Good reasons to get off your butt and move!

As many of you know, I am taking a kineseology course at the University of Minnesota and this past few weeks we have been discussing the importance of exercise.  We saw this movie in class this week and I thought it was so good that I would share it with you.

Sedentary Death Syndrome -SeDS (inactivity)  is the second greatest threat to our public health -  tobacco is #1.  Guidelines have been set by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) on the importance of being physically active.  They recommend that adults should at a minimum do 2 l/2 hours every week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity to promote health and reduce the risks of chronic diseases.  That's 30 minutes 5 times/week.  Everyone can do that...now get out and start moving.

Have a healthy day!

Toxins lurking in your personal care products?

Are toxins lurking in your personal care products?

If you use toothpaste, hair products, lotions, perfumes or cosmetics  - pay attention -    

Do you know what toxins you are putting in or on your body?  Do you know that toxins can enter your bloodstream through your mouth, skin or respiratory tract?  Do you know that the many chemicals found in processed foods can disrupt our hormones, make us fat and create inflammation in our bodies that can cause numerous health problems?  Do you know that they have found 287 industrial chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns?

These are questions that I am forever talking to my kids about to remind them to use only safe, non-toxic personal care products that are beneficial to their health.  And although they don't always appreciate me educating them on this issue, I do see them reading ingredient labels on potential products they might purchase more and more.

I recently came across this interesting article by Martha Wilmore  that I thought I would share with you.  

Cosmetics – the Dirty 1/2 Dozen to Avoid

By Martha Wilmore, Nutritionist

The skin is 95 to 97% protein, plus oil, minerals, water and vitamins and minerals. It is the largest organ of the body and to maintain healthy skin, it must be fed well. However, the skin is the last organ to be fed after food has been processed by the digestive system, and often it is poorly nourished as a result of inadequate nutritional intake. The skin acts like a SPONGE, and anything that comes in contact with it can be absorbed into the bloodstream in approximately 90 seconds. Therefore, in an effort to reduce our internal toxic load, it is ESSENTIAL to use “toxin-free” products in skin care, cosmetics and cleaners.

The skin is a key detoxification organ in the body and MUST be allowed to breathe. If creams, lotions and cosmetics contain substances that reduce its ability to breathe, this causes the body to retain toxins which increases the internal toxin-load and causes the body to become a “toxic-tank”). Skin that cannot breathe properly begins to look “old” and “dry” and experiences accelerated aging.

The following SIX categories represent the “Dirty 1/2 Dozen Ingredients to Avoid” that are extremely prevalent in almost all cosmetics on the marketplace today.

1. Talc: is a finely powdered mineral used in some cosmetic products to absorb moisture. In many cosmetics, talc is listed as the first or second ingredient.

     a. Talc is a filler and is drying, and builds up in fine lines, accentuating their appearance. Other common fillers used in many cosmetic lines are rice powder and flour.
     b. Talc is also recognized as a potential carcinogen, especially lung & ovarian cancer.

2. Mineral Oil and Waxes: disrupt the skin’s ability to breathe. Mineral oil is a derivative of crude oil (petroleum) that is used industrially as a cutting fluid and lubricating oil. Mineral oil forms an oily film over the skin to lock in moisture, but it also traps in toxins and wastes, and hinders normal skin respiration by keeping oxygen out (NOTE: Liquidum Paraffinum is an exotic sounding way to say mineral oil … Paraffin wax or oil is mineral oil wax.)

3. Collagen: Collagen is becoming very popular to add to cosmetics as a “sales gimmick”. It is an insoluble fibrous protein that is too large to penetrate the skin. The collagen found in most skin care or cosmetic products is derived from animal skins and ground up chicken feet. This ingredient forms a layer of film that may suffocate the skin or reduce its ability to breathe. [Instead of collagen, Shaklee has included Vital Repair+ to their skin care and cosmetic products … nutrients that feed the skin so that it can build it’s own collagen.  Soy protein taken daily is also recommended to provide the protein amino acids to build collagen and healthy skin.]

4. Toxic Preservatives: Formaldehyde and BHT are common toxic preservatives.

     a. BHT (butylated hydroxtoluene) is a preservative commonly added to cosmetics and food to preserve oils. It can cause cancer, tumors and neurotoxicity which alters behavior.
     b. Formaldehyde is a toxic colorless gas that is an irritant and a carcinogen. When combined with water, formaldehyde is used as a disinfectant, fixative or preservative.

.

5. Fragrances: Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic. Symptoms reported on many include
headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration and irritation. Clinical observation proves fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability and neurotoxicity (brain & central nervous system cell toxicity). They can also aggravate asthma and allergies.

