I’m guessing that it’s pretty much common knowledge, that the majority of foods consumed from fast food eating establishments, aren’t the best for us. Calorie content and overall food value are a couple of the most obvious negatives. But, did you know that some fast foods can also cause inflammation and oxidative damage to your body at the cellular level?

In a recent study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a group of young, healthy, normal-weight adults were fed a typical fast food breakfast of egg muffin and sausage muffin sandwiches and two servings of hash browns. That’s a whopping 910 calories with 51 grams of fat (1/3 of that saturated), 88 grams of carbohydrate and 34 grams of protein!

The results from the study showed that after eating this meal, genes would be activated to create an inflammatory response which can alter insulin resistance. They also found interference with the leptin signaling pathway. Basically, that means that your brain doesn’t realize that you just ate 910 calories. Therefore, you will probably want to eat more. Sound familiar?

For the study, half the test group was given Shaklee’s resveratrol product known as Vivix prior to their meal, and the other half was given a placebo. The results showed that those who were given the Vivix, completely reversed the short term bad effects of the fast food meal.

The fact that it is an independent study is important. That means that Shaklee didn’t control the data. If, Vivix had turned out to be no better than placebo, those would have been the results that would have been published!

The study was completed by Dr. Paresh Dandona and his colleagues at the State University of New York at Buffalo and published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (H. Ghanim et al, J. Clin. Endocrin. Metab., doi:10.1210/jc.2010-1812). It is currently available in online form and will appear in print in May 2011.

So what is the take home lesson for you?

Even if you don’t eat fast food meals you should know that oxidative damage, chronic inflammation and insulin resistance have many causes. You don’t need to eat a fast food meal to generate that kind of metabolic stress.

And it would be foolish to think that Vivix could undo all of the bad effects of fast foods. Vivix simply prevents that immediate effects of a fast food meal.

If you continue to eat fast foods on a regular basis you will pack on the pounds, plug your arteries, raise your blood pressure – the list goes on and on. But, to me the most important conclusion from this clinical study is that Vivix works.

Are you sure that you still want to eat that fast food meal?

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

This year, marks the 100′th anniversary of International Women’s Day. And, the month of March is nationally decreed as Women’s History Month.

Who do you think of when you recall women in history that made a difference? I know for myself, the list covers a wide range of famous women that I’ve never met, down to ladies that have personally touched my life in a positive way.

A local women’s organization that I have been involved with for over a year now, is the Idaho Business Women’s Network (IBWN). I have been blessed to cultivate many relationships with some very inspiring and kind women. Each of them have always been very supportive of me. I have been able to seek out wisdom and friendship in all areas that effect my life.

Some of the IBWN leadership and members are also very active in an annual women’s conference in March, called the Empowering Women Conference.  It’s held at the Nampa Civic Center in Nampa, ID. This month, it is being held on March 4th & 5th, 2011.

This is the third year for the Conference and my second opportunity to attend it. It includes two complete days packed full of motivational and educational workshops, relating to self-improvement both personally and professionally.

There’s quite a line up of speakers; including Kim Lewis from IBWN, Barbara Khozam talking about ZAMitude, Patricia Drain and more. There are also some prestigious keynote speakers including Claudia Weathermon, Lorene Oates and Natalie Hurst.

Anyone who attends this information packed event, won’t leave without being inspired, motivated, encouraged or empowered. I know that my attendance last year, nurtured me both economically and socially. This year is going to be even better!

It’s not too late to register for the conference, being held this Friday and Saturday, March 4th and 5th, 2011. Registration can be completed online at www.empoweringwomenconference.org.

Celebrate Heart Health Month

American Heart Month is our nation’s annual reminder to take care of the most important and perhaps most neglected organ in the human body. My friends over at Shaklee believe that a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle should be a year-round, life-long effort, this month, next month and always. And it’s not too late to start taking better care of your heart, or helping someone else do the same.

Although we can’t change some risk factors, such as age and heredity, many factors—including cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, and inactivity—can be modified, thus significantly lowering the risk of heart disease. And because lifestyle habits (e.g. diet, exercise, and appropriate supplementation) can strongly influence these modifiable risk factors, here are 10 lifestyle strategies you can implement to promote a healthy heart.

