Young Living recently had a great training meeting about emergency preparedness, with Marsha from Altius. Shortly after that meeting, I got a handout in my kids school folders with a request for an emergency kit for each of them to keep at school: a granola bar, bottle of water, fruit snacks of some sort, crackers, and a short note and family photo. Seems like preparedness is a hot topic at the moment!
I got to thinking more about planning ahead and the peace of mind that could bring if something DID happen. For my kids, can you imagine being in a school and trying to comfort all those kids in the event of an emergency? And if they each had a snack, some water, and a family photo, how much easier would it be to keep them calm?
I recall the night I had a spark plug pop out of the cylinder in my car one night on my way back from Park City. I was on I-15 near American Fork and it was snowing hard and I heard this loud pop under the hood and this thunderous noise. I pulled over, not knowing a thing about engines, and wouldn't you know it that I was wearing a dress and four inch stiletto heels? A pair of jeans and some old boots stashed in the trunk would have gone a LONG way.
So Marsha and Angie gave us all a good start. But for more information, the American Red Cross has a great site with lots of ideas as http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_500_,00.html and the government site at www.ready.gov is a great resource as well. Locally, there are lots of businesses that are fully devoted to kits and supplies for disaster preparedness. If you don't want to think about compiling your own kits, they have some great ready made resources available at reasonable prices and are a quick solution.
Also, did you ever stop to think about Young Living products that would have a place in your emergency kit? Balance Complete and Power Meal have an excellent nutrition profile and are easily/quickly made. Think of the potentially life sustaining energy that this product could have in the event of a disaster. We always think about being in a shelter somewhere, bored and worried, when in reality we could be assisting in rescue efforts (perhaps for our own loved ones!). This would be light-weight and very portable as well.
Many of the essential oils have some properties that would make them very useful. Lemon oil can be used to cleanse and flavor questionable drinking water, lavender on burns, clove for its antiseptic quailities, peppermint or orange to give yourself a mental boost. Get creative with our great product line and integrate some of these things into your kit!
Young Living provided basic first aid kits to attendees at the last wellness meeting and mine promptly went into the trunk of my car. I used to keep a first aid kit in my trunk and was shocked at how often I used it for minor emergencies at trips to the park or camping. Take a look at some of these websites and get dialogue going with your loved ones about a plan. Once you get some ideas, it's not difficult to recognize an item here and there that could be useful in your kit.
Also, with the holidays upon us, these kinds of kits make very thoughtful gifts for anyone on your list. You can spend as little or much as you like, even getting some basic items into a plastic bag with a list of suggested future additions. It will help the recipient to know what to buy and add to the kit.
Happy Holidays and here's to hoping those kits go unused as long as possible!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Financial Wellness
Angie Clark forwarded the following information to me with some GREAT suggestions regarding financial wellness. It's from www.mercola.com:
| How to Live Below Your Means |
|
1) Redefine your definition of “rich” -- “I remember sitting in a cubicle at my first professional job staring at a picture of an SUV I wanted to buy (and eventually did). Now, I sit in my office and look at the pictures of my kids, and just outside my window I can see the beater I drive sitting in the company parking lot. What a difference a decade makes! To sum things up, my definition of being rich is having enough money to meet my family’s basic needs, a few of our wants, and to be able to give some away to others.” -- via Frugal Dad 2) Borrow and share. Everyone wins! -- “We borrowed a DVD from a friend instead of renting or buying and had a little snack from our own fridge! Way cheaper than using gas to drive to the theater/rental place, paying for a movie, and paying for a snack.” -- via My Dollar Plan 3) Avoid the mall -- “Going to the mall is not entertainment! We used to go when we were bored. Of course, we usually ended up spending money while we were there. If you need clothes, then shop sales or go to stores that offer name-brands at a discount. You can save a ton on these items if you are a smart shopper. Dave Ramsey says, “Never pay retail!” We probably save $15 to $30 per month by staying away from the mall.” -- via My Super-Charged Life 4) Limit your intake of advertisements -- “Advertising sucks. That’s the cold, hard truth. It’s engineered to make you feel like you’re incomplete, that you have an unfulfilled need, that you’re not good enough.” -- via On Simplicity 5) Buy with cash -- “You can’t spend money you don’t have. Many bank accounts provide overdraft protection, so even with a debit card, it’s easier to go over your account balance than you think.” -- via Simple Mom 6) Find a better deal and actually SAVE the difference -- “Regardless of what they sell, if you’ve switched companies for price reasons, save the difference. Think of phone companies, internet access, cell phones, credit cards, and others.” -- via The Wisdom Journal 7) Adhere to a long-term investment strategy -- “I’m a long-term investor. The stock portion of my portfolio is spread over several mutual funds, a few ETFs and a few individual stocks. Each and every one of these holdings was carefully chosen, after thorough research. I believe in these stocks and funds. I consider them as my best bet in growing my money -- LONG TERM.” -- via MomGrind 8) Curb your consumerism! -- “Have you ever watched how a child can play with a cardboard box for hours, and leave the toy that came in it by the wayside? How is it that children can enjoy themselves without a lot of “stuff”, but we as adults feel the need to reward ourselves by buying more stuff?” -- via Billionaire Woman 9) Stay Healthy! Medical problems drain