What do you want to be when you grow up?

Doesn't that question make another question pop in your head???  I know it does for me.    "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a question we always seem to ask our kids, which is also a question I was asked plenty of times when I was a kid.  I knew what I wanted to do and be......



"Young!" is what Sheila says (a character in A Chorus Line, the musical).



But, no....really.   Think about it.  What was your answer when you were little?  Is that what you are doing now?  Are you following your dreams?  If you aren't...why not?  Did your dreams just fade away and vanish?  Did someone tell you your dreams were silly or too big? Are those dreams dormant and waiting for you to wake them up?  What will it take for you to wake them up.....or maybe you are waiting for something to wake you up?  Do you remember what you were passionate about?


Are you ready to reclaim your passions and your dreams?


Is it a particular lifestyle?  Maybe you want to travel more, spend more time with family, volunteer in your community, donate financially to your favorite cause!  Does it require that you make more money? Would having your own home-based business provide you with the flexibility to pursue what your heart longs for?



Do you want to know why I DO what I DO?  Feel free to ask me.  I love to dream and I love that my dreams come alive and manifest themselves in my life.  Having my own home-based business is part of what is helping me in the right direction.   I love it.



I love life.



I love my life.



Can you say you LOVE YOUR LIFE too?

Aloha Folks,

Here's a very good reply to the recent media on three multi-vitamin studies. 

I couldn't agree more.

Warm wishes,

Marie-anne

Dear Shaklee Family,

Many of you have probably seen the headlines regarding multivitamins and their inability to prevent chronic disease in the past few days - the result of three studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Starting from a 30,000-foot view, the premise of these studies is the first problem: looking at the use of a multivitamin alone as a way to prevent disease. The purpose of a multivitamin is to fill in nutritional gaps and provide optimum levels of vitamins and minerals. It is well established that the vast majority of Americans fail to obtain even adequate levels of these nutrients.

Prevention of any disease is a multi-factorial process that has to include diet, weight management, and lifestyle. To expect to see disease prevention accomplished by virtue of taking a daily multivitamin is a flawed premise. So, why are these large-scale (and very expensive) studies undertaken? It is simply the model of research that scientists and physicians understand - studying a single drug to determine what effect it may have on a single disease. Studying nutrition is far more complex.

While a drug has a primary effect (usually something positive), they also have a myriad of side effects (which are usually negative and even life threatening). Every year pharmaceuticals are removed from the market because of these serious side effects. A study published in JAMA in 1998 showed that as many as 125,000 Americans die each year of properly prescribed pharmaceuticals - wow! When was the last time a vitamin was removed from the market?

Vitamins and minerals all have multiple positive functional roles to play in our bodies - which is why so many Americans pop a multi each day. People simply feel better when they take a multi because they are filling in those all too common nutrition gaps.

All three of these studies showed that multivitamins have an excellent safety profile. Well, of course they do - they are essential for life! The only �potential harm� that continues to be mentioned every time we have a study such as this published is the slight increased risk of lung cancer in smokers who took beta carotene . My response to that is - smokers: stop smoking!

Let me quickly summarize these studies. The largest one is another report from the Physician Health Study - previous publications of data from this large government funded study did show an association of reduced cancer associated with multivitamin usage.

The next study looked at cognitive decline in physicians - who are at the upper end of the intelligence scale and pretty well nourished. Showing a significant change in cognitive decline in this population is going to take some intervention beyond a multi - as this population is most likely doing lots of the right things to protect their brain function.

The third study tried to show that higher doses of specific vitamins decrease the likelihood of a second heart attack in folks who have already had a heart attack. Hmmm. Maybe we should look at weight reduction, cholesterol, blood pressure lowering, and blood sugar management as opposed to putting the burden of prevention of a second heart attack in someone with heart disease on vitamins!

I have been recommending a multivitamin (and beyond) to my patients, and consumers in general, for my entire 30 years as a physician - and nothing in these studies changes my mind. The statistics on inadequacies in our American diet are clear - most everyone is deficient in multiple nutrients. Here at Shaklee, we have the Landmark Study, published in the journal Nutrition in 2007 that showed a nice correlation of better health with multiple supplement usage, starting with a multivitamin. We have over 100 published studies that validate the connection of nutrition and health. I urge you to continue taking your Shaklee supplements - but also, to remember the importance of eating healthfully, avoiding fast foods, and getting to a healthy weight on your journey to better health.