6. Other Undesirable Ingredients: There are several undesirable ingredients that can be found in cosmetics.

     a. Isopropyl Palmitate: is comedongenic and can cause whiteheads and blackheads. It interferes with the ability of the skin to breath.
     b. Mercury: is used as a preservative or anti-microbial agent particularly in eye products such as mascara. The FDA allows it provided it is in a concentration below 60 ppm.  No consideration is given to the affects of the accumulative affect of this TOXIC heavy metal in the system.
     c. Lead: is a toxic heavy metal (especially found in products from Europe)


Watch this short video to learn more about toxins in our cosmetics.  Even though it was published in 2010, it is still relevent today.

 The Story of Cosmetics: 

The Ugly Truth of ‘Toxics In, Toxics Out’ 

What can you do?

FIRST -- get educated.  You can learn more about the safety of your cosmetics and household products by visiting the National Household Products Database: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm

SECOND --  Read labels

THIRD -- Use safe, non-toxic and environmentally safe personal care and household products.  I highly recommend any and all Shaklee products.

Here's a brief list of the toxic chemicals you will NEVER find in a Shaklee product:

No naphthalene

No kerosene

No formaldehyde

No phenol

No creosol

No lye

No hydrochloric acid

No sulfuric acid

No petroleum distillates

No benzene

No ammonia

No paradichlorobenzene

No sodium hydroxide

No butyl cellosolve

No phosphoric acid

No chlorine

No phosphates

No nitrates

No borates

No sodium lauryl sulfate

No sodium lauryl ether sulfate

No parabens

No triclosan

No phthalates

No 1,4-dioxane

No propylene glycol

No dyes

No trans fats

No artificial flavors

No artificial sweeteners

A Life Changing Procedure!

I promised that I would post Zig Ziglar's daily affirmations that I received at a conference a few years ago.  They are excellent.  I printed these and then taped them to my bathroom mirror so that I see them every day.  Have a great day!

A Life-Changing Procedure!  

by Zig Ziglar

The eyes are the windows of the soul.  So, to the person you are capable of becoming, each evening, just before you go to bed, stand in front of the mirror alone and in the first-person, present tense, look yourself in the eye and repeat with passion and enthusiasm the first four paragraphs.  Repeat this process every morning and every evening from this day forward.  Within one week you will notice remarkable changes in our life.  After 30 days, choose the one paragraph that you feel needs the most work and repeat that every day.  

“I __________, am an honest, intelligent, organized responsible, committed, teachable person who is sober, loyal, and clearly understands that regardless of who signs my paycheck I am self-employed.  I am an optimistic, punctual, enthusiastic, goal-setting, smart working self-starter who is a disciplined, focused, dependable, persistent positive thinker with great self-control, and am an energetic and diligent team player and a hard worker who appreciates the opportunity my company and the free enterprise system offer me.  I am thrifty with my resources and apply common sense to my daily tasks. I take honest pride in my competence, appearance and manners, and am motivated to be and do my best so that my healthy self-image will remain on sold ground.  There are the qualities which enable me to manage myself and help give me employment security in a no-job-security world.

I __________, am a compassionate, respectful encourager who is a considerate, generous, gentle, patient, caring, sensitive, personable, attentive, fun-loving person.  I am a supportive, giving and forgiving, clean, kind, unselfish, affectionate, loving, family-oriented human being and I am a sincere and open-minded good listener and a good-finder who is trustworthy.  These are the qualities which enable me to build good relationships with my associates, neighbors, mate and family.

I ___________, am a person of integrity, with the faith and the wisdom to know what I should do and the courage and convictions to follow through.  I have the vision to manage myself and to lead others.  I am authoritative, confident and humbly grateful for the opportunity life offers me.  I am fair, flexible, resourceful, creative, knowledgeable, decisive and an extra-miler with a servant’s attitude who communicates well with others.  I am a consistent, pragmatic teacher with character and a finely-tuned sense of humor.  I am an honorable person and am balanced in my personal, family and business life, and have a passion for being, doing and learning more today so I can be, do and have more tomorrow.  

These are the qualities of the winner that I was born to be and I am fully committed to developing these marvelous qualities with which I have been entrusted.  Tonight I am going to sleep wonderfully well.  I will dream powerful, positive dreams.  I will awaken energized and refreshed; tomorrow’s going to be magnificent and my future is unlimited.  Recognizing , claiming and developing these qualities which I already have gives me a legitimate chance to be happier, healthier, more prosperous, more secure, have more friends, greater peace of mind, better family relationships and legitimate hope that the future will be even better.”  

