Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Non-Toxic Craft

My friend, Kristina Diaz, made another appearance on Better CT and shared this *non-toxic craft to do with your children.  Enjoy! 

To Your Health,
Lisa

*If you decide to make them permanent by adding shellac, they will no longer be non-toxic.


http://www.wfsb.com/betterct/26204368/detail.html

Friday, December 17, 2010

The Hum-Bug and Happy of the Holidays

Dealing with stress is so important to you health.  I thought you would appreciate this article.

To Your Health,
Lisa

The Hum-Bug and Happy of the Holidays

By Sue Urda

Is it getting to you yet? Do you feel the pressure and push of the holiday season? And even though you’d like to be jolly and bright, you find yourself being a bit of a Scrooge? No worries. There are lots of people who feel this way on and off during the holiday season, and there IS hope!

Here are 9 Stress-Less Tips for the Holidays:

Get Connected – The holidays are the perfect time to deepen the connection and understanding you have with others. When you’re at a gathering, whether it is large or small, make a point of having intimate conversations and truly getting to know the people you are with. You’ll be surprised how open and fun they are when you show them that you are interested in them. You don’t have to be a great conversationalist; simply ask questions and see where it takes you.

Cross Some Things Off Your List. – You know that humongous list you wrote of all the baking and decorating and visiting and shopping you wrote? Well, most likely you’re not going to get it all done anyway, so why not strategically cross things off before you start. The holidays will be great without 22 different types of cookies. Really! Be reasonable and be flexible as you think about the time everything takes and be sure to include things on your list that you enjoy the most.

Pick a Theme for the Holidays – This year my theme is peace. Last year it was Fun. Decide in advance the most important feeling that you would like to feel and plan everything around your theme. Be sure to tell your family, friends and co-workers about your theme and you’ll find that they’ll contribute positively to it!

Set a Budget – Don’t get caught up in the whirlwind of the commercialism of the holidays and the massive sales events that have you spending way more money than is comfortable for you. If you start with a specific dollar amount in mind, it will help to narrow down your choices as you plan menus, travels, decorating and gift-giving.

Set Your Boundaries – The holidays are a time when we get together with our family members who we might not see very often, and each one of them has their own idea of what ‘should’ happen during the celebration. Be sure to speak up and put in motion the things that are important to you. And remember that it’s okay to say ‘no’ when you mean no.

Schedule ‘Me Time’ - I know, I know. You think there is no time for you and all the other things you want to do and get done. The truth is that if you don’t schedule time for yourself, you’ll end up frazzled and on edge. And we all know what happens next. So, be sure to plan time with friends or with a bubble bath. You and everyone you’re with will benefit from your down time.

Gift Giving From the Heart – Having to ‘exchange’ gifts seems so cold. Instead, think of gift giving as something you do in conjunction with the feelings in your heart. As you buy gifts, think of the person you love and picture them enjoying the gift you gave them. How much money should you spend? Whatever feels good and comfortable for you.

Reflect and Reminisce – The holidays are a great time to share memories and talk about the great times you have had. Asking relatives about family members who have passed is a great way to understand traditions and will also bring a better understanding of the family members surrounding you now.

GIVE THANKS! – Always express your gratitude for the people and events in your life. Be as vocal as possible and you’ll find that you start an epidemic, because gratitude is contagious just like happiness, love and joy. What do you have to be thankful for? Look around and be grateful for everyone and everything you see. That’s what the holidays are about after all!

Now that's Powerful!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sue Urda is known as ‘The Connections Expert’. She is an Author, Speaker, Inspirer & Co-Founder of Powerful You! Women’s Network. Sue is a two-time honoree on INC Magazine’s list of the 500 Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Her award-winning book, Powerful Intentions Everyday Gratitude: 100 Transformational Days to Create a Life of Joy, Grace and Ease is designed to help you understand the complex workings of your mind, tap the inner wisdom of your heart & live each day through deliberate creation and intent. Sue assists women in their own pursuit of success, joyful-living & balance and her mission is to connect women to each other, their visions & themselves. www.sueurda.com

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Today Only - Special on Cholesterol Reduction Complex

I wanted to make sure you were aware of the Cholesterol Reduction Complex special that ends today.


15% off !

That's in addition to the the member pricing discounts.

And no limit!

Through tonight you would want to use this link of the special pricing. http://healthmatters4u.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=89200 .

See how it works!

http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/show.php?video=CRC

If a new person purchases 2 and they will receive membership pricing! :)) It will offer FREE membership at checkout and adjust the pricing.

Here is a link to the testimonial from Chris Dzurnak in Torrington on the cholesterol. http://nosickvisits.blogspot.com/2010/11/high-cholesterol.html

Let me know if you have any questions. Feel free to contact me by phone or email.

To Your Health,
Lisa

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Real Dirt on Clean Water

Your Tap Water may look clean, but in a study conducted by the Enviromental Working Group (EWG), more than 300 pollutants were found in the drinking water in 45 states.  What can you do to help protect yourself and your family against potentially harmful contaminants?

According to the US, Environmental Protection Agency, public water untilities have violated the Safe Drinking Water Act - which has not been updated since 1996 - more than 700,000 times in the past seven years!

What's in Your Water?


Your tap water may not be as safe to drink as you think it is. It may contain lead from corroded pipes, atrazine (a common pesticide), discharge from industrial activity, and other contaminants you can’t necessarily see, taste, or smell. Over time, some contaminants may negatively impact your health. So which contaminants should you be on the lookout for?

• Disinfection by-products can form when chemicals used by local water utilities to kill water-borne microorganisms react with elements that sometimes may be present in the water.

• Heavy metals, including lead, are commonly present in pipes and can easily end up in your drinking glass. Even "lead-free" pipes are no exception; they can actually contain up to 8% lead.

• Agricultural pollutants not only threaten fish and wildlife, they can affect your health. One common pesticide to watch out for is atrazine. Although banned in Europe, over 70 million pounds of atrazine are currently used on farms across the United States.

• Industrial pollutants are prevalent in urban areas. One example of an industrial pollutant is benzene; up to 6 million pounds of this toxic chemical are released in the U.S. every year.

Long-term exposure to these contaminants may cause serious health problems—such as compromised kidney and liver function. And for young children, the risk is even greater. For example, long-term exposure to lead can cause reduced IQ, learning disabilities, and impaired growth.

Who's Responsible for Regulating Your Water?

So who's paying attention to the levels of all the pollutants in your water? Good question. More than half of the pollutants found in drinking water by the EWG are not held to any safety standards. And according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, public water utilities have violated the Safe Drinking Water Act—which has not been updated since 1996—more than 700,000 times in the past seven years.

Who's Responsible for Regulating Your Water?

There are steps you can take to help safeguard yourself and your family against contaminants.1. Do your homework: Research how your water gets from your municipality to your home.

2. Take action: Purchase a water filtration system that’s independently certified to reduce contaminants in your water that may be hazardous to your health. Look for ones with the Water Quality Association (WQA) or National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) seal.

3. Take action: Purchase a water filtration system that’s independently certified to reduce contaminants in your water that may be hazardous to your health. Look for ones with the Water Quality Association (WQA) or National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) seal.



This is reposted from a Shaklee Wellness Update.  If you are concerned about your water, check out our special offer solution, providing you with 365 Days of Clean Water.
http://letsbetoxinfree.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=89114


To Your Health,
Lisa







Monday, December 6, 2010

Do you know the PH level of your food?

Here is a humorous & very informative video explanation of PH and the effects on your body. If you drink sodas (even diet), you’ll find this interesting. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI



To Your Health,
Lisa

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Calcium and Vitamin D Intake

With all the news regarding Vitamin D in the press, I thought I'd share this letter from Dr. Jamie McManus.  Still wondering what you should be doing?  Take the quiz at linked at the end of this letter and find out.

To Your Health,
Lisa


New Calcium and Vitamin D Intake Recommendations –
                                              What You Need to Know

Hello Shaklee Family,

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) just released the report "Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D" that establishes higher recommended intake levels for vitamin D. The new Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for children and adults ages 1-70 has been increased to 600 IU/day and the RDA for those aged 71+ has also been raised to 800 IU/day. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level was raised from 2,000 to 4,000 IU/day for adults. Calcium intake RDAs remained essentially the same with a range of 700 – 1,300 mg per day depending on age and sex. The full report can be accessed at http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Report-Brief.aspx.

