Natural Options for Your Medicine Cabinet

I get asked questions often about what I use for…headaches, earaches, infections… Many of you know I am married to a pharmacist so you may think we have a lot of medication in our house. But if you have been to my house you probably know that is not the case. Don't get me wrong, I know that medication can be important and even save lives. So I always say to check with your doctor before stopping or changing medications on your own. But I thought to share a nice chart that has been floating around the internet lately with some natural options for common health concerns, through the #1 natural nutrition company in the US - Shaklee! In my home, we really don't have medication, especially prescription meds as we are able to help prevent most illness with things seen here:

Through Shaklee, we are able to help prevent illness, which saves us time and money on doctor visits, medication and missed school and work days and missed activities. Here is how I organize our supplements in our pantry that keep us healthy. Of course we don't take all of these every day! Just like your medicine cabinet, we have some for those "just in case" days.

Here is why my family chooses Shaklee:

Shaklee started in 1956 (my parents have been using Shaklee since 1975!) and a few things are known to be true - 

Shaklee products are always safe. We test and retest through 3rd party testing to make sure our products are free of harmful things for our bodies. We do not add artificial anything.

Shaklee products are always green. We have led the "green" movement and have been a green company before it was popular. Shaklee's signature Basic H concentrate cleaner was the first Earth Day product in 1970!

Shaklee products always work. The science is there in over 100 published studies. We have patents on our products and go above and beyond what the FDA requires.

Here's a quick video on the Shaklee difference and why someone would choose Shaklee. The average amount of time Shaklee consumers have been using our products is over 17 years! Would you continue to use a product for that long if you didn't like it or it didn't work for you?

One thing I love about sharing Shaklee with other people is that there is something for everyone.

If there are some things in this post that are interesting to you and things you may be looking for, let's talk soon! I would love to share our February specials that end 2/28/14 where you can get a Free Shaklee Membership, Free Shaklee 180 Latte Smoothee canister and from me, Free Shipping! Ask me for the details or find them HERE.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

~Rebecca~

Homemade Pizza? Yes, Please!!

I have two little boys who look alike, are close in age, and like many of the same toys. But one area where they seem to be polar opposites these days is their taste in food. So when I can find something that they both enjoy, I need to blog about it so I don't forget! lol

The other night my husband was working late so I thought I would make a homemade pizza with the kids. It didn't take too long and was a healthier pizza choice then frozen or take out.

I found this easy, no-yeast, crust recipe online. The only suggestion I would make would be to pre bake the crust about 5 minutes before putting toppings on to make it a bit crispier. It doesn't have to look perfect so just roll it out as you like it.

I did substitute 1/2 cup of the flour for this awesome Baking Protein for a little extra nutrition. It doesn't lose any nutrients when heated.

I also used about 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and the rest all purpose. But you could use whatever you like. I also mixed in about a TBSP of Chia seeds into the crust for extra omegas and fiber. If you are not familiar with Chia seeds, you need to be! They are easy to add to recipes, soups, smoothees, etc and are a sort of super food.

After I got the crust going I quickly cut up veggies for my half of the pizza. My kids don't like cooked veggies but they will eat them raw. so I left some out for them to eat on the side. 

I sautéed  chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, mushrooms and I added fresh spinach right onto the pizza.

I made my sauce with approximately 3 oz of tomato sauce, 2 oz of tomato paste to thicken it, oregano, basil, fresh garlic, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and about a tsp of raw honey to sweeten it. 

(sorry for all of you who love to measure. I never do which is why I would never be able to write a cookbook! Just add flavor to taste and go easy on the salt. Most of the time you don't even need it or much of it)

I picked up some fresh pepperoni from the deli that day and topped it with that but sometimes I will sauté  chicken or use ground chicken or turkey.  Pepperoni just saves me time but it has a lot of sodium so that is another reason to go easy on the salt with the sauce and veggies.

I shredded my favorite colby jack cheese (it happened to be what I had on hand and I am kind of drawn to the name. lol.  use your favorite) and then put it all together and baked at 400 for about 15-20 minutes until the crust was browned and cheese melted.

