Digestion: Key to health

Gentle Reader,

Here we are in a New Year. I hear murmuring around me about changes in eating, in exercise, in work habits. People everywhere seek balance in their lives, which seem to be uncontrollably hectic. We interrupt ourselves and forget what we hoped to accomplish in the next hour. There is no peace.

This time of year solutions abound. Your favorite person on Facebook asks everyone to comment on their resolutions and past successes. The radio and TV, pod casts and news articles have the answer if you would just listen, please. Of course, I am going to recommend a better diet, one with supplements. Ha! It just could be that digestion is the key to health.

Years ago I learned a very important lesson that relaxed my need to save the world all by myself. Food, diet and nutrition are one small part of the total health picture. A wise woman, Angela Arriens, lectured on the 8 common threads across all cultures that lead to a health filled life. As a cross-cultural anthropologist, she knew what she was talking about from years of research.

It turns out that our diet per se is only one/eighth of the picture. Other factors–exercise, spiritual practice, friends and relationships, music and color (art), and deep rest are the aspects I remember to this day, 24 years after hearing her speak. What a relief to know what a small part I might play in advising someone’s health picture. My supplement program is not the key ingredient to a healthy life, just one aspect.

Having said that, I want to suggest that digestion is a key to health, one of the most important aspects of nourishing our bodies. We can eat whole foods and never contaminate our bodies with junk food, but if we don’t have a functional digestive system, we may still miss the nutrients we need. If you struggle with acid reflux or bloating and gas after eating, perhaps your digestive system needs some fine-tuning. If you suffer from arthritis, joint pain, or are developing spinal stenosis and osteoporosis, it could be that your nutrients are not doing their job in the body.

Goal of Digestion

Take whole foods and turn them into energy and nutrients to allow the body to function, grow, and repair itself. When we swallow food we have chewed in the mouth, the esophagus carries the mass to the stomach. The first potential problem is the esophageal sphincter, or trap door that opens to let the slurry of food pass into the relaxed upper stomach. If the food is well-chewed, broken down evenly, the weight will easily open the trap door and the mass will pass into the stomach, letting the sphincter close behind it.

Chew your food well to aid this process.

Problems occur when we swallow chunks of food and the sphincter explodes open to let the material pass. Gas results. Flow back of acid results. In time, the sphincter wears out and doesn’t close firmly or quickly.

In the stomach, an acid excretion further breaks down the food into the nutrients that can be absorbed by the tiny cilla in the small intestine. The stomach must be acidic to do this job or food continues down the digestive track un-dissolved and its nutrients are not absorbed.

When people feel discomfort from the escaping acidity up the esophagus into the mouth, called heart burn or acid reflux, the go-to remedy is an antacid. This might give a feeling of relief but the nutrients that need to be broken down into their absorbable components remain unavailable to our system. Antacids neutralize the acid the stomach provides to break down food.

Ideally, the stomach breaks down proteins. When this is not functioning as designed, a better intervention is to increase the stomach acid by drinking warm water and lemon juice first thing in the morning. Not coffee. And chew, chew, chew until the slurry that drops to the esophageal sphincter gently pushes the trap door open.

If there are foods that are hard for you to digest like dairy or refined carbohydrates (cookies, crackers, breads, cakes), the cruciferous foods—broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or legumes—beans, you might need digestive enzymes to hit the stomach first thing before a meal to help break those things down. (This is where Shaklee’s EzGest comes in handy, Take one before each meal.)

Most of us do not feel the peristalsis—muscle action of the small intestine as the slurry passes on down. When functioning normally, the digestive acids in the intestines break down starches, proteins and carbohydrates. Nutrients are absorbed into the body all along this passage as they become dissolved. Certain vitamins like the 8 different B vitamins become absorbed in specific areas of the intestines whether the B’s come from foods or supplements. When not functioning normally, we feel gas and bloating moving down the intestinal track, often producing pain and even severe discomfort.

Finally, the pancreas introduces pancreatic acid to break down starches, fats and protein and the liver produces bile acid to further break down fats.

Alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream from the stomach. (Eating grapes and other high sugar content foods seems to have the same quick absorption rate for me, but I know there has to be some breakdown beyond the stomach acids. Still the same rush alcohol brings happens with these high sugar foods.)

The most common drugs prescribed by the medical profession and purchased over the counter are meant to correct mal-functions in this digestive process. They often eliminate the discomfort that occurs when the acids do not stay where they belong but they weaken natural digestion. It is possible to return your digestive system to a drug-free, comfortable state. It takes changing your eating habits. Since digestion is the key to health, you’ll be glad you did.

These supplements help:

Ez-Gest digestive enzymes

Optiflora pre- and probiotics for maintaining a healthy digestive balance Healthy bacteria

Herb Lax for constipation and blood cleansing Healthy colon

Fiber Advantage Bars, and Fiber Tablets Promote colon health and regularity

Changing your digestive process may be the key to losing weight along with the other benefits. Many of us take on the goal of getting to our healthy weight by summer time. The Shaklee 180 Turnaround is an excellent program to help you on your way. It could be that dealing with the digestive issues will make all the difference.

Remember, just losing 10 pounds will ease up on those aching joints, the arthritis in your knees, hips and feet. Could better digestion help? Didn’t we say that digestion is the key to health?

Let us know your solutions to the struggles you have with digestion.