We recognize that the goals of the IOM are to make broad-based recommendations for the entire population, and develop reference values that serve to guide nutrient guidelines for the US and Canada. We applaud the IOM for updating the vitamin D and calcium nutritional reference values established in 1997, for the potential far-reaching benefits to public health, but we also believe that such modest adjustments in recommended intakes may under-serve the many population groups who are at potential risk for low intakes of calcium and/or vitamin D..

We also want to take this opportunity to reiterate that Shaklee’s mission is to support optimal health for everyone, and in this case, we believe the potential benefits of calcium and vitamin D supplementation go well beyond simple nutritional adequacy and bone health. Scientific research links vitamin D inadequacy to an increased risk for certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes, and higher intakes of vitamin D may help reduce the risk of these diseases. These are precisely the reasons we conducted our own extensive review of the scientific literature and sponsored two independent vitamin D research studies. We also recently adjusted our individual vitamin D intake recommendations based on an individual’s risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency.

It has been estimated that as many as 80% of Americans may have “insufficient” blood levels of vitamin D and there are many reasons why low vitamin D levels seem to be commonplace today. The season or calendar month is a major risk factor for vitamin D insufficiency because sunlight is less efficient during winter months at triggering vitamin D production in the skin. The risk for vitamin D insufficiency rises as sunscreen use and time spent indoors increases. The latitude of your residence is another determinant of sun exposure and those with darker skin are less efficient at converting sunlight to vitamin D. Other factors that can increase risk for vitamin D inadequacy include increasing age, increasing body mass index, lack of exercise, and low intake of fish and other vitamin D rich foods in the diet.

While we support the IOM for the long-awaited adjustments to the calcium RDAs, increases to the vitamin D RDAs, and the increased Safe Upper Levels of Intake (UL) for vitamin D, we also remain committed to individualized and potentially higher vitamin D intake recommendations based on an individual’s unique vitamin D risk factor profile.


For more information about calcium, vitamin D, and your health, talk with your doctor or healthcare professional to discuss the steps you should take to achieve optimal calcium and vitamin D intakes. To obtain an individual vitamin D intake recommendation from Shaklee Health Sciences, based on your own risk factor profile, take the Vitamin D-Ology questionnaire at http://healthmatters4u.myshaklee.com/us/en/#/pop_VitaminD_quiz

Sending warmest regards,

Dr. Jamie McManus M.D.
Chairman, Medical Affairs and Health Sciences
Shaklee Corporation

Sunday, November 21, 2010

High Cholesterol ?

With 1 in 3 Americans having high cholesterol, here is a safe natural alternative to lowering cholesterol.  If you choose to get started, order 2 by November 30th, 2010 and get 15% off and a FREE Shaklee membership. 


This is a great video explanation of the new Cholesterol Reduction Complex.
http://www.betterhealthin31days.com/healthmatters4u/sv/CholesterolReductionComplex


Wondering if it will work for you?  Give it a try while continuing what you are doing currently.  Then have your cholesterol rechecked.  Check out Chris' experience in just 2 months.


To Your Health,
Lisa

I went to the Doctor yesterday to see how I am doing with my Cholesterol. I was really surprised to fond out that taking the Shaklee Cholesterol Reduction tablets for two months has dropped my levels from 141 LDL to just 97 LDL in the three month time frame. I did not do that well with just the Cholesterol medication by itself. I hope the next time I go I can get off the medication and just use the Shaklee product. I am really happy and hope that you will consider this product as well.

Chris

Monday, November 1, 2010

Toxin Free for Less

Check out this short video.

http://www.betterhealthin31days.com/healthmatters4u/sv/GetCleanProducts

This holiday season, give your family the gift of a Toxin Free home.

Change it all in November for less than $100. That's a savings of over $3000 from commercial toxic cleaners. 

Visit http://www.letsbetoxinfree.com/ and choose the Get Clean Kit.  Check out as a member.  Membership is FREE through November 30, 2010.  This will entitle you to 15% savings off this purchase and all future purchases as long a you continue as a Shaklee customer.

Want more details before you make a decision. 

Grab a cup of coffee or tea, relax & listen to this recording.  The health of your family is at stake.
 http://www.betterhealthin31days.com/healthmatters4u/kecd/GetClean

To Your Health,
Lisa

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Don't Try This At Home...Cleaner Reaction

Please Don't try this at  home...it could be hazardous to your health. 
Check out this photo and see the reaction when using products that can harm you.
Do you or someone you know use Ivory Snow and Clorox 2?



Jar with the red lid is Ivory Snow & Clorox 2 mixed then let sit. It bubbled over the top then formed this thick layer of gel.


Jar with the white lid is Shaklee Fresh Laundry & Nature Bright

Many people don't know there can be danger in mixing cleaning products together.

The fumes can be deadly & this type of reaction is not good for your plumbing.
You see there was NO reaction with the Shaklee products.

What do you want your family sleeping on and living in? 

To Your Health,
Lisa

Friday, October 22, 2010

The Worlds Best Breakfast !

You know how they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  It sets the tone for the rest of the day...Make a poor choice or no choice and  you will pay for it in effects on your blood sugar, energy, and mental focus.   Make the right choice and you have started your day full of energy, satiated til lunch, and able to accomplish whatever is on your list.  This is my favorite breakfast !   Cinch ! It comes in 4 different flavors - Vanilla, Chocolate, Cafe Latte or Strawberry.  It even comes in a Cinch Whey Protein version.  Then you can also mix it up for an infinite number of choices.  This morning I had Chocolate Cinch, 8 oz. of soy milk, 4 ice cubes and a teaspoon of instant coffee.   I had it ready to drink right after yoga class (it is a proven after work out drink...helps you maintain lean muscle mass. )  Thanks to Ashley for sharing these additional Chocolate Cinch Shake Recipes.

To Your Health,
Lisa




http://healthmatters4u.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20341

Monday, October 18, 2010

Don't Support Pink Washing!

Pinkwashing: A term used to describe companies that position themselves as leaders in the fight against breast cancer while engaging in practices that may be contributing to rising rates of the disease.


We’ve all seen personal care products dressed up with pink ribbons to “raise awareness” about breast cancer. Unfortunately, many of the corporations using the pink ribbon continue to use chemicals that are linked to cancer and hormone disruption. We need to shift the conversation toward disease prevention- and we can! We can use our voices, our dollars and our votes to support organizations, companies and elected officials that promise not to allow harmful chemicals in cosmetics and other products in the first place. That is a real commitments to women’s health.

Read more: http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/lets_tweet_twice/#ixzz12kn5MHrT


Greetings!

This blog post from Healthy Child/ Healthy World really struck a nerve with me....It has become really "in"  to be wearing pink ribbons, socks or bands to support cancer awareness.   That is great - if that is not all you are doing.  Did you know many of the products in your home, the same ones that are also sporting "Pink" this month are made of  carcinogens &/or other harmful toxic chemicals.  Toxins that are harming your health and the health of  the planet.  You take a stand with every dollar you spend.  If you purchase products from these manufacturers you are telling them you find this acceptable and they should continue....even if you are wearing the pink pin. 

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

If you are looking for alternatives - products that are safe for you, safe for your family and safe for the planet - do like I did and look to a company that has been walking the walk for 54 years - SHAKLEE.   If I can help you find substititutions - let me know.   

Lets stop pinkwashing and lets stop pink hypocricy.

To Your Health,
Lisa




Thursday, October 14, 2010

High Blood Pressure Falls from 220/120 to 155/85

VIVIX vs. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE



In 2006, I entered the hospital because of elevated blood pressure which was 224/130, and was released after three days after they were able to bring it down to 180/120. I had a tightness in the middle of my chest, and my body was always so very hot. For one year I took 10mg of Lisinopril and 400mg of Levatolol and a water pill. My Blood Pressure continued to be elevated. I was only 40 years old at this time.

In 2007 I had a series of tests performed at Yale New Haven, with ten doctors taking part in it, only to be told that everything was normal. They were not able to find out what was causing the elevated Blood Pressure. They did prescribe three RX's and after taking them for three days, my gums began to bleed. I stopped taking everything and continued to live with the High Blood Pressure.

I should also mention that I am in fit condition, perfect weight, I exercise for 45 to 60 minutes in the AM and PM daily, and eat a healthy diet. I still have the elevated Blood Pressure, and the date is September 22, 2010.

I was introduced to Vivix by Shaklee, and anti aging tonic through the wife of one of my clients. She gave me a bottle to try and see if it would lower my Blood Pressure. I take 1 tsp.daily and here are the results in less than two weeks.

