Shaklee Videos: Shaklee 180: You're Invited

Shaklee Videos: Shaklee 180: You're Invited

A Primer on Immune System Function & Dysfunction

You probably know people who are sick all the time and others who never get sick. Why is that? We are all exposed to the same viruses and bacteria, yet our immune systems handle these exposures quite differently. The mystery surrounding the differences in our immune systems is found at the cellular level of the body. There are several factors that affect immune function:


1. Genetic composition – we all have different genetic material making up our immune systems


2. Cell care – cells require proper nourishment and environment to stay strong & healthy. Good foods, water &  air strengthen cells; also vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbs and essential fatty acids are required.


3. Protection – from environmental pollution, poor diet, stress which damage cell function. (and thus weaken immune function)


What causes immune failure?  I have alluded to it above, but will explain it more fully here.


Immune cells operate at a very high metabolic rate which enables them to react quickly to invaders (bacteria, viruses, allergens, etc). They must, therefore, reproduce more frequently and accurately to replace the damaged and exhausted cells – our soldiers. To accomplish this recurrent demand, we must maintain optimum levels of nutrients in our blood at all times.


The things we eat, drink and inhale can depress our immune system. It is well proven that alcohol, sugar and second-hand smoke all depress immune cell activity, and they also deplete many of the nutrients in the blood stream. These two events are closely associated. This interaction is a key to explaining why supplementation provides such dramatic support for a strong immune system.


High cholesterol levels suppress immune function; emotional stress is also a major contributor. There’s another kind of stress – environmental stress – which is wreaking havoc with our immune system health.


Our environment is saturated with chemicals and the numbers are growing every day. We live in a toxic soup! Pesticides, food additives (artificial coloring, nitrites, artificial sweeteners), fragrance, phthalates and other chemicals in personal care, toxic cleaning products, indoor air…the list goes on and on! These are all enemies of the immune system.


Friends of the Immune System:


1. Diet & Nutrition – you probably already know about eating a healthy diet. Eliminate the white stuff and eat whole grains instead; eat healthy fats, lots of fruit & veggies, plenty of pure water and lean proteins. This is where supplements come in as well. Diet alone – no matter how good it is – can’t supply everything our cells need to stay healthy. Supplementing with good quality products is essential.


2. Air & Breathing – air purifiers if necessary and deep breathing. Cells need oxygen.


3. Exercise – regular exercise, including cardio and weight workouts, is important for immune system health. Exercise impacts our physical and emotional wellbeing; both of which affect our immune system.


4. Sleep – the body needs rest to allow energy to be concentrated on regeneration. 7-9 hours is optimal for adults.


Personal Testimony: Fifteen years ago, I suffered from sinus infections and frequent colds. I also had seasonal allergies. At the time, my diet was good, and I exercised. Maybe I didn’t get quite enough sleep, but I did take vitamins that I purchased from the drug store. Even though I was “sick” a lot, I thought I was pretty healthy.


One day, a friend came to me and asked me if I would take a look at the supplements she was using since they had worked so well for her and her family. I did and within six months my allergies were gone. No more meds! And the most amazing part is that I haven’t had a single sinus infection since switching brands. What I learned was that by taking better quality products that actually worked at the cellular level, I was building up my immune system; I increased the strength of my soldiers who were better able to outmaneuver the enemies - allergens, viruses and bacteria.


Feeding the cells what they need to stay healthy, breathing clean air, getting plenty of exercise and sleep will go a long way to keeping our immune function in tip-top shape. What are you doing to keep your body’s army strong against the enemy?



Sources:
The Immune System Handbook (Your Owner’s Manual) by Charlene A. Day
Health Quest Newsletter, volume 24, Number 2 by Dr. Frank M. Painter

February Is Heart Health Month

• Heart disease is still our #1 killer disease in America.  
• 80 million Americans have high cholesterol.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Everyone understands the importance of a healthy heart, but maintaining one can prove difficult. Cardiovascular health can be compromised by diet, genetics, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and an array of other factors. Moreover, our bodies are often deficient in substances critical to healthy heart function.