Be well, do well and Keep Moving,

Love,

Betsy

Betsy Bell’s Health4u

206 933 1889

betsy@hihohealth.com

Digestive enzymes

What factors create digestive challenges? Why do we need digestive enzymes?
What is EZ-Gest?
How does it work?
Why chose and why use EZ-Gest

What Is EZ-Gest?
EZ-Gest offers as-needed relief for the unwanted results of incomplete digestion of
foods. Unlike popular single-function digestive aids, EZ-Gest offers plant-based,
comprehensive digestive enzyme support*:
 Alleviates symptoms such as gas, bloating, and feelings of fullness*
 Includes targeted enzymes to help digest common “problem” foods, such as dairy
and gas-producing vegetables, including beans and broccoli*
 Supports complete digestion of the fat, protein, and carbohydrates in all foods,
with a concentrated, multi-enzyme formula that addresses all food groups*

Let’s look at Factors that Create Digestive Challenges
1. Getting older. Some research suggests that older individuals may not be able to
handle the digestion of high fat foods as well as when they were younger. These
age-related changes in gastro intestinal function are complex, but may involve a
mild decline in production of lipase ― the fat-digesting enzyme ― by the
pancreas. Intestinal lactase activity also appears to decrease with advancing age.
This can lead to increased symptoms of lactose malabsorption and avoidance of
calcium-rich dairy foods, particularly in those who already have some degree of
lactose intolerance.
2. Over-eating. Heavy, fat-laden meals can take longer to digest. The digestion
often associated with greasy foods may also be partly explained by the production
of gases when fatty acids and stomach acid are neutralized in the small intestine.
If trapped, this gas may contribute to bloating and discomfort.
3. Typical “Western” dietary patterns. It is estimated that with a typical American
diet, a certain amount of protein escapes digestion. In the colon, undigested
protein is acted upon by bacteria, producing metabolic by products that can create
an unfavorable environment for the cells that line the colon.
4. Poor mealtime habits. Digestion can suffer when people continually eat on the
go and in a rush. When food is not chewed well, salivation may be inadequate
and food grinding may be incomplete. As a result, carbohydrate digestion may
not get the jump-start it needs before reaching the stomach. Some people suffer
from chronic or repeated belching due to swallowed air. A mild degree is normal,
but swallowing too much air while eating or drinking can lead to bloating or
excessive belching. Often this happens due to eating too rapidly or while under
stress. Some of the air swallowed may pass through the stomach; it is estimated
that this may contribute 20–60% of intestinal gases. Star Achievers Team, LLC © 2013, Not for sale, can be shared Page 2 of 2

How Does EZ-Gest Work?
Digestive enzymes manufactured in the body play key roles in breaking down the
complex molecules of food during digestion. Different enzymes work at different sites in
the gastrointestinal tract and under different conditions. For example, gastric pepsin does
its job in the low, acidic pH of the stomach, while pancreatic enzymes such as amylase,
proteases, and lipase work in the higher, more alkaline environment of the small
intestine.

EZ-Gest enzymes are “acid resistant” and have the capacity to function within a range of
pH that is compatible with that of the stomach during digestion. When taken along with
problem foods such as dairy or beans, EZ-Gest enzymes are in the right place at the
right time to assist with breaking down the complex molecules of these foods.* The
plant-based enzymes in EZ-Gest are derived through natural fermentation, and support
digestion of all food groups:*

Why Choose EZ-Gest?
 Complete formula of enzymes known to support digestion of all food groups.*
 Plant-based formula.
 Enzymes in EZ-Gest are acid-resistant, and survive stomach acid without
synthetic enteric coatings.
 Scientifically backed formulation containing enzymes clinically proven to work.
 No artificial colors or flavors.
 No synthetic preservatives.

How Should EZ-Gest Be Used?
EZ-Gest is recommended for use with meals that may cause digestive discomfort, such
as heavy meals, or meals containing problem foods. Take one capsule of EZ-Gest as a
digestive aid.*

Consumers who are specifically concerned with lactose intolerance or gas-producing
vegetables may wish to take EZ-Gest at the start of a meal. If pregnant, nursing, or
galactosemic, ask a healthcare professional. If rare sensitivity to fungal sourced
ingredients occurs, discontinue use.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Which Products do You Use?

Changing Brands Could Change Your Life. Try the Shaklee equivalent of any product you are currently using. If not satisfied, your money is refunded.

Which Products Do You Use?	Check √	Redirect Your Spending andSave Money
Laundry Care
Concentrated Powder Detergent		Fresh Laundry Concentrate Powder
Fragrance-Free Concentrated Powder Detergent		Fresh Laundry Fragrance Free Concentrate Powder
All-Fabric Bleach		Nature Bright Laundry Booster and Stain Remover
Laundry Pre-Spotter		Basic H2-L Power Formula/Liquid Laundry
Delicate Fabrics Wash		DishWash or H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
Fabric Softener		Soft Fabric Concentrate
Dryer Sheets		Soft Fabric Dryer Sheets
Liquid Laundry Detergent		Fresh Laundry Liquid Regular or HE Formula

Household Cleaners
All Purpose Cleaner		Basic-H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
Window Cleaner		Basic-H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
Floor Cleaner		Basic-H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
Chrome & Glass Cleaner		Basic-H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate
Tub & Tile Cleaner		Scour Off
Oven Cleaner		Scour Off
Degreaser		BasicH2
Heavy Duty Cleaner		Basic-H2
Wipes		Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Wipes or Germ-Off Wipes
Toilet Bowl Cleaner		Basic-G
Disinfectant Cleaner		Basic-G or Germ-Off Wipes
Dishwashing Liquid		DishWash Concentrate
Automatic Dishwashing Liquid		Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate (plus 4-5 drops of H2)
Personal Care
Bar Soap		Meadow Blend Cleansing Bar/Gentle Action Cleansing Bar
Liquid Soap		HandWash Concentrate
Shower Gel		Enfuselle Moisturizing Shower Gel
Bath Gel		Enfuselle Moisturizing Shower Gel
Hair Shampoo		ProSante Shampoos
Hair ConditionerScalp Treatment *Reduce Hair Loss		ProSante ConditionersProSante Nourishing Scalp Treatment
Hair Spray		ProSante Finishing Spray
Hand & Body Lotion		Enfuselle Hand & Body Lotion & Shea Butter Cream
Mentholated Skin Cream		Herbal Blend Multi-Purpose Cream
Toothpaste		New Concept Dentifrice Spearmint or Wintergreen
Deodorant		Desert Wind Roll-On, Deodorant Cream
Sunscreen		Enfuselle SPF 30, Enfuselle AM Repair SPF 15
Skin Replenishing Oil		Enfuselle Hydrating Moisturizer or Shea Butter Cream