Ten Lifestyle Strategies for Promoting a Healthy Heart:

1. Make more healthful food choices.

2. Lose the belly fat and keep it off.

3. Get more of the “sunshine” vitamin.

4. Go fishing with omega-3 fatty acids.

5. Protect your body against free radicals and oxidative stress.

6. Boost your phytonutrient intake.

7. Fill up on fiber.

8. Find a friend in Coenzyme Q10.

10. Take time to De-stress.

For details about how to put these tips to use and more, please download the attached HealthyHeart (PDF).

And, for more heart-healthy information, listen to this month’s Health Sciences Conference Call, from Shaklee. The portion of this call on the Science of Heart Health is now on rebroadcast on 1-512-404-1255, press 2. Listen and share with someone else!

Last week I shared about the folks over at Rodale going plastic free in February,  here on my website. Since then, I’ve been reading what changes others are doing this month for Plastic-Free February.

In doing so, I’ve thought a lot about the existing plastic that I have in my home for storage and cooking use. Actually, I have acquired quite a lot of  Tupperware over the years and can’t see not continuing to use it for cold food storage. It would certainly be wasteful to replace it overnight, when it’s all still in excellent condition.

As far as cooking or reheating in plastic containers or wraps, I’ve known for years that can be unsafe. More than 20 years ago, when it was just a rumor, I stopped microwaving with plastic wrap or plastic containers. The plastics can contain BPA and Phthalates which when heated up, may pass dangerous carcinogens into our foods.

I have however, been using Tupperware’s Vent ‘N Serve containers, that are designed for reheating foods in the microwave. And, when trying to research this particular product on Tupperware’s website and general internet searches, I’m unable to find any data on these products. So, at this point, I am at a loss for an answer and must do more research on the safety of them.

But, in my qwest for finding alternative, plastic-free products to use for heating and storage of food, I just learned today about products made by a company in Canada, called Abeego.  They describe their products on their website as “natural, reusable, eco-conscious food storage created with hemp/cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax and plant extracts. The fluid-resistant coating keeps food fresh and is easy to clean.”

I immediately “Liked” them on their Facebook Fan Page and went onto their website and ordered two products to try. One that I ordered is called the Abeego Wrap.

One of it’s recommened uses is for wrapping sandwiches, and that’s probably one of the first things I try with it.

The other Abeego item that I ordered is the Abeego Flats.

I’m excited to try this for covering left-overs and such.

Cleaning instructions on Abeego’s website recommends handwashing in cold water and using a gentle, biodegradable soap. The soap is a no-brainer for me, because I only use natural and biodegradable cleaning products anyways.

I’m looking forward to receiving my Abeego order  and using their products. Once, I’ve had the opportunity to use them a few times, I will  be sharing my thoughts here.

In the meantime, what other alternative products are you using to make your life more plastic-free?

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There’s less than a week left until Valentine’s Day. It’s not too late to work on your Valentine list for the one you adore and do it with a “green” twist.

For the edible items, try finding products grown and/or made locally in your area. Between the packaging materials and then the emissions given off by shipping them, it can add up to a lot of waste and pollution. Also, finding a local eatery to dine out at, is an excellent idea. Even if you end up paying a little more for a meal, think about the offsets for not driving very far.

In the aroma department, opt for natural candles made of soy or beeswax. And, if you want to be very creative, find a local person that blends essential oils and purchase a gift certificate for a custom fragrance blending for your beloved.

The Valentine card can be very eco-friendly, by creating and/or purchasing an online E-card. But, if you must present a tangible card, try making or buying one out of recycled materials.

Whatever twist you decide to put on the day, show your love for the one so dear, and the planet, in a eco-friendly way.

I’m moving from the usual “eco” topics today, to share with you about something else that recently moved me and I feel is worth sharing with anyone who will listen. While watching this week’s episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, I learned about the senseless death of a young woman; Alex Brown.

Losing a child or loved one under any circumstances is never easy. But, to lose one due to distracted driving, (texting while driving), must be one of the worse ways. And, as a result of one beautiful young woman’s families loss, and the power of network TV, Alex Brown’s death, will not have been entirely in vain.

