Grace’s Blog

Keeping your heart healthy and strong can lower your risk for heart disease.  It is not that difficult if you follow some guidelines.

Losing weight is one.  Two thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.  Could losing weight really help the heart?  The answer is YES!

According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology you can improve the way your heart functions by just losing 12% of your weight, either by diet and exercise or both.

You can have a more youthful heart by dropping some of those excess pounds if you are overweight.

As we age the arteries and heart muscles stiffen and the heart doesn’t relax like it did when we were younger.

The study showed that by losing weight, the participants gained the ability of the heart to relax more quickly, recovering some of the elasticity characteristics of a younger heart.

The heart actually became younger!

Besides exercising and losing weight, here are some other things you can do to have a healthier heart.

Eat more fiber.  A study done by Harvard University, showed that men who ate at least 25 grams of fiber a day had one-third less heart attacks then men eating 12 grams or less a day.

Eat beans.  They contain a lot of good fiber that helps prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol.  Eating a cup of beans a day can lower cholesterol by 10- 20 percent.

Eating garlic can lower cholesterol and help decrease the risk of heart disease.

A Harvard report found that women eating 1 ounce of almonds daily had a 40 percent lower risk of fatal heart disease. 

Almonds contain vitamin E and research at England’s Cambridge University found that by taking 400 IU of vitamin E for 18 months slashed nonfatal heart attacks in cardiovascular patients by 77 percent.

Vitamin C keeps blood vessels dilated. Without vitamin C, blood vessels constrict, shutting down blood flow. 

Two thousand mg’s a day dramatically restored dilation of blood vessels in heart attack patients, a Boston University study found.

Low levels of B vitamins, especially folic acid, are a heart disease precursor. 

Make sure to get plenty in your diet.  B’s are fragile and are easily destroyed by heat. 

When supplementing, use a high quality B-Vitamin supplement containing at least 100% DV of all 8 B’s.

Eat fish, lots of fish. If eating fish is not your thing, supplement with a high quality Omega-3 supplement. 

Omega-3’s thin the blood, decrease clot formation, raise HDL cholesterol and control irregular heart beats.

Every cell in the body needs Coenzyme Q10 for energy.  A healthy heart needs lots of it.  If a person is on a cholesterol lowering drug, it could deplete this important enzyme. 

Of adults age 40 and older, as many as 42% could be classified as being at an increased risk for heart disease. 

One in every four men die of heart disease and stroke, and one of every 2.5 women die of heart disease and stroke.

Maintaining a healthy heart is critically important.

 Shaklee Independent Distributor

Corn syrup was recently vilified by a well know TV Doctor.  He said corn syrup will make you fat.

He is right and he is wrong.  It isn’t the corn syrup that is making us fat, and it isn’t the other sugars either.

The problem lies in how much we are consuming.

It is said that the average person in the U.S. consumes 158 pounds of sugar each year!

I did some calculations.  I buy white sugar in 10 pound bags. I like to make cookies, cakes and pies. If I divide 158 by 12 months, I come up with about 13 pounds per month.

According to the label on my 10 pounds of sugar, 1 teaspoon is a serving and contains 15 calories.  There are 1,134 servings in a bag.  If I do the calculations right, that is 17,010 calories in 10 pounds of sugar.

Remember, the average amount of sugar consumed per person in this country is about 13 pounds a month, not 10!

WOW!  No wonder we are suffering and weight is going up!

Where is all the sugar coming from?

Mostly from soft drinks, snack foods and processed foods sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Thus the statement “corn syrup makes you fat.”

I checked my low-fat salad dressing, and the second ingredient after water was sugar.

When food manufacturers take the fat out, they add sugar so we like the taste.

The brain needs sugar to function.  But 13 pounds a month? 

What about Stevia?  It appears to be safe in the amounts currently being consumed. 

What if we consumed 158 pounds a year, would it create a problem?

The best way to get sugar, of course, is from a natural source like fruit.

Maybe 2010 is the year to re-discover the joys of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and whole grains.