Be well!

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

The Hunger Game

We've all been there: It's a three o'clock in the afternoon. You've finally had a chance to sit down and relax. And, it hits you-that feeling that you absolutely have to eat something. Is it hunger, or is it a craving? Sounds like a simple question, but the truth is, most of us have forgotten how to listen to our bodies and to eat in response to true, biological hunger. Consequently, we end up eating for the wrong reasons and eating more than we should.


Identifying and controlling hunger
As infants, we were born with the innate ability to eat when we were hungry, and stop when we were full. However, as we grow up, we tend to lose that innate sense and eat in response to environmental triggers. For example, we learn sometimes it's better to eat everything on the plate instead of struggle with mom or dad. Or, that's it's better to suffer through a plate of broccoli so we can have dessert. We learn to eat because food smells good, its "lunch time," or because we are bored. Bottom line: we learn to ignore our own body signals and eat whether we are truly hungry or not.


So, do you know what your biological signals for hunger are? Is it a mild stomach growling? An empty feeling inside? Or is it something else?

If you take the time to identify what your body's first signs of hunger are, and then track whether or not you are eating in response to true hunger and stopping when you are comfortable, you can relearn your body's biological signs of hunger and eat more appropriately.


Here are some tips to help you control hunger so it doesn't control you:

• Eat foods that are high in protein and fiber. Besides helping you stay full, these offer a variety of other health benefits. Protein helps provide the amino acids to build and maintain your muscle, while fiber helps keep your blood sugar levels steady and helps promote healthy digestion.
• Eat smaller, but frequent meals. This will help prevent overeating and burn calories more efficiently. If you pay attention to your true signs of hunger and satiety you'll eat every couple of hours but still keep your total calorie intake where it needs to be to lose weight.
  

• Drink adequate amounts of water throughout the day. Every one is different but shoot for about 8- 8 oz.glasses a day.
• In between meals, feel free to snack on 1-2 servings of low-calorie vegetables such as snap peas, mushrooms, baby carrots, zucchini and cherry tomatoes.
  

Hungry, Or Just Thirsty?



Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger. Before you head to the fridge or the pantry, take the water test. Drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. You may discover that you weren't really hungry, just thirsty.

- - - - - - - - -

These Health Tips and many others are provided as part of the Shaklee 180 program. For more health tips, participate in your own 180 transformation. Our growing team of “losers” is shrinking!

TheFatStopsHere.MyShaklee180.com

Reindeer Blastoff Bites

Kid tested and approved "I like it.....I want more Mom!"....a variation from recipes shared by Shaklee friends....and being that time of year, we're calling them "Reindeer Blastoff Bites"

1 cup honey or agave

1 cup Energizing Soy Protein - Creamy Cocoa

1 cup shredded coconut (please avoid the sweetened stuff)

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup dark chocolate chips (chop them into small pieces if you can't find small ones)

1 cup flax seed meal

1 cup almond or peanut butter

Start off by mixing all the wet ingredients in a very large bowl. Get it nice & creamy before you add all the dry ingredients and mix some more. 

This is a very simple and easy recipe to do with the kids and there is no baking involved!

Once everything is mixed together, dump it all in a big pan like a baking sheet. I like to put a silpat on the bottom, but waxed paper works just as well. Cover with a sheet of waxed paper and use a rolling pin to spread it all evenly. Once spread out, use a pizza cutter to cut into bit size pieces. Refrigerate and voila! An easy & healthy snack that's getting the thumbs up even from picky eaters.

What you should know about diabetes

Thanks Shaklee Health Wise for sharing:

Tom Hanks recently joined Paula Deen and Sherri Sheppard in announcing that he too has type 2 diabetes.  Since November was Diabetes Awareness Month, I think it is a good time for us all to take a look at our diet and exercise routine and see if we are doing our best to avoid this all-too-common (and preventable) disease.

