Health and Fitness

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

Eat organic, lower cancer risk 25%?

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Eat Organic: Lower cancer risk by 25%        (From the heart and travel news below)

Items pictured must be organically raised to have desired anti-cancer effect.

Dear One,

Is it true? If it is, what would you do about it? Spend the money? Lobby for policy change to increase government support for organic food production? Or ignore the data?

Rachel and Charles Benbrook just published an article in the PCC March 2019 newsletter bringing the findings of a sophisticated, large-scale study of French citizens published in the prestigious scientific journal, JAMA Internal Medicine in late 2018. The study involved 68,000 people with the average age of 44, two-thirds were women. The demographics and controls for reporting accuracy, life style, family, physical activity and medical history were top quality. Nothing shoddy or questionable about this study. They followed the subjects from 2004 – 2014 and recorded first incidence of cancer in 1,340 of the subjects. Then the participants were divided into four groups or quartiles ranging from highest organic food sources to lowest. They applied standard methods to control for the impact of known cancer risk factors such as smoking, family history and income. They they looked at whether high organic food intake was associated with differences in cancer incidence, compared to low intakes of organic food.
The quartile with the highest organic food intake score had a 25% lower overall risk of developing cancer, compared to the low intake quartile. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma rate was a dramatic 86% lower and post menopausal breast cancer rate, 34% lower in the top organic eating group.

Wow.

Given these findings, would you change your grocery spending to improve your chances of not developing cancer?

Is it worth it to buy organic?

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1971 when I was thirty-four years old. There wasn’t much in the way of cancer prevention science available, but I did start to read that old Bible, Prevention Magazine first published in 1950 by J.I. Rodale. I read Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and learned about the harm of pesticides. Carson died before my diagnosis.

Carson’s ideas contrasted with the bulletins from the USDA. Department of Agriculture that guided my brothers and me in our 4-H chicken and dairy cow raising activities in the early 50s. Growth hormones for pullets, anti-biotics in the daily diet, de-worming and anti-biotics shots for the heifers were recommended. We did it all. My little brother, age 11, drained a vial of growth hormones himself, thinking if it would help the chickens get bigger faster, it might help him!

A diagnosis of cancer at such a young age sent me searching for an answer to Why? Rachel Carson, plus the little book, Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappe, convinced me that my diet and lots of medication for sinus infections throughout my childhood contributed to a weakened immune system. Lappe’s book featured simple rules for a healthy diet and hundreds of meat-free recipes. Its mix of recipes and analysis inspired a radical faith in the ability to combine personal therapy with political activism. I was on a crusade to prevent further cancer in myself and others.

This French research study puts me back on my crusading horse, not that I ever got off. Since my own cancer diagnosis, my youngest daughter, now in her fifty-second year, has had two instances of cancer: melynoma at age thirty-four and breast at age forty-three. Kaiser, her medical care provider, did a genetic study and found that both she and I are missing a gene—P53—whose job in the body is to repair the damage caused by free radicals.

I am grateful I chose to supplement my diet with Shaklee’s organically sourced, additive free vitamins and protein powders. My daughter has chosen a radical vegetarian diet, eating mountains of fresh, mostly organic, vegetables, grains, and fruits to protect herself from further cancers. So far both of us remain cancer-free.

We are motivated to take serious care to prevent cancer. Neither one of us had to have chemotherapy as surgery took care of removing the cancer. Not so with my husbands. Consider the cost of having cancer when you hesitate to spend the money on organic foods. I had months of co-pay bills owed for my husband’s cancer treatment after he died. Those were hard checks to write.

The cost of cancer

What about you who have not been struck by this disease of malfunctioning cellular activity? Would data like that presented in the local Seattle food coop inspire you to change? Prevention, unless motivated by some bad health experience is hard to do for many. In a market economy, the only way to increase the production and availability of organic foods is by consumer consumption. Washington state is already No. 2 in the nation for organic farm gate sales. You can help remove pesticides from our foods by buying organic.

Share this information with your relatives and friends who live where there is less access to organic produce. Let’s not wait for the government to support a cancer reducing food production. Let the market speak for better health.

To read the original French study go to www.pccmarkets.com/r/5040.

Why supplement along with an organic diet?

Look back over your past weeks’ worth of food consumption. Did you prepare fresh, organic food at every meal or dine in a restaurant the serves organic foods? I certainly didn’t. I’m often rushing to the next event with a smoothie in my hand. That smoothie is made with organic fruit and vegetables and Shaklee’s organic protein powder. I also ate out a couple of times and have no idea the source of the food.

For anyone wanting a prevention insurance policy, choose a complete program of Shaklee’s supplements. Vitalizer or Life strip have a couple multivitamins (Vita Lea), a B/C blend that slow releases in your body, and fish oil and fat soluble anti-oxidants. Most people will add a probiotic (Optiflora is guaranteed to deliver live friendly bacteria to your gut.) It comes in the Vitalizer already.

 

Special Health Solutions:

There are several special solutions for eye health, bone and joint health, heart health, pain management, immune support all of which do the job of prevention. Look at the Shaklee product guide first before fillings your doctor’s prescription for supplements for these special needs. Sure, they might be more expensive and not covered by your health insurance, but we’re talking about guaranteed results here and a manufacturer you can trust to use organic sources and add nothing synthetic. If you are currently on a regimen to protect your eyes, check the Shaklee website or call me. I managed to put off cataract surgery for 5 years by using a double dose of Carotomax every day. A few of my customers do check in before they fill their prescription for supplements. Use me as a resource.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving.  Read on for news from the heart and travel plans in March

www.HiHohealth.com  my personal Shakee shopping website.

From the Heart….. 

I’ve been back in school since January and feel out of touch with you, my dear customer and friend. Open Borders, my first memoir, is getting a lot of play at libraries, book stores and small gatherings. People tell me they love the story and learn a lot about the Cold War. My next book is a novel and the class I’m taking is helping with character development. Please forgive me if you have wondered why I haven’t been in touch. My Shaklee business is a primary income source for me and teaching about prevention through lifestyle practices of good nutrition, exercise and nourishing relationship remains a top priority. Don’t be a stranger. Be in touch. I love to hear what your health concerns are and if my long-time study and practice can benefit you in any way.

I’ll be on vacation from March 15 – 29 so if you pick up product from my front porch, be sure to call me before the 15th so we can make delivery arrangements. I will be plugged in and online while I am away.

If you haven’t checked in at 8:30 on Thursdays, I have been demonstrating different Shaklee products at www.facebook.com/betsybellshealth4U, a live stream video. So far, I’ve done all the YOUTH products, the Get Clean kitchen and laundry products and a demo of my favorite smoothie with kale, carrot, celery, beet, and blackberries plus soy milk (made from Shaklee’s Soy Protein Drink Mix) and Vanilla Life shake mix, soy. The shake mix comes in plant-based protein if you are not keen on soy.

Tune in, like my event and share with your friends and family. It’s amateur for sure, but lots of fun. See you there. You can always watch it later by looking for my facebook page.

