Happy New Year!

Thank you to all of you that follow my blog! May your 2014 be filled with good health and happiness!

Happy New Year!

MJ

What are your weight loss goals for 2014?

Yes, it's that time of year! 2014 is upon us and you're thinking how to start off the new year on the right step. How much weight do you want to lose? What are you going to change about the way you eat or exercise? Many of us have ideas flying through our head on how we can lose the extra pounds and how to maintain a healthy balance.

Well, I here to say you can do it with hard work and determination. What was my secret? It is simple. Find an exercise routine and stick with it! Second, Shaklee 180! Why is Shaklee 180 different? It helps maintain lean muscle and helps burn of the fat your body contains. It is clinically proven to work and I am living proof is does really work! I have lost 38 pounds over 18 months using the Shaklee 180 weight loss program. I have been able to maintain a healthy weight around 171 pounds the last 4 months with consistent exercise and Shaklee 180. Shaklee does it slowly by helping you cut 1-2 pounds a week in a healthy manner.

Shaklee 180 uses natural means to make their smoothie mixes and meal replacement bars. They contain non-GMO soy, no artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, or sweeteners. Shaklee 180 is also low glycemic and lactose free.

If this interests you, you can contact me. My contact info is down below!

Have a healthy and productive start to 2014!

MAKE IT STICK IN 2014!!!

MJ

Office: 715-817-8787
Cell:    218-428-4448
Email: mike@mjshealthyway.com

Learn how to get 4 Shaklee 180 smoothie canisters for free each and every month! Take a look and contact me above!

http://mjshealthyway.com 

Enjoy the holiday season like an elite athlete!

   “Fly!"

That’s what Peter Frenette said he’ll be doing during the holidays. The Shaklee Pure Performance Team member will work to soar onto the U.S. team for the 2014 Games in Sochi. Peter is a ski jumper, so his flight is a bit more harrowing than the comfort and safety of a modern jetliner. Still, he’ll take some actions that will help him relish the holidays and still achieve his lofty goals. Likewise, Jamie Greubel and Curt Tomasevicz, both elite athletes and bobsledders on the Pure Performance Team, will also be “pushing” toward Sochi this month. And I guarantee they’ll repeat some of Peter’s holiday routines. And you can bet skiers Kris Freeman and Lanny and Tracy Barnes will follow the familiar formula for holiday success that most champion athletes have discovered.

Consider these essential elite athlete tips as you race through your holiday season:

Rest: The top athletes—as energetic and robust as they come—know that they’ll perform better with scheduled breaks or down time. Impossible as it may seem during this time of year, do what Kris Freeman does once in a while: glide downhill and enjoy the ride, even if just for a few hours a week.

Work: If you’re lucky enough to be away from the office or daily grind for several days, peel off of the couch and go burn some calories. You don’t need to push a 500 pound bobsled like Curt Tomasevicz, but some invigorating exorcise or fun physical activity can brighten your holidays immensely.

Give: Share the “spirit” with your loved ones!  It’s the spirit of joy, spirit of gratitude, spirit of giving, and spirit of life. It may be the spirit of Christmas or Hanukah, or any other meaningful celebration, but it will be more special to all if you share it exuberantly with those around you.

Gather: Most of the winter athletes on the Pure Performance Team are currently in the selection process for the 2016 Games. That means they’ll likely be far from their families, and possibly in a foreign country. But they’ll gather with their teammates and celebrate the bonds that last far beyond their competitive careers. How about us? Many of our loved ones are close by—grab them and squeeze tight for a three-heartbeat hug you’ll cherish forever!

Dream: What’s behind the gold medals, the championships, and incredible athletic feats or our Pure Performance Team heroes? The same magic that can help make your holidays memorable and great: dreams.

On behalf of the athletes of the Shaklee Pure Performance Team and the leadership and staff of Shaklee Corporation all around the world, I wish you a happy holiday season. You deserve it!

The Shaklee Pure Performance athletes are either Distributors or dedicated users who have received compensation for their partnership and/or complimentary Shaklee products.

MJ 

Info thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog 

Have a healthy finish to 2013! Shaklee, powering USA olympic medals winner: http://mjshealthyway.com  

5 easy steps to weight loss success!

I’ve spent a great deal of time over the few years helping people go from feeling helpless about their weight to feeling (and being) in control of their weight. What I have noticed is that people who are able to lose and maintain their weight use the same steps to achieve success.

