Delicious Oatmeal Protein Power Balls

In a bowl, mix the following:

 2 cups small flake oatmeal (or grind old fashioned oats a bit)

1/2 cup of one of the following: raisins, chopped dates, or carob chips

1/2 cup of one of the following: chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds or almonds- really any nuts

1/2 cup of Shaklee Energizing Soy Cocoa Protein (you could use the Vanilla, too)

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut to roll the balls in

Cream together:

1/2 cup of maple syrup ( I use honey and a bit less)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup warm water

Then mix the two groupings together and roll in small balls.  Roll in the unsweetened coconut if you wish.

DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY!

Soy Quality Control- Let the Consumer Beware!

Soy is readily found as an ingredient in most processed food. Hydrolyzed soy protein, a chemically processed soy, is a common form found in food products and personal care products. In addition, as of 2011, 94% of the soy produced in the U.S. had been genetically modified and will cause the body to respond negatively. 

All processed soy foods contain GMO soy, unless otherwise stated.  These heavily processed and genetically modified soy products can produce harmful effects and/or soy allergies or sensitivities—especially in children.  

Very few people are actually allergic to soy. They most likely develop a soy sensitivity or allergy largely due to the way it was processed. Most do very well when they consume Shaklee’s soy products.  Shaklee, the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the U.S., was the first company in the world to provide a naturally processed, non-GMO plant protein (soy) isolate.

Additional Information on the 7 quality control standards and more:

Were the soybeans ORGANICALLY GROWN?

Studies have shown decreased levels of food nutrients and increased levels of nitrates in chemically fertilized crops, when compared with their organic counterparts.  There is a connection between the ingestion of nitrates and cancer. 
Therefore, it is important to know that pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides have not been used during the growing process.  In particular, with soybeans, since they are such a hardy plant, a powerful and DEADLY weed spray called Round-up is usually used.  For your safety, you must know that your soy products are organically grown.

Were the soy beans GENETICALLY ENGINEERED?  (THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT)

Genetically engineered soybeans are much cheaper to purchase, and most companies producing soy products look for ways to save money.  However, genetically engineered soybeans are altered, and do not provide the desired medicinal benefits to the human body in harmony with Nature and GMO soy may be the reason people experience  soy allergies/sensitivities. This is especially true for children.

Does your soybean powder contain ALL of the nine essential amino acids? 

One of the most valuable features of the soybean is that it is a complete protein and provides ALL nine of the essential amino acids.  The body requires these daily to produce hormones, digestive juices, antibodies, and enzymes.  HOWEVER, not all soybeans are created equal. Quality and amino acid content will vary based on soil conditions and variable growing and harvest conditions.  If one essential amino acid is missing, the immune system can be depressed 30%, and many important body functions are delayed or stopped.  Therefore, it is essential that each batch of soybeans be checked for amino acid content if we want to depend on the soy isolate to provide a GUARANTEED supply of the nine essential amino acids.

Were the crushed soy flakes washed in alcohol or water?

Alcohol washing destroys isoflavone content up to 88%.  It is the isoflavones that reduce the risk of breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancer!  As well, it is the isoflavones that are so beneficial in hormone balancing and increasing bone mass.

Was the "anti-thyroid"/ "anti-growth" substance in the raw soy removed? 

Asians have consumed large amounts of soy for years, have known that RAW soy contains an
"anti-growth" / "anti-tyrosine" substance.  Tyrosine deficiency will cause low blood pressure, low body temperature, and restless leg syndrome.  Therefore, in the Asian culture, soy foods are always lightly cooked to deactivate the "anti-tyrosine/anti-growth" substance.  Shaklee designed an extracting process that removes this substance, yet keeps the soy in a raw form in order to maintain the HIGHEST LEVEL OF AMINO ACIDS and ISOFLAVONES (which are very sensitive to heat).

Is your soybean food RAW or heated? 
Amino acids are very sensitive to heat.  In some studies, cooking protein has been shown to destroy up to 50% of some ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS.  If an individual consistently consumes a diet that is lacking in any of the essential amino acids, inadequate brain development and hormones, or other body tissue development can be the result.

Has CALCIUM been added to your soy powder? 
Some negative reports about soy say that soy powders are VERY ACIDIC and cause bone loss because it causes calcium to be drawn from the bones!!!!  The raw soy bean is a NEUTRAL food therefore it is neither acidic nor alkaline.  However, the removal of the soybean oil (which is essential so the soy powder will not go rancid very quickly), makes the powder very acidic.  Therefore, adequate calcium (which is very alkaline) must be added to cause the powder to be neutral again, or it can cause the above stated problem.  Many protein powder manufacturers do not add any or enough calcium.

Do soybeans cause cancer? 
It is true that "overcooked" soy does contain "carcinogenic" compounds.  When soy is extruded through high temperature, high pressure steam nozzles to form what is called "textured vegetable protein - TVP for short", this form of processing renders the soy "meat substitute" carcinogenic or cancer-causing.  TVP is what is used in soy dogs and soy burgers, and should be avoided.

What about roasted soybeans?  
Whole soybeans are high in plant fat.  If soybeans are roasted to eat as soy nuts, the heat alters the fat and makes it a trans-fatty acid, which causes both cancer and heart disease.  As roasted soy nuts sit on the shelf or in the cupboard in storage, the oils are becoming more and more rancid and carcinogenic.  AVOID roasted soy beans.

But I have breast cancer, and I've been told I cannot have soy!
 It is true that soy is a "phyto-estrogen" food, which means it contains substances that have hormone-like components.  However, soy’s phytoestrogen strength is 1/1000th that of the body's own stronger estrogens.  Therefore, you want to load your digestive system with quality controlled raw soy isolate powder, because these weaker estrogens will block the estrogen receptor sites from receiving your body's own stronger estrogens and therefore be very protective against estrogen fed cancer.  There are hundreds of clinical studies to prove that not only is soy safe, but it is also very beneficial. 

