PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: GENTLE MOVE

Gentle Move is a new product from Nature’s Sunshine. My clients are getting excellent results with this combination of herbs plus the magnesium. This is a very gentle blend for those needing some extra colon support and is also good for other things like sinus congestion, joint pain and eye problems.

It contains:

•         Magnesium hydroxide

•         Triphala extract

•         Yellow dock

•         Ginger

•         Slippery elm

•         Marshmallow

The Benefits of Laxative Herbs:

•         Helpful for occasional constipation

•         Great for doing colon cleanses when combined with fiber and other herbs

•         Important aids to parasite cleansing

•         Can be helpful for relieving fevers and acute congestion

•         Stimulate bile flow

Contraindications

•         Spastic bowel conditions

•         Use with caution with pregnancy and nursing

•         Use with caution with inflammatory bowel disorders

•         Not the best choice for extremely weak and depleted people

Magnesium Hydroxide

•         Natural salt of magnesium that attracts and retains fluid in the bowel

•         Magnesium also relaxes muscle spasms and aids cellular energy production

Triphala

•         Ancient Ayurvedic formula containing three fruits

•         Haritaki — Terminalia chebula

•         Bibhitaki — Terminalia belerica

•         Amalaki or Indian Gooseberry — Embilica officinalis

•         Used in India for thousands of years

•         Gentle laxative and blood purifier with tonic effects

Benefits of Triphala

•         Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory

•         Enhances circulation, lowers blood pressure and protects heart

•         Supports adrenal function

•         Improves liver function, hepatoprotective, improves digestion

•         Expectorant action

•         Immune properties: antiviral, antibacterial, anti-allergenic

•         Balanced energy (all the tastes)

Triphala Uses

•         Sinus congestion

•         Joint pain

•         Lethargy

•         Eye problems

•         General toxicity and weakness

•         Constipation

•         Indigestion

•         Flatulence

•         Poor appetite

•         Heavily coated tongue

•         Digestive headaches

Suggested Use

•         Mild dose (2 capsules 1-2 times per day)

•         For more serious problems take 6-9 capsules per day (2-3 capsules 3 times daily)

•         Maintenance dose is 2-4 capsules per day

•         Take with plenty of water

Go to my Nature’s Sunshine web site to purchase and to learn more: Gentle Move

Cleansing to Create a Healthy Environment Within Webinar

Deb Kitt & Paige Rennekamp will guide you through the best choices for a detoxification program. You will learn healthy ways to restore and rejuvenate your mind and body.

Empower your spirit, recharge your mind, and restore your natural body balance through detoxification.

Detoxification is a way of:
•Cleansing your body
•Revitalizing your immune system
•Removing unwanted fat stores
•Increasing your energy
•And much, much more

Register for a session now by clicking a date below:

Wed, May 13, 2009 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM MDT

Wed, May 13, 2009 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM MDT

9 THINGS TO DO IF YOU GET A COLD OR FLU

1. Stop eating sugar, which impairs the immune system. There are plenty of studies which shows that even a teaspoon of sugar will reduce the immune system’s killer cell activity in your body for three hours after you eat it.

2. Increase your intake of vitamin C to 6,000-8,000 mg. a day. Reduce this amount if you develop diarrhea. Vitamin C shortens the duration of colds and reduces severity of symptoms.

3. Drink plenty of water, herbal tea and vegetable juice to hydrate the respiratory tract. Minimize or dilute fruit juices, which contain natural sugars that cripple immune function.

NO SODAS and no Nutrasweet or Splenda (which can inhibit the thymus – the main gland for you immune system) or DAIRY (which is a mucus forming food) while you are in recovery.

4. Eat warming, nourishing foods such as organic chicken soup or tomato soup with cayenne. This can help to chase away the cold, damp qualities, Stay warm, eat hot foods and get plenty of rest.

5. Avoid mucus-forming foods. Dairy products, grains and red meat can worsen clogged sinuses.

6. Eliminate coffee, alcohol and cigarettes, which make it hard for the immune system to function, especially when the body should focus on getting well.