Who said school was just for kids?

Who said school was just for kids?

  I stopped a complete stranger to take this picture of me, oh my kids would be mortified - too bad.

Well, September is here and I'm back in school and not giving up.  The good news is that I'm not alone on this journey.  Here I am with long time friend, Theresa Hara, who is also finishing up her degree.  We have both been taking classes over the years at the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas.  Now that we are both empty nesters we can focus more on our schooling.

New members of the Geek Squad.

If you have a full time student at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota there is a program that might be of interest to you.  It is a program called "Parents on Campus" which allows parent(s) of full-time students to be eligible to take up to two courses (or eight credits) on a space available basis without tuition charge. 

As an older, non-traditional student, there are challenges I have that the younger generation doesn't even consider.  Some of these issues are - will I be the only one in class with reading glasses, will I be able to keep up with the new technology, will I be able to remember and retain the class materials, will my scheduled colonoscopy "prep" interfere with homework or will I get a "hot-flash" while I'm giving a presentation in front of the class? Well, some of these situations might come to fruition but I just keep reminding myself that you don't get anywhere in life if you play it safe.  

It is becoming more common than you think for people to go back to school.   Everyone has their own reason; whether it is to change careers, achieve a higher position in your company, now that your children are older you have more time to study or maybe you just want to sharpen your mind.  Remember, it is important to stimulate the brain no matter what your age.  

Whatever your reason is to decide to go back to school, stay focused on your goals and work at a pace that is best suited for you.  Take it one step at a time and you will succeed.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to life forever." - Mohandas Gandhi
  

Daily Affirmations and Prayers

I recently came across a piece of paper of daily affirmations that I had received many years ago at a conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.   There were many motivational speakers at this conference and this is where I first heard Zig Ziglar speak.  He was such a dynamic speaker who stressed the power of our words and how they can effect our lives either positively or negatively.  He spoke on the importance of living a life of integrity, honesty, faith and strong personal character.  Zig gave a copy of his daily affirmations to everyone at the conference and challenged us to say these out loud each day and night in front of the mirror and see how our lives would change.

I started out following Zig's plan but then transitioned to more personal affirmations and prayers of my own.  I say these out load in my car or when I go on my walks in the park every day.  What has become apparent is that these daily prayers and affirmations have taken on more meaning the older I get and especially when I send my children off as they have become more independent.  My relationship with God is such a comfort to me and saying these words daily puts me in the right frame of mind.  I would highly recommend you incorporate this daily practice into your life.

Below are some of my daily affirmations and prayers that I will share with you.  Initially, I wrote these down on recipe cards and taped them to my bathroom mirror but now I have them imbedded into my heart so that I can say them anytime and anywhere.  I also wrote some of these sayings on cards for my kids and taped them on their bathroom mirrors.  I would like to think that when they were having difficult times  in their lives that these affirmations and prayers were a comfort to them as well.  Hopefully, they will incorporate this practice into their daily lives.

My Daily Affirmations and Prayers

* I am a child of the most high God and I have His Favor and His Purpose for my life.

* I enjoy healthy relationships with my husband - Tony, my children - Tony Jr., Allie and Andrew, my family and friends.

* I am intelligent and continue to learn.

* I have great health and vitality.

* Doors of opportunity continue to open for me and my family.

* I thank you God in advance - for you and your angels protection over our family spiritually, mentally and physically.   

* I have God's supernatural wisdom and a clear direction for my life.

* My circle of influence is increasing.

* I help people obtain better health and more wealth with my Shaklee business. 

- these are just some of what I say each day -


I will give you the affirmations that I received from Zig Ziglar  in the next post.  Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!







   

The "REAL" Truth on Soy!

 

There is clear evidence that SOY PROTEIN IS ONE OF THE BEST FOODS to include in our daily diets.

A press release on December 9, 2009, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (by researchers at Vanderbilt University and Shanghai Institute of Preventative Medicine) announced results from a study that proved women who consumed soy foods decreased their risk of dying from breast cancer and also reduced their risk of breast cancer recurrence.  The results were clear - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19996398.

* Breast cancer survivors with highest soy intake had 25% less chance of breast cancer recurrence and 25% less chance of dying from breast cancer with lower soy intake.

* The effect was just as strong for women with estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-negative cancers, for early stage and late stage breast cancer and for pre- and post-menopausal women.

* The study also showed that soy protein intake did not interfere with tamoxifen.  The reduction in risk of breast cancer recurrence and death was just as great whether the breast cancer survivors were taking tamoxifen or not.  Actually, tamoxifen was protective only for women with low soy intake.

