Health Issue

How excess weight affects the heart:

Fighting the belly bulge?  It's not just a weight concern...its a major heart health concern as well. Did you know that fat around the middle increases your risk of developing fatty deposits in your blood vessels?   And its been proven that fat around the waist secretes inflammatory proteins that contribute to the fat deposition in the blood vessels.

This means that even if you are not obese, you are still at an increased risk for heart disease if you have an increased waist size.

 What is being overweight?  

Overweight and obesity are both defined by Body Mass Index or BMI (which is a ratio of weight to height). A BMI between 25 & 30 places someone in an overweight category and 30 or higher is considered obese. The following link will help you calculate your BMI.

                                      

 

Body Mass Index:

Body Mass Index (BMI) provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

Calculate Your BMI
Adult BMI Calculator	Child and Teen BMI Calculator

       What is your BMI?


More reasons to control your weight
The classifications of overweight and obese are not simply labels; there is a dramatic increase in the likelihood of disease as people increase their BMI,  
such as:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Certain cancers
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol and triglycerides
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes

The cost of being overweight
Obesity itself is not what causes the harm; it is the diseases that are associated with obesity that cause the harm. The costs of these diseases and syndromes are enormous, and that doesn't even begin to calculate the personal, physical, and emotional problems associated with increased BMI.

• Obese people are expected to live 2-4 years less than someone with a healthy weight; the extremely obese (BMI over 40) have 8-10 years taken off their life expectancy. ⁱ
• More than one-third of adults in the U.S. are considered overweight and another one-third are obese.
• The medical costs associated with obesity are estimated at over $150 billion dollars.
• Obese people cost an average of $1,429 more in medical services per year than someone who is normal weight.
• What can I do to control my weight?
   
  
  
  
  There is much you can do to control your weight. First of all, there are no easy answers. Reducing and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best tools we have to forestall or avoid many diseases.
  
  
  

  1. Lifestyle: Get support, exercise, drink plenty of water, track your progress, and eat a low-fat and low-calorie diet. 2. Boost Your Metabolism: Maintaining or increasing your lean body mass (muscles) is your best bet for keeping your metabolism going strong. There are a variety of supplements that can help with your metabolism as well. 3. Leucine: The amino acid leucine is great at helping maintain muscle mass, especially in people who are cutting calories and exercising.  Shaklee makes getting Leucine into your diet simple and delicious. Check out these simple smoothies that will help you build healthy muscle & lose those unwanted inches. Smoothees with Leucine 4. Protein: Not only does protein help you feel full longer, it also helps you keep your lean body mass. Starting the morning with a good protein or protein shake helps you feel full longer. Here's a delicious protein powder that packs 24 grams of delicious & nutritious protein.  Protein Never Tasted So Good!  5. Fiber: The benefits of fiber on weight loss are many. Studies have shown that fiber can help you feel full, support blood sugar, and it helps remove cholesterol from the body as part of a healthy diet.  Fiber doesn't have to be bland! Try these scrumptious, chewy, apple & cinnamon bars  Fiber-Meet Flavor! In closing, work daily to maintain a healthy weight with diet and exercise. Keeping your heart healthy will also keep you away from other health problems. To your health~ Denise Gaskell Gaskell Healthy Soltuions gaskellwellness@comcast.net

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)

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~