Skin Care
Facial CleansersFacial Cleansing Bar		Hydrating Cleansing Lotion, Purifying Cleansing GelEnfuselle Gentle Action Cleansing Bar
Eye Makeup Remover		Enfuselle Eye Makeup Remover
Cleansing Lotion		Enfuselle Hydrating Cleanser
Astringent/Toner		Enfuselle Hydrating Toner, Purifying Toner
Anti-Aging Treatment Instant Firming Treatment		Enfuselle Time Repair A.M. SPF 15, C+E Repair P.M., EyeTreatment Enfuselle Instant Firming Serum
Facial Exfoliate		Enfuselle Refining Polisher
Facial Mask		Enfuselle Infusing Mineral Masque
Day Moisturizer/Treatment		Enfuselle Time Repair A.M. SPF 15, Calming Complex,Hydrating Moisturizer, Balancing Moisturizer
Night Cream/Treatment		Enfuselle C+E Repair P.M., Hydrating Moisturizer,Balancing Moisturizer, Calming Complex
Eye Cream		Enfuselle Eye Treatment, Calming Complex

Which Products Do You Use?	Check √	Redirect Your Spending andSave Money
Acne Treatment		Enfuselle Acne Clarifying Complex
Lip Treatment		Enfuselle Lip Treatment SPF 15

Men’s Grooming
Day Moisturizer/Treatment		Enfuselle Time Repair A.M. SPF 15, Calming Complex,Hydrating Moisturizer, Balancing Moisturizer,
After-Shave Lotion		Purifying Toner or Enfuselle Hand & Body or Multi Purpose
Lip Treatment		Enfuselle Lip Treatment SPF 15
Hair SprayScalp Treatment *Reduce Hair Loss		ProSante Finishing SprayProSante Nourishing Scalp Treatment
Deodorant		Desert Wind Roll On or Deodorant Cream
Shaving Cream		Enfuselle Shower Gel/ Herbal Blend Multi Purpose Cream
Anti-Aging Treatment		Enfuselle Time Repair-A.M. SPF 15, C+E Repair P.M

Children’s Products for Health
Baby Shampoo		Shakleebaby Gentle Wash
Baby Bath		Shakleebaby Gentle Wash
Baby Lotion		Shakleebaby Soothing Lotion/Shakleebaby Massage Oil
Diaper Rash Crean		Shakleebaby Diaper Rash Cream
Multivitamin for Infants (Powder or liquid)		Shakleebaby Multivitamin & Multimineral Powder
Chewable Multivitamin		Shakleekids Incredivites & Mighty Smart DHA Supplement
Meal Shakes and Bars		Meal Shakes, Protein Smoothies, & Peanut Butter Choc ChipMeal Bars and Berry Almond Meal Bars
Snack Bars		180 Bars, PB, Chocolate, and Lemon/Cranberry
Chewable Calcium		Chewable Calcium Magnesium Plus
Chewable C		Chewable Vita-C, 100 mg










Foundations for People On The Go
Soy Protein Dietary and Basic Food Supplements		Energizing Soy Protein, Instant Protein, Shaklee Vitalizer
Breakfast Drinks and Bars		Meal Shakes, 180 Shakes (Soy or Whey Formula) &Peanut Butter Choc Chip Meal Bars and Berry Almond Meal Bars
Energy Boosters		Energizing Soy Protein, Instant Protein Soy Mix, 180Energy Green Tea or Pomegranate Energy Green Tea
SodaGreen Tea		Shaklee Performance180 Energy Tea – Green Tea or Pomegranate Green Tea
Weight Management Program (Drink, etc.)		180 Shakes – Van, Choc, Café Latte and Strawberry,180 Energy Tea, 180 Metabolic boost
Energy Bars/Snacks/Meal Bars		180 Snack Bars – PB, Chocolate, and Lemon/Cranberry180 Meal Bars – PB Choc Chip, Almond Berry Crunch
Building Blocks / Vitamins & Minerals
Multivitamin/Multimineral		Shaklee Vitalizer Daily Packs, Vita-Lea, Vita Lea Gold 50+
Antioxidants		Vita-E Complex, CarotoMax/Sust. Released Vita-C/Flavomax

Which Products Do You Use?	Check √	Redirect Your Spending andSave Money
Immune System Booster		Nutriferon, Immunity Formula I, Defend and Resist
B-Complex		B-Complex
Vitamin C		Sustained Release Vita-C, Vita-C Chewable
Vitamin E		Vita-E Complex with Selenium
Beta Carotene, Phytonutrients		Carotomax, Immunity Formula I
CalciumMagnesium/Potassium		OsteoMatrix, Chewable Cal Mag PlusVital-Mag
Iron		Iron Plus C Complex
Zinc		Zinc Complex
Fiber Supplement		Shaklee Fiber Plan, Fiber Tablets
EPA/Omega 3		OmegaGuard
Lecithin		Lecithin
Resveratrol and Polyphenol		Vivix Anti-Aging Tonic
Herbal Formulas
Ginseng		CorEnergy – (Ginseng) promotes energy*
Echinacea		Defend & Resist Complex- (Echinacea) immune support*
St. John’s Wort		Moodlift Complex – (St. John’s Wort) positive mental outlook*
Ginkgo Biloba		Mental Acuity Plus – (Ginkgo) for mental clarity*
Glucosamine		Joint Health Complex – (Glucosamine) build joint cartilage*
Saw Palmetto		Saw Palmetto Complex – promotes urinary flow for men*
Evening Primrose Oil or GLA		GLA Complex – helps regulate normal bodily processes*
Milk Thistle		Liver DTX Complex– (Milk Thistle +) promotes liver health*
Valerian		Gentle Sleep Complex –(Valerian +) – promotes restful sleep*
Peppermint, Ginger		Stomach Soothing Complex–(Peppermint-Ginger +) – calms*
Acidophilus/Bifidus		Optiflora
Digestive Enzymes		EZ-Gest – alleviates gas, bloating & feeling of fullness*
Alfalfa		Alfalfa Complex – nutrients and Chlorophyll
Garlic		Garlic Complex–retain normal blood pressure & cholesterol*
Black Cohosh, Soy Isoflavones, Flaxseed Hot Flash Relief		Menopause Balance Complex– (Black Cohosh &Soy Isoflavones)hormonal balance during menopause*
Digestive Health
Digestive Enzymes		E-Z Gest; OptiFlora Prebiotic/Probiotic
Laxative		Herb-Lax – for occasional constipation
Sports Nutrition
Fluid Electrolyte Replacement Drink		Shaklee Performance
Muscle Recovery Drink		Physique