If you or your child are currently experiencing soy allergy/sensitivity symptoms, please note:
As Shaklee Soy Protein is introduced into the system, some children/people find that the addition of Optiflora, Shaklee’s patented prebiotic/probiotic system and/or EZ Gest, Shaklee’s helpful digestive enzymes aid in healing the digestive system.  Healing the gut is well worth the time and energy, as many of today’s ‘lifestyle’ diseases (including autoimmune disease) stem from a damaged digestive system.  Any food ‘allergy’ is a direct immune response.   Digestive health is vital to optimum immune response.

How's Your 2013 "Shaping Up?"

Sticking with a weight loss resolution can seem almost as daunting an undertaking as moving to a new house. But it's so, so worth it!

Maybe that's because it really is like "moving into a new house," isn't it? I get it. Moving requires embracing the future and all of its gifts, and letting go of the past -- not forgetting it, but allowing it to be a part of our story that has led to where we are heading today. It's an embracing that requires new vision, new thinking, new attitudes, and new action.

World-renowned motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, "Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgement, repeated every day." I'd like to submit that the reciprocal of his statement is also true. Success is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't succeed overnight. Instead, success is a few right choices in judgement, repeated every day. (My quote...not Jim's.)

What are those "right choices" that you are making today, and tomorrow, and the next~ in terms of your healthy weight-healthy life goals? What are those errors that would be better to leave behind, knowing that embracing your future goals of "moving into your new house" will be so worth the new thinking?

Is it getting a great workout at least 4 times per week?
(With the new Shaklee 180 Turnaround Kit and the Lean and Healthy Kit, you've got access to FREE workouts that'll you'll complete in under 20 minutes each morning...right in the comfort of your own home! I do them myself... and I LOVE them!)

Or maybe it's replacing that afternoon coffee and a cookie pick-me-up with a healthier option like a cup of green tea and some veggies, or maybe some Pomegranate Tea and some Protein-Packed Snack Crisps or Bars to keep your metabolism working at its prime!

Water. How 'bout a glass in place of that diet soda (eek-- whatever you do, don't do diet drinks!)?

(A helpful trick to calculate how much water your body needs is to take your current body weight multiplied by .5 and that's the number of ouces you need per day.)

Embrace new choices today. You'll be thanking yourself tomorrow. And the next day. And the next! Go for it! You've got this!

"If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn't need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around." ~Jim Rohn

Christmas Gift Ideas for 2012...Shaklee-Style!

Here are some of my favorite Christmas gift ideas using some of my favorite Shaklee Products as a starter then adding an item that is of interest to the particular person.  I hope this helps your shopping this year! Merry Christmas! ~Heather

Enfuselle Nutrition Therapy Skin Care System along with a fancy makeup mirror.

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Basic H2 along with a sponge in a bucket filled with car magazines, with camping magazine subscriptions, or with a set of kitchen hand towels.

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Ultra Moisturizing Shea Butter Cream along with a gift certificate to a spa.

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Vivix Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic inside a beautiful wine glass or wine decanter.

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 Cinch Energy Tea sticks tied in a pretty bow, inside a beautiful mug or teacup.

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 Herbal Blend Multi-Purpose Cream paired with slippers and a note about how the cream soothes tired feet.

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 Shakleekids Mighty Smart Choice and Incredivites along with books, games or a world globe.

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Joint and Muscle Pain Cream along with a microwaveable comfort pillow.

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 Prosante' Hair Care System paired with a nice brush and other hair accessories.

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Enfuselle Moisturizing Shower Gel paired with a bath sponge in a pretty shower caddy or with a set of monogrammed towels.

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Enfuselle Lip Treatment SPF-15 wrapped up with ribbons at both ends to slip into cards you're mailing, or into a Christmas stocking, or given away as a small gift for co-workers, teachers, mail carriers, etc.

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 Shaklee Physique paired with a jump rope or exercise video for someone making a New Year's fitness resolution.

Avoid the Bonk

Richard Knox/NPR

Ben Rapoport takes Erin Wyner's pulse as she runs on a treadmill to determine how many carbohydrates she should eat to run a successful marathon.

Running Endurance Calculator

Use Ben Rapoport's mathematical formula [http://endurancecalculator.com] to calculate your own endurance potential and how much carbo-loading you should do before a race. From Richard Know: For those of you who've had trouble accessing the calculator: Install an updated version of Java.

October 24, 2010

About 200,000 Americans will run marathons this year, and by some estimates about 4 out of 10 of them will bonk. That's runner-speak for "hitting the wall," which is what happens when a long-distance runner runs out of gas, metabolically speaking.

Hitting The Wall

Ben Rapoport hit the wall while running the New York City Marathon five years ago. Here's how he describes it: "Somewhere in the Bronx, I started to feel like I couldn't keep up the pace," he says. "It was awful. I couldn't make my legs run any faster. And when I tried, it was very painful."

Rapoport is getting a Ph.D. in electrical engineering this year at MIT. He also happens to be a Harvard medical student who plans to be a brain surgeon. You might say he's pretty driven. So he decided to apply his brain to the problem of hitting the wall. It's all about carbohydrates, he says.

What Happens

"When an athlete hits the wall, [he or she is] essentially running out of carbohydrates in the leg muscles and in the liver," Rapoport says. "So when you bring the carbohydrate fuel tank to empty, the body is forced then to metabolize fat rather than carbohydrates."

Fat is a much less efficient fuel than carbohydrate. It takes more oxygen to burn. So an athlete needs to pump more oxygen to the muscles to keep going. As a result, the athlete needs to slow down dramatically.

There are all sorts of recipes to avoid running out of carbohydrates. They involve "carbo-loading" — eating a lot of rice and pasta and other carbs before the race. There are also protocols for how to time these carbo pigouts to maximize the amount of carbohydrate that gets stored just where it's needed: in the legs.

How To Avoid The Wall

But Rapoport is a precise guy. He wanted to quantify just how many carbo calories a particular runner is capable of storing, and how much he or she would need to run a marathon at a particular pace.

