One Light Bulb at a Time..

This information came to me as an email from a friend.  I am an avocate for buying locally and shopping for items made in the USA ... I think you will find this article eyeopening.

Subject: Made in the USA- Very Encouraging Unfortunately our politicians and top CEO's have pushed for trade to China and Mexico for years so Americans are now out of work. Did you know that there is no electric coffee maker made in the US and that the only kitchen appliances made in the US is Viking?
 
This information came from a report made by Diane Sawyer.  Hopefully this has changed or will soon!!  I DIDN'T KNOW HALLMARK CARDS WERE MADE IN CHINA!  That is also why I don't buy cards at Hallmark any more, They are made in China and are more expensive!  I buy them at Dollar Tree - 50 cents each and made in USA I have been looking at the blenders available on the Internet.  Kitchen Aid is MADE IN the US.  Top of my list already...

Costco sells Goodyear wiper blades for almost half the price that you will pay on the outside and they are made in the U.S.A.

Yesterday I was in WalMart looking for a wastebasket.  I found some made in China for $6.99.  I didn't want to pay that much so I asked the lady if they had any others.  She took me to another department and they had some at $2.50 made in USA.  They are just as good.  Same as a kitchen rug I needed.  I had to look, but I found some made in the USA - what a concept!  - and they were $3.00 cheaper.  We are being brainwashed to believe that everything that comes from China and Mexico is cheaper.  Not so.

I was in Lowe's the other day and just out of curiosity, I looked at the hose attachments.  They were all made in China.  The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there.  They were made in USA.

Start looking, people .  .  ...In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - most often, their job.  My grandson likes Hershey's candy.  I noticed, though, that it is now marked "made in Mexico." I don't buy it anymore.

My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico...now I have switched to Crest.

You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger .  .  .  I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy -- was an off-brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared them: they were the same except for the price. .  . The GE bulbs cost more than the Everyday Value brand, but the thing that surprised me the most was that that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - you guessed it - the USA at a company in Cleveland, Ohio. It's Way past time to start finding and buying products you use every day that are made right here.

So, on to the next aisle: Bounce Dryer Sheets...  yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada.  The Everyday Value brand cost less, and was MADE IN THE USA!  I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years, at almost half the price.

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbor's!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!  Stop buying from overseas companies - you're sending the jobs there.  (We should have awakened a decade ago....)

Let's get with the program and help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the USA.   Support the products that are "Made in the USA"

-- Marie Chandler

Glutahione: The Queen of Anti-Aging Process

Article from: Isagenix Health News

What protects your cells from oxidative damage better than vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene, or any other antioxidant currently on the market?

The answer is glutathione. This slasher of pro-oxidants and quencher of free radicals is actually made by your cells, for your cells. The glutathione redox system is an antioxidant powerhouse within the body, and consuming certain foods such as whey protein boosts your glutathione levels, and in doing so may preserve your health and delay the onset of old cellular age.

The key to life is sustaining function while efficiently tackling the onslaught of toxins that overwhelm the body. Glutathione is integral in this oxidative balance, as it protects against dangerous oxidative species clamoring to break through the cell’s defenses and is responsible for the renewal of other antioxidant agents. Glutathione is queen in the battle for health and longevity—a protector we must protect. Losing the queen could mean you’re losing the battle.

Biological aging is the result of cellular decline now understood to be due to a combination of oxidative stress and telomere shortening. The health of the cell serves as a junction between biological, cellular, and functional aging. Glutathione wards off damage to cells that, according to the recent scientific literature, accompanies the dysfunction of telomeres and mitochondria that develops over time. 
In addition to environmental, dietary, and psychological stressors that wreak havoc on cells, byproducts of metabolism that are essential to sustain life will also break our bodies down. With living comes aging and the human condition exists in a Catch 22 of sorts.

