Weight Loss Coach

Avoid Soy Protein Shakes

2012-03-20T20:24:00.000-04:00

Avoid Soy Protein Shakes! - Some people think you can just buy any protein shake and be fine, but I have to disagree - not all protein shakes are created equal. Eating excess unfermented soy can cause thyroid problems and hormomal imbalances. Please avoid all soy protein shakes and here is why... http://healthyfamiliesforgod.com/2011/12/could-visalus-other-soy-products-actually-be-harming-your-health/

We have tried lots of different protein shakes over the last several years and Isa is still our favorite!

Most Deficient Vitamin

2012-03-16T08:24:00.000-04:00

Most Deficient Vitamin - I know I have talked about this vitamin before, but I found another article about it and thought I would mention it one more time. Here is an interesting article about how important vitamin D is especially for those wanting to lose weight.
http://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/burn-fat-fast I prefer liquid vitamin D so I don't have to take a pill. I get my vitamin D here.

Body Scan

2012-02-27T20:21:00.000-05:00

Most of us don't get a body scan like this one, but this is so interesting to see. I don't think I have seen anything like this before. What do you think? I know I never want my body to look like the woman on the left. If anything, these pictures are good motivation to keep exercising and eating well!

Body Scan - Check out this body scan of a 250 pound woman and a 120 pound woman. Note to self: Look at the size of the intestines and stomach; how the knee joints are rubbing together; the enlarged liver; and the fat pockets near the brain.

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and we ight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or wei ght loss!

Heidi
Fat Burning Drinks - www.fatburningcoffeeandtea.com
Body Cleansing Technology - www.greatfit.isagenix.com

Top Immune Boosting Foods

2012-02-22T08:20:00.000-05:00

Top Immune Boosting Foods During winter our bodies can benefit from as much of these immune boosting foods as possible - http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-flu-pictures/top-immune-boosting-foods-to-keep-you-healthy.aspx?xid=nl_MyCalorieCounterNewsletter_20111126#/slide-1

High Fiber Diet

2012-02-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

High Fiber Diet Decreases Inflammatory Disease Risk - I talked a little bit last month about eating more fiber to help you feel full and to help your body work better. Here is an article to support that. It talks about how eating a high fiber diet decreases the risk of developing inflammatory diseases like cancer, type-2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and hardening of the arteries. More on fiber next month!
http://www.naturalnews.com/034816_dietary_fiber_inflammatory_disease_diet.html

Is Yogurt Good for Breakfast?

2012-02-17T08:16:00.000-05:00

Did you ever ask the question, "Is yogurt good for breakfast?" Well, here is my take on yogurt and breakfast foods...

Have some Ice Cream for Breakfast - You know I would never recommend this, but if you are eating yogurt with granola for breakfast, you would probably be better off eating ice cream instead. Maybe the fat content will be different, but everything else is worse!

Here are some alarming comparisons:

Yogurt with granola 190 calories, 35 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams sugar
Ice cream (1/2 c) 140 calories, 18 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams sugar

In an effort to make yogurt taste better, it looks like this company has taken this out of control. One of the last things you want to do in the morning is to spike your blood sugar. When your blood sugar spikes, that means that your body starts storing fat. Who wants to store fat??

Some alternatives could include a good protein shake (NO soy), eggs with whole wheat toast, or oatmeal with berries.

Fat Burning Coffee and Tea Samples

2012-02-06T06:47:00.000-05:00

I have fat burning tea and coffee samples available for $3 per package. I also have some 30 serving tea packets in stock that I will sell for $80 instead of the retail cost of $90. Let me know if you're interested. These are on a first come, first serve basis. When they're gone, they're gone!

Getting a sample of the coffee, tea, or latte can help you decide if you like the taste and if you would like to use this as a way to lose weight. Since I lost 10" in one month drinking one tea a day, I thought maybe others would like to lose weight like this too.

35 grams of Fiber a day

2012-01-31T07:12:00.000-05:00

Is it really necessary to eath 35 grams of fiber a day? I'm just starting to dive into some of Brenda Watson's material in the Fiber 35 Di et Book.

Her basic premise is that the more fiber we eat, the more full we will be and the more we ight we will lose. It makes sense to eat more fiber to feel more full. Although she uses some supplements to achieve the 35 grams of fiber a day sometimes, her plan is not focused on bran flakes and beans.

Here are some surprisingly high fiber foods that I think we should all eat more of: raspeberries (8), Pear with skin (5.5), apple with skin (4.4), split peas (16.8), orange (3.1), raisins (1), wheat noodles (6.2), peas (8.8), avocado (11.8), and more. She goes on to say that it's silly to eat a piece of white bread that has less than a gram of fiber when we could eat a piece of whole grain bread that has 2-3 grams of fiber. Why eat a cup of yogurt that has virtually no fiber, when you could eat an apple, orange, oatmeal, berries, or a whole host of other foods that have lots more fiber in them?

I think eating 35 grams of fiber a day is certainly a good idea. It helps you feel full and is VERY good for your body. Let me know if you decide to try it.

Eat 3 Meals a Day

2012-01-27T09:54:00.001-05:00

We all have to eat 3 meals a day, but is it best to eat more than that or not? I just finished reading over a book called The Perfect 10 Diet by Dr. Michael Aziz. I always like to read books by people who have helped lots of people lose weight. Although I don't think his idea of eating a no sugar di et will work, I did learn a few things from his book. His main focus was hormones. He says that a good part of why people have problems with weight lo ss is because their hormones are out of balance. One of the ways he suggests getting them more in balance is to eat just 3 meals a day and only have 1 or 2 snacks if you REALLY need it. This goes against some of the reading I have done in the last few years about how you should eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism revved up. I think eating just three meals a day makes sense because it gives our hormones a chance to get rebalanced without making them have to work on digestion all the time.

Why Diet Sodas Make Us Fat

2012-01-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

Why Diet Sodas Make Us Fat - I've heard a lot in the last few years about acidic and alkaline foods but didn't really truly understand how they affected our bodies. This 9 minute video explains all of this in a simple and easy to understand manner. I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch this as your health lesson for the week.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI&feature=player_embedded

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and we ight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or wei ght loss!

Heidi

Fat Burning Drinks - www.fatburningcoffeeandtea.com
Body Cleansing Technology - www.greatfit.isagenix.com

2011-12-18T21:34:00.003-05:00

Here is some more information I have collected for you. I hope you learn something new today that you didn't know yesterday.

Link Between Sleep and Weight - Here is an interesting article that tells about a study done with women age 40-60. They kept track of their sleeping habits and found that those that slept less, had trouble falling asleep, or woke frequently during the night had greater weight gain than those that slept well. They said there could be two factors that cause this. When people get less sleep, they tend to have less energy left for exercising. They also showed that their appetite control hormones got out of balance causing them to turn to high carbohydrate and calorie dense foods more often. They also did a study with healthy young men and found that they ate an average of 560 calories more on the days that they were sleep deprived. Studies have also been conducted on children "Researchers believe that sleep-deprived children may be at especially high risk of having weight problems. Studies have consistently found that getting less sleep than recommended is associated with childhood obesity. In fact, based on sleep studies in children, researchers have calculated that a child's risk of being overweight or obese is reduced by about 9 percent for each additional hour of sleep per night." The moral of the story is GET SOME SLEEP. It will not only help you feel better, but it will also help you maintain your weight and healthy eating habits. http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/101/tips/snooze-control-suggested-for-overweight-children.aspx?xid=nl_MyCalorieCounterNewsletter_20111028

Use Your Scale - Many people, including me, use their scale to help keep them on track with weight loss or weight maintenance. You can track your progress until you get to your desired weight. Then when you get to your desired weight, you can use your scale to help keep you on track. If you see that your weight is starting to climb back up, you can make small corrections to your diet before things get out of control again. If you don't have a scale, you don't even have to fight the crowds to get one. You can purchase a nice digital scale online and have it shipped right to your door. Here is an article about using your scale for weight loss and maintenance http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/use-your-scale.aspx?xid=nl_MyCalorieCounter_20110327

Get Ready for Cold Season - Make sure you have your medicine cabinet stocked with plenty of powdered Vitamin C, Vitamin D drops (daily), and Isamune immunity boosting spray. Besides Cold Eeze, Halls, Ricola, Boiron homeopathic cold pellets, and acidophilus, these are all things I keep stocked for the winter. Or if you live in the area Nature's Haven Herb Shop on Townline Rd. 12 carries some of these items.

Fat Burning Tea and Coffee - As an update to last month, my total inches lost after one month of drinking one fat burning tea a day came to 10 inches! I'm happy to report that it has stayed off and that lots more people have started on this journey with me and are seeing pounds and inches melt off. I didn't change anything in my diet except for drinking the one cup of tea (more like fruit punch) each day. There is also coffee and latte available that some have used to achieve their results. I know it sounds too good to be true, but all I can say is that it worked for me. Let me know if you want more information or if you want to order some of these products too. I have started to distribute these products since so many people were interested. My website is www.fatburningcoffeeandtea.com

. If you enter your email address there or just look around for more information, the email comes right to me. I have a fact sheet that I can send along if you would like to look at that too. Just reply to this email and I'll send you the document. The website is not always easy to figure out, so feel free to ask me any questions.

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and we ight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or wei ght loss!

Fat Burning Tea Update

2011-10-16T21:29:00.001-04:00

I have some more interesting tidbits of information to share with you that I have collected this month. I hope this helps you in your health and wellness journey.

Tame sugar cravings - Here is a good article about how to tame sugar cravings. I never thought about getting enough sleep as a way to tame them. I know I tend to want more sugar when I'm tired. http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/10-ways-to-stop-cravings.aspx?xid=nl_MyCalorieCounter_20110319

Vitamin D Revisited - Every day your body is regenerating skin, bone and muscle cells. But, especially in the case of your bone health, it needs Vitamin D to do its job. Without the proper amounts, you could be putting yourself at risk .

What is Vitamin D and How Does it Help the Body?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, with its main role to help the body absorb calcium. It’s no wonder Vitamin D is largely considered by the medical community as one of the most important of the vitamins needed by your body every day. The problem, many people – especially middle-aged adults – may not realize their bones are growing weaker due to a deficiency in Vitamin D until it’s too late.

Why You’re Not Getting Enough

Vitamin D deficiency is a relatively new phenomenon among the human race. That’s because, in the modern area of the desk job, sitting in front of the TV and shopping malls with artificial light, we get less exposure to the sun than ever before. That’s right, the main source of Vitamin D comes from exposure to the UVB rays of the sun. On top of that, the darker your skin, the less you’re able to absorb the UVB rays that provide the precious Vitamin D for your body’s needs.

Natural Sources of Vitamin D3

So where do you turn for Vitamin D? Your first guess might be the carton of milk sitting in your fridge. But, according to the National Institutes of Health, most of the nation’s milk supply is fortified with 100IU/cup, only 25 percent of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin D.