Running Endurance Calculator

Use Ben Rapoport's mathematical formula to calculate your own endurance potential and how much carbo-loading you should do before a race. His formula occupies eight pages in a scientific paper just published in a journal called Public Library of Science (PLoS) Computational Biology.

Understanding Rapoport's formula requires an advanced degree. But in principle it's pretty straightforward — and accessible to any runner interested in finding the answers to two questions:

1. How can I avoid hitting the wall?

2. How fast a marathon could I potentially run?

To illustrate how Rapoport's formula works, I recruited a young marathoner, Erin Wyner. She met Rapoport and me at an MIT gym. Wyner, 29, says she just completed her eighth marathon with a time of 3:08:06. "That's an excellent time!" Rapoport says. "Have you ever hit the wall?"

"I have crashed and burned and hit the wall in my first marathon," she replies. "It was a mindless struggle, a death march to the end." (You have to take such statements from dedicated marathoners with a grain of salt. In fact, she finished that race with the enviable time of 3:35. But to her that was a disaster.)

How The Formula Works

First, Rapoport has to determine Wyner's maximal oxygen uptake. The technical term is VO2-max. There are fancy methods for determining a person's VO2-max, but Rapoport says a good-enough estimate can be derived from clocking an individual's heart rate at rest and while exercising. Wyner's resting pulse is 63 beats per minute. After she runs on a treadmill for a few minutes, Rapaport measures it again — 120 bpm running at 6.1 miles per hour.

Next he asks her weight — 100 pounds. Knowing her weight allows him to estimate how many carbs her liver and leg muscles can store.

Rapoport plugs all of the numbers into his computer and comes up with an answer that impresses Wyner. "It seems that you're capable at full carbohydrate loading of running a 2:44 marathon," he says.

"Wow!" she responds. "I'm surprised! I may never live up to it, but it's very intriguing. It's out there for me!"

To run her best time — and avoid bonking — Rapoport tells Wyner she'll need to stoke up before the race with 1,900 calories worth of carbs. And of course, she'll need a lot more training, not to mention that hard-to-quantify quality called grit.

Rapoport's formula isn't just for elite athletes, he says. Any long-distance runner can use it. "And," he says, "you'd better believe I'm plugging my numbers into that formula to know how many calories of carbohydrates to load before the race."

The race he's talking about is the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7 — the one he plans to run in 2:50.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HEALTHY CARBS & PRODUCTS BASED ON RESEARCH THAT HAS SUPPORTED OLYMPIANS FOR YEARS, CONTACT:

Heather Wilson, Shaklee Sr. Director

404.592.4186

http://www.betterhealthin31days.com/gofit4life/kecd/SportsNutrition

Soy and Boys

Here's a great piece by Dr. Stephen Chaney on the topic of "Soy and Boys."

You've probably seen some of those web sites talking about the dangers of soy - or read newsletters based on the information in those web sites.

If you believed those websites you would think that soy protein products were some sort of evil plot to undermine the health of the American public.

In my past e-newsletters I've talked about some of the distortions and misinformation found in those sites, but today I'd like to address a new topic - the effect of soy on guys.

The anti-soy web sites claim that the weak estrogenic effect of soy isoflavones can cause feminization of boys and weaken men's sexual drive and reproductive ability (Evidently, someone forgot to tell the Chinese about that last one!).

Chemically speaking that is nonsense because testosterone is structurally very similar to estrogen. The soy isoflavones resemble natural testosterone just as much as they resemble natural estrogen - which is probably why some studies show that soy isoflavones slow the increase in PSA levels for men with prostate cancer.

The claims found in the anti-soy sites are primarily based on animal studies, but that is misleading because mice don't metabolize the soy isoflavones in the same way that humans do.

So let's ask what studies with humans actually show. Two recently published studies have looked at the effects of isoflavones and isoflavone-containing soy protein in men. Both were meta-analyses - which means that they analyzed multiple previously published double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. This approach increases the statistical power of the conclusions by smoothing out some of the natural variation seen in individual studies.

The first study (Hamilton-Reeves et al, Fertil. Steril., June 11, E-pub ahead of print, 2009) combined the results of 15 clinical trials and showed that soy isoflavones and isoflavone-containing soy protein intake had no effect on:

-total and free testosterone
-sex hormone binding globulin (a protein that binds to, and stabilizes, testosterone in the bloodstream
-free androgen index (FAI) - an index of all of the hormones in the bloodstream that have masculinization effects (Yes, guys - it's not just testosterone that makes us who we are).

The second study (Messina, Fertil. Steril., 93: 2095-2104, 2010) combined the results of 9 clinical trials and showed that soy isoflavones and isoflavone-containing soy protein consumption had no effect on:

-total or free testosterone levels
-circulating estrogen levels (Yes, guys - we do make some estrogen)
-sperm or semen parameters (Some guys might argue that this is the bottom line).
So the definitive results are in and, once again the Emperors (the doctors writing the anti-soy web sites) have been shown to have no clothes.

To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

P.S. The Wilson family drinks soy shakes daily...all 5 of us! I can tell when we miss a day (it's rare) because we are all a little less stabilized, have a little less "zip," and the boys are a little more whiney! Thank God for Energizing Soy Protein... a biologically complete, super-bioavailable, clean protein source!

Not All Vitamins Are The Same...

Diane Petoskey, M.S.N.D. shares why she has found Shaklee nutritional supplements to be the best on the market. If you want results, the buck stops here!

When you deal with vitamins, you have to understand that if you're going to get your body balanced, you've got to do it with food or food based supplements. For the last 15 years that I've been doing my research in nutrition and working with people. I have had the opportunity to examine many, many different brands on the market and one of the things that I've been very aware of is that you can't trust the labels. A label can say that a product is natural or organic (I love that word) and by law, all the companies have to do is put 5% natural product in that to call it "natural". Now, the natural part could be a filler, or a binder; it doesn't even have to be part of the actual vitamin itself. So be aware that you could be buying a 95% synthetic vitamin, even if it is labeled "natural" and is very expensive.