Be well, Do well and Keep moving,

Betsy

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

Youth skin care line

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Dear One,

A little over 18 months ago, Shaklee introduced the YOUTH skin-care line, ideal for dull, dry skin or for anyone wanting to look younger longer. The previous line, Enfuselle, was loved by so many, including me. I wasn’t that excited about losing the familiar and embracing the new. Besides YOUTH products are more expensive, like the high-end department store brands. Was the increase in cost worth it? I wasn’t sure. Here’s my heart-to-heart take on the new line.

YOUTH skin care by Shaklee

Why YOUTH?

Shaklee has moved forward over the 100 years since Dr. Shaklee first created Vitalized Minerals. The scientists at Shaklee’s laboratory have continued Dr. Shaklee’s legacy, pushing the envelope, putting their medical and science team to work solving new health problems.

 

Pro-Biotics and GLA

Two examples: I remember waiting for Shaklee’s pro and pre-biotics and their version of gamma linolenic acid —GLA—, an omega-6 fatty acid that our bodies use to form prostaglandins—potent, hormone-like substances that help the body to regulate many normal bodily processes. I was desperate for this hormone balancing stuff when menopause was taking me down.

 

When GLA came along, I stopped buying Evening Primrose Oil capsules and went for Shaklee’s Borage Oil based GLA and noticed the difference with my hot flashes right away. My body needed a little help to make the hormonal transition. GLA gave it to me.

 

The Optiflora pearl loaded with friendly micro-flora and the Optiflora power that fed them when they made it to the lower intestines made a dramatic change in my digestion and my immune system. It was worth waiting for the science department’s painstaking research and protective delivery system.

 

WHAT ABOUT YOUTH?

 

When Enfuselle came out, I did an ingredient search at the Environmental Working Group’s site (www.ewg.org) and found every Enfuselle product to be safe on a scale of 1 – 5. Today the scale to measure harm goes from 1 – 10 as new research discovers more and more cosmetic and skin care ingredients contain potential carcinogens.

You don’t want to put stuff on your skin that could cause cancer, do you?

Shaklee scientists went back to the drawing board and created a skin care line without the 2500 ingredients that could be cancer causing and are frequently found in skin care products.

How’s that for taking the initiative toward something healthier when the current product line was selling extremely well?!

As a cancer survivor with a pre-disposition to melanoma (I’m missing a gene that heals free radical damage in the body), I jumped right on YOUTH and breathed a sigh of relief that Shaklee made something safe for me and for all of you, too.

I had to get used to a very different product line. An oil-based cleanser—Luminous Gel-Oil Cleanser—turns out to be luscious, gently exfoliating with green algae.

 

A toner —Perfecting Skin Toner—that lasted me from February to August, six months—and has all kinds of citrus to help balance the PH of your skin so the natural acidic balance is restored after rinsing with tap water.

 

Your skin needs to be just a little acidic as an immune system protection against pathogens. Most cleansers strip the acid mantel. Rinsing adds minerals from the water to the skin. We need the toner to balance PH and protect.

The toner is expensive at $47 retail and $40-member price. Still, Shaklee’s toner has the same muscadine grape and A, C and E vitamins that all the YOUTH products contain. I wanted that protection. Six months before I ran out? I’m OK with that expense.

The moisturizer—Age Defense Moisturizer—has zinc oxide and goes on thick. It took some getting used to, but what a difference it makes to the luminous, healthy glow my face developed over time. No sun. Period. 30 SPF. No scent, either, so the moisturizer is good for men and women alike.

The special products—Activating Serum and Radiance C & E—are treatments for the skin, renewing the health of deep facial cells. My deep wrinkles reddened a bit with initial use, but the burning sensation subsided after a few weeks and the grooves seemed to get shallower. These two products are $95 retail and $80 member. Again, they last several months.

 

The Radiance C & E contains 60 little golden pillows containing the 20% pure Vitamin C. I alternate using one pillow every other day and the Activating Serum mornings and at night on alternate evenings. I opened new containers of the Activating Serum last March and again in August. Good value.

 

I always end with the Advanced Renewal Night Cream to boost collagen and elastin production while sleeping. I feel I’ve been to the day spa every night. It’s quite the luxurious experience.

 

If an anti-aging program isn’t for you at your age, the products to use for your four-step day time program for keeping your skin youthful and hydrated are Luminous Gel-Oil Cleanser, Perfecting Skin Toner, Moisture Activating Serum and Moisture LOCK Day Cream. Get the Sun Protection Factor on your skin with the Beauty Balm foundation. Each color (there are four) glides on with 30 SPF.

 

Shaklee has two masks, one dark and rich Purifying  Clay Mask to detox and clarify your skin; the other a golden hydrating Gel Mask to deeply sooth and moisturize.

 

For the eyes—those pesky bags and droops—Restoring Eye Treatment reduces appearance of puffiness and dark circles. I love that I can still read comfortably after applying this treatment at night.

 

To get a feel for these products and how to use them, watch my Facebook live demonstration on most Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. In less than ten minutes I show you how to use the various products. It’s been fun to learn a new technology. I removed the first couple attempts and the quality of my presentation is getting better all the time. It’ll give you a chuckle to watch.

 

Www.facebook.com/betsybellshealth4u  Go to my YouTube channel on the YOUTH products where you can watch a beautifully done professional demonstration. I commend that to you if you have questions and watch to understand how to use these products. When you get to my Facebook channel on YOUTH, please like it and share so it will go up in the list. There are a lot of Betsy Bell you tube channels. I’d appreciate it.

The Shaklee website (www.HiHoHealth.com my personal website with Shaklee) offers special deals on YOUTH products, so be sure to check out that web site if you are thinking about trying YOUTH for yourself, or as a gift this Christmas for someone special. The man in your life might just love some of these rejuvenating products. Take a look.

Be well, do well and Keep moving.

Have a delicious, love-filled Thanksgiving.

There is so much to be thankful for, in spite of the national and global chaos. Just look around you and appreciate your life, all the goodness and beauty.  Betsy

Please leave a comment.

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

Back to School snacks

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Gentle Reader,

I was out with my granddaughter the other day—she’s twenty and was driving me in her car—when she confessed she hadn’t eaten in a while. She reached in her purse for a bar, pulled off the wrapper and started munching on the dense, dark thing, clearly loaded with protein. She suffers from low blood sugar. Now that she is twenty, she understands that she has to carry protein with her or her brain scrambles. I’m just like that. Are you? Any of your kids have meltdowns because they need protein? It takes a long time for a young woman like my granddaughter to figure out how to fix her problem before it is one. Her mother and I harped a lot. We also carried protein bars with us and handed her one when we saw the signs. May I suggest a solution if this is a thing in your household?

Here follows an unabashed promotion of Shaklee protein bars as the best, most balanced—protein, fat, carbs—to steady your metabolism and get your brain working again. Read on….

Grab a snack–Make it healthy

What are some filling, easy-to-grab snack foods to get you through after-school sports events? Or that quick minute in the kitchen between things when there is no time for a proper sit-down meal? Even lunch when you don’t have time to make one?

Are you open to looking at some alternatives made by Shaklee, the No. 1 natural vitamin company in the US? The company that distinguishes itself by making sure every product is pure, safe, organically sourced and effective?