Glutathione synthesis rapidly decreases as we age. Researchers have found that the elderly have about 50 percent less glutathione in their cells than younger, height- and weight-matched controls (2). Low glutathione levels are not just linked to aging, but also to higher levels of oxidative damage and lower levels of intracellular antioxidants, which are commonly found in aged individuals (3). Glutathione’s actual involvement in the aging process and relationship with chronic disease is unclear. According to researchers, however, glutathione may be the best indicator of functional age.

Synthesized from three different amino acids, glutathione is a tri-peptide. Since it is made by the cell, it would make sense to believe that rate of synthesis is regulated by cells. Fortunately, this is not the case, or at least it is up for debate. Glutathione naturally decreases with age—but so will muscle, collagen, and maybe even cognition. Your antioxidant systems will degrade, and your cells will have a harder time processing toxic loads, unless you enable their defenses. The human body is remarkable in its ability to accept, adapt, and to renew (take advantage!).

Branching out beyond the branched chain amino acids, whey protein is also the best source of the sulfur containing the amino acid cysteine (1). Cysteine, in conjunction with glycine and glutamic acid, are the building blocks for intracellular glutathione. With more cysteine than any other plant and animal protein, undenatured whey protein brings the resources to counter-balance the compression of aging on cell protection.

To illustrate adaptability, older people supplementing with cysteine and glycine increased their rate of glutathione synthesis by 230 percent (2). After just two weeks of supplementing with the glutathione precursors, the subjects obtained an antioxidant status on par with a younger crowd. (To read more about this study, click here.) While these men and women supplemented with individual amino acids, some research suggests that whey protein may actually be a more effective stimulus for dosing up on glutathione (1).

Unfortunately, no one can take candles off their birthday cake, but biological age doesn’t have to have such a fixed rate. The Free Radical Theory of Aging suggests just that—oxidants, radicals, and toxins debilitate cells and deprive us of our youth. Promoting glutathione production is a direct way to reduce the oxidative duress put on cells. Being the sum of our parts, preserving our cellular age should be a key focus for turning back the clock.

References

1. Bounous G and P Gold. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med Volume 1991;14:296-309.
2. Sekhar R et al. Deficient synthesis of glutathione underlies oxidative stress in aging can be corrected by dietary cysteine and glycine supplementation. Am J Clni Nutr 2011; 1-7.
3. Kharb S et al. Glutation levels in health and sickness. Indian J  Med Sci 2000;54:52-4.

Dr. Matt D., is an avid triathlete who knows what it takes to go the distance and what his body needs to stay in peak condition.

Now in his third year as a triathlete, Dr. Matt keeps a regimented training schedule that starts at 4 a.m. and consists of a one-and-a-half hour run and a one hour swim three times a week before heading off to the office. On the weekends, he switches gears and goes for a three- to six-hour bike ride.

But, prior to joining Isagenix® in May 2011, Dr. Matt’s nutrition regimen included a generic protein, leading to less than perfect performance results. When he competed in the 2011 Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene, he finished the race in 11 hours 46 minutes.

After that race, Dr. Matt switched to Isagenix products. His next race proved successful. He competed in the 2011 Ford Ironman Arizona and gained two hours on his time, finishing the race in 9 hours, 47 minutes and 53 seconds.

“Isagenix is what helps me do it,” says the Arizona native and family practitioner.

So what’s the secret to his success? Dr. Matt mixes his shakes with one scoop of IsaPro®, one-and-a-half scoops IsaLean® Shake and one scoop of Isagenix Greens! twice daily. He credits the high-quality protein for his amazing results. Now it will be even easier for him to create his powered-up shake thanks to the new IsaLean® Pro.

Dr. Matt’s next half Ironman is on June 10 in Kansas. The course includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run. He anticipates he will beat his best time.

“My goal is to qualify for the half Ironman 2012 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. this September,” shares the 1-Star Golden Circle and Crystal Executive. “I have to finish in the top 10, which I am confident I can do.”