Some fish, such as mackerel, salmon and tuna contain Vitamin D. Or you could try a spoonful of cod liver oil. Liver, beef and margarine contain some Vitamin D, but not nearly enough to satisfy your daily needs. In fact, you’d need to eat eight slices of liver per day to get the daily recommended amount of Vitamin D, according to the USDA. The National Institutes of Health says only 29 percent of men and 17 percent of women are able to satisfy their daily Vitamin D needs through diet alone.

Not mentioned - Another important benefit of vitamin D is immune building. I'm not sure why they don't mention it in this article. I use vitamin D in liquid form because I can get all I need for the day in 1 or 2 drops. I take a liquid that has 2000 iu per drop and I just put it in my protein shake every morning. You could easily put this right in your mouth since it doesn't really taste like anything. This can be purchased at Amazon or at a health food store. Just make sure you get a good quality product!

Finally a way to lose inches! - It seems that the only way I have ever been able to lose inches is to do a 9 day Isa cleanse. This works fine but it's not very easy and costs some money.

I'm pleased to announce that I have found an easier way for people to lose weight and inches! In just 3 weeks I have lost 9 inches drinking 1 cup of fat burning tea (it actually tastes like fruit punch) per day! I have several other people using this now and they are having great results too. I didn't change what I was eating, just added 1 cup of this tea. This is the easiest thing I have ever done, plus I have much more energy and mental clarity too! The ingredients are natural - otherwise I wouldn't use it or recommend it.

A 30 day system of the fat burning tea or coffee is cheaper than a 9 day Isa cleanse and MUCH cheaper than a 30 day Isa program. If you're interested in this program you can either order at www.ohio.bfreesystem.com or enter your email address there for more information.

I also have a fact sheet that I am working on that gives step by step guidance about the fat burning system and the 26 years of research behind it that I can send to you if you would like. Just reply to this email and I'll send you the document.

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and we ight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or wei ght loss!

Fat Burning Tea

2011-09-19T23:30:00.003-04:00

I had never heard of fat burning tea before until my friend told me about her weight loss results from drinking fat burning coffee, tea, and raspberry latte. If you have read anything on this blog already, you know that I am a student of weight loss. I love to hear about how people lost weight. The only problem is that I don't hear this very often.

Many times you hear about someone who is on a diet or is trying to lose weight but you rarely hear of people that have actually accomplished losing more than a few pounds. While Isagenix is a great weight loss program, I have found that, after the downturn in the economy, very few people were able to afford it anymore. Hence I have spent quite a while looking for something just as good and maybe even more effective.

It looks like fat burning tea and coffee just might be the answer we have all been looking for. This isn't some new concept though, because the formulator Dr. Allen has been researching and perfecting this for 26 years!

I will keep you posted on my progress here. I have before pictures and measurements. So far after 3 days of drinking one fat burning tea a day, I have lost a pound and an inch on my waist! Look for more updates.

I got my stuff at www.ohio.bfreesystem .com in case you want some already.

Fat Burning Coffee and Tea

2011-09-13T15:21:00.000-04:00

Here are some more information tidbits I have found for you. Let me know if you have any questions.

Test for vitamin D deficiency - They say that if you press on your sternum (breastbone) with your thumb or if you press on your shin bones and feel pain or tenderness, you have a 93% chance of having a vitamin D deficiency. You can either get a liquid form and take 2 drops a day or use Bone Growth Factor or Vita Cal Mag here.

Low GI Foods List - I've been doing some reading lately about low glycemic foods. Here is a good list of foods with a low glycemic index. The glycemic index is directly related to your insulin production. I'm no expert in this area, but I do know that it's good to eat low glycemic foods so that your insulin levels don't spike and cause your body to alter it's weight and fat burning ability. http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

8 Reasons to Eat Beets - I wasn't introduced to beets until about 10 years ago and I love them! They are easy to cook (boil about 1/2 hour and peel off skin) or you can even eat them raw. If you don't like beets I encourage you to give it another try. I even pickle them and can them to eat whenever I want. They say that they are available all year long although I grow them in my garden in the summer. http://www.naturalnews.com/033287_beets_nutrition.html

Can Coffee and Tea Really Help You Burn Fat? - A friend of mine told me about how she lost 3 inches on her waist in the last month from drinking fat burning coffee and tea. She said she was on vacation the whole month, so she ate out and didn't change anything in her diet or exercise routine. I had never heard of such a thing, but it sounds like a wonderful invention. If scientists can find a way to make an artificial heart work, then they can certainly come up with a way to help my body burn fat better.

I have ordered some fat burning tea and am planning to start as soon as it comes this week. I'm thinking I will have some good results to share with you next month. If you can't wait for my results, you can order your own here.

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and weight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or weight loss!

Heidi

www.greatfit.isagenix.com - email me for the wholesale cost through my account or just order retail there.

Healthy Ideas Newsletter April, 2011

2011-04-12T09:06:00.003-04:00

Here are some more nuggets of information for you. Let me know if you have any questions or comments for me.

Carb Lovers Diet book - As you know, there are not many diet programs that get my approval. Body cleansing with Isa-genix, another one I will tell you about in a minute, and now the Carb Lovers Diet book are just a few that have made the list. This is a new book written by the editors of Health Magazine. Many programs require you to purchase all kinds of weird or hard to find ingredients that no family would eat anyways. Or the diet is so hard to stay on that no normal American could stick with it for more than 2 weeks.

I think the recipes here are very doable and I love their snack ideas. The main focus is getting enough resistant starches each day to keep you filled up. You can purchase the book at Amazon and see for yourself. Let me know if you end up reading it.

Five Pounds a Year - It doesn't sound too bad to gain only 5 pounds per year. That's less than a 1/2 a pound a month. It's easy for those pounds to creep on, but 5 pounds doesn't sound like much. The only problem comes when this happens for 10 years in a row. That person then finds themselves 50 pounds overweight. That's where this handy little tool comes in - your bathroom scale. Some people gauge their weight by how well their clothes fit. This will work too.

The point is, to use either your bathroom scale (There's a helpful article here - http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/use-your-scale.aspx?xid=nl_MyCalorieCounter_20110327) or watch how your clothes fit to keep yourself from letting those pounds creep on.

When those pounds creep on and you want to get them off quickly, drinking 2 protein shakes a day to replace 2 meals can often give most people the weight/inches loss that they desire in a reasonable time frame.

I now have 2 shake options that I can offer to people. The complaint I have heard the most about Isa-genix products is that the prices are too high. I have another protein drink that I have been using along with Isa-genix. (I don't think I will ever get my husband to give up his Isa-genix shakes in the morning!) I have made a comparison chart that should help you understand better than writing it all out. The reduced calories, carbohydrates, sugar, and cholesterol levels in Trivita's Leanology are astounding! Vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids were varied between the too, although a bit more in Isa.

Don't worry, I checked out all the ingredients. Trivita/Leanology uses lots of pure ingredients. Believe me, I wouldn't recommend it if it was filled with a bunch of junk and chemicals. The reason it has fewer calories and carb is because they use stevia to sweeten it which is actually an herb and has NO effect on blood sugar levels. I don't know why Isa doesn't use stevia, but they don't, hence the higher sugar and carb rates. Leanology also uses proteins that are good for the digestive tract, not that Isa is bad though.

A word of warning here, the Leanology shakes don't taste as good as the Isa, but I have grown to really like them especially since they have so many less calories and carbs. I think people will have much faster weight loss results with a product with half the calories and 1/4 the carbohydrates and sugars.

The nice thing about Trivita/Leanology is that you don't have to order through anyone or jump through any membership hoops and membership fees. You can just order directly from their website and get the same price as the next guy :) Let me know if you have any questions about any of this!

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and we ight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or we ight loss!

Heidi

Even More Weight Loss Options

2011-02-14T08:34:00.004-05:00

Although I have recommended Isagenix for years, many people have complained to me about the cost. Isagenix DOES compare at a lower price than the programs that you see advertised on television, but for the average Joe, budget is a concern.

Isagenix is by far the most effective way to lose weight, but if cost is a concern, Trivita also has a Leanology program that can be effective if used consistently. For the best results with Trivita, using 2 shakes a day is about the only way to see any results. Their shakes don't taste as good as Isagenix but they have FAR less calories and sugar which is a definite plus.

With Isagenix you use a 9 day program until you reach your desired weight goal. Then you can maintain with a shake for breakfast every day and follow up with a 9 day cleanse once or twice a year.

With Trivita, you take the Leanology capsules, use the appetite control chews and drink a protein shake once or twice a day. It will take you longer to lose the weight with Leanology, but it will cost less in the long run.

If you have stubborn weight loss, Trivita also offers a Balanced Woman supplement that can help with inflammed estrogen in the body which causes many women to have trouble losing weight.

If you have any questions about all of this, feel free to email me and I'll do my best to help you.

Reduce breast cancer risk and get rid of depression

2009-10-14T23:13:00.000-04:00

I hope you are enjoying the Fall weather and all the colors around us. I’ve collected some more health information this month that I thought I would share with you…..

Reduce your risk of breast cancer - Here is a simple article on 4 things you can do to reduce your risk of breast cancer. I’ll give them to you and then you can read the article if you want more details.
1. Be as lean as possible without being underweight. A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 25 is ideal.
2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.
3. Limit alcohol consumption.
4. New mothers should breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months.

http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-women/2009/09/03/4-steps-to-take-now-to-lower-your-breast-cancer-risk.html

Can Omega 3 oils affect your mood? - “Researchers have shown that depressed patients have, on average, lower levels of omega-3 in their blood than non-depressed individuals; furthermore, they have found evidence that greater severity of depression is linked to lower levels of omega-3.”

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/brain-and-behavior/2009/09/18/health-advice-do-omega-3-supplements-affect-mood.html

Isa has a great Omega 3 supplement. Check here for more information - http://greatfit.isagenix.com/us/en/isaomega.dhtml

Depression and Running - Here is a fascinating story of how one lady suffered from severe depression from the age of 6. It tells of her journey through medication and therapy and how running finally gave her the help she needed. Every time she would stop running, her depression would return. I’m sure most of us don’t need this kind of regimen (she ran LOTS of miles), but her story can help us realize that some exercise could possibly help our outlook on life.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/14/AR2009091402163.html?wprss=rss_health

One last word about vaccines - I know I talked a lot about vaccines last time. I just have one more article to pass on to you and then I promise I will stop. 9 Reasons Why Not to Let your Child Get the Flu Vaccine. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/06/Why-You-Should-NOT-Vaccinate-Your-Children-Against-the-Flu-This-Season.aspx

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and weight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or weight loss!

Heidi

www.greatfit.isagenix.com - email me for the wholesale cost through my account or just order retail there.

Swine Flu Vaccine and Immune Building

2009-09-16T16:55:00.000-04:00

Since the media is talking about the swine flu so much, I can no longer remain quiet. It’s amazing how the news stories can send us into a panic…. Even rational, intelligent adults that I have talked to in the last several months are convinced that the swine flu vaccine is necessary for everyone. Sorry to be so bold, but someone has to tell you the truth.

Here are a collection of articles written by very respected physicians. I have read Dr. Mercola’s articles for several years and have met Dr. Sherry Tenpenny. She is a physician in the Cleveland area and our family has visited her office many times.