Sure, Costco is full of inexpensive, tasty bulk purchases for just these moments in your family’s busy schedule. And there is probably some fairly good nutrition along with the taste and calories. But what if Shaklee makes a healthier, tastier alternative?

Like the convenience of bars? Shaklee makes whole nutritious meals in a bar. They were designed as part of a weight management program. For anyone, they provide a well-balanced complete meal without the over-the-top sugars and fats of your average bar. More expensive than Cliff bars, but consider the benefit.

Meal-in-a-Bar:
White Chocolate Cinnamon 270 cal.:

My personal favorite.
• 18 -20 grams of hunger-fighting non-GMO soy protein
• 6 –7 grams of fiber
• Leucine to build muscle
• 23 vitamins and minerals
• Low glycemic. GI Value:25
• No artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners or preservatives added
• Gluten free

Blueberry & Almond Crisp 260 calories
Same balanced ingredients, different yummy flavor. My personal favorite.

Peanut Butter& Chocolate Chip has 270 calories and has the same values as both Blueberry& Almond and Chocolate Cinnamon
Take note of the GI Value in Blueberry Almond Crisp is 25 while the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip has a GI of 29.

They are delicious.

Snack bars. I never leave home without one in my purse. I keep one in the glove box of my car. If you are a low blood sugar basket case, you know why. Don’t let the weight management talk steer you away from giving these snack bars to your kids. There is nothing fake or hyper in any Shaklee product. Just good nutrition that a scrawny growing kid wouldn’t benefit from. Keep the sugars down, get the fiber to keep their tummies functional and pack in the energy with good protein.

Shaklee 180 Snack Bars flavors: Toffee Chocolate Crunch, Chocolate and Coconut, Crunchy Peanut Butter, & Cherry Almond are the perfect solution to mid-afternoon hunger.
Whichever flavor you choose, they are a great-tasting way to eat a satisfying, healthy, decadent snack without a lot of calories. Snack Bars are Powered by Leucine™, an amino acid that signals muscle protein building, which can offset the muscle loss that can occur with other diets. Leucine lets you keep muscle while you lose weight from fat. And remember Muscle = Metabolism.
Shaklee also packs 9-10 grams of protein into each bar. And that’s important. Why? Because protein is used to build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. Protein-rich foods also promote feelings of fullness, keeping hunger at bay. And that’s what you want. But when you’re eating a Snack Bar, all you’ll think about is how good it tastes.

Prefer savory snacks? Do you reach for chips when you’re starving? We all love them. Throw a bag in the lunch, or purse. But how is the nutritional balance? Any protein? Too much fat for good balance? How about Shaklee’s Crisps. I love them. Take them hiking. They come in a box of 10 for $20.95 member price or $2 each. Probable half again as much as the Costco offering. But look what you get for your money.

Shaklee 180™ Sea Salt Snack Crisps and Barbecue Snack Crisps and now it’s Crunch time!

Our snack crisps are baked to golden perfection with a hint of salt and if you like barbeque flavor, you will find a tangy goodness in every satisfying bite. Plenty of protein per serving to keep hunger away and cravings under control. Both options offer:
• 100 calories
• 6 grams of non-GMO soy protein
• Low glycemic
• No artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners or preservatives added
• Gluten free

Two flavors, Sea Salt and Barbeque.

Psst: If you’re trying to lose weight or keep it off, these crisps are a perfect snack whether you are doing Weight Watchers or any other program.

After School Snack: Meal Shakes: I’ve had several grandchildren love these milk-based protein shakes. They can mix them without supervision at a pretty young age. Take a look at the ingredients and see if this would be a good after-school snack for the children in your house.

Unlike similar meal replacement products found in grocery stores, Meal Shakes contain no artificial colors, sweeteners or flavorings. A creamy, delicious shake that children love. Bavarian Cocoa and French Vanilla. #20321 French Vanilla, #20322 Bavarian Chocolate $24.10 member price. 16 servings. SHOP at www.HiHoHealth.com, my personal Shaklee website. Click on the picture of any product included in this post and it will take you to the shopping page where you can read everything about it and purchase!

Be Well, Do Well and Keep Moving.
Betsy

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

heart attack

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Dear One,

How can you help yourself avoid a heart attack? Your water drinking habits influence your overall health, and maybe the health of your heart. Can drinking more water help prevent a heart attack? When I gave a health talk at a retirement home not long ago, I was surprised at the answer I got to a question: what is the most frequent health problem among the residents?

Dehydration. Which may lead to a heart attack.

This information will help you avoid this yourself.

Your heart is constantly working, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood a day. By staying hydrated – i.e. drinking more water than you are losing – you are helping your heart do its job. A hydrated heart is able to pump blood more easily, allowing the muscles in your body to work even better.

I dedided to write this post because a friend sent me an email that is circulating on the web about water, aspirin and heart attacks. the article references Dr. Somers of the Mayo Clinic. To verify statements attributed to him, I found on the Mayo Clinic web site a disclaimer. Their cardiac specialist had never drawn the dehydration=heart attack conclusion.

Nontheless, I found resonance with much that the email had to say about drinking water and so I did a little research of my own. The University of Pittsburg Medical Clinic has an informative piece on heart health and water.

“Dehydration causes strain on your heart. The amount of blood circulating through your body, or blood volume, decreases when you are dehydrated. To compensate, your heart beats faster, increasing your heart rate and causing you to feel palpitations. Also your blood retains more sodium, making it tougher for it to circulate through your body.

“So how much water should you drink to stay hydrated? It really depends on how much your body needs. Some situations where you should drink more water include:

  • If you are exercising or doing other physical activities.
  • If you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
  • If you are showing signs of dehydration, such as dizziness or weakness.

Please also keep in mind that certain medical conditions (such as heart failure, diabetes, heart disease) may require varying hydration strategies and consult with your physician as required.”

Everyone’s need for water is different, so take this with a grain of salt and use what seems helpful. I for one begin my day with 2 glasses of water, one of which is warm and has the juice of half a lemon squeezed into it.

Water is Almost Free, and the Advice is Free.

The circulating email lists several points about when to drink water that resonant with me. If they resonate with you, why not change a few habits to incorporate these suggestions. It can’t hurt. We don’t have to wait for scientific proof for everything we do. Dr. Shaklee was clear about that. Common sense is a good guide.

How many folks do you know who say they don’t want to drink anything before going to bed because they’ll have to get up during the night? Consider this:

Heart Attack and Water – Drinking one glass of water before going to bed may help avoid stroke or heart attack.

Why do we need to urinate so much at night? Gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright (legs swell). When you lie down and the lower body (legs and etc.) is level with the kidneys, it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier. You need water to help flush the toxins out of your body. Apparently the work of flushing happens at night. Ever take a nap and wake up needing to rush to the bathroom? Perhaps the same thing is happening during the day.

Are there better times to drink water?

Drinking water at a certain time may maximize its effectiveness on the body:

  • 2 glasses of water after waking up – helps activate internal organs
  • 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal – helps digestion
  • 1 glass of water before taking a bath – may help lower blood pressure
  • 1 glass of water before going to bed – may avoid stroke or heart attack

Water at bed time may help prevent night time leg cramps. Leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.