Following a good prevention program of exercise, a diet high in fiber, low in fat, and keeping our cholesterol level at 180 or below, can significantly reduce our risk. Including 6 to 9 fresh vegetables (in soups and salads) every day ... nature’s primary source of vitamins and minerals, especially antioxidants ... is essential for heart health. The following supplements may also help:

Top 10 Supplements for a Healthy Heart

CoQ 10 - which supports energy production in the cells and is especially important for heart health. Increases oxygenation of heart tissue. Strengthens the heart muscle.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids – reduces clots in blood vessels, lowers triglycerides, and raises HDL (good cholesterol). Helps prevent hardening of the arteries.

Probiotics – lower cholesterol in three ways: limit cholesterol production in the liver, the probiotics create an acid environment which converts cholesterol into a form the body cannot absorb, probiotics consume the cholesterol (like pac-man).

B-Complex - The New England Journal of Medicine reports that high homocysteine levels create a 30 times greater chance of heart attack, no matter what our cholesterol level is. B-complex with folic acid protects from having high levels of homocysteines. 90% of Americans are deficient in B-complex. Stress, sugar and processed foods rob the body of B vitamins.

Vita-E – Heart disease risk factors are reduced by 30%-40% when taking 400 IU of vitamin E. (That’s four pints of peanut butter). Strengthens the immune system and heart muscle, improves circulation, and destroys free radicals.

Calcium-Magnesium – Studies show that calcium & magnesium help balance the delicate ratio of minerals in our cells that affect blood pressure and proper heart function. Vital for a healthy heart.

Vita-C – Tufts University recently reported that higher levels of vitamin C relate to higher HDL (the good stuff). Extremely important as a regulator of high blood pressure.

Garlic – It lowers cholesterol and has been shown to lower blood pressure, triglycerides and blood glucose in diabetics. Promotes good circulation.

The last two products are specific to Shaklee. Although I always recommend the Shaklee products, I am sure there are other high quality products out there (not drug store brands), that would produce the same results. But these two products are very unique and highly effective:

Cholesterol Reduction Complex - a proprietary formulation with clinically proven ingredients that help prevent the absorption of cholesterol and lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. It contains plant sterols and stanols that, when added to a healthy diet, have been shown in numerous studies to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol.

Fiber Plan Drink Mix – has been clinically tested and proven at Stanford University School of Medicine to lower cholesterol. One serving is the equivalent of 20 slices of whole wheat bread, 6 apples, or 3 1/2 bowls of oatmeal.

 In addition to the ten supplements listed above, You also want to be sure that you are taking

• a good-quality multi vitamin/mineral product - shortage of levels of basic nutrients will put blood lipids out of balance.

• a high-quality soy protein powder - the heart is a muscle and muscles need protein. The American Heart Association, in a November 13, 2000 press release, recommended using soy protein to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet.

I hope you find this information helpful. If you would like to discuss a program specific to your goals, please feel free to contact me.

What are some of the things you are doing to maintain heart health?

Dr. Greene on Multiple Backups

Parents, I believe that, even though we feed our kids well, it is hardly possible for them to get all the nutrients they need from diet alone.  See what Dr. Greene has to say on this topic.

http://www.drgreene.com/article/multiple-back-ups?tid=145

After reading the article, if you are looking for a high-quality product for your infants, toddlers and kids, please let me know.

ATTENTION CHILDREN: DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST

...or your grades could pay a price.

Evidence suggests that eating breakfast really does help kids learn. After fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs a fresh supply of glucose — or blood sugar. That's the brain's basic fuel.

"Without glucose," explains Terrill Bravender, professor of pediatrics at Duke University, "our brain simply doesn't operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, [they have a] problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don't remember things as well."