8. Rest, stay home and keep your germs to yourself.

9.  Use aromatherapy – Guardian Blend, Lavender, Lemon, Myrrh and Tea Tree are antiviral.  Diffuse oils into the air, put 10 drops in your bath, smell the drops on a handkerchief; rub some on your feet mixed with massage oil, olive oil or aloe vera gel.  Put some drops on a cotton ball and put in your bra ladies. Sleep with a humidifier with 8-10 drops of Guardian Essential Oil in it.

How to prevent a cold or flu

This time of year rolls around and so many people I talk to are either suffering with colds and flu or have recently and haven’t been able to kick it to the curb as fast as they would like. So I thought I would give you a series of posts on how to prevent illness, what to do if you get a cold or flu, what to take when you have a cold and flu and much more so come back for more information on how to keep you and your family healthy all year round!

1. Vitamin C – 3,000 mg. per day for prevention. “Try to feed your body in advance by taking extra vitamin C during cold and flu season. This way, when you’re exposed to an onslaught of germs, you won’t be as likely to come down with it. Nature’s Sunshine’s Vitamin C w/Citrus Bioflavonoids are my favorite.

2. Stock up on Probiotics. Acidophilus and Bifidophilus are friendly bacteria, which help your digestion, keep invading bacteria at bay and boost your immune system. Probiotics also counteract problems caused by taking antibiotics, which kill the friendly flora, wreaking havoc on your digestive and immune systems. I also recommend Probiotic Eleven to my clients as this is a very potent combination of eleven strains of friendly bacteria. I usually rotate people through the three products.

3. Go for the garlic. NSP has given us High Potency Garlic, covered by Chlorophyll and coated to dissolve in the intestinal tract, not in the stomach where it can affect your breath. Remember odorless garlic does nothing for the immune system.

4. Wash your hands and keep them out of your mouth, ears, nose and eyes. When I am around those who are sick I spritz my Guardian Essential Oil spritzer on my hands. (See recipe below)

Adding a few drops of Lemon, Lavender, Tea Tree, or Guardian Essential Oil in your bottle of liquid soap will make it antibacterial. NSP has all of these plus it makes your soap smell good as well.

5. Drink your quota of water every day between meals. To stay hydrated I use this formula:
Your weight in pounds divided in half = how many ounces of water you need to drink per day. Drink between meals not with meals so you don’t dilute your digestive juices.

If you drink caffeine or alcoholic drinks, then add another 2 glasses of water for every one cup of these beverages you consume.

6. Get enough sleep. The body heals while it sleeps.

7. Don’t wait till you get the flu — use PREVENTION homeopathic drops from NSP or take your antioxidants every day like Thai go (great for kids), Defense Maintenance or Vit C, High Potency Grapine, Herbasaurs Chewable Antioxidant w/Grapine for kids, or Super Antioxidant.

**I also have an exciting offer for you today! If after reading this information you are wondering what would be exactly the right product for you then wonder no longer. I am offering a 15 minute FREE consultation either by phone or e-mail so that you can get the BEST thing for you. For more information e-mail me at Paige at mynsp dot com and we’ll schedule a time for you to give your body exactly what it wants and what it needs. This offer is good through February 28th so don’t wait contact me today!**

A year ago on the Natural Health Answers Blog

I’ve been a missing blogger. The summer has been a busy one for me but I know I will have more time to share some great stuff with you soon. In the meantime be sure to check out some posts from a year ago that you may have missed. Back soon with posts on Children’s Herbs, Adrenal Health, and some yummy recipes!

Aromatherapy-Part I
Thinking of using essential oils in your health and healing regimen? The be sure and read this introduction to aromatherapy as it will give you guidelines on how to use it effectively and safely. Plus you will learn which two oils are essential to have on hand. Be sure and check out this post on Tea Tree OIl as well.

What Can I Eat for Breakfast?
You’ll find some new ideas for breakfast food plus you’ll find a couple of recipes that are easy and delicious.

Healthy Wishes!

Mosaic Monday: Eat your veggies

 

1. Fresh Felt Veggies, 2. Veggies, 3. Veggies for sale, 4. Veggies, 5. Eat ur veggies, 6. Whole Foods Veggies, 7. Orange Peppers, 8. veggies, 9. Fresh Veggies and Dip 

Check out this fun vegetable quiz I found here: Veggie Quiz

If you aren’t getting your 5-9 servings ( I usually recommend 9-12 servings) a day of fruits and vegetables you can supplement with Ultimate GreenZone or pH Greenzone. Just add to your morning smoothie and you will be ahead of the game.