9/23/10...220/120
9/24/10...200/120
9/25/10...180/110
9/26/10...175/102
9/27/10...168/95
9/28/10...165/90
9/29/10...160/90
9/30/10...160/85
10/05/10..158/95
10/06/10..158/85

Today is 10/06/10 , and I just returned from seeing my doctor who I have check me monthly....he was very delighted to see how low my Blood Pressure was since my last visit. I told him what I was taking....Vivix by Shaklee, and I gave him my testimonial along with the Vivix brochure and he kept it, and said he may be using it.

I am so happy to see that something is working to lower my High Blood Pressure...the only thing I am doing differently is taking this one tsp. of Shaklee Vivix, which is an anti aging tonic daily. My wife noticed my body is back to normal temperature as well and I sleep through the night like a little baby and have lots of energy.

I thank God and Shaklee for this wonderful blessing of improved health.

Leon


Greetings !

Leon reports today...10/12/10.....his blood pressure is 155/85.....did I also mention he used to have this feeling of a lump in the crux of his throat when he would eat. It was like something was stuck and wouldn't go down. Well that feeling is gone and has been for over a week now. He is so full of energy and sleeps like a baby. He doesn't huff and puff when climbing stairs anymore. Praise God and Shaklee Vivix!!!

If you would like to receive the testimonial E-booklet, please fill out your informaton.


As always, if you feel this can help someone you care about, please pass it along!

To Your Health,
Lisa

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Could Your Cleaners be Connected to Children's Health & Behavior?

I just received this email entitled "Chemicals" & Your Families Health.... .  This is very similar to my family story, although we were fortunate to find Shaklee prior to beginining any pharmaceutical route.


ASTHMA … DIGESTIVE AND RESPIRATORY ISSUES … DERMATITIS … ECZEMA … EYE AND SKIN BURNS … REPRODUCTIVE ISSUES … LIVER AND KIDNEY DAMAGE … HEADACHES

AND COULD YOUR CLEANERS BE CONNECTED TO YOUR CHILDREN’s BEHAVIOR??


Educate yourself about what you bring into your home at Household Products Database
 www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/products.htm  and make concious decisions.  There are alternatives!

Email me and I would be happy to send you a pdf of popular cleaners and the ingredients that are causing harm to your family.  Feel free to browse my online catalog at the right for mentioned  products  or contact me if you want info to changes in your household.


Read Beth's story below....

To Your Health,
Lisa



My experience with Shaklee products began from a desperate need to get help for my son. He had been on Ritalin for two and one- half years.

What began as a "miracle drug" ended as a personality-altering nightmare.

At first, we were amazed at how he instantly became a good student. He was no longer in trouble all the time and had the ability to sit still and focus. He said "okay" when asked to perform simple tasks, and "thank
you" and " I'm sorry". He actually complimented his brothers! Our lifestyle as a family changed drastically and the constant tension was eased.

By the end of two and one-half years, however, the medication had taken its toll. It became a sedative that worked for a short time, but when it began to wear off, our son would become explosive. Once, when he was in a rage of frustration and anger, I asked him what was wrong, and all he could say, in fits of tears and thrashing, was, "I don't know, Mommy!! I don't know!!" He was nine years old.

At the same time, the Lord brought a new friend into my life. She "happened" to be a very experienced mother of four boys -two of whom were taking Shaklee supplements for ADHD. My husband and I decided to try the same program they were using, and we are so glad we did!

To summarize…our son is now able to be the person God made him to be.

Shortly after beginning the program, we came to know a boy we had never had the opportunity to know before. Not only did his creativity come back, but a thoughtful, kind, insightful attitude accompanied it. There
is a depth in him that the "focus" of medication limited. Ritalin kept him focused, but very shallow. He's free now to think and express himself in delightful and deeply thoughtful ways. He remains very active, which can be, honestly, quite trying at times. But his need for physical expression is minor compared to what we have gained. We've discovered that there are other answers for the behavior difficulties.

I had heard something about fumes from cleaning supplies causing children to be"hyper " and out of control. I gave it little thought until one day I was cleaning the bathroom with bleach and made myself sick with the
smell of Clorox bleach in my nostrils. I thought that if it could cause me, an adult, to feel so ill, what must it do to a child? Several days later, my boys were playing in the basement, and suddenly my oldest became very mean-spirited, bossy, and LOUD (does that sound familiar to any of you?!). Immediately I thought, "What has he had to eat?" I couldn't think of anything he'd eaten that would make him act this way.

Looking in the direction of the noise, I realized that the dishwasher was on. I couldn't imagine that it possibly could be the fumes from the dishwasher detergent; however, I decided to experiment during the next few days.

Each day, while my son was doing well, I'd turn on the dishwasher, and as soon as the steam began seeping out with the smell of detergent, he would go crazy!! It was as if he responded on cue: a phenomenon I would
not have believed if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! Needless to say, we have changed to Basic D for the dishwasher, and we also use Basic H and G. I have seen no ill effects of these cleaners on my kids, and I
have watched my boys while I used the products, so that I could monitor any changes in their behavior.

Taking his supplements has been a part of my son's daily routine now for almost three years. By the way, until we began the Shaklee supplements, he and his brothers were in the doctor's office at least once every six weeks for this or that ailment. In the last three years, he has been to see the doctor one time!

I am so thankful for Shaklee and am glad that I can always trust the consistency of their products. Shaklee has given us so much hope for our son, and, the quality of our life as a family has dramatically improved.

Thank you, Shaklee! Beth Shaum

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

"Fall Behind" "D Ahead"

Pretty soon it will be time to change our clocks.  You know what they say Fall Behind - Spring Forward.  Well, I just got this from my friend Dr. Chaney and his take on how this relates to our Vitamin D needs.  Seems like great timing, because through October 17th you can get Vitamin D at 15% off!  Just click here.  Want to know exactly how much you should be taking?  Use the Vitamin D-Ology quiz.

To Your Health,
Lisa


In just a few weeks we will be told to "fall behind" - set our clocks back one hour as we go off Daylight Savings Time.

That's also a good time to "D ahead" - to increase our vitamin D intake.

That's because our bodies just don't make vitamin D as well during the winter months.

The very first step in making vitamin D occurs when our skin converts a metabolite of cholesterol to vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol - and that reaction depends on UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun.

From there the vitamin D3 travels to our liver where it is converted to 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (the form of vitamin D that is measured in our blood).

And the 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 travels to our kidney where it is converted to 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 - the active form of vitamin D that is responsible for building strong bones and conferring all of the other health benefits associated with vitamin D.

But the very first step in the process occurs in our skin and is absolutely dependent on exposure to UV radiation.

And when the sun is low in the sky, our UV exposure decreases significantly even if we spend just as much time outdoors and expose just as much skin surface - both of which are unlikely for the cold winter months.

So just remember each year when you are told to "Fall Behind" (set your clocks back) it's time to "D forward" your vitamin D intake - an increase of 1,000 IU/day will usually be sufficient.

And in the spring when you are told that it's time to "Spring Forward" (set your clocks ahead) it will be time to "D Behind" - decrease your vitamin D intake by about 1,000 IU/day.

To Your Health!

Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Tricks and Treats for Halloween

Halloween should give you some good scares, not actually anything to worry about.

For a safe and ecofriendly holiday, try these tips:

-Set a spooky mood with soy or beeswax candles, not those made from petroleum-based paraffin. If you like scented candles, look for ones with fragrances derived from essential oils rather than synthetic chemicals.

-Invest creativity instead of cash in your costume. Dig into the back of the closet (yours or a friend's) or hit the thrift store to find wacky clothes and accessories instead of buying plastic costumes.

-Avoid masks made out of vinyl. Latex ones are safer, unless you're allergic to the material.

-Whether you're going glamorous or ghoulish, use natural makeup to avoid chemical exposure.

-Hand out fair trade or organic chocolates, organic hard candy, fruit snacks, or other ecofriendly edibles to all those cute trick-or-treaters.

-Worried about rotting those little monsters' teeth? Fun nonfood alternative treats include nontoxic crayons, coloring books, stickers, or even small change.

-Whether for dressing up or handing out, avoid costume jewelry, especially glossy, fake painted pearls and toys from vending machines, both of which may contain lead. There have been many recalls of lead-containing children’s products this year, so use a Lead Check kit if you're unsure about a toy your child already owns.

-Look up some recipes for pumpkin pie, soup, or curry so your decoration doesn't go to waste after Halloween. (Not much of a chef? Compost that jack-o-lantern, at least.)

-Don't forget a reusable shopping bag to carry your trick-or-treating haul!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Marysville's Margaret Kime still plugging along after 99 years

Came across this article by Herald Columnist,  Kristi O'Harran and couldn' t resist sharing.