Dozens of studies from as far back as the 1950s have consistently shown that children who eat breakfast perform better academically than those who don't. In a recent study of 4,000 elementary school students, researchers measured the effects of eating breakfast by administering a battery of attention tests. Across the board, Murphy says, the breakfast eaters performed better than those children who had skipped breakfast.¹

Other studies show that children who skip breakfast have slower memory recall, make more errors and are more likely to be absent or tardy. Eating breakfast helps children perform better academically, reduces behavioral problems in class, and sets the stage for healthy eating for life. Research studies find that children who eat breakfast perform better on standardized tests, make fewer mistakes in math, and show a general increase in math and reading scores. They also have fewer discipline problems and visit school nurses’ offices less often.

So now that we know breakfast is important, here’s the next question:

DOES IT MATTER WHAT KIDS EAT FOR BREAKFAST?

The answer? Most definitely YES!

Foods with a high sugar content, simple carbohydrates and processed foods are absorbed quickly and cause a peak in blood sugar. But the levels then fall dramatically in a few hours. So the kids come into school all bubbly and lively and about 10:30 they “crash.” Whole grains (think oatmeal or whole grain toast) are absorbed slowly so blood sugar rises slowly and gives kids enough energy to last all morning. That’s the goal.

In addition, experts believe that a good breakfast should be packed with protein. The combination of protein and good carbohydrates powers up the brain and keeps kids feeling full until lunch time.

Good nutrition is important for good learning.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BREAKFAST FOR CHILDREN?

First let’s talk about what foods to avoid at breakfast: things like sugary breakfast cereals, white-flour pancakes and syrup, bagels, donuts, coffee cake, and pop tarts. Fruit juice is okay if it is consumed with a whole-grain carbohydrate source.

Here are several ideas that I like to call the Breakfast of Scholars:

1-2 slices of whole-grain toast or whole-wheat English muffin or toasted whole-grain waffle topped with peanut butter, milk and fresh fruit 

Breakfast burrito: whole-wheat tortilla or pita pocket stuffed with scrambled egg mixed with salsa

Whole-grain cereals, hot or cold, with low-fat milk or yogurt and 1-2 tablespoons of slivered nuts on top. If the cereal box label says there are 3 grams of fiber or more a serving, that means there is significant fiber.

Whole-wheat toast, 1 or 2 eggs, milk, fresh fruit

Whole-grain cereal like oatmeal or shredded wheat with low-fat milk, topped with fresh or dried fruit and honey.

And last but not least...One of my favorites is a sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon, topped with vanilla yogurt, oatmeal (right out of the box - it’s OK to eat it uncooked) and some chopped walnuts...yummy!

It's Your Turn:  What do you serve for breakfast?  We'd love you to tell us your favorites for a healthy start to the day.  Share your ideas in the comments box below.

 

1. NPR.org: A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child’s Brain Power by Allison Aubrey

Raising Healthy Kids

Our Children’s Health is Suffering: Allergies & asthma, chronic ear & sinus infections, obesity, learning disabilities, blood sugar disturbances, and high levels of cholesterol – these are all on the rise in children today.

According to the CDC, approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese. Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled.

The prevalence of asthma is increasing, especially in children. Approximately 500,000 annual hospitalizations (34.6% in individuals aged 18 years or younger) are due to asthma.

Between 3% and 7% of school-aged children currently have a diagnosis of ADHD, according to the American Psychiatric Association. However, nearly 1 in 10 children (9.5%) aged 4 to 17 have had an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their childhood and rates of ADHD diagnosis are rising, especially in older teenagers.

Children Are Exposed to More & More Toxins:
We are frequently told "A little bit won't hurt you" when it comes to chemicals in our food and environment. That may be true, however a little bit here and there eventually adds up to a lot.

Let's look at the potential sources of chemical contamination that our children are bombarded with on a daily basis. There is chlorine in our water supply and often fluoride as well. Fluoride is added to tooth pastes and mouthwashes. Many imported fruits and vegetables have been sprayed with pesticides and herbicides that are illegal in the US.