It.Tasted.Awesome!

both of my kids loved it and kept asking for more. Goes nice with a green salad too.

Let me know if you try this recipe or have another to share that your kids love!

Thanks for checking in. Sorry I have been a bit MIA lately. Life is busy and business is going well. Don't forget to check out the awesome Shaklee specials and free shipping this month!

~Rebecca~

Get a FREE Shaklee Membership AND a FREE Canister of Shaklee 180 Protein!!!!

EDIT: This has been extended through the end of March, 2014!!! This has been such an awesome promotion so if you are considering trying Shaklee, this really is the best time!!

I am SOOOOOO excited to share some awesome news! I just got off the Shaklee business leaders conference call today where they made some really exciting and awesome announcements for YOU!!!

If you have been on the fence about trying Shaklee - NOW IS THE TIME!!!!

It really is. Because not only will Shaklee give you a FREE Membership to Shaklee ($19.95 value) where you will get awesome discounts all of the time and special perks if you are in my group, but you will also get a FREE Canister of Shaklee 180 Cafe Latte Smoothee mix! (while supplies last!!) with any 50 PV (point value) order!!

Shaklee membership is kind of like joining Sams Club or Costco where you would get discounts and perks, but without any annual membership fee and there are NO minimum purchase requirements. Ever!! Just great deals on really great quality products!

And the FREE Canister of Shaklee 180 Cafe Latte Smoothee mix is an awesome deal! ($40 value!!) Shaklee 180 has been great for me as it helped me to lose the baby weight after having my boys and has helped me to maintain for the last 3 years!  Cafe Latte is so yummy!! And I am not even that big of a coffee lover but I love this! :)

So how do you get this great deal that is valued at $60 in savings???

You will get a FREE membership to Shaklee and a FREE canister of Shaklee 180 Cafe Latte Smoothee when you order at least 50 PV (point value) through Feb. 28, 2014!!! 
March 31, 2014!!!!!

You can shop around on my site HERE and learn a little more about Shaklee and what makes it different then other companies HERE. If this interests you at all let's chat and I will help you to get all of this great savings!!!

You can also read about My Shaklee Story to learn my history with this great company and why my husband and I choose Shaklee for our growing family.

If you are interested in the Shaklee earnings and benefits plan, let's set up a time for me to show it to you! There are even more great incentives going right now for distributors in Shaklee that I would love to share with you. My team is growing and it is so much fun to share health and wellness with people like You!!!

I am also giving Free Shipping on this deal through the end of March! (up to $10 value)!!!!

Thanks and be sure to visit me on Facebook soon for more great tips and specials.

Have a terrific day and hope you are all staying warm!!

~Rebecca~

Got the Winter Blues? Flash Sale!!!

I heard an excellent webinar earlier this week on how to fight depression and the winter blues naturally. It was so inspiring to hear one of the speakers share her story of how she was able to beat 6 years of depression through natural means. Her depression lead her to a failed suicide attempt, 4 doctors and 14 medications that did not work. She prayed to die. But instead she lived and shares her story with others to help them out of this horrible disease. I am sharing some of the info from this webinar below. If you would like more info or to hear the recording, please contact me and I will share it with you.

Depression is a real thing that people don't always realize the severity of. Many of us experience the winter blues. I know I do. So I thought I would share some ideas on how to combat that without medication, and to share a Flash Sale with you as well!

One thing that stood out to me from this webinar  was how stress is 100% self induced!! It is not situations that stress us out, but rather how we respond to those situations. 

you may already know the importance of a healthy diet and exercise on mood. Some other things that can give you a mood lift are laughter, surrounding yourself with positive people (and try to avoid negative people and influences), watching and listening to uplifting TV or music and staying away from negative TV and movies. Adopt a dog or a cat! Get out in the sunlight. Read positive things. Positive affirmations. Socializing. Pray.

