Tag Archives: Vitamin C

Stop that cold from coming

January 10, 2017 betsyjbell

What do you do to avoid catching that cold that is going around? Over the Counter remedies? Homeopathics? Antihistamines?
How are these remedies working for you? You’ve just got to stop that cold from coming or you will miss working/skiing/visiting your friends/seeing your family. Help!

I recently drove over to Mazama in the Methow valley of Eastern Washington to cross country ski. My friend called early the day of our departure to say she was coming down with a cold and didn’t want to infect any of the rest of us. We were sharing a house with three others. She had taken a homeopathic in the middle of the night when the symptoms woke her. She’d taken an antihistamine.

I, too, had been fighting the early symptoms of a cold and wondered to myself if I should be going. I used a Netty Pot with warm salt water to try to clear a sinus blockage. I swallowed four Vita C every 3 hours, took extra lecithin to keep the gathering gunk running so the cold didn’t settle in my chest. I drank buckets of Breathe Easy and Throat Coat tea. By the time of our departure, the sinus pain had gone; the cough was easing up and the drippy nose lessened.
I urged my friend to go. And to stop the antihistamines, but instead, I’d bring a bottle of Sustained Release Vita C and she could take a couple every few hours. She agreed. She continued with her homeopathics and the lemon tea, plus some Throat coat and Breathe Easy as we drove the many hours. Of course, we had to stop often at restrooms along the way with that much tea going in. And within twenty-four hours, her cold turned around.

A customer got in touch while I was gone, desperate for Defend and Resist, a throat lozenge Shaklee makes that helps to ward off the early symptoms of a cold. He was afraid he’d run out before he got the upper hand. When I got home, we talked and the supply of D&R he had, took care of it. No cold.

All around me, people are dropping like flies. We all have our favorite remedies and strategies for avoiding a full-blown cold that keeps us from work or play. If your methods haven’t worked as well as you like, or if you are in the middle of a horrible cold, or a lingering cough, please go here to read about these cold avoiding and relieving products you might want to try. Or click here to go straight to my Shaklee website and make a purchase.
Good health to you. Betsy

And by all means, Keep Moving.

Scientific resources

What is memory?

May 6, 2014 betsyjbell

Just what is Memory anyway?

We use the word “memory” without understanding what it is. Our memory is a complex system that can dictate our day-to-day behavior.

Memory can be defined in several ways, including:

the process by which the brain stores and remembers information.
remembered from the past.
the remembering of a deceased person as “in memory of.”
the length of time a person or event is remembered.
the part of a computer where data is stored and retrieved.

3 stages of memory: Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval.

During the encoding process, we absorb information. The storage phase is when our memory creates a permanent record of the information. The retrieval process is when we remember or retrieve the stored information.

During the retrieval process, our brain sorts through 3 memory “data banks”…sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory. Sensory memory identifies and holds information for just a few seconds. When we look at something for just a second and can still remember details, this is our sensory memory in action. Short term memory allows us to recall items for anywhere from a few seconds up to one minute without rehearsing.

Most people can remember chunks of information that have approximately 4 to 5 components. An example of this is the way in which most people learn to remember a phone number. You simply break it into chunks that include the area code, then the next 3 numbers and then the final numbers. Long term memory is capable of storing information for long… almost unlimited… periods of time. If you remember those same phone numbers years later, they’ve migrated from short term memory to long term memory. Information that is repeated ends up in long term memory, allowing us to retrieve it automatically.

Tips to maintain memory function

Here are a few ways to keep your memory sharp:

Get enough sleep.
Exercise regularly.
Have an active social life
Laugh… it activates the learning and creative centers of your brain.
Avoid stress… it destroys brain cells.
Exercise your brain… read, do crossword puzzles, keep a journal.