What You Need to Know About Soy! 

by Dr. Richard Brouse

(Below are remarks made at a seminar by Dr. Brouse)

 **Dr. Brouse is a widely recognized authority in the fields of nutrition and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases.  Dr. Brouse has a Masters in Biochemistry and is a Doctor of Chiropractic as well as a certified clinical nutritionist, teacher, author and lecturer. He was an Associate Professor of Clinical Nutrition for 14 years and founded the renowned Sunnyside Health Center in Clackamas, Oregon in 1977.  His knowledge is very broad and he continues researching and tabulating results using Shaklee in his extensive nutrition practice.

The Essential Seven Checklists for a Quality Soy Product -

(Shaklee meets all of these seven!)

Do not purchase soy powders and expect them to produce positive health results unless you know that the following "Essential Seven" quality controls have been met by the manufacturer:

1)  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.

2)  Were the soybeans GENETICALLY ENGINEERED?  
Genetically engineered soybeans are much cheaper to purchase and most companies producing soy products look for ways to save money.

3)  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.

4)  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, prostrate, lung and bowel cancer!  As well, it is the isoflavones that are so beneficial in hormone balancing and increasing bone mass.

5)  Was the "anti-thyroid", "anti-growth" substance in the raw soy removed?
Asians, who 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, Asians always slightly cook their soy foods to deactivate the "anti-tyrosine/anti-growth" substance.  Shaklee has 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 sensitive to heat.

6)  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 of the Essential Amino Acids.  If an individual consistently consumes a diet that is lacking in all of the essential amino acids, inadequate brain development and hormones or other body tissue development can be the result.

7)  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 soybean is a neutral food -- neither acidic or 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.

Common Concerns About Soy

Do soybeans cause cancer?

Is it 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 soybeans.

But Iʼve heard that soy protein is hard on the kidneys!

Animal protein is much harder to digest than vegetable protein. Since many people have digestive difficulties, protein that is not thoroughly digested is very challenging to the kidneys. Powdered protein is in a predigested state, and the BEST protein source to choose! Protein is not the enemy - it is essential for life. It is true, however, that excessive protein is hard on the kidneys, so if a person consumes more than 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily, AND does not consume adequate carbohydrates with it, this could cause kidney damage.

I've had breast cancer and been told I cannot have soy!

It is true that soy is a “phytoestrogen” food, which means it contains substances that have hormone-like components.

As you can see from the above information, you can have great confidence in the Shaklee Soy Protein products.

However, their estrogen strength is 1/1000th that of the bodyʼs own stronger estrogens. Therefore, you want to load your digestive system with quality controlled raw soy powder, because these weaker estrogens will block the estrogen receptor sites from receiving your body's own strong estrogens and therefore be very protective against estrogen fed cancer.


THE SHAKLEE SOY PROTEIN PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST ON THE MARKET!

Click on the link below to get more answers on your questions about soy protein.  These are comments the Shaklee Health Sciences e-bulletin http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/docs/health-sci/faq_soy_final.pdf

Transform your Life!

  

Having a little fun at the Nutrition booth.

Tony and I just got back from an amazing few days at the 2012 Shaklee Convention in Las Vegas.  We are so proud to be part of such a great company that is the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the U.S.  You can't even imaging how cool it is to be in a room with thousands of people that share the same love of Shaklee and are passionate about helping others have better health and more wealth.  

Here are some friends that we reconnected with at the convention.

Here I am with Dr. Stephen Chaney and his wife, Suzanne.  I danced the night away with them in the Bahamas.  Such a sweet and fun couple.

The theme of the convention was Transformation.  We all were challenged to create a Transformational Action Plan for ourselves and to help others do the same.  The Cinch Loss program is a great place to start for those who want to lose weight and have better health.  

The great news is that Shaklee's Transformation Pack (Buy 3 months and get the 4th month free) has been extended through November 30th.  You can even join the Cinch Challenge and win $$$.  

Click this link to learn more: http://member.myshaklee.com/us/en/cinch_challenge.html 

Tony lost 25 lbs using the Cinch products and has kept them off for many years. 

Here we are at the Cinch booth after we checked our own BMI's.

Make this your year for amazing transformations - to your health, your business and your life.

Going to the Shaklee conventions is like a BIG (6,000 attendees this year) Family Reunion!  Next year we are going to Nashville, wouldn't you like to come with us?  
Let us know tpmcdaaa@comcast.net.  Check out this video - Shaklee Videos: 2013 Shaklee Global Conference in Nashville