For some reason many of us rely more on doctors, and the medical industry in general, for our health.  When we are tired for an extended period of time, or have low energy, we go to the doctor.  I have heard more in the past year, than in the 10 or 20 before, that blood test results are showing these people have nutrition deficiencies.  The most common that I hear about are the b vitamins or magnesium.

We also know that certain illnesses and quite a few medications also cause nutrients to be depleted by our bodies to the extent that we don’t have enough of them to have overall good health.  Fatigue, low energy and more serious lifestyle related side effects can result from inadequate nutrients available for our bodies to use.  We need these vitamins and minerals to have enough energy and to be healthy.

Many teenage girls and women take birth control pills.  Did you know that these oral contraceptives are associated with many changes in the body, including using up many of the body’s nutrients.  B-Complex is one of those nutrients and is also needed by the cells to produce energy.  Vitamin C, beta carotene, zinc, and magnesium can all be depleted as well when taking birth control pills.  This creates an important reason for girls and women who use them to supplement with vitamins and minerals every day.

Anti-diabetes drugs, high blood pressure drugs, high cholesterol drugs, estrogen replacement therapy meds, anti-inflammatory meds, antidepressants and antibiotics can all cause nutrition deficiencies.  While these drugs are necessary for many people, so are the nutrients they deplete in the body.

We have known for years that certain vitamins and minerals, in addition to helping us feel energized, might also actually prevent serious diseases such as high blood pressure.  Most people eat for taste and not not nutrition.  Even if we do choose our food more in terms of healthy choices, there are various factors that result in the fact that we don’t always get enough of the nutrients that our bodies need every day.  All of these factors should point us in the direction of taking vitamins and minerals every day, the same as we take our medications.

Vitamins and minerals help us build good health in different ways.  They help us prevent illness and disease in different ways as well.  Vitamins and minerals give us energy and overall sense of well being.  In order to have the insurance that we get all of the vitamins and minerals we need to fight off most of the health challenges we are exposed to, the best thing to do is to stay faithful to a daily nutrition program that supplements the food we eat.

Even the former director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Bernadine Healy, stated (years ago) that, “Whatever the RDA (recommended daily amount of nutrients we get from our food that is suggested for good health) or the medical community may recommend officially, I will tell you that increasing numbers of medical professionals are, themselves, taking supplements of these vitamins.  I take supplements of calcium, the antioxidant vitamins, and a multi-vitamin.  My husband and children also take vitamins.”

Since the time that statement was made, other vitamins and nutrients that have become important to supplement (in addition to calcium, antioxidants Vitamin C, E and beta carotene, and multi-vitamins) are:  magnesium, fish oil (for inflammation related challenges), probiotics, and B vitamins.

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To learn more about how to get all of these nutrients in one convenient strip of 6 tablets that contain 80 nutrients (including the multi-vitamin/multi-mineral), please visit the Vitalizer page.

Listen Up. Do you hear people talking about needing more energy? They are tired. They are stressed. They can’t rest. They are overworked. They have no time to exercise. They are dragging every day. They need MORE ENERGY!

If you are quiet – and listen – I think you will hear it throughout your day. You will hear it at home. You will hear it at work. You will hear it at the grocery store. You will hear it at a restaurant. You will hear it everywhere you go. People need MORE ENERGY!

We may not think much about exactly where our energy comes from. We may not think about why we have less energy than usual some days. We just want it. We need it. And when we lose it, we want it back again.

Energy brings us happiness. It brings us focus. Energy makes us feel healthy. And it may even help us feel smart. We need energy not only for life, but for our memory and for learning. And lack of energy can result in bad moods, thinking slowly, depression, and even mental disorders.

Even though energy is something we may lose with age, our energy level can be very low at younger ages. Low energy can be due to overall fatigue. Maybe you are not sleeping well or enough – for any number of reasons, including stress. Maybe your lack of energy is because you are bored or depressed.

Persistent fatigue that is not related to an underlying illness can be the result of poor lifestyle choices, including your daily diet. There are foods like high fat food and high-refined-carbohydrate foods (processed foods that have white flour and white sugar) that will cause fatigue. Alcohol, caffeine, drugs, tobacco and stress are lifestyle habits that will rob your body of energy.