bank accounts -- “James M. Rippe, M.D is a best-selling author, world-renowned cardiologist, and founder of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute. He explains that if you look at all the risk factors for dying, the one that is most predictive is fitness level. In addition, an older person with high cardiovascular fitness is healthier than a younger person who is physically inactive. By increasing your fitness level, you can actually roll back your biological clock.” -- via Abundance Blog 10) Stay in and relax -- “So, think about it the next time you go out. Are you going for with a purpose? Maybe the solution is to not go out at all. Stay home and save! Save up for something you really want or need.” -- via The Jungle of Life 11) Gradually prepare yourself for a rainy day -- “Even when things are going great, and you feel on top of the world, you must always be prepared for a change. If you take the time and patience to set yourself up properly, then when things to take a turn for the worse, you will be prepared to handle it. If you live above your means, then when the slightest change occurs, you will not be prepared to adapt. Financial flexibility is more important then keeping up with the Jones’.” -- via Yin vs. Yang 12) Stop competing. Forget about the Jones’ altogether -- “If getting rich makes us happy, then why don’t countries as a whole get happier as they grow wealthier? They discovered that as a country gets wealthier there’s no overall increase in happiness. Why? We continually compare our wealth against that of others. We are competitive and envious. Add to that the fact that Western countries encourage people to strive for more and more, and you have a formula that spins many into depression.” -- via Color Your Life Happy 13) Get out of the “easy street” mentality -- “I think there is too much emphasis on the quick fix or the easy option in today’s society. For example taking diet pills to lose weight instead of the “hard option” - exercising and eating well ... money is sometimes being used as a substitute for hard work. Do you think there is an increasing expectation that you can get want you want by throwing money around instead of working hard and “earning” it? -- via Forever Change 14) Avoid impulse buying; buy things you truly need -- “Don’t you just love the excitement you feel after coming home with a new TV? Driving home in a new car? Opening the box on a new pair of shoes? I sure do. But, from watching the behavior of myself and my friends I’ve found that the new quickly becomes just another item. The excitement of novelty passes quickly.” -- via Think Simple Now 15) Time is money; properly manage your time -- “The fewer tasks you have, the less you have to do to organize them. Focus only on those tasks that give you the absolute most return on your time investment, and you will become more productive and have less to do. You will need only the simplest tools and system, and you will be much less stressed. I think that’s a winning combination. Focus always on simplifying, reducing, eliminating. And keep your focus on what’s important. Everything else is easy.” -- via LifeDev 16) Find ways to give without spending -- “Want a quick, easy and (almost) free way to be guaranteed that you’ll make someone’s day special? Send them a letter. Why not set aside some time this weekend to sit down and write to a few people? If you don’t enjoy writing, try buying some nice postcards of your home town. If you’ve got an artistic streak, why not design your own note cards? You don’t have to write a long letter for it to be effective. It’s the thought that counts and the personal touch that makes it special.” --via Dumb Little Man 17) Don’t let greed and deceit get the best of you -- “According to Stephen R. Covey, if you reach an admirable end through the wrong means it will ultimately turn to dust in your hands. This is due to unintended consequences that are not seen or evident at first. The example he gives in The 8th Habit is: The parent who yells at their kids to clean their rooms will accomplish the end of having a clean room. But this very means has the potential to negatively affect relationships, and it is unlikely the room will stay clean when the parent leaves town for a few days. Now, to return to the topic of wealth, I think it is possible to see much of the world’s current financial problems as stemming from people who wrongly believe the ends justify the means. My advice? It is fine to aspire to wealth, but don’t lose sight of the means to accomplishing it.” -- via The Change Blog 18) Never ever pay retail -- “You can easily save hundreds of dollars a year on clothing purchases by waiting for sales or shopping at discount retailers like Marshalls. Better yet, avoid name brand clothing all together.” -- via Marc and Angel Hack Life |
Living below your means is one of the best ways to become wealthy, or simply break free of the financial stress and cycle of debt that is plaguing so many right now.Thursday, October 2, 2008
Thanks to everyone who came to the Wellness Meeting on the 30th of September. We had some great snacks and relaxing time away from our desks! Lots of folks wanted references and recipes so here is coverage of what we had at the meeting. For those who didn't make it or who are in Spanish Fork or Mona, these are some great suggestions on a couple of new foods to try and some great healthy snacking ideas.
Kashi TLC Crackers
In a few different flavors, the Kashi Crackers are multi-grain snacking with amazing flavor. They come in Original 7-Grain, Fire Roasted Vegetable, Honey Sesame and Country Cheddar. Why eat this over a Wheat Thin?
We also tried some cereals.
First sample was a granola from Good Earth, right on main street in American Fork. It is from the bulk food section and is called "Strawberry Vanilla Hempseed." No processed sugars or marshmallows shaped like rainbows, this cereal is so good that my kids will sit around munching it all day if I leave it where they can reach it. Once you put milk on it, the dried strawberries plump right up. Great for breakfast or snacking!
We also sampled a few Kashi cereals, the Strawberry Fields and the Cnnamon Harvest.
The Strawberry Fields is a nice 7 grain cereal with the same freeze-dried strawberries in the granola I just mentioned. Light flakes, great in milk, super tasty. This cereal is readily available at most local grocers and all the big chains.