Over the years I have had great experience and really good luck with Shaklee brand vitamins; they are the closest thing to the food source that we can get. When you take this particular brand of vitamins, you are taking vitamins that are prepared without changing the natural ratio in which vitamins naturally occur in the food.

A good example of how it works is with B vitamins. Many people that I work with around the country will say, "Yeah, I'm taking a high potency B-complex" or "I'm taking a B-50 or a B-100." When you look at the label of those B vitamins you'll see that there's 50 mg of all the Bs or 100 mg or let's say 30 mg of all those B's. Now that is not the way B vitamins occur in nature. If you take yeast or rice bran and break it down, look at the B vitamins (I have) you see that the natural ratio might be 1.2 mg of B1 to .02 mg of B2 to 30 mg of B3. Do you see what I mean? It doesn't all occur even all the way down the line and the only way that those vitamins can be in those proportions – 50 of each, or 100 of each – is if they are made that way, that means those are man made.

Well, your body was designed to assimilate B vitamins in their natural ratio, the way they occurred in food. In my opinion, the only logical way to take these nutrients to help your body become balanced is to take them in the natural form and that's what Shaklee Corporation does. They don't mix it up or change it; they just leave it the way they find it. Their processing system is the best way of any company I've ever found. They don't heat, harden or change them in any way. I really do feel that you'll get the best results with Shaklee vitamins.

Diane Petoskey, M.S.N.D.

Diane is a nationally known Nutritionist. She has been a practitioner in the field of nutritional medicine, a researcher and a lecturer for the past 20 years. Her education includes Nutrition, Herbology, Aromatherapy and Chinese medicine.

Folic Acid and Allergies

I receive nutrition updates from Dr. Stephen Chaney, Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I'd like to share this one with you, as so many Americans struggle with allergies and asthma. Do you know anyone who might benefit from this information? Please feel free to share my blog.

We're learning more and more about what folic acid can do every day. For years we have known that folic acid helps prevent anemia, birth defects and certain kinds of cancer.

However, recent studies have also shown that folic acid is important for reducing inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease.

The link between folic acid and inflammation lead researchers at Johns Hopkins (EC Matsui & W. Matsui, J. Allergy & Clinical Immunology, 123: 1253-1259, 2009) to ask whether folic acid might reduce the prevalence of asthma and allergies.

They investigated the correlation between blood levels of folic acid and circulating antibodies to common allergens, allergy symptoms, and with doctor-diagnosed asthma and wheezing in 8083 subjects from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

The subjects had an average age of 38, were about equally divided between males and females and were representative of the American population with respect to both ethnicity and socioeconomic class.

The investigators didn't know what to expect and were rather surprised by the magnitude of the correlation between folic acid and allergic responses. Their data showed that:

- People with the lowest blood folate levels (below 8
nanograms per milliliter) had 40 percent higher risk of
wheezing than people with the highest folate levels
(above 18 ng/ml).

- People with the lowest folate levels had a 30 percent
higher risk than those with the highest folate levels
of having elevated antibodies to common allergens.

- People with the lowest folate levels had 31 percent
higher risk of allergic symptoms than people with the
highest folate levels.

- People with lowest folate levels had 16 percent
higher risk of having asthma than people with the
highest folate levels.

It would be a bit premature to declare that folic acid is a cure for asthma & allergies. Further studies will be needed to verify and extend these results. However, there is no risk in making sure that our blood folic acid levels are adequate.

So if you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from asthma or allergies, my advice would be to make sure that you are getting adequate folic acid through diet and supplementation.

To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G. Chaney

Looking for natural solutions for allergies and asthma relief?
Click here to learn more.

Yummy, Healthy Fall Dinner

Doesn't this look so inviting and delicious? I've been SO ready for fall to arrive, and it's finally here! Yesterday just felt like a day for a colorful, flavorful fall meal.
Mind you, here at the Wilson house, we really do try to eat pretty healthily. However, sometimes it's difficult to break away from the go-to grains so typical in the American diet, among other things. I occasionally prepare millet as an alternative to rice, pasta, etc. It's a grain rich in nutrients, but sometimes it can be a little boring if you just prepare it like you would a side of rice. So- I found this yummy recipe for Mark Bittman's Autumn Millet Bake Recipe. I used butternut squash (my fav variety of winter squash) as well as dried cranberries as the grocery store still didn't have the fresh berries in stock. It turned out really yummy! I'd say to add an extra 1/2 c. of liquid (I used chicken broth) beyond what the recipe calls for, as the millet really absorbs the liquid as it's baking.
What else did I prepare? A crustless spinach quiche with onions, garlic, spinach (of course), and a small amount of a blend of shredded italian cheeses. I chose to leave out the crust just to keep the wheat out of the meal. The kids devoured it! And the salad-- nothing special there... just God's good ole raw veggies with a few dried cranberries to pull the meal together.
What are some of your favorite fall recipes? Share them with me! I'd love to try them.


That's all for tonight friends!
Grace and Peace.
~Heather

Maintaining a Strong Immune System

So moms~ if you're anything like me, you really hate to see your children feeling under the weather. I know I do! I am super thankful for all that my own mom taught me growing up. She helped me understand more about our miraculous bodies, how our immune systems function optimally (or not so optimally at times), and how I can keep my family's defenses up to minimize illness around the crazy Wilson household. :-)

Here are a few things that we follow to keep our immune systems functioning at optimal performance:

• Get adequate rest-- as in 10-12 hours per night for the kiddos!
• Drink lots of water-- our bodies are made of 70% water. So- we certainly need it! And it helps keep our bodies cleansed as well.
• Keep refined sugars to an extreme minimum! This is a huge kicker! Did you know that every time we eat sugar, our immune systems become depressed for 5 hours?! That's enough to get rid of the candy jar and keep the fridge free of sodas, kool aid, etc!
• Eat sufficient amounts of high quality, low fat protein. It's easy not to get enough of it. But protein is the basic building block of all cell development in our bodies, and it is highly responsible for a strong immune system too.