Foods that are energy boosters are fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, green tea, and more white fish and less red meat. High quality soy protein is an excellent source of daily protein and has many health benefits in addtion to boosting your energy. It is also very quick and easy to make a delicious protein shake for breakfast. Your blood sugar levels will be balanced for the entire morning, and this has a significant effect on energy levels as well.

Your cells’ ability to produce energy is dependent on quite a few things that are happening in your body throughout the day. Cells get energy from the food you eat which is why it is so important to make healthy choices that will help deliver the energy your body needs. Certain nutrients help the process. For example, the B vitamins are the primary vitamin involved in the release of energy from the foods we eat, into our cells, and yet many of us are deficient in these B vitamins because we aren’t getting enough of them from our foods. This is a good reason to supplement with a high quality B vitamin supplement.

The oxygen you breathe is another important factor in your cell’s energy production. The more toxins our bodies take in from our environment, the more burden there is to eliminate them and keep those cells energized. It is good to limit our exposure to pollution, including indoor pollutants, chemicals, high stress levels, smoking or living with a smoker. Antioxidants help keep our cells healthy after they are exposed, and green tea provides a safe, natural boost of energy that can be sustained throughout the morning and afternoon.

Protein, green tea, antioxidants, and a healthy daily diet can all help increase the energy we want to have in our bodies so that we can feel all the benefits that accompany an energized body: feeling healthy, feeling focused, feeling happy, and even feeling rested.

There are times when we need an extra boost of energy. We over-schedule ourselves. We push ourselves to the limit, maybe with an athletic endeavor. We have days that are more stressed than others. Science finds us new answers all the time and is close to delivering a new energy booster that can make an impact when we need quicker solutions. Stay tuned to an exciting announcement in early January.

We have natural solutions to increase our energy and they have been researched for decades and produce daily results for people who choose to use them.  It is up to each of us, as individuals, to make that choice to benefit our bodies and ourselves.  I choose to feel great every day, and hope that you do as well.

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To learn more about energizing soy protein, visit Soy Protein or Cinch Shake (contains energizing soy protein + is a full meal), and for more information on an energizing green tea drink, visit Cinch Tea.

On Tuesday afternoon we left for a 5 hour drive to Hoboken, New Jersey to visit our son and this town where he lives, as well as a day in New York City before bringing him home to the rest of the family for Christmas. When we arrived we had a delicious dinner at Cafe Michelina’s in Hoboken.

One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Carlos Bakery the next morning; it is the home of The Cake Boss television show that is such a hit with so many folks.  From the beautiful cakes and delicious pastries that are created to the daily happenings of a very active and passionate family, there is a lot of enjoyment that is good for an anti-aging lifestyle – especially if we keep the actual consumption somewhat low (sugar is not anti-aging friendly but comraderie and happy times are!).

Here is a video that we made on our visit. We were shocked by the amount of people visiting this small shop and later found out that they had taped an episode of the television show earlier that morning. It was great that Buddy signed the t-shirt we bought as a gift to a huge fan of the show and lots of fun to talk with the people waiting in a line that was about 60 deep at a time!

Thanks to the mom and daughter from Chicago (celebrating her 16th birthday at Carlos Bakery and NYC) who were so kind to share their experience, and a lady from Jersey City, NJ who directed us to the delicious pastries we bought (it is totally overwhelming to have so many choices).

After exploring Hoboken in the morning, we went into New York City, had bison burgers for lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill on West 51st Street (I had mine on top of a caesar salad and was delicious) and then shopped and enjoyed Christmas downtown. We also had warm drinks several times to help warm us up.. it was cold that day! At one point we had hot chocolate at a table right beside Hugh Jackman.. great to see him and two other guys with nine children enjoying Christmas in NYC. Here are some highlights..

Our day in New York City ended with a visit to our son’s office. He works on the 36th floor of a building on Madison Avenue and we were excited to see where he spends his weekdays, and travel his route home with him after work. We have stayed in our share of hotels over the years, and really prefer to stay with family and friends when traveling, and be able to experience ‘real life’ in that location. This trip was a wonderful addition to our Christmas week this year!

Merry Christmas (Happy Holidays!)