But for some of us, those things are good but not enough. Sometimes our bodies are deficient in key nutrients and when we get what we need, things are able to start to turn around as our body becomes balanced. Here are some good options to consider from Shaklee, which is the #1 natural nutrition company in the US. When choosing a supplement it is important to know what you are taking. Not all vitamins are created equal and some just pass through your body. The FDA does not test or have requirements on testing for supplement companies. Here's a little more about what my family uses and trusts and what makes Shaklee different from other companies with similar products. I grew up with Shaklee and am so thankful for the health benefits it gives to myself and my young family.

Here are some supplements I want to highlight to help with depression or winter blues:

B Vitamins

 B Complex is a staple in my day! B is the Happy vitamin and most people are deficient in this. I definitely notice a difference in my patience, mood, stress levels and energy levels with this. I can tell the days when I forget to take it as I am more moody and lethargic. 

Vita D3

This is such a talked about vitamin that many people are deficient in.  If you live north of Atlanta and Los Angeles, you are most likely deficient in D, especially in the winter! If you use sunscreen (which is a good idea!!) then vitamin D from the sun cannot penetrate into your skin. 

I take Shaklee's Vitamin D3 every day and really notice a difference in my energy and mood. 

Optiflora Probiotic

Did you know that most disease and illness starts in the gut? We have 40% of our neurotransmitters in our gut and 70-80% of our immune system is there too! Which is why if your gut is unhealthy then you are more prone to illness and probably get sick more often.

Shaklee makes the best probiotic I have ever found because of its special patented triple encapsulated coating and the live microflora is guaranteed to get to your gut before breaking down. No other probiotic to my knowledge can claim this.

Since I started on the Optiflora I have noticed I don't get upset stomach very often, which I used to. And my eczema has completely cleared up ( unless I eat a strawberry! ) My young boys also take this daily which has shown a big improvement with constipation issues and overall immune health.

OmegaGuard

Omega 3 Fatty acids and fish oils are another really popular supplement lately and one that most doctors agree is important for most people. It can help with brain health, MS, arthritis, autism, asthma, psoriasis, depression, ADD, ADHD….

Shaklee's OmegaGuard is unique because there is no lead or heavy metals that people are more concerned about from the contamination of our fish supply. My kids and I also take this daily and it helps with focus and attention as well as brain health. My OB GYN also had me taking this during pregnancy because of the evidence that it can help with a baby's brain health.

Mood Lift Complex (St. John's Wort)

Shaklee's Mood Lift is a natural alternative to Prozac! It can do wonders for depression, nerve pain, anxiety, concentration, migraine headaches…

Stress Relief Complex

Stress produces cortisol which leads to belly fat which can lead to heart issues. Shaklee's wonderful Stress Relief Complex can really help to relax the body and help you to be more alert. 

The webinar also talked about a good foundation to help people with depression or just to have a good base for overall health and wellbeing through a multivitamin like Vitalizer or Vita-lea and protein powder as protein is the building block of all healthy cells in the body.

Whew! Well that is a lot of info! If it is overwhelming or you have questions then let's break it down and chat sometime soon. I have seen these supplements help people to get what they need to regain their health and have experienced this in my own life. If you are ready to retake your own health and look to natural means to do it, then let's talk soon. I would like to help or talk to the person who shared this info with you.

FLASH SALE!!!

Now for the really exciting stuff. If you are ready to get things started to take back your health, you can get a jump through my sale that goes through Monday, January 27th!

When you order at least any 3 of the following supplements I talked about in this post (B Complex, OmegaGuard, Optiflora, Mood Lift Complex, Stress Relief Complex, Vitalizer, Vita-Lea, any Shaklee protein powder or Shaklee 180 protein smoothee) You will get a bottle of….

 FREE VITA-D3!!!!

Offer good to all existing Waterways customers, members or distributors and for anyone new to Shaklee. Ask your distributor to match this special.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what info was useful to you today. And stop over on Facebook and say hello! Would love to connect there too.

Have a great day!!

~Rebecca~

A Dinner that Both of my Kids Asked for Seconds!!

Many of you know that I have two adorable little boys ages 5 and 3. They are alike in many ways. Some people even ask if they are twins because they look alike. 

