We're Out to Impact One Million Minds. Starting with Yours.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like assistance.

You may have heard of us. We’re Shaklee and we’re
passionate about health.

We’ve taken on a big challenge. To impact one million
minds with Shaklee MindWorks®, a breakthrough in
brain health.

About Shaklee MindWorks®
MindWorks key nutrients have been shown in three
clinical studies and dozens of laboratory studies to
immediately enhance mental sharpness and focus and
protect against age-related mental decline.*
Plus, every MindWorks purchase includes a free month of
access to brain-training software from CogniFit®.
And a portion of the proceeds from each bottle of
MindWorks purchased will be donated to fund brain health
research through a university research grant program.
Help us impact one million minds, starting with
yours. Try MindWorks® today.

I'm BACK after a LONG BREAK

Hello friends! I took a MUCH longer break from blogging than I had intended but I am back now.  LOTS has happened since I wrote last but we'll go forward now.

 I love interacting with you so please do not hesitate to reach out and contact me or leave me a comment. 

As always, I wish you ... 

HEALTHY BLESSINGS!

~ Cheryl

 

D-Creasing Respiratory Infections In Your Children This Winter

Tips From The Professor:
D-Creasing Respiratory Infections
In Your Children This Winter
By Dr Stephen G Chaney
10/09/2012 07:00:35 EDT

The winter cold and flu season is almost upon us. And
if you're like many parents, you're probably wondering
how many respiratory infections your kids are going to
get this Winter. You can't wrap your kids in a plastic
bubble that will keep all the germs away, but you can
make sure that your kids are getting the nutrition they
need for a healthy immune system - and vitamin D
appears to play an important role in keeping their
immune system healthy.

It has been postulated for years that a low blood level
of vitamin D in the winter months is an important
contributor to the increased risk of colds and flu
during the winter. And, a number of recent studies have
shown that people with higher blood levels of vitamin D
are less likely to succumb to colds and flu during the
winter months.

These studies are clearly consistent with the
hypothesis that optimal vitamin D status plays an
important role in preventing respiratory infections
such as colds and flu. However, all of the studies of
been done so far are associative and do not prove cause
and effect.

Dr. Carlos Carmargo and associates from Harvard Medical
School and Massachusetts General Hospital (Pediatrics,
doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-3029) set out to test this
hypothesis with a double-blind, placebo-controlled
intervention study - the gold standard for clinical
studies.

They conducted this study with 250 Mongolian school
children during the winter months. Half of the children
received milk fortified with 300 IU of vitamin D each
day, while the other half received unfortified milk.
Over the course of the winter vitamin D supplementation
decreased the risk of respiratory infection in those
children by 50%, and that difference was highly
significant.

Why, you might be asking, do this study with Mongolian
children instead of children in this country? If you
think about it the answer is pretty obvious.

Mongolia is a very poor country. They don't routinely
fortify their milk with vitamin D. And during the
winter months their sun exposure is minimal. As a
result the children in this study were clearly vitamin
D deficient at the beginning of the study. Their blood
levels were 7 ng/mL (17 nmol/L), and anything below 10
ng/mL is considered clearly deficient. For those who
received the vitamin D supplementation, their blood
levels increased to 19 ng/mL (47 nmol/L) - a level
considered adequate but not optimal.

In contrast, only 40-60% of children in the United
States and Canada have low blood levels of vitamin D,
so the study would have had to be much larger to show a
significant effect of supplementation on winter
respiratory infections.

This is the very first double-blind, placebo controlled
intervention study of its kind, and it clearly confirms
that adequate vitamin D levels reduce the risk of
respiratory infections and that supplementation with
vitamin D can help prevent those respiratory infections
if one's vitamin D status is not optimal.

My recommendation is to ask your physician to check
blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (the most accurate
measure of vitamin D status) for both you and your
children and consider supplementing with extra vitamin
D during the winter months if warranted.


To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Get the Facts. Learn the Truth!

Register Free, Watch The Full Story Inside and
Take the Quiz to Find Out if You're at Risk!


Please sign up to watch the Vitamin D Story...
Then Take The Quiz...
START HERE:
http://www.legg.thevitamindstory.com


I welcome your comments! 

THE SWINE FLU IS COMING!

• September 18, 2012
By Dr. Steven Chaney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are again hearing reports of a possible swine flu pandemic. At this point several cases of swine flu have been reported. The individuals who came down with swine flu all had direct contact with pigs, and all of the cases have been mild so far.

However, we are being urged to get swine flu shots, and some of you have been asking my opinion. With that in mind, I am repeating the column I wrote several years ago at the height of the last swine flu epidemic.

“The swine flu vaccine will be available soon and many of you are asking me three questions:

Is it safe? Is it effective? Should I get swine flu shots?

There is a lot of hype on both sides of the issue, so let me give you some straight talk about safety and effectiveness so that you can use to make up your own mind about whether you want to get a swine flu shot.

Let’s talk about safety first.