Keep Your Memory Sharp….with Shaklee supplements that can keep your brain functioning optimally:

B-Complex. For glucose oxidation, neuronal membrane functions, nerve impulse generation, the biosynthesis of several neurotransmitters, and the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids in the brain.
Sustained Release Vita-C. is required for the enzymatic reaction that synthesizes the neurotransmitter norepinephrine from dopamine. Vitamin C may also be able to regenerate vitamin E, an important lipid-soluble antioxidant.
Vita-D . is known to be important for normal brain development and cognitive function in older adults.
Vitamin E has a key role in preventing oxidant-induced lipid destruction and is vital in maintaining the integrity of cell membranes.
Lecithinis a fatty compound found in all cells, but particularly in our nerves, glands and the brain. 40 % of our brain is lecithin. Lecithin dissolves cholesterol, and holds our cells together! It’s vital for the brain.
OsteoMatrix. Calcium ions are important intracellular signals that regulate a number of physiological processes, including neuronal gene expression, neuronal secretion of neurotransmitters into synapses, and synaptic plasticity.
Iron plus Vitamin C. is needed for development of oligodendro-cytes (the brain cells that produce myelin), and is a required cofactor for several en-zymes to synthesize neurotransmitters.
Zinc Complex. Zinc is present at high levels in the brain where it has catalytic, structural, and regulatory roles in cellular metabolism.
OmegaGuard. The nervous system has a great concentration of lipids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, phospholipids, triglycerides, and cholesterol). These lipids serve structural roles in cell membranes of the nervous system, and affect membrane fluidity, flexibility, permeability, and play important roles in vision and nervous system function.
Mental Acuity Plus is a Shaklee exclusive formula that contains ginkgo, bilberry, hawthorn, and B vitamins to enhance memory and decision making. It helps maintain normal metabolic activity in the brain and also lowers homocysteine levels. (Homocysteine is an amino acid and breakdown product of protein metabolism that, when present in high concentrations, has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Evidence suggests that people with elevated homocysteine levels have twice the normal risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.)

Be Well health tips, Keep Moving: Managing Arthritis

Healthier bones

April 30, 2014 betsyjbell 2 Comments

Gentle Reader,

Do you ever have the experience of anticipating a really big event that is going to make demands on your body? You become more aware of the little aches and pains, the warning signals that all is not well? Maybe bone health has gotten worse. You worry about an escalation of the little twinge into something big right in the middle of the planned for event. You think about Traveler’s Insurance and then read the fine print that says unless you buy it with 14 days of purchasing your plane ticket and paying for the experience, you have to declare a pre-existing condition. Are these twinges enough to be called a pre-existing condition?

By now, you know that I have been living with a diagnosis of spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis. These are both age-related and trauma induced arthritis. My first trauma was in 1989 and then the herniation in L5 was exacerbated in 1993 by sitting in a slouched position in an airplane for 7 hours. At that time, I went to Dr. Stan Herring, sports medicine doctor to the Huskies sports teams and neurosurgeon. He told me my bone health as revealed in the MRI pictures were so bad, he was surprised I wasn’t in a wheel chair.

Over the past year my right leg has been going numb and weak from time to time, especially when standing for a long time, like in choir or wandering through a museum. Last June, I walked all over Paris with a numb right leg. No pain, just a feeling of distance, dissociation from that limb, even when walking around without a hiking stick or other means of extra support. In fact, I hardly ever experience pain above a 3-4 on the old 10-point scale. Probably because I pop an herbal Shaklee Pain Relief Complex tablet at the slightest twinge of pain.

I decided to call Dr. Herring’s office to see how he is treating his athletes these days. His practice has changed and he directs other doctors now. He is not a provider in my AARP Advantage insurance program. So, I met Dr. Ren at the Polyclinic for a review of my most recent MRI and a comparison to all the others I have had in the past. Three conclusions are worth sharing with you.

1. I do have bulging discs including a new one at L2, moving up the spine. But none is penetrating the spinal cord. I have what she calls a genetically narrow passageway for the spinal cord. This explains why I am so like my father in arthritis of the back; he suffered terribly. It was ironic, since he was an Orthopedic surgeon and performed hundreds of laminectomies and fusions over the course of his practice. He couldn’t operate on himself, so he never had his own back fixed. You can see where I get my “do it yourself” attitude.

2. There has been some improvement in the spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis since the last MRI. This I count as a victory and I attribute it to the fact that bone replaces itself slowly over time. Given proper nutrition and other care through strengthening and toning muscles, bone can improve. I am thrilled that my bone health has improfed. What a fabulous result! I will continue to visualize the formation of healthy new bone. I will certainly continue with a diet loaded with fruits and vegetables and lean meats and fish, plus little or no gluten or dairy. I am committed to continuing my workouts at the Xgym, because stronger muscles build stronger bones.

