Christmas Shopping the Easy Way

   If you want to shop for Christmas conveniently from your home, comparison shop, get hot deals and coupon codes, and get cashback on your purchases, then check out this testimony to the ease, convenience and economy of shopping at shop.com. I have edited this letter as it was written for Market America distributors.

Dear JR and Loren,
Recently, my daughter-in-law was shopping at a large retail florist distributor and noticed an artificial, pre-lit, champagne colored Christmas tree that she thought would look great in one of the rooms in our home. Under the suggestion of my daughter-in-law, I went to the retail shop to look at the tree and found the selection to be expensive. The three-foot tree was priced at $79.99 and the four-foot tree was $229.99. 
After seeing the tree in the retail shop, I went home and did a search on my shop.com portal for "champagne Christmas trees," and to my surprise, the search produced 120 choices of trees, K-Mart offering the best price. The tree was on sale for $57, I found a $5 off coupon, received free shipping, and 2 percent Cashback.  The tree arrived 3 days later and was better quality than the tree at the retail shop, which was almost 5 times the price!

It would have never occurred to me to look at K-Mart or search kmart.com for that type of Christmas tree, but because of the shop.com search capability and comparison shopping feature, I found the tree I wanted with the best price, and was paid to shop! Such a no brainer! The portal is amazing, it's so much fun to get great deals, get paid to shop and it all makes economic sense!

Once again, thank you for your vision and for bringing all of these great features to us! Wendy & Joe Moquin

Probiotics Are Critical!

   I am learning more and more about the critical role that probiotics play in our bodies, especially our immune systems. After years of researching health issues and nutrition, I had come to the conclusion that the underlying cause of almost all the ailments that people have these days, such as heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, chronic fatigue, lupus, etc., is a weak immune system. Bacteria such as salmonella have always been around, it just hasn't been a problem because immune systems were able to handle it, but immune systems are too weak to handle much of anything these days. Cancer is just mutated cells, and we all have those, but the problem comes when our immune systems are too weak to get rid of them and they reproduce in large numbers. So it is critical to see to it that we do everything we can to strengthen our immune systems, and I am discovering that the most important thing  to do is to take probiotics. Probiotics are involved in 70 to 80 percent of the immune systems' function, but unfortunately the good bacteria in our guts is constantly being wiped out by antibiotics and toxins in the air, water, and our food, so it is very important to replace them constantly. I encourage everyone to read a post on probiotics.org  that has 20 facts about probiotics, some of which are pretty surprising.
   I have been taking Nutriclean Probiotics for a few weeks now, I am feeling better and better. and I have more energy and stamina. I also am not having the digestive problems that I was beginning to have, and for that I am very grateful!
To your health!
Janis

Last Cinnamon Update, Probiotics, Random Info

   I had to stop taking cinnamon  because it was upsetting my stomach, so I can't recommend it. However, other people apparently can take it, and I will be taking one capsule from time to time when I want to keep my blood sugar from going too high. I just can't take 4 capsules a day, and I don't think it made any difference in my waistline. I am now trying to get into the habit of taking a probiotic capsule each day, and this is supposed to help melt belly fat also.. I saw a program about probiotics on PBS, and was blown away by how important it is to replenish the good bacteria in your intestines. Pesticides, antibiotics, poor diets, etc. constantly kill the good bacteria in our guts and make it necessary to constantly replenish it. I wish I could remember all the things that are affected by  a lack of good bacteria, actually, your whole body is affected. If I had to name the top 3 things to take each day, it would be OPC-3 (a powerful blend of antioxidants), fish oil, and probiotics. These are essential for maintaining health in this day and time when our food is stripped of nutrients and full of pesticides and other harmful substances.
   Now for the commercial: The PBS program recommended that you take a probiotic with at least 10 different strains of bacteria, that can go through your stomach without losing its effectiveness. I looked at the description for the probiotic that Market America sells, and it met every requirement that was mentioned. You can find it here, and as always, if you sign up as a Preferred Customer you can get cashback if you order.

----------------------------------------------------------

RANDOM INFORMATION

• Ashwaganda helps to balance hormones, is essential for relieving adrenal fatigue. and will give you more energy.
• Enzymes in raw vegetables provide hundreds of enzymes that help convert food into energy.  A salad a day is so important, but you can also take powdered greens.
• Another energy tip: your adrenals need salt, and if you are cutting back, you may be getting too little. A little more salt can actually increase your energy, and some people need a lot of salt. My mother not only uses a lot of salt in her food, but she also has to take salt pills in order to get enough, and she gets dizzy and disoriented if she gets too little. I wish I could eat more salt!
• I don't know how to tell you to do it because I am still working on this, but the number one thing to do for your health is to get stress out of your life. It prematurely ages you and affects your cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems by overloading your body with cortisol. This contributes to problems like heart disease, belly fat, and wrinkles. Stress is also the most important thing for a diabetic to control. I will update this when I figure out how to lower my stress levels, if I ever do!