The Cinnamon Harvest reminds of old-school Shredded Wheat, but with lots more natural sweetness. This is another cereal you will find yourself snacking on, right out of the box. I adore cinnamon so this on is a favorite of mine as well. Also available at most grocers.
I also introduced a lot of folks to a grain they weren't familiar with, called Quinoa (say KEEN-wah).
This is available at the bulk section of health food places and is a very cost-effective way to eat well. It cooks up like rice, and texture-wise it is somewhere in between rice and cous cous. Quinoa is the only grain that has a complete protein, meaning you don't have to combine it with other foods (think beans and rice, which only meet the complete protein requirement if they are together). You can use it in soups, served hot with stir fry, with warm apples and cinnamon for breakfast, and any other way you can think. It's extremely nutritious and a near-essential food for any vegetarian. Meat eaters will find it's subtle flavor a great way to get non-animal protein into their diet. When you buy this, be sure and soak it in water or rinse it 2-3 times before you cook it, until the water runs clear. One of the great things about quinoa is that it has its own natural pesticide, which is a bitter coating called saponin. Birds and insects won't eat it, so no need to pollute the earth with chemicals! You need simply rinse it a few times before you cook it and the saponin is gone, releasing that subtle nutty flavor and goodness.
We served some almonds. Raw, unsalted, and available in the bulk food section of the health food store (or, for a little more money, in regular grocers baking isle).
Almonds can help lower your cholesterol and are a great source of good fats in your diet. The recommendation is for 23 almonds a day, which would cover a single post-it note (the standard square ones). Be cautious and look for the raw variety, unsalted if your cholesterol is high.
I also shared a green dip made from edamame, or soy beans. Just take some raw garlic, peeled, and shred it good in your food processor (maybe a clove or two). Add some sun dried tomatoes (I prefer the ones packed in olive oil) and pulse a time or two, taking into account that the tomatoes bring a lot of sweetness (go slow adding them). Then add the soybeans/edamame, pulse until its chunky, then drizzle some of the olive oil from the tomatoes into the mix. Grind coarse sea salt over the top and serve! Works great with the Kashi crackers above.
So get out and try some of these great new foods. A few subtle changes in your eating can yield big results in terms of your health. You'll feel better, look better, and have more energy.
Kashi TLC Crackers
In a few different flavors, the Kashi Crackers are multi-grain snacking with amazing flavor. They come in Original 7-Grain, Fire Roasted Vegetable, Honey Sesame and Country Cheddar. Why eat this over a Wheat Thin?
- TLC Original 7 Grain has half the fat of a Wheat Thin
- TLC has no saturated fat (present in Wheat Thins)
- 15 TLC crackers have the same calories as 9 Wheat Thins
- TLC has twice the fiber present in Wheat Thins
- TLC is made from whole wheat flour and 6 other whole grains (while Wheat Thins are from enriched bleached flour, which is vastly nutritionally inferior)
We also tried some cereals.
First sample was a granola from Good Earth, right on main street in American Fork. It is from the bulk food section and is called "Strawberry Vanilla Hempseed." No processed sugars or marshmallows shaped like rainbows, this cereal is so good that my kids will sit around munching it all day if I leave it where they can reach it. Once you put milk on it, the dried strawberries plump right up. Great for breakfast or snacking!We also sampled a few Kashi cereals, the Strawberry Fields and the Cnnamon Harvest.
The Strawberry Fields is a nice 7 grain cereal with the same freeze-dried strawberries in the granola I just mentioned. Light flakes, great in milk, super tasty. This cereal is readily available at most local grocers and all the big chains.
The Cinnamon Harvest reminds of old-school Shredded Wheat, but with lots more natural sweetness. This is another cereal you will find yourself snacking on, right out of the box. I adore cinnamon so this on is a favorite of mine as well. Also available at most grocers.
I also introduced a lot of folks to a grain they weren't familiar with, called Quinoa (say KEEN-wah).
This is available at the bulk section of health food places and is a very cost-effective way to eat well. It cooks up like rice, and texture-wise it is somewhere in between rice and cous cous. Quinoa is the only grain that has a complete protein, meaning you don't have to combine it with other foods (think beans and rice, which only meet the complete protein requirement if they are together). You can use it in soups, served hot with stir fry, with warm apples and cinnamon for breakfast, and any other way you can think. It's extremely nutritious and a near-essential food for any vegetarian. Meat eaters will find it's subtle flavor a great way to get non-animal protein into their diet. When you buy this, be sure and soak it in water or rinse it 2-3 times before you cook it, until the water runs clear. One of the great things about quinoa is that it has its own natural pesticide, which is a bitter coating called saponin. Birds and insects won't eat it, so no need to pollute the earth with chemicals! You need simply rinse it a few times before you cook it and the saponin is gone, releasing that subtle nutty flavor and goodness.
We served some almonds. Raw, unsalted, and available in the bulk food section of the health food store (or, for a little more money, in regular grocers baking isle).
Almonds can help lower your cholesterol and are a great source of good fats in your diet. The recommendation is for 23 almonds a day, which would cover a single post-it note (the standard square ones). Be cautious and look for the raw variety, unsalted if your cholesterol is high.