Dr. Matt’s ultimate goal is to win the half Ironman 2012 World Championships.

Are you an elite athlete or know an elite athlete that you think should be featured by Isagenix? Please fill out this form and submit it to Athletes@IsagenixCorp.com with at least five, high-quality pictures. We’ll be spotlighting our IsaAthletes on stage at our big, 10-year anniversary event 2012 “Your Future Starts Today” Celebration.  Please note that Associates must register as an IsaAthlete to be considered for recognition.

Why Water Is So Important For Your Body

They say a picture is worth a million words ... I hope this picture from Gregg Braden helps you understand why it is so important to get enough water everyday.

Summer is Coming! Are You Getting Enough Water?

What Important Functions is Water Used For in Your Body

Here is some information that I gathered from the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Factors that influence water needs

You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, and the duration and type of exercise. During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.

Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.

Illnesses or health conditions. When you have fever, vomiting or diarrhea, your body loses additional fluids. In these cases, you should drink more water. In some cases, your doctor may recommend oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte. Also, you may need increased fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.

Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.

Staying safely hydrated.  Generally if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or light yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you're concerned about your fluid intake or have health issues, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's right for you.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. It's also a good idea to:

Drink a glass of water or other calorie-free or low-calorie beverage with each meal and between each meal.

Drink water before, during and after exercise.



Don't throw out your Microwave just yet!!!

I have felt a little uneasy about using my microwave for cooking and reheating food ... but I found some other uses for this controversial kitchen machine on www.realsimple.com:

Sterilize sponges. Your dish sponge smells like last night’s dinner, and detergent won’t help. Time to toss it, right? Wrong. Pour a dash of white vinegar or lemon juice in a bowl of water, soak the sponge, and then heat it in the microwave on high for a minute. The heat will deodorize and disinfect the sponge—even after wiping up raw egg or chicken.

Clean the cutting board. How can you tell if you’ve washed the cutting board thoroughly enough after preparing raw meat? Eliminate the guesswork by sterilizing it in the microwave. Wash it first, rub it with lemon, then heat on high for one minute.

Soften sweeteners. Hardened brown sugar and crystallized honey don’t need to be thrown away, they just need to be heated. Sprinkle a bit of water into the brown sugar bag and heat the whole thing on high for 20 seconds. To return honey to its liquid form, remove the lid and heat the jar on medium for 30-60 seconds.

Speed up bread baking. Bread bakers know that yeast dough can take at least an hour to rise. Cut that time down to 15 minutes by proofing the dough in the microwave. Put the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Position a cup of water at the back of the microwave before placing the bowl inside. At a low temperature, heat for 3 minutes, pause for 3 minutes to let the dough rise, then heat for another 3 minutes. Allow the dough to rise for another 6 minutes or until it doubles in size.

Relieve aches and pains. Warm up gel or herb-filled heating pads to soothe sore heads and tummies, and to reinvigorate tired muscles.

Susan Sly and the Boston Marathon





Susan Sly after completing her 3rd Boston Marathon

Eleven years ago, Susan Sly, now an elite athlete, was handed a diagnosis of Progressive MS.  It was estimated that she'd be in a wheelchair in ten years and dead in twenty. 

Right after receiving this devastating diagnosis Susan was abandoned, lost her business, left homeless and flat broke.

Yesterday Susan Sly, mother of four, wife of one, author, speaker and self-made millionaire, completed her third Boston Marathon with a sub-four hour time ... on the hottest day in the marathon's history.  5000 other people dropped out of the race, due to the heat and exhaustion, but Susan continued to the finish. Susan's story if a testimony of the phrase -- "never, never, never, never give up!!! Congratulations Susan!!!!

BTW: Susan is fueled by the best nutrition on the planet! -- ISAGENIX!!! 

To read more about Susan's story and personal conquests, purchase "The Have It All Woman" or "IsaBody Beautiful" from Amazon and other fine bookstores.