You may have heard reports that both the British Health Protection Agency and the US Centers For Disease control have sent out letters to neurologists in Britain and the US asking them to look out for an increase in a brain disorder called Guillian-Barre Syndrome – and to notify their respective governments of all cases of this disease that they diagnose in patients that have received the swine flu shot.

Just in case you are not intimately acquainted with Guillian-Barre Syndrome, it is a disease that attacks the lining of the nerves, leaving them unable to transmit signals to the muscles. This can cause partial paralysis and, if it affects the lungs, can be fatal.

Now that sounds downright scary. But let me tell you the rest of the story. The concern of the British and US governments is based solely on the fact that a similar swine flu vaccine killed more people than it helped in the US in 1976.

Shortly after swine flu vaccinations started in 1976 people started coming down with Guillian-Barre Syndrome. By the time vaccinations were halted 10 weeks later, 500 people had developed the disease and 25 people had died – more than were killed by the virus itself.

It was estimated that one in 80,000 people who were given that swine flu shot developed Guillian-Barre Syndrome, compared to the one in a million who develop the disease when given most seasonal flu shots.

However, I want to emphasize that there is no direct evidence that the current swine flu shot increases the risk of Guillian-Barre Syndrome more than the regular seasonal flu shots.

The British and US governments simply view their warning letters to neurologists as a reasonable precaution under the circumstances.

In short, the risk of developing Guillian-Barre Syndrome or some other serious complication (miscarriages and sudden death are the other complications of most flu vaccines) from the swine flu shot is probably very, very small. It may be no greater than the one in a million chance of developing the disease that is associated with most flu vaccines – but it is not zero.

Now let’s turn to the issue of effectiveness.

There are several things that you should know about the effectiveness of the swine flu shot.

In the first place, there has been an active debate in the scientific community as to whether one shot or two shots will be required to give adequate protection against the swine flu.

Some scientists still think that two shots would be the better option. However, stocks of swine flu vaccine are limited so the recommendation is probably going to be for one shot so that as many people can be immunized as possible.

Secondly, you should know that the swine flu vaccine offers no protection against the seasonal flu and vice versa. Since both strains of flu will be around this fall & winter you need to be vaccinated against both if you really want to avoid the flu.

Finally, there is an interesting age distribution in regard to the susceptibility to the swine flu. It turns out that it is the young people who are most susceptible to the swine flu.

Those of us who are over 50 were apparently exposed to something similar to the current swine flu virus in the past, so we have some residual immunity.

That’s important because it turns out that the swine flu virus is no more deadly than the usual seasonal flu virus. What that means is that the age group that is most susceptible to the swine flu is also the age group for which the swine flu is most likely to be merely a 3 to 5 day inconvenience.

However, there are people for whom the swine flu, or any other type of flu, can be deadly. The people at highest risk are young children, pregnant women, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and people with pre- existing diseases like diabetes.

And here’s the interesting part. These are also the people for whom the flu shot is not very effective. The best way to protect these people is to immunize everybody else so that they never get exposed.

The bottom line is that most immunizations make great sense from a public health perspective to protect high risk individuals, which is why they are so strongly supported by the medical community.

However, for healthy individuals with strong immune systems and no pre-existing diseases the risk-benefit ratios are a not so clear cut. Sometimes the risks can outweigh the benefits.

That brings me to the last question – should you get a swine flu shot?

If you are a healthy individual that is a very personal decision, and I won’t presume to make it for you. I’ve just given you some facts that you may not have known about to ponder as you make that decision.

For people who are at risk for developing severe complications from the swine flu itself (young children, pregnant women, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and people with pre- existing diseases like diabetes) this is a decision that you should make in consultation with your physician.”

To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Who? What? Why? Where? When? How?

Just simple questions today.
Who? What? Why? Where? When? How?



Any questions? Comments? Thoughts?

Amazing opportunities do exist

I just have to share this with you since I've never seen anything like it in the 45 years my family has been involved with Shaklee Corporation.  Shaklee just announced that any product purchased by a non-member in the month of April 2012 can qualify that person for a FREE basic membership ($19.95 value).  That is an amazing opportunity for someone to take advantage of and get buying discounts with their Shaklee purchases.

I also want to let you know that if you are a non-member and plan to take advantage of this through my website link below, PLEASE contact me first as I have a very special ADDITIONAL offer I would love to share with you that will be my gift to those who qualify.  But you must contact me via email at: babyboomerhealth@shaklee.net and place "MORE JOIN INFO" in the subject.

Here's the Free Membership info:

Don't forget to email me per above instructions if you want to hear about my additional special offer. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Healthy Blessings,
Cheryl

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I believe we can all use a bit more laughter in our lives today.  Do you agree?

(Thanks to Darren Jacklin for sharing the three thoughts below with me today.)

1. The average pre-schooler laughs or smiles 400 times a day. That number drops to only 15 times a day by the time people reach age 35.
2. People smile only 35 percent as much as they think they do.
3. Laughter releases endorphins, a chemical 10 times more powerful than the pain-relieving drug morphine, into the body with the same exhilarating effect as doing strenuous exercise.