With 26 million children and adults diagnosed with diabetes and close to 80 million with pre-diabetes (that is almost 1/3 of all people in the United States) it is easy to think that this disease is unstoppable. But this is absolutely not true; in fact, type 2 diabetes is 100 percent preventable. Look at Sherri Sheppard; she now credits type2 diabetes with saving her life.  

 In her new book (How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes), Sherri tells how when she was diagnosed her doctor was blunt about her high blood sugar. She said, “Sherri, you love wearing those shoes, don’t you?” Sherri said, “Yes, I do.” Her doctor then said, “You won’t be wearing them with your foot cut off, because if you keep eating the way you are eating, that’s where you’re headed.” Sherri is now eating healthier, exercising, has lost a significant amount of weight, and feels better than she has in a long time.

What is diabetes? 

Diabetes can be defined as having abnormally high blood sugar because the body either does not produce enough insulin (a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar), or because the cells of the body do not respond properly to insulin (or both).

There are two types of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes typically occurs in young people, although it can occur in later life (up to around 40 years old) and is a condition where the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas stop producing insulin. The destruction of the insulin-producing cells is thought to be an autoimmune reaction. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 10 percent of diabetics; type I diabetics will always require insulin.

Type 2 diabetes can happen at any age, although until very recently was quite rare under the age of 40. It develops first as insulin resistance in the cells of the body—meaning that the cells have a difficult time utilizing glucose from the foods you eat. This occurs as a result of eating a high-fat, high-sugar diet and becoming overweight or obese. If untreated, blood sugar levels will continue to climb until you are diagnosed with diabetes.

One of the biggest concerns with diabetes is that it is a silent disease in its early stages. Some estimates suggest that up to 1/3 of people with diabetes are not aware that they have it.  You may be at risk for type 2 diabetes if you:

• • Are overweight or obese
• • Don’t exercise regularly
• • Have high cholesterol or high blood pressure
• • Are Latino, African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
• • Have a parent or sibling with diabetes

Diabetes symptoms include fatigue, frequent urination, constant hunger, excessive thirst, blurry vision, tingling or numbness in hands and feet, and slow wound healing. Diabetics have an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, amputation, sexual dysfunction, and nerve problems.

Prevention is the key!

There is much you can do to prevent and even reverse diabetes.  Recent research shows that an anti-diabetic diet is not only good for diabetics, but also for anyone. (So start now!) Take a look at the risk factors above and see what you have control over: exercise, diet, and your weight—make changes here.

• • Eat smarter: Avoid all white foods (such as white bread, white rice.) Focus on a plant-based diet and include plenty of fruits and vegetables. Beans and other good proteins help support a healthy blood sugar.  Avoid sugary drinks (especially soda) and all desserts other than fresh fruit. Fiber is another great way to control blood sugar, make sure to eat plenty of high fiber foods.  
• • Exercise: Exercise not only burns calories, but has been shown to improve blood sugar control.  Exercise that builds muscle can help with blood sugar control.  
• • Lose weight: Being overweight can definitely raise your risk of type-2 diabetes.  As always, choose a weight-loss program that offers tons of support and helps you maintain your lean body mass.

To me, type-2 diabetes is the disease that shouldn’t be. It is the most preventable major disease we have and there is no way 1 out of every 3 of us should be setting ourselves up for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, loss of eyesight, and amputations that this disease will potentially cause! Yes, it will take effort on your part to make the changes outlined above, but those changes have far-reaching effects on your overall health. So, make a commitment and get started today.

Be Well!

StrEsS !?!

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all..."How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a  smile.
 
Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
 
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "and  that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly  heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
 
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.

So, as early in the evening as you can,  put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night.... pick them up tomorrow.
 
Whatever burdens you're carrying now, put them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"

                                       *Save  the earth -- It's the only planet with chocolate!*
 

 I don't know who the original author is of this anecdote, but I thought it well worth sharing.

Oily Fish Make Babies “Brainier”

Eating oily fish and seeds in pregnancy can boost children's future brain power and social skills, research suggests.

A study of 9,000 mothers and children in Avon, England suggested those who consumed less of the essential fatty acid Omega-3 had children with lower IQs. These children also had poorer motor skills and hand-to-eye co-ordination, research in the Economist said.

