My #1 Health Secrets

This is cracking me up. Sifting through yesterday's mail I discovered the Costco coupon book. I flipped it over and the entire back side is an advertisement for 4 products. The top of the page says "Your #1 Health Secrets". Find them at Costco. And then it shows Priolsec (#1 Dr. recommended OTC Acid Reducter), Metamucil (#1 Dr. Recommended Fiber Supplement Brand), NyQuil (#1 Pharmacist Recommended) and finally Align, (#1 Gastroenterologist Recommended Probiotic).

Really? These are my #1 health secrets? Nope...not even close! Here's a run down on my "thoughts" on each of these products:
Prilosec, or ANY acid reducer, most likely causes more acid problems that the product claims to solve. The majority of stomach acid problems - like heartburn - is due to too LITTLE stomach acid, not too much. Here's my first "#1 health secret": Forget Prilosac, Tums & Rolaids. Instead, try one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Yep, swallow it and chase it with a sip or two of water. It burns going down but it does the trick, balancing out stomach acid. Cheaper too. All of the other "cures" actually make it worse, creating a cycle of the "more stomach acid", buy more of the same products and around and around you go.

Needing more fiber in your diet? Sometimes a fiber supplement IS needed but why not just look at your diet? My second "#1 health secret": A healthy balanced diet that is not loaded with junk food, fast foods and too much sugar doesn't need "adjusting". If it does, try eating bananas or more roughage, like leafy green veggies or broccoli.

NyQuil, huh? What's the "knockout" ingredient in that stuff anyway? We are all subject to the cold virus but prevention is my third "#1 health secret". Wash your hands...often! With soap and warm water. Use a hand sanitizer, cover your nose & mouth when you sneeze or cough, wipe down doorknobs & handles (fridge, toilet, etc.) in your home regularly. Don't touch your hands to your face, especially your eyes and mouth. If you are getting proper rest, eating right and drinking plenty of water, your body can resist these common colds. And don't forget the Vitamin D3!

Probiotics can be found in a lot of natural, whole foods without adding a supplement. This is something I definitely know about given the fact that living with Crohn's disease basically means I have no good bacteria in my gut (in fact, I have no gut!). Antibiotics for different health issues kill not only the bad bacteria in your body, but the good as well. This can cause problems, and in my case, be deadly. So my 4th "#1 health secret" is kefir.
What's that you say? You've never heard of kefir? It's chock full of probiotics and you can make it yourself! Here's the difference between yogurt & kefer. Yogurt adds to or feeds the "healthy bacteria" in your gut while kefir actually can replace it if it's depleted.

You can purchase kefir starter from most health food stores or health food sections (like at Fred Meyer). All you need is whole milk and if you can get it, raw whole milk is ideal. Just follow the directions on the package and you'll have kefir. It keeps for several days in the fridge and makes EXCELLENT smoothies. (My favorite is blueberry with honey.)

Bottom line, my #1 health secrets don't necessarily come off the shelf at a store. How about adding just being smart and taking care of the body God gave you?

There are so many things we can do to "take charge" of our own health and actually see improvements! Here are a few simple things everyone can do:

1. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water daily. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, half of 150 is 75. Drink 75 ounces of WATER daily. Proper water intake can prevent back pain (usually a sign of dehydration), kidney stones ('nuff said), skin problems and digestive issues. The quality of your water is extremely important. Distilled water is "dead" water. Don't drink it. Most bottled water is just tap water, in a bottle. Tap water consists of chlorine, flouride and other "scary" stuff. Filter it. I can recommend an EXCELLENT water filter that ends up costing about 7 cents a gallon!

2. Cut soda and sugary drinks completely out of your diet. If this is the only thing you can do, major, major health issues have been resolved or prevented.

3. Get the right amount of sleep and during the proper time. I'm TERRIBLE at this! I get plenty of sleep (I need 8 hours) but I never get to bed before 11:30pm. Melatonin, a naturally occuring chemical released in your body, is at it's highest production between 9pm and midnight. The catch is, you have to be able to sleep in a very, very dark room during that time. The benefits of melatonin are vast but here's a key one. That last 10 pounds you keep trying to lose? Try going to bed for a couple of weeks an hour or so earlier and darkening your room (including covering up lighted clocks) and see what happens. Melatonin melts body fat!

4. Exercise. I know, it's a pain and hard to fit in. Walk your dog. Go for a bike ride. If you are heavy and your knees hurt, start out "small". Walk to the end of your block and back. Build up to around the block. Then get up to a few blocks, a mile, a 30 minute walk at least 5 times a week. Find a buddy and cheer each other on. See and feel the difference.