I also shared a green dip made from edamame, or soy beans. Just take some raw garlic, peeled, and shred it good in your food processor (maybe a clove or two). Add some sun dried tomatoes (I prefer the ones packed in olive oil) and pulse a time or two, taking into account that the tomatoes bring a lot of sweetness (go slow adding them). Then add the soybeans/edamame, pulse until its chunky, then drizzle some of the olive oil from the tomatoes into the mix. Grind coarse sea salt over the top and serve! Works great with the Kashi crackers above.
So get out and try some of these great new foods. A few subtle changes in your eating can yield big results in terms of your health. You'll feel better, look better, and have more energy.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Controlling your Cholesterol Levels
The Young Living Health and Wellness Fair was a resounding success. Lots of folks at corporate took time out of their busy day to come and check in on their health; glucose screenings, bone density checks, body mass index checks, and of course cholesterol screenings. I had lots of questions about cholesterol that day and thought it might warrant a posting here, to cover all the bases.
The American Heart Association lists the following ranges for ranking your cholesterol health: 200mg/dl and below is healthy, 201-239mg/dl is borderline high risk, 240mg/dl and above is high risk meaning you are twice as likely as someone in the healthy range for a heart attack. In your overall cholesterol score you have two different numbers: your LDL, or bad cholesterol, and your HDL, or good cholesterol. I recommend that if your score was high when you were tested at the health fair, check with your doctor and have it retested so that he can evaluate BOTH of your scores. You may have your LDL levels in an acceptable range and just have high scoring HDL numbers, which can be good. That being said, your results could also be worse if your LDL levels are very elevated and your HDL numbers are low. There is a specific fat form called a triglyceride that comes into play here as well, and your doctor can help you understand your numbers best.
A number of Young Living employees approached me after the Fair, asking what they can do to lower their numbers. Your doctor can evaluate your particular needs best, but a few things we can all do for healthy levels include: modifying your diet, getting regular physical activity, and avoiding cigarette smoke.
As for eating better, here are a few suggestions. First, pay attention to your fiber intake. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends between 25-30 grams of fiber per day (note: one serving of Balance Complete has 11 grams of fiber!). Next, watch your sodium intake. The AHA recommends less than 2,300 mgs per day with high risk folks targeting more like 1,500 mgs per day. Again, if you are high risk it is worth consulting your health care professional. Also, keep your alcohol intake low, restrict/eliminate trans fats, and keep your saturated/animal fat intake low. Whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and eliminating heavily processed foods are just good general guidelines for heart health whether you are high risk or not! Try to eat fish twice a week if you don't already as that helps to boost your HDL levels (Young Living Omega Blue is also critical here, loaded with heart-healthy omega 3 oils).
The AHA recommendation of exercise is at least 30 minutes a day 4 days a week, but we all benefit from more days if you can work that into your schedule. Find something that you genuinely love doing, whether it be walking, biking, dancing, yoga, rowing, martial arts or whatever works for you. Keep it in your schedule like an appointment that you just don't miss. After all, this is keeping your body healthy and happy and is critical to every aspect of your quality of life.
There are also several foods with strong correlations to cholesterol reduction, easily worked into your eating plan. The Mayo Clinic has five recommendations: oatmeal and oat bran, walnuts and almonds, fish and omega fatty 3 fatty acids (Omega Blue, Young Living's amazing blend of essential oils and fish oils, is perfect for this application), olive oil, and the foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols (these are naturally occurring compounds found in plants, and have been shown to have as much as a 10% reduction on cholesterol levels. You'll find them in some orange juices, for example). These are quick changes that can get your numbers moving in the right direction. Feel free to post questions!
The American Heart Association lists the following ranges for ranking your cholesterol health: 200mg/dl and below is healthy, 201-239mg/dl is borderline high risk, 240mg/dl and above is high risk meaning you are twice as likely as someone in the healthy range for a heart attack. In your overall cholesterol score you have two different numbers: your LDL, or bad cholesterol, and your HDL, or good cholesterol. I recommend that if your score was high when you were tested at the health fair, check with your doctor and have it retested so that he can evaluate BOTH of your scores. You may have your LDL levels in an acceptable range and just have high scoring HDL numbers, which can be good. That being said, your results could also be worse if your LDL levels are very elevated and your HDL numbers are low. There is a specific fat form called a triglyceride that comes into play here as well, and your doctor can help you understand your numbers best.
A number of Young Living employees approached me after the Fair, asking what they can do to lower their numbers. Your doctor can evaluate your particular needs best, but a few things we can all do for healthy levels include: modifying your diet, getting regular physical activity, and avoiding cigarette smoke.
As for eating better, here are a few suggestions. First, pay attention to your fiber intake. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends between 25-30 grams of fiber per day (note: one serving of Balance Complete has 11 grams of fiber!). Next, watch your sodium intake. The AHA recommends less than 2,300 mgs per day with high risk folks targeting more like 1,500 mgs per day. Again, if you are high risk it is worth consulting your health care professional. Also, keep your alcohol intake low, restrict/eliminate trans fats, and keep your saturated/animal fat intake low. Whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and eliminating heavily processed foods are just good general guidelines for heart health whether you are high risk or not! Try to eat fish twice a week if you don't already as that helps to boost your HDL levels (Young Living Omega Blue is also critical here, loaded with heart-healthy omega 3 oils).