To Your Health,
Lisa



MARYSVILLE -- If Shaklee nutrition company wants to document its success, they should visit Margaret Kime. She’s been taking their products for almost 50 years. Kime swears by Vivix, an anti-aging tonic. She is 99 years old. Her husband, Ed, 91, lives down her hallway at Madeline Villa in Marysville. Kime said she has outlived two sons and has no one else to care for her. It was great to see her again. I wrote about her in 2003. “Not aging, just marinating” was the headline. She’s marinated quite well.

Kime still wears her thin hair short, saying it’s easier to take care of. Her health is good, though her eyes are going bad. She wants for nothing and loves Madeline Villa. “The housework is done,” Kime said. “This is living.”

Her room is sparse, with only a few bits of memorabilia. She won countless blue ribbons at the Evergreen State Fair for machine knitting — after she was 80 years old. The bulk of the ribbons were donated to Special Olympics. “Somebody is going to enjoy those ribbons,” she said.

Her hometown is Sultan, where her father worked for the railroad. She said she is the last of the 17 graduates from Sultan High School’s class of 1928.

Ten years ago, the Kimes moved to senior housing in Everett. She wasn’t going to tip back in a recliner, she said, although she did give up teaching and custom knitting. She made more than 1,200 sweaters by machine through the years.

Kime got busy meeting apartment dwellers from New York, Florida and Tennessee. The job she fashioned for herself was that of a social director. She said if you wanted to make a friend, just walk the hallways. At the nursing home, Mark Hinricksen got to know Kime when his mother, Jane Hinricksen, was Kime’s roommate. “Margaret was a great influence on her,” Mark Hinricksen said. His mother recovered from a fall and has since left the nursing home. Mark Hinricksen said he enjoyed Kime’s long memory, including stories from World War I.

When Kime was a youngster and her father worked the railroad telegraph, he was the first person in town to know the war had ended. Hinricksen said Kime made him laugh for hours with her stories. “She’s sharp as a tack,” he said. Kime’s humor is delightful. “At age 25, you have a lot of boyfriends and wonder who will I take?” she said. “At age 58, you wonder what can I get?” Seven years ago, Kime talked about the benefits of staying active.

Not so active these days, she isn’t interested in going on group outings or shopping. “Shopping isn’t my thing,” she said. “I haven‘t been to the Everett Mall in 30 years.” She would travel for one thing — to see an exhibit of glass by Dale Chihuly. All in all, life is good for this 99-year-old. She savors memories, such as the years she ran a booth at the old three-day Monroe Fair. She cooked and sold rabbit. Yes, folks stood in line for rabbit, she said.

Kime said she is content with how much world she saw in her day. She even met her guru, company founder Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee, twice.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Consumers Claim their Low-Phosphate Detergents Not Working

Phosphates pose a threat to aquatic life and can end up in drinking-water reservoirs. In response to new laws, (see the previous post) more and more makers of dishwasher detergents are reducing the amounts of phosphates in their products. But, according to a recent article published by The New York Times, "Cleaner for the Environment, Not for the Dishes," consumers claim their low-phosphate detergents aren't getting the job done.


Launched in 1991, Shaklee Basic-D® was the first patented phosphate-free dishwashing cleanser. Today, our Shaklee Get Clean® Dish Washer Automatic Powder Concentrate is a patented, high-performing, phosphate-free dishwasher cleanser. Its enzyme-activated formula removes tough stains without the need for prerinsing, leaving dishes sparkling clean. Shaklee Get Clean products do not contain phosphates—and never will.

Shouldn't everyone you know be using a phosphate-free dishwasher concentrate that leaves dishes sparkling clean?

Contact me to learn more about Get Clean products that are both safe for the environment and effective. Help us get the word out by sharing this with your friends and family—they'll thank you for it!

To Your Health,
Lisa

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Do you live in a state where your dishwasher is operating illegally?

Laws in 17 States Limit Phosphates in Automatic Dishwasher Cleaning Agents


When Shaklee first launched our patented, phosphate-free Basic-D® in 1991, we were way ahead of trend in making available a high performing phosphate-free automatic dishwash concentrate. It wasn't until 1994 that phosphates in laundry detergents were restricted nationwide, but until recently, automatic dishwasher detergent manufacturers could include phosphates without concern for environmental regulations prohibiting or limiting the use of phosphates. There simply weren't any.

Well, that time appears to be coming to an end. As of this year, 17 states have enacted laws regarding phosphates in automatic dishwasher cleaners, 15 of them in 2010 alone.

Why the concern about phosphates? Phosphates in bodies of fresh water like lakes, streams, rivers, and creeks, act as a nutrient to organisms like algae, encouraging their growth to an extent that they can harm or threaten plant and fish life.

Now is a great time to assure your consumers and prospects that Shaklee Get Clean® products do not contain phosphates, and never will. And for those who are concerned about performance, Shaklee Get Clean Automatic Dish Wash Concentrate is a patented, highly concentrated, phosphate-free automatic dishwash cleanser, backed by the 100% Shaklee Satisfaction Guarantee, and selected as a 2008 recipient of the PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved) seal of approval. Its enzyme-activated formula removes tough stains without prerinsing, dissolving quickly and completely, without residue.

Here are the 17 states in which phosphates in dishwash detergents are now regulated. Is your state one of them?

Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont, Virginia


And even if your state isn't among these, shouldn't everyone you know be using a phosphate-free dishwash concentrate?

To Your Health,
Lisa

Sunday, September 26, 2010

From the White House to the Cleaning Pros...they love our cleaners!

Kadi Dulude of Wizard of Homes, a New York-based Cleaning Service, shares her list of eco-friendly products that her team can't do without in Readers Digest.  Guess what she included?  Shaklee.  Check out what she says and the new Get Clean Household Mini Kit.

To Your Health,
Lisa






What we love about Shaklee is that all you need is one bottle of their Super Cleaning Concentrate to make an all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, degreaser and tough spot remover. Just mix it with water and the required amount of concentrate. It has absolutely no smell, which is nice. Also, try their Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste -- it looks and smells like body butter, but it's the toughest scrubbing paste we’ve tried.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Since you're interested in wellness, so I thought I would share this with you.


 
Vitamin D has been a hot topic in the news. Recent research studies show that vitamin D - the "sunshine vitamin" - offers a multitude of important benefits including supporting healthy heart function, immune and bone health. And surprisingly, up to 80% of Americans may have insufficient levels.

 
Here is an excerpt from webmd.com regarding Vitamin D Deficiency.

 
Symptoms and Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency

 
Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

  • Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  •  Cognitive impairment in older adults
  • Severe asthma in children
  • Cancer

Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

 
It's me again.

  
Are you getting enough vitamin D? If you're not sure, Shaklee's new vitamin D quiz can quickly calculate the recommended level of vitamin D supplementation based on eight simple questions.

 

Click here to take the quiz and give me a call. I'd love to hear your results!

  
To Your Health,

 Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Back to School & No Sick Visits

Dear Friends,


One of the great benefits my family realized with Shaklee was No Sick Visits in over 14 years!
( I even started this blog)

Tonight you will be hearing how you can also have a successful & healthy school year for your family.


I hope you get to enjoy this call. Feel free to follow up with me if you have questions about things mentioned on the call. Anyway, let me know what you think.

To Your Health,
Lisa



Tuesday, August 17th - 8:45PM Eastern Time

212-990-8000 pin: 6262#

Shaklee ProductTalks presented by Gerri Stiner & Claudia Shedd

Back to School - Concerns about your children:

- Personal Testimonies

- Immune system

- Energy

- Hydration when playing sports

- Learning

- That back to school "list"

- Parents - coping with stress!!


- Teachers - coping with stress!!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

FDA Approved Natural Cholesterol Reducer

Did you know that there is now a way to lower your cholesterol naturally?

Introducing Shaklee Cholesterol Reduction Complex†, a proprietary formulation with clinically proven ingredients that help prevent the absorption of cholesterol and lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

It's made with a powerful blend of sterols and stanols, which are found naturally in plants, fruits, vegetables and grains, and are supported by more than 80 clinical studies to lower LDL cholesterol.

Outsmart your cholesterol today with Shaklee Cholesterol Reduction Complex.

I would love to talk to you about this amazing new product! Take a look at this video clip and give me a call today about our special introductory price or how you can save 10% with AutoShip!

To Your Health,
Lisa

Death by M&M ???