But one area where they really differ is their taste in food! You would think they came from a different womb or grew up in different houses when looking at their complete opposite tastes. I do make them different things for breakfast and lunch, which isn't too difficult and I don't mind doing. But for dinner I put my foot down and only make one thing for the whole family. I really love to cook and experiment with different recipes and admittedly I don't always hit a home run in that area. But it is always edible and always usually fairly healthy. :)

When one of my sons wasn't feeling well the other day, I wanted to make something that wouldn't upset his stomach further. So what did I think of? Chicken noodle soup! But I wanted to change it up a bit. I usually boil a whole roaster chicken and add carrots, onion, celery and potato along with noodles and seasonings. But I didn't have a chicken defrosted and didn't have the time to do that. So I improvised with the time and ingredients I had and…….they both loved it! My husband and I did too.  And BOTH kids asked for seconds! Something that doesn't happen often in our house. lol

Note: my youngest will eat cooked carrots but my oldest will not. Most days as I am preparing dinner I give them both a plate of raw veggies that I am cutting. My oldest will dip in hummus and my youngest likes them plain. :) They think it is something special and I am taking advantage of the fact that it is almost dinner and they are hungry and then they also get their veggies in so I don't stress if they won't eat them with the meal.

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breast cut to bite size pieces (we prefer this but you could use whatever chicken you like and more if you are cooking for more people)

1-2 cups Chicken or Veggie broth (Aldis has a good organic one now that won't break the bank)

Water

Noodles of your choice (my family really likes the thick Reames brand found in the frozen section. Not the healthiest choice but they do taste really good)

1-2 carrots, chopped

Celery optional. I didn't have any so I didn't put it in.

1/2 onion, grated (I grate it so my kids will eat it but you could also chop it)

fresh garlic (I cook with a lot so use what you like. garlic has a lot of great immune boosting properties and it adds a ton of flavor)

1-2 cans of white beans drained (or dry if you have them on hand. I didn't this time)

Seasonings of your choice. I used a little garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and parsley

1-2 TBS of Instant Protein (I always add this baking protein powder to my soups and baked items to thicken them or in place of some flour. It works great and adds some good nutrition to the recipe. You could also use flour to thicken)

Directions:

Saute grated onion and carrot on medium-high heat with extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce pan. After it cooks down for a few minutes add garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Stir in broth and water to fill your pan 3/4 way and seasonings and  protein baking powder or flour. Bring to a boil.

Add defrosted chicken and boil for approximately 20 min until no longer pink.

Add frozen noodles while chicken is cooking according to package  directions. When you add the noodles make sure the chicken continues to boil or add more time so it cooks through.

Add beans last. You can smash some of the beans before adding which will thicken your broth further.

Simmer and serve! The longer it sits the thicker the broth will be.

It was a nice variation on chicken noodle soup with the beans and different seasonings.

Do you experiment with recipes? Do you also have a family who has opposite tastes in food? I would love to hear some of your family favorites! Let me know what you think of this recipe.

Have a great day and visit me on Facebook soon! Would love to connect with you!

~Rebecca~

My Favorite Black Bean Soup!

I LOVE a good black bean soup! I found a recipe awhile back that I have been tweaking and make for a lot of parties and functions I have at my house. It is always a big hit and I always get asked for the recipe. So I thought I would finally write it down in a post and share it here since I just made it the other day and have it fresh in my mind.

I like to use dry black beans for this but canned will work. Just rinse them first. We bought a ton of dry black beans from the farmers market this summer. They store well for a long time and we enjoy them all winter long. Beans are such a great and healthy source of protein and fiber! 

Recipe:

a lot of black beans! If you use dry then wash them and pick out the stone like ones. I like to cook my dry beans with a little broth, a lot of water (keep them covered in liquid) and seasonings (garlic, onion, pepper, etc) in the crock pot over night. I make a lot at one time so I can use them for different recipes. If you use canned then I would say around 4 cans!