Let me share with you five simple principles from the people who I’ve seen have weight loss success:

Make the Commitment:  The first step for any change in your life is to commit to that change—and it seems to work best if it is a public commitment. Permanent weight loss takes a long-term commitment (really, for the rest of your life), but it also starts with the first step. So, decide what you can bite off—maybe that is two weeks or maybe you can commit to two months. I strongly urge you to try to commit to ninety days because that is a meaningful amount of time to change some habits AND to see results!

Remove Temptation: I don’t care how strong you are; no one can resist temptations all the time. There are simply too many tasty things around when you are tempted (a bad day at the office, not enough sleep, somebody’s birthday, etc.). The time to be strong is when you are at the grocery store, not when you are standing in front of your refrigerator after dinner. Start by having a protein bar before you go grocery shopping so you aren’t hungry, take a list of what you need, and stay out of the snack aisles!

Be Realistic: Who wouldn’t want to lose all their weight in one month? The truth is that it may have taken you a while to get to your current weight and it will take time to lose that weight. Set a goal of losing one to two pounds every week, which means, on average, six to ten pounds per month! That translates to 18-30 pounds in the next ninety days. That is realistic. 

Veggies are Your Friend: One type of food that most of us don’t eat enough of is vegetables. It seems unfathomable to me because vegetables are my favorite foods! They are packed with nutrition and low in calories. Make sure to include as many veggies in your diet as possible. This means every meal should include at least one serving of vegetables with at least three servings of veggies at dinner. For example, try including a salad and/or steamed or sautéed vegetables as a side dish.

Exercise: You may lose weight without exercise, but research has shown that exercise is the single most important way to keep the pounds off once you’ve done the work to lose them! Exercise will help you burn more calories and maintain your muscle mass as you lose weight. Losing muscle causes your metabolism to drop, which increases the likelihood of the weight coming back on. So, MOVE more!

From my perspective, THE single most important step to better health is weight control. I am committed to making positive changes for my health in 2014—so commit with me to move more, eat better, and be conscious of things that you do that may be counter-productive to being healthier! Even if you aren’t in need of weight loss, what you may notice from all of these changes is long-term value to your health.

Let us all commit to new habits for better health in 2014.

Info thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog

Have a healthy and productive 2014! 

Shaklee 180 can help your reach your weight loss goals in 2014! Check out the difference at http://weightloss180.info 

MJ 

Email:  mike@mjshealthyway.com

Office: 715-817-8787

Mobile: 218-428-4448

New Shaklee 180 turnaround kit available!

Hello all, Shaklee has introduced a new Turnaround kit with 4 smoothies canisters, so you can have up to two smoothies a day. This will help you to lose the extra pounds in 2014.

Here is the link to order the four smoothie canisters to you're liking: http://mjshealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=89326

Have a healthy and productive weekend!

MJ

Shaklee, helping people with natural weight loss since 1957! http://weightloss180.info and http://mjshealthyway.com

New Year's resolutions are right around the corner!

It's that time of year! You're thinking of losing weight and starting an exercise program. What should you do? I can share a few secrets that helped me lose almost 40 pounds in a year and a half.

First off, the Shaklee 180 Weight Loss program was a game changer. Shaklee 180 smoothies help keep all of your lean muscle and help to burn of your excess fat! It is clinically proven to work. It helps you to lose 1-2 a week, which is a safe proven method. Other weight loss programs cause you to lose weight and muscle, which is not healthy on your body. This is is coined the term yo-yo diets. You lose weight, you gain weight. This is no consistency with theses type of diets. Also many weight loss programs continue to be promoting their programs, but and not safe because of dangerous synthetic fillers they contain.

Why is Shaklee 180 different for mother weight loss programs? It is clinically proven to work and the smoothies and meal bar contain non-GMO soy with no artificial colors or preservatives. They are low glycemic, gluten free, and lactose free.

Second, find an exercise program that works for you. Start off slow and maintain consistency with the program. In no time, you'll be doing full workouts and seeing positive changes in your body. I first noticed my changes in my waistline. I am now down to a size 32 waist. Consistency and dedication is the key to success. With exercise and Shaklee 180, you can't lose, or should I say, "you will lose (weight)!"

Lastly, portion your meals. My success was having a Smoothies, in the morning, lunch I would have a Shaklee 180 meal bar along with some fruit or veggies. For dinner I would have a small dinner. Once you get into this routine, the pounds will come off slowly, and will see changes over a longer amount of time.