So much of the junk food marketed to our children comes with dangers.  What is exactly in the fruit roll ups, cnadies or cereals (I hesitate to even call them cereal since many have enough sugar to be called Candy)  Have you seen this article?  Read it and think about what you are putting into your grocery cart.  You make the decisions!

To Your Health,
Lisa

Death by M&M: The Problem with Food Dyes
http://food.change.org/blog/view/death_by_mm_the_problem_with_food_dyes

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Needing & Wanting Attention

I remember when Steven was first diagnosed ADHD and I chose a natural route instead of narcotics, the pediatrician told me our natural options might seem to be working because it was giving  him additional attention.  This mom thought if my son needed extra attention, shouldn't that be the course we choose ----  not controlled narcotics.  I do believe the additional parenting skills we aquired  along with the nutrition & removal of junky foods & toxic chemicals, all contributed to our success in raising him without the controlled substances.  I think this article from Lou has some great insight for both children & adults.  Let me know what you think?

To Your Health,
Lisa

Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 7/29/10 - "Needing & Wanting Attention"


When your younger children crave attention, do they throw a tantrum, misbehave or act out inappropriately? If so, maybe you can show them a better way.

You know, children want many things that they don't usually ask for directly. In that way, they're no different from adults. Two things in particular that we all seem to need, but seldom come right out and ask for, are recognition and affection.

Now, kids who get plenty of each from the start usually grow up to be happy, well adjusted, confident, and well behaved. Kids who don't get much of either, though, will get very creative. They may try throwing tantrums, and if this succeeds in creating the attention they need, they may grow up believing that when you don't get what you want, becoming very angry will do the trick. You have probably seen examples of this while driving.

Many children misbehave to get attention - not consciously, as a rule, but they do it nevertheless, because even negative attention is better than no attention. If neither tantrums nor acting out works, they may eventually stop trying at all, becoming withdrawn, listless and apathetic.

The thing to do, then, if you want to eliminate these problems or avoid them in the first place, is to give your kids plenty of attention and affection when they are behaving well.

Let them know that it's OK to ask for what you want. It's OK to ask for a hug or to say, "Please pay attention to me for a few minutes." When they do ask, take time to give it to them. You'll be avoiding many future problems - not only for your kids, but also for you.

Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute
http://www.thepacificinstitute.com/

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Mango Pops | Weelicious ™ - Fast, Easy & Fresh Homemade Home Made Baby Food Babyfood Recipes, Toddler Food and recipes for the entire family!

Just found this blog.  I thougth you might like this recipe.

To Your Health,
Lisa

Mango Pops Weelicious ™ - Fast, Easy & Fresh Homemade Home Made Baby Food Babyfood Recipes, Toddler Food and recipes for the entire family!

Another Report Linking Cancer to Household Chemical Use

Many thanks to Donna Jewett for passing along this information on a peer-reviewd study showing twice the rate of breast cancer among women who reported the highest use of cleaning products. A very good reason to share Shaklee's safe, effective, and non-toxic Get Clean products.  Check out the links in this report.

It is one of the reasons I am so passionate about what I do.  This is me on our local TV  show, BETTER CT.  http://www.wfsb.com/video/24325964/index.html  If you are on facebook , add Lets Be Toxin Free to your Likes. 


To Your Health,
Lisa


Dear Friends,


I thought you might be interested in new results of our research published today in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health. We found higher breast cancer risk among women who reported the highest cleaning product use; however, we caution that these results may be influenced by differences among women in what they recall about past product use as well as their actual product use. The journal's press release is pasted below along with a link to the journal abstract and full article.

Because of our concern that some cleaning products contain mammary gland carcinogens or endocrine disruptors, we have long recommended alternatives that may reduce exposure to suspect chemicals: http://silentspring.org/take-action.

Here are a few of the news stories reporting our results around the world:

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/houseproud-women-cancer-risk-20100720-10ic6.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/breast-cancer-link-to-cleaning-products-and-air-fresheners-2030342.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7837863/Household-cleaners-may-double-risk-of-breast-cancer.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100719205630.htm

We would love to hear your comments. And if you want to share them with others, you can find us on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silent-Spring-Institute/133587755319.

Best wishes,
Julia

--
Julia G. Brody, PhD
Executive Director
Silent Spring Institute
29 Crafts Street
Newton, MA 02458

617-332-4288
brody@silentspring.org
http://www.silentspring.org/

 NEWS RELEASE – HEALTH
 Embargoed until Tuesday 20th July, 00.01 (BST)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Are they Blackberries or Black Raspberries?

I have asked this question and I have been told they are Black Raspberries growing all over my yard. We had a lot of rain this spring and now are having some hot days - so it is a banner year for these berries. Every night I go out to brave the poison ivy and and reach through the thorns to pick these sweet, ripe berries. Now twice I gotten stung also!

I got over the bee sting and am sitting with a bowl of them to snack on. I have found a high anti-oxidant substitute for the bowl of popcorn. YUM!!

To Your Health,
Lisa

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Invisible Glove

I have had a lot of posts this spring regarding our Shaklee Get Clean Kit. One of my favorite products is the Basic H2. So many uses - even I forget about using it in all the situations. The other day I was staining my deck. When I finished, I came inside to clean my hands ( I am a messy painter/stainer ). That was when I realized I forgot my invisible glove!!

Invisible Glove of Basic H2 – lightly coat your hands with Basic H2 and let dry before painting, staining, gardening etc & clean-up will be a breeze. Everything rinses right off because the paint, stain or dirt never got onto the hands to adhere.

If you have an interest in non-toxic, green, economical & effective cleaning products, you can get the kit at membership pricing through June 30th! Just order directly from the link.


To Your Health,
Lisa

Thursday, May 6, 2010

No More Allergy Shots for Me!

With all the pollen in the air, I thought you might enjoy this testimonial.

To Your Health,
Lisa



No More Allergy Shots for Me!

I'm allergic to pollen, dust, grass, weeds, trees, feathers, fur, certain scents, dogs, cats, and certain foods (citrus, fish, cashews or anything processed in a plant with tree nuts).


I also have asthma. I suffered itchy rashes on my hands so bad I could hardly bend my fiingers.

For years I would break out all over my body every time the wind blew.
I was always getting nosebleeds. I was constantly sick with bronchitis,
and pretty much had no voice for 4-6 months of the year. I tried over-the-counter, and every prescription med, inhaler, or nose spray.

Zyrtec worked best but made me absolutely crazy and I had to quit taking it.

I was getting allergy shots for a while and they helped a lot, but the series were sporatic and a couple times I had analphylactic reactions to the shots.

That is really scary!

The last time MediCal stopped my shots was when Nutriferon first came out. I was freaking about the shots because if I didn't get them every week ... I'd end up with bronchitis and lose my voice, etc.

I was a non-committed Shaklee user, but decided to give the Nutriferon
a try. What a difference!

I doubled up on it the first few days, then took two a day regularly for a long time.

I did go without it for about a week at one point, and that is where
I really noticed the difference because the symptoms came back!

Other than that, I've been basically symptom free since I started taking the Nutriferon, and I've gotten friends who were distributers for other companies taking it for their allergies and asthma because they saw the differnce in me and how much better I was since I started taking the Nutriferon.

I have seven children, one with severe allergies who also takes Nutriferon.
My oldest daughter who is in college in Santa Cruz, takes it every day and
she was the only one in school that didn't get sick the whole year, except once, and that time she recovered real fast when she doubled up on the Nutriferon. The other kids take it when others around them are getting sick at school and work.

It feels good to be able to go outside on a beautiful day and not be afraid of breaking out in a rash. I even go outside when it is windy and still have my voice!

Recently I went on a five-mile hike when everything was blooming
and didn't even sneeze or get wheezy!

Nutriferon is amazing stuff ... I can't help but be excited about it!

God bless Dr. Kojima!

Tara Colvin
Orcutt, CA

Check out Nutriferon.

Presidents Report Links Chemicals to Cancer

Presidents Report Links Chemicals to Cancer.

http://blog.saferchemicals.org/2010/05/presidents-report-links-chemicals-to-cancer.html

Duh.....I hope people start making better decisions about what they bring into their home. And let me climb on my soap box - Clorox is not concerned with removing chemicals when they released Green works - If they were they would have stopped manufacturing their harmful chemicals. It is a marketing ploy. I hear from people every day who are happy with their switch to Get Clean - Safe for you, your family & the environment.

I have helped many family's make the switch - I would be happy to help you also.

Safe, Economical, Effective & Environmental.

Why wouldn't you Get Started with Get Clean?