People tell me they don’t like the taste of water, so they drink tea, bottled drinks of all kinds and think that is enough. Pure water can’t be beat, so why not use a Shaklee Best Water pitcher to make your water tasty. You’ll save money. You’ll keep all those bottles out of the recycling/landfill. A new pitcher with its filter and a pack of three refills costs $105 member price. Every filter cleans 80 pitchers full of water. A dial on the top lets you know when to replace the filter. So easy. In my house, we go through a filter in about three months. One filter costs $19. That’s 800 8oz. bottles of water which would cost you $.13 each from Amazon in their 24 pack flat. The Shaklee price per 8 oz. is $.24, ten cents more.

Is it worth it to you to care for the environment by make your own clean water at home and filling your own portable water bottle? Think about it.

And keep your heart healthy while you are at it.

 

 

 

 

I hope this information is helpful to you. If it is, pass it on.

Be well, Do well and Keep moving!

Betsy

206 933 1889 24/7 VM

206 409 5940 cell

betsy@hihohealth.com

www.OpenBordersWithLove.com blog Open Borders: A Personal story of love, loss and anti-war activism, coming out in Sept.

 

 

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

Turning 80 and FitBit

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Turning 80 and FitBit


Turning 80 gives me a new take on aging. Eighty is Old Age. Make no mistake. Eighty is old. Arriving here has been a contest against genetics and the hurdles life tossed in my path. I decided to get some assistance with the contest: a FitBit. The idea was to measure steps and sleep. The hospice nurse in my family suggested sleep quality is a key to better aging. Lots of people measure their steps trying for 10,000 a day. I have blogged about the value of this step-counting for your health.

Wearing a FitBit through one night made each of three trips to the bathroom a crisis of failure. Normally I slip right back into bed and sleep again. The FitBit made this nightly parade a gauntlet with a row of judges pondering their score cards, lifting a 5, one after the other. After forty-eight hours, I decided not to keep score.

As for making sure I walk at least 8000 steps daily, I discovered in the two days I wore the FitBit that my ordinary day with no specific exercise period produces 2000 steps or a mile. And just one walk in my neighborhood to the bank, the grocery store, the UPS or post office or bus stop and home again is another two miles plus, plus. I’m happy with three plus miles a day. I don’t need a FitBit to remind me. I’m like the family dog. I need to walk everyday.

The FitBit goes back to the store. The contest against Old Age is over. Did I win? By what measures shall we judge the conclusion of this race?

Physical ability? OK there. But greatly changed. Smaller goals. Getting up and going to bed. Walking. Taking care of my personal needs like bathing, shopping, cooking, feeding the chickens and the cat and myself. I don’t move as fast. Slipping on the ice has moved from possible to probable. Bending over to brush teeth or tie my shoes is accompanied by creaks and occasionally sharp catching of the breath. Six miles is my max and fewer than 2000ft. elevation gain. About four hours is plenty on the trail. I will cross country ski, but not drive to the summit if road conditions could require chains. I’m perfectly able to put on chains, but think better of such an effort.

Considering the falling probability, I decided to try an ADT Health monitor. When the bulky pendant arrived in the mail (with a dresser top base that glows in the night), I knew I would never wear the thing or tolerate another LED eye surveillance in my bedroom. The thing is Ugly. I have no heavy boobs for it to hang between. Un-hideable. The two men who rent space in my house took one look at the gizmo and at me and said, “Premature.” When ADT called to activate the system, I was in Mexico swimming in the ocean and walking the beach and couldn’t be reached. Even though I’d signed a three year contract, ADT took it back. Not ready yet. Maybe in five more years.

Eye sight? Still driving at night. I doubled my carotenoids and the little halos of light around each beam of the oncoming motorists disappeared. Click to see what I’m using for carotenoids, those fat soluable anti-oxidants that help with eye health.

Hearing? Not so good. Costco hearing aides work marvels, but I have had mine adjusted three times in three years. And the quality of musical sound is tinny which is a great disappointment to me. To sing in the choir, I have to adjust them so my own voice mixes well with the other singers and then crank the volume up for the readings and the sermon. (I suppose there are those hearing aide wearers in the pews who turn theirs down during the sermon.) I understand there is an effort to calibrate the algorithms for music to help the partially deaf’s enjoyment of same. All the work in the past has been with speech. May I live long enough to experience this more inclusive approach to amplifying sound.

Forgetfulness? Not too bad. Names elude me as much as ever. In fact I may be a bit better at names because I am paying more attention, or more of me is paying attention to you. MindWorks has made a difference. When I head for the basement to get something, I usually remember what I went there to get. That’s a change for the better. MindWorks is a new-ish supplement.

Incontinence? Sometimes but not enough to wear protection.

Flatulence? Frequently, which causes much hilarity in my family: “barking spiders” “Squeaky floors,” “Jet propelled.” Accepting one’s Creatureliness is surely a sign of accepting aging.

Skin, hair and nails? Now here is a measure of aging that I watched in my mother and made a big effort to delay by taking anti-aging tonic called Vivix  and plenty of supplements that support healthy skin, hair and nails. About a year ago as if a switch were thrown, my finger nails started splitting and tearing. I have resorted to organic false nails done at great expense once a month at Nail Time in West Seattle. At least they have come up with something that is not acrylic and therefore not cancer causing. At the same time, I lost nearly all my pubic hair and, as my granddaughter observed while giving me a head rub on Christmas day, “Grandma, your hair is not as thick as it used to be.” I’d always had a thick bush and was distressed to see it gather at the shower drain. Oh, well. Who besides me will notice? As far as skin goes, my cat punctures it regularly with his nails and teeth. The slightest brush against the chicken coop fence or tossing my back pack over my shoulder produces a sub-cutaneous bleed, little reddish brown patches on my hands and lower arms. Less emotionally thin-skinned and far more physically thin-skinned is not a tragedy. Which brings me to

Quality of personal relations? Is this a qualifying bench mark in the aging process? It is by my bench marks. I have pursued authentic honest relations with boundaries all my adult life. “Can I be in relation with you without hurting you or losing myself?” I still make mistakes, am rude, insensitive and critical at times, but I recognize these deviations from the course more quickly. I can meet you from my heart more often.

Eighty just means I am old. My condition is whatever it is on a given morning. I’ve thrown out the markers and given up the contest, content to observe and embrace however it is, rejoicing in the new day.

Love, Betsy

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving.

www.HiHoHealth.com for shopping

www.OpenBorderswithLove.com to read about my new book

Arthritis, Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness, Keep Moving: Managing Arthritis

Awareness Through Movement

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Dear one,

What appeared in today’s New York Times in Jean Brody’s Health post is a must share with you and all your friends. She talks about Feldenkrais, a technique and practice I discovered many, many years ago when what I needed most was Awareness Through Movement. Becci Parsons in my local Feldenkrais guru. She has saved me from debilitating arthritic pain in the past. In the present, she guided my mind and body through the process of a spine fusion by Dr. Peter Nora and the subsequent repatterning of my nerve damaged legs. Jean Brody wasn’t and isn’t about to require surgery for her pain. She just wanted a better quality “every day”. Please read on for her remarks. When you have read her post, go to Becci Parson’s website and find a class. She teaches all the time in convenient locations north of the ship canal in Seattle. Living somewhere else? Do a search and find a practitioner.