What Is Laughter?

­First of all, laughter is not the same as humor. Laughter is the physiological respo­nse to humor. Laughter consists of two parts -- a set of gestures and the production of a sound. When we laugh, the brain pressures us to conduct both those activities simultaneously. When we laugh heartily, changes occur in many parts of the body, even the arm, leg and trunk muscles.

Laughter and Health

­We've ­long known that the ability to laugh is helpful to those coping with major illness and the stress of life's problems. But researchers are now saying laughter can do a lot more -- it can basically bring balance to all the components of the immune system, which helps us fight off diseases. (See How the Immune System Works.)
As we mentioned earlier, laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones. In doing this, laughter provides a safety valve that shuts off the flow of stress hormones and the fight-or-flight compounds that swing into action in our bodies when we experience stress, anger or hostility. These stress hormones suppress the immune system, increase the number of blood platelets (which can cause obstructions in arteries) and raise blood pressure. When we're laughing, natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses increase, as do Gamma-interferon (a disease-fighting protein), T-cells, which are a major part of the immune response, and B-cells, which make disease-destroying antibodies.
Laughter may lead to hiccuping and coughing, which clears the respiratory tract by dislodging mucous plugs. Laughter also increases the concentration of salivary immunoglobulin A, which defends against infectious organisms entering through the respiratory tract.
What may surprise you even more is the fact that researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Laughing can be a total body workout! Blood pressure is lowered, and there is an increase in vascular blood flow and in oxygenation of the blood, which further assists healing. Laughter also gives your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles a workout. That's why you often feel exhausted after a long bout of laughter -- you've just had an aerobic workout!
The psychological benefits of humor are quite amazing, according to doctors and nurses who are members of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. People often store negative emotions, such as anger, sadness and fear, rather than expressing them. Laughter provides a way for these emotions to be harmlessly released. Laughter is cathartic. That's why some people who are upset or stressed out go to a funny movie or a comedy club, so they can laugh the negative emotions away (these negative emotions, when held inside, can cause biochemical changes that can affect our bodies).
Increasingly, mental health professionals are suggesting "laughter therapy," which teaches people how to laugh -- openly -- at things that aren't usually funny and to cope in difficult situations by using humor. Following the lead of real-life funny-doc Patch Adams (portrayed by Robin Williams in a movie by the same name), doctors and psychiatrists are becoming more aware of the therapeutic benefits of laughter and humor.

Many people have chose to join a group of people in Laughter Clubs.

What is a Laughter Club?

A Laughter Club is a group of people who gather together to do Laughter Yoga exercises for approximately one hour. Depending on the venue, the Laughter Yoga session might also include laughter meditation, as well as guided imagery. It provides a rich social network of caring and sharing relationships. Although clubs are generally facilitated by a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader or Teacher, that is not mandatory. Social laughter clubs can also be started by people trained informally by certified leaders or teachers.

Laughter Clubs are non-political, non-religious, and are run under the auspices of Laughter Yoga International. The ultimate objective is to bring good health, joy and world peace through laughter. In India, clubs meet every morning in public parks. Many club members proudly say that they have not missed a single day in years, because it makes them happy, healthy and energized – it has, in fact, changed their lives as it can yours!

Check out this Laughter Yoga video from New Orleans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV7DLq1wN0A&feature=player_embedded

Locally, Gilda's Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan hosted a Laughter Club during LaughFest 2012.

Sue Ansori led classes for the event. During that time somewhere between 500-600 people, ranging in age from 12 months to 90 years, laughed with her. This was a free community event with no restrictions of any sort for any class; consequently, the diversity was amazing.  Her classes were a mix of pre-teen kids, along with groups of developmentally disabled young people, teenagers in substance abuse programs, deaf and blind elderly adults, men whose wives had dragged them in, college students, lots of yoga students and practitioners, plus a multitude of middle-aged females seeking joy. . . which they found! Even the most reticent willingly participated and ended the session heartily laughing.  Here's her link for the Laughter Yoga Michigan site:
http://www.laughteryoga-michigan.com

I am not part of a Laughter Club (yet!) but they certainly look fun AND healthy to me!

So how do you feel about your laughter I.Q.?

