Why Are The Kids Always Sick?

I know a lot of people who are asking themselves this question a lot, especially from September through April - flu season. There is almost nothing worse than seeing your little child sick, helpless and not their ordinary energetic self. You want to help them immediately. Better yet, you want to know what you can do to prevent it from happening in the first place. My son used to be sick almost the whole flu season. It was either just a runny nose which led to chapped skin or it was even more serious illnesses added on to that. Thank goodness, we have started living healthier, using more natural products and becoming more aware of how we can prevent illness. Let me share some of the tips I think are most important when it comes to keeping your good health.

First of all, good nutrition and good rest are most important! It is vital to give your body the nutrients it needs to defend and heal itself against all the junk out there in our environment. Make sure you are adding a couple servings of fruits and veggies to all your meals. You can hide them in kids' favorite dishes pretty easily too. Try adding a bit of cooked squash, carrots, zucchini or celery to soup or pasta. Offer fruit as the dessert at the end of each meal. It is also important to make sure everyone is taking a multivitamin - from baby and toddler powder form to chewable and swallowable for children and adults. Sometimes just adding in supplements can be the difference in keeping healthy all winter long! My personal favorites are from Shaklee - www.caranitz.myshaklee.com. As for sleep, adults need 7 1/2 to 8 hours, teens need 9 hours, and children need about 10 hours a night - more for infants and toddlers. Give your body what it needs and it will take care of you!

Here are a few more thoughts on staying healthy. Stay away from added sugar and sugary baked goods - they are like anti-nutrients because they deplete so many vitamins and nutrients and weaken your immune system. Always wash with water and soap to get rid of germs for at least 15 seconds - it is still the best way to clean hands!

For added protection against sickness this flu season, I recommend taking Vitamin C supplements, a probiotic supplement, and Shaklee's Nutriferon, which is clinically proven to boost your immune system against flu viruses. Make winter a little more easier to handle this year by keeping you and your family healthy!

What's the Difference?

I get this question a lot from people who are wondering about the difference between supplements and nutrition companies. Let me tell you, I am glad that they ask, because no one else is regulating carefully what is in your supplements. This is one area you really do have to do your research. Let me give you an example: "The USDA tested ginseng products, and they found that 39 of 43 ginseng-labeled products on the shelves in health food stores had no ginseng in them." USDA radio report, Sept.17, 1998
What are we paying for then, if not for what it says on the label? Read these quotes:
"8 of 21 brands...were found to contain high levels of pesticides. Many also contained high levels of lead." Consumerlab.com website
"One of every four supplements we've tested had some problem." Tod Cooperman, MD, President, ConsumerLab. Over the years, ConsumerLab has tested over 1900 dietary supplements for quality and purity.
Pretty scary, right? It is especially unnerving since supplements are so vital for us, since our diets are greatly lacking in the nutrients our bodies need to function properly. We must be picky and demand proof! Our health and wellness depends on it.
So, let me help explain: What is the difference?
First, check the science behind the products. Are they supported by clinical research conducted and published by respected third-party scientists? Be careful here too, since many companies claim to use scientific research - but they actually use generic research, have little to no scientific staff, and don't even have the resources to conduct clinical research.
Some other questions to ask yourself:
1. Does the company guarantee that 100% of the ingredients listed on the label are in the products and that they use the best quality ingredients that are available?
2. What is their quality control process? Do they ensure safety, purity, reliablity of proper composition, and bioavailability of it being absorbed at the right time and in the right place?
3. Do they offer a 100% money-back, satisfaction guarantee?
4. Does their company have a long trusted history or are they a fad company?

It is up to you to be an educated consumer, and I wish you the best on your health journey! If you are interested in checking out my favorite products, which I have already done the research on and fully trust, go to www.caranitz.myshaklee.com or check out my favorite websites on the right side of this blog.
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Exercise: Friend or Enemy?