For a delicious Kale recipe that I have on my web site click here.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Stress

The last month has been one full of stressful events for me and thus the blog has taken a back seat. Alas I am coming out of the craziness that sometimes life throws our way and wanted to talk a bit about stress.

It’s something that we all experience. We all deal with it in very different ways. Some of us retreat, some of us lash out, and some of us deny. There are all kinds of ways that people try and “make it” through the day. For me it’s pulling back and saying no I can’t do that newsletter this month or no I can’t call that person back right away or even deciding that I need to take a break from work. I NEED to do this or else I won’t be able to recover and I will be useless to anyone who needs me. It’s been a process but I’ve finally learned that I matter and that the world won’t fall apart because I take a break.  I find this to be difficult for many people especially women.  If we don’t do this we will deplete our reserves and eventually we won’t have anything  left to give. And then illness is close behind.

This is a reminder to take or I should say give yourself a BREAK! It’s good for your body, mind and soul. You’ll feel recharged and ready to take on the necesary things we all must do in life. 

Remember everyone deals with stress differently but it’s very important to deal with it effectively for better health.

Here are some great ways to help you deal with stress:

1. Breathing exercises
2. Make a cup of tea
3. Take Distress Remedy (I did and it’s amazing stuff)
4. Talk to a friend/family member
5. Get a massage
6. Meditate
7. Take a walk outside and observe the beauty of our world
8. Do stretching exercises
9. Dance
10. Scream (do this at home alone so you don’t disturb anyone!)
11. Punch a pillow or a punching bag
12. Listen to soothing music
13. Participate in your favorite hobby
14. Talk to a professional therapist
15. Blow bubbles
16. Fly a kite
17. Nourish your body with whole foods like fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals which help the body cope with stress
18. Take Colloidal Minerals a wonderful tasting liquid mineral product that replenishes minerals lost during stress
19. Read an article on my web site: Are you Overstressed?
20. Read a book
21. Rent a funny movie
22. Plant a garden
23. Buy some flowers for your desk or home or both!
24. Go on a hike
25. Take a vacation to a place you’ve always wanted to visit
26. Play with children
27. Paint a picture
28. FILL IN YOUR WAY YOU DEAL WITH STRESS

Of course you’ve probably heard all of this before but sometimes the stress of everyday life or even a very big stressful event takes our breath away and we don’t take the time to take care of ourselves. I felt like this topic bears repeating as it really hit home with me these past few weeks. I did many of these things on the list and it made a huge  difference for me in the way I dealt with the very stressful things going on in my life.

Let’s continue the list: Do you have an effective way you deal with stress? Please share by leaving a comment!

Can you slow the aging process? Part I

The answer is an absolute YES! What I’m talking about here is not having plastic surgery, botox injections or magic pills that come with a promise of making you years younger. What I do want to talk about is really taking care of our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. We are not one dimensional and all of our parts work together to create who we are. Taking care of all aspects of ourselves keeps us young and vibrant. One area though that I want to focus on today is biological markers of aging and the major factors that cause us to age and what we can do to reduce and slow these processes.

First, as we age these things increase:

• Systolic Blood Pressure
• Insulin Resistance
• Body Fat Percentage
• Lipid Ratios

and these things decrease:

• Aerobic Capacity
• Muscle Mass
• Glucose Tolerance
• Strength
• Temperature Regulation
• Immune Function

And the major aging factors include:

• Free Radical Damage
• Chronic Inflammation
• Syndrome X or Hyperinsulinemia
• Excess or Diminished Cortisol (Stress)

What happens is the body literally rusts from the inside out! Think of an apple turning brown, fuel burning in your car, iron rusting and fire. All of these things are oxidative processes which means these things are reactions involving oxygen. Of course oxygen is a good thing since we need it to breathe and to metabolize (burn) nutrients but it can also “burn” our own tissues.  Our bodies, the “engine”, needs a cooling system that will help prevent the damage.

Antioxidants are part of your body’s cooling system and are extremely important to help protect cells from being damaged by oxygen. I’m sure by now you have heard of antioxidants but did you know how important they really are to prevent all kinds of age-related diseases? They are one of the keys to staying healthy and vibrant as you age.