Be well and Keep Moving, Betsy

(To read about supplements that help with pain, go to this post.)

Trying the Feldenkrais Method for Chronic Pain
Personal Health
By JANE E. BRODY OCT. 30, 2017

After two hourlong sessions focused first on body awareness and then on movement retraining at the Feldenkrais Institute of New York, I understood what it meant to experience an incredible lightness of being. Having, temporarily at least, released the muscle tension that aggravates my back and hip pain, I felt like I was walking on air.

Thanks to Paul Rogers  for this cartoon from the NYTimes.

I had long refrained from writing about this method of countering pain because I thought it was some sort of New Age gobbledygook with no scientific basis. Boy, was I wrong!
The Feldenkrais method is one of several increasingly popular movement techniques, similar to the Alexander technique, that attempt to better integrate the connections between mind and body. By becoming aware of how one’s body interacts with its surroundings and learning how to behave in less stressful ways, it becomes possible to relinquish habitual movement patterns that cause or contribute to chronic pain.

The method was developed by Moshe Feldenkrais, an Israeli physicist, mechanical engineer and expert in martial arts, after a knee injury threatened to leave him unable to walk. Relying on his expert knowledge of gravity and the mechanics of motion, he developed exercises to help teach the body easier, more efficient ways to move.

I went to the institute at the urging of Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, author of the recently published book “Crooked” that details the nature and results of virtually every current approach to treating back pain, a problem that has plagued me on and off (now mostly on) for decades. Having benefited from Feldenkrais lessons herself, Ms. Ramin had good reason to believe they would help me.

In her book, she recounts the experience of Courtney King, who first experienced crippling back spasms in her late 20s. Ms. King was taking several dance classes a week and practicing yoga, and she thought the stress of these activities might be causing the pain in her tight, inflexible back. But after a number of Feldenkrais sessions, she told Ms. Ramin, “I realized that the pain had more to do with the way I carried myself every day.”

Even after just one session, I understood what she meant. When I make a point of walking upright and fluid, sitting straight, even cooking relaxed and unhurried, I have no pain. The slow, gentle, repetitive movements I practiced in a Feldenkrais group class helped foster an awareness of how I use my body in relation to my environment, and awareness is the first step to changing one’s behavior.

One common problem of which I’m often guilty is using small muscles to accomplish tasks meant for large, heavy-duty ones, resulting in undue fatigue and pain.

The group class, called Awareness Through Movement, was followed by an individual session called Functional Integration with a therapist that helped to free tight muscles and joints that were limiting my motion and increasing my discomfort. Using gentle manipulation and passive movements, the therapist individualized his approach to my particular needs.

The ultimate goal of both sessions is, in effect, to retrain the brain – to establish new neural pathways that result in easy, simple movements that are physiologically effective and comfortable. Although the Feldenkrais method was developed in the mid-20th century, neurophysiologists have since demonstrated the plasticity of the brain, its ability to form new cells, reorganize itself and, in effect, learn new ways to do things.

 

The beauty of Feldenkrais lessons is that they are both relatively low-cost (group classes average $15 to $25, individual sessions $100 to $200) and potentially accessible to nearly everyone. There are more than 7,000 teachers and practitioners working in 18 countries, including large numbers in the United States. You can be any age, strength, fitness level and state of well-being to participate. The exercises are slow, gentle and adjustable to whatever might ail you. Their calming effect counters the stress that results in contracted muscles, tightness and pain.
Feldenkrais practitioners like Marek Wyszynski, director of the New York center, typically start professional life as physical therapists. They then undergo three years of training to become certified in the Feldenkrais method.

Mr. Wyszynski explained that he starts by observing how patients are using their skeletons – how they sit, stand and walk in ways that may cause or contribute to their pathology, be it spinal disc disease, arthritis, shoulder pain or damaged knee joints. In accordance with Dr. Feldenkrais’s astute observation, “If you don’t know what you are doing, you can’t do what you want,” patients are then given a clear sensory experience of how their posture and behavior contribute to their pain and physical limitations.

For example, some people may use excessive force, clench their teeth, hold their breath or rush, causing undue muscle tension and skeletal stress. Years ago, I realized that my frequent headaches resulted from an unconscious habit of clenching my jaw when I concentrated intently on a task like sewing or cooking. Feldenkrais teachers do not give formulas for a proper way of behaving; rather, they rely on their patients’ ability to self-discover and self-correct.
Once aware of their counterproductive habits, students are given the opportunity to experience alternative movements, postures and behaviors and, through practice, create new habits that are less likely to cause pain.

Mr. Wyszynski told me that there are more than 1,000 distinct Feldenkrais lessons currently available, most of which involve everyday actions like reaching, getting up from a chair, turning, bending and walking.

As a mechanical engineer and physicist, Dr. Feldenkrais understood that the job of the human skeleton was to accommodate the effects of gravity in order to remain upright. And he wanted people to achieve this in the most efficient way possible.

Using two tall foam cylinders, one perched on top of the other, Mr. Wyszynski demonstrated a guiding principle of the Feldenkrais method. When the top cylinder was centered on the bottom one, it stood in place without assistance. But when it was off center, perched near the edge of the bottom cylinder, it tipped over. If instead of cylinders these were someone’s skeletal parts that were askew, tightened muscles would have to keep the patient from falling over.
As Mr. Wyszynski explained, “Good posture allows the skeleton to hold up and support the body without expending unnecessary energy despite the pull of gravity. However, with poor posture, the muscles are doing part of the job of the bones, and with poor skeletal support, the muscles have to remain contracted to prevent the body from falling.”

I wish you the best of health. Betsy

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness, Weight Loss

Resisting your fitness goals?

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Gentle Reader,

How often I hear the gloomy discouragement “I want to exercise, but I just don’t do it as often as I need to. I can’t get results. I’m not losing weight.” Gyms make nearly all their money by signing people up who never show up after the first visit. Even at my Xgym where the monthly cost is just under $400 for a twice a week session with a personal training, people let their credit card run month and month and don’t come to their sessions. How lame is that? What a waste of money.

If this is even a little bit you, read on.

Do you think a couple supplements might help? If they could help, would you like to hear about them?

Shaklee has a line of Sports Nutrition developed for elete athletes at the request of several different agencies over the last 30+ years. First there was the Daedalus Project where Leonardo DaVinci’s human powered airplane was built by some students at MIT. To power the bicycle with wings, they needed a fuel that would keep a cyclist peddling non-stop from the Island of Crete to mainland Greece. The idea was to put that ancient Greek myth about Daedalus to the test. Look it up if you’re curious. Shaklee created Performance, a rehydrating drink with sugars and electrolytes that provided the only fuel for the guy on the bike for 119 km or three times the distance across the English channel.

Take a listen to Les Wong, long time Shaklee scientist and heavy duty sports guy, tell about what the company was thinking when they developed these new products. The history of Shaklee’s involvment with gold medal-seeking athletes is impressive.

Here’s the new no/low-calorie line: Performance Fitness Pack

Buy on or before Sept 30 and the water bottle is free.

