If we did not resolve in January to change any bad habits then, get started now! Everyday is a new opportunity. A word of caution, when setting out to change old habits, start slow, don’t make too many changes all at once. Listen to your body. Also, feed your system what it needs. Don’t forget your supplements. Make them the best that you can get, you’r worth it. Check out www.shaklee.net/greenhome for more information on nutrition.

As we age, we approach travel with perhaps more trepidation than when we were younger. Can we handle the luggage. Can we handle the traffic. Can we walk the distances that are required. What if I need a doctor. These are some of the challenges that older people have to deal with when they travel. So many of my friends have waited too long to do the traveling that they would like to and now no longer want to risk being away from home and their doctors. Other friends are opting for cruises because they like being taken care of and not having to unpack but once or worry about where to eat or what on shore sites to see and how to get to them. For me, there is still the adventure of planning my own trip. The adventure of trying new foods. I don’t want to be herded, I want to take whatever time I need to see or go where I want to go. To do this, I must remain healthy. This is why my Shaklee supplementation is so important to me.

Now that I’m back home, a side benefit is having something new to talk about with friends. Not to boar them but, to perhaps plant a seed about a site or place that they might like to see. As for me, I am ready now to step back into my ordinary day with memories to sustain me until the need arises again. So to all of you I say, Bon Voyage!

The key lies in an old cliche - “all things in moderation”. One can of soda pop a day, whether it’s diet or regular, won’t kill you, but if you’re in the habit of downing several every day, or stopping at the local gas mart for that 64-oz. gynormous Big Gulp of soda, then you need to be aware of what you’re really doing to yourself. (more…)

Today I was at the grocery store and was struck by how many of the “store brand” options now have that word - organic - in big bold letters right on the packaging.  However, a quick glance at the label was enough for me to leave it on the shelf.  For example, I was buying cereal, and I generally buy Special K High Protein (as a vegetarian I am always looking to make sure I get enough protein), which has only 2 grams of sugar per serving.  Nearby on the shelf was a box of (store brand) “Organic” cereal (similar - lightly sweetened crunchy flake stuff), but it had over 18 grams of sugar per serving, and more fat.

This is just one example - I’m sure you’d find hundreds more if you spend time comparing labels, but the point is this:  know when it’s good to buy organic (with fresh produce, juices, breads, and dairy products), and when it’s just a waste of money (snacks, cereals, dry goods, canned goods, etc).   Don’t be fooled by the hype - read the labels and make smart decisions based on the nutritional content.  Look for foods that are high in protein, fiber, and vitamins/minerals, and low in sugar (including artificial sweeteners) and fats.

Don’t be taken in by a word on a box!

One of my favorite after dinner desserts (but only if I’ve been “good” that day with my diet) is a yogurt-based parfait made with fresh berries and Shaklee’s Chocolate Flavor Cinch Shake mix. The Cinch Shake mix adds both extra protein and extra fiber, which makes the dish both filling and satisfying.

Cinch Chocolate Berry Parfait: (serves 2)

1 single serve packet of Shaklee Cinch Shake mix, chocolate flavor
8 oz. Plain non-fat yogurt **
8 oz. fresh blueberries and raspberries, rinsed and mixed
1 small banana, sliced

1. First mix together the yogurt and Shaklee Cinch shake mix thoroughly, then let sit in the freezer for a short while to “firm up” - how firm you like your parfait is a personal preference, but I let mine sit for 20 minutes or so.
2. Next, rinse and mix the blueberries and raspberries - you can slightly crush them if you like a juicy mixture, but since raspberries are naturally pretty sweet I don’t add any sugar or sweetener.
3. Serve the sliced banana and berries over top of the chocolate-yogurt mixture and enjoy!

** I prefer the plain, non-fat yogurt to keep this dessert as healthy as possible, but you can use any brand of vanilla low fat/low sugar yogurt as well.

Beans of which there are numerous sorts, help to regulate our blood sugar. Beans also have about the same amount of protein as meats and some, such as soy when reduce to flour have more. Beans have great fiber and can be served so many ways. You can use beans in soups, salads, with rice or pastas, you can mash them for sandwich fillers. If you have time to cook your beans from scratch you can choose from two methods. You can soak them overnight and the next day add sufficient water to cook usually for 1 to 2 hrs. Or, you can simmer them for 2 minutes and set aside for an hour to soak, returning them to cook for 1 to 2 hours. Either way, always rinse well first and never boil or add salt because this causes the bean to become tough. You can season after cooking or with vegetables while cooking. My favorite way for cooking almost any bean is to add onion, celery and bay leaf. Black beans are good if when finished cooking you add jalapeno peppers and a bit of cumin. Beans take well to olive oil when added before serving.