LAUGHTER IQ TEST
Points

____5 pts. if you ever laughed till you wet your pants.
____5 pts. if you spit out food laughing. 8 pts. if you spit it across the table.
           10 pts. if you spit it across the room.
____1 pt. if you laugh once/day. 5 pts. if you laugh 5x/day. 10 pts. if you laugh 10x/day.               
        5 pts. if you have friends who laugh. You belong to a gaggle of gigglers.
____5 pts. for being playful at least once/day. "Life can be the toy in your own happy meal."
____10 pts. if you have laughed about a serious issue at least once.
          If you haven't had a serious issue in your life, you get 15 points for your amazing luck.
____10 pts. if you laugh at work whenever possible. Laughing at those work woes will help you relax.
____ 5 pts. if you enjoy laughing about life. It's just a play, you know.
____15 pts if you avoid laughing in ridicule. "No downloading."
____10 pts. if you find the humor in your everyday life at least once/day. Of course, it may find you first.
____10 pts. if you have no rules about laughing. What a shocking loss of control!
____5 pts. if you enjoy a bit of silliness. It's cool to be silly at times.
____5 pts. if you wear a funny hat now and then. Let laughter go to your head.
       _5 pts. if you have personal toys. 8 pts. if you play with them. 10 pts. if you play with others.
____10 pts. if you laugh in public without concern others will think you're crazy.
____5 pts. if you laugh in public so others will think you're crazy.
____5 pts. if you enjoy the absurd. 10 pts. if you enjoy acting absurd.
____5 pts. if you can laugh at will. 10 pts. if you laugh right now.
____10 pts. if you laugh during sex. Sex doesn't need to be serious.
____5 pts. if you enjoy your laugh lines, both facial as well as verbal.
____5 pts. if you like shaking like a bowl full of jelly inside and out.
____5 pts. if everyone's laugh gives you pleasure. Feelin' good!!!

Now total up your points.

136-165 pts. You are a laughing genius.

75-135 pts. You are an honors laugher.

40-75 pts. You are an average laugher.

0-39 pts. You are in danger of contracting laughter lockjaw. Rx- A spoonful of laughter at least 3x daily until the pain goes away. Note: You will need to be on this medicine for the rest of an interesting life. Abruptly stopping the medication will lead to severe withdrawal and your entire body will rigidify.

©1999, Enda Junkins, 3200 N. MacArthur Blvd., Ste. 106, Irving, Tx 75062 (972) 255-5233 (LAFF)

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. ~Victor Borge

Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end. ~Max Eastman
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. ~Victor Hugo

Have you laughed out loud today?


 


Resources:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/laughter1.htm
http://www.laughteryoga-michigan.com
http://www.laughtertherapy.com
http://www.quotegarden.com/laughter.html

Do Synthetic Vitamins Really Build Health?

Sometimes a picture can really tell the truth!

Ten Key Steps About The Shaklee Difference

There is so much information today about vitamins, supplements and drugs found in so many places that I want to take a minute to tell you why I believe that Shaklee supplements are the best in the marketplace today. Please check out the Ten Key Steps from Dr Jamie McManus below that was recently shared with Shaklee Distributors.  I believe these are critical when looking at supplementing your diet and making your home healthier for you and your loved ones.
~Cheryl.


Ten Key Steps that are taken to ensure that Shaklee supplements are the best in the marketplace:
1. Shaklee conducts over 100,000 tests annually to ensure the safety and efficacy of our products.
2. Each and every lot of Shaklee Products is 100% tested to ensure and guarantee that each and every ingredient that is part of our label claims is present in the appropriate amounts.
3. All ingredients in Shaklee products are qualified under the incredibly stringent Shaklee protocol, unique in the industry, which tests for up to 350 chemical contaminants, including pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, solvent residues, etc.
4. Our Shaklee Scientists create formulations so that the key active ingredients are included at clinically efficacious levels, often significantly higher than many companies in the market.
5. Each product is formulated with nutritional ingredients that have been extensively studied to confirm safety and efficacy. Our products do not follow "fads," but incorporate scientific and/or epidemiologic evidence of need and benefit.
6. Shaklee employs advanced delivery systems to enhance bioavailability - and these systems are tested to confirm their nutrient delivery advantages.
7. All ingredients must be acceptable from the standpoint of the Shaklee philosophy, as well as detailed scrutiny as to their safety. We do not simply accept the Certificate of Analysis that many other companies accept, but rather retest for contaminants to confirm the Certificate of Analysis is accurate.
8. Shaklee has an unwavering commitment to avoid the use of artificial flavors, sweeteners, and added preservatives. We use only non-genetically modified soy protein.
9. Shaklee developed many of the standards and protocols for manufacturing that are now referred to as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
10. Ongoing proof of our product performance is demonstrated by:

• Over 100 scientific publications, 90-plus in peer-reviewed journals
• The Landmark Study, the only study of its kind, which showed that people who took Shaklee supplements over a period of 20 years had markedly better health than both single-multivitamin and nonsupplement users
• Shaklee products powering athletes to win 125 medals
• Shaklee products fueling world explorers, 7 of Time-Life's "Greatest Adventures of All Time," and NASA Shuttle astronauts with a special rehydration product (called Astro-Ade)

Add to this list our accomplishments and awards in the area of environmental leadership and responsibility, and you will see why I am truly proud to be part of this company, where integrity, quality and social responsibility are our standards, and where making people and the planet healthier is our mission.
Shaklee is all about helping people take control of their future health by virtue of their choices today. My 16 years as a practicing family physician led me to believe even more strongly that prevention is where the future of medicine must go. Research confirms that nutrition, weight control, and wise supplementation can powerfully impact your vitality today and your health in the future, and I believe that we can redefine wellness in the coming years. Thank you for all that you are doing to share Shaklee products and the Shaklee Difference with so many. Together we are making a BIG difference in the health of the world!