'Frightening data'

Looking at the effects of Omega-3 intake on 9,000 mothers and their children, the team found mothers with the lowest intake of the essential fatty acid had children with a verbal IQ six points lower than the average.

While those with the highest consumption of mackerel and sardines and other sources of Omega-3 had children, at age three-and-a-half, with the best measures of fine-motor performance, researchers said.

Low intake of the crucial fatty acid also appeared to lead to more problems of social interactions - such as an inability to make friends. Research leader, Dr Joseph Hibbeln, said "frightening data" showed 14% of 17-year-olds whose mother had eaten small quantities of Omega -3 during pregnancy demonstrated this sort of behavior. This compared with 8% of those born to the group with the highest intake, he said.

Dr Hibbeln said, "The findings of poor social development and poor motor control in children indicate that these children may be on a developmental trajectory towards lifelong disruptive and poorly-socialized behavior as they grow up."

Professor Jean Golding of Bristol University set up the original research, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, 15 years ago to look at predisposition to disease. She told the BBC: "The baby's brain needs Omega-3 fatty acids. It doesn't create its own fatty acids so it needs to be something that the mother will eat."

The new research also builds on earlier work in the US, which suggests pregnant mothers will develop children with better language and communication skills if they regularly consume oily fish.

Nutritional expert Patrick Holford, director of the Brain Bio Centre, said Omega-3 was key to children's intelligence because the brain is formed of 60% fat - 30% of which are essential fats. Successive studies have shown clear links between intelligence and consumption of this essential fatty acid, he added.

"It's absolutely essential that pregnant women take in enough Omega-3 and children in early infancy take in enough Omega-3 "- Patrick Holford, Nutritional expert

 

Ed. Note: We’ve known for quite awhile about Omega-3’s positive effect on hearth health, but more and more now we’re learning about how beneficial it is for moods and depression, autoimmune diseases and now brain development. Our recommended fish oil supplement uses triple molecular distillation and purification and provides a full spectrum of seven natural omega-3 fatty acids. For more information or to order it online CLICK HERE

Article excerpt from BBC News. For the complete story CLICK HERE

Marketing TalkStory: Make Excuses or Make Money?

If you are running your business the same way you did five years ago, then you may be traveling on the unfortunate path to going out of business.

Business evolve or perish.

Still with the  new year right around the corner, now is a great time to look at goals. Where do you want your business to be? Let's focus on the short term for now.

Where do you want your business to be in 12 months? Once you know where you want to go, then you can tailor and create a framework for marketing and advertising for your business. Now that your “wheels” are turning, let's keep them moving by looking at these 5 points:

1. What do you want your customers to know about you?
2. What motivates YOU to buy?
3. Think about how YOU are reached (e-newsletters that you signed up for, Facebook, radio commercials, newspaper ads, coupons)
4. How will you get your message to your market in the next 12 months?
5. What will work for you and your budget (print, radio, etc.)?

This is just something to help you get your "wheels" turning.  If you are feeling stuck, I highly recommend checking out http://inflowceo.com/ .  Stephanie helped me to clarify and gain insight on what I was looking to achieve......and a better understanding on achieving it.

Have a blessed day!
Marie-anne

Get ready for a Fantastic 2012 by not doing these........... top 10!!!!!

So, I had actually shared this about a year ago and thought it would be a good idea to take a look back and recap things for myself......

Happy New Year

Get ready for a Fantastic 2012 by not doing these........... top 10!!!!!

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. 
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. 
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last ones.
6. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
7. Stop beating yourself up over old mistakes. – No matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
8. Stop trying to buy happiness. – The things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
9. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready for anything. Great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
10. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.

Kids hooked on drugs!

This is totally nuts.......why are parents drugging their children? I was just reading reported statistics from 2009 in The Wall Street Journal and the numbers are simply mind boggling. Did you know that many of the prescription drugs dispensed to children and teens were for conditions not traditionally associated with children. But with the changes in lifestyle and diet, kids now are being prescribed more and more drugs for adhd, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleeping disorders, etc. I'm sure that the number of prescriptions also increased over the last 4 years. Here's a glimpse at those astronomical numbers from 2009!