3. Dr. Ren called me her poster child, to be improving bone health at 76, almost 77, instead of getting worse. She also told me that low back problems on a major trip would only cause discomfort and was not life threatening. No need to update my will on account of my back issues and numb leg. Whew…

Let me review my early morning routine in case it would be helpful for you.

1. Lie on the floor for 12 minutes with my knees bent over the Back2Life Machine.

2. A Feldenkrais hip opening exercise, 10 counts with each leg. This video shows an extended version of my routine. A full hip opening practice in two parts. I limit myself to the dropping of the knee, extending the heal and back up again, 10 times on each side. If you are a beginner with Feldenkrais, I recommend following her program from start to finish for best results. You can later incorporate the segment that seems to give you the most benefit.

3. hanging upside down on the gravity inversion table for a total of 25 breathes. Here is a video of an expert doing her back mobilization exercises on this inversion table. It makes me seasick. I have never been able to work the way she does, but I can vouch from the success I have had with lengthening a stretching my spine. She inspires me to work up to what she demonstrates.

All this before breakfast. In addition, each week I walk a couple miles most days which include steep uphill climbing (I live in West Seattle on top of a hill and my destination is on the top of another hill a mile a way, therefore Up and Down going and coming.) On Tuesday I practice yoga with an instructor who builds slowly to the big poses and I stop when a twist gets to be too much. On Wednesday I hike in our mountains surrounding Puget Sound, usually 6 miles, more or less. On Monday and Friday, Clayton works me out at the Xgym, concentrating on 5 muscle groups and in a controlled manner, bringing them to complete fatigue. It takes 25 minutes. None of this takes a long time, except for the luscious outdoor experience on Wednesday. I hate to miss it when I have to. Nearly anyone could put this into their schedule.

I also take several supplements that improve joint mobility and strength muscles tissue: Fish oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Calcium. They all work better because of an excellent catalyst, Shaklee’s multivitamin and mineral tablet. I take the one for seniors which is especially formulated for the aging absorption for someone over 50.

The special event, you might ask? A friend and I are going to hike 100 miles in England following the “highway” used by Lady Anne Clifford, a 17^th century noble woman who owned most of Northumberland and Yorkshire. We will walk from castle to castle beginning just north of Leeds, hiking for 9 days in the dales, wild and dramatic country to Penrith in the Lake District. It will be June, long days and with any luck, not too much rain. I will leave the end of May, feeling confident that my self-care and hiking sticks will see me to the end. I’ll be home on June 20^th.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

Let us know of your adventures. How you are preparing or maintaining your body to meet your travel goals? Sharing makes it all better.

betsy@hihohealth.com

206-933-1889

Be Well health tips

arthritic hands

April 18, 2014 betsyjbell

Gentle Reader,

Several friends have complained about arthritis in the hands. There are some things you can do to reduce the pain, increase mobility and slow the process down.

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by breakdown of cartilage, with eventual loss of the cartilage of the joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a “cushion” between the bones of the joints. When the cartilage deteriorates (degenerates), the bone next to it becomes inflamed and can be stimulated to produce new bone in the form of a local bony protrusion, called a “spur.”

Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis because of the degeneration of the cartilage that causes it. Among the over 100 different types of arthritis conditions, osteoarthritis is the most common and affects over 20 million people in the United States alone. Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently as we age. Before age 45, osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in men. After age 55 years, it affects women more frequently. Osteoarthritis causes no symptoms in many patients. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include local pain, stiffness, tenderness, and occasionally swelling in the affected joints. Dr. William Shiel, Jr. MedicineNet.com.

Picture a ball and socket joint. Between the two bones is the synovial membrane. A layer of cartilage at the end of each bone is the shock-absorbing cushion between the two bones.

Arthritis occurs first in any joint that has been previously injured. Also occurs with wear and tear on joints with age. Carrying extra weight deteriorates joints more rapidly.

Bone spurs extend from bone into soft tissue and damage the synovial membrane.

Bone spurs and kidney stones result from improper calcium metabolism. If you don’t have enough calcium intake to maintain calcium blood level, calcium must be pulled out of storage from the bones. Calcium ready to be excreted by the kidneys goes back into the blood. This free unbound calcium goes to areas of highest activity and settles in the fingers, wrists, spine, hips, and neck. This is the cause of arthritis in the hands. It is necessary to take enough calcium every day to prevent spurs and kidney stones. I recommend OsteoMatrix by Shaklee because of the extensive research to prove that the nutrients in this supplement actually break down and get to the blood and bone. Many calcium supplements contain binders that prevent break down into usable nutrients. Check your brand for clinical studies.