I’ve been using the Shaklee performance drink ever since they brought it to market for regular folks. It does have a pretty high calorie count due to the requirements of that extreme effort. Women who are counting calories have stayed away from such a rehydrating drink even though there are excellent nutritional reasons for the sugars to help power an extreme athlete. Most of us don’t fit that catagory of athlete.  Right? Right.

We are not going for the Gold. For the regular person like me who is out walking, doing Zumba and other group exercise classes, often in conjunction with a weight loss program, we now have three new sport supplements with fewer calories. Yeah! Shaklee.

Low Calorie Electrolyte Drink powder sticks   

You’ve got your water bottle. Now break open a stick of rehydrating drink mix with zero calories and keep on moving. This box of powder/power sticks( item # 21307) in Lemon/Lime is only $20 for 20 sticks. Talk about convenience and help for the person who is exercising to help lose weight.

Shaklee’s Performance Advantage Physique
whey protein now comes with only 110 calories per serving and 3 grams of sugar. The same bio-build that is in the body building Physique with extra leucine to repair muscle while letting the fat go. The same amino acids that athletes look for in a recovery drink. Now in chocolate and vanilla flavors.
#21314 vanilla, lower calorie Performance Advantage drink mix is $50 member price for 20 servings, 2 scoops per serving.

Energy Chews are now called Performance Energy Chews. Same product, new packaging.
I use these daily for those days when Pomegranate tea sends me running to the bathroom. If I’m hiking or going to fitness class, I’d rather get my energy boost from a solid. Two Energy chews due the trick. They are also excellent for keeping you alert driving home after a meeting or a party and you are feeling drowsy.  Safety first.

    New! New! New!
                                                    Sleep better!Wake up pain free!

Performance PM Recovery Complex
Who knew science had a way to help the sports-tired body recover while we sleep?

Ultra pure Tart Cherry extract clinically shown to optimize recovery and reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness which helps improve sleep quality
Relieves pain cause by overexertion

I take one of these plus Pain Relief Complex before bed on days when I have pushed myself and am worried I’ll get out of bed creaking and groaning. It helps! Maybe if I were still 60 instead of 80, it would help even more. Try some and let me know how it works for you.
Keep moving. Don’t give up. Drop the weight with lower calories and recover from your workouts, whether it is gardening, aerobics class, cycling, hiking, swimming or dancing (my favorite).

See you at the gym/YMCA/trail head.  Love, Betsy

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving.

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

Nutrition for eye health

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Dear Ones,

Since I have had good luck with reducing night blindness and have avoided Glaucoma, I thought you might be interested in the wellness wisdom in the world of alternative nutrition based prevention. I don’t expect to have to stop driving any time soon. I believe it is the nutritional regimen I’ve been on for so many years. Supplements provide nutrition for eye health.

Here are a few testimonials from people whose eyes were giving them trouble.
Accumulated from Team 21 and the Wellness Center by Shirley Koritnik

GLAUCOMA:
1. VITAMIN E + SELENIUM: increases circulation to the eye; powerful free radical
scavenger
2. CAROTOMAX: necessary to heal & remove pressure from behind the eye
3. GLA: involved in the regulation of circulation to the eye; anti-inflammatory
4. VITAMIN C: prevents tearing of capillaries; detoxifies free radicals;
anti-inflammatory
5. OPTIFLORA: reduce toxin load
6. ALFALFA: mineral content relaxes arterial muscles; anti-inflammatory
7. HERBAL LAXATIVE: detoxifies body tissues
8. DTX: reduce toxin load
9. CoEnzymeQ10: powerful antioxidant

10. GINKGO BILOBA (Shaklee MENTAL ACUITY): increase blood flow to the eyes

From: Joanne K Skipper

I thought this might interest many of you.

We brag about out Life Strip or Vitalizer and see great things happen for people who spend $80 – $180 a month and go on it.

We had a customer diagnosed with glaucoma. It was afterVitalizer
the diagnosis she started on The Basics [now the Vitalizer].

The next time she went to the doctor — no glaucoma! So she
decided to give it the test.

She quit taking The Basics. The next doctor’s appointment she learned the glaucoma was back. So, she ordered more Basics and took them until her next appointment. What did she find?

Thats right – no glaucoma!
Joanne

==================================
Date: Wed Feb 14, 2001  8:00 pm
Subject: Re: [Team 21] Glaucoma

Carotomax..my mom has had great results reversing the high risk numbers
..she was taking 3 each day (with each meal)..now that her numbers are more
normal she takes 2 daily. GREAT !

Carolyn Moss

From: HealthierChoices@…
Date: Sat Aug 24, 2002  8:03 pm

OCCULAR HISTOPLASMOSIS TESTIMONY:

Do Shaklee supplements work? I believe you can SEE the difference!

I can vouch for that. The last two eye check-ups I’ve had, have resulted
in my vision getting better, which means new glasses – but with a weaker
prescription both times. (My wife’s optometrist says that is unheard
of!!!!)

Many of you know that I have occular histoplasmosis in both eyes and have a
great possibility of going blind because of the condition. Since there
isn’t anything medically that can be done to prevent or treat the
disease, I decided to use a nutritional approach to hopefully curb the
disease.

I’ve steadfastly stayed on a regime of Shaklee Protein, Vita-Lea,
Alfalfa, B-Complex, Vita-C 500, Vita E and Formula I. I have also taken
CartoMax and Mental Acuity sporadically but not on a consistent basis.

Bottom line is YOU CAN SEE the difference with Shaklee Nutritional
Supplements. There is an old axiom in Shaklee…”The only way Shaklee
Nutrition won’t work for you is – If you don’t take them at all or if
you don’t take enough.”

To Your Health
Eugene Danner
LE14083
Augusta, GA

PS. Macular Degeneration and Cataracts, even Glaucoma can be stopped and
sometimes even reversed with the proper nutritional program:

Heavy on CarotoMax (6-8 per day), and Zinc (6 per day–seems like alot, but
people with eye problems need more), CoQ Heart, Vita E, and SR C.
Vita Lea, B-Complex and Energizing Soy Protein round of the program.

Subject: Glaucoma
Date: 5/21/2001 5:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: HealthMatters4U
Message-id: (AOL Shaklee Board)

Q. HI, I am looking for any testimonies on glaucoma. My father in law is currently taking the Basics, EPA (8/day) & carotomax (2/day).

All input appreciated.
Thanks,

HealthMatters
Lisa Sugrue
HealthMatters4U@shaklee.net
http://www.shaklee.net/healthmatters4u

Subject: Re: Glaucoma
Date: 5/22/2001 1:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Truhealth5
Message-id:

Large doses of Vita C, along with the other supplements already taken is suggested.

Medical science regards severe eye-strain and prolonged working under bad lighting conditions as the chief cause of glaucoma. But, in reality, the root cause of glaucoma is a highly toxic condition of the system due to dietetic errors, a faulty life style and the prolonged use of suppressive drugs for the treatment of other diseases. Eye-strain is only a contributory factor.