Meat and dairy products are loaded with residues of antibiotics and hormones from factory farming operations. Look at the ingredients on the label of nearly any prepared food in the grocery store, and you will see a list of chemicals as long as your arm.

Add to this list the chemicals in topical preparations such as body lotions and shampoos. Did you know that your skin will absorb up to 60% of anything you put on it? And then there are environmental toxins such as lawn chemicals and pesticides and household insecticides. The American journal of Public Health has reported a link between bug killers and childhood cancer. In a study of children in Colorado, those who lived in homes where the lawns had been treated with herbicides had a four-fold increase in the risk of developing a tumor.

Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related deaths in children under the age of 20. Leukemia, which is the most common childhood cancer, increased by more than 15% over the last 20 years.

Parents need to become proactive and lobby against the use of dangerous pesticides and chemicals in this country. And at the same time, they need to do everything they can to eliminate toxins in the home and in the schools their children attend. Two great resources regarding children and toxic chemicals are Healthy Child Healthy World and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.

Our Kids Immune Systems Need Help
One of the most important jobs parents have is to help their kids develop healthy immune systems. A strong and healthy immune system enables a child to fight off anything that invades the body or threatens it from without or within, including bacteria, viruses and cancer.

The key to a healthy immune system is optimal nutrition. Dr. Leo Galland says in his book, Superimmunity for Kids,  “Optimal nutrition in childhood is a gift that lasts a lifetime.”

How To Build A Healthy Immune System

1. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months. The advantages of breastfeeding are numerous. Breast milk is ultimately the best source of nutrition for a new baby. Many components in breast milk help protect your baby against infection and disease. The proteins in breast milk are more easily digested than in formula or cow’s milk. The calcium and iron in breast milk are also more easily absorbed.

Breast milk has the perfect combination of proteins, fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates. There is nothing better for the health of your baby. Some of the nutrients in breast milk help the immune system mature into a fully effective fighting machine. Leukocytes are living cells that are only found in breast milk. They help fight infection. It is the antibodies, living cells, enzymes, and hormones that make breast milk ideal. These cannot be added to formula.

2. Provide a wholesome, balanced diet focusing on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid sugar, processed foods and partially-hydrogenated oils. Eat organic when possible.

3. Supplement daily with immune-building vitamins, minerals, trace minerals essential fatty acids and antioxidant supplements.

4. Remove the toxins from your child’s food, water, air, home and school. Replace cleaners & personal care products with non-toxic alternatives.
5. Encourage regular physical exercise and plenty of good sleep

Do You Really Need To Supplement Your Child’s Diet?
In a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was stated that most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Because of such things as over-processing, early harvesting, soil depletion, chemicals, preservatives and hormone usage, food today isn’t what it used to be. Additionally, in this fast-paced world, we are eating on the run (and it’s not home-made). Our kids’ are not consuming the recommended daily servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy, and thus their diets fall short of many critical nutrients. The solution is to supplement.

How Do You Know You Are Getting a Good Quality Supplement?
Several years ago, I learned the hard way that vitamins are not all alike. I took lots of different supplements which I purchased at the local drug store. And still I suffered with seasonal allergies and several sinus infections a year. It wasn’t until I changed brands to a better quality line that my health improved. That line was Shaklee and it is what I recommend to my clients today.

There are a few things you want to look for in a good quality supplement:

Bioavailability – a big word for “am I digesting and absorbing my vitamins?” Be sure the company you buy from does these tests. Otherwise how will you know if you are even benefitting from your supplements?

What’s in my vitamins? Can I trust the label? – Unfortunately there is very loose regulation in this area. Some companies formulate to only 60% or less of the label claims. That means that what you see isn’t necessarily what you get, and poor quality products may contain ingredients and impurities never listed on the label.

What should I look for in a multivitamin?  Above all look for a reputable company. “Reputable” means they have their products analyzed and tested by third-party independent labs and that they have developed their products with quality and optimal health (vs. high profit margins) in mind. Don’t assume that just because a supplement is a bestselling brand and shows 100% of most Daily Values that it is a good product. Believe it or not, some of the very expensive brands offer poor quality formulations and use cheap ingredients.