Wear and tear of joints leads to improper cushioning, to bone rubbing against bone, to inflammation (swollen and stiff). If you lose all the synovial membrane and most of the cartilage, your joint must be replaced. If you take action soon enough, you can rebuild cartilage, stimulate, and rebuild the synovial membrane.

(This information comes from Diane Petoskey, a renowned nutritionist who lectures widely in North America. I have heard her speak at all day seminars on health several topics and have listened to all of her health audio tapes. Her recommendations work most of the time with most people. They are worth a try. The side benefits from the supplements are many. Going the medication route tends to damage the body over the long haul as there are so many negative side effects. Buying supplements costs more because insurance doesn’t pay for them. However, the gain in good health is considerable. I personally had arthritis at a young age, in my late teens and 20’s and took lots of Aspirin, Motrin and other pain killers. When I started in with Shaklee at age 48, I used the basic supplements and 15 – 20 alfalfa tablets a day and stopped all medications for arthritis. In recent years, the Shaklee scientists have continued to do research on the pain receptors and on joints and have developed other arthritis relief products, including a soothing Pain Cream. Please try the packet on sore joints to see how they feel. Let me know what questions you have. I am now 76 and ski, hike, walk, do stairs, dance and generally move comfortably through most yoga positions and doing chores in my garden and two-story house. I take no pain medications other than the Shaklee products. My neurologist has done MRI’s of my back over the years and repeatedly says the pictures would suggest I needed a wheel chair and yet I am extremely active.)

Nutrients good for joints: minerals are very important

OsteoMatrix 1500-2000 mg/day

Magnesium (Vita mag) 750-2000 mg/day (cal-mag ratio = 2:1)
Alfalfa: provides trace minerals. When the body is too acidic, it damages the synovium. Alfalfa is alkaline. Take 24-30/day (the tablets are small) Alfalfa also reduces inflammation. You may need to go up to 60/day for a couple of weeks to reduce pain and swelling. Note: meat eaters have high levels of uric acid in the blood which damages the synovium.

MSM: in capsules. For inflammation of joints. Take 6000 mg/day
Zinc: at least 45 mg/day

Garlic: for inflammation and joint problems. Garlic kills viruses, yeast, parasites, bacteria, it is anti-inflammatory, also regulates B/P. take 3-9/day

Vita C: stimulates production of collagen (cement that holds cells together). Helps to rebuild joints, also good for inflammation. Take 3,000-5,000 mg/day

Omega guard (Essential Omega 3 Complex) essential fatty acids. Take 9/day

GLA: take 6/day

Lecithin: take 9-12/day

CarotoMax: take 3/day

B-Complex: take 6 a day

Vita Lea: take 2 a day

Joint Health Complex: stimulates production of cartilage. Minimum of 6/day. May have to use 9. It will take months to rebuild your joints, then you can reduce nutrients to maintain your joints.

Exercise: don’t over stimulate the joints. If you have arthritis, first decrease inflammation, then exercise. Arthritics definitely improve with exercise because circulation of blood increases and more nutrients go into the joints. Start with water aerobics. Here are some exercises for arthritic hands.

You may balk at consuming so many supplements. I can tell you from personal experience that I have been able to maintain healthy joints by taking slightly fewer. Diane Petoskey’s recommendations seemed extreme to me. However, many people have followed her advice to the letter and experienced major improvement. If you want dramatic results, you have to take dramatic measures. You might take the plunge and try this approach wholeheartedly for 3 months. Your blood is completely new in ninety days, so a three month trial will tell you if this approach is effective. Medicine is cheaper, but does not build healthy cells for the future.

I’d love to read your comments.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

206 933 1889

Betsy Bell’s Health 4u

4455 51^st Ave. SW

Seattle, WA 98116

1-800-643-2486

http://www.HiHoHealth.com

Betsy@HiHoHealth.com

Arthritis, Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness, Keep Moving: Managing Arthritis

Arthritis or Tendonitis?