Be well!

Dr. Jamie McManus, MD, FAAFP
Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences and Education for Shaklee Corporation

*************************************

 

CHANGING BRANDS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE! 
Check the flyer out at:

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/shaklee/changingbrands/index.php#/0

Great Infographic on How Long Does Food Last?

[Source: Daily Savings from All You]

St Patty's Day

St Patrick's Day is coming very soon! This Dutch gal (me!) hasn't really paid a lot of attention to "St Patty's Day" in the past since it is mostly an "Irish thing"--other than wearing green to help celebrate the occasion. In researching this post, I found some interesting history and recipes.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, the saint's religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast--on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

St Patrick's Day Symbols and Traditions

The Shamrock

The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.

Another resource says the reason that the Shamrock is the National Flower of Ireland is... that St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans.

Irish Music

Music is often associated with St. Patrick's Day—and Irish culture in general. From ancient days of the Celts, music has always been an important part of Irish life. The Celts had an oral culture, where religion, legend and history were passed from one generation to the next by way of stories and songs. After being conquered by the English, and forbidden to speak their own language, the Irish, like other oppressed peoples, turned to music to help them remember important events and hold on to their heritage and history. As it often stirred emotion and helped to galvanize people, music was outlawed by the English. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth I even decreed that all artists and pipers were to be arrested and hanged on the spot.
Today, traditional Irish bands like The Chieftains, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem are gaining worldwide popularity. Their music is produced with instruments that have been used for centuries, including the fiddle, the uilleann pipes (a sort of elaborate bagpipe), the tin whistle (a sort of flute that is actually made of nickel-silver, brass or aluminum) and the bodhran (an ancient type of framedrum that was traditionally used in warfare rather than music).

The Snake

It has long been recounted that, during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick), and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland.
In fact, the island nation was never home to any snakes. The "banishing of the snakes" was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity. Within 200 years of Patrick's arrival, Ireland was completely Christianized.

Corned Beef

Each year, thousands of Irish Americans gather with their loved ones on St. Patrick's Day to share a "traditional" meal of corned beef and cabbage.
Though cabbage has long been an Irish food, corned beef only began to be associated with St. Patrick's Day at the turn of the century.
Irish immigrants living on New York City's Lower East Side substituted corned beef for their traditional dish of Irish bacon to save money. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbors.

The Leprechaun

The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow."
Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure.
Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, but has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general.


How are you going to celebrate this St. Patty’s Day?

Click here for St Patrick's Day CRAFT PROJECTS for your kids

Start your day with GOOD HEALTH...

Cinch Shamrock Shake!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (handful) of green chard(yes, that’s right we said chard!)
• 1/4 cup frozen or ½ C fresh strawberries
• ½ (Half )medium banana
• 12 oz cold water*
• 2 scoops Shaklee Vanilla Cinch Shake Mix

Directions
...Blend all ingredients until creamy.
...Garnish with a fresh strawberry and drink up!

Nutrition Information

• Makes 1 serving
• Calories: 263
• Carbohydrate: 43.5 g
• Protein: 18 g
• Fat: 3 g

Recipe Courtesy of Shaklee Director Rose Baca from Santa Fe, New Mexico


I'd love to see more recipes! Please share in the comments section.

Okay... one "St Patty's Day" joke here for ya! ... 
Q: How can you tell if an Irishman is having a good time?
A: He's Dublin over with laughter!
NOW GO HAVE A FUN DAY!!

RESOURCES:
http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.html
http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day-symbols-and-traditions
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/

Great Stretches for Computer Users Necks, Shoulders and Backs

For those who spend a lot of time sitting at their computers.
Sitting at a computer for long periods often causes neck and
shoulder stiffness and occasionally lower back pain. Do these
stretches every hour or so throughout the day, or whenever you
feel stiff. Photocopy this and keep it in a drawer. Also, be sure
to get up and walk around the office whenever you think of it.
You’ll feel better!

If you are unable to view the image properly, download it
(right click and choose SaveAs) and have a look.

 

 

[Original post found on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/someamazingfacts in photos]

 

 

What is your favorite stretching technique?

Heart Health!

Thank you to Dr Steve Chaney for today's timely healthy post!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since today is Valentine's Day, it is only appropriate
that that I should focus on the heart.

I came across a very interesting study recently that
shows that when young women consumed a fish-rich diet
high in omega-3 fatty acids they were significantly
less likely to develop cardiovascular problems over the
next several years (M Strom et al, Hypertension, 59:
36-43, 2012).

The investigators analyzed the data from 49,000
pregnant Danish women between 15 and 49.

The women were asked about their dietary behaviors at
the time that they were enrolled into the Danish
National Health System database and at several
intervals over the next year.

The study then looked at hospital admissions for heart
related problems over the next 8 years and compared
that to the dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

The results were striking!