Be patience! It takes time to lose weight in a healthy manner. Once you reach your goals, Shaklee 180 helps you stabilize and maintain your weight! I am living proof! 39 pounds lighter!

Have a healthy and productive 2014!! If your interested in losing weight through a natural and sustainable means like Shaklee 180, contact me and I can help.

MJ

Check out the Shaklee 180 program at: http://mjshealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/category.php?main_cat=WeightManagement& 

Shaklee also has an awesome product line of supplements, health and beauty, and healthy and clean home: http://mjshealthyway.com 

Office: 715-817-8787
Cell: 218-428-4448
Email Mike@mjshealthyway.com

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Holiday weight gain is the gift that keeps on giving. While the typical weight gain during the end of the year is only a pound or two, a few of us are packing on enough pounds to rival our holiday turkey.

The strategy most people take is to eat whatever they want during the holidays, with the thought that they can quickly lose those extra pounds in the New Year. A much better approach is to try and not gain weight in the first place.

Scientists who research holiday weight gain have discovered two things:

The first is that over half of typical yearly weight gain occurs during the holidays. This means that in the last six weeks of the year most of us add at least a pound or two. Another study in college students found that even when there was little weight gain, body fat tended to increase while lean mass was lost — so just looking at weight might understate the problem. 

Researchers also noticed that weight gain affected people of higher weight disproportionately. That is, the more people weighed to begin with, the more weight they gained during the holidays. In one study, 14 percent of overweight and obese people gained five pounds.

All of this is no surprise to anyone who has ever sat down at a festive table. It has been estimated that the average holiday meal can contain a shocking 4,500 calories and 220 grams of fat; that is more than two days worth of calories (for most of us) in a single meal.

The Key is Maintenance

While a pound or two of weight gain may not seem like a lot, it actually is because most people don’t lose that weight later. In this way, holiday weight gain becomes permanent weight gain (and this is the real problem). It is much easier to avoid weight gain during the holiday season than it is to gain the weight and try to lose it later.

Let’s celebrate weight maintenance, particularly at this time of year! Maintenance is the first victory; it is a clear indication that you are doing some things right. Have a good game plan, including dietary changes, physical activity, and other healthy habits – like setting goals, monitoring your progress, and learning how to address your challenging situations.

Many people find it helpful to have the support of a group. The Internet makes that easy!  I like the example of the “don’t gain a turkey” group on Facebook, set up to help people to keep the weight off this season.

I would love to hear what you all are doing to keep your weight the same or even lose weight.  Please comment below!

Info thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog. 

Have a healthy and productive holiday season! 

MJ 

Shaklee, providing natural weight loss solutions since 1957: http://weightloss180.info or See Shaklee 180 at http://mjshealthyway.com  

Healthy Foods To Stay Energized Every Time

Natural energy foods provide you with important vitamins and revitalize your body. Energy increasing foods that you could carry out into your diet plan to aid improve your energy.

Healthy Foods

Natural energy foods might assist keep you awake, energized and alert. Additionally they provide you with important vitamins and revitalize the body. Your body gets energy from calories, that can originate from protein, fat and carbohydrates. There are many food alternatives out there that might offer your body with energy.

To obtain a power supply that serves would be to use existing food in the kitchen area. Energy enhancing foods that you might implement into your diet plan to aid increase your energy level without ruining your diet plan or dish plan.

Almonds

Almonds help take control of your appetite between dishes and provide an excellent source of healthy fat and protein. Proteins are crucial for maintaining long-term energy stores. Simply do not go too insane making use of the almonds, given that the calories in nuts do add up.

Goji Berries

They’re also a fantastic resource of anti-oxidants and polysaccharides and enhance cell-to-cell communication. Keep in mind that these are simply a few examples of foods that supply you energy and can be an exceptional replacement for coffee or various other quick repairs. It’s still crucial that you follow a raw food diet which will provide you with nutrients, energy and alkalinity.

Beans

Beans are a good source of both proteins and carbohydrates, triggering them to be a fantastic choice when aiming to obtain energy. You can add them to your salad, soup, previous dish or on rice to include additional protein to your diet plan and supply your body with long-lasting energy.