Shaklee Distributor

Are you waiting to get sick before you try to get healthy?

Why not get healthy before you get sick?

If you are ready to take control of your health, you may have questions of where to start. 

Prevention is always better than disease.

Health care, or lack of it, has been a major issue in Washington and around the country.

Staggering numbers of people are completely unaware they may have a chronic disease that afflicts millions.

For example, it is estimated that forty percent of diabetics are walking around undiagnosed.

Sometimes the first sign of heart disease is sudden death.

Your body gives you clues as to when things may not be right.  Are you listening?

Through the science of Nutritional Symptomatology, you can answer a few questions and receive a Personal Wellness Review. 

You will be alerted to areas that may need attention.

The Wellness Review can help you make choices to stay healthy or get healthier. 

The Wellness Review is a gift.

To get started, Click on this LINK.

Shaklee Distributor

Happy 2010 New Year!  It’s time for the annual making of resolutions.  What will yours be?

One resolution many make in the New Year is to lose weight.  Is that you?  If it is, you have lots of company and lots of choices.

Those choices may not always be the best.

There are books about magic formulas, low fat, high fat, low carbohydrate, high protein. 

There are magic foods…grapefruit, cabbage soup, berries and chocolate.

I’ve tried a variety in my lifetime.

Cabbage soup….not my favorite.

The worst diet I tried was over 30 years ago.  I see it is still around.  My friend and I decided to do it together.  It was guaranteed to help us lose 10 pounds in 10 days.  This is the diet: Lemon juice, pure maple syrup mixed together and a cayenne pepper capsule.

Whenever I got hungry, this is all I would consume.

I lasted the entire 10 days without cheating.  On the 10^th day, I up-chucked, and it burnt all the way up.  I felt cheated because I only lost 5 pounds and for the next 2 months, my friend and I both caught every “bug” that flew by.  Not a pleasant experience.  It’s still a “Yuck” in my book.

Diets come with hype and lots of scientific sounding mumbo jumbo to show they work.  Despite what you read or hear, losing weight is solely based on the difference between calories in and calories out.

There is no “magic formula”, no “magic diet” and no “magic diet food.”  There are helps though.  Remember calories rule!

Calories in, calories out. 

The diet doesn’t have to be weird to work.

The diet should be healthy in the long run, not just for the diet’s duration.

Remember to exercise.  It increases lean muscle mass which in turn burns more calories.

Don’t start if you’re not going to finish.  It has to become a way of life, otherwise, you go back to your same old habits that got you where you are in the first place.

How did you do over the holidays?  The average weight gain is about 5 pounds.

This year I decided to do something different.  I drank a CINCH SHAKE twice a day as much as possible.  CINCH is a great meal replacement and the best breakfast on the planet.  I also took 3 in 1 BOOST to keep my metabolism going.

To my surprise and delight, I did not gain anything and even lost a bit. 

When making this year’s resolutions, change your life not just your weight.

 Shaklee Distributor

The anti-aging promise of resveratrol is real.

The amount or resveratrol in most products on the market do not come close to the amounts used in research.

Resveratrol is considered key in protecting the body against heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases, according to Dr. Joseph Maroon, a neuroscience professor at the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine.

According to him, it can prevent some infections, serve as an antiviral, reduce obesity, protect against some forms of diabetes and slow the effects of aging.

Resveratrol companies can refer to the mountains of published research, but what research has been done on THEIR resveratrol product and what are the findings? 

Not all resveratrol products are created equally.

Learn about the quality resveratrol product we use and love by logging on to our WEB SITE.

The Shaklee Difference VIDEO.

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Is Stress Making You Sick? It is very possible.  Stress affects the heart, weight, the skin and more. 

Under stress, the heart beat increases and the heart has to work harder.  Blood thickens and clots more easily.  Blood clots that form when there is no wound, is not good.

The Immune System slows down substantially and you are more susceptible to illness, infection and degeneration,

Colon function is impaired, resulting in constipation, diarrhea, and gas produced by undigested food.  The digestive process turns off causing stomach upsets.