When the investigators looked at the dietary intake of
omega-3-rich fish at the time of enrollment they found
that the group with the lowest omega-3 fatty acid
intake was almost twice as likely to develop
cardiovascular disease.

Of course, a single diet recall could be influenced by
many temporary factors, so the investigators
strengthened their analysis by obtaining dietary intake
data three different times over a 30-week period.

And when they compared those women who had consistently
low omega-3 intake with those who had consistently high
omega-3 intake the increase in cardiovascular risk was
almost three-fold!

So what is the bottom line for you?

1) This study is consistent with many other studies
showing that omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart.

What makes this study unique is that it shows that the
heart health benefits of omega-3s occur even in young
women. Most of the previous studies have been done with
men and women who were over 50.

2) This study was done with young women, but there is
no reason not to expect the same benefit of omega-3s in
young men.

3) This study was only done with fish because very few
Danes take fish oil supplements, but other studies have
shown that fish and fish oil supplements have similar
heart health benefits.

So celebrate this Valentine's Day with a nice fish
dinner. Your heart will thank you!


To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

A 2012 Goal -- Improving Memory

One of my 2012 goals is to work on my memory. I am aging as a babyboomer and always looking for ways to age in a healthy way. My husband and I are going to Alaska this summer. This brings me to today's post. I have had trouble remembering the types of salmon that my husband likes to fish for because of all the nicknames. So I use this method and have found it to be helpful!  Enjoy!

Do you know there are five types of Pacific Northwest salmon species?: Chum, Sockeye, Coho, Chinook, and Pink Salmon. An easy mnemonic device, the five finger method, can help a person remember them all. 

How to Remember the Types of Pacific Northwest Salmon Species Using the 5 Finger Method

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 5 Fingers!

1. Use the rhyming word thumb to remind you of the Chum salmon. Chums are the second most common salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Male Chum salmon are notable for their protruding front teeth.
2. Point your index finger and gesture forward, as though you're about to "sock" someone in the eye. This is how you remember the Sockeye. Sockeyes have elongated, parabola-shaped mouths and more gill rakers than any other Pacific Northwest salmon. It feeds almost exclusively on plankton that it rakes from the river and ocean bottom.
3. Your middle finger, or the "oh no" finger, will help you remember the Coho salmon. Because of the bright silver scales Coho develop in maturity, they are also sometimes referred to as Silver salmon.
4. Form your index finger into a hook to remember the Chinook salmon. The index finger is also your ring finger, which can help you remember the common nickname of the Chinook: King salmon.
5. The pinky finger can help you remember the Pink salmon, the most common salmon of the Pacific Northwest. Males are recognizable by the characteristic humps they develop on their backs, which is responsible for the nicknames "humpback salmon" or "humpies."

Do you use a variety of methods to help your memory?
Please share a couple in the comments below.

Rooney-isms

If you will take the time to read these, I promise you'll come away with an enlightened perspective. The subjects covered affect us all on a daily basis:

They're written by Andy Rooney, a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words. Enjoy.......

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.

I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned.... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I 've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned..... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned..... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.


I'd love to hear what you have learned in your life. Please leave me a comment below.

Killer Vitamins? - Part 1 & 2

***************************************


I subscribe to online health tips from Dr Chaney.
I want to share his most recent post with you as
I believe we need to be as informed as possible
when making decisions regarding our health.
Healthy Blessings,
Cheryl.
***************************************

KILLER VITAMINS -- Part 1

A lot of you have been asking me about recent headlines
claiming that use of multivitamins and selected
vitamins or minerals may increase the risk of mortality
- and that supplemental calcium use may decrease
the risk of mortality.

Some of the headlines have gone as far to say that
vitamins can kill you.

What is the truth? Should you throw those vitamins
and minerals away, or are they safe for you to use?

The answer is -
some are and some aren't.

First let me start with a brief description of
the study and the results (Mursu et al, Archives of
Internal Medicine, 171: 1625-1633, 2011).

The data for this report were obtained from the
Iowa Women's Health Study. 38,722 older women (average age
61.6, range of ages = 55 to 69) were enrolled in the
study and followed for 19 years.

The women enrolled in the study filled out
extensive questionnaires in 1986, 1997 and 2004 that provided
information on their diet, lifestyle, health and
supplement intake.

The supplements evaluated on the questionnaire were
multivitamins and individual B complex, A, beta-
carotene, B6, folic acid, C, D, E, calcium,
copper, magnesium, selenium and zinc supplements. Supplements
like omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics and polyphenols
were not included in this study because their health
benefits were not recognized in 1986.

During the 19 years covered by the study, 15,594 of the
women (40.2%) died.

When the data were adjusted for age and calorie intake
use of B complex, C, D, E and calcium supplements were
associated with a slightly lower risk of death and
supplemental copper intake was associated with a
significantly higher risk of death than non-supplement
use.