February 20, 2014 betsyjbell 1 Comment

Gentle Reader,

Tendonitis or arthritis? Which is it? My oldest daughter (52) was feeling sprightly one morning in Ecstatic Dance and accepted an invitation to do a cartwheel and round off. Why not? She is fit, exercises daily and used to do them easily when she was a gymnast back in high school. So off she sped across the floor, executing the perfect cartwheel and round off, landing smartly on her heels, arms out in a victory pose. Immediately she felt the sharp pain in her right buttock but went on dancing. That was last August. By December she could not bear weight on that leg, on her sit bone which made walking and sitting painful and challenging. The diagnosis was a torn hamstring tendon, a rare accident usually confined to linebackers. Most orthopedists see a hand full in a life-long practice. She found one who, in twenty years, had repaired twelve such injuries. The operation was successful and she is walking, driving, and sitting comfortably again. This condition is a torn or ruptured tendon. Definitely not tendonitis or arthritis of the hip, which she fleeting believed it might be.

Tendonitis, commonly called tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, trigger finger, is an inflammation of the fibrous, cordlike connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone. Tendons can withstand amazing amounts of force, but they are not indestructible. Witness my daughter’s round off. The pain of tendonitis accompanies stiffness and swelling near a joint. Arthritis presents in the same way. When you get this pain, stiffness and swelling, you usually take some anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen; apply ice and rest the affected joint. But this could be a miss-diagnosis. [information from an article in Johns Hopkins Health Alerts]

Perhaps the inflammation is actually in the sheath around the tendon. Tendons do not contain many blood vessels, so they are seldom inflamed. If you are over 50, it is possible your tendons are degenerating. The collagen that makes up the tendon breaks down, causing multiple microscopic tears. What little blood circulation there is to the tendon also decreases with age, making the healing of these microscopic tears more difficult. This degenerative condition is called tendinosis. Can you tell the difference between tendinosis and arthritis?

It is common to develop tendinosis and have no symptoms until some sudden trauma or the gradual build up of repetitive motion in work, sport or exercise. Perhaps my daughter had tendonosis compromising the tendon’s elasticity. She would not have known that she was at risk for a major trauma to the hamstring tendon.

Here’s a way to tell if your joint pain, stiffness and swelling is tendon related or bone and joint related: try taking glucosamine (Joint Health Complex by Shaklee) for two weeks. If it helps, you likely have osteoarthritis. If not, it is more likely a tendon problem.

Glucosamine has been shown in quite a few scientific studies to help with cartilage formation. Cartilage is what your joints are made of, and what arthritis attacks, so upping the rate of production of cartilage helps your joints. You feel better….if you have arthritis.

On the other hand, glucosamine will not help with collagen formation, and tendons are made of collagen. So it stands to reason that if you feel like you have “joint pain”, take glucosamine, and do not experience any relief, one very likely culprit could be your tendons. Tendon insertion points are often very close to joints and it can be difficult to tell exactly where the pain is coming from.

Taking NSAIDs (anti-inflammatories) using ice and rest can provide temporary relief for either tendonosis or arthritis, but since both are the result of inflammation, using these treatments will not help you distinguish between the two. Knowing which one you have is important if you intend to treat the condition yourself. If you take NSAIDs and they do not help, you probably have degeneration of the tendon.

This information comes from a web site http://www.targettendonitis.com/ by Alex Nordach, who is marketing his ebook (for $29) on how to treat degenerating tendons. I have not purchased this book so I can’t recommend it. If you are interested, follow the link and see for yourself.

What I can tell you about natural healing for both joint and tendon caused pain, is the following:

Acupuncture can relieve pain, stiffness and swelling.

Vitamins C and B Complex, plus Alfalfa help build collagen naturally, reduce inflammation and increase blood flow into the area. And I do not mean one or two tablets. 3000 mgr. of Sustained Relief C and 6 tablets a day of Shaklee’s B Complex can make a difference. I could tell you stories of people who have avoided surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome by taking lots of B Complex. Alfalfa tablets are small pea sized pills and should be eaten by the spoon full, not one by one. We are talking food. Can’t swallow that many pills? Chew them up. Shaklee’s Alfalfa tablets smell sweet when you open the bottle and taste like new mown hay with no sticks or twigs.

