Healthy Seasonal Tips from Dr. Jamie McManus

Posted by Dr. Jamie McManus on Jan 11, 2013 in Health

You might have heard (or noticed by way of your empty school or workplace) that this year’s flu season is off to a bad start. How bad? Reports are that this flu season is the worst we’ve seen in about 10 years. The flu is so bad this year that Bostonhas declared a public health emergency. You can also take a look at the flu tracker from Google, which lets you compare previous years to this one and shows the dramatic increase in people with flu this year (with no end in sight).

Having the flu is no fun, but there are ways to avoid getting it in the first place:

• Wash Your Hands: Despite all the high-tech wizardry we have, the best protection is still the simplest: wash your hands. The problem isn’t with what you get on your hands, it’s when you move your hands to your face. Estimates are that most people touch their face somewhere between 5 and 20 times every hour. That means whatever is on a doorknob, sink, desk, or the person’s hand you just shook is going to make it to your nose, mouth, or eye. Once there, it is a short trip until you are sick.
• Cover Your Nose and Mouth: When you cough and sneeze make sure you cover your nose and mouth. Throw away tissues after you use them.
• Be Healthy: Your body can better handle a bug if you are healthy. This means getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy, drinking plenty of fluids, and exercising.
• Boost Your Immune System: I like to include lots of garlic and onions in my food during flu season. Onions and garlic have long been used for their healing properties and they are a tasty addition to any meal (especially soups). There are many other herbs and nutrients that can also help support your immune system; make sure you get enough of them as well. I also take NutriFeron and Defend and Resist @ pamela-godfrey.myshaklee.com 

With a little planning you could make it through this flu season in your best health.

I HAVE LOST 17LBS!!!

A Healthy Attitude and Weight Loss Story

Posted by Guest Blogger on Dec 31, 2012 in Healthy Weight

This is a guest post written by a Jennae of Green and Gorgeous. Jennae was part of the Shaklee Corporation’s Team #Cinchspiration Campaign.  Jennae received free products, online support and incentives for participating.

I had given up. My daughter was 7 years old, and I had been overweight her whole life. She had never seen me any other way, and I think I had stopped seeing myself any other way, too. Besides, life was busy, and wasn’t it just easier to skip dinner while I worked and order pizza for dinner when I was at home. And breakfast? What was that?

I lived like this for years, seriously overweight‑ and addicted to convenience food. I knew that I needed to make a change, but lacked the willpower and the tools to do it. Fast food and packaged snacks were just too easy.

So I gave up. I told myself that it was no big deal that I was a “big girl” and that I could feel comfortable in my skin regardless of my size. I stopped beating myself up about it and told myself I had to work with what I had. Because, let’s face it, I’m not going to lose the weight anytime soon. And sugar? Well, I’m not breaking up with sugar, so….

The funny thing is that I actually started to love myself as I was. And believe it or not, it’s just when I had reached true self-acceptance when I found the thing that would change my life, and my health, for the better.

I started using Shaklee’s Cinch^® inch-loss program almost on a whim, with hopes that it would work, but accepting that, regardless of the outcome, I’d still love myself.

That attitude is, in part, why I think I was able to stick with Cinch. I didn’t start in a moment of desperation. I didn’t start it wanting to get into a bikini. I was just hoping to get healthier and break my habit of eating too much convenience food. So I was determined to be thankful for the opportunity, regardless of the outcome.

• The outcome, thus far, is a 40.5-pound weight loss and a total loss of 22 inches in five months.* And I am amazed. 

Cinch isn’t some fad diet. And for me, it has helped me transition from eating nothing but convenience food to much healthier choices‑with the help of healthy meals.

Because Cinch is completely convenient. It is really easy to grab a meal-in-a-bar in the morning and make a shake for lunch. So how has it helped break my habits? Well, I still have to make good choices for a healthy dinner and supplement the shakes and bars with nutritious options such as fruit, veggies, and nuts. And I had a calorie limit for the day. What I found early on is that I was highly motivated to give Cinch the best possible shot by not ruining it with junk food.

So instead of pizza or fat- and calorie-loaded potatoes and fried chicken for dinner, I started eating baked salmon, shrimp cooked without butter, lots of cooked and raw veggies, and limited starches‑even whole grain ones. I got a kick out of sharing my healthier meal choices with my friends and family online, and it became easier and easier to keep it up.

And while I still indulge myself with pizza or rich pasta once I in a while, I have learned how to moderate. One slice instead of four. A small bowl of pasta instead of a full plate. I’ve learned to pay attention to recommended portion sizes and sodium, fat, and sugar content.

And it has worked.

This is why I love Cinch. Because you have to make healthier choices on your own, even at the beginning of the program. It also prepares you for the day when you’re ready to transition off it.

So I’m 40 pounds* lighter, and I have about 35 pounds more to lose. Because of Cinch, I not only believe, but now KNOW that I can lose even more / get to a healthier weight. For that, I am incredibly thankful.

* Results and experiences from Cinch are unique for each person, so results may vary.  In the preliminary 12-week clinical study, participants on average lost 15.4 pounds.