Dietary and Food Supplements		Energizing Soy Protein, Instant Protein, Shaklee Vitalizer
Food/Energy Bars/Meal Bars		180 Bars, PB, Chocolate, Lemon/Cranberry,180 Meal Bars – PB Choc Chip, Almond Berry Crunch
Home Water
Bottled Water or Water Filtration System		Perfect Pitcher or BestWater Filtration Systems

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Betsy Bell’s Health4u, 4455 51^st Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116

206 933 1889 betsy@hihohealth.com www.HiHoHealth.com www.grandmaBetsyBell.com

Vitamins are no damn good. Is it true?

Gentle Reader,

Even on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, news filtered down that, once again, some gurus warn us that vitamins are no damn good. How does that news make you feel? Like a fool for spending all that money on worthless pills? Here you have been trying to avoid the chronic diseases of life-style so many Americans develop in their late 50s and 60s, and you are told that multi you have been taking will not do the job. My vitamins should protect me from cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or else. Is it true? Absolutely. Otherwise why would I be taking all these pills?

Dr. Jamie McManus, medical director at Shaklee, asks us to take the 30,000 mile high view. Vitamins are meant to supplement a diet that does not provide optimal nutrition. They are not intended to substitute for a healthy diet rich in vegetables, lean protein and fresh fruit. Ninety-seven percent of us do not get adequate nutrition every day. Vitamin supplements help bridge that gap.

So what do these three studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine say about preventing chronic disease?

Perhaps we should be begin by questioning the premise of the studies: that multivitamins can prevent chronic disease. Do you believe you take your vitamins for that express purpose and leave everything else to chance?

Dr. McManus says “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.

These studies were conducted the way scientists study specific drugs. Let us question that approach.

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?

Have you ever played around with stopping your vitamin intake for a week or so and then going back to them? Could you tell the difference in how you felt with and without the supplementary nutrition?

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.

In other words, the presence or absence of a multivitamin can not be the deciding factor in declining 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. Dr Jamie McManus.

I couldn’t agree more. The turnaround to Vitamins are no damn good could be vitamins are good. Another could be my vitamins are not supposed to prevent cancer, heart disease or diabetes. I prevent these diseases as best I can through my life-style choices. My vitamins help. I may develop these diseases anyway, no matter what I do to avoid them. What is more true for you?

I wish you good health and happy consumption of the healthiest diet you can muster in any given day, supplemented by the vitamins that fill in the gaps. I wish you success in finding your healthy weight, your top level of fitness, your most peaceful spiritual happiness, satisfying work and family relations. If you have questions about a supplement and diet program to help you achieve these prevention goals, I’d be honored to help. The New Year is upon us. A good time to begin.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving.

Betsy

206 933 1889

Alternative cures

Are you a seeker of cures? Alternative cures?

I have a friend who is a seeker of alternative cures. She has studied the back story of her blood and skin and their reaction to the environment and foods. She knows she has a bad reaction to anything with sulfur in it. A doctor had prescribed a medicine with a form of sulfur. An over-the-counter supplement someone recommended had a form of sulfur in it. Both gave her the negative reaction she feared. It turns out nature’s bounty is full of plants with sulfur. However, some forms are benign while others are active. This girl knows these things and as I read the label of a product she was interested it, we both discovered the Shaklee scientists had included a form that was not active or harmful.

Even as I open the document with the ingredients, she lets out a happy sigh, “Thats perfect. I think I’ll try some.” She is rattling everything in the kitchen as we speak. I can picture the lake with all its homes and docks out side her sweeping picture windows, a mist rising off the still water. She is probably putting away the groceries, unpacking one cloth bag after another.

My friend is beautiful, a cosmotologist with a tiny waist and perfect features. She is a mother of grown teenagers and she has taken great care to raise her children on an organic diet, helping them recognize the consequences to their health of poor eating . Her own mother raised her on Shaklee supplements. She remembers rebelling against “so many pills”. For year she didn’t take any vitamins, but her yearning for knowledge led her to seek alternative products and procedures. She has taken lots of Shaklee over the years, cycled away from “so many pills,” again and just recently came back. The search for pure products, ones made from the part of the plant that will react well in the body brings her back again and again to Shaklee.

I am so happy to have found a product line with a solid scientific foundation. Products that work every time. Products that are safe. Products that are cost effective. My task is never to argue or persuade, only to present information that is true and reliable. You decide.

If you are the sort of person who seeks to both prevent illness and to heal yourself with alternative cures, I’d love to explore the possibilities with you. Results vary and not every vitamin or herbal supplement works for every person the same way, just like in medicine. Let’s talk.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

206 933 1889

From size 16 to size 6

Read Elizabeth’s Shaklee 180 Story: Learn how she went down 30 pounds and dropped from a size 16 to 6 and stayed that way.