It is important to tell people how much they are appreciated and I would like to take this time to thank YOU:   all of my customers, clients, Shaklee members, and all who support my business and who I work with here online.

YOU ARE APPRECIATED every day of the year!  I wish for you that you find more peace and love in your life, more faith and hope in your heart, with happiness and all good things throughout the holiday season and new year ahead.

I would like to offer my assistance as well.  If there is anything that I can help you with in regard to natural health solutions or any of the work that I do online, I would be most happy to do that.

Christmas is one of the most social times of the year.  We spend time with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  When we are together we talk about our lives:  fun things we have done recently, holiday shopping stories, a new restaurant we found, plans we have, a movie we saw recently, work events, our health and health challenges, and many more topics.

When you think about it, a good portion of our conversations involve referral in one way or another:  telling about a good movie we saw, somewhere we have visited, a new restaurant we like, something that helped us in some part of our life.  We live in a social networking environment!

This makes me think about Shaklee and how I feel fortunate to work in a social business all year long.  Shaklee has been a social networking company for all of its 53+ years – long before the term was a household word.  What we do is similar to what people do in social situations.  We talk about things that have made a difference in our lives, we refer what has worked for us, and we do it because it’s a benefit to the person we tell.

Making a difference in someone’s life – helping them improve their health – is a rewarding way to live and work.  I feel blessed to have Shaklee in my life for over 27 years.  Establishing a social marketing business model around extremely effective products that people become very loyal to and that can help families financially as well – so many years ago – is a pretty impressive thing.  And were are stronger than ever in a huge economic recession!

How we feel is something that is important every minute of every day.  Many of us struggle with some health matter that we have not been able to improve.  It can affect our quality of life and doesn’t have to hold us back.  Many times, natural nutrition solutions can make a difference.  If you think about it, what we put into our bodies is going to be a huge influence on what we get back in terms of our health.

If you know someone that has a health challenge, or wants to lose weight the healthy way, needs more energy, or is under a lot of stress, has joint pain or wants to fight aging, has hormonal imbalances, is sick all of the time, or something I haven’t mentioned that can be addressed with natural solutions that give results instead of side effects – let our natural way of social networking guide you to telling them about Shaklee.

In 2010 we are going to make it easier than ever to refer someone to have a look at natural health solutions, and to show how that helps everyone.  From videos posted online – to documents hosted here on our blog that detail problems and solutions – to an online conference room where we can meet and invite others to join us (each in the comfort of our own home).

We are going to get more active in showing people how when they refer people to our brand that changes lives, we can help them get their own products paid for as a referral benefit.  For those who want more than referral compensation, we can show them how Shaklee has changed in regard to starting a business and earning significant money right away.

I look forward to talking with you soon.  Don’t hesitate to call me, email, talk on Twitter (@VickiZerbee), find me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/vickizerbee), or request that we meet in my web conference room.

p.s.  If you are not on our email newsletter list, please send an email to vicki@antiagingbydesign.com and request to be added.  We are going to have some great incentives in 2010 including free full-size products, extra rewards for hosting an onine meeting (in our web room from the comfort of your home), and some very cool things the company has planned for the new year.

p.s.s.  In addition to health and wellness, I have been helping businesses with their social media marketing online (you know.. all the buzz about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, and many more sites like these where a business needs to reach out and engage with their customers).  If you have any questions or want some good resources to access, let me know.

Holiday shopping (including the hardest part that may be deciding WHAT to buy).  Wrapping Gifts.  Paying for gifts.  Decorating your house.  Cleaning your house for holiday visitors.  Sending Christmas cards.  Holiday baking.  Meal preparation.  Struggles with excited children.  A health challenge that is slowing you down.  Dressing for holiday gatherings.  Strained relationships with family members.  The list goes on.

There are many things that can cause us stress around the holidays.  There are also positive, helpful things that can relieve that stress.  Solutions that work!

Making lists and spreading out the tasks that need done can help alleviate being overwhelmed with too much to do.  When we write things down, and make a time plan for accomplishing all that we want to do, it can relieve our minds of the pressure of not knowing how everything will get done.