After many years of dealing with adults and children with allergies and diseases and wanting to help people, Dr. Tenpenny finally dove into research about vaccines. She has been writing about vaccines for quite a few years and has recorded several DVDs on the same subject. She is not someone that is going to tell you not to vaccinate your children. What she does provide is information to help parents make an informed choice.

This first website is a very interesting and compelling article of an interview with a man that used to be a vaccine researcher.
http://www.medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/interview-of-an-ex-vaccine-researcher.html

The rest of these articles give you more detailed information about the truth about the flu shot, what they don’t tell you about vaccinations, vaccination statistics and how the swine flu vaccine may be more dangerous that the flu itself.

http://medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/the-truth-about-the-flu-shot.html

http://medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/what-they-dont-tell-you-about-vaccination-dangers-can-kill-you-or-ruin-your-life.html

http://medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/vaccine-may-be-more-dangerous-than-swine-flu.html

http://medicalvoices.org/en/vaccination/articles/vaccination-statistics.html

I know this information might be a bit controversial, but it is the truth as I see it. I would hate for you to get a vaccine, become ill from it and then ask me “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

The Swine Flu vaccine will not be in our area until the end of October and is a 2 step process taking place over a couple of weeks. Some believe that the Swine Flu will be in full swing by then and vaccinations won’t be an issue.

Immune Building - The above articles give you some advice on immune building and what to have on hand. We really like Isamune http://greatfit.isagenix.com/us/en/isamune.dhtml - If we feel any illness coming on, we just spray some under our tongue a few times a day and it usually goes away! Whey protein is also very good for your immune system as contained in the Isalean shake http://greatfit.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanshake_new.dhtml

On a more positive note…. I came across this inspirational video this week about a teenager that started using Isa-genix and had some amazing results. Pay attention to what this did for her mind and health and not just her body. It’s just amazing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HTtOxGMWUM

3 pounds a month = 36 pounds a year! - Isa-genix has been the easiest way for me to lose and maintain my weight. I did another 2 cleanse days and found 3.5 pounds gone. If you only did 2 cleanse days a month with an average of 3 pounds lost and did that every month for a year - that would mean you could lose 36 pounds that year! How many people do you hear of that lose 36 pounds in a year (besides on TV)?? Just think how much further you would get if you added in a 9 day or some shake days. You could get even further in your health and weight loss goals. Isa can be adapted in SO many different ways.

***Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and weight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or weight loss!

Protein, Cancer and Muscles

2009-08-12T00:13:00.000-04:00

Build those Muscles and Reduce Cancer Risk

An international team of researchers has found that “Men with stronger muscles from regular weight training are up to 40 per cent less likely to die from cancer than men who do not pump iron, according to new research. “ These subjects were tested over many years and in many age ranges. Don’t give up healthy eating either though. People who lift weights regularly probably are going to eat better too.

“Health information officer Jessica Harris said: ‘There's no need to become a body builder. Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week that leaves you warm and slightly out of breath can have a positive effect.’“
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5371468/Men-with-big-muscles-cut-cancer-risk-by-40-per-cent.html

Cancer is Preventable?

World Cancer Research and American Institute for Cancer Research have found that many types of cancer are preventable. “In the new report, the WCRF and AICR estimate that in the U.S., eating a nutritious diet, being physically active, and keeping body fat under control may prevent:…. “ They go on to list almost every type of cancer you can think of and list that they can be reduced anywhere from 11-70% just by eating well, physical activity and lower body fat. Those are pretty considerable numbers and are so doable for almost every person.
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090226/1-in-3-common-cancers-may-be-preventable

Do People Crave Certain Foods?

David Kessler (former commissioner of the FDA) has wondered all his life what makes him crave and consume certain foods. He yo-yo dieted his whole life. Many people know there is a problem with our country‘s diet, but they just don‘t know how to help themselves and others overcome the problem. After much research for his new book, Mr. Kessler writes “Foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain's chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat. Much of the scientific research around overeating has been physiology -- ‘what's going on in our body,’ he said. ‘The real question is what's going on in our brain.’”

How has he “rewired” his brain? The basic facts of his scientific research have helped him the most. Now he can look at something that most people would desire as a pleasure food and realize that it will make him feel lousy and is really a rather disgusting food item. Here is the whole article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042602711.html

Is Protein Really All That Important?

Researchers are finding that Americans consume about 68 grams of protein a day, which is what we should be eating. The only problem is that along with the grams of protein, we also get way too many grams of fat. A t-bone steak may contain 53 grams of protein, but it also contains 52 grams of fat (20 grams of which are the artery clogging kind).

“At these higher levels (of protein consumption), researchers find protein does everything from quench appetite, to rev up fat burning, to keep blood sugar and insulin levels on an even keel.”

Protein can also help repair muscle, bone and tissue along with keep a healthy heart, stabilize blood sugar, and keep appetite and weight under control. They suggest people focus on lean high-quality sources of protein at every meal.

Breakfast can be a tough meal to find adequate protein, so I use an Isa shake every day. It gives me a good healthy 23 grams of protein to start my day, not to mention the immune boosting benefits of the whey protein. We’ll have to get into the benefits of whey protein next time…

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/29/realsimple.enough.protein/index.html

Benefits of Eating Slower

2009-07-09T00:12:00.000-04:00

Benefits of Eating Slower

In the age of fast food, who would think of slow food? Apparently, about 20 years ago someone in Italy came up with the Slow Food Manifesto. Basically, it's a movement against fast food and the fast life. We move at break-neck speed and don't have time to enjoy our food anymore. This movement encourages eating real foods and eating them slower and enjoying them more.

The benefits of eating slower include: losing weight, enjoying your food, better digestion, less stress, and helping you rebel against fast food and the fast life. http://zenhabits.net/2007/07/5-powerful-reasons-to-eat-slower/

Cancer Death Rate Decreased

Here's an interesting article about several reasons why the cancer death rate has dropped. One reason breast cancer has dropped is due to the decreased use of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). They have found that the benefits of using it were not worth the risks of women developing breast cancer.

“Death rates from breast and colon cancers are falling, but the death rates from pancreatic (women), liver (men and women), and esophageal cancer (men) are increasing -- largely because of the obesity epidemic. Among men, death rates for the fatal form of skin cancer melanoma are also on the rise.”

“Although there has been a decrease in lung cancer deaths among men (due to smoking-cessation efforts), the death rates for women with lung cancer are still on the rise. Lung cancer is expected to account for 26 percent of all cancer deaths in women in 2009, according to the new statistics.”

“What's more, the current obesity epidemic may fuel a rise in the rates.”

“"Fat makes extra hormones, which lead to extra cell activity and extra abnormal cell activity," she said. "Fat is a storing facility for hormonally active pollutants, so if you are overweight, you're more likely to hold on to some chemicals in the environment that enter your body from food and water."

“And that's not all: "Fat brings on puberty earlier and early puberty is a risk factor for breast cancer," Weiss said.”

"These areas of disappointment are areas of opportunity," she added. But greater efforts are needed to encourage healthy eating and exercise to help combat obesity, especially in adolescents, she said. “

You can read the whole article here http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/27/health.cancer.death.rate/ The most important facts are to eat good food, avoid chemicals, and exercise.

Important Health and Weight Loss Hormone

Although I have heard of leptin before, I must say that I never knew how important it was to get it regulated in your body. I read some information about this hormone at the site manned by Dr. Mercola. Here is a quote from him:

“Leptin sends signals that reduce hunger, increase fat burning and reduce fat storage. That is, if your cells are communicating properly and can “hear” this message.”

“If you are eating a diet that is high in sugar and grains -- this is the same type of diet that will also increase inflammation in your body -- as the sugar gets metabolized in fat cells, fat releases surges in leptin. Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant to the leptin (just as your body can become resistant to insulin).”

“When you become leptin-resistant, your body can no longer hear the messages telling it to stop eating and burn fat -- so it remains hungry and stores more fat. “

I don't know much about the Rosedale Diet, but it looks like it's a basic good food diet that emphasizes eating lean protein, fibrous carbs, and good fats – just like what we know we should be eating anyways. Here is an article at Dr. Rosedale's site that give you a little more information about leptin...

http://drrosedale.com/resources/pdf/Leptin%20and%20its%20essential%20role%20in%20health%20disease%20and%20aging.pdf

“A strategic diet that emphasizes good fats and avoids blood sugar spikes coupled with targeted supplements (as recommended in my Rosedale Diet), will enhance insulin and leptin sensitivity.”

The best shake in the world just got better

The new Isa shake is now available. I've noticed that it's easier to mix and doesn't leave any residue in my cup. Here are a list of some of the changes that make it even better:

23 grams of exclusively sourced IsaPro^® Complex, the highest quality whey and casein protein and a superior amino acid complex that helps you maintain and build lean body mass†

Lower lactose levels for easier digestion

Ionic Alfalfa™, our blend of over 70 supercharged trace minerals to keep your body running efficiently

At only 240 calories and 6 grams of fat per shake, it’s a high nutrition food that’s less than $2.75 per meal*

Clinically proven to support great weight-loss results and weight management**

Your body will love them and your kids will too

http://www.isaleanshakes.com/

Obesity and Food Inc

2009-06-12T00:10:00.000-04:00

Can we reduce childhood obesity?

A new study reveals that we can. The study done by the Journal of Law and Economics said that we can reduce childhood obesity by as much as 18% if we ban fast food commercials during children’s programming. Adolescent obesity could be reduced by 14% too. Sweden, Norway and Finland have adopted this regulation. I don’t know if this will ever come about in the United States, but it sure would be great to be able to reduce childhood obesity. They mentioned in the article that there is an 80% chance that an overweight adolescent will become an obese adult. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119120149.htm

Did you know - 70% of Doctors Don’t Get the Flu Shot?

A prominent doctor has spoken out and recommends that people NOT get the flu shot.
“The CDC’s 15-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) makes recommendations each year on who should be vaccinated. Almost all the ACIP members who make these recommendations have financial ties to the vaccine industry.”

This site also lists some of the ingredients in flu shots that can be harmful to children like formaldehyde and aluminum, along with the fact that it is not effective for children. “A systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo”
http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/18/doctor-recommends-avoiding-flu-shot-vitamin-d-instead/

Ways to increase your brain activity

Here’s a quick list from this site of how to “hack your brain.” You’ll have to read the whole page to get the details. Exercise, hydrate, find stimulation (music), think happy thoughts, play word or number games, watch quality TV, surf the net, eat brain food, load up on fish oil, eat gingko biloba and ginseng, learn something new, don’t waste your time, actively improve your memory, rest, and have sex. It’s worth the read but not the pictures. http://brainz.org/brain-hacks/

Watch Out! Food Inc is on the way…

I’m wondering if a major shift in our food industry is going to be coming soon. I just watched this interview on Good Morning America with the producers of the new movie Food Inc. They started the show saying, ”This movie will do to grocery stores what Jaws did to beaches.”
This video interview about the movie is well worth the 4 minutes or so it takes to watch. Basically, they talk about soy, high fructose corn syrup, obesity, diabetes, government subsidies, etc. You can bet I will watch this movie sometime soon. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Story?id=7789602&page=1

Cleansing Every Day

Instead of cleansing once a week (or once a year) Isa now has an every day cleanse program. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Why do a 9 day cleanse once a year when you can cleanse a little bit at a time and feel good all the time. You can add a deep cleanse that lasts 24 or 48 hours at any time, otherwise it’s 2 ounces in the morning and 2 ounces at night with 1-2 shakes a day. This program can also be tailored to be one week out of the month instead of every day. It's a lot easier than keeping track of those cleanse days. Let me know if you want information on how to tailor a program like this to meet your needs along with wholesale pricing.