Some of you may or may not know this about me, but I have struggled with my weight for quite some time. At the age of 14 I got up to a size 12 and I stayed there until I was 19. Then in fall of 2008 I spent 4 months in Germany as a volunteer helping out an religious order of retired sisters. Little did I know that I would come back home 20 pounds heavier than when I left. I went from a size 12 to a size 16! My clothes didn’t fit any more and I knew I didn’t want to buy all new clothes! Something needed to change and It needed to change fast.

After a year of not being able to lose the weight and after trying so many different kinds of diets, none of them seem to work. I guess you can say I gave up on trying to lose the weight all together. I found that it was easier to put on weight than it was to take it off. I had convinced myself and everyone around me that I was comfortable with who I was and how I looked. But what I really needed was to do a complete 180 with my life.

I felt very sluggish and unable to show my true potential. Everything I did took me twice as long as it should have and that was just to get the bare minimum done. I would want to sleep in late, go to bed early and nap almost daily! I had no energy to do anything and no motivation to change on my own.

My sister Bonnie was really the one who introduced me to the Shaklee 180 Turnaround program. I decided to give the program a shot. I had committed to give it my all for the full 90 days, as long as Bonnie did it with me!

As far back as I can remember, Bonnie and I would always do everything together. Whenever one of us would want to lose weight or get healthy we would make the other do it as well. It not only made it more fun but it was great to have someone keep you on track and keep you going.
Take the Challenge today, we did!!

In just 5 months of using the entire Shaklee 180 program, I ended up losing a total of 28 lbs and 19 1/2 inches! I went from a size 16 down to a 6! I don’t think I had ever been a size 6 before. Thanks to Shaklee 180 my life had been changed forever!

I haven’t even told you the best part yet…It has been 3 years and I am still a size 6! I have never had a weight loss program teach me how to keep off the weight like this one did. I love that Shaklee focuses on not only your before and after but your after-after as well! I feel better than ever and I have more energy than I ever could imagine. This is a picture of me from October, 2012. Now that I am a Shaklee specialist, I earned a free trip from Shaklee. It was a week long, all inclusive resort to the Rivera Maya in Mexico. I never felt more comfortable in my bathing suit and I am looking forward to my next year’s Shaklee Trip!

With my wedding only 8 months away, my fiancé (Brandon) and I have decided to do this challenge again! We would love to start our lives together feeling health and happy. I know personally I want to be “Tiny Tone and Tan” come my honeymoon! Besides with Shaklee’s 100% money back guarantee, we can’t go wrong.

Ok, now you are probably wondering what Shaklee 180 is and how you can get more information about it. Well don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging. I got started with the Shaklee 180 Turnaround kit! It has everything you need to get started with your own weight loss journey. This is an amazing value! This kit includes: 2 meals, a snack, an energy drink, the BURST work out program, along with a great mobile app to help you track your progress and receive manageable rewards. Not to mention an amazing support group to help you stay on track and meet your goals. All for less than $9 a day! You will also receive a free Shaklee Lifetime membership that will give you not only 15% off all future Shaklee orders but you can also get the chance to get your entire Turnaround kit for FREE! And I used to think that a $5 foot long was a good deal!

Read Elizabeth's Shaklee 180 Story:Some of you may or may not know this about me, but I have struggled with my weight for quite some time. At the age of 14 I got up to a size 12 and I stayed there until I was 19. Then in fall of 2008 I spent 4 months in Germany as a volunteer helping out an religious order of retired sisters. Little did I know that I would come back home 20 pounds heavier than when I left. I went from a size 12 to a size 16! My clothes didn’t fit any more and I knew I didn’t want to buy all new clothes! Something needed to change and It needed to change fast.After a year of not being able to lose the weight and after trying so many different kinds of diets, none of them seem to work. I guess you can say I gave up on trying to lose the weight all together. I found that it was easier to put on weight than it was to take it off. I had convinced myself and everyone around me that I was comfortable with who I was and how I looked. But what I really needed was to do a complete 180 with my life.I felt very sluggish and unable to show my true potential. Everything I did took me twice as long as it should have and that was just to get the bare minimum done. I would want to sleep in late, go to bed early and nap almost daily! I had no energy to do anything and no motivation to change on my own.Elisabeth Heasley Before Pictures for the Shaklee 180 program!My sister Bonnie was really the one who introduced me to the Shaklee 180 Turnaround program. I decided to give the program a shot. I had committed to give it my all for the full 90 days, as long as Bonnie did it with me!As far back as I can remember, Bonnie and I would always do everything together. Whenever one of us would want to lose weight or get healthy we would make the other do it as well. It not only made it more fun but it was great to have someone keep you on track and keep you going.Take the Challenge today, we did!!In just 5 months of using the entire Shaklee 180 program, I ended up losing a total of 28 lbs and 19 1/2 inches! I went from a size 16 down to a 6! I don’t think I had ever been a size 6 before. Thanks to Shaklee 180 my life had been changed forever!I haven’t even told you the best part yet…It has been 3 years and I am still a size 6! I have never had a weight loss program teach me how to keep off the weight like this one did. I love that Shaklee focuses on not only your before and after but your after-after as well! I feel better than ever and I have more energy than I ever could imagine. This is a picture of me from October, 2012. Now that I am a Shaklee specialist, I earned a free trip from Shaklee. It was a week long, all inclusive resort to the Rivera Maya in Mexico. I never felt more comfortable in my bathing suit and I am looking forward to my next year’s Shaklee Trip!With my wedding only 8 months away, my fiancé (Brandon) and I have decided to do this challenge again! We would love to start our lives together feeling health and happy. I know personally I want to be “Tiny Tone and Tan” come my honeymoon! Besides with Shaklee’s 100% money back guarantee, we can’t go wrong.Ok, now you are probably wondering what Shaklee 180 is and how you can get more information about it. Well don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging. I got started with the Shaklee 180 Turnaround kit! It has everything you need to get started with your own weight loss journey. This is an amazing value! This kit includes: 2 meals, a snack, an energy drink, the BURST work out program, along with a great mobile app to help you track your progress and receive manageable rewards. Not to mention an amazing support group to help you stay on track and meet your goals. All for less than $9 a day! You will also receive a free Shaklee Lifetime membership that will give you not only 15% off all future Shaklee orders but you can also get the chance to get your entire Turnaround kit for FREE! And I used to think that a $5 foot long was a good deal!

