Strategies to Keep Your Family Healthy This Winter

I don't know about where you live, but here in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, the flu has been running rampant. It is so contagious! 
And why is it that science is still no closer to a cure for colds and flu? Because we're dealing with smart viruses. Any one of hundreds of viruses could launch a cold or flu attack, and chances are that this year's flu virus won't be the same as last year's making it nearly impossible to develop a simple cure. 
While we can't avoid all germs; I do have two kids in preschool so germs are inevitable, we can do some simple things to help our bodies build up their immune systems and lessen our chances of getting sick!

Our Best Prevention Strategies:

Take Good Care of Yourself: As always, the best place to start to maintain a good immune system is with the basics. Make sure to keep exercising, sleep well, reduce stress, drink alcohol in moderation, and eat a low-fat, low-sugar diet.
Wash Your Hands: Washing hands remains the most effective way to protect yourself and your family from colds and flu. Lather, rinse, repeat throughout the day. Do it long enough to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.



Boost the Beneficial Bacteria: 80 percent of your immune system surrounds your digestive system. Research supports a healthy gut flora and overall immunity. 
Along with the above, we also use Basic G and a bacteria fighting essential oil to help keep the germs away. This strategy has really helped with our health, too!








Add Foods that Support Immune Health: There are many foods with medicinal properties, make sure you include as many as possible. Think about combining a lot of the ingredients below in chicken soup: 

• Oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, potatoes and other vitamin C and E rich fruits and vegetables are all good for your immune system.
• I do not like mushrooms, but have read that Shiitake, Maitake, and other mushrooms have been used for boosting the immune system.  
• Garlic and onions have  been researched for their ability to modulate immune function. 

Helpful Herbs: Research supports the immune modulating activity of tumeric, oregano, ginger, Echinacea, Larch, and elderberry. Our family uses a product called Defend & Resist when we start to feel that first tickle or stuffiness. It has larch, echinacea, and elderberry in it. It's our first go to when we start feeling run down!
Here's my favorite recipe for making a homemade vitamin water using Defend & Resist, Vitamin C, and Performance. It tastes so good and it really helps!! 















Make Sure You are Getting the Right Nutrients: Your immune system needs to be well nourished to function at its best. Stock up on the following nutrients:

• Macro-Nutrients: the macro-nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Focus on good proteins for a healthy immune system. Supplement with EPA and DHA, or eat fish twice a week for those healthy fats.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins such as vitamin A, B6, B12, E C, folate, and the minerals zinc, copper and iron all support an effective immune response. 
• Vitamin D: vitamin D, in particular, has been the focus research on optimal immune system functioning. Vitamin D plays a role in the improving mucus membrane barrier functioning, the production of anti-microbial peptides (small proteins), and in general overall immune support. 

Take care of your immune system by starting early, taking good care of yourself, and feeding your body the nutrients it needs to stay strong!

Shaklee Membership FAQ's

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you'll know that I'm passionate about keeping my family healthy by creating a clean, non-toxic, safe environment! My husband and I truly believe that our home should be the safest place on the planet, but in many cases, it's not. That's why we love Shaklee so much! We can provide our family with that (without a lot of money!) and have peace of mind knowing that all of the products in our home are safe!
Which is why I've put together a Shaklee Membership FAQ list for you! Read on. NOTE: At the bottom, you'll find several ways to get your Membership for FREE!!

What is a Shaklee Membership?

Think of it as a wholesale club membership. Many of us pay $50-$100 per year for a membership to Sam's or Costco so we can get that wholesale pricing. 
With Shaklee's membership, you pay a ONE TIME fee of $19.95! That fee gets you 15% or more off all our products!
After you join, you receive a MyShaklee secure website for ordering products, and it also includes a library of super helpful information and referral benefits!
Our Member Team also provides a way to earn extra goodies! It's so much fun!

Do I Have to Sell Shaklee if I Become a Member?

No, if you join as a customer member, you are not eligible to sell Shaklee or receive bonus checks. We do appreciate referrals and love to reward our customers for referrals!

What if I Change My Mind and Want to Become a Distributor?

That's fantastic! Being rewarded for sharing what you love is so much fun! Any member can upgrade to a Distributor by purchasing a Distributor Kit or Gold Pak Kit. Contact us for more information on each Kit!

Am I Required to Make Monthly Purchases?

Nope! Never! Your Shaklee Membership is lifetime, without minimums!

What Product Lines do You Offer? 

We have four major health lines:

What Do You Recommend I Start With?

It depends on what you're looking for, but I usually recommend a starter kit because it has everything you need and gets you the biggest bang for your buck!