Sugar vs High Fructose Corn Syrup

2009-05-13T00:08:00.000-04:00

Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Is one better or worse for you than another? According to many manufacturers, sugar must be better than high fructose corn syrup because they are making many products now with sugar instead. This article http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/dining/21sugar.html?_r=3&th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1237633956-lRXq/A2lceILmq7OCo5n+w explains what some food makers and scientists have to say about this new trend.

High fructose corn syrup was invented in the 1980s as a cheaper alternative than sugar (by 20%). Shortly after that, started the rise in obesity in the United States. Many people have been talking about this correlation for years. It seems that now the food companies are taking action.

Scientists and nutritionists, on the other hand, are saying that both are about equally as bad for you because they both raise your blood sugar. It seems to be that the moral of this story is to avoid high fructose corn syrup, but try to keep your sugar intake as low as possible too.

Certainly Baby Products are Safe - Aren’t They??

According to research done by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, more than ½ of the baby care products they tested contained 2 different chemicals that are known to cause cancer (1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde). Dioxane has been banned by the European Union for use in personal care products.

The product makers claim that these charges are overrated and that this group is unnecessarily alarming parents. I tend to agree with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics on this one - "The levels we've found are relatively low, and the industry often says there's just a little bit of carcinogen in my product," Malkan said. "The problem is, we're finding a little bit of carcinogen in many products. Many of these products are used every day, so we've got repeated and frequent exposure to these low levels of chemicals. They're not the safest and purest products, and parents ought to know that." Here’s the full article if you want to read it http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/12/AR2009031202940.html?wprss=rss_health

I know I have mentioned this before, but if you want to see how your favorite personal care product rates, check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ and enter it there to find out your results.

Get in Shape and Lose Weight

I’ve found another option to help me exercise more regularly and thought I would share it with you. I have very little use for television, but I have found a nifty little channel on our satellite TV channels called FitTV. They have exercise shows on almost all day. You can turn on the TV at any time and exercise with whoever is on at that time. Even if I watch at the same time each day, the routines are always different. I turn it on at noon every day and get the same instructor, but have yet to do the same exercise routine. If I don’t like what they are doing, I will use some of the exercises I have seen on the Jillian Michels DVD (30 Day Shred) or her short videos on hulu.com .

The only thing you have to watch out for on FitTV are some new age shows and ideas. If I don’t like it, I don’t use that show. This is the most consistent I have ever been with exercising in my life! I don’t get sore with these routines. If I want to be sore and sweat I use any of Jillian Michels videos and then I feel those muscles the next day. FitTV has some good workouts too though.

What about “and weight loss“…. If I want to get in shape I use FitTV. If I want to lose weight, I use Isa. Nothing else works for me (even consistent exercise). I’ve been using it for 3 years now and have not found anything that comes anywhere close to the results I get with it - not to mention the health benefits - but that‘s a whole newsletter in itself.

Obesity and Your Tongue

2009-04-16T00:06:00.000-04:00

Obesity Passes Through Your Tongue - A study has found that obese individuals have less sensitive taste buds, so they tend to eat more sugar to satisfy their taste buds. Leaner individuals have more sensitive taste buds and are able to eat less.

"If you sense sweetness less, you may be inclined to eat sweeter foods." Here is what one of the scientists concludes: “For instance, Hajnal points to an ever-increasing amount of fat and sugar in processed foods. The enhanced taste of these foods, he says, stimulates our taste and food reward neurons on a chronic basis, making them less sensitive over time. And what do we do when this happens?
"Instead of eating less, we seek out higher palatability," Hajnal explained. "We simply start putting an extra spoonful of sugar in our coffee."“

What causes these taste buds to get less sensitive? In my opinion (and many natural doctors too), hormones play a big role in this. If your hormones become adversely affected, then they can’t help us tell when we’re full and have a taste for healthy foods. Body cleansing can get hormones back in line, supported and working properly so that our bodies can function as they were intended. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081126133409.htm

Accupuncture works without needles - I’ve never had the need to use acupuncture nor has anyone in my family, but if we ever do, this information will be helpful. In a study of over 200 cancer patients that were treated for nausea with acupuncture, half were treated with needles and half were treated with a blunt needle that just touched the skin. 95% of both groups said that their treatment worked to help relieve nausea. Even better - “67 percent had experienced other positive effects such as improved sleep, brighter mood, and less pain.” If you’re ever in need of acupuncture treatment, this is good information to keep in mind. Here’s the whole article - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201082353.htm

Want some Melamine for dinner? - Here’s a new one… Did you know that melamine has been added to some foods to give them artificially high protein readings? In China last fall, many babies were affected by melamine in baby formula (4 died and 54,000 were hospitalized).

Originally it was thought that melamine could not harm humans, but now many are rethinking that idea. I think the main threat from this is from food produced in China at this point. They also add melamine to meat, eggs and fish. Here’s the whole article if you want to read it http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=6157085

Fibromyalgia is Real - Doctors have now discovered through studies that “The imaging showed that women with the syndrome had "brain perfusion" -- or blood flow abnormalities -- compared to the healthy women. The researchers then found that these abnormalities were directly correlated with the severity of disease symptoms.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/03/AR2008110301698.html

Originally fibromyalgia was thought to have been linked to depression, but now doctors are finding that an abnormality can be found in blood flow in the brain that inhibits pain receptors.
Is the pain all in their heads? Well, now we know it starts there and affects how the brain discriminates pain….

Winning the War on Cancer - In his book Winning the War on Cancer, author Dr. Mark Sircus discusses how sodium bicarbonate can help return the body’s bicarbonate levels to normal. "Sodium bicarbonate cancer treatment focuses on delivering natural chemotherapy in a way that effectively kills cancer cells while dramatically reducing the brutal side effects and costs experienced with standard chemotherapy treatments." This is the cheapest and possibly most effective way to treat cancer, but no one is using it because it’s too cheap. Drug companies will not fund a study if they can’t eventually make some money from it. You can read more about the ebook that Dr. Sircus has written here http://www.winningcancer.com/sodium/about-the-book/ I haven’t read it and don’t know anyone that has used it, but I thought this information was interesting enough to pass along.

Another great book that I haven’t read much of yet is called Breakthrough by Suzanne Sommers. She interviewed 8 natural doctors and picked their brains about many ailments, treatments, and weight loss concerns. The few chapters I have read have been fascinating. Maybe I’ll be able to give you a complete review next month.

EZ Cleanse Program - Now you can cleanse overnight instead of during the day. This is great for those who don’t have time to fit in a 9 day or who want a simpler way to cleanse. Let me know if you’re interested and I can send you a file that gives you all the details.

Genetically Modified Fruits

2009-02-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

Homeopathy - My Favorite

I can't tell you the number of times our family has been helped by using homeopathic products. There have been many times that doctors have not been able to help us. We then turn to homeopathic products and find relief. Their poison ivy remedy is my favorite. It works every time!

If you're not familiar with homeopathic remedies, basically Homeopathy is the second most widely used system of medicine in the world. It is very safe and natural to the point that even babies and pregnant women can take it. abchomeopathy.com is a great site to get more info.

Here's a great article that tells about a homeopathic pepper spray that has been effective in treating the symptoms of hay fever. I've never had it but I can sympathize with those that do.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51G5GQ20090217?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

Genetically Modified Fruits?

GM or GMO is the abbreviation for genetically modified foods. The practice started in the 1990s and has drawn national media attention. It's good for the growers but not necessarily good for the eaters :)

If you have heard of this and want to avoid them but don't know how, you can find out by reading this article - http://www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/archives/supermarket-numbers-game - If you don't want to read the article, basically you just have to read those little stickers they put on your fruit.

If there is a 4 digit number on the sticker, then the fruit is conventionally grown. If there is a 5 digit number beginning with 9 on the sticker, then the fruit is organic. If there is a 6 digit number beginning with 8, that means that the fruit is GM or genetically modified.

How Big Are Your Plates?

Here's an idea I heard about that makes a lot of sense. Are your plates bigger than they used to be? Many of the holiday and seasonal plates that we usually get for special occasions are often bigger than our regular plates. Why is this? Maybe we need bigger plates because we eat more during the holiday season.

I think about the size of McDonald's meals when I was a kid. Many people tell me that a "large" soft drink back then is now called "medium". "Large" fries today were called "extra large" 20 years ago.

We all know that we probably eat more than we need to eat. Some propose that controlling your portions can be done with smaller plates. The key is to trick your brain.

Try eating using a big plate or platter. Put on the same amount of food you eat every day. See if you're not tempted to eat more because your plate is not filled. Then try using a smaller plate and see if you can feel full filling a smaller plate.

Help your brain communicate with your stomach by getting a smaller plate and getting satisfied on less. I'm amazed at how little my girls eat. When they are full, they stop eating. I notice that after I have done a couple of cleanse days I am much more able to tell when I am full. My body is more sensitive to what full feels like. It's just an easy idea that I thought I would pass on to you too.

New 14 Day EZ Cleanse Program

I've attached a pdf file with this email that explains a new way of cleansing. There are NO cleanse days. The cleansing is done overnight. This might also help those with stubborn weight loss issues too. You can read it over if you like and let me know if you have any questions.

Eat More Often - Engage Your Metabolism and Much More

I look over many diet, exercise and health books each month comparing them all to Isa. Although I don't usually find anything that works better than Isa, I have found a book that compliments it pretty well. The book is called The 3-Hour Diet written by Jorge Cruise.

The basic premise is to eat every 3 hours during the day to help your metabolism work the most efficiently to help you burn off fat and calories.

He talks about how bad low carb diets are for our metabolism and how they even make us gain weight. This book is a complete guide on how to use his system to the help you increase your basal metabolic rate, increase energy levels, lower cholesterol, reduce the hormone cortisol, and suppress your appetite naturally. There are plenty of testimonials, a 30 day guide, and some great motivational quotes.

If you can't do Isa as often as you like or want to use this between cleanses, I think this is a valid system - and I don't say that very often! You can get the book here - 3-Hour Diet.

Organic Food on the Rise

2009-01-10T23:49:00.000-05:00

Organic Food On The Rise Around the World -

Did you know that the sale of organic food in Ireland has increased by 82 per cent in the last two years http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicveg/news/story.php?id=1591

Organic food could be cheaper than regular food in the next few years. Although this is a British article, it makes the point that with rising oil prices, the cost of producing food could be more expensive than organic. Organic growers require less energy. Even Prince Charles has an organic farm at one of his estates.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2668489/Organic-food-to-be-cheaper-than-other-produce.html

The number of organic producers in the country of Turkey have increased by nearly 500% in just 4 years. Turkey supplies many European countries with produce. http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicveg/news/story.php?id=1607

I wonder if this trend will move across the ocean?