The AHA recommendation of exercise is at least 30 minutes a day 4 days a week, but we all benefit from more days if you can work that into your schedule. Find something that you genuinely love doing, whether it be walking, biking, dancing, yoga, rowing, martial arts or whatever works for you. Keep it in your schedule like an appointment that you just don't miss. After all, this is keeping your body healthy and happy and is critical to every aspect of your quality of life.
There are also several foods with strong correlations to cholesterol reduction, easily worked into your eating plan. The Mayo Clinic has five recommendations: oatmeal and oat bran, walnuts and almonds, fish and omega fatty 3 fatty acids (Omega Blue, Young Living's amazing blend of essential oils and fish oils, is perfect for this application), olive oil, and the foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols (these are naturally occurring compounds found in plants, and have been shown to have as much as a 10% reduction on cholesterol levels. You'll find them in some orange juices, for example). These are quick changes that can get your numbers moving in the right direction. Feel free to post questions!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Simple Step #5: Consider a Meatless Day
In the world of wellness, there are myriad opinions on the virtues and vices of animal protein and meat's role in a healthy diet. There are vegans and raw food advocates, the extreme all protein diets, those who abstain from meat for ethical and/or environmental reasons, and everything in between. Rather than getting into all those ideologies, I will simply acknowledge that the majority of us eat meat and could possibly do so with more awareness on how it impacts so many things.
For starters, our meat intake probably involves more red meat than it should (meaning lots of cholesterol and potentially artery-clogging saturated fats). We also tend to eat meat before other items in a meal, meaning we may get full on that rib eye while the broccoli on the plate remains uneaten and our vegetable intake remains low. And finally, the meat we do eat can be cooked in a variety of ways that can drastically alter its nutritional value; deep-fried anything becomes toxic to the body, batter coatings can take a sound choice and make it disaster, and sauces and marinades can be full of sugars and sodium.
So if you take meat out of your meals, what do you have left? Carbohydrates and fats. Are those in the form of processed grains and breads,refined sugars, and harmful fats? Or do you get the amount of fruits and vegetables that you need? When you take meat out of your meal, it easy to assess your carbs. That alone is worth doing on occasion, as so few of us eat enough fruits and veggies. Going to the other extreme and just eating carbs isn't the best option either (especially processed carbs).
As for the toll that meat takes on the environment, I found some sobering information. Americans eat an average of half a pound of meat a day. It takes about 4.8 pounds of grain, fed to cattle, to produce a single pound of beef. In the underdeveloped countries of the world, most people consume grain directly and certainly don't have enough to eat. It's a simple logic leap to see that eating great amounts of beef can contribute, indirectly, to world hunger. In his book, Diet for a Small Planet, author Francis Moore Lappe states, "Imagine a room filled with 45-60 people with empty bowls in front of them. For the 'feed cost' (meaning grain used to raise the beef) of your steak, each of their bowls could be filled with a full cup of cooked grain cereals." Meat production also generates more than 1.4 billion tons of animal waste, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency, polluting American waterways more than all other industrial sources combined. Also, more than one third of all raw materials and fossil fuel consumption in the U.S. are used in animal production. Chicken and fish take a much lower toll on the planet and are lower in saturated fats, but eating beef sparingly is a personal choice.
I have had a high animal-protein diet for a long time and didn't give it much thought until I made a close friend who is a vegetarian. I started to read up on it and found there are tons of different reasons why people choose to go meatless. As I looked into recipes, I decided to eat vegetarian whenever I went anywhere with my friend. It was a respect thing at first, then I got thinking there are some other sound reasons to take a break from meat periodically. Give it some thought. Imaging the profound impact it would have on our health AND the environment if we all took one day a week and abstained from eating meat. Consider it!
For starters, our meat intake probably involves more red meat than it should (meaning lots of cholesterol and potentially artery-clogging saturated fats). We also tend to eat meat before other items in a meal, meaning we may get full on that rib eye while the broccoli on the plate remains uneaten and our vegetable intake remains low. And finally, the meat we do eat can be cooked in a variety of ways that can drastically alter its nutritional value; deep-fried anything becomes toxic to the body, batter coatings can take a sound choice and make it disaster, and sauces and marinades can be full of sugars and sodium.
So if you take meat out of your meals, what do you have left? Carbohydrates and fats. Are those in the form of processed grains and breads,refined sugars, and harmful fats? Or do you get the amount of fruits and vegetables that you need? When you take meat out of your meal, it easy to assess your carbs. That alone is worth doing on occasion, as so few of us eat enough fruits and veggies. Going to the other extreme and just eating carbs isn't the best option either (especially processed carbs).