I have found that the only way to ensure that our family is really covering our bases nutritionally is to supplement with high-quality, scientifically proven, and clinically tested vitamins. Let's face it. None of us really live in prime farming land where we grow every bit of our own produce, raise our own free range chicken, and eat it all the moment we harvest it. That would be nice, but today, it's just not practical. And since that's the case, even if we're striving to do our best and buy organics, clean meat, etc., it is just impossible to give our bodies enough nutrients through our food to function at optimal health. So- here's what our children take on a daily basis:

1. A serving of Energizing Soy Protein
2. Either Incredivites or Vita Lea Multi-Vitamin Multi-Mineral Supplement (Matthew is 3 so he chews 2 Incredivites and Ian & Tyler can both swallow now, so they each take 2 Vita-Lea.)
3. Vitamin C- at least 500 mg, but up to even a few thousand is perfectly safe and helpful for really boosting the body's immune power. Chewable C 100 mg or Sustained Release Vita-C 500 mg.
4. Optiflora Pre-and Pro-Biotic. The central hub of our immune forces resides in the intestines. When "bad" bacteria outnumber the "friendly" bacteria in there, a mutiny arises as the body has to focus more on killing off the bad bacteria in the intestines than on fighting off invaders to the body that can make us sick. This one is really important, and even a baby can swallow the tiny pearl if you'll stick it in his/her mouth and then begin to nurse or give baby the bottle. It'll slip right down.

We do give our children a couple of other supplements as well, but the listed supplements are those that particularly keep their immune systems fighting strong. Check back soon, as I'll also be posting a recipe for a "Get Well Tea" that really works wonders! It's something that we use if we ever feel like we might be coming down with something, and by taking it every hour for several hours and then a couple times a day for a few days, it really nips the sickness, and we avoid all of the antibiotics and other drugs that ultimately weaken the immune system anyway. I am so thankful for all that I have learned. What a blessing for our family!

Shaklee Videos: A conversation with Roger Barnett

Shaklee Videos: A conversation with Roger Barnett

Diabetes- Is it Reversible?

"Pick me! Pick me!", we all begged in Mrs. Jahnke's 5th grade class. Our classmate Kelly* was diabetic. I remember her having to prick her finger to check her levels. Fifth grade! All of us classmates just thought it was cool to be the "chosen kid" to accompany Kelly to lunch early on those days that her blood glucose levels weren't good. I don't think I even considered the challenge of maintaining this disease...much less as a 5th grader.

What if Kelly had another option?

I just listened to a CD by Dr. Sandra Bevacqua, a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and was blown away by some research and clinical studies she has been involved with in efforts to bring healing to people- even small children- with Type I or II Diabetes.

Do you know anyone who is diabetic? Do you know friends or friends' children who have been diagnosed with diabetes? Let me know if you'd like to hear more about what I'm learning. I'll be glad to drop a copy of the CD in the mail to you.

To your health,
Heather
*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of our friend.

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes...

When I was a little girl, my little brother & I used to spend hours and hours over in the church sanctuary (dad was a pastor; we lived in the parsonage next door) singing away into the PA system. We had no audience, except for the occasional meandering of my dad taking a break from counseling or sermon-writing, or of our dear friend Kathy, the secretary. We were free to create music, to speak, and to use our gifts passionately~ without any inhibitions. (Sometimes we "grow up" and, in the raging river of life, we lose sight of those passions and gifts and settle for status quo, don't we?)

A few years later, concluding my 7th grade year, I was the star of our school's Broadway production of Cinderella. I memorized my lines, learned the songs, and practiced putting the whole thing together, all the while quite nervous about having to kiss Prince Charming at the end! I was a shy little girl, so this was a huge deal for me! In retrospect, it's one of the highlights of my childhood. One of my favorite solos was, "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes."
Dream.

My parents raised us to DREAM big- to embrace life with passion, and to be people who would impact the world. Today, Steve & I strive to live with passion in our work, in our relationships, & in our play.

When I first decided to break the mold of the employee-employer modus operandi to start our home-based business, I didn't fully understand the impact of that decision. Thirteen years later, the picture is coming into focus more and more each day. I have the opportunity to work with people, to learn from them, and to help them improve their quality of life in both their physical & financial health. I rub shoulders with amazing people on a daily basis as I am coached and as I coach others. I am living my DREAM- with no one stifling it by way of telling me what I have to do, how long I have to do it, what my income "cap" will be. Even more importantly, I have as much room to impact peoples' lives as I choose-- even extending to other countries like Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, China, Mexico...and that list is growing. What a gift!

Earlier this month, Steve & I attended our Global Shaklee Conference out in Anaheim, CA. Here's a quick video of all the new incentives. Imagine-- in a depressed economy, our company is thriving! And the perks keep growing because of it! Check out this video. What are your needs, wants, & dreams? Go ahead.
DREAM with us.

Shaklee Videos: Live the Dream. Share the Dream.

The Quality of Shaklee,by Dr. Jamie McManus, M.D.

Hi guys! I came across this letter from our Chairman of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences & Education at Shaklee and wanted to share it with you. I think that you'll get a good glimpse of why Shaklee is so different, hence people getting such wonderful results with the products and the opportunity. Thanks for reading!

Dear Friend,

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Shaklee.

I believe Shaklee products—and the quality and science behind them—are unmatched in the industry—and I would like to share why I believe this. I chose a career in medicine because I believe in health. I firmly believe that people can take control of their future health by virtue of their choices today, and my 16 years as a practicing family physician led me to believe even more strongly that prevention is where the future of medicine must go. Research confirms that nutrition, weight control, and wise supplementation can powerfully impact your vitality today and your health in the future.