When the data were further adjusted for medical
conditions and lifestyle differences between the
two groups at the time of entry into the study supplemental
calcium intake was associated with a decreased risk of
death, use of multivitamins and supplemental B6 or iron
were associated with a slight increased risk of
death and use of copper supplements was associated with a
significantly increased risk of death.

And when the data were even further adjusted
for dietary differences between the two groups,
supplemental calcium intake was still associated with a
decreased risk of death, use of multivitamins and
supplemtal B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc or iron
were associated with a slight increased risk of death and
use of copper supplements was associated with a
significantly increased risk of death.

In analyzing any study like this the best place to
start is to analyze its strengths and weaknesses.

Its strengths are obvious. It is a very large study and
it followed people for a long time (19 years).

However, its weaknesses are many:

1) As the authors have admitted, it is an observational
study and does not prove cause and effect.

In non-scientific language, this means that this study
does not prove that vitamin use increases the risk of
death, only that it is associated with increased risk
of death under the particular conditions of
the study. Thus, it is important to carefully examine the
conditions of the study to see if there are confounding
factors that might have contributed to the results.

2) The data initially showed an increased risk of
death only associated with copper intake. It had to be
extensively massaged before any other adverse
associations became apparent.

3) The authors also observed that several of their
conclusions were not supported by previous studies.

Again, when you see this kind of discordance
between one study and several previous studies, further studies
should be performed to confirm or refute the results of
the study before recommendations are made to the
general public.

And when this kind of discordance arises, it is also
important to examine possible confounding
variables to see if there are some unique variables that may
have contributed to the results of the study.

In my opinion, there are at least two confounding
variables that merit further evaluation.

3a) While the vitamin users had slightly better diet
and lifestyle than the non-supplement users, those
differences were fairly small.

However, the use of estrogen hormone replacement
therapy was almost twice as prevalent in the supplement users
than the non-users. That is a concern because use of
hormone replacement therapy is known to be associated
with a significantly increased risk of death in this
population group.
Although an attempt was made to adjust for estrogen
use, Ithink that further studies are needed to see if
hormone replacement therapy has skewed the results of
this study.

3b) The percentage of women using supplements almost
doubled during the course of the study and the
"supplement group" included both the women using
supplements at the beginning of the study and the women
who started supplement use during the study.

As the authors noted this raises the possibility that
the supplemented group may have included a significant
number of women who started using supplements because
of medical conditions that arose during the study.

Ideally, the supplement using group and the non-
supplement using group should both be disease free at
the time supplement use was initiated if you are going
to have a valid comparison.

4) The sample size was extremely small (108-530) for
some of the groups where adverse effects were reported
- especially copper, vitamin B6 and folic acid.

5) The study only reported supplement use versus non-
use. It did not report the dosage of the individual
supplements used by the women in the study. This is
critical information, because both iron and copper
are known to be toxic - and magnesium and zinc have the
potential to be toxic - when used as stand-alone
supplements at high doses.

6) This brings me to my most important critique. This
study evaluated individual, probably high dose
supplements. This is a concern because individual
high dose supplements can cause harm by interfering with the
absorption of similar nutrients from food or multivitamins.

As an example, this study reported that use of
individual B6 or folic acid supplements were
associatedwith a higher risk of mortality, but a B complex
supplement containing B6 and folic acid (along with the
other B vitamins) had no effect on mortality.

Next week (see Killer Vitamins --Part 2 below) in part two of this series I will discuss
my "bottom line" recommendations for you based on an in-
depth analysis of this study's results and other pertinent literature.

##########################################################

KILLER VITAMINS -- Part 2

Last week I discussed the strengths and weaknesses of
the Iowa Women's Health Study (Mursu et al, Archives of
Internal Medicine, 171: 1625-1633, 2011) which has been
interpreted as suggesting that multivitamins and
certain individual vitamin or mineral supplements could
actually increase the risk of mortality in older women.

This week I'd like to focus on the bottom line for you,
and give you my personal recommendations.

1) As I mentioned last week the sample size for women
taking a copper-only supplement was exceedingly small
(108), so I do not have much confidence in the data
reported for copper supplement users in this study.

However, high doses of copper can be toxic and there is
no reason to be taking a stand-alone copper supplement
unless it is recommended by your physician.

On the other hand, copper is an essential nutrient, so
some copper should be included in your multivitamins. I
recommend looking for multivitamins providing around 1
mg of copper (50% of the DV) on a daily basis.

2) The potential toxicity of iron in adult men and
post-menopausal women is well documented. About 5-10%
of these population groups have an increased need for
iron that can be easily diagnosed by their physicians.
There is another 10-15% that have a genetic condition
that can lead to iron overload and premature death.
This condition is insidious and is often not diagnosed
until considerable damage has been done. For the rest
of the people in these population groups iron offers
neither a risk nor a benefit.

This is why the standard recommendation for adult men
and post-menopausal women is to avoid iron supplements
and iron-containing multivitamins unless supplemental
iron is specifically recommended by their physicians.

To be quite clear, if you are an adult man or post-
menopausal woman there is no reason to be taking an
iron-containing supplement unless it has been
recommended by your physician.

