Month: January 2010

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Shaklee Distributor in Dallas looks at GERD.

Shaklee Distributor in Dallas looks at GERD.

The old saying is “you are what you eat,” but in reality, “you are what you absorb” is a better description.  Hydrochloric acid is essential in the stomach to help break down proteins into amino acids and is required for the absorption of b-12 vitamins, calcium, magnesium and iron.  Improper absorption can lead to bone loss, heart problems, anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness and neurological problems.   It is easy to see that good digestion is a critical component to good health.

The all-too-common practice of eating on the run and choosing high fat and high sugar foods can lead to uncomfortable digestion problems and even cause GERD, or gastric-esophageal reflux disorder.   This can cause that burning sensation in the chest that tends to extend into the neck and even the face.  It is worsened when bending over or lying down because the stomach acid is not held in the stomach by the lower esophageal sphincter.

Triggers can be eating large meals, often too close to bed time.  Eating too quickly can cause problems as well as can eating when stressed.  Tight fitting clothing, being overweight or pregnant can place pressure on the stomach causing the reflux response.   Foods made from white flour and white sugar and alcohol produce excess acid in the stomach and initiate problems.

Many individuals get good results from simply omitting white flours and sugars, including carbonated drinks, juices and coffee.  Replacing these foods with raw or lightly steamed vegetables and fruits can bring relief.  There should be no eating within three hours of bedtime.  Using some stress relief techniques can be helpful.  It the case is an extreme one, a couple of blocks placed under the head of the bed to raise it a couple of inches can be helpful.

The “little purple pill” and other chalky tablets are not the answer.  The food we are eating in North America is damaging the little door to the stomach that will not stay shut when needed.

There are some products from the Shaklee Corporation that are helpful and worth a try.   Stomach Soothing Complex is an herbal preparation to soothe the digestive tract as well as the stomach.  There are no harmful side effects and the results are almost instant.   EZ Gest contains 5 digestive enzymes we need that have been depleted.   These are great taken with a meal that tends to cause digestive distress.  Stress Relief Complex is helpful because it helps to blunt production of cortisol, which is very irritating.

Dallas Health Helpers, Shaklee Distributor in Dallas is about being healthy without drugs or synthetics. Call 214.871.9596 or email us to learn more about vitality and health.

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Shaklee Distributor in Dallas looks at a muscle retention study.

Shaklee Distributor in Dallas looks at a muscle retention study.

With two-thirds of the United States population being overweight, it is no wonder that so many Americans are on a diet at any given time. It is a major concern for individuals as well as the national healthcare system.  Individually there are many conditions of poor and failing health that are directly related to being overweight and more so to being categorized as obese.  Nationally, the costs of caring for those who have fallen victim to the ravages of conditions that stem from carrying around too many pounds are skyrocketing.  The sad part of this is that the majority of these “conditions” are preventable.

We all know that.  That is why so many of us are trying to do the right thing and drop the weight.  The problem is most of the attempts to loose weight are met with failure.  Why?  Why do most diets fail and those who attempted them wind up with more weight than when they started?

Many of these failed attempts are due to a program that was incomplete and not scientifically sound.  How many people simply try to reduce their calorie intake?  Generally, these cuts in food intake are very drastic in the hopes of quick loss.  It is common that the food intake on these lo-cal programs is not meeting the nutritional requirements of the individual.

There are certain foods and nutrients that can be helpful in loosing weight and ensuring the proper kind of weight loss.  When weight loss diets are not properly balanced with nutrition, the weight that is lost comes from muscle, not fat.  The problem with this is that with the loss of muscle comes the loss of metabolism.  A higher metabolism means more calories are burned.  Muscle tissue requires more calories to exist than fat and thus drives metabolism to a higher rate.

So what is the key to loosing weight and keeping your muscle?  How do you make sure that the weight you loose is fat and not that precious muscle?

The Shaklee Corporation ran a study at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts. The 23 week study involved 68 adults with an average age of 59 who worked out three times a week.  The workouts involved light to moderate weight lifting and cardiovascular exercise.  Half of the participants were given a protein drink enhanced with luciene after the workout.  Luciene is an amino acid that has been used by athletes to maintain muscle mass during periods of heavy training.  The half of the participants who worked out and drank the protein with luciene lost 50% more weight and gained 25% more muscle than the participants who simply worked out.   They clearly had better toned bodies and better, faster metabolism.  This study indicates that a luciene-enhanced protein drink can help one maintain muscle mass and even build more muscle tissue.

This drink deserves a try when weight loss is needed.

Dallas Health Helpers, Shaklee Distributor in Dallas is about being healthy without drugs or synthetics. Call 214.871.9596 or email us to learn more about vitality and health.

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Shaklee Distributor in Dallas looks at the notion of healthy AND overweight.

Shaklee Distributor in Dallas looks at the notion of healthy AND overweight.

The notion that one can be overweight and free of dangers of future cardiac problems has many proponents and many antagonists.  Current research tends to point to the side of those who do not feel this is a safe assumption.

Previous thinking was that if one were overweight yet had “healthy” numbers for biomarkers for blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, there was no reason they should necessarily have to loose weight.