As for the toll that meat takes on the environment, I found some sobering information. Americans eat an average of half a pound of meat a day. It takes about 4.8 pounds of grain, fed to cattle, to produce a single pound of beef. In the underdeveloped countries of the world, most people consume grain directly and certainly don't have enough to eat. It's a simple logic leap to see that eating great amounts of beef can contribute, indirectly, to world hunger. In his book, Diet for a Small Planet, author Francis Moore Lappe states, "Imagine a room filled with 45-60 people with empty bowls in front of them. For the 'feed cost' (meaning grain used to raise the beef) of your steak, each of their bowls could be filled with a full cup of cooked grain cereals." Meat production also generates more than 1.4 billion tons of animal waste, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency, polluting American waterways more than all other industrial sources combined. Also, more than one third of all raw materials and fossil fuel consumption in the U.S. are used in animal production. Chicken and fish take a much lower toll on the planet and are lower in saturated fats, but eating beef sparingly is a personal choice.
I have had a high animal-protein diet for a long time and didn't give it much thought until I made a close friend who is a vegetarian. I started to read up on it and found there are tons of different reasons why people choose to go meatless. As I looked into recipes, I decided to eat vegetarian whenever I went anywhere with my friend. It was a respect thing at first, then I got thinking there are some other sound reasons to take a break from meat periodically. Give it some thought. Imaging the profound impact it would have on our health AND the environment if we all took one day a week and abstained from eating meat. Consider it!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Success Stories
Below are just a few of the success stories coming out of the Young Living Health and Wellness program. Please take a moment to read these stories and make a commitment to improving your health and taking the next excellent step.
Story 1:
Reflecting back on the past few months that I have worked for Young Living I can see quite a few positive changes in my life. After Russell explained the Wellness Program to me in March I decided to give it a try. Being a recent graduate, exercise had somewhat fallen by the wayside or taken a back seat to studies, thesis writing, different jobs etc.
Starting the program was tough, I began working out with my manager (the infamous Shayn Stavens) and sore muscles were an understatement. However, after a few weeks the initial soreness passed and I began to enjoy working out again. During this time I started using Pure Protein Complete, Omega Blue, Ningxia Red, and of course our True Source vitamins. I am happy to say I have never seen such quick gains as I did working out with my coworkers and taking our quality products.
Currently I am still working out at least 4 times a week and I ride my bike to work 3 days a week to help get more cardio (not to mention the money saved on gas). I think it is a huge benefit to work for a company that is focused on health and encourages their employees to live a healthy lifestyle.
-Jared GowerStory 2:
My personal step toward wellness began 2 years ago. After being overweight for 19 years I was finally able to lose 56 pounds! After I was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer last fall, I truly believe that losing the weight helped me recover from the 2 surgeries and the follow up radioactive iodine treatments that I had to undergo. Unfortunately, weight gain is one of the side effects you have when you are taken off of your thyroid medicine for the radiation treatment. It was so discouraging to see some of the weight come back on after working so hard to get rid of it, but considering the alternative, I can’t really complain. During the last year I have had to endure so many emotional highs & lows, the wonderful feeling of coming within 20 lbs of my weight loss goal, and the terrifying feeling of being diagnosed with cancer and not knowing if I was going to be around to see my children grow up. Emotional wellness goes right along with physical wellness, you really need both. Now that I am back on my medication, and cancer (and thyroid) free, I am ready to get my weight loss back on track! I am slowly getting my energy back, and starting to feel “healthy” again. It is exciting to wake up in the morning and know that you have another chance, a chance to be healthy, a chance to make a difference, and a chance to live life to the fullest!
My parents visited my grandpa and my two aunts in June up in
When my dad talked to me on the phone that day we decided to make a plan together to do everything in our power to fight this “bad blood”. We made a game plan of prevention. My mom’s side of the family has hypoglycemia, and if you know anything about this you will know that hypoglycemia can turn into diabetes if you don’t take care of it. Well, with both of those odds against me this game plan was a necessary for me. My dad and I decided we would exercise 3 times a week, and change our eating habits. We decided we would run at least 3 miles 3 times a week, and go on walks the other three days. And in June all three of us bought bikes and go on bike rides every Saturday.
I am the kind of person that needs goals to look forward to, so I went a step further. I found a half marathon at the end of August and signed up for it with a co-worker of mine. I needed motivation and also some one that could hold me accountable for my goal. I found a training guide on line for “How to Train for a
I know these are just little steps, but my co-worker and I have already started looking into training for a sprint triathlon for next spring. I can’t control genetics. I can’t stop what is in my blood, but I can do my part in prevention. The best prevention for any disease is exercise and better eating. And as long as I know I have done my part, come what may, I can say I fought for my health!
-Angie Clark
Story 4:
I am going to talk a bit about stress. The word in itself doesn’t seem that bad – right? Everyone has stress – whether it has to do with your job, family or just life in general. Well for me stress was mentally draining me to the point that I felt as though I just existed. I couldn’t sleep at night, I had stomach problems that even Dr. prescribed medication wouldn’t touch, my eating habits consisted of pop and junk food, but worst of all was the way that I was pushing away people that I loved and cared for including family, friends and co-workers because all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock and hide.
Well, I decided to take control of my life. I made some serious choices that were probably the hardest that I have ever had to make in my life. Choices that not only affected me but people that I loved dearly. I made these choices because I came to the realization that this life is too short to be miserable and that you can be in control of your own life and do things that truly make you happy. After I realized that, I felt like a completely new person. I started actually sleeping through the night, eating a low carb- high protein diet, exercising regularly and just focused on enjoying my life, my family and my friends.