Shaklee products pass all of the above criteria. Your best bet is to buy from a company you trust and educate yourself about the products you buy. Watch out for marketing hype vs. solid and useful information. And don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

I hope you have found this information helpful. I would love to hear your comments below. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Shaklee products please feel free to contact me.

Childhood Asthma - An Epidemic

Asthma is a chronic and inflammatory disease of the lung. Your airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When your airways react, they get narrower and your lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night.

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it's called an asthma attack. These attacks may start slowly, with increasing signs of respiratory distress and tightness in the chest. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that your vital organs do not get enough oxygen. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

Asthma is the most common chronic disorder of childhood. According to the NIH, nine million children under the age of 18 are currently diagnosed as asthmatic—a more than 200% increase over the last 30 years. Roughly six million—or nearly one in every 10—school-aged children suffers from asthma, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And if yours is one of those children, then you know the terror of watching them gasp for breath in an asthma attack. Children have smaller airways than adults, which makes asthma especially serious for them. One in 12 Americans of all ages is affected.

No one knows why some people get asthma and others don’t, but, hereditary factors do play a role. People with asthma usually have “triggers” which make them wheeze. Knowing your triggers can help you control your disease.  Some of these triggers include

• Allergens - mold, pollen, animals
• Irritants - cigarette smoke, air pollution
• Weather - cold air, changes in weather
• Exercise
• Infections - flu, common cold, respiratory infections
• Food allergies

Environmental pollution may be one of the leading causes of this growing epidemic. Exposure to a wide variety of chemicals has also been linked to increased risk of asthma. Food allergies and sensitivities are identified in three-fourths of asthma sufferers.

The most common asthma symptoms in children are coughing and wheezing. Other asthma symptoms in children include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing) and chest tightness

We have known for a long time that asthma is the most common chronic disease in children, the primary reason why kids with chronic diseases miss school days and among the top three reasons why children end up in emergency rooms or are admitted into hospitals. Floyd J. Malveaux, M.D., Ph.D.

According to the Mayo Clinic staff respiratory infections such as colds and the flu are one of the most common causes of asthma flare-ups, especially in young children. A stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, fever or other signs and symptoms caused by a cold or flu (influenza) virus can be a nuisance. But if you have asthma, even a minor respiratory infection can cause major problems. Asthma signs and symptoms such as wheezing and chest tightness may not respond as well to regular asthma medications. Also, asthma symptoms caused by a respiratory infection may last for several days to weeks.

There's no sure way to keep yourself or your child from getting a cold or the flu. But taking steps to avoid getting sick — and taking the right steps when you do — can help.

Antibiotic Use In Infants Linked To Asthma

Research indicates that children who receive antibiotics before their first birthday are significantly more likely to develop asthma by age 7. The study, published in the June (2007) issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), reports that children receiving antibiotics in the first year of life were at greater risk for developing asthma by age 7 than those not receiving antibiotics. The risk for asthma doubled in children receiving antibiotics for nonrespiratory infections, as well as in children who received multiple antibiotic courses and who did not live with a dog during the first year.

Nutritional Support for Asthma

Based on the above study, my first recommendation is to keep your child’s immune system strong to ward off colds and infections. Another important suggestion is to clear the home of all toxic cleaners and laundry products and replace them with safer, non-toxic alternatives.

To build up the immune system, in addition to a healthy diet I would recommend the following supplements:

• Multivitamin
• Soy protein
• Chewable Vitamin C
• Probiotics (key)
• Garlic

After taking all sorts of different supplements, I finally found that the supplements from Shaklee were the only ones that improved my health. That’s why I made the decision to market them 14 years ago. So those are the products I would recommend for a natural approach to asthma. If you decide to try this program, just be sure that you select supplements from a reputable company that does a lot of research and testing. And if you have any questions, please be sure to contact me.

To your health,

Marti