One study published in the journal Circulation by Swedish researchers examined 1700 middle-aged men.  These subjects were measured at the age of 50 and were followed for 30 years.  Some were normal weight, some were overweight and some were obese.  Each group had individuals who had normal metabolic profiles and those who had metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome means three or more of these conditions are present:  impaired ability to handle blood sugar, high blood pressure, elevated blood fats, low HDL and a large waist circumference.

At no surprise, those who were overweight and had metabolic syndrome were quite unhealthy.  But, the study found that being overweight with no evidence of metabolic syndrome indicated a significantly higher risk for heart disease than if, with the same metabolic readings, one was at normal weight.

Similar findings came from studies of women and, get this, bulky professional football players.

Fat cells can release inflammatory molecules which increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.  They may also interfere with muscle functions.

The message is clear: being overweight, even if you have sterling blood-cholesterol levels or a firm commitment to exercise, does increase your risk of heart disease.

You should probably try to loose those extra pounds and get your body mass index to 25 or below.

A scientifically-based program to loose weight has been developed by the Shaklee Corporation.  With years of sports nutrition experience, Shaklee has brought this technology into the weight loss arena with clinically proven (people tested) results.

Dallas Health Helpers, Shaklee Distributor in Dallas is about being healthy without drugs or synthetics. Call 214.871.9596 or email us to learn more about vitality and health.

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Shaklee Distributor in Dallas shares the dangers of stress.

Shaklee Distributor in Dallas shares the dangers of stress.

Most every one of us has stated at one time or another that we are stressed.It can even become a mantra that we say just out of habit. We live our daily lives and things do not always go our way.Too many things come our way at once.We just don’t cope with our everyday lives very well.Emotional events and situations begin to get the best of us and our bodies react.

There are times of good stress, like an upcoming wedding and there is happy stress.There is also the beneficial stress of physical activity.But in general, we Americans harbor the detrimental stresses of life without taking steps to alleviate it, allowing the ill effects to cause dysfunctions in our bodies.

Did you know that stress can make you fat?It is true.During periods of stress, the body produces a hormone called cortisol.Cortisol helps to regulation metabolic processes, it has anti-inflammatory properties and it can also be suppressive to the immune system.

When there is an overproduction of cortisol, the metabolism is affected in a negative way, causing the body to store more fat cells, particularly in the midsection of the body.How many highly stressed executives have you noticed have a large, protruding belly?

The other thing about stressed people is that they often have poor eating habits.Long days with hurried activities and looming deadlines don’t predispose one to taking time for a nice, relaxing, rejuvenating lunch. Breakfast is often eaten on the run in a dash to get the day started.Then there are dinners with clients and business associates.These are generally not the light, nutritious meals that will allow one to sleep well.

It is important to manage stress in order to keep the body working at its best as long as possible.Some things to help curtail the effects of stress are to get more exercise, like taking the stairs or going for a short walk.Get a massage from a professional massage therapist.Eat more sensibly and make sure you get protein in the morning.If you feel that you need something to help calm you down a bit, try Shaklee’s all natural Stress Relief Complex.

Dallas Health Helpers, Shaklee Distributor in Dallasis about being healthy without drugs or synthetics. Call 214.871.9596 or email us to learn more about vitality and health.

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Shaklee Distributor in Dallas discusses a healthy digestive tract.

Shaklee Distributor in Dallas discusses a healthy digestive tract.

Our digestive tract is the gateway by which nutrients pass into our body. When this “gateway” is not efficient or disrupted in any way, our health suffers. Nutrients are vital to our health and wellness. Life depends on the intake, processing and utilization of vitamins and minerals. Each process is very important and no one of them should be overlooked.

Intake is important because if the nutrients aren’t there in the first place, how can the other two functions take place? Sadly most of us are on a S.A.D. program. That is the Standard American Diet. It is sad because it is highly lacking in nutrition. We Americans generally make poor food choices by utilizing fast, easy to obtain selections. These highly processed, pre-fab foods have had most of their nutritional value processed out of them. Even persons who make good choices will find themselves lacking in nutrients due to the deteriorating growing conditions and soil health.

Processing of vitamins and minerals is of importance because most nutrients are introduced to the body in a form that needs to be altered so the utilization can take place. This is a very complex aspect of health because there are many different processing activities for many different raw materials that are presented to the body for utilization. Some nutrients are best processed in the stomach, some are only absorbed in the upper intestine, and some are of value only in the lower intestine.

Proper utilization of your food is almost a “which comes first, the chicken or the egg” question. Keeping the absorption and proper functioning of all the internal organs is of utmost importance. If they are all healthy, they will be better able to do their job. As each organ does its individual function with a healthy supply of raw materials, it will continue to build and maintain its vitality. If the healthy supply of raw materials is interrupted for extended periods of time, the organs will begin to deteriorate and their functionality will be compromised, leading to disease.

The best place to start building a healthy digestive tract is to start with good, clean food, supported with nutritional supplements. There are also corrective measures that can be taken with the proper, safe herbal products from The Shaklee Corporation.

Dallas Health Helpers, Shaklee Distributor in Dallas is about being healthy without drugs or synthetics. Call 214.871.9596 or email us to learn more about vitality and health.