To get yourself started with a 180 Turnaround, go to my shopping web site. It’s my personal Shaklee web page for all the Shaklee products.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving!

Betsy

206 933 1889

Gifts for arthritis

Gentle Reader,

Who do you know who suffers from sore, painful knees, hips, fingers or shoulders? You love this person who has arthritis and you are going to go shopping to buy them something for Christmas. Why not combine a cozy lap blanket with an herbal pain reliever and a deep-tissue cream that could bring comfort as well as warmth?

I’m not a shopper so I was stunned Wed. night when a friend and I went to a movie in Seattle’s endless mall area with a big AMC. We were thinking the parking would be easier. Whoa! People are out shopping already—in droves and into the night. In this blog, I’m inviting you to shop. ‘Tis the season, right?

You might appreciate choosing gifts that bring better health to those you care about. This is an invitation to shop for health. Bring meaning to every purchase.

Have you watched Annie Leonard’s Story of Stuff? Take a minute to watch before piling up a mound and consider the necessity of each purchase and how it got to the store and what the received is going to do with that gift later.

I make an argument for buying a Shaklee product over something else because I believe in the company’s philosophy of living in harmony with nature in every aspect of their corporate life. In the end, stuff is stuff, and all the great suggestions I have for you about things you can add to a Shaklee product to make a sweet, health enhancing gift still accumulates stuff. It is tricky being a fierce environmentalist and a sales person of goods I love and buy myself.

So, having suggested you buy nothing this Christmas here goes my suggestions for what to buy for someone who has been complaining of arthritis. After all, I know you and I are going to buy some stuff anyway.

Joint & Muscle Pain Relief Cream with a microwaveable comfort pillow.

Pain Relief Complex and Physique After Workout Recovery Drink with Peggy Cappy’s DVD “Easy Yoga for the Rest of Us” especially for arthritis. Add a yoga mat to make this gift special.

Joint Health Complex and Peggy Cappy’s CD meditation for back health. I listen to this CD nearly every night and I’m convinced her quiet words have helped heal the arthritis in my lower back. You can add an orthopedic pillow. This is the one I have used for the last 15 years and I love it.

I have a lo-o-o-ng list of healthy living gifts on my resource page www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com.

If you decide to do any of these suggestions, I’d love to hear about the results. You can shop for the Shaklee part of the gift at www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com/shop. Or you can click on the links above.

Have a great Thanksgiving, pain free and full of love.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

206 933 1889

Enjoy the list. I hope you get some great ideas. Let me know if you have questions.

Speaking of feet: blisters

Dear Gentle Reader,

In my last post, I talked about the pain of plantars faciitis along with some suggestions as to how to alleviate that debilitating pain. Today, I want to address the care of your feet, i.e. blisters and how to heal and prevent them.

Last Wed. Betty and I hiked 11 miles along Rattlesnake Ridge, overlooking North Bend, WA., a trail 45 minutes from Seattle. It is a through-hike requiring two cars. We chose the long uphill route dropping to the Ledge and thence to the lake below. Rattlesnake

People fall to their death from the Rattlesnake Ridge ledge

ledge is infamous because so many unprepared people can easily get up there–it is only 1 1/2 miles, and every year one or two fall off to their death below.

In spite of arthritis, chronic pain, aching joints–hips, knees, ankles–, you still want to go walking. Your feet must have the best possible support. For me, this has been a huge challenge because I have bunions which require double wide men’s shoes. At one point I developed a metatarsal neuroma or Morton’s neuroma . I mentioned Dr. Huppin’s Foot and Ankle clinic last week. He knew exactly what modifications to make to the orthotic inserts to take the pressure off the 2nd toe and spread weight over all the toes.

He and his partner, Dr. Hale, publish a guide to shoes that helps a person choose the most stable shoe. They even consider and recommend a flip flop! Here’s the link where you can sign up for their recommended shoe list and guide lines on how to choose a shoe that will keep your foot stable.

On the Rattlesnake Ridge hike, I make a huge mistake. I ignore a hot spot between my big toe and the 2nd toe, a place where I have rubbed countless blisters. By the time I get home late that night, after another event, I can hardly walk.

I’d like to share what to do to avoid that suffering. Blisters are serious business. I knew a woman who ignored a blister her ski boot rubbed. It developed septicemia and she died before they could airlift her to a hospital.

Women on Wed.hike to Red Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail

In my pack I carry a tape made by a German company. The product is called Hansaplast and is not available in the US, only Canada and Mexico in North America. But of course anywhere in Europe you can purchase rolls of this magical thin, easy-to-tear-with-your-fingers tape. If I’m not going to Europe, I ask a traveling friend to buy it for me. Usually I put a piece of this tape on the areas of my feet most likely to blister in my hiking boots before I begin the hike. Usually, if I feel a hot spot, the way I did when we hiked out of Commonwealth Basin up the Pacific Crest Trail toward Red Pass, I stop on the trail and take off my boots and sox and put the tape on, thus preventing a blister. But on Rattlesnake Ridge, I ignored everything I usually do.

The blister kept me awake all night. In the morning I punctured it, cleaned it carefully and put Second Skin on it. This is the second thing to tell you about blisters. Second Skin is a must for your pack first aide kit. Don’t leave home without it. You leave the second skin on for 5 days and by that time the blister is completely healed. I hiked again yesterday, 8 miles on Tiger Mt. with quite an elevation gain. Before going, I used the Hansaplast and a pair of liner sock.No blisters or sore feet.