Honey better than antibiotics?

Science Daily recently reported that there was a study done in Canada that "in eleven isolates of three separate biofilms honey was significantly more effective in killing both planktonic and biofilm-grown forms of the bacteria, compared with the rate of bactericide by antibiotics commonly used against the bacteria."

They were testing to help find relief for those suffering from chronic sinusitus. This disease plagues more than 31 million people each year.

Honey is used in other cultures to treat bad wound infections, so they were investigating the use of honey for this condition. Who knows. In the future we may be taking honey to treat infections instead of antibiotics....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923091335.htm

Accupuncture more helpful than drugs?

In a recent study, accupuncture treatment was actually found to be "just as effective as Effexor, also called venlafaxine, in managing symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats, according to researchers led by Dr. Eleanor Walker of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

After 12 weeks of treatment, symptoms were reduced for 15 additional weeks for women who had undergone acupuncture, compared with two weeks for those who had taken Effexor, Walker said."

While accupuncture causes no side effects, the drug Effexor has quite a list of side affects as with many drugs.You also would only have to have a treatment 3-4 times a year instead of taking a pill every day.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2228263220080922?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

How much chocolate should you eat?

As much as possible, right? Well, not exactly. This article mentions that people that eat 6.7 grams of dark chocolate per week (about 1/2 a bar) have these results: "Our results have been absolutely encouraging: people having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood. In other words, their inflammatory state is considerably reduced. The 17% average reduction observed may appear quite small, but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease for one third in women and one fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome".

They go on to say that milk chocolate and white chocolate do not qualify. They do not have any of the health benefits of dark chocolate.

You know it works....

Almost anyone who has done either a 9 or 30 day Isa cleanse knows that it works. There are SO many programs out there that people use to try to lose weight. Cleansing gets to the source of the weight issue and provides the health benefit as an added bonus. Many people have more of a desire to eat healthy foods after a cleanse time because their bodies received the nutrients they needed and got back on track.

Is it time to jump start your health and weight loss goals? You can still eat well and exercise like you planned to do in your New Year's resolutions, but cleansing will make those goals even easier to achieve.

Concerned about the economy and don't think you can afford cleansing? You can just cleanse for 2 days if you like which would require just a bottle of cleanse drink and a bottle of snack wafers.

Let me know if you want to get the wholesale cost through my account. Otherwise you can order retail at this website www.greatfit.isagenix.com

20 Diseases and Conditions Directly Attributed to Being Overweight

2008-10-13T23:49:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately this list is pretty depressing. More motivation for Americans to take charge of their weight and, in turn, take charge of their health.

http://www.food-intolerance.ca/14/20-diseases-and-conditions-directly-attributed-to-being-overweight/en/

More local produce at your grocery store....

2008-10-10T23:29:00.000-04:00

Supermarkets are selling more local produce - Here's an encouraging article that talks about how many grocery store chains are switching to purchasing more local produce. I don't know if they gas prices have caused this or not, but I think it's certainly a great idea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/dining/06local.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Where does your favorite restaurant get their food?

2008-10-08T23:21:00.002-04:00

You would think that a hot dog from Yankee stadium and a meal at a 5 star restaurant would have nothing in common, but in this case they do. They both come from the same supplier. Sysco foods supplies more than 400,000 hospitals and restaurants including the fast food and 5-star ones!

There is nothing wrong with getting food from the same place. Let's hope they're not serving the same thing with the 5 star restaurants calling it "home made."

Here's my favorite quote from the article - "As the company notes on its Web site, our "unique 3-D technology gives you the look and texture of a solid muscle chicken breast, at a fraction of the cost. …""

It's pretty hard to stay away from MSG and partially hydrogenated oils when eating out, but my advice is to eat as much unprocessed foods as possible and you'll be much better off.

http://www.slate.com/id/2160284/

US Food Portions- Just About Right?

2008-10-01T08:56:00.000-04:00

Not according to this article! "Portion sizes in the United States not only exceed those in less-developed countries, but also in the developed world. In fact, Americans have the highest per capita daily consumption in the world, eating 3,770 calories a day, more than a Canadian at 3,590 calories or an Indian at 2,440, according to data from the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization.

"We've looked at large portion sizes almost entirely in terms of whether it's healthy for us, and now we have to consider is that sort of a demand going to be sustainable," said Paul Roberts, author of "The End of Food."

They say that the typical American adult eats at a restaurant 6 times per week and more than ½ say it's an essential part of their lifestyle. Some of this portion problem comes from the sizes of processed food portions. We've gotten used to eating those sized portions. I'm sure that advertising also contributes to how much we think we need to eat.

Here's the whole article for you to read: http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN2639845320080729

Nano Foods?

2008-09-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

I guess I hadn't really heard of nano foods before I read this article. It talks mostly about labeling food that contains this nano technology.

Here is what nano foods are: "Nanotechnology involves the design and manipulation of materials on molecular scales, smaller than the width of a human hair and invisible to the naked eye. Companies using nanotechnology say it can enhance the flavor or nutritional effectiveness of food.

U.S. health officials generally prefer not to place warning labels on products unless there are clear reasons for caution or concern. But consumer advocates say uncertainty over health consequences alone is sufficient cause to justify identifying nano-foods."

Read the whole article here - http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN3044875220080730?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=10003

Does Food Have an Effect on Us?

2008-09-26T08:50:00.000-04:00

Here's a great article about a neurosurgeon's finding about the effect of foods on our moods and bodies. It's a lot of what I have mentioned before (sugar, alcohol, MSG). Here are 2 interesting quotes from the article "One study found an astonishing 97 percent of alcoholics to be hypoglycemic. Yet another study showed that when an alcoholic's hypoglycemia is treated with nutrition, 70 percent of them become sober. When other alcoholism treatment methods are used, only 25 percent or less find relief from their addiction."

"Glutamate is a messenger molecule in the body. Tiny releases of glutamate play an important role in the body, but any excess can be dangerous - especially to the brain and nervous system.

This glutamate is identical to the flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and its chemical cousins found in thousands of food products."

This is interesting reading, so I encourage you to read the whole article (it's not long) http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/353246.aspx

Don't Worry About Exercise

2008-09-24T08:49:00.000-04:00

I heard this the other day and it made sense to me. There are only a few people I know of that stay committed to 30-40 minutes of exercise a day like we all know we should be doing.

Maybe we need to shift our thinking in this area. Instead of dreading the exercise time, focus on being active. You can be active for a 30-40 minute period per day and call it exercise, but don't discount that brisk walk, or going up and down the steps 20 times, or jumping on the trampoline or doing floor exercises while you're watching TV. Try focusing on "being active" rather than "doing your exercise" each day. Let me know if it works!

I try to exercise with my younger children when I can. We set up stations.

Here's what we lay out: small dumbbells, exercise band, exercise ball, and mini trampoline. We all have several pieces of exercise equipment laying around our homes. Yours might be a little different from mine.

Then the kids and I run around the house for a few minutes to get warmed up. After warmup we each take a station and work with one of the pieces of equipment. When someone wants to switch, we each switch to a different piece of equipment. It's pretty fun to do, although I usually outlast the children - mmm….. You could do this routine on your own too. It might help to break up the time and make your activity more interesting.

What Should I Do After Doing a 9 Day Body Cleanse?

2008-09-22T08:45:00.000-04:00

Many people have asked me this question, so I thought I would address it here. If you aren't able to continue cleansing until you reach your ideal weight, you can easily do 1 or 2 cleanse days each month. This will still keep you headed in the right direction. Someone that is at their ideal weight can just do 1 cleanse day a month. Anyone can benefit from a shake for breakfast each morning. All you need for a cleanse day is Cleanse Drink and Wafer Snacks along with your own almonds and water. Let me know if you need any help deciding what you would like to do.

Body Care Products - Are Yours Hazardous to Your Health?

2008-09-19T08:45:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, one of my daughters is really into spa and skin care products. She likes to make a lot of her own natural products and tries to buy products that are healthy for her skin and body. She recently found a website run by the Environmental Working Group that rates products based on specific toxicity ratings.

Here's a quote from their site - "Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety."

You can enter your favorite body care product in their search box and then receive a rating between 0-10 on how hazardous that product is for you. 0-2 is low hazard, 3-6 is moderate hazard and 7-10 is high hazard. We all have to buy body care products, but we don't have to buy ones that could be hazardous to our health. So why not buy the low hazard rated shampoo rather than the high hazard shampoo???

Check it out and see what you think! BTW - you don't have to enter your email there if you don't want to. You can just click "no thanks" and get into the site. http://cosmeticdatabase.com/

Cholesterol - The Real Story

2008-09-17T08:44:00.000-04:00

I could get on a soap box here about what I think of all the hype of doctors telling people their cholesterol is high, but I'll just let you read this doctor's report instead....The Low-Down on Cholesterol: Why You Need It -- and the Real Methods to Get Your Levels Right
http://mercola.fileburst.com/ PDF/Cholesterol_SpecialReport. pdf Let me know what you think!

Heads Up

2008-09-16T08:58:00.000-04:00

I just learned about a new fat loss product that was released just this past Monday by a company that I am very familiar with (not Isagenix). There is nothing else like this on the market anywhere. It's pretty simple, in that, you just drink the powder mixture in water 20 minutes before breakfast and dinner each day. They have done many double blind placebo tests on this and find that it works for 80-85% of the people that use it. Mostly people are losing inches around their waist. I am testing this myself along with a few other people, so I'll keep you posted on how I think it works….

Vitamin D Deaths

2008-09-15T08:44:00.001-04:00

USA Today had an article in it recently about a study done on vitamin D in humans. They determined that people with low blood levels of vitamin D were 2 times more likely to die from any cause (especially heart disease) in the next 8 years than those with higher levels of vitamin D. They said the lower levels of vitamin D could be related to our increase in indoor activities or air pollution. Some doctors said it was related to overuse of sunscreen. They recommended that you go without sunscreen for at least 10-15 minutes in the sun before you put it on.

We could get into a whole other discussion about sunscreens, but if you need or choose to use it here is what I recommend. http://www.amazon.com/dp/ B0014AEXUI/?tag=homescresour- 20
I know you will think I have gone off the deep end on this one, but trust me, it works. This rubs in really well and is not white if you do it right.

Diet Coke Soon to Contain Stevia?

2008-07-17T10:17:00.000-04:00

Diet Coke also knows about stevia. It turns out that they have been using it in their products in Japan, Brazil, China and 9 other industrialized countries. Soon they will be introducing it in the United States as "rebiana" (that's short for Stevia Rebaudiana).

Why have they not been able to use it in the United States?? Let's see....does the FDA sound familiar to you? I would think if Coca Cola (the world's largest beverage maker) and Cargill Foods team up, they should be able to convince the FDA to approve this herb as a natural sweetener. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. Here is the original article and a commentary http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-05-31-cokecargill_N.htm
http://www.carbwire.com/2007/06/01/could_it_really_happen_diet_coke_with_stevia

I use stevia mostly as a sweetener for drinks right now. Several years ago I played around with it for baking and have several stevia cookbooks. You can't substitute it exactly for sugar in a recipe, so I suggest using a stevia cookbook.