To your health!
Janis

Pet Care Special

Two Great PetHealth™ Products, One Great Price!
Keep pets happy and healthy while saving $7.75 with our PetHealth OPC and Ear Wash Super Special. You get two great PetHealth products for one great price! This is a great trial pack for you to try PetHealth premium quality pet products.
Keep your pet in optimal health and save up to $7.75 for a limited time!
PetHealth Buy OPC with Glucosamine and get Ear Wash Super Special

• Contains one PetHealth OPC and one PetHealth Ear Wash
  
• All you need for a healthy pet inside and out
  
• Ear Wash is pH-balanced, free of parabens, preservatives, phosphates, alcohol and sulfate

You can find this special here 

PetHealth Ear Wash

• Cleans, dries and soothes minor skin irritations
  
• Contains aloe for its skin-soothing properties
  
• Removes minerals and inorganic chemicals
  
• Helpful in softening and removing ear wax
  

PetHealth OPC

• Supports healthy platelet activity
  
• Combats free radicals
  
• Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
  
• Helps maintain healthy circulation
  
• Helps maintain joint flexibility
  
• Helps promote cardiovascular health
  
• Helps support visual health/visual acuity
  
• Powerful free-radical scavenger
  
• Supports healthy blood vessel dilation
  
• Promotes healthy nitric oxide levels
  
• Supports healthy blood glucose levels

Cinnamon Update, etc..

   I have been taking cinnamon capsules for a few weeks, and at first I thought that I was losing a little belly fat, but now I am not so sure. I think that I did at first, but then I put it right back on with the way I have been eating this last week or two. The hot dogs have got to go! However, I do think that it has helped with my blood sugar. I am going to monitor that this week and will let you know how that is working out.

__________________________________

    

    In case you thought that Market America was just another network marketing company, take a look at this article (not long) from Internet Retailer. It talks about MA's three-part plan for expanding its ecommerce business through the acquisition of shop.com, and how we are building a billion dollar internet retailing business. I am constantly amazed at the vision of this company, and the incredible improvements that have been made in the last few years, all with the purpose of putting more money in the pockets of the distributors, not just the head of the company. What a business!
To Your Health!
Janis

Mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids benefit eye health revealed

March 14th, 2011 | Author: Scientific Affairs 

Omega-3 fatty acids provide many health benefits.  Over the last several years, research involving omega-3 fatty acids has revealed a positive, direct effect on eye health. Retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as well as other diseases that affect the nerves and tissues of the eye, negatively impact the lives of millions, often leading to impaired vision or blindness.
A new study in Science Translational Medicine (February 2011) reviewed the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on eye health and the pathways by which its beneficial effects occur.  It was found that 4-HDHA, a metabolite of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, selectively promoted the growth of healthy blood vessels while inhibiting the growth of abnormal (unhealthy) vessels.  Researchers believe these findings further highlight the beneficial effects of this omega-3 fatty acid and may serve as a foundation for exploring new treatment regimes for eye-related diseases as well as other diseases that affect the body.
Click here to read more on this study.

Supplements of magnesium may improve sensitivity to insulin

From MA Blog:
Magnesium is an important mineral that is essential for human health. Dietary surveys reveal that many Americans do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg/d for women and 420 mg/d for men). The potential health benefits of magnesium have been gaining recent interest and it is reported as one of the fastest growing mineral supplements.
A recent clinical trial evaluated the effect of oral magnesium supplementation on insulin sensitivity. Subjects received either 365 mg/day of magnesium or placebo for six months. Daily supplementation of the mineral improved insulin sensitivity and blood glucose scores. The researchers suggest there are several mechanisms which may be responsible for the beneficial effect of magnesium on insulin sensitivity. They say these include, “direct effects of magnesium on the insulin receptor and its downstream signaling process, enhanced enzyme activities involved in glucose utilization, prevention of an intracellular calcium overload supposed to negatively affect insulin sensitivity, and finally, anti-inflammatory effects known to improve insulin resistance.”
The study supports eating a wide variety of foods containing magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and meats. Along with eating a healthy diet, magnesium supplementation can optimize health and possibly prevent certain diseases.
To read more click click here and search “Oral magnesium supplementation reduces insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects – a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trail.”