• ADHD = 24.357 million
• Asthma = 45.388 million
• Antidepressants = 9.614 million
• Sleeping Aids = 307,000
• Antipsychotics = 6.547 million
• Antihypertensive (for high blood pressure!) = 5.224 million
• Statins (for high cholesterol!) = 94,000
• Type 2 diabetes = 424,000

Yes, there is a time and place for prescription drugs but too many doctors and parents are turning to prescriptions as their first solution or option for everything. Besides it being a problem, in the first place, prescribing drugs to kids instead of looking at the cause can have other ramifications. One of the huge problems with prescribing drugs to kids is the safety factor. In many cases, there hasn't even been enough research (or available data) and the kids end up being used as guinea pigs to find out if a particular drug works or not.

It's up to the parents to be proactive. It's okay to ask the doctors for alternative solutions. It's okay to make lifestyle modifications such as including exercise, nutrition, weight loss, stress reductions......all simple changes that will in many cases eliminate the need for drugs.

About the writter:

Marie-anne is Home Business Consultant and Wellness Advisor. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition. Visit her websites http://www.LaunchYourDestiny.com and at http://www.MomIsTheBest.com

“4 letter” words......in business? In life? Think about it!

The English vocabulary is full of fantastic words. When it comes to business and personal relationships, the words we choose to use can make a drastic difference in building or tearing down people and business.

Do you ever stop and listen to people?

I would like to encourage you to stop routinely and listen in.....yes, eavesdrop on people's conversation.

Listen to how people talk to each other in business meetings. Listen to how people talk to each other when eating lunch.....or maybe they are talking on their cellular phone. Listen and watch how they react to words being said. Listen and watch people from all walks of life. What do you think influences their choice of words? How do those words touch their own lives?

Have you noticed how many people use four letter words? What are those words they are using?

Are you using “4 letter” words in your business and daily life? I sure HOPE you do!

Here are 4 great “4 letter” words that you may already be using, and if you aren't.....why not start now:

Great

Love

Hope

Best

And there are plenty more.

How would your business associate (or family member) feel if you said: “That is a GREAT idea! I think it's your BEST idea yet. I HOPE we get to work more together as I LOVE being on your team!”

Four letters can seem so small, and yet, their effect can be massive! Think about it!

TOP 10 REASONS TO SMILE

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive
We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away -- but a smile draws them in.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood
Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious
When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress
Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System
Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure
When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin
Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger
The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day -- you'll look younger and feel better.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful
Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive
Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Source: Mark Stibich, Ph.D., longevity.about.com

A picture is worth 1000 words...or more!

Indeed, a picture is worth 1000 words...or more! Many thanks to Bobbie Stasey for passing these wonderful Shaklee 180 success pictures, and  congratulations to Peg and Collete on some fine Shaklee 180 success. Peg is taking advantage of all aspects of Shaklee 180, using the program to grow her organization to Senior Executive Coordinator as of this month!

Hi Shaklee Friends and Family,

Here is my friend, Peg, after only 10 months on the Shaklee 180 program:

And here is my friend Collette:

Watch this video Bobbie made last winter while out for a walk.  She is on the 180 Program too, and because of that and what she does on her walk, her stamina has increased dramatically. Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVQLsTbUokg (Preview)

Call me.  I'd love to hear what's going on with you, too.  

Five Ideas to Prevent and Relieve Eczema Naturally

Eczema is a very common issues I come across when having health related discussions with people.  It ranges from parents trying to find a way to ease and heal their children’s eczema to adults who have been dealing with the problem for many years with no success.

Eczema is a superficial skin inflammation, characterized by redness, edema, oozing, crusting, scaling and usually itching.

Here are the top five most important adjustments someone can make quickly to address the issue of eczema:

1.      Diet
The foods we eat greatly effects our health—and yes, our skin! A diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can create an unhealthy gut which then weakens the immune system, creating symptoms like eczema. Remember that sugar is not just in the form of treats but bread, cereal, pasta, etc. Also avoid dairy, acidic foods (oranges, tomatoes, pineapple etc.), and peanut butter, French fries, margarine, donuts, and hydrogenated oils. If you can’t avoid them, just try to really limit them. Increase protein and vegetables.  Drinking plenty of water is also important.