Oranges

Oranges are an execllent energy source since of their high Vitamin C content. When you exercise, your muscles experience small splits and Vitamin C helps repair those. Any fruit which has a high amount of Vitamin C is an exceptional natural energy source. You can go beyond simply consuming the fruit itself, with the addition of a orange to some Greek yogurt, milk along with other fruits to produce a smoothie which will taste good and offer your energy a boost.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are wonderful to maintaining a good density of lean muscle mass in addition to boost energy levels. Furthermore, when one keeps a good density of lean muscles, metabolism can likewise be enhanced. When there’s a boost in metabolism, your body becomes a reliable fat burning device. Mainly, egg-whites have excellent protein contents.

Bananas

Bananas are wonderful sources of potassium, excellent filler and booster, also. Banana’s micro nutrient submissions are essential for keeping optimal degree of energy for the body’s day-to-day requirements. In addition, banana’s potassium material might assist prevent tiredness. Consume at least one fresh banana daily for better energy.

Spinach

Spinach is packed with tiredness combating folate. Folate is really a B vitamin that’s needed to prevent anemia, and it could lower the likelihood of establishing depression. B vitamins are likewise revealed to improve energy levels so make sure to take in a lot of this leafy green veggie to help keep not just boost your energy level but aid you stay feeling good too!

Brown Rice

Brown rice is not simply loaded with complicated carbohydrates. This ingredient is another wonderful source of magnesium. There’s a truth that low magnesium levels can impede your body’s energy metabolism. You’ve to merely consume a cup of cooked brown rice to obtain more than 1/4 of the magnesium a lady requires everyday and 1/5 the total quantity a man requires.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is amongst the most popular energy source selected by athletes since it’s absorbed gradually, offering sustained energy. It may be available in practical single-serve bundles which are easy to warm up, specifically on the run. You can add in fruit and nuts to produce an even higher-energy source snack. Merely to be sure to stay clear of the instant oatmeal which has actually had flavor and sugars included into them.

Have a healthy and energetic holiday season. 

Info thanks to Diet and Nutrition Advisor

MJ

Shaklee Energy, a natural way to boost your energy! Check it out at: http://mjshealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20158  

Office: 715-817-8787

Cell:    218-428-4448

Email  mike@mjshealthyway.com  

Understanding the latest media attention on multivitamins

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! 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.

Info thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog

Have a happy and productive holiday season! 

MJ 
mike@mjshealthyway.com 

Shaklee, made naturally with no man made synthetics since 1957! 

http://mjshealthyway.com

Shaklee’s Vita-Lea a perfect daily supplement: http://mjshealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/pws_search.html?q=vita+lea+ 

Start your weight loss goals early with Shaklee 180!

Hello and Happy Holiday's to all!

The new year is coming upon us and all of us are thinking about what we are going to do to lose weight or reach optimum health. Shaklee 180 is a great way to lose and maintain your weight. I have lost 38 pounds and hold my new weight of 171 pounds. I have more energy and my overall health is excellent. Shaklee 180 is a great vehicle to us with any exercise program to help you shed off the unneeded pounds naturally. Shaklee 180 contains leucine, which helps keep lean muscle and help burn off extra fat. It is clinically proven to work! I am living proof of that! Shaklee 180 also:

• Contains non-GMO soy Protein
• Low glycemic
• Lactose free
• No preservatives
• No artificial colors 
• No artificial flavors
• No artificial sweeteners 
• Clinical proven to work. 

There is a natural way to lose the weight you want. Dedication and exercise is the key your success. Shaklee 180 can help you reach your goals for the new year! Join me in a mission of Change! Go Shaklee 180!

Contact me for a change!
Office: 715-817-8787
Cell: 218-428-4448
Email: mike@mjshealthyway.com 
Website: http://mjshealthyway.com


Happy Holidays and have a healthy and productive weekend!

MJ


Shaklee 180-Helping thousands to reach weight loss goal naturally!
http://mjshealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/shaklee180.s.html

My, my, what have we here? Shaklee Pure Performance!

As I drew back the heavy, glass door to enter the lobby of Shaklee World Headquarters, I whispered aloud, “My, my, what have we here?”

I’d heard of the Shaklee Pure Performance Team from some of my fellow Olympians, but I was almost startled to see them lined up, like valiant sentries, stretching across the entire spine of the massive atrium. Larger than life, more than 20 world-class athletes were poised in a tableau of excellence, each unique to their respective sport. Caryn Davies! Dennis Bowsher!  Corey Cogdell!  And more!