If weight management is your thing, any of our 180 Kits are fantastic, but this is one of my favorites!

When I was a Shaklee newbie, the first kit I purchased was the Get Clean Starter Kit, so I could jump right in and get our home toxin-free!

And I just love our Enfuselle Nutrition Therapy Kit. I have drier skin, and it has helped immensely with getting my skin back to healthy!

How do I Order?

Simply go to my online shop and place your items in the cart, join as a member, then check out! For future orders, you'll order right through your own MyShaklee site!

How Soon will I Receive My Order?

Shaklee ships fast! I usually get mine in less than a week! I hope this helps answer some of your questions about Shaklee's Membership program! Feel free to contact me with other questions!

Want a FREE Membership???

Here's how:  Simply purchase any of our awesome Shaklee 180 Kits and your membership is FREE! Or Purchase our fantastic daily multivitamin strip, Vitalizer, and your membership is FREE!

Understanding the Shaklee Difference

One of my favorite things to talk about is my passion for helping others get their lives healthier and happier, and I am so proud to be a marketing partner with Shaklee...the number one natural nutrition company in the US! Besides their excellent, natural products, Shaklee's quality, standards, and integrity are what really draw me to the company. 

Here is a letter from Dr. Jamie McManus explaining a few things that make Shaklee different! (I've met Dr. Jamie at a few conferences here in DFW and she is just awesome! So full of information and you can tell she really cares about Shaklee's products!)

How Well Do You Understand the Shaklee Difference?

Dear Shaklee Family:

Shaklee products – and the quality and science behind them – are unmatched in the industry. But how familiar are you with the many elements of the Shaklee Difference?

Even if you think you know what makes this company and our products stand apart from the rest, refresh your knowledge with this list of :

Ten Key Steps that we take to ensure that Shaklee supplements are the best in the marketplace:

1. Shaklee conducts more than 100,000 tests annually to ensure the safety and efficacy of our products.

2. Each and every lot of Shaklee products is 100% tested to ensure and guarantee that each and every ingredient that is part of our label claims is present in the appropriate amounts.

3. All ingredients in Shaklee products are qualified under the incredibly stringent Shaklee protocol, unique in the industry, which tests for up to 350 chemical contaminants including pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, solvent residues, etc.

4. Our Shaklee scientists create formulations so that the key active ingredients are included at clinically efficacious levels, often significantly higher than many companies in the market.

5. Each product is formulated with nutritional ingredients that have been extensively studied to confirm safety and efficacy. Our products don’t follow “fads” but incorporate scientific and/or epidemiologic evidence of need and benefit.

6. Shaklee employs advanced delivery systems to enhance bioavailability – and these systems are tested to confirm their nutrient delivery advantages.

7. All ingredients must be acceptable from the standpoint of the Shaklee philosophy, as well as detailed scrutiny as to their safety. We don’t simply accept the Certificate of Analysis that many other companies accept but, rather, retest for contaminants to confirm the Certificate of Analysis is accurate.

8. Shaklee has an unwavering commitment to avoid the use of artificial flavors, sweeteners, and added preservatives. We use only non-genetically modified soy protein.

9. Shaklee developed many of the standards and protocols for manufacturing that are now referred to as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).

10. Ongoing proof of our product performance is demonstrated by:

• More than 100 scientific publications, 90-plus in peer-reviewed journals
• The Landmark Study, the only study of its kind, which showed that people who took Shaklee supplements over a period of 20 years had markedly better health than both single-multivitamin and non-supplement users
• Shaklee products powering athletes to win 125 medals
• Shaklee products fueling world explorers, 7 of Time-Life’s Greatest Adventures of All Time, and NASA space shuttle astronauts with a special rehydration product (called Astro-Ade)

Add to this list our accomplishments and awards in the area of environmental leadership and responsibility, and you’ll see why I’m truly proud to be part of this company, where integrity, quality, and social responsibility are our standards, and where making people and the planet healthier is our mission.

Shaklee is all about helping people take control of their future health by virtue of their choices today. My 16 years as a practicing family physician led me to believe even more strongly that prevention is where the future of medicine must go. Research confirms that nutrition, weight control, and wise supplementation can powerfully impact your vitality today and your health in the future, and I believe that we can redefine wellness in the coming years. Thank you for all that you’re doing to share Shaklee products and the Shaklee Difference with so many. Together we’re making a BIG difference in the health of the world!

Be well!

Jamie McManus, MD, FAAFP
Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences, and Education for Shaklee Corporation

Want more information about Shaklee? Contact me today and also check out these resources!