Leptin Sensitivity: The Facts

 From MA Blog:
Weight loss is difficult enough. But for some people, no matter how hard they try, it seems their efforts are being thwarted by a little-known hormone called leptin.
What is leptin?
Named after leptos, the Greek term for “thin,” leptin is a protein manufactured by the body’s fat cells. It appears that the level of leptin circulating in the bloodstream is directly proportional to the total amount of body fat, or adipose tissue, a person possesses.
Leptin wasn’t discovered until 1994, but continues to be one of the most fascinating hormones in the field of weight management. Research is emerging that shows leptin to be equally important to insulin in regulating proper body weight, which may be one of the reasons people on diets experience “rebound” weight gain.
So how does leptin play a role in weight loss?
Leptin acts in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that is responsible for coordinating appetite and satiety. Essentially, it is this role that tells us when to stop eating.
A variety of signals control the amount we eat: sensory signals such as smell and taste, physical signals such as a feeling of fullness, and chemical signals from the gastrointestinal system to the brain. Normally, the process begins when the brain notes the amount of leptin secreted by fat cells. If the brain determines these leptin levels are normal, it shuts off the signal to store extra calories as fat. The body no longer feels like eating because the brain – with the help of leptin – has told the body to stop eating.
One would think that it would be desirable to increase leptin levels. However, in most overweight people, leptin levels are actually excessively high due to leptin resistance, a process similar to the concept of insulin resistance.
Sometimes – especially in today’s society, with food surrounding us at all times and the urge to overeat common – the brain’s leptin receptors can become desensitized. Once a person becomes leptin sensitive, the body has a difficult time transporting leptin past the blood brain barrier to the hypothalamus where it is needed to send satiety signals. Even though blood levels of leptin may be excessively high, brain levels are insufficiently low, resulting in food cravings and weight gain. The brain believes the body is in a famished state and tells it to continue to store fat. This sensitivity to leptin can cause the brain to believe it is in a constant state of starvation.
For example, when serial dieters – those who are continually losing and gaining weight – lose fat through diet and exercise, the brain thinks it is starving and tells the body to hold on to its fat stores. This is when the weight usually roars back. That’s because the body will fight harder against losing fat than it will against gaining fat. That’s why most people find it a whole lot easier to get fat than they do to get lean. As someone gains weight, the body tries to maintain the status quo, but the baseline has moved higher. After the body adjusts to a heavier, new status quo, it’s hard to slim down again.
How do I control leptin?
Research indicates that lowering leptin levels in overweight people can restore this malfunctioning leptin system and trigger weight loss. Here are a couple of ways that you can get your body back working for you:

• Suppress the appetite. We need to eat, but we don’t need to eat everything.
• Inhibit carbs from being absorbed by the body. Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Carbohydrates in fruit and vegetables are the good carbohydrates. Other carbohydrates, like starches, cause your blood sugar to soar and disrupt your hormonal balance. While these foods aren’t bad for you, eating too much of them throws hormones out of balance and makes leptin ineffective as an appetite suppressant.
• Stop carbs from being converted to fat. Even though we want to reduce the amount of carbohydrates we take in, the body still needs carbohydrates. What we don’t want are excess carbohydrates being converted into fat – which we have learned is a main component of leptin sensitivity. Natural ingredients like White Kidney Bean Extract have been shown to allow some carbohydrates to pass through the body undigested, stopping them from eventually being converted into fat.

By supporting a normal response to leptin – suppressing the appetite, inhibiting the amount of starchy carbohydrates being absorbed by the body, and helping stop the body from converting excess carbohydrates into fat – you can finally give your body the support it needs to keep off the weight.

If you are interested in a product that will support a normal response to leptin, click here for more info on CORE, part of the Transitions Lifestyle System for weight loss.
To your health!
Janis

Increased Cash Back Deals

Market America's Isotonix line is a line of supplements with the best delivery system of any supplements on the market, and 20% cashback is a nice bonus. 
 For a limited time Market America is offering increased cash back on the following:


Increased cashback amounts (United States):

• Isotonix® Multivitamin – 30 serving – 20% ma Cashback
• Isotonix® Multivitamin – 90 serving – 20% ma Cashback
• Isotonix® Multivitamin w/Iron – 30 serving – 20% ma Cashback
• Isotonix® Multivitamin w/Iron – 90 serving – 20% ma Cashback
• Pure H2O – 25% ma Cashback
• Pure H2O – 25% ma Cashback
• Cellular Laboratories Anti-aging Kit – 20% ma Cashback
• Ultra Prime – 25% ma Cashback

Just click on the above products, sign up as a Preferred Customer (for free), and you can shop at over 1500 stores and get cash back on most of your purchases. I have been shopping for everyday stuff that I usually have to drive to the store to get and walk around the store looking for, and I get free shipping where I shop (Walgreen's) and cash back on my purchases. I even order toilet paper, and they bring all this to my door. I love it! And a lot of times they have items on sale, and the more I shop online, the more gas I save. Win-win!
To Your Health!
Janis
PS: Check out the info on the Ultra prime and see what it's all about; it's an interesting product.