The Oxygen-Reducing Radical Absorption Capacity or ORAC for short is a method for measuring the total antioxidant activity of a substance.

Here is a list of ORAC values of some foods high in antioxidants:

Serving size is 3.5 ounces

• Dark Chocolate – 13, 120
• Rosemary – 6, 000
• Prunes – 5,770
• Blueberries – 2,400
• Blackberries – 2, 036
• Kale – 1,770
• Green Tea – 1,686
• Strawberries – 1,540
• Broccoli Florets – 890
• Red Grapes – 739
• Carrots – 207

The best way to get your antioxidants is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Most nutritionists including myself now recommend eating 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most people don’t even reach 3 servings a day and think ketchup is a vegetable serving!

Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and are loaded with phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. If you just haven’t been able to get that many servings in daily then I would highly recommend you supplement with a high antioxidant supplement. Afterall wouldn’t you want to ensure that you are protecting yourself from the free radical damage that is going on right now inside your body? Stay young and healthy by eating well, destressing, exercising and taking an anitoxidant supplement!

Here is a list of some high quality antioxidant products to choose from:

• Thai-go (has an ORAC score of 51,939 and tastes delicious!)
• Super Antioxidant
• CO-Q10
• Green Tea Extract
• SOD w/Gliadin
• Alpha Lipoic Acid
• Vitamin E w/Selenium
• Citrus Bioflavanoids
• IF-Relief (another favorite)
• IF-C or IF-C, Chinese TCM Concentrate
• Carotenoid Blend
• Zinc
• Grapine, High Potency
• Grapine w/Protectors
• Perfect Eyes
• Brain Protex
• Herbasaurs Chewable Antioxidant with Grapine (especially for kids)

Click here to read a newsletter article on anti-aging.

If you aren’t sure which supplement would be best for you send me an e-mail @  Paige@mynsp.com.

To your health!

Holiday Gifts

Well we are right in the middle of the holiday season so giving is on everyone’s mind. My mantra for this time of year is “simplify”. Giving a small gift that is meaningful makes me and the receiver just as happy as if I went out to a department store and picked out something fancy and expensive that would break the bank. Don’t get me wrong those gifts have their place! But at this time of hustle and bustle I stick to the simple things in life. For example my friends and family will be receiving these delicious candles from Country Candlelight. These candles are natural, eco-friendly soy candles that are clean burning so no nasty chemicals will be adhering to your drapes or your lungs! Try the Banana Nut Bread, it smells amazing!

Also I will be baking some yummy loaves of Cranberry Nut bread (I use Xylitol instead of sugar to make this bread healthier)and wrapping it up with some organic tea bags. Perfect.

Other gift ideas are the Lemon or Peppermint mints and Cinnamon or Spearmint gum from Nature’s Sunshine. What about some essential oils like Lavender oil for relaxation or Peppermint oil for it’s uplifting properties and then add this diffuser or this aromaball diffuser or massage oil? Another great idea is to buy an aromatherapy kit that has all the ingredients needed to start using aromatherapy for health. There’s the Aromatherapy Product Pack that has everything you need for pampering and home cleaning recipes, the Citrus Fresh Diffuser Kit that has 3 citrus oils and a diffuser, and the Health, Home and Beauty Kit that contains 10 essential oils to get you started and at a great price. Simple yet interesting gifts make giving extra special. And I bet the recipient will be so thankful.

For more gift ideas visit my web site: Natural Health Answers Shopping

“The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.” 
~Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur

If you have other interesting and healthy gift ideas please share!

Proactive steps towards wellness:

1. Increase your water intake.
2. Exercise regularly (5 times per week, 30-45 minutes).
3. Get plenty of good quality sleep.
4. Maintain a balanced diet of good carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes), good fats, and protein.
5. Take nutritional supplements targeted to your specific needs as well as eliminate fast foods and saturated fats.
6. Wash your hands frequently and practice “Good Hygiene.”
7. De-stress your mind and body with yoga, meditation, spiritual practices, or do something you enjoy that relaxes you such as a favorite hobby. Take some time just for you even if it’s 10 minutes a day.
8. Detoxify your system and take your vitamins.
9. Have fun and laugh every day. Humor is good medicine.
10. Develop positive personal and professional relationships.
11. Practice “Deep breathing” shallow breathing affects health dramatically.