2008-07-14T10:14:00.000-04:00

Big Breakfasts Help Shed Pounds

Here's another interesting article about a study that was done comparing people who ate a big breakfast and 1200 calories for the day with those that ate a small breakfast and 1000 calories low carb for the rest of the day.

After 4 months the small breakfast low carb diet group lost a little more weight than the big breakfast group. The 8 month mark was where it got really interesting. The small breakfast group had gained back almost all the weight they had lost and the big breakfast group kept the weight off and lost even more weight! Our bodies are amazing aren't they?

Part of the big breakfast included a protein shake. Here's the one I recommend. This was a sample big breakfast: "a cup of milk, turkey, cheese, two slices of bread, mayonnaise, 1 ounce of chocolate candy, and a protein shake. They could eat the breakfast in stages from the time they got up until 9 a.m."

If you want to read the whole article you can view it here.

10 Best Food You Aren't Eating

2008-07-10T10:08:00.000-04:00

The men's health section of WebMD had an interesting article about the 10 best foods to eat. I'm assuming this is for men, but I think women can benefit too. Each of the 10 foods has an explanation of why this food is healthy and how to eat it. I've heard of most of them, but one I have never heard of before. Okay, here are the foods so you don't have to read the article if you don't want to: beets, cabbage, guava, swiss chard, cinnamon, purslane, pomegranate juice, goji berries, dried plums, pumpkin seeds. I can't say that I agree with their choices, but it's fun to read other people's opinions. Hope you enjoy it.
http://men.webmd.com/features/10-best-foods-you-arent-eating

Stevia - My Recommendations

2008-07-08T22:24:00.000-04:00

Did you know that stevia is:

- 300 times sweeter than sugar
- has no calories
- can be used by children, diabetics and people with other medical conditions
- has been used around the world for decades
- can be used in baking
- is a great alternative to artificial sweetners

Here are some stevia products you can buy:

For more information about how to cook with stevia, check out these cookbooks:

Health and Weight Loss Goals

2008-07-02T08:47:00.000-04:00

Remember I'm here to help you meet your health and weight loss goals. Call or email me if you want to pick my brain or consult with me on any aspect of health or weight loss!

To your success,

Heidi

khtimes3@verizon.net

Best Program

Weed Killer….

2008-06-30T08:46:00.000-04:00

In our search for avoiding chemicals whenever possible, our flower beds and driveway have been thriving with weeds. I found this recipe online and it seems to work well. We spray it on and by the next day the weeds are turning brown. We’ll see if we have to reapply, but it’s nice to see those weeds fade away.

Here’s the recipe:
1 cup vinegar
½ c dish soap

Just put these 2 items in a spray bottle and squirt those weeds down. You can double or triple this recipe. It’s always a 2:1 ratio with more vinegar than dish soap.

Uses for Soda…

2008-06-27T08:45:00.000-04:00

You may have given up drinking pop or soda and have and few extra cans laying around. Here’s and cute website that gives you all kinds of ideas for uses for a can of pop. http://www.thebachelorguy.com/34-uses-for-that-can-of-soda-other-than-quenching-thirst.html I haven’t tried any and don’t claim these are safe, but fun to read anyways.

Exercise – How Do You Fit it in?

2008-06-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

This article addresses the issue of the recommendations for 30-90 minutes of exercise and day. Can it really be done?
http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2005-01-18-wlc-exercise-guidelines_x.htm

Did you Know………

2008-06-23T08:33:00.000-04:00

That it is said that 50,000 new chemicals have been created in the last 70 years?!

The Cure

2008-06-21T08:29:00.000-04:00

I recently read an article in Better Nutrition magazine about a new book called The Cure: Heal Your Body, Save Your Life. It is written by Naturopath Timothy Brantley. This man had several family members that died of cancer and heart disease and he himself had some side effects from extreme pesticide exposure and was diagnosed with an incurable skin condition. He changed his diet and learned how to detox his body. All his symptoms disappeared and his skin condition was totally healed!

When asked the most common health problem he sees in his patients, he said “Dehydration.” He said he never met anyone who was adequately hydrated. He said, “Dehydration alone can seriously compromise health. When clients rehydrate with purified water, many symptoms disappear.”

He said that the simplest thing you can do to transform your health is to eat real foods. That means foods that come from the earth. He suggests trying to change your diet one meal at a time.

When asked the best kept secret to overall health, he answered “Detoxification.” Because of the food we eat, over use of prescription drugs and chemicals in food and air, detoxification is vitally important to overall health. He suggests cleansing at least twice and year. Best cleansing program….

Healthy Ideas

2008-06-13T08:37:00.000-04:00

What Can Exercise Do For Me Anyways?

Exercise:

-decreases your appetite
-helps reduce the risk of heart attack
-helps control cholesterol

-reduces anxiety and stress (Someone I know who was a counselor once told me that he had a client that was very depressed. He talked to him for the counseling session and told him to be sure to walk every day. When the man came back in 2 weeks he had a totally different outlook on life. His depression was relieved just from walking each day!)

-relieves premenstrual blahs
-keeps varicose veins in check
-improves complexion
-reduces insomnia
-reduces the risk of osteoporosis
-controls the side effects of diabetes
-promotes a sense of well being

Did you know that exercise burns calories during the workout, but also boosts your metabolism so your body continues to burn more calories over the next few hours?

17 Random Health Facts

If you go to this site you can view all 17 Healthranker, but I’ll mention a few here:

- Motorists who talk on cell phones are more impaired than drunk drivers with blood-alcohol levels exceeding .08!

- Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the morning.

- Strawberries have more Vitamin C than oranges.

- You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

7 ills that don’t need pills

Here’s an article that talks about 7 diseases/ailments that do not need pills to correct them. The ills listed are arthritis, cholesterol, cognitive decline, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis. They certainly don’t recommend you stop taking medication without talking to a doctor. This article gives some insight into the power people have to help their bodies work as they are designed to work. Livescience

Great Quote

“None of us is perfect. It is better to have crooked legs than a crooked spirit. We can only do the best we can with what we have. That, after all, is the measure of success: what we do with what we have.”

From The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli

When eating out:

2008-03-29T20:37:00.001-04:00

- Decide in advance what you want to eat (think of something good for you). Then don’t open the menu, just tell the waiter what you want and they can suggest something that fits what you want. That way you won’t be tempted to eat foods that you know won’t be good for you.

- Be the last person at your table to start eating and eat slowly.

- At restaurants with salad bars load up on the raw vegetables. Pass up the pickled or canned items. Choose the greens that have the darkest color - they have the highest nutritional value.

- Pass on the high-fat or creamy dressings. Use lemon juice or vinaigrette dressings.

Here are some tips you can use if you tend to overeat at meals:

2008-03-15T23:55:00.001-04:00

- Drink Water ½ hour before a meal
- Have an apple 10 minutes before each meal (or at least 1 meal a day)
- Try eating with the opposite hand.

Snacks

2008-03-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

I’ve read recently that snacks should be treated as “binge control”. Snacks should be used to help you not get too hungry before your next meal. If you’re too hungry you may tend to overeat because you are starving. So if you need a snack to help you make it to your next meal you definitely want to choose a good one. Here are a few ideas:

1. Hard boiled egg - lots of protein and only 80 calories (even though I’m not into calorie counting)

2. Almonds - Eat the raw and unsalted variety if you can.

3. Prunes - helps boost blood sugar better than raisins.

4. Popcorn - It’s whole grain and rich in fiber.

5. Dark Chocolate (my favorite) - rich in antioxidants and doesn’t raise blood sugar. Of course, if you eat more than 3 small pieces, you’ve overdone it.

Isagenix has a new dark chocolate snack called Isadelight that is great for cleanse days or as a snack any day. Find out more about them here (but there‘s no need to pay retail price - check with me first). It can give you increased energy, reduce cravings, lighten your mood and greater brain and heart health.

Imagine the Relief of Losing 48 Pounds

2008-02-28T15:40:00.000-05:00

Try tieing 6 gallons of milk to your belt. That's quite a load! Then imagine taking that belt off and releasing all of that weight forever! Here's how people are doing it every day. Imagine the Relief

Doctor speaks out

2008-01-03T15:28:00.000-05:00

A Doctor Speaks Out - Video

Here's and interesting (and short) video of a doctor speaking about some of the health issues that she sees in her practice and how she is helping people overcome them. www.drspeaksout.com

Surviving the Holiday Bulge/Binge

2007-12-18T23:57:00.000-05:00

They say that the average American gains anywhere from 7-15 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. Wow! That’s a lot of weight in a short amount of time! I thought I would give you some tips that I have found that might help keep you from eating more than your body needs during this holiday season.

- Only eat what you really like best at each gathering that you attend. Why bother with the rest?
- If someone gives you more food than you want or you get too full, you’re allowed to throw it away. Whether you eat it or throw it away it will still go to waste.
- Be polite, but remember to say “No thanks, I couldn’t eat another bite.” Put that one in your repertoire and practice it before you go anywhere :)
- Don’t buy candy and sweets for the kids. It’s not good for them and it will help keep you from snacking on it when they’re not around. Keep fruits and nuts (including raw almonds) on display and think of alternative treats that can be as much of a tradition as sugar. You can even cut up Isalean bars into bite-sized pieces to put in your candy bowls.
- Drink ½ an IsaLean Shake before leaving for a holiday party so you’re not as hungry when you get there and can truly say “I couldn’t eat another bite!”

Fuel or Food?

2007-12-12T00:03:00.000-05:00

I recently came across a book that I didn’t actually read. I just skimmed over the content and sample pages online. Here are some things I found in the book that helped me:

The reason people are overweight is that “you eat more than your body requires for fuel.” We all know that, but do we view the food that we eat as fuel or are we attaching more emotion to our eating than that? We should really view the food we eat as fuel for our bodies. I have found myself walking around the house lately, saying to myself “fuel, think fuel”. It sounds silly, but I think this concept can help us make healthier food choices.

The author goes into many of the emotional reasons that we eat and helps people work through those. She also talks about how much food our body requires. She says to ask it and honor it’s signals. I think many times we have so much junk that we eat or have eaten that we can’t tell whether we are full or not. I know after I did my 9 day body cleanse I could really tell when I was full and felt more in tune with what my body needed.

The book is called “If I’m so Smart, Why Can’t I Lose Weight?” There is a link to the book right under my picture. Let me know if you get it and read it. I’d love to hear any comments you might have.

Total Health and Wellness

2007-12-01T08:33:00.000-05:00

If you’re looking for a system that you can use to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle for the cost of a Starbucks Coffee per day, check this out. It’s all you need to lose weight and feel great. http://greatfit.isagenix.com/us/en/nutrition_maintprog.dhtml . Remember, again, that these are the retail prices. Contact me for how to get the wholesale price.