Of course, these were just larger-than-life posters of the athletes that left me in awe upon entering Shaklee Headquarters, but what an impressive lineup it is!  The Team has now expanded to more than 30 world-class athletes from a variety of sports, with more than 25 medals to their credit from recent Games.  They are the best of the best, elite athletes, and all of them benefit from Shaklee products: Shaklee Vitalizer™, Vivix®, Shaklee Performance® pure hydration drink, Shaklee Energy™ Chews, and Shaklee 180™ Snack Bars, among the many. I’m also impressed with their frequent use of Shaklee’s many Healthy Home products, and other practical items. 

I’ll have the pleasure of managing these champions as they charge toward the 2014 Games, 2016 Games, and beyond. Not since my own bygone days as a competitor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta (skeet shooting, ninth place) have I felt the giddy excitement of rolling with an unstoppable Team.

I’ll keep you updated on the Shaklee elite athletes training, the results of their competitions, what they love about Shaklee, and perhaps their success “strategies.”

For example, in a recent conversation with bobsledding champion Curt Tomasevicz, I learned about his intense training. He needs lots of protein, he says, to power his potent pushes, and Shaklee is able to help him with that. But, did you know that Shaklee products mentioned above—and many others—may also be perfectly suited for the rest of us “normal people” for benefits such as a sense of well-being and overall health for our active lives?  We may not have a passel of medals around our necks but we all have a desire to succeed at our chosen endeavors, and our personal victories are no less gratifying.

I believe there are probably a couple of important traits you may have in common with our champs: determination and dedication. You work hard day in and day out to achieve lofty goals, you overcome any number of obstacles, and you revel in simple joys of living right and helping others. Indeed, you might be surprised to know how our Pure Performance Team members view you, the dedicated distributors and consumers in the Shaklee Family:  larger than life!

Do you have a question for one our Shaklee Pure Performance Team athletes? If so, comment below and I’ll get back to you with answers!

The Shaklee Pure Performance athletes are either Distributors or dedicated users who have received compensation for their partnership and/or complimentary Shaklee products.

Info thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog 

Happy holidays and have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ 

Shaklee, the choice of olympic athletes! http://mjshealthyway.com  

5 overlooked ways exercise improves your life

Human bodies need regular exercise in order to stay healthy. There are countless physical benefits to exercise, such as losing weight, getting stronger, building stamina, improving cardiovascular health, and enhancing flexibility, but the benefits don’t stop there. Exercise can positively affect many other aspects of your life that go beyond looking and feeling fit. Lifehacker has collected a list of reasons to exercise other than losing weight, and below you'll find my favorites.

1. Exercise is a great de-stresser.

While the cause of your stress probably won’t disappear during a workout, intense exercise can distract and hopefully give a fresh perspective on matters. From a scientific perspective, one study suggests that regular exercise actually rewires the part of our brains responsible for dealing with stress, making active people better able to cope with anxiety than sedentary people.

2. Exercise will improve your mood.

There’s nothing like a workout to burn away negative emotions. You will have accomplished something worthwhile, and you’ll boost personal confidence. Exercise also eases symptoms of depression, though it’s not clear exactly how it’s done. The Mayo Clinic suggests it’s either because the brain releases feel-good chemicals (neurotransmitters and endorphins), or it reduces immune system chemicals that worsen depression; it may also be that an increased body temperature from exercise has a calming effect.

3. Exercise is good for your brain.

Exercise actually “bulks up” the human brain. It gets oxygen flowing, releases hormones that encourage brain cell growth, and actually improves memory and learning capabilities in the process. Researchers at the University of British Columbia put together a group of women in their 70s and 80s with mild cognitive impairment and put them on exercise programs. The results were surprising:

“When we started these experiments, most of us thought that, at best, we’d see less decline” in memory function among the volunteers who exercised, which would have represented success. But beyond merely stemming people’s memory loss, “we saw actual improvements.”

4. Exercise can help you sleep better.

It stands to reason that working your body hard will make it more inclined to rest. One recent study, however, shows that, while aerobic activity improves insomnia in the long run, it takes about four months for the improvement to kick in. You won’t see immediate results after a single workout, but stick with it and you’ll reap the benefits later.