The Shaklee Difference video (8 minutes) here (watch and share!)

Message from Dr. McManus here

Drink to Your Health | Green Smoothie Recipe

Did you get off your normal healthy eating track over the Christmas holiday?  We sure did, but we've found it easy to jump back on the clean eating wagon. Yay!
We love to drink green juices in the mornings. Even our boys love it which is great, because they're not the best at eating green veggies. Sometimes we can get them to eat broccoli or asparagus, but mostly it's a no go. So at this stage in our lives, we're focusing on giving them their greens via a healthy juice!
Today, we tried something different and made it into a smoothie, and boy...it was so good! It's loaded with all the healthy fruits and veggies, plus we topped it off with some protein powder to give us an extra boost! (This is the best NonGMO protein powder on the market)
Here's our recipe below. Note: we just add fruits and veggies to taste, based on four people. You'll need to adjust the amounts for your taste preferences!

Healthy, Happy Life Green Smoothie

• 1 grapefruit (peeled)
• 1 lemon
• 1 large apple
• 2-3 Clementine's (peeled)
• about 1-2 inches of fresh ginger (depends on how spicy you like it)
• 1 cucumber
• big handful of kale
• big handful of spinach

We put all this in our Breville juicer to squeeze out the juice. Next, we poured the juice into our Nutribullet, scooped out a big bunch of the pulp that was left over in the juicer and put that in, added 2 scoops of the protein powder, AND a frozen banana. Turn that Nutribullet on for about 10 seconds, serve, and enjoy!
What we love about doing it this way, is that it has the thicker consistency of a smoothie, it's not thin like juice.  Now, you could totally do it in just your Nutribullet, but we're still getting used to having 'pulpier' smoothies...we're slowing adding more in every time!

Let me know if you try it and how you like it. And please share some of your favorite smoothie recipes...we're always on the hunt for new ones!

Make 2014 Your Year!

Happy New Year to you and your family!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. Ours was nice, it just goes by so quickly, though!
Do you make New Year's Resolutions? I don't. I can barely remember to eat some days, so making year long goals is just not for me. :)
However, I do try to write down a set of daily goals and stick to them. They're pretty much the same everyday, but sometimes I let life get in the way and my goals slip on by.
As a family, our goal is to always make healthy choices that will make a difference in our lives!

So, today I want to share with you the daily goals my husband and I came up with for 2014. Guess what? All these goals are can be used for everyone in the family...even the kiddos!

Also, at the bottom of this post is a special invitation for you! I highly encourage you to check it out and join us!!

Sleep Go to bed earlier to get at least 7 hours of sleep. (This is easy for me. Once the clock hits 10pm, my body says it's time for bed. I'm definitely not a night owl!)

Daily Detox Drink our Detox Lemonade before coffee every morning and take our gentle detoxing supplements before bed. (See photo for Detox Lemonade and supplement information)

Eat Small but Often Eat at least every 3 hours; don't let ourselves get overly hungry (this is a big one for me. I get so caught up with the boys, that I frequently forget to eat lunch!)

Meals and Snacks Eat 3 meals with at least 20g protein AND 6g fiber in EACH meal Eat 2 snacks with at least 5g protein AND 3g fiber PER snack

Water Drink at least half our weight in ounces of water (this is actually easier than it sounds!)

Exercise At least 20 minutes minimum EVERY DAY of either cardio, resistance, or yoga (our local gym has great classes and great childcare so I try to go twice a week to hour long classes. other than that, I do at home workouts while the boys have quiet time using YouTube and FitnessBlender...free!!)
I hope this list helps you think about what YOU want to do to make your 2014 healthier!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to personally invite you to our latest Flat Belly and Detox Challenge! We have almost 200 people in our challenge group!

Here is our awesome daily meal plan! 

What is it?

Committing to replace any 30 meals with Shaklee 180 Smoothees during these 15 days, checking in daily with our challenge group on Facebook, keeping a food journal, and doing 5 minutes of resistance exercises every day.

What do you need?

You need 2 Shaklee 180 Smoothee mix canisters (minimum).

However, I highly encourage you to purchase our Flat Belly Detox package, which includes:

• One Shaklee 180 Kit: Either the Lean & Healthy or the Energizing Smoothees
• One box of Shaklee 180 Energizing Tea (I LOVE the green matcha!)
• One canister of Shaklee Performance Hydration Drink 
• One bottle of Herb-Lax

If you're a new member and purchase the above items, you also receive:

• Free Shaklee membership ($19.95 value)
• Up to $100 in Shaklee credit when you keep your kit on autoship for 3 consecutive months
• Healthy, easy meal plans with recipes
• Guidance from your 180 Specialist (me!)
• Access to our private Facebook group

I can't wait to see you there! 