3) The potential toxicity of vitamin B6 and folic acid
as stand-alone supplements in this study was quite
small and was not seen in several previous studies.
However, as I pointed out last week there was no risk
involved in taking a B complex supplement containing
B6 and folic acid.

This reinforces a continuing theme of mine - namely
that we should be focusing on a holistic, balanced
approach to supplementation rather than relying on
supplements providing individual, high potency
nutrients.

4) Similarly, the potential toxicity of magnesium and
zinc was also quite small, was seen only after
considerable adjustment of the primary data, and has
not been seen in several previous studies.

My recommendation would be to get both of these
nutrients from a well-designed multivitamin supplement
where all of the essential minerals are provided in the
appropriate amounts and balance. If you do use
magnesium and zinc as stand-alone supplements my
recommendation would be to avoid very high doses of
either unless directed by your physician.

5) The very slight increase in mortality associated
with multivitamin use is not completely surprising
because some previous studies have suggested this
posiblity.

As last week one needs to know why the participants
were taking a multivitamin (ie, was it because they had
a medical condition) to appropriately evaluate these
data.

However, it is also important to ask how well designed
and tested the multivitamin was. There are some
multivitamins in the marketplace that are so poorly
designed and/or manufactured that they could possibly
cause more harm than good. Here are the questions
that you should ask about the supplement that you are
using:

- Does it represent a holistic approach to
supplementation?

I have already talked about the value of having all of
the B vitamins in balance rather than high dose B6 or
folic acid alone. However, both pure alpha tocopherol
alone (even all natural d-alpha tocopherol) or pure
beta- carotene alone have the potential to cause some
harm by interfering with the absorption of similar
nutrients.

You should look for a supplement that provides all of
the naturally occurring tocopherols and tocotrienols -
especially gamma-, beta- and delta tocopherol rather
than pure d-alpha-tocopherol alone.

You should also look for a supplement that provides all
of the major carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-
carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) rather than
beta-carotene alone.

And finally, a truly holistic supplement will contain
omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols and probiotics.

- Does the manufacturer do quality controls that
guarantee the supplement does not contain contaminants
that can harm you? Ask them how many quality controls
they perform with the product that you are using.

- Can the supplement manufacturer provide you with
clinical studies done with their product showing that
it delivers the nutrients to your bloodstream and has
the intended effect in your body? Animal and cell
culture studies don't count.

- Are there clinical studies showing that long term use
of the supplement actually decreases disease risk? The
study should be at least as long as the Iowa Women's
Health Study (19 years).

6) Finally, we should not ignore the "good news" part
of the study - namely that calcium supplementation
decreased mortality risk. Of course, this conclusion is
subject to the same limitations as the previous ones
and not every previous study has come to the same
conclusion.

The DV for calcium for women in this age range is 1,200
mg/day and some 40-60% of older women do not achieve
this from diet alone. I recommend that everyone strive
for the DV for calcium from diet plus supplementation.
Intakes slightly above 1,200 mg/day are probably safe
for older women, but I don't recommend going above
2,000 mg/day.

I've covered a lot of ground over the past two weeks.
Let me close with a quick summary.

- The Iowa Women's Health Study has a number of
significant design flaws and its conclusions should be
confirmed by subsequent studies before recommendations
are made to the public.

- The study's warning against taking iron-containing
supplements and copper-alone supplements is, however,
right on. In postmenopausal women these supplements
should only be taken if prescribed by a doctor.

- Individual high dose B6 or folic acid supplements are
also probably not a good idea unless prescribed by a
physician, but a well designed B complex or
multivitamin supplement containing those nutrients
appears to be safe.

- The risk associated with individual high dose
magnesium and zinc is weak and needs to be confirmed by
additional studies. Holistic supplements containing
magnesium and zinc should not be a problem.

- The risk associated with multivitamin use was also
weak and needs to be confirmed. My take on this is that
many of the multivitamins on the market are poorly
designed and could conceivable cause more harm than
good. I recommend looking for holistic supplements
backed by strong clinical studies showing that they are
safe and effective for long term use.

- This study suggests that supplemental calcium may
decrease the risk of death. While this needs to be
confirmed by subsequent studies, it does make sense to
make sure that you are getting the DV for calcium on a
daily basis.






To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney
Shaklee Master Coordinator

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

****ABOUT DR CHANEY:
Dr. Stephen Chaney, Phd

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University
and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He currently holds
the rank of Professor at a major university.

Dr. Chaney has taught biochemistry to medical and dental
students for more than 30 years and has won several awards
for teaching excellence.

He runs an active cancer research program and has published
over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific
journals. He has also written two chapters on nutrition for a
popular medical biochemistry textbook.

Dr. Chaney and his wife have also built a business part time that
has earned them a 6 -figure income for the past 15 years and he
has spent the last 10 years teaching other people how to do the same.

[If you want more information about Shaklee supplements,
please check out my website at www.babyboomerhealth.myshaklee.com]