The Brown family of Wellman, Texas was a family of 4; 2 parents and 2 beautiful and bright daughters. Their eldest, 17-year old Alex, died while texting and driving. Since then, the Browns have made it their mission to share with other students in Texas about their tragic loss.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition and their sponsors, not only gave the Browns a new home, but also a launching pad to go national with the Remember Alex Brown Foundation. By the end of the Extreme Makeover, 50 schools in 50 states had heard Alex’s story, but also took to pledge to not text and drive.

EMHE helped create the RAB (Remember Alex Brown) thumb bands, to be distributed and worn as a reminder, to not text while driving. Additionally, they set up a Remember Alex Brown, home office for the Browns and provided numerous resources for getting their message out to everyone.

Please join me in helping share Alex’s families message far and wide. You can go to their new website at www.rememberalexbrownfoundation.org, ‘Like’ them on Facebook, take the pledge to stop texting while driving, make a donation, order thumb bands and more.

Don’t trade your life, for your words on your phone…

The folks over at Rodale.com are going plastic-free for the month of February. I’m planning on following along, because this isn’t going to be an easy journey and I need all the encouragement that I can get.

Here’s what they’re saying over at Rodale.com:

Why go plastic free? There are plenty of reasons to cut down. It’s made from either petroleum or natural gas, two nonrenewable resources extracted in ways that pollute our air and water. Plastic manufacturers add chemicals to certain types of plastics that can be highly toxic, like bisphenol A and phthalates. And very few types of plastic are widely recycled.

Rodale’s plastic-free ground rules:

1. No buying or acquiring new plastic.

2. No cooking with plastic or storing food in plastic.

3. Minimize all other plastic use.

Overall, I feel that I make a very conscious effort to avoid buying or improperly disposing of plastics. But, I know that there’s so much more that I can do, so I’m here for challenge & growth. I hope you’ll join me!

Plastic-Free February….bring it!

Q. How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None—the light bulb has to want to change.

A very easy way to save money is by reducing your utility expenses. There are some simple do-it-yourself fixes that you can implement right away in your home or business.

The first one requires no special skills, other than being able to screw in a light bulb. Compact Fluorescent Lamp(s), more commonly known as CFL’s, are a huge energy and money saver.

Five to 10 percent of your residential energy bill goes to pay for lighting. You may not believe that there’s much savings in using CFL’s, because of the initial cost to purchase them. But, by going onto the Energy Star website at www.energystar.gov and using the CFL Cost Calculator,
the energy and cost savings is easily demonstrated.

In our own home, we have around 56 CFL’s and so I used that number in the online cost calculator. The results showed that annually, our household saves $311 using 56 Energy Star CFL’s versus 56 conventional lights. Then, spanning the lifecycle of these same 56 CFL’s, and taking into account the cost difference of a CFL & incandescent, we will still save $3,845!

A statistic that I heard recently was; “If, every American home replaced all their incandescent lights with CFL’s: we could save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 800,000 cars”. Very cool, if you ask me!

Another huge power hog is what is called “Phantom” or “Vampire” power. This is the power that is drained by idle electronics that are turned off, but still plugged in. Examples of this would be TV’s, VCR’s DVR’s, computers/monitors/printers, and stereo equipment to name a few.

An easy fix for this, is to put the related equipment on a common power strip. You can then turn the power strip off, when you’re not using those items. An even better option is to purchase what’s called a “Smart Strip”.

The Smart Strip surge protector lowers your energy bills by
turning off your computer’s peripherals when your PC is shut down. Six “automatically switched” outlets are all turned off when wattage through the “control” outlet drops below a user settable threshold. The Smart Strip also has 3 “constantly hot” outlets that maintain a constant current to devices that require it.

Ceiling fans are another useful way of conserving energy. In the winter, switch your fan to the “reverse” setting and run the fan on low. This will push the warm air up by your ceiling down the walls and back into your room. It can be up to 15 degrees warmer up around your ceiling and just by doing this; you may reduce the temperature difference to within 2 degrees.

We’ve barely touched the surface of ideas to reduce energy consumption and save money. There are numerous resources available to research other basic and more advanced choices for saving energy. Be sure to check Idaho Power’s website at: www.idahopower.com/EnergyEfficiency for information on programs, tips and tools. Also, Energy Trust of Oregon is available to Oregon residents at www.energytrust.org . And, don’t forget Energy Star at www.energystar.gov for even more resources and ideas.