To Your Health,
Lisa

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Check Your Medicine Cabinet -Children's Medication Recalls

Most parents have used or have some of these in their medicine cabinets. Please check your supply. Have the baby sitter, day care & grandma check their supply also. Here is a link to the recall list.


http://children.webmd.com/news/20100502/recall-of-kids-tylenol-motrin-zyrtec-benadryl

If you are interested in a FREE E-Book on raising Healthy Kids like I did, please request it on the right hand side of this page.

To Your Health,
Lisa

Friday, April 30, 2010

Still Working Towards 100 Families

April - the month of Earth Day is winding down. So many of you have already made the committment. :)) I appreciate your support. The planet appreciates it and your families will appreciate the lack of toxins.

If you are interested in purchasing the Get Clean Kit, which will replace $3400 of cleaning products, click http://healthmatters4u.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=50426

If you are interested in a smaller Get Clean Pack, click http://healthmatters4u.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=50446

If you want to simply get started with Basic H2, click http://healthmatters4u.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=85140 to receive special 50th Anniversary Pricing.

Feel Free to share this blog.

To Your Health,
Lisa

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Need Your Help, Please!

We have added 8 more families since Earth Day!

My mission is to help 100 families make the change.

We are at 80!

80 bottles of Basic H2 is the equivalent of keeping 58,240 plastic bottles out of our landfills!

Thank you.

Can you share this site with your friends and family to help reach our mission of 100 families?

100 bottles of Basic H2 is the equivalant of keeping 72,800 plastic bottles out of our landfills!

See
http://nosickvisits.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-earth-day-can-you-help-with-my.html

Together we can make a difference,
To Your Health,
Lisa

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Happy Earth Day! Can you help with my mission?

I have been on a mission to introduce the

Ø Non-Toxic,

Ø Environmentally Safe,

Ø Economical &

Ø Effective



Get Clean by Shaklee to 100 families.

We are currently at 73 Families!!

Let’s consider the impact of just Basic H2

1 bottle of Basic H2 is the equivalent of 728 bottles of window cleaner

73 bottles of Basic H2 is the equivalent of keeping 53,144 plastic bottles out of our landfills!

Thank You!



Each Get Clean Kit is the equivalent of

Ø Reducing landfill waste by 108 pounds

Ø Eliminating 248 pounds of greenhouse gas, and

Ø The enviromental equivalant of planting 10 trees,


all while saving over $3000 from your retail store cleaners.



In Honor of Earth Day 2010


April 22, 2010


What Can 1 Family do to Improve The Health of The Planet?

Did you Know….

Each human needs 10 trees to supply enough oxygen to breather for a year.

Have you planted 10 Trees this Year?


What Can 1 Family Do?

Choose Get Clean by Shaklee


Watch Get Clean featured on Oprah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIGyRRDd7PU&feature=related


Watch Get Clean featured on Rachel Ray.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhP7Yok9HUs

If there was a way you could

Ø remove harmful chemicals from your home,

Ø eliminate 248 pounds of greenhouse gas, and

Ø do the environmental equivalant of planting 10 trees,


all while saving over $3000, would you want to know more?

Get the REAL DIRT on GET CLEAN.

Join Oprah, Melania Trump, Jessica Seinfeld, Renee Rockerfeller & your neighbors!

Now used in the White House Residence &
the Naval Observatory(the VP residence) !!



WILL YOU BE 1 OF OUR 100? IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY, 2010

Be 1 of 100 families who

Replace their toxic cleaners with a Shaklee Get Clean™ Starter Kit
and dispose of all your toxic household products safely and plant the equivalent of 1,000 trees for our earth.


Host a “Real Dirt on Clean” party to help us reach 100 families
and receive $10 SRP Shaklee Products* for each attendee up to $100.

*PV bearing products

To learn more or to schedule “Real Dirt on Clean” call me at 860-945-9677.


FYI: Collection of toxic household products for Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oakville, Oxford, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Woodbury

HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE COLLECTION

Saturday, April 24, 2010
8:00 am to 2:00 pm

John Trumbull Primary School
779 Buckingham St.
Oakville, CT 06779

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

A Teaspoon of Sugar!

Do you know sugar also depletes your immune system? Added sugar causes a myriad of problems. Get your sweet from fresh fruits. Artificial sweetners come with their own set of controversy - stay away from them.

Here are some comments regarding sugar usage from Dr. Stephen Chaney.

To Your Health,
Lisa



Who can forget that Mary Poppins song "A teaspoon of sugar makes the medicine go down".

Well that teaspoon has become a tablespoon - and then some!

A recent study has shown that 84% of our teens are consuming a extra 356 calories a day from sweetened beverages such as sodas, fruit punches & sports drinks compared to teens just 16 years ago (Pediatrics, 121:
1604-1614, 2008).

And it isn't just teens. Children ages six to 11 consumed 20 percent more calories from sugar-sweetened beverages in 1999-2004 compared with the 1988 to 1994 period.

A 2006 Pediatrics study published by the same authors indicates that the obesity epidemic in children is caused by an energy gap of just 110-165 excess calories per day.

The causes of the obesity epidemic in our children are multifactorial - but it is clear that sugar-laden drinks are part of the problem.

Now you may have heard that the soft drink manufacturers are coming to our rescue.

They have pledged to replace all of the sugar-laden sodas, fruit punches & sports drinks in our children's schools with the sugar-free versions.

Problem solved you might say...but it's not so simple.

As I told you in an earlier "Health Tips From The Professor" a recent study has shown that sugar free sodas are just as likely to lead to weight gain as the sugar-containing varieties.

We don't fully understand why, but the sugar-free sodas appear too increase our appetite for all of the other junk foods that are out there.

The best drink is - as it always was - water!


To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Top 'Worst Snack' may be in your kid's lunchbox

Have you been watching Jamie Olivers Food Revolution on TV? I love the work he has done in Great Britain and we surely need an overhall here in the USA. I have always packed my children's school lunch. I do remember when they attended before school for a brief time - seeing the honey glazed donut and flavored milk that was supposed to constitute a "good" breakfast to start their day. What???? This article gives you a few other "Aha's". If you want some ideas for healthy snacks, request the FREE Healthy Kids E-Book on the right hand side of the page.

To Your Health,
Lisa



Top 'Worst Snack' may be in your kid's lunchbox
Sarah Gilbert
Apr 14th 2010

Lunchables may be mom-friendly and child-approved, but it's not exactly healthful nourishing food. In fact, Oscar Mayer's Lunchables (snack size) appears in the top four of WebMD's "Not-so-healthy snack" list, sharing top billing with such obvious selections as chocolate-covered doughnuts, mini doughnuts and snack cakes; snack pies; and "movie theater" popcorn.

Two types of the popular lunchbox filler -- bologna and American cheddar cracker stackers, ham and cheddar with crackers -- "contain about half a day's worth of the suggested amounts of fat, saturated fat, and sodium for someone eating around 2,000 calories a day." In my opinion, this makes the Lunchables worse than the Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, which have less fat (but way more sugar, at 32 grams far more than the AHA recommends your child eat in two days), but actually seem healthy from across the room.

WebMD doesn't mince words. Under fruit pies, this: "The Safeway fruit pies even say 'great snack!' on the package. This makes sense only if by 'great snack,' they mean high in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sugar, and low in protein, fiber, and other healthy nutrients."

Movie popcorn is targeted not just for its obscene fat content, but its use of trans fats. Cheetos, chips, cheese crackers like Cheez-It brand, and frozen snacks like Hot Pockets, Toaster Strudel and Ore-Ida fries all appear on the list thanks to their high fat content and minimal-to-nonexistent nutrients. A few times, the writer mentions that a package label serving size is one ounce; though most of us snack in two-ounce (or more) portions.

It's worth pointing out, here, that all these foods have one thing in common: they're highly processed, the sort of foods that substitute for real food like bread, homemade pie, sandwiches, ethnic "hand pies" like calzones and pasties and spanakopita. They're also quite expensive, compared to snack foods that appear on any pediatrician's or sports coach's "yes-so-healthy" list such as apples and nut butter and whole grain bread.

They're meal replacements, for the most part, but intended to be eaten between meals, or in place of healthy breakfasts and lunches for children. In other words, each of these foods is exactly the kind Jamie Oliver inveighs against in his Food Revolution TV show; and any number of food writers before him have called out in a variety of shocking terms, no more shocking than Jamie's: he says these foods are "killing our kids."