One more suggestion for protecting your feet and legs: walk with hiking sticks and use them to lift your body up and lower it down on the steep bits of trail. Your upper body gets a work out and your legs and feet have less stress. We spent much of our time on Tiger a little bit lost. I was glad we were 5 and that my smart phone GPS could locate us, but nothing helped poor signage. We are determined to master the maze of wilderness trails on this complicated mountain, a foot hill of the Cascade Range, blessedly protected by forward looking environmentalists. Known as the Issaquah Alps, Tiger and Cougar and Squak mountains form a corridor of wilderness in an otherwise densely developed exurban Seattle.

More than anything, keep moving, Gentle Reader, keep moving.

Before you go, what is your foot sore story and how have you kept sore feet from keeping you in your chair? Let us hear from you.

Be well, Do well and keep moving

Betsy

206-933-1889

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Making foot pain go away

Gentle Reader,

How many of you have suffered from chronic foot pain? You’ve been to the doctor, the chiropractor, the massage therapist – and nothing seems to help for very long. Julie Donnelly is a Deep Muscle Massage Therapist with 20 years of experience specializing in the treatment of chronic joint pain and sports injuries. In today’s GrandmaBetsyBell/blog post Julie tells you a very simple technique you can use at home to experience dramatic pain relief. Thanks for Dr. Steve Chaney for this information.
If you find value here, please forward this email to a friend.

You Can Make Your Foot Pain Go Away — Heal Your Plantar Fasciitis Naturally

Author: Julie Donnelly

Just a couple of weeks ago I taught you how to make your hip pain go away. Today’s topic is foot pain. And, yes, you can make your foot pain go away as well. But, let’s start at the beginning.

How Does Foot Pain Get Started?

You feel it coming on gradually. Maybe your lower leg aches a bit, but you’re busy so you ignore it. After a while every time you take a step you feel a burning that spreads along the entire lower leg and into your arch. Still you ignore it. But it doesn’t go away, in fact, it gets worse.

You Can Make Your Foot Pain Go Away — Oh, my aching feet. Make the pain go away!

[I’ve had foot pain many times over my life time of hiking and walking several miles at a time on the city streets. The most recent was a few weeks before setting off for Switzerland to hike 50 miles in the Engadine Valley. At the first slight twinge, I went to my podiatrist for an adjustment to my orthotics and avoided misery on the 6 day hike, or worse, cancellation.]

Now your arch just doesn’t feel “right.” Then it starts to hurt, but not every time you put pressure on your foot. Again, you ignore it until finally you are experiencing foot pain all the time. Then eventually you can’t ignore it any more, it’s like a knife being jabbed into your arch. Now it’s not just hurting when you run or drive your car, your foot hurts with every step.

Almost every day you do something that causes you to lift the front of your foot while your heel is still resting on the floor. For most people it comes from straining your lower leg muscles when you are driving a car, especially if you drive often. It is even more evident if you are doing any type of city driving because you are off and on the gas and break constantly, repetitively straining all of your lower leg muscles. You just know that your foot hurts and it’s affecting your life. You must find a solution!

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

You’ve been told you have plantar fasciitis, and you may have been told you need expensive orthotics. Perhaps you’ve even tried them and while they worked for a short time, eventually the pain returned and then it started to hurt worse. Now you’re told you need to replace the orthotics, but you’ve come to realize that isn’t the answer. And it’s not the answer. The orthotics are focusing on the symptom, but totally ignoring the source of the problem.

[Julie has some great advice in this article, and, in my experience, orthotics can make a difference. It depends on the doctor. Mine is an auto mechanic with his attention and expertise directed to the foot. If you are the Seattle area, I suggest you see him http://www.footankle.com/ Drs. Huppin and Hale. Dr. Huppin has terrible bedside manner, but I got his full attention and he worked with my plantar fasciitis and a metatarsal swelling over time to get the orthotics adjusted to address the root problem. Find a doctor who is not just putting an band aid under your sore feet.]

The good news is that you can heal your plantar fasciitis naturally. Most people, including too many medical professionals, don’t realize that foot pain is frequently coming from outside the foot. The muscles of your lower leg actually are there to move your ankle and foot, not to move your lower leg (that comes from your upper leg).

The reason is simple. First let’s use an analogy that I use all the time because it’s so perfect to explain how muscles work to move a joint. If you pull your hair at the end, it hurts at your scalp. You don’t need to massage your scalp, you don’t need to take pain medications to stop the tension in your head, and you certainly don’t need brain surgery, you just need to stop pulling your hair! Now substitute the muscle for your hand, the tendon for your hair, and the joint for your scalp.

Muscles originate in one place, they merge into a tendon that crosses over a joint, and then the tendon inserts into a point on the other side of the joint. When the muscle pulls, the tendon tightens and the joint moves, but if the muscle is tight it will continue pulling on the joint even when you don’t want it to move. In the case of the lower leg muscles and the foot, the muscles are pulling your foot up from the ground, but you are pressing it down and causing the tendons to put a strain on the insertion points, which in this case are all in your arch.

How the Muscles Get Strained

Every time you take a step you are using all of the muscles of your lower leg. As you work you contract these muscles every time you step on the pedal. Lifting the front of your foot up you are using your tibialis anterior and then you press down on the pedal you are using your calf muscles. If you walk a lot, or you are a runner, you are causing a repetitive strain on the same muscle fibers. Also, while driving your car your foot is picked up in the front to go from the gas to the brake, again straining the same muscles. You do this over and over until you have strained the muscle fibers. Eventually the fibers shorten due to a phenomenon called muscle memory.

Muscle memory will hold your muscles in the shortened position even when you don’t need them contracted. This puts pressure on the insertion point, in this case, the arch.

The Result is Arch Pain

The two primary muscles that cause arch pain are the tibialis anterior and the peroneals. They originate at the top of the lower leg, merge into tendons where your ankle begins to slim, and then insert into the bottom of your foot.