[This is an article that I recent wrote as a contributing writer for the Urban Liaison Lifestyle Magazine.]

Would you believe me if I said that I could help your household budget and save you $3,400 on the products that you purchase regularly for your home? At first thought, you probably wouldn’t. You’d figure that there’s some kind of gimmick and that there’s some fine print to read somewhere.

Well, guess what?……YOU ARE WRONG !!!

Do you purchase laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, dishwasher detergent? I would presume close to all of you answered, “Dah” !!

With a $115.00 purchase of Shaklee’s, Get Clean Starter Kit and $20.00 for their Basic G Concentrated Germicide, you’ll have the cleaning power that you’d get when spending over $3,400 at the check stand.

How can this be, you ask? Because Shaklee products are concentrated. Our 16 oz bottle of all-purpose cleaner, dilutes down into over 200 bottles of cleaner. And, the germicide dilutes down into over 64 gallons of product!

Don’t believe me still? I dare you to try Shaklee’s products. Not only do they work, but all products come with a 100% money-back guarantee. AND, an ever better reason, is that Shaklee’s Get Clean products are natural safe and proven effective.

For over 54 years, Shaklee has never had a product recall. Also, joining as a Member saves you 15% off retail prices, and there’s no minimum order requirements to be a Member.

For some facts & statistics, I’ve attached the following information:

Cost Comparison

Value Sheet

Which Products Do You Use

Surface Cleaning Guide

ALSO:  If, join as  a Member and order the Shaklee Get Clean Kit this month, you will receive a Cinch Sampler Kit for FREE. That an over $100.00 value!

It’s all here in black and white and green! Start saving today and enjoy the difference you’ll see every time you checkout at the check stand.

Bees are dying off worldwide and our entire food chain is in peril. Scientists blame toxic pesticides and four European governments have already banned them. If we get the US and the EU to join the ban, other governments across the world could follow, and save bees from extinction. Sign the petition and forward this urgent appeal:

Silently, billions of bees are dying off and our entire food chain is in danger. Bees don’t just make honey, they are a giant, humble workforce, pollinating 90% of the plants we grow.

Multiple scientific studies blame one group of toxic pesticides for their rapid demise, and bee populations have soared in four European countries that have banned these chemicals. But powerful chemical companies are lobbying hard to keep selling this poison. Our best chance to save bees now is to push the US and EU to join the ban — their action is critical and will have a ripple effect on the rest of the world.

We have no time to lose — the debate is raging about what to do. This is not just about saving bumble bees, this is about survival. Let’s build a giant global buzz calling for the EU and US to outlaw these killer chemicals and save our bees and our food. Sign the emergency petition now, and send it on to everyone and we’ll deliver it to key decision makers:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_2/?vl

Bees are vital to life on earth — every year pollinating plants and crops with an estimated $40bn value, over one third of the food supply in many countries. Without immediate action to save bees we could end up with no fruit, no vegetables, no nuts, no oils and no cotton.

Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations — some bee species are now extinct and others are at just 4% of their previous numbers. Scientists have been scrambling for answers. Some studies claim the decline may be due to a combination of factors including disease, habitat loss and toxic chemicals. But new leading independent research has produced strong evidence blaming neonicotinoid pesticides. France, Italy, Slovenia and even Germany, where the main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of these bee killers. But, Bayer continues to export its poison across the world.

This issue is now coming to the boil as major new studies have confirmed the scale of this problem. If we can get European and US decision-makers to take action, others will follow. It won’t be easy. A leaked document shows that the US Environmental Protection Agency knew about the pesticide’s dangers, but ignored them. The document says Bayer’s “highly toxic” product is a “major risk concern to non target insects [honey bees]“.

We need to make our voices heard to counter Bayer’s very strong influence on policy makers and scientists in both the US and the EU where they fund the studies and sit on policy bodies. The real experts — the beekeepers and farmers — want these deadly pesticides prohibited until and unless we have solid, independent studies that show they are safe. Let’s support them now. Sign the petition below, then forward this blog post:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_2/?vl

We can no longer leave our delicate food chain in the hands of research run by the chemical companies and the regulators that are in their pockets. Banning this pesticide will move us closer to a world safe for ourselves and the other species we care about and depend on.