Whether your joint pain is tendonosis or arthritis, these supplements will help. Since glucosamine is expensive and NSAIDs mess up your stomach, check out the treatments to see what you are dealing with and then proceed with these three supplements. Their side benefits are legion.

In most of my blog posts, I talk about the various causes of arthritis and things you can do to manage arthritis short of medication and surgery. This blog addresses another cause of joint pain, tendonitis and tendinosis. I hope this refinement — arthritis or tendonitis–helps you.

If this information is helpful, please let me know.

Be Well, Do Well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

206 933 1889

Scientific resources

How to develop Immune system function

October 16, 2013 betsyjbell

Prepare for Cold and Flu season Now — Do not spend the winter sick.

Prepare Now for Cold and Flu Season
How to Develop and Maintain a Healthy Immune System Function

NutriFeron – One of the most powerful formulas ever developed for strengthening the immune system. Its unique, synergistic blend of plant extracts including pumpkin seeds, plantago seeds, safflower flowers and Japanese honeysuckle flower buds, can be taken daily preventatively. But if you feel you are starting to come down with a virus up to 6 per day has been shown to be very effective at heading off an infection.

• Supports and stimulates the healthy immune system, by increasing the activity
of macrophages and inducing natural interferon production

• Optimizes immune response against environmental irritants and
airborne substances (as with allergies, asthma)
20962 60 caplets Retail $45.90 MP $39.00
59193 Share It Pack (4 bottles) Retail $165.24 MP $140.40 Save 10%

How many do you have to eat to stay healthy?

Sustained Release Vita-C®, 500 mg.– Only all natural sustained release C with no shellac. Antioxidant property protects the body against free radicals. Boosts the healthy immune system, infection fighter, natural antihistamine, increases the resistance to ligament and tendon injury. Vitamin C is depleted by stress such as infections, illness, fatigue, surgery, anxiety, pollution and extremes in temperature. As we age, there is a greater need to regenerate collagen, which requires more vitamin C.

20095 180 tablets Retail $25.50 MP $21.70

Defend & Resist Complex (Echinacea) – Keep in medicine chest and take when you feel you are coming down with something. Has become the most prominent herb used in the United States and Europe. Activates the healthy immune system, promotes production of white blood cells, enhances resistance to infection, viral and bacterial, especially flu and herpes; reduces mucus. Works best when started at the onset of cold or flu symptoms. Can be used effectively for up to 10 days at a time. In addition, larch tree extract and elderberry surround viruses and prevent them from reproducing.
20613 90 tablets Retail $20.35 MP $ 17.30

Garlic Complex- Natural decongestant and natural antibiotic. Shaklee’s Garlic Complex has a two-way odor control with a gentle, temperature-controlled drying process and a pleasant blend of spearmint and rosemary extracts to maintain high potency. Historically, has been used for congestion, asthma, sinusitis and allergies, colds, flu and pneumonia, sore throat and bronchitis. Has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and is effective against yeast infections (Candida). Nature’s strongest natural antibiotic.

20084 240 tablets Retail $41.80 MP $35.55

Susan Knott and Son Riley Knott Story

Susan Knott and her son, Riley, suffered from allergies for many years. Their symptoms were most severe during spring and fall allergy seasons, but as time went on, they needed to be on the medications all year long.
Riley’s symptoms were the most severe with constant sinus congestion, red itchy swollen eyes and nose, feeling miserable. Even after 2 ½ years of allergy shots, he still required Zyrtec and Nasonex nasal spray. They helped diminish some symptoms so they were manageable, but he never felt allergy-free.
Susan was introduced to the Shaklee products that help strengthen the immune system 3 years ago in late January. She and Riley, 16 years old, began with:

Optiflora Probiotic Capsule (because 70% of the immune system is in the gut)
Vita Lea Multi
Vita C Sustained Release — 2 to 4/ day
Nutriferon (4 herbal extracts that help the body produce a key component of the immune system (interferon) naturally — 2 to 4/ day

Within 6 to 8 weeks, Susan was so much improved that she was able to stop her allergy medication completely…
Riley, whose condition was more severe, took 3 to 4 months before symptoms subsided and he was able to eliminate the medications. Both Susan and Riley were able to reduce the number of supplement tablets as their healthy immune systems got stronger. Today during allergy season, if symptoms return, Susan and Riley simply increase their vitamin levels and add Shaklee Premium Garlic and Alfalfa.