Glaucoma is also caused by prolonged stress and is usually a reaction of adrenal exhaustion. The inability of the adrenal glands of produl treatment for glaucoma is through surgery which relieves the internal pressure in the eye due to excess fluid. This, however, does not remove the cause of the presence of the excess fluid. Consequently, even after the operation, there is no guarantee whatsoever that the trouble will not recur, or that it will not affect the other eye. The natural treatment for glaucoma is the same as that for any other condition associated with high toxicity and is directed towards preserving whatever sight remains. If treated in the early stages, the results are encouraging. Though cases of advanced glaucoma may be beyond cure, even so, certain nutritional and other biological approaches can prove effective in controlling the condition and preserving the remaining sight.

Certain foods should be scrupulously avoided by patients suffering from glaucoma. Coffee in particular, should be completely avoided because of its high caffeine content. Caffeine causes stimulation of vasoconstrictors, elevating blood pressure and increasing blood flow to the eye. Beer and tobacco, which can cause constriction of blood vessels, should also be avoided. Tea should be taken only in moderation. The patient should not take excessive fluids, whether it is juice, milk or water at any time. He may drink small amounts, several times a day with a minimum of one hour intervals.

The diet of the patient suffering from glaucoma should be based on three basic food groups, namely seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, with emphasis on raw vitamin C-rich foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. Valuable sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grape-fruits and limes ; green leafy vegetables like cabbages, beets and turnips.

Certain nutrients have been found helpful in the treatment of glaucoma. It has been found that the glaucoma patients are usually deficient in vitamins A, B, C , protein, calcium and other minerals. Nutrients such as calcium and B-complex have proved beneficial in relieving the introcular condition. Many practitioners believe that introcular pressure in glaucoma can be lowered by vitamin C therapy . Dr. Michele Virno and his colleagues demonstrated recently in Rome, Italy that the average person weighing 150 pounds given 7000 mg. of ascorbic acid, five times daily , acquired acceptable introcular pressure within 45 days. Symptoms such as mild stomach discomfort and diarrhoea, resulting from the intake of large doses of vitamin C, were temporary and soon disappeared. It has been suggested that some calcium should always be taken with each dose of ascorbic acid to minimize any side-effects of the large dose.

The patient should avoid emotional stress and cultivate a tranquil and restful life style as glaucoma is considered to be a ‘stress disease’. He should also avoid excessive watching of television and movies as also excessive reading as such habits can lead to prolonged straining of the eyes.

Sharon O’Donnell
Shaklee.net – Truhealth5

P.S. Documentation states 7000 mg Vitamin C a day split between 5 servings. Start out slow and work up to that amount, such as 1 Vita C 500 mg, 5 times a day.

Sharon O’Donnell

Shaklee.net – Truhealth5

From: <mklurk@…>
Date: Mon Aug 22, 2005  1:15 pm
Subject: Ocuvite Versus Carotomax for Help with Glaucoma…Need Help!

Can you help me with this?

My father currently takes Ocuvite on the advice of his physician. He has
glaucoma. Lutein is the main ingredient that his doctor wants him to have. Our
only product that contains Lutein (that I’m aware of) is CarotoMax. I would
like to explain to my father why our product is better than his Ocuvite but I
can’t explain why ours costs so much more than his. Also to get all the
ingredients in his Ocuvite, he would have to take Vita-Lea Gold and the
CarotoMax which would cost 52.00. He currently pays only 12.00 for Ocuvite.

Thank you for any and all advice pertaining to this matter.

Sincerely,
Mary Lurk

mklurk@…

Hi Mark,

… I know though that the Shaklee difference is more important
than the cost. It is the bio-availability of the products that
makes the difference.  Secondly I would say if you look at the big
picture, the cost of any one product becomes less significant.

Let say you just want to get your products free. If you Shakleeize
your home and make a bonus check every month and teach six people to
do the same thing, your products are going to be free. The chances
are that the people you thought to do that are going to want to get
their products free also and it is not long until you stop worrying
about the cost of any one product….  Hope this helps.
Ken Wolff

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

New study: soy good for breast cancer

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Gentle Reader,
Breast Cancer and Soy – Surprising New Findings! 
New evidence suggests that eating soy could be protective against breast cancer – even estrogen-negative breast cancers, an effect that no one expected.
Breast Surgeon Dr. Kristi Funk explains that the possible effects of soy on breast cancers have long been confusing. In some parts of the body the isoflavones in soy act like estrogen, while in other body parts the isoflavones suppress estrogen.
75 percent of American women’s breast cancers are linked to estrogen, so isoflavones might theoretically lower risks — or make they might make the risks even higher.
But now a new study published in the journal “Cancer” found that women who were high soy consumers had a 21 percent drop in breast cancer incidence and recurrence. And weirdly, the study found an even bigger effect, a 50 percent drop, in estrogen-negative cancers.
Apparently, soy also has a protective effect completely aside from its effects on estrogen. Dr. Funk speculates that it might be due to antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties in soy that we don’t yet understand.
Soy foods widely are available, whether it’s tofu, edamame, or soy milk. “These were not truly high soy consumers,” says Dr. Funk of the women who saw the benefits. They were getting an average of 1.8 milligrams a day, while just one cup of soy milk provides 27 milligrams.
Her conclusion is, “Everything in moderation.” You don’t need to eat five pounds of tofu for lunch!

“Every study that comes out seems to support the boring mantra of ‘everything in moderation,’” ER Physician Dr. Travis Stork observes. Here’s the link to a video at The Doctors. The study was published in the journal Cancer.

I’m delighted by these new findings. I’ve been urging soy for breast cancer prevention since my own diagnosis and mastectomy in 1971. Little was understood about any of this back then. However, soon after diagnosis, I came across an article about the low rate of breast cancer in Japanese women whose diet consisted of soy and olive oil whereas mine consisted of red meat and butter. I dropped the red meat and butter and went for tofu and olive oil as best I could.

Then in 1985, I met Jayme Curley who introduced me to the most non-GMO, scientifically processed for the maximum delivery of genistin soy powder on the market, a wonderful soy powder. After making shakes every morning for a month or so instead of the usual eggs, bacon and toast and jelly, my health changed in many ways. There has been a heated argument over the advantages and disadvantages of soy in the cancer prevention diet. There are major differences in soy powders, tofu and other soy products. It all depends on the source and the processing to know you have a health-giving product.

Worried about breast cancer? Why not begin your day with a soy shake? Worried about the return of breast cancer? A soy shake could help present it.

Look for a vegan soy formula with no sugar or sweeteners,

soy food- good for you

Unflavored and lower calorie, it is perfect for customizing with your favorite flavors.

I use one scoop of the soy mix, one scoop of my favorite flavored shake mix to get the full serving of soy with fewer calories. Then I add soy milk and vegetables and fruit to make a filling breakfast which lasts until way past normal lunchtime. I’ve got a Ninja 900 to blend it all in. The cup has a tight-fitting lid, great for a meal on the run.

Be well, Do well and Keep moving,

Betsy

209 933 1889   www.HiHoHealth.com shopping website

travel stories www.EmpoweredGrandma.com

Writing blog: www.MyLifeasFiction.com

Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness

Protein. Why you need it.

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Protein: why do you need it? What is it?

