No one needs to panic. Our body has its own defenses against viruses or bacteria.
Here are some common sense suggestions that my family and other families have used successfully for years to protect and defend our body fortress and avoid getting colds and flu. Living defensively is the KEY to staying well.
1. Adequate sleep. 8-9 hours for adults is best. The body regenerates and heals during sleep. A good old-fashioned nap is good for everyone. Sleep before 10PM is a deeper, more restful sleep for most individuals. Children’’s bedtime should be no later than 8-9PM. They do their growing during sleep and need more sleep than adults.
2. Routine. Don’’t underestimate the value of routine. Constant change and disruption creates stress, and stress weakens our immune system. Regular times for meals, bedtimes, bath time, etc., create structure that helps create a peaceful home. Children thrive on the security that healthy, loving routines provide.
3. Plenty of healthy foods, especially fresh fruits and veggies. Cut up fruits and veggies for snacks. During the flu season especially, make pots of homemade vegetable or chicken soup with plenty of garlic (nature’s antibiotic), and organic chicken/beef stock if possible.
4. Plenty of pure water. It’’s easy to become dehydrated in the winter time. Water keeps the toxins flushed out of our systems. We need ½ ounce for every pound of body weight. If you weigh 150 pounds, you need A MINIMUM of 75 oz of water a day (9½ 8 oz glasses). More is better. Children need more water and less juice. The #1 cause of daytime fatigue and fuzzy thinking is dehydration. Our immune systems require us to be well-hydrated. Tap water is not clean and tastes bad, but bottled water is expensive and can leach chemicals into water. Find a water purifier that does at good job for 18-32 cents a gallon. Shaklee Get Clean purifier does clean delicious water.
5. Fresh air. The EPA says the air in our homes is worse than the air outside. Look for a purifier that decreases significantly all the known pollutants, and does it in a way that is economical (figure cost per sq. foot, and upkeep costs).
6. Regular Exercise is important, but don’’t overdo it if you’’re feeling under the weather. Too much exercise can sometimes cause stress on the body and further deplete the immune system. To recover, eat adequate protein and quality food and get rest.
7. Regular Hand Washing is important to minimize transferring germs. Keep hands away from the eyes. Wash hands before putting ANYTHING in the mouth and after blowing the nose. We use Shaklee Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes to disinfect the bathrooms, doorknobs, phones, computer keyboards, etc. When you clean with Shaklee Disinfecting Wipes, germs aren’’t going to regrow for about 72 hours. Germ regrowth with bleach is about one hour, not to mention Bleach is very dangerous.
8. Supplement with Pure Whole Food Concentrates. Even the best of diets has gaps. Says Janet Witte, RN: “In my experience, as previous owner of two health food stores, there is nothing like Shaklee nutritional science to help boost the immune system. It wasn’t until I found Shaklee products that we were able to truly build our immune systems. For the past 14 years, I can say, we are almost never sick; and we used to take handfuls of ‘‘regular’’ vitamins from our health food store and were sick A LOT!” My own family’s daily Shaklee choices consist of Shaklee Vitalizer, Energizing Soy Protein and Cinch, Vitamin C, and Nutriferon to keep the immune system strong. Our Shaklee Herbal Medicine cabinet contains Defend & Resist (Echinacea and more), Garlic, Herb-lax, Alfalfa, and Optiflora (Acidophilus/Bifidus) to sustain the immune system during attack. “Take MORE Shaklee concentrated food” is the best advice; it beats getting sick and missing days or weeks of school or work.
9. Replace lost electrolytes in a quick drink to boost the immune system. Whenever you start to feel crummy, prepare Shaklee Performance in a cup (2-3 tablespoons of powder) and 2 Defend & Resist. Add boiling water, stir and sip. You’ll start to feel better right away. Keep drinking this till you are better. Performance replaces vital electrolytes and DR soothes the respiratory system as it strengthens the immune system.
10. Keep your bloodstream more alkaline. Disease thrives in an acid blood stream, and many foods raise the acid level. Learn what they are and watch this. Alfalfa helps make the blood stream more alkaline, has detoxifying properties, and fights many illnesses this way.
11. De-stress your lifestyle. It’’s OK to accomplish less!!! Prioritize. What’s really important? Do you think your family is doing way too much??? It’s really OK to say NO! It also helps our health to avoid violence--on TV, in video games, etc. Even the “nightly news” is often too much of an assault on a healthy spirit. Do we really need to know every bad thing that happened today? Regular supplements like extra Vita C, B Complex, and Stress Relief Complex are great natural supports if you’re under a lot of stress.
12. Take more time for beauty, for quiet, and for music. Simplify your life. Get and give a massage at home or find a professional--there are relaxation points on the bottoms of the feet and the palms of your hands. Meditate/pray, take a nice long bath, go for a relaxing walk, do nothing/putter, do your hobby, etc. Literally count your blessings.
13. Surround yourself and your family with people you love. Do some kindness every day.
You may have some ideas that I haven’t mentioned, and I’d love to hear them. There is SO much that we can do to protect our family during this “flu season” and all year long.
To Your Health,
Cara
To find more about the supplements I mentioned, visit this website.
Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
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