This year is a good year to simplify the holidays in terms of the material aspect.  With the economy in the state that it is, why not reduce spending and even preparations.  Wouldn’t the holidays be just as special, and maybe even more so, if we focused more on just gathering together and spending time together with our loved ones?

When we recognize signs of stress in ourselves or in our children, such as irritability, crankiness, and changes in sleep patterns, we can take steps right away to address them.  Exercise is an excellent way to relieve tension in adults and burn off kids’ excess energy.

Having a positive attitude and trying not to worry about ‘everything’ are two mental ways to reduce stress.  When you are thinking positive thoughts, it’s harder to be stressed!  Meditation and other stress relieving, or calming, activities help many people manage stress.

Nutrition can play a huge role in how we feel.  That’s because almost every organ system in the body is affected by stress.  If we target those organ systems with nutrition, we can get fantastic outcomes.

Fat and sugar can both cause havoc in our bodies and with our moods.  Stress-induced weight gain usually goes to the abdominal area – which for many of us causes even more stress!  The scientific reason is that chronic stress causes elevated blood cortisol levels, that in turn cause insulin resistance that prevents blood sugar from getting distributed to the body’s cells, to be used for energy, as it should be.

Stress depletes vitamins and other nutrients in our bodies which gives more reason than ever to supplement our daily diets so that we are taking in more of our essential vitamins and minerals.  Many people are deficient in these vitamins and minerals and then to lose more from stress can put our health at even more risk.

Our goal is to have more of the following:  better sleep, less anxiety, better focus and concentration, improved immune resistance (to stay well), reduced cravings for sugar or alcohol, increased energy, better muscle tone and strength, and an overall better sense of well-being.  Nutrition can help us get there.

From B-Complex (the happy vitamin) to Vitamin C, and calcium, we can choose brands that will guarantee that our bodies are getting consistent potency of these ingredients so that they can do their job, providing safe and pure products that deliver the measurable results we are looking for, and that make a difference in our lives.

Adaptogens, in terms of herbs that benefit bodies experiencing stress, can re-charge the main body system that responds to stress – the adrenal glands.  These adapotogens help our bodies relieve the chemical imbalances that stress will cause, and normalize our body functions.  They include ginseng, ashwaganda, L-Tyrosine, Beta-sitosterol, and L-theanine.

To learn more about nutrients that can help stress, visit Stress Relief Nutrition and the Happy Vitamin.

I am starting to hear and see commercials offering help to manage weight, pounds, inches, and fat that we seem to gain around holiday time.  For sure there is an abundance of good (fattening) food everywhere we look.  From parties to home gatherings and eating out, we are constantly challenged to make choices that we won’t pay for later.

For some of us, the holidays come at a time when we also experience a change in the weather:  it gets colder!  Traditionally, our appetites increase as temperatures decrease.  We also tend to crave food that is associated with keeping us warm – usually food that is high in fat.  I am not saying that we can’t eat anything ‘good’!!  It just needs to be balanced and the sugary or fatty foods kept to a minimum while still enjoying holiday foods.

Here is what we know:  if we eat more calories, and can not burn enough of them, we will gain fat.  It is a tough thought to process, but it is true.  The food is just so tempting, delicious looking, smells good, we want to be social, etc., etc., etc.  It will still taste delicious if we eat a small amount of it.. works to eat slowly and savor every bite!

If we do ‘pig out’ and consume an excess of calories, and unless we can get our metabolism up super high, or consistently burn those extra calories every single day, we are going to gain holiday weight.

The good news is that we have alternative choices that are healthier and more slimming, and can be used in combination with enjoying small amounts of the not-so-healthy foods.  If we make weight management a part of our daily lives, we don’t have to ‘be on diets’.  Eating smarter, exercising regularly, and drinking lots of pure, clean water can help us maintain a weight that is right for us.

One way to reduce the number of calories that you will consume in a day is to choose a low calorie breakfast that is a low glycemic choice.  What this will do is help balance your blood sugar levels so that you don’t feel hungry until lunch.  This avoids eating something full of sugar or high in fat in the middle of the morning.  It also helps to set your blood sugar levels for the whole day when you make good choices first thing in the morning.