~Jessica 

Understanding the Latest Media Attention on Multivitamins

Hello everyone!

You may have heard the latest news stories about how supposedly taking multivitamins is a waste of money, cannot cure ailments, and they do nothing beneficial for your health. The story goes on to say that in order to be healthy, we all just need to eat the right foods.

While I agree that vitamins and supplements are not going to cure cancer and that we all need to eat a healthy variety of foods, I don't agree that supplements are a waste.

I don't think it's fair to generalize like this from just a handful of targeted studies that are very narrow in the health conditions being studied and the types of supplements being used. I agree that most popular brands are harmful and even toxic, but that hasn't been my experience for the past few years with Shaklee products. I continue to trust in Shaklee and invest in my family's health with solutions in harmony with nature. 

With that, I want to share with you a letter from Dr. Jamie McManus, who is the Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences and Education for Shaklee Corporation. 

Understanding the Latest Media Attention on Multivitamins

Dear Shaklee Family,

Many of you have probably seen the headlines regarding multivitamins and their inability to prevent chronic disease in the past few days - the result of three studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Starting from a 30,000-foot view, the premise of these studies is the first problem: looking at the use of a multivitamin alone as a way to prevent disease. The purpose of a multivitamin is to fill in nutritional gaps and provide optimum levels of vitamins and minerals. It is well established that the vast majority of Americans fail to obtain even adequate levels of these nutrients.

Prevention of any disease is a multi-factorial process that has to include diet, weight management, and lifestyle. To expect to see disease prevention accomplished by virtue of taking a daily multivitamin is a flawed premise. So, why are these large-scale (and very expensive) studies undertaken? It is simply the model of research that scientists and physicians understand - studying a single drug to determine what effect it may have on a single disease. Studying nutrition is far more complex.

While a drug has a primary effect (usually something positive), they also have a myriad of side effects (which are usually negative and even life threatening). Every year pharmaceuticals are removed from the market because of these serious side effects. A study published in JAMA in 1998 showed that as many as 125,000 Americans die each year of properly prescribed pharmaceuticals - wow! When was the last time a vitamin was removed from the market?

Vitamins and minerals all have multiple positive functional roles to play in our bodies - which is why so many Americans pop a multi each day. People simply feel better when they take a multi because they are filling in those all too common nutrition gaps.

All three of these studies showed that multivitamins have an excellent safety profile. Well, of course they do - they are essential for life! The only “potential harm” that continues to be mentioned every time we have a study such as this published is the slight increased risk of lung cancer in smokers who took beta carotene . My response to that is - smokers: stop smoking!

Let me quickly summarize these studies. The largest one is another report from the Physician Health Study - previous publications of data from this large government funded study did show an association of reduced cancer associated with multivitamin usage.

The next study looked at cognitive decline in physicians - who are at the upper end of the intelligence scale and pretty well nourished. Showing a significant change in cognitive decline in this population is going to take some intervention beyond a multi - as this population is most likely doing lots of the right things to protect their brain function.

The third study tried to show that higher doses of specific vitamins decrease the likelihood of a second heart attack in folks who have already had a heart attack. Hmmm. Maybe we should look at weight reduction, cholesterol, blood pressure lowering, and blood sugar management as opposed to putting the burden of prevention of a second heart attack in someone with heart disease on vitamins!

I have been recommending a multivitamin (and beyond) to my patients, and consumers in general, for my entire 30 years as a physician - and nothing in these studies changes my mind. The statistics on inadequacies in our American diet are clear - most everyone is deficient in multiple nutrients. Here at Shaklee, we have the Landmark Study, published in the journal Nutrition in 2007 that showed a nice correlation of better health with multiple supplement usage, starting with a multivitamin. We have over 100 published studies that validate the connection of nutrition and health. I urge you to continue taking your Shaklee supplements - but also, to remember the importance of eating healthfully, avoiding fast foods, and getting to a healthy weight on your journey to better health.

Be well! 

Dr. Jamie McManus, MD, FAAFP 

Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Sciences and Education for Shaklee Corporation

I hope you found this information helpful! Please contact me if you have any questions about Shaklee's vitamins and supplements! All of our products are SAFE, NATURAL, and EFFECTIVE!