Better Than A Candy Bar

2007-11-20T00:08:00.000-05:00

At our house we LOVE the Isagenix Isalean bars. We fight over them, beg for them and generally desire as much for ourselves as we can. I took them to ball games this summer and had those instead of frequenting the concession stand. I desired it more than anything the concession stand had to offer anyways. Some of my children enjoy them for breakfast but all of us enjoy them as a snack anytime, especially in the car. They can also be used as a meal replacement when you’re too busy to eat a sit-down meal. They have the perfect balance of protein, carbs and fat so I don’t even have to think about what to eat. Here’s a link to some more info about the bars. The price listed is retail. I would definitely recommend using mine or your own membership to get these bars at a discount. http://greatfit.isagenix.com/us/en/cleanse_isalean_bars.dhtml

The 80-20 Rule

2007-11-15T23:50:00.000-05:00

Remember the 80-20 rule
- It’s what we do 80% of the time that will lay the foundation for our overall health. There’s room for the occasional treat or nutritional compromise some of the time when we make wise choices the majority of the time.

Fill Your Plate Club

2007-11-14T00:43:00.001-05:00

We’ve all heard about the "clean plate club" during the time we were growing up when our parents were trying to get us to eat our dinner. I propose that we have a "Fill Your Plate Club." Here’s how it works. At lunch and dinner you fill 1/2 your plate with fruits and vegetables (potatoes don’t count), then fill in the rest of the plate with a protein and a multi-grain carbohydrate. I think if we all started our meals this way and stuck with it, we wouldn’t have too much trouble losing and maintaining weight. If you can use as many organic fruits and vegetables as possible, then that is even better. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Did you know?

2007-11-09T00:14:00.000-05:00

Here's some interesting information I just read:

Did You Know?

*90% of money spent on food in the US is for highly processed food.

*Sugar in soft drinks is the #1 source of calories in the US.

Wow!

Hot off the presses - How to Lose Weight When Nothing Else has Worked or Stayed Off!

2007-09-27T14:40:00.000-04:00

Start your health and weight loss journey here by reading my new ebook How to Lose Weight When Nothing Else has Worked or Stayed Off.

I've been working on this baby for a few months and have finally finished it! This is my step by step advice on what you can do to improve your health and lose those pounds that won't leave. You'll find out how to help your body function at it's best so it can do what it was designed to do. This is how I lost my weight and maintained it. It's is a simple plan that anyone can follow and understand. The best part is that I'm there to help you. Does your doctor know what you can do to lose weight or does he just tell you to eat a low calorie diet and exercise? Here's the scoop in simple language. To get your copy just go to http://www.hjresources.com/loseit and get your copy now.

The largest organ in your body - Your Skin

2007-09-15T09:35:00.000-04:00

Don’t think your skin absorbs much? Try this experiment.....Take a piece of garlic and cut it in ½. Rub the cut section on the bottom of your foot. I’ll bet in about 15 minutes you will taste garlic in your mouth!

I say all this to encourage you to pay attention to what you’re putting on your skin. If you can’t eat it, you might want to reconsider putting it on your skin. I don’t know if you have ever heard of propylene glycol. It is used to make most cosmetics, lotions, toothpastes, flavorings and more, including “as a base ingredient in aircraft deicing fluid and some automobile antifreezes”. Yes, you read that right. For more info check the encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol. Here it states that it is basically illegal to use this substance for cat food, but we lather it all over our bodies, use it in cooking and in our mouths which is the most readily absorbed spot in our bodies. We have found alternatives to these products at our house, but I don’t want to bore you with the details. If you want more info on what we use, just email me and I’ll be glad to help you.

Healthy Eating

2007-07-16T12:20:00.000-04:00

Once people start the Isagenix body cleansing program, they tend to desire foods that are better for them. Sometimes they ask me what they should eat to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. Here are my recommendations:

1. Read Labels -Avoid MSG (monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed yeast extract - just to name a few of its’ names), partially hydrogenated oils and artificial sweeteners. I would go so far as to say that if you see something with one of these items listed in the ingredient list - don’t eat it! MSG causes your body to crave more food and hold onto fat. Some doctors even call these items "fertilizers for cancer".

2. At lunch and dinner, (since you’re having a shake for breakfast :)) fill your plate ½ full with cooked or raw vegetables (potatoes don’t count here). Then fill in the rest of the plate with a fistful of protein and a multigrain carbohydrate if you like. If you eat just a salad for a meal, then you run the risk of being hungry pretty quickly or, worse yet, setting your metabolism too low so that it starts storing fat again. Eat foods closest to their original form as possible. Instead of apple pie, eat an apple.

3.Keep your high temptation foods out of the house. If you have foods or drinks in the house that you know you shouldn’t be eating - KEEP THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE. If you’re concerned that the other people in your house will be upset if these food items aren’t in the house, chances are it is something they shouldn’t be eating either. You might risk some mutiny for a few days, but they will get used to it if you have enough alternative choices available.

For me, I love brownies and cookies. If they are in the house, I eat them. I KNOW that, in large quantities, they are bad for my body, but if they are there I eat them anyways. Can you believe it? You can have 10 different kinds of chips or nuts in my house and I can walk by them 100 times a day and not be tempted by them. I suppose there are a few of you that can have those high temptation foods in the house and not eat them. Good for you! For the rest of us, don’t have them in the house or office!

One thing I have noticed is that if children eat good foods their behavior is much better. Food has a powerful affect on our moods and general well being. You would feel lousy if you ate cookies and chips all day. Do you think your body would respond better to fried bologna or chicken and vegetables? Your body craves nutrients, not calories.

Remember the 80-20 rule. It’s what we do 80% of the time that will lay the foundation for our overall health. There’s room for the occasional treat or nutritional compromise some of the time when we make wise choices the majority of the time.

Healthy Ideas Newsletter

2007-06-02T19:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Did you ever think about why diets are called "diets?"

What are the first 3 letters of the word "diet". D-I-E. I wonder if the founder of that word knew what he was implying? As many of you know, diets are designed to deprive our bodies of calories in hopes that we will lose some weight. We also lose lean muscle tissue which is very hard to get back.

How many calories can your body handle in 6 hours?

I have heard recently that your body can only handle 600 calories in any 6 hour period. Anything more than that is stored. According to the Zone books by Barry Sears your body can only handle the amount of protein that fits in the palm of your hand. Any excess protein at a meal is converted to fat. On the other hand, he stresses the importance of balancing your protein, carbs and fats. He says to divide your plate into 3 equal sections. One section low-fat protein and 2 sections fruits and vegetables with a dash of unsaturated fat like olive oil, slivered almonds, guacamole, or macadamia nuts. That's what makes Isagenix such a great program. It is formulated to completely balance protein, carbs and fats. I don't have to even think about it!

Here is an interesting article - Cleansing is being talked about all over the news:

"Weight Loss Is Almost Guaranteed with Internal Cleansing"

"There’s an important added benefit to internal cleansing that most people experience: weight loss. With a sluggish, toxic digestive system, metabolism slows down, the energy level drops and we’re simply not strong enough to start burning off stored fat through exercise or other means. An internal cleansing program can help restore balance in the body and increase the metabolism, reactivating the body’s fat-burning mechanism. Plus, after a thorough detoxification program, you’ll find yourself much more inclined to make healthier dietary and lifestyle choices. Through a detoxified system, improved digestion, balanced metabolism and a healthier diet you will have no trouble maintaining a healthy weight."

Other Benefits

"High energy and weight loss are just some of the many benefits you can achieve through a comprehensive cleansing program. In her excellent book, The Detox Solution - The Missing Link to Radiant Health, Abundant Energy, Ideal Weight, and Peace of Mind, nutritionist Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald lists the following added benefits of an effective detoxification program:

- The Prevention of Illness

- An Improvement in Physical Appearance

- A Boost in Emotional Well-Being

- A Sharpening of Mental Capabilities

- An Enhancement in Digestion

- The Elimination of Unhealthy Food Addictions & Allergies

- The Attainment of Ideal Weight

- A Minimizing of the Effects of Aging

- Spiritual Renewal (11)"

The secret to great health

"In my opinion, we are not going to change the catastrophic situation where every second person is chronically ill until we place as much emphasis on internal cleansing as we do on external hygiene, such as brushing our teeth or washing our hands. If you are middle-aged, you’ve taken about 15,000 showers in your lifetime, and you’ve brushed your teeth close to 30,000 times. Still, you won’t stop doing that just because you’ve done it so many times. Here’s an interesting question: If you have to keep cleansing your skin and teeth daily, then wouldn't you think it makes equal sense to clean the inside of your body at least periodically?"

"Of course detoxification should not be limited to the colon. It is just as important to detoxify the liver, kidneys, arteries, and in general, every cell in the body. But internal cleansing must start with the colon, because if this region is kept unclean, it will contaminate every other part of the system."

(Edited to add: Isagenix cleanses ALL the organs and cells!)

"The importance of internal cleansing can best be summed up in the words of Dr. Paul Bragg, one of the fathers of natural medicine in the U.S. and the author of dozens of highly successful health books:

The secret to great health can be described in three words: Cleanse Your Body! Engrave these three words permanently in your memory."

Copyright 2003. All Rights Reserved.

Dr. Hardy is a Naturopathic Doctor and Certified Nutritional Consultant. She is the Director of the Global College of Natural Medicine and a member of the American Naturopathic Medical Association and the American Association of Nutritional Consultants."

Health Journal TV

Here is a short video you can watch that was produced by Health Journal TV. Several doctors including Dr. John Gray (Mars/Venus author) are interviewed. http://tinyurl.com/2lv7zd

Do you like yogurt but feel guilty about all the sugar you're eating along with it?

I could never eat cottage cheese or plain yogurt without adding a bunch of sugar to it. Now there is a powder that contains 30 of the world's best fruits that contains only 30 calories, 1 gram of sugar and 1 gram of fat! I add it to my yogurt and cottage cheese and it tastes great. You can even use it to make popsicles - just combine a teaspoon with 8 oz. purified water and freeze in popsicle trays or add it to your Isagenix Shake (especially vanilla). It has NO artificial sweeteners or chemicals. It is sweetened with stevia which is an herb that does not affect insulin levels. This powdered fruit is called IsaFruits and is a great product to have on hand in your pantry.

One-Size-Fits-All?

Lately we have been modifying our health and weight loss coaching to accommodate people’s needs more fully.

If you want:

Gentle/mild cleansing we suggest 1 shake a day and 1 oz cleanse drink at bedtime. This would be for someone that has some health challenges, or doesn’t need to lose weight, or just wants to cleanse at a slower pace.

Moderate Cleansing - 2 shakes a day and 1 cleanse day a week.

Accelerated/Aggressive Cleansing - 2 shakes a day and 2 cleanse days a week. This is the traditional 9 day program and would be for someone who wants to jump start their health and weight loss or someone that wants to lose a large amount of weight on a more accelerated pace.

I hope you all have a wonderful month! Let me know if you have any questions for me.

Heidi

Nutrition and Wellness Coach

May Healthy Ideas Newsletter

2007-05-01T22:04:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Spring is finally here! I just love seeing all the flowers in bloom and growing. I hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather. Of course, we need the rain to make the flowers grow. I’m not sure we need hail to make the flowers grow though:))

I have some more goodies for you this month, so here we go....