My passion lies in informing and inspiring people about the diet and lifestyle choices they can make that will help them feel better today and in the future. Ten years ago I decided to devote full-time energy to this pursuit, and since then I’ve spoken to hundreds of thousands of people in 45 countries. I’ve met people who are excited about prevention and excited about achieving and maintaining optimum health. I find it amazingly rewarding!

I joined Shaklee in 2005 because I saw a company that really cared about doing the right thing, no matter what the cost. Shaklee is truly committed to providing products based upon solid science, relevant to people’s health, contain the highest quality ingredients and manufacturing standards— plus, Shaklee chooses to NOT use artificial flavors or sweeteners! Shaklee not only was a perfect fit for my personal philosophy, but had the quality standards that I could stand by unequivocally. And while many other companies don’t publish any studies, Shaklee has over 100 scientific publications, including over 90 that are published in peer-reviewed journals—the “gold standard” of scientific research.

My Health Sciences team is charged with clinical research, claims substantiation, and education. And we continue to pursue research collaborations with some of the top universities and research organizations in the country.

What really makes this company stand apart from the rest? It begins with the products:

1. Each product is designed to provide a specific, important health benefit—usually more than one benefit.

2. Each product is formulated with nutritional ingredients that have been extensively studied to confirm safety and efficacy. Our products do not follow trends, but incorporate scientific and/or epidemiologic evidence of need and benefit.

3. All ingredients must be acceptable from the standpoint of the Shaklee philosophy, as well as detailed scrutiny as to their safety. We do not simply accept the Certificate of Analysis that many other companies accept, but rather retest for contaminants—including lead and heavy metals, pesticides, and more—to confirm the Certificate of Analysis is accurate. Shaklee has an unwavering commitment to avoid the use of artificial flavors, sweeteners, and added preservatives. We use only non-genetically modified soy protein.

4. Shaklee employs advanced delivery systems to enhance bioavailability—and these systems are tested to confirm their nutrient delivery advantages!

5. Manufacturers are also carefully chosen. Not just any company can qualify to manufacture Shaklee products. Shaklee has, for many years, followed the standards for manufacturing that are now referred to as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)

6. Shaklee Quality Assurance routinely visits manufacturers to confirm that our quality standards are being upheld—and our on-site lab in Hayward does additional quality control testing.

7. Ongoing proof of our product performance is demonstrated by:

• Over 100 scientific publications, 90-plus in peer-reviewed journals

• Shaklee products powering medal-winning athletes for 30-plus years

• Shaklee products fueling world explorers, including a special rehydration product
(called Astro-Ade) that has been made for NASA Shuttle astronauts since 1993

• 50 years of providing nontoxic household cleaning choices—that truly perform!

• A growing group of health care professionals who recommend Shaklee products to their patients

• Amazing health stories regarding health benefits from our products sent to me every day!

I am thrilled to be partners with our Shaklee Independent Distributors and Members who help spread the information about health and wellness. I firmly believe that we can redefine wellness in the coming years. Along with exercise and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, to be optimally healthy means including appropriate dietary supplements and weight management products so that you can have the confidence of knowing that you’re doing all that you can do to stay healthy today and tomorrow! So many people are waiting to hear from us—and together, I am certain that we CAN make a big difference in the health of the world.

Be well,

Dr. Jamie McManus, M.D., FAAFP
Chairman, Medical Affairs, Health Sciences & Education

Want to learn more? Click here.

Thai Turkey Roll-Ups

YUM. YUM. YUM.

I have to say that these things are some of the yummiest things I've ever put in my mouth. And I like food. And I've eaten lots of different foods. Make sure you try this recipe!

1/2 lb. roasted turkey breast, cut into 1/4 inch strips (or use turkey breast you roast & dice it)
1 loaf soft lavosh (or tortillas if you can't find lavosh)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger root, minced
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
2 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. green onion, minced
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 lime (juice with pulp)
1/2 tsp. lime rind, grated

1. In medium bowl, combine lime juice, soy sauce, green onions, cilantro, peanut butter, brown sugar, ginger root, garlic, lime rind, pepper flakes and turkey. Cover and regrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Unfold lavosh. Drain turkey mixture, if necessary (I don't b/c we love all the juices!), and spread evenly along the lavosh.

3. Fold in bottom and top portions. Roll up from side to completely enclose filling. Cut into manageable portions.

ENJOY!

Lavosh is a round, thin bread that comes in both soft and crisp versions; it's available in Middle Eastern markets and in most supermarkets.

Homemade Crackers

Are you looking for an alternative to the often high fat, high saturated fat, high salt crackers? Here's a great option.

2 c. whole wheat flour (or mixture of flours)
1/2 c. sesame seeds (optional)
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. molassas

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and then add 1/2 c. water until thoroughly combined (you may have to add a tiny bit more water with whole wheat flour). Knead 2 or 3 times. Divide in half and roll very thin right on cookie sheet or baking stone. Cut into small squares (size of your choice). Prick tops with a fork. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until lightly borwned. Cool on sheet and slide off to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

*You can also roll in poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. into the top of the dough before cutting the squares if you like.

Enjoy!

There's HOPE for Migraine-Sufferers!

Let me start right off by saying that I have never personally experienced a migraine. I very rarely get a normal headache. However, I've known people over the years who have struggled with them and have seen how absolutely debilitating they can be! I can't imagine the frustration & pain! So- a friend of mine asked me to get together some information for one of HER struggling friends. In the process, I was able to read a chunk of wonderful testimonies. You guys- there is HOPE! I am particularly excited that you've landed on my blog to check out what I have been reading, because I know the potential that's here for bringing some serious relief to you and/or your friends or family who are migraine-sufferers.

So- here's some of what I was reading today that I found quite interesting and encouraging...

HEADACHES AND MIGRANES from Sandy Bevacqua PhD

Headaches and migraines are a sure sign of a toxic system. Other symptoms may be constipation/diarrhea. A healthy system will have 2 or more bowel movements per day, it perspires whenever it should and urinates 2 or more times a day.

For headaches and migraines a detoxification program is required.