The tibialis anterior goes along the outside of your shin bone, crosses over the front of your ankle and then inserts into your arch. When it contracts normally you lift up the inside of your foot so you are resting on the outside of your foot.

The peroneals originate at the top/outside of your lower leg, run down the leg and merge into a tendon that goes behind the outside of your ankle and inserts in two places; the outside of your foot, and under your arch to the inside of your foot. When it contracts normally you pull up the outside of your foot so you are resting on your big toe.

An Easy Treatment that Works

The goal with this Julstro self-treatment is to force the toxins out of the muscle fibers, drawing in blood to nourish the muscles. As the blood fills the muscle, the fibers lengthen and the strain is removed from the arch.

Begin by treating the tibialis anterior on the front of your leg.

Foot_Pain_1 — natural healing for plantar fasciitis

#1 – kneel on the floor and put a ball just outside of your shin bone.

Foot_Pain_2 — using a tennis ball to relieve the foot pain of plantar fasciitis

#2 – Move your leg forward so the ball rolls along the outside of your shin bone.

Then treat the peroneals on the outside of your lower leg, sit on the floor with the leg you are treating bent and resting on the floor. Put the ball on the outside of your leg (so it is actually on the floor and your leg is on top of it) and then press the outside of your leg into the ball. Move your leg so the ball starts to roll down the outside of your lower leg. Your intention is to do the same as you did for the tibialis anterior (above)
Or, sit on the floor or a bed and position your leg as shown in picture #3. While using either a dowel or a length of PVC pipe, slide the pipe from just above your ankle bone to just below your knee joint.

Foot_Pain_3 — Use a dowel to relieve foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis

#3 – Using a dowel or piece of PVC pipe, put pressure on the outside of your leg and slide along the peroneals muscle from your knee to above your ankle bone.

The treatments will feel sore but that’s because you’re forcing H+ ions through the muscle fibers, and acid burns. But, it’s better to have the toxins out of the muscles and fill the fibers with blood, plus the lymphatic system will pick up the toxins and eliminate them from your body.

[Supplements that help are Alfalfa and Lecithin. Alfalfa tablets—eat them like peas, a teaspoonful at a time—moves blood, infusing the hard-to-reach area with nourishment and acting as a diuretic, flushing the region. Lecithin is nature’s emulsifier. You find soy lecithin in many tablets and other products. The task lecithin performs is liquefying sticky material so it can flush through the lymph system.]

There are several other treatments that work to eliminate arch pain and plantar fasciitis, but I’ve found these to be the most productive, and they may be all that is necessary to eliminate the problem completely.

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

You Might Also Like

Blog post : Making Hip Pain Go Away

Again, my thanks to Dr. Steven Chaney for his research and leadership in the field of alternative approaches to health issues. If you would like to be on Dr. Chaney’s mailing list, go here to sign up for his weekly Health Tips from the Professor.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

206 933 1889

Leave a comment or email me! I love to hear your solution to the problems presented in this blog.

Weight Loss winner!

Ask Shaklee 180™ Healthy Competition Winner, Weight loss winner, Viki!

Posted by Dr. Jamie McManus on Oct 31, 2013 in Announcements, Contests, Healthy Weight, Natural Nutrition

Ask Shaklee 180™ Healthy Competition Winner, Viki!

Viki, Healthy Competition Winner and Pro Cartwheeler
Did a 180 and lost 127 lbs*

Viki went from feeling like a burden to her family to feeling happy, healthier, and confident. Here’s her weight gain and weight loss story:

Viki’s Before:

Used to not be physically able to do the dishes.
Used to feel like people turned away from her at the end of her sentences.
Used to feel miserable all the time.

The Tipping Point:

“I was a burden to my family. I couldn’t even do things like washing the dishes; it was embarrassing.”

Viki’s After-After™ Snapshot:

“I go to lunch with my girlfriends and I’m not afraid of what the restaurant has; I live without fear. There’s nothing in my life that’s bigger than that.”

Tell us about your before:

“I struggled with my weight as a teenager, but it was nothing that I couldn’t get under control if I felt like it. And then I got pregnant with my first child and I gained 60 pounds. I was pregnant with my second child in under six months, and I didn’t gain as much weight, but I didn’t have the chance to take off the weight. There was no weight loss at all. I just kind of didn’t do anything or really think much about it outside of wishing I was thinner until I got on the scale one day and I weighed 282 pounds. I got back off the scale and I literally kicked it.”

How has Shaklee 180™ changed your life?

“There are a lot of changes that come with losing so much weight. It’s definitely an emotional process to work through. When you’re heavy nobody’s paying attention to you and you just kind of go about and not worry about everything. People don’t treat you the same; that’s just a fact of life and so there’s some pulling back of what you would otherwise feel bold enough to do. Before Shaklee 180™, people used to turn away at the end of my sentence; now they keep the conversation going.”

What else has changed?

“Shopping for clothes is now one of my favorite things to do! It used to be that I could shop until the cows came home but I couldn’t find anything that made me look good. Now I can go out and the problem is—my husband will attest to this—deciding to not get everything I like. [laughs] It’s a whole new mindset, you know, to go through an entire wardrobe of things that you don’t feel good in to trying to figure out what look you want to wear today; that’s a big difference.”

Tell us your Healthy Competition experience:

“I would have never imagined that I would be sitting here and talking to people on camera. Or being in a photo shoot where people are fussing with my hair and makeup and making me look pretty all day long. I loved it!”

*Results and experiences from the Shaklee 180 Program are unique for each person, so results may vary. People following the weight loss portion of the Shaklee 180 program can expect to lose 1-2 pounds a week.

Start your 180 program today. Contact Betsy Bell, your 180 Specialist 206 933 1889 or visit www.BetsybellFatLoss.com to sign up.

Thanks to Shaklee corporation for the products they make, for this post and for the life I have and offer to anyone who wants better health and financial freedom.

Be well, Do well and Keep moving, Betsy