How to Build Natural Herbal Medicine Cabinet

Helping other families get their lives healthy is my passion so today I wanted to share with you a way you can build a natural herbal medicine cabinet. You don't have to rely on OTC meds to get the relief you need! In fact, I believe using the best natural supplements you can find is an excellent preventative to sickness!

Why Shaklee? Tons of reasons, one being that Shaklee supplements are not only pure and from the earth, but they also have proven results! See the Landmark Study for vital information on why millions trust Shaklee for vitamins and supplements!  

If you want to help your family get over their sicknesses naturally and avoid those pesky antibiotics and doctor co-pays, then read on!  Join our family in being prescription free!  Yes, you can do it!!

Here are some of our tried and true tips to keeping the germs away, fighting off colds, coughs, upset tummies, and more!

Swap out your OTC products for the highlighted Shaklee alternatives!

Herbal Blend Multi-Purpose Cream 

Dr. Shaklee originally called this product “Foot Cream”, but it became known as Basic ‘F’ (face, feet and fanny!) due to its many uses! It's one product to replace 13!

• Rashes (diaper, poison ivy and oak)
• Detergent burns
• Chapped skin
• Athletes foot
• Aching muscles
• Insect bites
• Hemorrhoids
• Chafing

Instead of Banana Boat, choose Enfuselle SPF 30 for the Body

• Patented Vital-Repair contains antioxidant vitamins and botanicals to keep skin from aging
• UVA and UVB protection adds extra defense against cancer-causing sun rays
• Paraben free

Instead of store bought aloe vera, which has dyes and other junk, choose Calming Complex

• Paraben free
• Hypoallergenic
• The perfect 'after' product: after skiing, after running, after sunburn

Instead of arthritis creams, choose Joint & Muscle Cream

• Great for minor aches and pain from sports or overexertion
• Paraben free

Instead of aspirin or prescription pain medicines, which can have bad side effects, choose Pain Relief Complex

• Muscle and joint pain relief
• Helps prevent the breakdown of connective tissue
• Easy on the stomach

Instead of Airborne or ColdEeze, choose Defend & Resist

• Active Ingredients:  Echinacea to take care of bacteria and Larch tree extract to attack viruses
• Use as a preventative when flying or in large gatherings of people during cold and flu season or anytime you come in contact with allergy activators 
• We keep this on hand year round, especially with little ones in school!

Instead of Sudafed or Claritin, choose Immunity Formula 

• Can reduce allergy symptoms, and relieves lingering symptoms such as cough 
• Contains Shaklee Guard, a natural antioxidant 
• Especially good for those with sinus problems 
• Contains a synergistic blend of Vitamins 
• Speeds wound healing 

Instead of Gas-X, choose EZ-Gest

• Offers relief from incomplete digestion of food 
• Supports complete digestion of: carbohydrates, fats , protein, diary products , gas producing vegetables such as beans and broccoli

Instead of Lactaid, Dramamine, or Zantac, choose Stomach Soothing Complex 

• Relief for upset stomach 
• Acid Reflux (GERD) 
• IBS Colitis 
• Motion sickness 
• Morning sickness 

Instead of Tums or Rolaids, which have artificial flavors and food colors, choose Chewable Cal-Mag Plus

• Acts as an antiacid from natural sources
• Helps build healthy bones
• Is excellent for restless legs
• We use it in the evenings to help our son calm down and begin to relax before bedtime

Instead of Metamucil, choose Fiber Plan Tablets

• Promotes regularity, aids in digestion and supports colon health! 
• Especially good for those who are dieting 
• Insoluble fiber promotes regularity sometimes called “the broom” which helps detoxify the body 

Instead of Ex-Lax or harmful detoxes, choose Herb Lax

• Natural detox
• Cleanses tissue cells, blood, and kidneys
• Gentle laxative

Alfalfa

• Helps decrease allergy symptoms (Our oldest decreased his allergy problems by at least 50%)
• Provides 300mg of calcium
• Helps to fight disease causing fungi

Instead of Pedialyte or Gatorade, which contain tons of sugars and artificial dyes, choose Performance

• An electrolyte drink that helps naturally rehydrate
• Super helpful during bouts of diahrea and vomitting

Instead of Rockstar, Red Bull, or Monster, choose 180 Energizing Tea

• Boosts energy 
• Contains taurine which acts as a calming agent 

I hope you found all of this helpful! Feel free to comment or email me directly (jallen44@gmail.com) with any questions! I'd love to work with you to create a healthier family!

I am not a doctor, I do not prescribe anything, nor do I give medical advice. I just have a passion for sharing what I love and what works for our family! As always, consult your doctor first when someone is very sick!!