Do you have that daily battle with yourself about whether you want to exercise or just relax on the couch with a good magazine or book, or better yet, take a nap?
I know I sometimes do, but those moments are much more rare than they used to be. I used to have to practically drag myself into my bedroom to change into fitness clothes and then drag myself out the door to the gym or for a jog. And trust me, I was giving myself excuse after excuse in my head about how much I had to do, or how tired I was or how I didn't really need to exercise.
So, what has changed in me that I now crave exercise and get a high from teaching fitness classes? Do I take some crazy energy pill? Am I on a mission to become the buffest chic in the nation? No, I am still just a regular mother, wife and woman who wants to be healthy and happy.
I would say the biggest change was a shift in my attitude and a few little strategies to keep me going. Let me share those with you.
I now view my body as a gift. It is a precious gift that I don't want to take for granted because I only get one body. Without a healthy body, I cannot do all I want to do. I am thankful for my strong legs that DO have flaws, but always get me from point A to B and also still get whistles from my husband. I am thankful for my strong arms, that allow me to hold my son and cuddle him close. They also allow me to bring in five bags of groceries from the car all in one trip. I am thankful for my abs and core muscles, even though they changed after having a baby. Yes, they stretched and grew as I carried my son for 10 months, but they also helped me have my baby and then miraculously tightened back up.
My attitude is one of thankfulness and of living my best life. With a strong body, I feel empowered. I can accomplish all I have dreamed of and I can get through the everyday stress and monotony that we face in our lives. Exercise is a release for me, that "me" time that I have to strengthen my body and let go of all the worries, to do lists, and stesses of the day. After I have worked out, showered, and had my protein shake, I feel renewed and rejuvenated. I have the energy to not only get through the rest of the day, but to love each moment of it!
Here are a few more strategies for loving exercise and the strengthening of your body:
1. Have hard days and easy days. Some days you will feel more empowered to push yourself to your max and some days you will feel like treating your body gently. Listen to your body and respect it.
2. Variety! Mix up your exercise routine. Try exercising outside where you can also enjoy nature. Try a group fitness class where you can sweat it out with other people who can also help keep you motivated. Or buy/rent a few fitness DVDs that appeal to you.
3. Break up your exercise into a little 15 minute segment here and 15 minutes there. That may help you feel less overwhelmed.
4. Get an exercise pal and use each other for support. If they are having a rough day staying motivated, help them out. They will also be there for you when you need it.
Of course, let me know if there is anything I can do to help too!
There are so many benefits of exercise, that it is hard to fathom, so get energized and get healthy! You CAN do it!

Are you being made crazy?

I just finished the book, "The Crazy Makers" by Carol Simontacchi. It takes a really good look at how the latest food products may literally be driving us crazy. If you think about the way our society today is eating - lots of fast food, processed food, microwaved food, and food lacking in the nutrients our bodies need - it is no wonder our brains are not able to function as they should. Our brains control so much of what is going on in our whole bodies. What deficiencies happen in our brain affect our whole person. It really made me think about what I am putting in my family's bodies. Not just food, but what chemicals are being absorbed into our skin, breathed into our lungs, and what vitamins and minerals are we missing out on. Now that is something to think about!

A lot of people think it is a lost cause to try and clean up our lives, but it is possible! It is not as hard as you may think either. I have worked on putting together a website to help you with all of that - www.yourworldnatural.com. I think it does a good job of explaining why and how to live a little more naturally every day. I also have a website of products that I trust impecably to help get your body the nutrients it needs with whole food supplements, safe personal care products, nontoxic, natural cleaning products and a safe weight management program - http://www.caranitz.myshaklee.com/.

I hope to help you on your journey to better health. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Why Do We Need a Change?

As you start making easy, positive changes to reduce the number of toxic exposures in your life, you will see positive changes in your health.

Even though it seems we are living longer today than in the past, we are also facing more threats to our health than ever before. The huge petrochemical and agricultural industries that developed in the post WWII times have created around one hundred thousand synthetic chemicals, 90 percent of which haven't even been tested for safety! How is that for scary?

When we are talking "chemicals," it doesn't just mean test tubes in biology class or laboratories. Most of these chemicals are in products we use and eat every day. Whether it's baby wipes, a bag of microwave popcorn, lotion or a bottle of cold medicine, all of these items are mass-produced by larger corporations with one thing on their mind, and it isn't our health.

The World Health Organization estimates that our environment (air, water, food, homes, and products we use) significantly affects more than 80 percent of major diseases. Sicknesses such as asthma, autism, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, endometriosis, infertility, and MS are increasingly more common, and scientists are collecting more evidence linking them with environmental toxins.

That is why it is time to take a good look at the chemicals that are in our lives. We need to stand up for our families and make safe educated decisions that will help, instead of hurt, those we love. Alternatives are out there and should be used. That is why at Your World Natural, we are here to educate you and show you some of the products we think work best!