My breakfast of choice is a soy protein shake.  It is an excellent source of nutrition and helps our bodies in so many ways including:  frequent fatigue, mood swings, irritability, weakness in general, frequent colds, flus or infections, slow wound healing, menopausal symptoms, high cholesterol levels, cancer, emotional on empty stomach, shakiness, headaches relieved by sweets, faintness, lack of concentration, vegetarian diet.

For me, the difference I feel when I drink my soy shake is reason enough to choose it as my daily breakfast.  I believe it helps my body be healthy, but it also makes me feel good, balanced, and in control of my day.   When I need (or want) an alternative to my shake, I have used high protien meal bars that give me the same effect.

After breakfast, lean fats and good carbs are desired to maintain a healthy diet.  Sugary drinks have hidden calories and should be kept at a minimum or eliminated altogether.  Diets higher in vegetables, whole grains, and fruit, and low in fatty foods will produce the results that we desire.   When attending holiday get-togethers, look for fresh fruit or vegetables, go ahead and indulge in a little dip that might accompany them, have a treat or two.. just don’t over-eat.  These are choices that we all have, and it is up to us as individuals – around the holidays and all year long – to decide what we want our results to be and to act in accordance of those decisions.

Fiber is another nutrition source that is often lacking in people’s diets.  The recommended daily intake of fiber is much higher than most people actually get every day.  Not only does fiber help improve our digestion and keep us regular, it is very healthy for our colons and for absorbing fat in our bodies.  If you can’t get enough fiber in your daily diet, you can find it inside soy meal shakes, and in supplement form as either tablets or powder.

I hope that you can stay on track through the holidays and make good decisions that will give the outcomes that you want in terms of maintaining a healthy weight for you.

p.s.  see the post under this for more information.

We all know that there are many (MANY) weight loss and weight management plans on the market?  And if that’s the case, why are so many people still struggling to lose weight?

I believe that we can’t simply go on a diet, lose weight, and expect to keep it off.  We need to find a way to integrate weight loss, inch loss, fat loss, and finally weight management into our every day living.

Plus we need a healthy plan.  Enter Cinch.. the program that is proven to work AND helps you get healthier as you shed those pounds!

p.s. 100% money back guaranteed.

Cinch® – Your Defense

Against the Holiday Weight Gain Blues!

It is hard to eat healthy meals when there are holiday treats everywhere you look. And, guess what? The barrage of cookies, candy, and buffets won’t end for another month. Nor will the busy schedules that can make the drive-thru lane of the closest fast food restaurant look like a good choice.

Arm Yourself for the Season with
Cinch!

Cinch delivers a knock-out blow to the temptation of “just a taste” of unhealthy holiday treats. Think of a Cinch shake for breakfast or lunch as your main defense. With 24 grams* of hunger-fighting protein, plus extra leucine so you don’t lose muscle, and four delicious flavor choices, Cinch shakes are a great way to help keep your day on track. Chocolate? Vanilla? Strawberry? Café Latte? Take your pick and leave the chips-and-dip behind.

Need even more convenience? Try a Cinch Meal-in-a Bar. Keep one in your purse, gym bag, or just tuck one in your pocket when you head out the door, and you have a super quick, super healthy, breakfast or lunch option. It is even faster than “fast” food, and costs less than most – so no more excuses for eating burgers and fries. No more guilty, bloated feelings from the so-called Value Mega-Meal you just ate. Instead, you get the great taste of a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip or Berry Almond Crunch Meal-in-a-Bar**, and a bit more change left in your pocket for your holiday shopping.

Round out your arsenal with yummy snack bars and an energizing tea. You will never be bored when you can choose from Peanut Butter Crunch, Chocolate Decadence or Lemon Cranberry bars, and Unsweetened or Pomegranate tea sticks. With snack bars on hand, and a tea stick to add to your water bottle, you won’t need candy bars, sodas or rich coffee drinks to get you through a busy afternoon.

Be your happiest,
healthiest you this holiday season, with Cinch!

“The shakes taste incredible, make me feel great and help take away the burden of meal planning.” – Robert M

For more inspirational stories, please go to HealthyWeight Loss

*When prepared as directed

**MN price $3.78 per bar

***Results not typical.  In a preliminary clinical study of the Cinch Inch Loss Plan, participants on average lost 15.4 pounds over 12 weeks.