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.

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

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/