1 Hydration is essential.
Alfalfa is necessary to cleanse and purify the blood.
Herb Lax to cleanse the colon and bladder.
Liver DTX is for detoxing the liver.
Optiflora to replace healthy flora and continue to detoxify.
This part of the program should be continued until the system is healthy (see above).

2 Decrease the use of Herb Lax and increase fiber gradually.

3 Once the system is clean, begin a health- building regimen. The following supplements, along with a healthy diet and good hydration, will move you toward optimal health:

Vita-Lea 2 /day OsteoMatrix 4/day
En Soy Protein 3 tbls/day Alfalfa 12/day
Herb Lax 2-4/day Omega Guard 6/day
B Complex 6/day GLA 6/day
Vita C 6/day


Foods that can cause headaches:
- Cheese, chocolate, alcohol (esp. red wine), pickled herrings, soy sauce
- All foods containing amines
- Monosodium Glutamate and food colorings
- Fruits: bananas, plums and pineapple
- Milk products and wheat products.

Emergency Care Recipe for an on-coming migraine:

2 B-Complex 4-5 Alfalfa
2 OsteoMatrix 2 OmegaGuard
2 GLA 1 8 oz glass of Performance

Do this once every hour until you get results.

Additional notes from Barb

There are many causes of migraines and headaches...
Hormonal imbalance
Candida over growth
As well as toxins mentioned above

New research is indicating excellent results with Vital Mag. It is a newer product and reports are coming in that even 2 a day ( one am , one pm ) are helping enormously.

The above recommendations will help with most migraines.
But if there is not 100% improvement, also consider the Candida diet...