In conclusion, I believe that the next excellent step that I have chosen to take in terms of health and wellness is to have a positive outlook on life and to take the time to smell the roses and enjoy what I have been blessed with.
-Laci Mayer
Story 5:
My story: When I first started on the Wellness Program, I was very "gung-ho" and got my whole family involved... We had passes to a Rec. Center, so on weekends we would go swimming, and on week days, my hubby and I went to play racquetball or lift weights, or both... Sometimes we would get on the treadmills also. It was amazing to feel the results, and if you must have the whole story, almost every morning we would come home from the gym "feeling more attraction for each other", if you know what I mean... It was a great PERK for the program. I was happy, he was happy, and my daughter was getting more movement than just sitting and playing video games and computer games all day....
I also noticed, since it got me more points, I started looking for people to serve in my life (Community Service). It was amazing how many different opportunities presented themselves to our family for serving the community. There were several neighbors, friends, and family members that have been blessed by what we have been able to do for them. One thing that brings me a lot of joy, is I volunteer almost daily to babysit my neighbor's daughter so her mother can clean the house and get caught up on other things, and we love having the little girl at our house. She brings me great joy!!
I started dropping a little weight and getting more tone in my muscles during the first few months, and noticed I had more energy at the end of the day after work for my family, which is important to me. Just before YLEO convention in June, and since then, we have dropped off on how much we exercise as a family. Time is a precious commodity, our passes at the Rec. Center expired, and we are saving up $$ to renew our annual passes, and our lives got incredibly more busy with a career change with my husband's work and his schedule changes... (he works graveyards now, so we only see each other for an hour each morning during the workweek)....
I am starting to get back whole-heartedly into getting out every day to walk, jog, or lift weights.... It has been a lot more tricky to work out, now that my "work-out partner" is no longer available since his work schedule changes. Having someone there to work out with is vital to success, if you ask me. I am re-motivating myself to the Fitness Program, as I am realizing that fitness is a long-term necessity, not just a couple of months commitment.... Besides, with Shayn Stavens leaving YLEO and quitting the Fitness Program, I might have a chance at Hawaii!! :)
I have also noticed that my health is greatly affected by how I feel about myself mentally, so I am very focused on all aspects of healing, improving, and changing my body formation and energy levels. I have been using a lot of "psychological" essential oil blends, getting bodywork treatments (massages, etc.), and also putting a lot of oil blends on my husband. We are both noticing that we have more hope in the future, more hope in our abilities, more determination to lead healthier lives so we can bless others with our skills, and our relationship is so much closer than it has been previous to starting the Fitness Program.
Thanks for the encouragement on making our families' lives, and those who work for YLEO, so incredible. Thanks for the free product, both through the Fitness Program and through the Employee Store. My life has truly been changed by the oils and the experiences I have had here at YLEO for the past 10 1/2 years! Thanks for making being healthy "normal" in a world of synthetic chemicals, fast everything, and lack of personal experiences. I love being healthy!! I am a work in progress, inside and out!
-Paula Thompson
Runner's Up
Ryan Shay died at age 27 on November 3, 2007 at the Olympic marathon trials in
A new chapter in my life began with open heart surgery the week prior to Thanksgiving in 2007. I officially began cardiac rehab in January of 2008. I began the YLEO Health and Wellness program in February 2008. I slowly began to walk. I was on oxygen and required a walker. Weights consisted of a series of lifts with my size 14 shoes. The YLEO program offered the chance to minimize cardiac risk factors (eliminate the negatives from diet, lifestyle) while maximizing good wellness factors (exercise, nutritional supplements, education). And who would have thought that I would already be back to running a 5k, lifting free weights on the incline press at 230lbs or machine bench pressing 330 lbs, or doing 200 push ups during a short lunch period? Not bad for an old fogy.
The immortal Jesse Owens said; “One chance is all you need”. All we need is a chance to capitalize on our opportunities. I would add; “Thank God for second chances”. With the second half of the Health and Fitness Program underway we all have been granted a second chance to win the big one to
-Bill Popin
The Young Living wellness program makes me a better person...Since I started working out, my body has changed in the good way and my attitude has also changed...I understand that when you work out you get more oxygen to the brain which makes you think better..Since I started taking the true source I feel my energy level goes up and helps me get through my work out... This program teach me how to eat better , rest , drink 64 oz of water daily , work out , help the community and much more and these are things I want to do for the rest of my life..This it the best prize from the wellness program your health. thank you Young Living and everybody the made this program possible thank you again...
-Carlos Martinez
I have always been an active person. I play volleyball and basketball in the winter. Water sports, softball and golf in the summer. I have never watched my weight or worried about what I should eat. But, with the years creeping up on me I decided to take the wellness challenge seriously. I stopped drinking pop and having pink cookies for breakfast. I replaced it with fruits water and veggies. But I could not get full. O started gaining weight; six pounds in one week so I talked to the doctor. He said to count calories. I gained more weight. I tried watching my carbs, I gained more weight. I was getting very frustrated and then Rachelle sent an email with a free website. For once I could see how many calories I ate in one day. How many calories I burned with exercise. Most of all what percent of bad fats I eat in one day. Between this website and Ningxia Red for energy I have seen a great difference in my life. Thanks so much.