Blood Sugar Issues - Just for Diabetics??

I received a magazine advertisement from Prevention magazine selling their book The Sugar Solution. The ad magazine had some good information so I thought I would share these with you.

If you take control of your blood sugar, you also take control of your mood, weight, energy level, mental alertness and hunger. Our goal is to keep our blood sugar up but not too high. A key tool used in the process of controlling blood sugar is the hormone insulin. I never knew that insulin was a hormone. Watching blood sugar is not for diabetics anymore. When your insulin spikes it triggers your body to store fat.

Your waistline and not your weight is what gives you a determination of your risk of diabetes. The risk factor starts at a 40" waist for men. They don’t tell what the risk factor is for women (I guess they want you to buy the book!).

If your blood sugar stays too high for too long it can affect your eyes. The excess glucose in your bloodstream damages the tiny capillaries in your eyes and makes them swell and burst causing your vision to be impaired possibly leading to blindness.

Too much sugar in your bloodstream can change the chemistry in your bloodstream making the arteries sticky as flypaper. Then the blood clots traveling through your arteries stick to those walls and before you know it you have a blockage.

Did you know that a bowl of instant rice contains almost as much sugar as a bowl of jelly beans? There are some foods that release sugar into your blood stream more slowly and gradually. They encourage people to eat those. So basically they endorse the Low Glycemic Index as a guide. They suggest to eat at least one low GE food with every meal. Here are some suggestions - Popcorn is better than pretzels, oatmeal cookies are better than vanilla wafers, roasted sweet potatoes are better than mashed potatoes.

One of the most powerful blood sugar stabilizing foods is cinnamon! "According to Dr. Richard Anderson, PhD, a chemist with the US Department of Agriculture, taking just 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon every day may be enough to keep your blood sugar in check."

I’m don’t think that a low GI diet would give you the weight loss you desire without Isagenix, but it can sure give you the motivation to avoid letting your sugar levels get too high for too long.

More Sweet Information -

Here are some interesting websites about aspartame for those of you that are interested - especially if you drink diet sodas or use aspartame, Equal or Nutrasweet.

http://www.sweetpoison.com/

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

Need Some Energy?

Add some protein to your diet (not necessarily meat). I’ve started adding ½ scoop of Isapro (unflavored protein mix from Isagenix) to my shake every morning. I’m amazed at the extra energy I have in the morning and I’m NOT a morning person.

The Case for Water

In his book What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You, Dr. Don Colbert states "Your body can exist for about five weeks without food, but the average person can only live about five days without water. Here are some amazing facts about water:

Your body is about 60% water

Your muscles are about 75% water

Your brain is about 75% water

Your blood is approximately 82% water

Your bones are approximately 25% water.

The average-sized human requires about 3 quarts of water a day. To determine your water needs, take your body weight in pounds and divide it by 2.

Think for a moment about your brain. Now think about a plum. Without water it shrinks and becomes like a prune. In the brain, cells may become dehydrated due to lack of adequate hydration. Without adequate water, the brain may not obtain nourishment, and it may not be able to properly eliminate waste matter. Thus I believe that long-term dehydration may contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease."

Here’s an interesting quote from Donald Trump -

"If you want something done you’ll find a way. If you don’t want something done you’ll find and excuse."

I hope you all have a wonderful month! Let me know if you have any questions for me.

Heidi

Little Known Secret About Why People Aren't Losing Weight

2007-04-20T08:48:00.000-04:00

Ever been around someone who did everything right when It came to healthy eating and exercise yet still didn’t lose weight? I was one of those. I ate well. All my friends thought I was a health food nut. I exercised and was very active. I have 4 children that I chased after each day and didn’t sit down much. Yet I couldn’t lose weight, or worse yet, the pouch that I carried around at my waist was still there. Then you have people (like your spouse) telling you that you’re just eating too much. Now THAT’S helpful!

There were lots of other people out there that I saw who ate like birds and exercised religiously, but didn’t lose weight. Or they would lose 30-40 pounds and look worn out, saggy and tired only to gain it back and then some.

Why do people hold on to weight and why do those that lose end up not being able to keep it off? Well, the culprit is fat. We all know that, but do we know the scientific reason why fat stays?

I’ll try to explain it as simply as I can. We all know that toxins are all around us. They show up in our air, water and food. One hundred years ago cancer wasn’t even and issue that doctors dealt with. Pesticides weren’t used on crops and factories weren’t prevalent. Food came from your own land and you didn’t mix chemicals together and call them food like we do now.

When toxins come into our bodies they attach themselves to our organs. Fat collects around the toxins to protect the organs. Fat cells won’t leave the body unless the toxins do because the fat cells are doing their job. That’s why most people carry their weight around their midsection because that’s where the fat cells, organs and toxins are.

So the key, before you start any health or exercise plan is to get the toxins out of your body so that the fat cells will leave too. Then you can really see some results in your eating and exercise plan.

For recommendations on the best way to release these toxins from your body check out the links at the side of this blog.

Some Weight Loss Tips for You!

2007-04-17T19:06:00.000-04:00

Weight Loss Tips -

Weigh yourself daily, preferably first thing in the morning. You will weigh the least at this time which will encourage you and you will have the motivation to eat correctly if the weight is higher than you expected. By weighing each day you can keep a better handle on what causes you to gain weight and helps you cut back a little that day if you have gained some.

Make sure you’re drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces per day of water. If you drink coffee, make sure you drink extra since coffee is a diuretic that will deplete the water in your body. One last thing to mention about water is to drink it 1/2 hour before a meal since water can dilute your meal and flush out the enzymes.

Stalled weight loss? You might want to try eating 4 small meals a day for a week instead of 3 to set your metabolism higher. You can also use 1 scoop IsaFruits, 1 scoop IsaPro, and 1 scoop IsaLean Shake for your daily shake to help your body reset it’s metabolism. (Let me know if you have any other questions about this topic.)

Has anyone read The Weight Loss Cure by Kevin Trudeau?

2007-04-09T21:27:00.000-04:00

Someone recently asked me to look over their copy of The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About by Kevin Trudeau. She was a little confused by it because the "cure" he alludes to is not available in the US and needs to be prescribed. I have only had a chance to read a few chapters. She said he basically said that he recommends cleansing our bodies from toxins (which Isagenix would do) and eating healthy. Anyone have any comments to share about their review of the book. I'll let you know when I get through the whole thing. I enjoyed his "Natural Cures" book but, of course, can't do everything that he recommends in there. We try to eat as much organic as possible but that is very limited in this area. Hope you all have a great week!

Heidi

Exercise - Who Wants it?

2007-04-04T20:01:00.000-04:00

Of course we know everyone should exercise, but who wants to? I know lots of you probably enjoy exercising, but not me! Whenever I remember to exercise I always think of at least 10 other things I need to do and put off the exercising. Here are some tips I think we can use to help us exercise more often.

1. What kind of exercise do you like to do? Do you like to walk, run, sit, use a machine, swim, workout on the floor, watch a video, etc? Think about when you have exercised in the past and what you stuck with the most. Did you do a video only twice but took walks for a month and then gave it up? Chances are, the type of exercise you enjoy is the type that you will stick with. I like to walk and run. I don't stick with videos. The people on there get on my nerves after about 15 times of watching. I don't mind swimming but when you live 1/2 hour away from a pool it just isn't a reasonable choice. In the summer when our above ground pool is open it's a great choice for me. I get to spend some fun time with my kids while I'm exercising too.

2. Where do you prefer to exercise? In your home, a gym, at a friend's house, etc? Some of us don't like to leave the comforts of our home and others won't exercise unless they leave the house. If you know you won't exercise at home and need to get a membership somewhere, then that will work for you. It's even better if you can agree to meet a friend at the gym or meet at their house. Then you're both accountable to get there and aren't tempted to put off exercising for another day. I'm the home body type. I love to be home and know I would never use a membership to somewhere when I have to leave my house.

3. What time are you most likely to be able to exercise? It's best if you can make exercise a natural part of your day so you can develop a habit of it. If you can fit it into one of the time blocks of your day like before lunch, after work, when you're waiting for someone in your family, while dinner is in the oven, before breakfast, etc. You'll be more likely to stick with it if you know to expect it at a certain time each day.

4. Do you need variety in your exercise? Some people can run 6 miles a day and never tire of doing that each day. Others do a video 2 days a week and then swim the other 3 days of the week. And still others need to do something different each day. I recently went to walk at a local recreation center. They have a nice indoor walking track and I walked it one time and ran most of the way the next time. I thought I ran about a mile and a 1/2 because I thought for sure it was 1/4 mile around the track. Much to my chagrin, I found out later that it was only 1/10 of a mile around the track! Now THAT can get monotonous. So while I enjoy walking or running outside or in my home, walking around a 1/10 mile track over and over again is just too much boredom for me. My mini trampoline was looking really good at this point. At least I could watch TV while I was doing it.

Have you ever tried exercising with a preschooler? (Especially a boy?!) Well, it's a lot of fun. We added on to our house and now we have a good amount of space to run around. So as often as I remember and have the time to exercise I have what I call "running time" with my 5 year old son. I set the kitchen timer for 8-10 minutes and he is my "leader". He guides me all over the house and I try to keep up with him. This gets me going and keeps both of us in shape (like he needs to get in shape!). Then I usually jump on my mini-trampoline after that and finish up my work out.

To start and keep up an exercise program I think you need to answer the above questions for yourself so that you get started and stay consistent. If you don't enjoy it, it doesn't fit in with your day, and is in the wrong place, you won't keep doing it. Consistent exercise is the goal in my book. Find your niche and go out and have fun!

Why do people have so much trouble losing weight and keeping it off????

2007-04-01T23:03:00.000-04:00

There's the question of the hour..... If diets worked we wouldn't be switching to another diet every other week. You think of the person that has lost 40-50 pounds. Do they look healthy to you? Usually their eyes look tired and their skin is baggy. And how many times do we see those same people just turn right around and put that weight right back on again? Makes you not want to lose weight to begin with.

Here's my theory and scientific knowledge of the process of how our bodies work. When toxins come into our bodies they attach themselves to our organs. Then the fat cells collect around the toxins to protect the organs. Have you ever heard of someone with a fatty liver? Where do most people carry their weight? They carry it around their mid-section where the organs are. So it makes sense that that is where the toxins and fat cells are. No amount of diet or exercise is going to get rid of those fat cells until the toxins are released. So how do you get those toxins to leave so that the fat cells will go too. I know it sounds strange but when we flood our bodies with nutrients (the proper kind, of course) the body can quit holding on to those toxins and release them along with the fat cells. I don't know exactly how it works - I just know it DOES work. The links over on the right give you my recommendation for the best way to get rid of the toxins in our bodies. The best part about getting rid of toxins is that the side effect is weight and inches loss! Now that's multitasking at it's best.

Welcome to the Weight Loss Coach

2007-03-31T21:43:00.000-04:00

My goal is to give you as much information as possible to help you pick and choose what you can use to help achieve your health and weight loss goals. Let me know what you think.