2.       Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent:
The simplest change to make is laundry detergent. Most store bought detergents are FULL of nasty chemicals* and fragrances. Most detergents do not rinse out of your clothes completely. When your laundry smells like Mountain Fresh Air when you put it on, it’s a clear sign that the Mountain Fresh Air chemical fragrance is still in your clothes—and in contact with your SKIN the whole time you’re wearing that clothing. Then at night you likely spend hours sleeping on sheets also washed in the same detergents. We've had numerous customers whose children’s eczema has been cleared up JUST by changing laundry detergent.

I love and recommend Shaklee’s Fresh Laundry which is non-toxic, washes out completely (which means it’s safe for cloth diapers too), and is very effective.

Here is one testimony: “I just realized that, for the first time, the kids did not have any eczema this year. In the past, they’ve had it bad all winter, despite constant lotioning and prescription creams. I know it’s not scientific, but I doubt it’s coincidence that this year we switched from our mainstream-brand “dye-free, perfume-free” laundry stuff – which I learned contains just as many toxic chemicals as the “regular” versions – to the Shaklee laundry products.”

3.       Toxins in the Home:
Laundry detergent isn’t the only toxin in the home that has negative effects on our health. Most everyday cleaners contain harmful chemicals that irritate the skin. For example, if you use a floor cleaner that contains bleach and the child is playing on that floor the residue from the cleaner will end up on his skin. Spraying a cleaner on your furniture and then sitting down on it gets chemicals on your skin. Cleaning your dishes with a toxic cleaner can make you ingest chemicals. Consider what you wash your bathtub and toilet with and then put bare skin on. Inhaling the fumes of toxic cleaners can weaken your immune system (which can effect skin, the body’s largest living organ). Switching to non-toxic cleaners for the home can improve not only skin, but also allergies and asthma symptoms. There are effective, safe, and cost saving cleaners available. My personal favorite is the Get Clean Line by Shaklee. Not only will it remove some of the toxins from your home but it can also save you an average of $200/year.

4.       Non-Toxic Skin Care:
Avoid lotions and creams with Lanolin.  Even moms and dads should avoid lanolin if they hold and come in contact with the child.  Being very careful about lotions, creams, soaps, etc. Use a cleanser in the bath that is perfect PH. Avoid toxics and heavy fragrances.

5.       Supplements
Because eczema is usually (like most issues we see on the outside of our bodies) a symptom of what is going on inside the body, supplements are a potential help.  Many supplements are helpful, but there are two to always start with as it relates to healthy skin:

Probiotics: Causes of eczema can be allergies, toxins, chemical sensitivity, toxicity, post-viral reactions. Probiotics help build the immune system (80% of your immune system is in the gut).  Probiotics are healthy bacteria that we need to help keep our digestive track healthy. Shaklee’s probiotic is different because of it’s triple encapsulation, which means that all the micro flora is guaranteed to end up in your gut and not get eaten along the way.

Omegas: Someone with eczema is likely having a problem with the conversion of EPA, DHA, and GLA (these are the good fats) into prostaglandins. For a child, I would suggest Mighty Smarts and for an adult either OmegaGuard or GLA (or both if severe.)
In addition I would suggest a multivitamin for a child or adult, but the above two would be the most important. Alfalfa is also an effective supplement to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which contributes to eczema. The child pictured consumed all of the above and her eczema was cleared up in three days.

I only share Shaklee products because I’ve seen such great success in our own home as well as many people I’ve been able to help. Shaklee has serious integrity amidst a marketplace where most companies attempt to hide what their products are made with and how they are made. They provide everyday products that I trust to use with my family and also to share with my friends.  They save a family a lot of money too. Their standards are higher than any other company in their industry. Here is a little video if you want to know more. It discusses the rigorous testing on raw materials that go into Shaklee’s finished products.

These are suggestions that will create generally positive changes for anyone’s health, but also have been shown to help relieve and prevent eczema naturally.