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.

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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!