5. Eat several small meals a day. I know, totally flies in the face of our culture doesn't it? I was raised to eat 3 squares a day. Sometimes that is even hard to do. But if you want to lose weight, maintain blood sugar levels (get off insulin as as result!)and maintain your energy throughout the day, eat every 2-3 hours. Small meals are about 220 calories. They should be healthy fruits & veggies, eggs, fish and whole grain cereals. Have one larger meal that is a leafy green meal with healthy protein. Healthy protein is lean fish or meat, about the size of a deck of cards or your computer mouse. This is a great way to cut out snacking & grazing and you always feel full.

6. Vitamin D3 can boost your immune system, helping prevent colds and other viruses as well as shorten the duration if they do catch you. Unless you live ON the equator, you will never get enough Vitamin D from sun exposure. It's just not possible. You might be shocked to know how low your "D" level is. A simple blood test can reveal that. The Vitamin Shoppe brand of Vitamin D3 5000mg (liquid drops) work great. I hightly recommend implement this supplement into your daily regimen if you aren't already doing it. You will notice a difference.

7. Last but not least, spend time doing something fun! And with people you actually like!

Simple, basic, common sense. I'd love to hear your "health secrets".

Why Nikken?

Why did I choose Nikken as the company to join, to add my name to as a "consultant"? Simply because Nikken defines and simplifies wellness. There are a gazillion MLM companies out there. You know most of them. Many have great products, great people and decent compensation plans.

But the heart of Nikken is nothing like any other company I have ever seen. Period. Believe me, I did my due diligence researching, reading all the "anti" Nikken, "anti" MLM stuff. I weighed all of that against the people I met in Nikken, the research and development the company invests in, the philosophy behind the products...and the heart...the heart of Nikken...and my heart.

There is just not another company out there that offers what Nikken can offer. Life-changing, get-someone-up-off-their-bed, real "make a difference" opportunity. And that was what I realized I wanted my life to be about. If I only help one person, then it's enough. Simply put.

Why I Do What I Do

I get asked frequently "why" I do what I do...get on a soapbox about health and wellness. From my personal challenge with Crohn's as well as other health issues, including caring for ailing pets with various illnesses, I have done a lot of research. I've experimented with various "diets", products, supplements, herbs and treatments.

What I have found is that wellness is about 50% mental attitude and 50% "physical" stuff. There is a lot of that "stuff" out there! My decision to become a Wellness Coach & Consultant with Nikken about 12 years ago was mainly so I could purchase products at a discount. Now I am on a mission. My goal is to share what I have learned, share what Nikken has to offer and help others achieve true wellness in their lives.

About Nikken: Originally from Japan, this world-wide company is now in it's 35th year. That alone is saying something. It has a top-rating financially and the products can be life-changing for the good. But beyond that, there is training second-to-none. And it's not all "biz" training either. If you know anything about Nikken, you know the products sell themselves. I am not a salesperson. But what I have learned about the quality of the water we drink, the air we breathe and the sleep we get is life-altering.

The purpose of this blog is two-fold. First is to share from my knowledge and experience any information or recommendations for various health concerns or questions you might have. This includes athletic injuries (I consider myself an avid athlete, having competed for many years as a runner & softball player as well as coached many sports and trained many young athletes), age-related health concerns specific to women (believe me, those hormones begin to change a lot younger than when you "feel" it!), bone health for both men and women and all ages, and dog wellness (I've had two go through different cancers, one with Cushing's) and some dog training (that's just a side note!)

So post your questions! I'll see what I have to offer.

Down the Road

Resisting the urge to sing to you, I'll just throw this out there.  I've started a couple of blogs in the past. The first and most successful was primarily to place a litter of beautiful beagle puppies.  Very effective!  And fun!  But this is serious.  I mean it!  Stop laughing...okay, laugh if you must.

But here's the deal.  I have come to realize a significant purpose for my life.  It has to do with what became perhaps the greatest challenge I've ever experienced and one I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would face.  A chronic, debilitating and nearly deadly disease. Crohn's disease was an unknown to me when it knocked me right out of my life. For someone who has lived a very active, outdoorsy, sporty, fun, on the go life...it sucked.

In the past 10+ years I've learned a lot about dealing with medical professionals, how to take responsibility for and manage my own health, sifted through a TON of "stuff" from products to the next greatest "cure", including heavy-hitter prescription drugs.  I've given up hope and got it back again.  I've wandered down the lonely road of isolation from a long-term illness that impacted every aspect of my life..and I mean EVERY aspect.

And I've found hope in changing my lifestyle, changing my habits, changing my mindset.  I've discovered technologies and natural, alternative medical practices that have truly made a difference.   And I am well today.  So if you or someone you love is struggling with a health challenge, visit me often.  Post comments and your questions.  Maybe I've been down a road you don't need to go down and have something to share.  If what I have to offer makes a positive difference, then I have accomplished my purpose.