5. You'll be more energetic.

It may seem counterintuitive that after exhausting your body with exercise you’d have even more energy, but it’s true. Banish the afternoon ‘slump’ with a midday workout, or combat general fatigue (not with a medical condition, which plagues one in four Americans) with regular exercise. Researchers from the University of Georgia explain that exercise works on the central nervous system to increase energy and reduce fatigue. “A lot of people are overworked and not sleeping enough. Exercise is a way for people to feel more energetic.”

So whether it's running, CrossFit, or yoga, putting in some effort to exercise regularly can go a long way toward improving overall quality of life.

Info thanks to Treehugger.com

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ

Shaklee, in harmony with nature since 1957-http://mjshealthyway.com

Stress and your immune system

Oh the holidays! They can be the best of times and the worst of times. On the good side, I absolutely love spending time with family and friends whom I don’t see regularly, and I love decorating our home and spending more time in the kitchen. But with these fun activities come long lines at the mall, traffic jams, and the general stress of shopping, cooking, and cleaning. So…keep reading to learn how you can learn to reduce stress!

When we should all be spending more time close to home and hearth, we are rushing with so many holiday-related activities on top of our already busy schedules. . And then there is the food; while it is wonderful to get invited to so many parties, your sister doesn’t always have your health or your weight management struggles in mind when she serves creamed onions, stuffed sweet potatoes, and that impossible-to-resist pumpkin cheesecake! And then there is the eggnog and all those appetizers!

All of this can add up to more stress, and that stress can have a big impact on your immune system. Yes, it is true; stress can weaken the immune system. In fact, there is a whole field of science (called psychoneuroimmunology) that studies just how powerfully our mind influences our health and what these scientists are learning is that what goes on in our minds can dramatically affect our bodies.

How do you know if you are stressed?

This may sound a little strange, but many of you may be more stressed than you know.

Typical signs that you are stressed include anxiety, feeling time pressure, forgetfulness, tight muscles, changes in appetite, changes in digestion, and insomnia. But you may also be stressed if you are noticing forgetfulness, anger, low libido, or even changes in your menstrual cycle.

Chronic stress is a bit of a vicious cycle where the hormones of stress tend to create more stress later on. So the more stress you feel, the more you feel stressed. Your immune system takes a big hit when you experience these chronic stresses, but you are also at a higher risk for anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, sleep problems, and weight gain.

In order to survive this holiday season with your immune system intact, I recommend the following tips to reduce stress:

• Focus on what is important: Your family and friends are what is important during the holidays, not the perfect gift. Nothing expresses love better than love; show them you care.

Take time for you: Don’t just fill your to-do list with errands for other people. Be a little selfish and remember to find time to relax and also try to set realistic goals on what you can get done each day.

Find time to exercise: Yes, it is cold outside, yes it is dark outside, yes you had too much to eat last night and want to stay in bed, but getting up and doing a yoga tape or going to the gym will not only help your mood and your energy, but also quells anxiety, lifts depression, and gives your immune system the boost it needs.

Practice mindfulness (also called thoughtfulness): Call it mediation, prayer, or just quiet time, but research supports the use of thoughtfulness as a way to reduce stress. Deep breathing is often the quickest way to send your whole body a relaxing message.

Don’t abandon your healthy habits: You know what you should be eating. There are many temptations and you might think that a sugary treat will help your mood, but that good feeling is fleeting and then will be followed by guilt or feeling bad when your sugar rush turns into a blood sugar drop. Check out this article for healthier holiday eating tips.

Stress can have a real and powerful affect on your immune system. What we do each day can either support your immune system or hurt it. Reducing your stress takes a bit of time (to meditate, exercise, etc.) but the payoffs are great for both you and your immune system.

How will you reduce your stress this holiday season? Share your own tips in the comments section below!

Thank you Shaklee Health Wise Blog for the info. 

MJ 

Shaklee, a natural approach to Stress! http://mjshealthway.com  

Free Shipping Now Through December 11

Take advantage of FREE shipping* (up to $20) when you place an online or mobile order of $200 or more and we'll throw in a Box of Assorted Shaklee 180™ Energizing Smoothie Packets – an over $50 value -- while supplies last.
Offer ends December 11. 

Have a healthy and productive day! 

Shaklee, products with nature in mind since 1957. 

Http://mjshealthyway.com  

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season

I will be back tomorrow with more healthy news and info. I hope everyone enjoyed their time with family. 

Have a healthy and productive holiday season! 

MJ 

Shaklee-Products you can trust for nature, for you! Http://mjshealthyway.com