Emphasizing fresh raw vegetables (salads daily with at least 5 different ingredients) and reduce or eliminate sugar and refined carbohydrates and snacks ( B Complex and the Energizing Protein mentioned above really helps )
Remember when Candida “ dies off” .. it releases toxins.. so it is not unusual to experience detoxing symptoms once in a while .. after many days of being symptom-free…

~~~~~~~~~~
Migraine Testimonial

Thanks to both of you is hardly enough for 2 weeks so far of no pain medications for anything, including migraines. I feel like I have my life back. Actually, since my migraines probably started around 20 years ago, I'd say I feel like I have a new body to enjoy life in.

I greatly appreciate the time you both spent with me in discussing my migraine/health history. My regimen has been to take 1 Vitalizer with Iron strip in the morning along with 2 extra OmegaGuards. At dinnertime, I take 3 OmegaGuards and 1 extra Optiflora. I will stop taking the extra Optiflora after 2 weeks. The temporary extra Optiflora was recommended because of a long history of antibiotic-use throughout the years as well as other factors that can contribute to candida. Lastly, I have made the recommended changes to my diet. Although I have long lived a healthy lifestyle, I am now eating more protein as well as increased amounts of raw fruits and vegetables. Whatever grains I eat, I go whole-grain but do limit amounts. I've greatly reduced sweets and white flour/sugar products. Some of the ways I've introduced more protein is through the various high-protein Shaklee products. I am very intentional about starting my day with high protein as opposed to my previous breakfast of cereal or toast. I am happy to say that although I've made these changes, they have been relatively painless and without cravings. The four primary benefits that I noticed immediately included:

* drastically reduced migraine/headaches (before I was at 2 at least a week sometimes lasting more than a day and often not fully responsive to my prescriptions and OTC meds of which I took a lot).
* great sleep (fall asleep easily and stay asleep far better)
* steady energy level all day and even have energy at night (this is a huge change for me)
* mood stabilization (no more roller coaster all day or SAD/depression issues)

There's more benefits but those were the first four things I noticed & documented right away as a consistent pattern. I should also note that I changed all of my cleaning products over to Shaklee's Get Clean at the same time (cleaning products were always a trigger for my migraines).

I was so impressed when you both did a conference call with me when you hardly knew me. I felt cared for and listened to, encouraged and touched that someone would come alongside me and try to help my in an area of chronic need. I have tried just about everything over the years to little positive effect. I remember Barb's words: "our goal for you is 30 days without a migraine." I held onto those words with great hope and have not been disappointed. In fact, I am rather in shock to be living a virtually pain-free life after all these years. I am beginning to shed the long-held belief that when it came to bodies, I got a "lemon" and I just had to make the best of it--lemonade. I'd lastly like to encourage you that when you help someone's health, especially someone with a chronic pain condition like mine, you are not only changing your customer's life, but also that of your customer's family. I can much more easily grow into the wife, mom, and woman I know I can be when I am not limited by chronic pain. Therefore, my husband John, Joelle age 6, Frederick age 3, and our future daughter from China along with myself, thank you for helping to restore me to what we all need me to be but believed had been lost.

May God continue to bless your good work in helping others.

Angela Raske

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And Another Story!

DETOX: No one in any major hospital and specialist I even went to mentioned detoxification. They merely advised my parents and Me that it was NORMAL for ME & MOM (another migraine sufferer back then) to have only one bowel movement every 5-10 days. Not normal, GENERALLY SPEAKING... but NORMAL for us because that's how we had ALWAYS BEEN. Some others experience periods of diahhrea instead (diaahrea is an exaggerated form of constipation... so much is impacted that only the fluid can exit, leaving the matter behind... therefore you have watery diahhrea as the only thing that can exit the impacted area). They told us it was NORMAL FOR US that we did not perspire.

So... if you never hardly perspire... and have bowel movements every 5-10 days... urinate once per day & can HOLD IT forever... How is anything exiting the body? Those are the only ways a body has to detox itself of toxins. When there's a huge buildup of toxins, it was explained to me by some specialists and many in Shaklee... it's almost as if the body gets to a point where it cannot take another second of it and explodes (in my case... in the form of a migraine... for release)

The moment I began to have daily bowel movements and twice per day bowel movements... migraines were not the only thing that felt extremely better. I thought I could actually FEEL the detox happening.

DETOX WITH: Alfalfa is necessary to give chlorophyll to the blood stream and cleanses and purifies the blood stream.
Herb Lax cleanses the colon... and even the bladder of residue.
DTX detoxifies the liver by helping it to regenerate the liver more easily and not overtaxing the liver.
All are important for the initial detoxification. After the body begins to have 2 or more bowel movements PER DAY... perspires whenever it should... urinates 2 or more times per day... THEN, you will (by then) be introducing the body to more FIBER in little increments at a time. As you increase the Fiber intake with Daily Mix or Daily Crunch or Fiber Tabs etc. etc.... you will decrease the amount of Herb Lax you take because your body will no longer require. I weaned myself off the Herb Lax as I increased the Fiber... and keep having normal bowel movements and perspiration. I will always take DTX and Alfalfa EVERY DAY the rest of my life. But, I only require Herb Lax on occasion now like when I travel, eat wrong during Holidays or vacations perhaps... etc. Or when I feel I might be trying to catch a cold or something. You know.

Ref. Amounts I took at the beginning: (I split these up 3 times per day)
Vita-Lea 3 per day (for minimum requirements & balance)
Protein 3T per day (for minimums & balance)
Herb Lax 2 in AM & 2 at Bedtime (to first get 2 bowel movements per day)
You may require less or more... your body will tell you
B-Complex 6 per day (for Stress balancing & for nerve endings & PMS)
Vita-C 500 mg. 6 per day (for Stress & keep sinuses from getting infection)
Cal Mag 6 per day (natural calmer of entire system & muscles... &
help balance hormones & PMS)
Alfalfa 12-15 per day (keep sinus cavities clear of excess fluid buildup &
draining freely and to balance the stomach acids
& keep inflammation at bay)
EPA 6 per day (keep the blood vessels from constricting at base of
neck area. If these constrict... you get a full blown
migraine... plus keeps inflammation at bay)

Remember: Migraines are in the category of Inflammatory Diseases Family along with Arthritis etc.)

Note: I did NOT begin with the Vita-E. But, some migraine sufferers I know did not get complete control of their migraines until they added 4-6 400 IU Vita-E per day. They needed the E for circulation etc.) I did add the Vita-E later for all the wonderful things it is good for in the body... but got my results w/o.

Note: They did not have GLA at the time. If they did, I would have taken 6 GLA along with the 6 EPA. Keep those blood vessels from constricting... plus work on the hormones with the GLA. Nowadays... SOME people get migraine results QUICKER when adding the GLA.

Note: They did not have DTX at that time. I would DEFINITELY take this daily for the rest of my life. Not just because of the migraines... but because you have had lots of medications in your body over the many years while trying to work on your pain etc. My liver had to have been overtaxed it's entire life. It regenerates itself... but with DTX it doesn't have the extra stress of attempting to regenerate all those medications, along with the other stuff.

Ref amounts I take now: I have DECREASED the EPA to 3-4 & I only take Herb Lax IF I begin to get backed up or for the reasons I stated above.

Actually... as I felt better and learned more... I added other nutrients and herbals to my daily intake over the course of these 12 years. Gradually... as MY BODY required it. Your body wil tell you. I take more B-Complex and Cal Mag due to hormonal stresses and other stresses. You know. But... NO... not for the migraines. My body responded to those initial amounts. They seemed like a TON of supplements at the beginning... but, now, I find it hard to imagine those amounts working at all. Some doctors who use Shaklee in their practice did not think those amounts would work. They thought I'd need MORE of each. Each person is different and requires different things. Your body will TELL YOU.

Seems as if your body is already sending you some "messages" via the grape vine. You said you increased & are feeling "better".


When to CUT BACK: I never cut back until I went approx. 4 months without getting even one full blown migraine or headache. That was a personal choice of mine. I was feeling too good to take a chance at getting even one migraine. And I cut back really GRADUAL so that I KNEW when I needed more because I got that "feeling" that one wanted to come attack me. (some call it an aura... I call it a feeling).

OH... I took the migraine BATCH at the very FIRST sign of that feeling (always... even to this day): The Migraine Batch is: 2 B-Complex
2 Cal Mag
2 EPA
2 GLA 4-5 Alfalfa
I keep these in my purse, car, everywhere and took every hour until the "feeling/aura" went away. At the beginning year... I would SOMETIMES have to take this batch every hour for 3-4 hrs.

I also took this batch BEFORE bed every night. So... in actuality... I took the supplements in this batch 4 times per day that first year. This gave me an EDGE so my body did not go w/o nutrients for the last 8-12 hrs of the day.

Later on in the years: Shaklee created Performance Drink. Dr. Miller suggested I take the migrain BATCH w/Performance because it would get the supplements to enter the blood stream a bit QUICKER for quicker results. Worked for me.

And I would take extra Protein, as I do today, Whenever my body requires it. Some days it doesn't... some days it does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have so many more stories I could share with you, but I think this is a good start. (Let me note, too, that there are some references to EPA. This product is now called Omegaguard, just for your reference.)

Let me also say that I have almost 35 years of experience using Shaklee nutritional supplements. I stand by them whole-heartedly. There are so many gimmicks out there that the buyer MUST beware. With that in mind, let me encourage you to take a serious look at Shaklee, the leader in the health and wellness industry. You will be amazed- at their high standards, real-deal clinical research and development, proof that the products do what they say they'll do, and this list could go on and on. All of the preceding stories are from people who decided to go for Shaklee. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. Don't waste your money on supplements that could very well go straight through your system and into your septic tank. Is that, after all, really a savings?

I would love to help you in starting a supplement program should you decide to move forward with a nutritional approach for ridding the migraines.

Feel free to visit my website or contact me. I am here to serve you. And I so look forward to hearing your success stories! It is unbelievable what our bodies will do when we give them what they need. God made us fearfully and WONDERFULLY!

My contact information:
http://gofit4life.myshaklee.com/us/en/about.html
heather@gofit4life.com
404.592.4186 (o)
678.234.9450 (c)

To your health,
~Heather