Adrenal secretions increase, pumping adrenalin into the blood stream to temporarily give you strength, speed, and stamina. 

If you are being attacked by a bear, this needs to happen, but in everyday life, the “fight or flight” syndrome day in and day out takes a toll on your health.

Under stress, the skin may break out with acne, psoriasis, hives or rosacea.

Stress can change the balance of chemicals in the brain and narrow the blood vessels which may cause headaches.  Tension in the shoulders and neck may make them worse.

Things you can do to lessen stress are:

Identify what is stressful; talk with someone important to you; plan ahead; exercise; tackle problems 1-1; have a positive attitude; avoid alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, caffeine and sugar; know what you can and cannot change; Supplement your diet with nutrients that feed the cells.

The body manufactures 55,000 new cells every second!  Cells require protein, vitamins minerals and more.  Under stress these nutrients are used up extremely fast and must be replenished.

Our family uses quality nutritional supplements, one of which is Stress Relief Complex. I invite you to view a short video “The Shaklee Difference.“  There is a difference in supplements.

 Shaklee Distributor

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought I would write about “spooky” foods.  Spooky because they make you think you are eating healthy.  Spooky because they pretend to be something they are not and hope to pass themselves off as the real thing. 

The first is pretzels.  I love them.  They are crunchy and salty, two favorites.  The package shouts “fat free,” always a warning flag.  What is in them to make them “spooky?”

They’re made from refined white flour which has been stripped of any nutritional benefits, such as vitamins and antioxidants.

They are packed with carbs and calories. 

Have you eaten 24 slices of white bread in a sitting?  Well a 15-oz. bag of pretzels is like eating all that bread at one time.  Spooky!

Another “spooky” food disguised as healthy are spinach wraps.  They look good, taste good and you would think they are healthy.  Isn’t spinach healthy?

Spinach wraps contain only a scant amount of spinach powder, hardly enough to mention.  They get their green color from food colorings and are made from refined white flour.

Not too many good vitamins in this “spooky” food.  The A and C found in fresh spinach are gone from spinach wraps.  A typical wrap contains 170 calories.  One cup of cooked fresh spinach contains about 65 calories.   Spooky!

How about those blueberry scones you love so much?  Blueberries, how healthy could that be?  Sounds healthy to me.  How spooky could they be?

They are packed with over 400 calories and artery-clogging saturated fat, over half the maximum amount needed in an entire day.  They don’t even count as a serving of fruit and just try to find the fiber.   “Spooky.”

How spooky could water be?  Some water I’ve tasted is pretty bad.  This “spooky” water cost some bucks.  It is vitamin water.  Sure it’s loaded with some inexpensive vitamins, but it is also loaded with up to 200 calories per bottle.  It’s a great way to pack on the pounds if they are not burned off.

Purified water would be a better choice. 

Have a safe Halloween and watch out for the spooks and goblins roaming around and especially watch out for the “spooky” foods masquerading as healthy.

Shaklee Distributor

Protein is essential to all body tissues for growth, repair and maintenance. Protein is required for making enzymes, antibodies, hormones, and hydrochloric acid.   

Protein power helps the body maintain fluid and electrolyte balance, provide energy and helps the body fight off disease. Proteins provide the building blocks of a cell’s structure needed for organs, blood, muscles, bone, connective tissue and essentially every part of the body.

Protein is the most abundant substance in the body, next to water.

By consuming adequate amounts of quality dietary protein, these powers are made possible. You get protein in a variety of lean meats, fish and poultry.  You also get it from soy, eggs and dairy.  These proteins supply the body with amino acids, the building blocks from which the body can make its own body proteins.

There are essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids.  Foods contain about 20 different ones and more than half of those are non-essential meaning the body can make them itself.

There are nine amino acids that are essential, meaning the body cannot make them and must get them from food.  The body needs these on a daily basis in order to make the non-essential amino acids.

If even one essential amino acid is missing or deficient, it can create a detrimental rippling effect that will be manifested anywhere in the body.