So this is a good time to bring up the other entry on the eight not-so-healthy snacks list: Tyson Fun Nuggets. Oliver spent a lot of time focused on chicken nuggets in his show -- his kid experiment subjects ate them despite Oliver's gross-out making-of demonstration -- and, as a result, many parents reconsidered nuggets' starring role in their kids' typical diet. "They may seem like a good snack choice because they're high in protein (14 grams)," writes the WebMD author. "But there are ways to get your protein without all the extra fat, saturated fat and sodium."

The items on the more-healthy list are the ones you could have come up with on your own -- whole grain bread with peanut butter, quesadillas, "fun-to-eat frozen vegetables" like edamame beans, a smoothie made with plain yogurt and fresh fruit. The healthy options are cheaper, but there's one thing: you generally have to do one or two more (extremely easy) steps other than simply putting the item in the oven or microwave.

I say it's worth it. And I'd add plain fresh fruit (my kids love apples) and vegetables with healthy dip (my favorite is asparagus spears with a pesto-yogurt dip I make) to the list.

The evaluation isn't that much of a leap: take foods that are expensive and "killing your kids" with their fat and sugar contents, add in a number of chemicals and preservatives whose effects on the human body haven't been extensively tested. Compare that with cheap, simple whole foods whose nutritional benefits are proven and yet take the smallest amount of additional work.

LINK: http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/04/14/top-worst-snack-may-be-in-your-kids-lunchbox/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl3|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F04%2F14%2Ftop-worst-snack-may-be-in-your-kids-lunchbox%2F

Friday, April 16, 2010

Shocking Sugar Content of Common Food Products

This article was shared with me by my friend Denise. A really interesting eye opener. Share it with your family.

To Your Health,
Lisa


Shocking Sugar Content of Common Food Products

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Neurological Symptoms Caused by Cleaners

Hello Everyone,

This is a little lengthy, but powerful experience from Becky. It's also timely with April being Earth Day. Please take a minute to read and appreciate what Shaklee is doing in making safe, effective and economical cleaning products. This would never happen with our Shaklee Get Clean household products. If you want to get started, contact me to find out about our April Earth Day Special.

To Your Health,
Lisa

As I share my personal story with you all, I must start out by saying that for many years, I have always used the typical household cleaners that one might see at the local supermarket. I never truly considered that many types of cleaners were not only hazardous to everyone’s health and to the environment, but also that they could have an impact on children’s development, especially neurologically. Of course, as I used them, I tried hard to open windows and to clean away from where the kids were playing. However, it wasn’t until I saw the great implications of using these products in my home with my oldest son, that I realized it was paramount to make a change.

My story begins in 2008, when my oldest son Andrew turned three years of age. It was April, and we were expecting our second son at any moment. I decided to use a cleaning service for a few months so that it would take some stress off and I would have more time to focus on the boys. I started services as soon as Christopher was born. The cleaners they used were commercial and had a lovely scent, that made me “think” my house was disinfected and safe for my children. However, shortly after they began cleaning, my oldest son began to develop a neurological eye-blinking tic. He would sometimes start blinking so hard, that he couldn’t see what was in front of him.

We started trying to figure out what it was causing him to do this. My husband and I spent hours, researching on the Internet, considering many different reasons why this was occurring in our healthy and happy three-year-old. We thought perhaps he needed his eyes tested, or maybe he had bad allergies to something, maybe it was nutrition, or even maybe the stress of having a new sibling in the home impacted him so much this was a coping mechanism. I made appointments with allergists, optometrists, pediatricians, finding out he had great eye-sight, no huge red flags on allergies, and no explanation as to why these tics were occurring.

Lastly, we resorted to taking him to a Neurologist at the Denver Children’s Hospital. His tics were continuing to get worse. They ran a series of tests and the Neurologist was unclear as to why he was having such profound tics at such an early age. He informed us that Transient Tic Disorder can happen in childhood but is usually not seen until around five to six years of age. He said that the best approach would be to “wait and see”, and if they continued to happen, it could be a sign of Tourettes Syndrome. He began to show us the many different medications that Andrew might need to take. I was a mess.

And, his tics continued to worsen. It was so constant that I remember holding back the tears at his birthday party, as I watched him try to blow out the candles on his cake, and him not being able to stop his eyes from continuously blinking. Worse still, he started becoming aware of it, and would hide his eyes with his hands when he would feel them coming. It was a stressful moment for us. And, we were continuously trying to find answers.

Well, as time continued, so did Andrew’ tics and it was a daily struggle but as the Summer ended, his tics miraculously dissipated (so we hoped). Ironically, I had also quit using my cleaning service in order to save money, but at the moment, never even considered there to be a connection. As time progressed, Andrew was Tic-Free, and we were ecstatic. We chalked it up to maybe some random childhood phenomena. And, life went on.

As the holidays approached, I decided I missed that “clean” smell from my cleaning service, and asked them if I could purchase the cleaning products independent of using their services. They agreed and I started to use the products again in my home. Within a month’s time, Andrew’s tics returned. We couldn’t believe it. I had that mommy “gut” feeling that we all get with our kids that maybe, just maybe, it was the products I was cleaning with, but I wasn’t completely sure. I did stop using them once I ran out, and slowly once again, Andrew’s tics became less and less and less, until they were completely gone.

I still wasn’t completely convinced about what specifically it could be. I had never heard that cleaning products could be that detrimental and all of the products that were used were approved by OSHA as being safe. So, a couple months back, I made the final discovery. I noticed in my garage I had some left-over deodorizer and thought it would help freshen my car. Within TWO days, Andrew’s Tics were full-force! I realized that it must be some ingredient in the cleaners that he was sensitive to and in turn was causing him to have a huge reaction. In hindsight, I started to piece together a time-line and found the correlation between his tics and the cleaners. It seemed to match.

I quickly cleaned out my car with a steam cleaner (water only) and called the companies in request of the ingredients they used in the different products. Some of the ones listed seemed so foreign but all were ingredients that were surprisingly passed and regulated and commonly used. Which meant that these same ingredients were probably found in a multitude of other cleaners too. Thankfully, after the last episode, Andrew’s tics went away within a week’s time. But, now I feel 100% sure that it was the cleaners! I called a few friends and my family to say that now I finally had answers to this mystery that had been plaguing my son and our family on and off for a couple years.

After telling one of my friends about my discovery, she invited me to a SHAKLEE party, where I learned a lot. I found out that indeed chemicals in just ordinary household cleaners are extremely toxic and I quickly started to think to myself, what else am I putting around my family that is causing damage that isn’t obvious. I was lucky in a way, that Andrew was showing signs that the chemicals were hurting him, because now I know how potent they are and I knew what I needed to do to protect him. It was critical to his health that I completely used non-toxic and green products.

I guess from all of this, I have learned the importance of having a healthy home. It impacted one of my children’s lives and sometimes it takes that kind of wake-up call to make a change. I can only hope my story influences others to think about what we put around our children, especially when they are vulnerable in many ways. If a household cleaner, deemed safe by OSHA, could cause my son to have neurological issues, it scares me to think about what else it could do. I have now changed his environment in hopes that I will never have to find out.



Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Color them (Hyper) Active

This is the reason I began my quest for natural alternative answers almost 15 years ago. My own son was diagnosed. I refused to believe the first line of defense was a narcotic for my child. Although, my attempt at the Feingold Diet was very short-lived, I found us following the advice Dr. Chaney mentions in his article. If I can help you find solutions, let me know.

To Your Health,
Lisa


Color them (Hyper) Active

Each year between 3 and 10% of school aged children hare diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known as hyperactivity.

Most of these children are currently being treated with drugs.

And these drugs have side effects - ranging from relatively minor (loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia and mood swings) to major (suicidal thoughts, psychotic behavior and drug abuse).

So it is only natural for parents to ask whether there is a more natural approach that they could follow and, more specifically, whether diet could make a difference.

To answer that question lets start by looking at just one aspects of children's diets - the increasing prevalence of artificial food colors and preservatives in the diet.

The average child today is consuming over 10 pounds of food additives every year!

The idea that food additives - specifically artificial colors and preservatives - might be responsible for hyperactivity was first raised by Dr. Ben Feingold over 30 years ago. He devised the Feingold Diet - a diet that was free of artificial food colors, preservatives and other artificial food additives.

Some small scale clinical studies suggested that the diet might be successful and millions of parents used the diet for their hyperactive children with great success.

But the medical authorities pooh-poohed the Feingold Diet. They pointed out that when parents are putting their child on a special diet they are also giving that child more attention - and it might be the parent's increased attention that decreased the child's hyperactive behavior.

They also pointed out when you eliminate food additives from the diet you are decreasing the "junk" food and increasing fresh fruits and vegetables - in short the child's diet is much healthier.