Belly Fat Cure?

   I read an article this week about how women were getting rid of their belly fat with cinnamon. They were taking a 500 mg capsule with breakfast, 1000 mg with lunch, and another 500 mg cap with supper, and they were losing belly fat without exercising or eating better. I am always leery of anything that doesn't involve some activity and better food, but I have been reading about cinnamon for a long time now, and it does lower blood sugar, which would have an effect on belly fat. I am going to try this as soon as I can get my hands on some of these capsules, and in this case price and source (high class supplements vs. Wal-Mart) don't matter, because cinnamon is just a spice. You can also eat it rather than taking capsules, and I didn't think I could eat that much, but 500 mg is just 1/4 tsp., so you can mix it in with applesauce. I will let you know what results I get.
To your health!
Janis

Random Tips

IMMUNE SYSTEM  
   I was thinking this morning that a huge need people have is for ways to strengthen their immune system. The best way I have found is to take Echinacea. I can tell a difference when I take this, and when people around me are getting sick, I don't come down with it if I have been taking Echinacea for a few months.
   I found out something about the immune system last year that I didn't know, and it is so important to know! A cancer cell is just a cell in your body that has mutated due to a lot of different causes which I won't go into now, so everyone has cancerous and pre-cancerous cells in their bodies. The immune system takes care of this if it is healthy and strong, but so many people have weakened immune systems now that it can't handle it, and people get cancer. My opinion is that the most important thing you can do for your health is strengthen your immune system. I will be giving more tips about this soon. 
ENERGY
   Some ways to increase energy: drink green tea, stretch, take supplements with ingredients such as rhodiola rosea, acai, antioxidants, eat almonds (a good source of magnesium), and get a good night's sleep, which means you must be in the dark and have no light in the room. Cover up your clock and any other electronics that give off light. This is really, really important because your body cannot recover and repair at night and cannot make human growth hormone (HGH) as it should if you are exposed to light. In a recent study they found that it didn't have to hit your eyes; they shone a light on the back of the legs of the participants, and it had the same effect as if it had shone in their eyes. I cover my windows to keep all the light from the neighborhood out, and it does make a difference.

One last tip: to switch off stress, eat a cupcake, but that isn't something I recommend! LOL

To your health!
Janis

Resveratrol

   There is a wealth of health and nutrition information in Woman's World magazine, along with info on the latest studies, and I will be quoting this magazine a lot. In the latest issue there is an article on Resveratrol, and to summarize its benefits:
1. It activates "a natural anti-aging enzyme that prolongs the life of cells by up to 60%".
2. It relaxes arteries and improves blood flow, and "appears to have the same anti-clotting effect as aspirin".
3. It helps keep arteries clear of plaque, which improves blood flow to your brain's gray matter", which helps prevent memory loss due to age.
4. It "stimulates detoxification enzymes in the liver, neutralizing carcinogens before they can attack healthy cells." Daniel Nadeau, M.D., author of The Color Code, says: "Resveratrol also mops up free radicals before they can turn cells cancerous."

5. "According to William Gruss, M.D., a cardiologist in Boca Raton, Fl., 'It can even bind to dangerous LDL cholesterol, preventing it from oxidizing and sticking to artery walls.'"
   You can get resveratrol from red wine, or you can take the new pills that are on the market, but I have a better suggestion: Isotonix Resveratrol, which has a better delivery system. Pills have to be digested, and you lose potency during digestion. Isotonix Resveratrol is a powder that you mix with water and drink first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. When mixed in the right proportions, which are one capful of powder to 2 ounces of water, it forms an isotonic solution which is the same ph as your body fluids, and it does not have to be digested. Because it is the correct ph, your stomach immediately opens the valve to your small intestine, and the solution gets into your blood stream very quickly, giving you maximum potency. To learn more,click here and page down, and you will find a wealth of information.

To your health!
Janis

Welcome

   Welcome to my new blog, on which I will be posting tips and information about health, nutrition, weight-loss, and healthy, green living. I read a lot of magazines  and see a lot of articles about new health and nutrition studies that are being done, and I would like to share the results of these new studies with you and give you info on living healthily. In a day or two I will put up a facebook page for my business, Living Free, and I will be putting these tips on that page, with a link to this blog for more detailed information. I hope that everyone with any interest in health and nutrition will subscribe to this blog and my facebook page, and that you will enjoy the information that I will be giving you. Thank you for visiting.
To your good health!
Janis