1 large can of crushed tomatoes. Sometimes I will take fresh that I have blanched.

about 4 cups of broth (I have used veggie as well as chicken and they are both delicious)

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil 

1 onion (you can chop this but I like to grate my onion in recipes with a cheese grater to avoid chunks that my kids will pick out)

1-2  stalks of celery, finely chopped

1-2 carrots, finely chopped. you could also grate these.

garlic! I like a lot! good immune boosting properties and makes things smell and taste delicious. I like to buy fresh that is already minced in the jar. Saves me some time and I find I use it more frequently when it is so convenient.

chili powder (if you like it hot then use a lot - if not, then tone it down. )

1 TBS of ground cumin 

a dash of black pepper

a dash or two of garlic powder or garlic salt (easy on the salt as this will have a ton of flavor on its own)

Optional: 1-2 TBS of chia seeds. These are packed with nutrients, fiber and omegas. They expand in liquid to help you feel full. I usually add these to most recipes, esp. soups and smoothees!

Note: I do not like to measure things so that is why some of my instructions are vague. And also why I am terrible at baking. lol you can get away with not measuring with cooking so use your best judgement and play around with the ingredients  to make it work for your taste.

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery and carrot until it starts to get softer but not mushy. Add garlic during last minute or two so it doesn't burn.

Stir in broth and about half of your beans. Add seasonings and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a blender, blend the rest of your beans with your tomatoes until smooth. This will be your heavenly sauce mix!!

Stir into boiling soup and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the better the flavors will mesh together. Make sure you cook it long enough for your veggies to not be crunchy. 

And…... enjoy!!!! You can add a dab of plain greek yogurt (healthy alternative to sour cream) to each bowl if you like. So good!!!

Do you have a  favorite soup recipe to share? I am always looking for new ideas in the kitchen. 

let me know what you think once you try this. 

Thanks and stop and visit me on Facebook soon! Would love to connect with you there and share more healthy living and recipe tips.

~Rebecca~

Is that Vitamin doing you any good?

I get asked about vitamins and supplements a lot, and especially lately after the media latched onto a study done by the pharmaceutical industry recently about supplements being a waste of money. You may have asked yourself this question too. Am I wasting my money? Does this really help my health? Can it really prevent disease? How can I find a good supplement? How do I know it is working in my body? What should I buy? Where should I start?!……

Before I get into my answers to those questions, my question to you is how is your health? How is your families health? Are you often sick? Colds come and go from one family member to the next? Chronic ear infections? Asthma? Eczema? Allergies? Arthritis? Lack of Energy? Headaches? Weight issues? Depression? Often irritable? Are you just plain old sick of being sick??…..well there IS evidence that many of these things are caused by nutritional deficiencies and CAN be prevented but sometimes food just isn't enough.

I went to an excellent Shaklee conference this past weekend in Chicago. I was really drawn to this conference because of the expert scientists who were to be speaking and I was so glad I went. Two of the main draws for me were Dr. Bruce Daggy and Dr. Stephen Chaney. Both gave excellent and informative talks about dietary supplements and the literature and "urban myths" that the media tends to highlight.

In their talks, I learned that it is so important to really look past the headline. Often they are used to draw you in and sometimes create uncertainty in the reader, but when you really read the content of the article and more importantly the content of the research they may be referring to, most of the time it doesn't really relate to the headline at all! The studies that show the benefits of supplements are not big news so you really don't hear about those. They aren't the latest thing being shared on Facebook. But there are several studies that do show how supplements can help you. So it is always important to….

Dr. Chaney shared how the United States spends more on health care then any other country; yet, we are one of the unhealthiest nations in the world!! 
I spoke with Dr. Chaney after his talk on Friday evening and shared that the topic of his talk can be heard as typical dinner conversation in my home. Some of you may know my husband, Dr. David Colby (no, I don't usually refer to him as Doctor. lol) who has a PharmD as well as a PhD in organic chemistry and is an expert in this area as well. 

David runs a research lab and also teaches at a research-intensive university. He studies natural products and makes them into pharmaceuticals. He also lectures on dietary supplements and knows a heck of a lot about this topic. I learn so much from him about this! When I asked David about this study that made headlines recently about supplements, he had a very casual kind of shoulder shrug response knowing that the media likes to hype up headlines and often what the headline reads has nothing to do with the content of the study or its findings. So to him, it was no big deal at all and he continues to take his vitamins daily just like everyone in my family and knows the benefits in doing that. :)

Dr. Chaney mentioned a number of well-done studies that did show that dietary supplements could help with some of the main health issues in America (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke) and that some forms of these diseases can be prevented.

