Your Health: Get Involved!

Are you taking an active role in your health this year?  Do you pay attention to your body's needs?  There are few things in life that we are more responsible for than our own personal bodies.  Yet, it's so easy to expect others - like experts, like the media, like the majority - to inform us what to do about our health.  Sometimes, as with some majorities, the message we get is to do NOTHING about our health. Often, the other extreme is just as loud telling us to do everything imaginable to keep our bodies healthy.

The truth is we can learn from everyone and at the same time everyone is human and fallible.  We are all going to get it wrong every once in a while - at least!  The most important thing you can do for your health - as well as your family's - is to GET INVOLVED!

1) Ask Questions.  No matter the issue or the person you're consulting with, determine to understand completely what the problem is and all of the options available to correct it.

2) Eat. Sleep. Play.  A lot of our ailments can be improved with simple changes to how we eat, sleep and play (or exercise).  Before you try to mask a problem with pills or procedures, see if you can make some positive changes in a one of these areas.  Clean eating, plenty of water, adequate sleep and plenty of exercise does amazing things for your body.  Don't believe it?  Try it.

3) Research.  What do you know about the varying treatments available?  Look into the pros and cons of different areas, like herbal remedies, homeopathy, essential oils, physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractors, medications, injections, surgeries, etc.

Your instincts and personal involvement are so important when it comes to your own health.  This year, determine to take action with your healthcare options.  In whatever way we can, we hope to support you in being the best and healthiest you in 2014!

Stress: How It's Hurting You and What To Do About It

Winter Break! The holidays! Family, food, and STRESS!  No matter the planning, no matter the downsizing, it all seems to turn into work and stress in some way.  It may be a natural part of the circumstances, but it definitely impacts your body in a big way.

How It's Hurting You

When your brain starts getting distress signals, it immediately releases a flood of hormones from the adrenal glands (think adrenaline and cortisol) and that's the way it was designed.  The problem arises when we live in a state of distress, running from one thing to the next with anxiety and conflict surrounding many interactions.  This prolonged state of stress wipes out things like B & C vitamins, decreasing your storehouse of energy.  Instead of recovering to a balanced and calm state, those hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, stay elevated and cause all kinds of havoc - things like depression, hypertension and maybe even some cancers.

From this point, the stress just spreads to other systems of the body.  Digestion and intestinal problems are common with frequent anxiety.  Things like memory loss, fertility issues, risk of heart attack and stroke are all related to stress.  Not to mention how we REACT to the stress - things like anger, overeating or poor food choices, inactivity, and often taking it all out on our family!  What a time for a holiday celebration, huh?

What You Can Do About It

The easy answer is to stop the stress all together, but the majority of us know how unreasonable that is. So, since there will be drama, conflict, and hectic schedules, here are a few options to make it easier on your body.

Take a walk.  Exercise, being outside, getting some sunshine and vitamin D are some of the BEST things to do for your body - no matter the day or the stress!  And with all of the eating we're likely to be doing, it can help your waistline too!

Take your vitamins.  Stress, exhaustion, and a less than normal diet is likely in our future next week and that empties the storehouse of vitamins and minerals in our bodies.  Supplementing with things like Citrus Bioflavonoids, Nutri-Calm, B-Complex, Super Omega-3 and GreenZone can go along way in counteracting all of the damage being caused by stress.  There are also many herbal formulas that are extremely helpful for stress, depression, and sleep problems.  Contact us for help with those!

Be sure to check NSP's Specials every week.  B-Complex is on special this week!

AnxiousLess -  This new combination from Nature's Sunshine is a non-drowsy, non-habit forming formula that can help replenish your body's stress-coping reserves.  It targets nervousness, worry and tension, while working to improve your mood and energy levels.  This is a great resource to have in those temporary peaks of stress - like when all the family comes home for the day! For more information, go here.

Do less, Relax more.  It sounds silly, but try to think of unnecessary things to cut out or people you can delegate to.  There's always a few 'bored' or 'busy watching television' family members that could use something to do!

Forget perfection.  No matter how much you plan, it won't go exactly as you hope.  And that's ok.  Do good.  Love those around you.  Laugh much.  And enjoy yourself.

Acid & Alkaline: How's Your pH?

Most people should eat 80% Alkaline (having a pH value greater than 7) foods and only 20% Acid (having a pH value less than 7) foods, but our modern American diet is dominated with mostly acidic options!  An acid pH is a real silent killer! Even though it may go undetected for years, an acid pH leads to the progression of most degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease.  As Dahloan Hembree says here:

"An acidic body can lead to all sorts of problems including, but not limited to: it can increase stomach upset, lead to a lack of proper absorption of food, increase the chances of kidney and gall stones, decrease the amount of oxygen the body uses, and can even lead to a worsening of preexisting arthritis symptoms. Some even theorize that having an acidic body can even lead to cancer or instigate anemia and the resulting fatigue."

The largest contributing factor to the acid/alkaline balance in your body is the food that you eat.  In addition to your diet, there are a few herbal remedies that can really help an acidic system.  Enzyme combinations like Food Enzymes and Proactazyme are essential for breaking down (especially high processed/acidic) foods into a usable form.  Marshmallow Root is great for digestion and stomach trouble because it has a great demulcent (soothing, anti-inflammatory) effect. And for the times when you just aren't able to get enough green, alkalizing foods in your diet, Liquid Chlorophyll and Ultimate GreenZone are wonderful substitutes. 


So, how are you measuring up this week?  

Who Are You Really Under All That Garbage?

In our first hand experiences, the body, especially the immune system,  behaves differently under varying circumstances.   When your insides are fed lots of stress, very little sleep, not enough real food, toxins (aluminum, bleach, BPA, lawn chemicals, etc.) no exercise or a combination of all, the result is usually far different than a healthy, clean body with a well-fed immune system.

If you suffer from chronic allergies or seem to be attacked by every bacteria or bug on the block, it's likely that you are suffering from a combination of these conditions in the body.  If you've never experienced what it's like to be fed well, sleep enough, be relatively free of toxins, then you don't know what you're missing!  More energy, less illness and often the decrease or elimination of smaller ailments like acne, body odor, weight gain and joint pain are some things you can begin to experience.

As summer is fast approaching, make a commitment with yourself to try cleaning up house, so to speak.

-Eat more real food (whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, locally raised meats) and cut out the white flour, sugar and fake processed foods.

-Get enough sleep.  Sleep is a cheap attitude adjustment!

-Find ways to eliminate or cope with stress.  Keep a journal.  Make a weekly date with yourself.

-Look for alternatives to aluminum, BPA and bleach in your cooking at home.

-Exercise!! Do anything that gets your heart rate up, blood pumping and starts you sweating!  This makes EVERYTHING work better.

How much better would your life be with these few adjustments?