 

Gentle Reader,

A good friend has a wound that isn’t healing. My guess without doing clinic analysis is that she isn’t getting enough protein. The first thing I learned when studying nutrition’s role in our health is that we need three things: vitamins, minerals and protein. We need to eat foods that provide these nutrients.

My friend agreed to eat some protein. “I’ll boil an egg right now,” she promised. “Do you know that an egg has 6 grams of protein?” I asked. You need a gram of protein for every 2 pounds of weight. So if you weigh 140, you need 70 grams of protein every day.

Many foods contain protein but the best sources are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy
products, nuts, seeds, and legumes – black beans and lentils. Protein builds, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body, the stuff your body’s made up of. Your muscles, your organs, and your immune system are made up mostly of protein. Your body uses the protein you eat to make lots of specialized protein molecules that have specific jobs. For instance, your body uses protein to make hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of your body. Other proteins are used to build your heart. Protein is doing constant work like moving your legs, carrying oxygen to your body, and protecting you from disease.

All about Amino Acids

When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive juices in your stomach and intestine go to work. They break down the protein in food into amino acids. The amino acids then can be reused to make the proteins your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.

Proteins are sometimes described as long necklaces with differently shaped beads. Each bead is a small amino acid. These amino acids can join together to make thousands of different proteins. Scientists have found many different amino acids in protein, but 22 of them are very important to human health.

Of those 22 amino acids, your body can make 13 of them without you ever thinking about it. Your body can’t make the other nine amino acids, but you can get them by eating protein-rich foods. They are called essential amino acids because it’s essential that you get them from the foods you eat.

Different Kinds of Protein

Protein from animal sources, such as meat and milk, is called complete, because it contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Most vegetable protein is considered incomplete because it lacks one or more of the essential amino acids. This can be a concern for someone who doesn’t eat meat or milk products. Combining foods gives the body the essentials.

For instance, you can’t get all the amino acids you need from peanuts alone, but if you have peanut butter on whole-grain bread, you’re set. Likewise, red beans won’t give you everything you need, but red beans and rice will do the trick. As long as you have a variety of protein sources throughout the day, your body will grab what it needs from each meal.

How Much Is Enough?

 

A 140-pound adult should have about 70 grams of protein every day. Here’s an example of how:
*    2 tablespoons peanut butter (7 grams protein)
*    1 ounce or two domino-size pieces of cheddar cheese (7 grams protein)
*    5 ounces chicken breast (52.5 grams protein)
*    ½ cup broccoli (2 grams protein)

Avoiding protein that comes with fat.

 

If you are trying to eat more meat-free meals, it’s easy to get enough protein without eating animals, but the doubters worry: Are these meat-free proteins complete?
We have to eat the essential amino acids (because we can’t make them ourselves) in roughly equal amounts. It takes serious work to figure out protein source combinations to get the right completeness. I tried a non-meat diet after cancer and became dangerously anemic. A diet of eggs, cheese and pasta won’t do it.

Quinoa Protein: 8 grams per 1 cup. Full of fiber, iron, magnesium, and manganese, quinoa is a terrific substitute for rice and it’s versatile enough to make muffins, fritters, cookies, and breakfast casseroles.

Buckwheat Protein: 6 grams per 1 cup serving, cooked. Japanese have turned the plant into soba noodles. Other cultures eat the seeds by either grinding them into flour (making a great base for gluten-free pancakes!) or cooking the hulled kernels, or groats. Buckwheat may improve circulation, lower blood cholesterol and control blood glucose levels.

Soy Protein: 10 grams per ½ cup serving (firm tofu), 15 grams per ½ cup serving (tempeh), 15 grams per ½ cup serving (natto) 16 grams per serving in Shaklee’s Instant Protein Drink Mix.

While beans are normally low in the amino acid methionine, soy is a complete protein and thoroughly deserves its status as the go-to substitute for the meat-free. Controversy surrounds the soy bean mostly because it is one of the most genetically modified foods and processing reduces its protein content. Personally I rely on soy protein for most of my protein source, but only Shaklee’s soy protein. I know Shaklee controls the soy it uses from the seed, through the growing and harvesting process and the processing into powder without high heat and without alcohol. The amino acids are intact and active in the final product. Shaklee Instant Soy Protein Drink Mix (Non GMO) has no carbohydrates and can be used in baking, salad dressings, to mix in water to make Soy Milk and to add to smoothies.

Click on this image, shop and receive a $10 rebate on any protein product.
Click on this image, shop and receive a $10 rebate on any protein product.

Quorn Protein: 13 grams per ½ cup serving. Originally developed to combat global food shortages, mycoprotein is sold under the name “Quorn” and is made by growing a certain kind of fungus in vats and turning it into meat substitutes that are packed with complete protein. Quorn is not technically vegan-friendly.

Rice and Bean Protein: 7 grams per 1 cup serving. One of the simplest, cheapest, and vegan-est meals in existence is also one of the best sources of protein around. Most beans are low in methionine and high in lysine, while rice is low in lysine and high in methionine. Put ’em together, and whaddaya got? Protein content on par with that of meat. Our friends south of the border have been eating healthily for generations on rice and beans.

 Ezekiel Bread Protein: 8 grams per 2 slice serving. An extraordinarily nutritious loaf that contains all of the essential amino acids and is highly digestible.

Hummus and Pita Protein: 7 grams per 1 whole-wheat pita and 2 tablespoons of hummus. The protein in wheat is pretty similar to that of rice, in that it’s only deficient in lysine. But chickpeas have plenty of lysine, giving us all the more reason to tuck into that Middle Eastern staple: hummus and pita.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Protein: 15 grams per 2-slice sandwich with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. See how easy this is? Every time legumes like beans, lentils, and peanuts are combined with grains like wheat, rice, and corn, a complete protein is born. Peanut butter on whole wheat is an easy snack that, while pretty high in calories, provides a heaping dose of all the essential amino acids and plenty of healthy fats to boot.

Here’s the link to the article about these plant based protein sources plus recipes.

I haven’t experimented with many of the suggestions I have offered for non-meat protein because I have relied on Shaklee’s soy protein products for the past 35 years. Their snack bars, meal bars, chips, powders for meal replacement drinks have served me well, helping me heal from injury, recover from exercise, stabilize my blood sugar and increase my energy. I trust the source of Shaklee’s soy and the processing established by Dr. Shaklee so that no high heat or degrading alcohol would alter the value of soy protein. Babies have thrived on Shaklee’s soy products, people on liquid diets have been healthily nourished for nearly 60 years. I highly recommend Shaklee’s plant based protein.

Plant based proteins stabilize blood sugar and give you a satiated feeling. Remember: manufactured foods often contain added sugars to make them tasty while reducing fat. Shaklee products are the only prepared foods I consume (occasional canned chili, beans, soups-always from providers of organic products.) You spend more, but your health is worth it. The fall back, rice and beans, is one of the most low cost proteins you can eat. Buy organic and flourish.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to hear from you on the subject of protein.

Be Well, Do Well and Keep Moving!
Betsy

www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com/be-well/  for posts about health and arthritis management
www.EmpoweredGrandma.com for posts about travel including a 4 part series on Israel and Jordan, January 2016