Dr. Chaney talked about how the whole is better then the sum of its parts. He mentioned this when speaking on colon cancer. Studies show that colon cancer is decreased by a lifestyle that includes: high fiber diet, low fat diet, adequate amounts of calcium intake, B vitamins, exercise and weight control. However, none of these by themselves can decrease your chance of colon cancer. But when put together, studies have shown a tremendous benefit in preventing this disease.

He also talked about an Italian study showing how supplementing with Omega 3 Fatty acids can reduce your risk of a heart attack by 40%! Statin drug studies show to reduce this risk by only 5%.

Supplementation appears to benefit high risk groups of people such as people with nutritional deficiencies due to a poor diet and people with hereditary issues. It is very difficult to show prevention of disease when looking at healthy individuals for several reasons; yet, we could look at the Landmark Nutritional Study done at the Berkley College of Public Health in 2007 as an example of people who are long term users of Shaklee supplements being healthier with lower cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and overall well-being then people who took no supplements to people who took another brands multivitamin. Dr. Daggy talked about this study and how the Shaklee group had no deficiency in Vitamin D - it was neither too high nor too low. The nutrition was shown in the blood samples taken. The average age of this group was 63, which is interesting because a person doesn't typically think of people in their 60s and up having optimal health and being disease-free! Dr. Daggy said this study carries a lot of weight in the industry because they looked at all of the main health issues in one study.

Dr. Daggy also mentioned a number of studies looking at the health benefits of Vitamin C in the body and how it has been shown to reduce risk of certain diseases like scurvy. 

So what brand is good? How do I know? Dr. Chaney recommends a holistic vitamin brand. One that is tested for bioavailability and is a whole-food supplement rather then synthetic. It may surprise you that the FDA does not police supplement companies. So a supplement maker does not have to put money into research to prove anything it claims on its label! The take away from this is to do your homework. Which I assume you are doing by taking the time to read this. :)

Here is a quick video demonstrating vitamins breaking down in vinegar and a simple test you can do on your own vitamins. They should completely dissolve within 30 minutes or you know they are just passing through your body so in those cases are a waste of your money!

Can we Get our Vitamins from Food alone?

Dr. Daggy talked a lot about why we should supplement. For one, our food supply has a lot of problems and is not what it was 50-100 years ago. Produce is picked before it is ripe and loses nutrition in storage. Our food supply also goes through excessive processing. We live in a fast food, fast paced world. 

And nobody these days really truly eats the optimal diet. I know I don't and we generally eat pretty healthy. Here is a picture of the optimal diet.

It is so hard to do this. And of course there are temptations all around us. So supplementing can help to fill in many of these nutritional gaps in our diets. Many diseases are preventible with proper nutrition and good quality supplements can help with this.

I help people all of the time with their health goals. Prior to taking Shaklee supplements, I was tired, overweight, had a tendency toward depressed moods and attributed it to getting older and chasing after my little boys and normal stresses of life.

I grew up with Shaklee which is the #1 natural nutrition company in the US, and as a kid was rarely sick, but I got away from Shaklee when I went to college, and looking back got sick more often during that time in my life. My husband and I decided to add Shaklee back into our life when we started a family and after he looked into the science and research of Shaklee and was blown away!  I started on Shaklee supplements a few years ago and I am so thankful for the amount of energy I have, how my entire family is rarely sick (kids have never had ear infections!) and when we are we are sick we are able to fight it off quickly. It has impacted not only my energy and immune health but the health of my skin, hair, nails, weight and that of my family too! Life is so much more enjoyable because we are functioning at optimal health.

So if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired maybe I can help. 

If you are and are considering supplements or have questions about them or where to start, let's talk about some good options for you, or contact the person who shared this post with you. Supplementation can have good health benefits when you are choosing the right one for you.

Thanks for reading and I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on this important topic! Do you find benefit of supplements in your diet?

~Rebecca~