So eventually the Feingold Diet lost popularity - but the idea that artificial food colors & preservatives might trigger hyperactivity has refused to go away.

In fact, a couple of recent studies have substantially strengthened the link between artificial ingredients and hyperactivity.

The first study was a meta-analysis of 15 previous studies looking at the effect of artificial food colors and preservatives on hyperactivity (Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 25: 423-434, 2004).

This meta-analysis concluded that artificial food colors & preservatives caused an increase in hyperactivity in 28% of the children tested.

Almost all of the children in those previous studies were selected for the study because they had been diagnosed as hyperactive (ADHD).

However, a more recent study looked at 297 children from Southampton England who had not been diagnosed as hyperactive (Lancet, 370: 1560-1567, 2007).

After an 8 week elimination phase in which artificial food colors and preservatives were removed from their diets, they were given a one week challenge consisting of fruit juice containing one of two different mixtures of four artificial food colors and the preservative sodium benzoate or a placebo.

The amount of artificial food colors and sodium benzoate in the fruit juice drinks was designed to match the average amount found in the English diet (which isn't all that different from the American diet).

Once again, the results were clear. The amount of artificial food colors and preservatives found in the typical child's diet is enough to trigger hyperactivity in many children.

So what does that mean to you if you have a hyperactive child?

Could the simple act of eliminating artificial colors, flavors & preservatives from your child's diet eliminate hyperactivity and give you back that calm, sweet child that you love?

The available data suggest that removing artificial food additives from your child's diet can make a difference in their behavior, but I tend to side with experts who suggest that a holistic approach is best.

Eliminating food additives from your child's diet is important, but also make sure the diet is a healthy one, that your child is getting all of the nutrients that they need and that they are getting all of the attention and support that they need.


To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Anti Biotic, Anti Bacterial - What should one do??

Check out this excerpt from our Woman to Woman DVD.
http://www.youtube.com/user/FCShaklee#p/c/B2FD5474DBF4351B/2/GTiaK4Hxxfs

If you like this, you will love the FREE Children's E-Book available on the right hand side of the page. It is written by Dr. Jamie McManus.

To Your Health,
Lisa

Monday, April 5, 2010

Sneezing, Sniffling, Watery Eyes ?

Help! Allergy Season is here!

Allergic disorders affect an estimated 1 in 5 adults and children (40 to 50 million people) and are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, according to the Allergy Report from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAI).

What Are Allergies?

Allergies are the immune system's inappropriate response to a foreign substance, called an allergen. Exposure to what is normally a harmless substance, such as pollen, causes the immune system to react as if the substance were harmful. Being exposed to allergens when the body's defenses are low or weak, may also contribute to the development of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) symptoms. Sneezing, congestion, itchy, watery nose and eyes and/or asthma symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing and coughing, are no fun. We’ve all seen the many commercials for various prescription drugs, but is that the only answer?

Are there Natural Solutions to Allergies?

Yes. By strengthening your immune system, you can replenish your body’s own arsenal of defenses. Probiotics can help.

Things that Weaken your Immune System:

Stress (emotional, physical)
Sugar/Alcohol
Over exposure to toxins
Poor diet
Lack of rest
Aging
Genetics


Things that Strengthen your Immune System:

Exercise
Avoid sugar, baked goods
Reduce toxic exposure
Diet rich in veggies, fruits, low fat
Adequate rest, 8 hours/day
Water
protein, whole grains
Nutritional supplements

FACT: In 2000, US sugar consumption was 160 pounds per capita per year.
In 1985 it was 124 pounds.
In 1900 it was 10 pounds.

FACT: Sugar is the anti-nutrient. It depletes vitamins and minerals essential for the immune system (B vitamins, antioxidants, iron, zinc). It also displaces natural nutritious foods in the diet like fruits, vegetables, water, or milk (with soft drinks).

Did you know that 70% of the body’s immune cells are located in the intestinal tract? Did you know that antibiotics often kill off your beneficial bacteria along with the harmful ones? After taking an antibiotic, most doctors will recommend that you take a probiotic to replenish the beneficial bacteria that reside in your intestinal tract.

Vitamin C Boosts the Immune System

Vitamin C is depleted by stress such as infections, illness, fatigue, surgery, anxiety, pollution, and extremes in temperatures. Birth control pills, smoking and alcohol deplete vitamin C. As we age, there is a greater need to regenerate collagen, which requires more vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, helps the body absorb iron and calcium, and is frequently used in the prevention and treatment of colds. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that reduces risk of cancer, heart disease, and cataracts. Vitamin C also increases resistance to ligament and tendon injury.

Other Natural Solutions to Allergies and allergy symptoms:

1. Don’t wear your shoes in the house. They track in allergens.
2. When pets come in from outside, wipe fur with a damp cloth.
3. Try a netti pot or a saline solution to flush your nasal passage.
4. Sleep with your head elevated.
5. Natural, chemical free cleaners that work.

To Your Health,
Lisa

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Top Ten Reasons to Buy Local

In anticipation of spring, here are some great reasons to buy local. It's also fun to take your children to farmer's markets, farms, apple picking etc. I have found kids are more apt to eat vegatables or fruits when they've been involved in the process. This is a great time to start thinking about what you can grow at home.

To Your Health,
Lisa


Top Ten Reasons to Buy Local

1. Locally grown food tastes better - Food grown in your own community was probably picked within the past day or two. It's crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor. Several studies have shown that the average distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles. In a week-long (or more) delay from harvest to dinner table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality.

2. Local produce is better for you - A recent study showed that fresh produce loses nutrients quickly. Food that is frozen or canned soon after harvest is actually more nutritious than some "fresh" produce that has been on the truck or supermarket shelf for a week.

3. Local food preserves genetic diversity - In the modern industrial agricultural system, varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen simultaneously and withstand harvesting equipment; for a tough skin that can survive packing and shipping; and for an ability to have a long shelf life in the store. Only a handful of hybrid varieties of each fruit and vegetable meet those rigorous demands, so there is little genetic diversity in the plants grown. Local farms, in contrast, grow a huge number of varieties to provide a long season of harvest, an array of eye-catching colors, and the best flavors. Many varieties are heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation, because they taste good. These old varieties contain genetic material from hundreds or even thousands of years of human selection; they may someday provide the genes needed to create varieties that will thrive in a changing climate.

4. Local food is GMO-free - Although biotechnology companies have been trying to commercialize genetically modified fruits and vegetables, they are currently licensing them only to large factory-style farms. Local farmers don't have access to genetically modified seed, and most of them wouldn't use it even if they could. A June 2001 survey by ABC News showed that 93% of Americans want labels on genetically modified food - most so that they can avoid it. If you are opposed to eating bioengineered food, you can rest assured that locally grown produce was bred as nature intended.

5. Local food supports local farm families - With fewer than 1 million Americans now claiming farming as their primary occupation, farmers are a vanishing breed. And no wonder - commodity prices are at historic lows, often below the cost of production. The farmer now gets less than 10 cents of the retail food dollar. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food - which means farm families can afford to stay on the farm, doing the work they love.

6. Local food builds community - When you buy direct from the farmer, you are re-establishing a time-honored connection. Knowing the farmers gives you insight into the seasons, the weather, and the miracle of raising food. In many cases, it gives you access to a farm where your children and grandchildren can go to learn about nature and agriculture. Relationships built on understanding and trust can thrive.

7. Local food preserves open space - As the value of direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increases, selling farmland for development becomes less likely. You have probably enjoyed driving out into the country and appreciated the lush fields of crops, the meadows full of wildflowers, the picturesque red barns. That landscape will survive only as long as farms are financially viable. When you buy locally grown food, you are doing something proactive about preserving the agricultural landscape.

8. Local food keeps your taxes in check - Farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas suburban development costs more than it generates in taxes, according to several studies. On average, for every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, governments must spend $1.17 on services, thus requiring higher taxes of all taxpayers. For each dollar of revenue raised by farm, forest, or open space, governments spend 34 cents on services.

9. Local food supports a clean environment and benefits wildlife - A well-managed family farm is a place where the resources of fertile soil and clean water are valued. Good stewards of the land grow cover crops to prevent erosion and replace nutrients used by their crops. Cover crops also capture carbon emissions and help combat global warming. According to some estimates, farmers who practice conservation tillage could sequester 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry. In addition, the patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings - is the perfect environment for many beloved species of wildlife.

10. Local food is about the future - By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful, and abundant food. Adapted from ©2001 Growing for Market

From the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
www.asapconnections.org