We have wonderful pasta’s to choose from to obtain our carbohydrates. Remember that pasta like beans; 1/2 cup constitutes a portion. With greens you can go crazy, having a cup or more. Go for the dark greens; spinach, chard, mustard greens, collard greens because these are the ones that are rich in folic acid, a B Vitamin that is often linked to mood disorders. If you’re not into fish, remember to add the omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.

Eat and be happy!

Yesterday I was reading this very interesting article posted at WebMD and realized that I was one of those guilty of the very same thing. On occasion when I’m out running errands and hungry, I’ll stop at a Subway to get what I consider to be a healthier alternative to the usual burgers-and-fries fast food fare, and then proud of myself for my choice (and with the thought that I’ve consumed fewer calories), I’ll indulge in a cookie or other treat. Yikes!

Another choice made often mindlessly? Alcohol. While studies show that a glass or two of red wine has several health benefits, it also has on average over 120 calories per glass. And many people don’t realize that while some of the alcohol you consume is converted the fat, the rest is converted to acetate, which your body uses as fuel in place of fat. Which means that the more alcohol you consume, the less efficiently your body can burn the fat you consume, which leads to weight gain (unless you are highly active every day).

I’m not advocating giving up alcohol, or forever swearing off all fast food (even the healthier alternatives), but I do think that if you’re trying to lose weight (or just maintain a healthy weight) it would be wise to be aware of how many calories you are eating from all your daily sources. Keep a food log and write down everything you eat or drink, then look up the calorie and nutrition content online to help you find ways you can modify your diet to stay within your recommended daily calorie intake.

Turn “mindless eating” into “mindful eating” and you’re much more likely to succeed with your diet!

As the mother of a long distance backpacker, who has hiked the length of the Pacific Crest Trail twice and the Appalachian trail as well as trails in Scotland, England, Chile, Argentina, and probably many more that I’m not aware of, I am familiar with the needs of an athlete of this caliber. Their is a need on a daily basis to repair and build muscle. Their is a need the body has to be hydrated and to maintain good energy levels. If these needs are not met, they can not perform. From his first attempt to commit to 6 months and 2600 miles, my son knew that diet was important. To maintain and retain his health on the trail he turned to Shaklee. He relied on their vitamins and their sports nutrition to supplement his daily diet.

You don’t have to be a world class athlete to appreciate the value of Shaklee’s sports nutrition. I keep some of their bars in my pantry and I always carry a bar in my purse. I have days when I require more food to keep my energy level on par with my activities. I also have days here in sunny Arizona when water just isn’t enough and I know better than to drink sodas. Thats when I mix up some of their sports drink that hydrates faster than water and provides energy to help me keep doing what I want to do.
If you workout daily,or you have a demanding job you should consider Shaklee’s nutrition products.

Shaklee has also made a commitment to our wellness by staying true to their founding principles. By continuing to produce products in Harmony with Nature; Natural products, not synthetic products. They have invested over 250 million in research and development and continue to be the number one natural nutrition company in the United States.
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It has a nice, light, refreshing taste, but what I like best is that it doesn’t have that “artificial sweetener” taste that so many other tea mixes have. Pomegranate by itself can have a slightly sour taste, so the Pomegranate flavor Cinch Energy Tea mix is sweetened with fructose instead - a natural easy to digest sweetener that doesn’t leave any aftertaste, as does Aspartame, Saccharin, and other artificial sweeteners.

I love that it really does mix easily with cold water. I just open a stick, dump it in my bottled water from the fridge, give it a good shake, and go. Other mixes I’ve tried keep settling to the bottom, so I have to keep shaking, or I have to mix them first with hot water and then ice them down - who has time for that? Not me.

I really do like the regular unsweetened flavor of the Cinch Energy Tea mix as well - which has more of a traditional “tea” taste - but the Pomegranate flavor makes for a nice change-up now and then - keep the taste buds from getting complacent!