-Angela Morgan
My little "next step" was inspired recently by Gary, Mary, Marcie, and the fabulous distributors at Distributors Week there in St. Maries, ID. I noticed during that week that daily meditation, not only veggies and fruits, but also only whole grains and no refined sugars, in addition to positive thinking made a world of difference. So now my personal fitness record has all the normal, wonderful point categories affixed as well as an additional few columns to see how I am doing at eating whole grains, no refined sugar, and maintaining a positive atmosphere and attitude of gratitude. Thanks for helping us be our best!
-Tiffany Covington
Monday, July 21, 2008
Simple Step #4: Getting real with what you're eating
In an effort to make positive wellness changes, people often talk to me about their eating habits. The conversation goes something like this:
"So I have been working out and have stopped eating fast food. I feel a lot better but I am not losing any weight. Any ideas?"
"Well, how many calories a day are you eating? How does it break down into carbs, protein and fat intake?"
"Um, I don't know."
It's not terribly compelling dialogue unless you dig a little deeper. There is simple math at work here, meaning if you want to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than you burn (roughly a deficit of 500 calories a day equates to 2 pounds lost a week). Conversely, if you want to gain weight then you need to eat an excess of calories (and many of us do that with very little effort!). So, here's the "a-ha" moment: you can't target the ideal caloric balance without knowing exactly what you are eating.
I don't advocate counting calories as a long-term lifestyle change as honestly, it does take some work. That being said, few of us have any idea what we eat in a given day and tracking your food intake for a few weeks is extremely insightful. There's an excellent free website that tracks your food for you, breaking down exactly where your calories fall in terms of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It's http://www.fitday.com/ and is completely free.
When I first started getting my eating in check, I was shocked to realize that I was under eating on a massive scale. I was 225 lbs and I couldn't lose weight because my calories were so low that I'd thrown my body into starvation mode! Also, all calories are not created equal. A 5 ounce filet mignon and a snickers bar are both around 275 calories, with the filet being primarily great protein and some fat , the snickers bar is simple carbs from sugar with no vitamins (empty calories in the very literal sense). Keeping track of your food can also alert you to seemingly insignificant habits that may be sabotaging your progress.
As an incentive for you to take the time to track your food intake, you can earn 100 bonus wellness points for up to two weeks if you create an account, log your food, then print the results (in the reports menu on the site, simply select "calories eaten" and then choose the "two weeks" option). That's 200 extra points for the month! Also, if you set an appointment with me to review these results you can get an additional 50 points and I can help you with a plan to eat better. For those trying to make gains, I can give you calorie dense food ideas and sound eating strategies to add lean muscle mass and not fat. Those who want to lose weight, I can help you find your baseline calorie goals and then help you taper them off to maximize results. Even those who are where they want to be in terms of weight, I can help you to diversify your eating and increase your nutritive calorie values.
So have fun with this, and log EVERYTHING. This is to help you see what you are eating, not to change it (that comes next!). You'll be amazed at how much you can learn about yourself and your health!
"So I have been working out and have stopped eating fast food. I feel a lot better but I am not losing any weight. Any ideas?"
"Well, how many calories a day are you eating? How does it break down into carbs, protein and fat intake?"
"Um, I don't know."
It's not terribly compelling dialogue unless you dig a little deeper. There is simple math at work here, meaning if you want to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than you burn (roughly a deficit of 500 calories a day equates to 2 pounds lost a week). Conversely, if you want to gain weight then you need to eat an excess of calories (and many of us do that with very little effort!). So, here's the "a-ha" moment: you can't target the ideal caloric balance without knowing exactly what you are eating.
I don't advocate counting calories as a long-term lifestyle change as honestly, it does take some work. That being said, few of us have any idea what we eat in a given day and tracking your food intake for a few weeks is extremely insightful. There's an excellent free website that tracks your food for you, breaking down exactly where your calories fall in terms of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It's http://www.fitday.com/ and is completely free.
When I first started getting my eating in check, I was shocked to realize that I was under eating on a massive scale. I was 225 lbs and I couldn't lose weight because my calories were so low that I'd thrown my body into starvation mode! Also, all calories are not created equal. A 5 ounce filet mignon and a snickers bar are both around 275 calories, with the filet being primarily great protein and some fat , the snickers bar is simple carbs from sugar with no vitamins (empty calories in the very literal sense). Keeping track of your food can also alert you to seemingly insignificant habits that may be sabotaging your progress.
As an incentive for you to take the time to track your food intake, you can earn 100 bonus wellness points for up to two weeks if you create an account, log your food, then print the results (in the reports menu on the site, simply select "calories eaten" and then choose the "two weeks" option). That's 200 extra points for the month! Also, if you set an appointment with me to review these results you can get an additional 50 points and I can help you with a plan to eat better. For those trying to make gains, I can give you calorie dense food ideas and sound eating strategies to add lean muscle mass and not fat. Those who want to lose weight, I can help you find your baseline calorie goals and then help you taper them off to maximize results. Even those who are where they want to be in terms of weight, I can help you to diversify your eating and increase your nutritive calorie values.
So have fun with this, and log EVERYTHING. This is to help you see what you are eating, not to change it (that comes next!). You'll be amazed at how much you can learn about yourself and your health!
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