No new body tissue can be made without protein.  Consuming QUALITY protein can have positive effects on the body and play a part in the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis.

Shaklee Independent Distributor

On September 20, 2009, Parade Magazine ran a story about dramatic breakthroughs in cancer treatment, by Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.

There are environmental issues that are at the root of some cancers.  For example, 90 % of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking.  For other forms of cancer, the causes are not so clear.

Scientists now know, according to Dr. Collins, that cancer is a disease of DNA.  Smoking causes mutations of the DNA and when mutations occur, a normal cell grows out of control and spreads.

Not all mutations are caused by environmental issues.  Some cells do not replicate the exact DNA when dividing, thus causing what is called a “typo.”  If the “typo” continues to be replicated wrong, cancer can develop.

These “typos” can randomly occur or can be inherited.  There are numerous ways a cell can go wrong.

Physicians are starting to use the knowledge that cancer is a disease of DNA to look at a person’s DNA and their family history to predict their risk factors.  If cancer is caught early enough, it is usually treatable.

There are powerful new drugs being developed. But what if there was a natural substance or a product that would protect and repair DNA, would that be of interest to these scientists?  What about you? 

In laboratory studies, Vivix Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic ingredients have been shown to impact the four mechanisms of cellular aging.* One of those mechanisms is DNA damage. 

Everyday, every cell in the body is being bombarded by DNA-damaging assaults.  These assaults can damage the DNA and cause a “typo.”   Vivix ingredients help protect and repair cellular DNA.*

Shaklee Independent Distributor

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

What price would you pay for good health?  This is my friend’s story.

I met Donna 37 years ago when we were both introduced to Shaklee through a mutual friend.  We became very good friends through the years.  She became a Shaklee Business Leader and enjoyed what Shaklee offered.  When her then son-in-law started a business, she began helping him and her Shaklee business suffered, until she finally gave it up.

When Shaklee introduced Vivix just over a year ago, I encouraged Donna to give it a try. I told her all the things it would do. She would laugh and tell me, “Yeah, that’s what everyone says.”  This is her story:

I was living a stress filled life 12 years ago and didn’t realize I was falling apart.  I wasn’t using my Shaklee Supplements and taking care of myself.

Five years ago this October 2009, I had a heart attack after learning of the death of my granddaughter.  I was told by my doctor if I hadn’t been fairly healthy, I would not have survived. 

Not long after the heart attack, I had a hysterectomy.  When my friend Grace called to tell me about Vivix, I was very skeptical.  Finally after several months of her telling me how good it was and it was anti-aging, that got my attention.  I finally agreed to try it in Feb. of 2009. I decided I would give it 3 months.  I also decided to do the whole Rx for a Healthier Life program, which is Vivix, Vitalizer, NutriFeron and Cinch shakes.

I started noticing a difference within a couple of weeks. Before Rx for a Healthier Life, these are the problems I was experiencing:  I had bursitis in my hip, restless leg syndrome, dry eyes, dry skin, blood in my urine, constipation, nose bleeds and no energy.  I was depressed, sad, non-thinking and weak.  I wouldn’t hear what was being said around me. I had brown spots on my face.

Since starting on the Rx for a Healthier Life, these symptoms are gone. The spots on my face are fading and are really light.   I have more strength and the weakness is gone.  I have more confidence and more energy. I don’t hurt getting up and down, even after working an 8 hour shift at Walmart.  My psychologist noticed drastic improvement in my mental health.  I was on drugs for depression, heart health and pain.  I don’t use them or need them anymore. 

Instead of trying it for 3 months, I have become a lifer.  I will not give up my Shaklee Supplements again.  Just as we feed our body everyday, we need supplements everyday.  One meal a week will not suffice. Neither will eating the supplements once in a while suffice.  Nutrients are used up continually.  I am so thankful I made the decision to use Shaklee again.

Donna G.….Tucson, AZ.

I too, am thankful Donna started using the products again.  I think she would pay any price to be healthy. She is a dear friend.  Helping her is a joy.

Shaklee Distributor