Call today to get started on your anti-cold program or go on line and order. www.HiHohealth.com

Betsy Bell’s Health4U
4455 51st Ave. SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206 933 1889
www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com
Betsy@HiHoHealth.com

Scientific resources

Vitamin C Sustained Release

October 1, 2013 betsyjbell

This is the time of the year, our bodies experience stress due to the change of seasons.
So to keep us at the top of our game we are focusing on Vita C. It is also called
ascorbic acid, which is the form of vitamin C found in most foods. It is a water-soluble
vitamin and cannot be stored in the body. Most plants and animals can produce their
own vitamin C, but humans cannot. For this reason, humans must eat ample amounts of
vitamin C every day.
Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that helps boost the body’s immune system, a
formula that helps maintain natural antioxidant defenses, cell integrity, and the health of
eyes, teeth, gums, bones, muscles, and blood vessels.

You may want to consider adding additional Vitamin C to your diet, if you find yourself
with any of the following:
 Bruise easily
 Bleeding gums
 A smoker
 Take medication
 Stressed?
 And the list goes on

If you experience any of these situations you will want to consider adjusting your vitamin
C intake.

Vitamin C is needed for proper growth, development, and to heal wounds. It is used to
make the collagen tissue for healthy teeth, gums, blood vessels and bones. Since
vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, it is also used to prevent damage to our bodies from
toxicities and pollutants, such as cigarette smoke.

Vitamin C helps protect other nutrients such as A, E and several B vitamins from
oxidation. It also regulates our body’s thermostat, cooling and heating the body through
circulation while promoting circulation through capillaries to fingertips and toes, and think
about it, when you are stressed circulation slows down and you will find that your
fingertips and toes are generally cold. Keep in mind that vitamin C is water soluble so it
needs to be taken throughout the day.

How much Vitamin C do I need in my diet?

Dr. Linus Pauling did extensive research on vitamin C and he states that just to maintain
normal body functions you need 3000 milligrams a day.
Smokers should add an extra 35mg per day to these numbers, because vitamin C is
depleted as an antioxidant in smokers. Additional vitamin C is needed to ensure it’s
other roles are performed.

Shaklee Sustained Release Vita-C®
is a propriety sustained release system that delivers the vitamin C equivalent of eating oneand a half oranges every hour on the hour for five hours. Unlike other sustained released products, Shaklee sustained Vita-C is based on natural gums and waxes, again like other C’s which are mainly ascorbic acid Shaklee Vita-C offers a full biolfavonoid complex.

Remember this……..don’t count on getting your vitamin C from orange juice. Vitamin C is
not stable in liquid and will oxidize after two hours being in liquid.

Avoid Vitamin C Deficiencies: The late Linus Pauling, PhD, found that vitamin C
deficiencies and heart disease often go hand in hand. If you are at risk for developing
heart disease, gradually build up to a daily intake of 3,000 to 6,000 mg, divided into two
or three doses.

Another reason to take Vitamin C: Your brain contains 15 times more vitamin C than
other organs in your body, and it’s vital for memory and mental function. Supplement
with a minimum of 1,000 mg of vitamin C every day.

Do you bruise easily, have bleeding gums, are you a smoker, take medication, are you
stressed? And the list goes on. If you experience any of these situations you will want
to consider adjusting your vitamin C intake.

Vitamin C is needed for proper growth, development, and to heal wounds. It is used to
make the collagen tissue for healthy eyes, teeth, gums, muscles, blood vessels and
bones. Since vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, it is also used to prevent damage to
our bodies from toxicities and pollutants, such as cigarette smoke.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Arthritis, Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness, Keep Moving: Managing Arthritis

Where’s the Nyquil?

January 17, 2013 betsyjbell

Gentle Readers,

From the couch, handkerchiefs everywhere, head propped up I write to tell you the story of a person who used to get every cold bug that came along. In the old days, I grabbed the Coricidin and then the Nyquil P.M. and then went whimpering to my doctor. He gladly swabbed my throat and pronounced strep or bronchitis and prescribed an anti-biotic. It happened roughly three times every year. That’s a lot of antibiotics for a body to handle.

Down in Mexico where I spent New Year’s (came home on the 10^th of January), I felt a little sore throat coming on and that lethargy that seems to precede an illness. For the past twenty six years I haven’t used the standard over-the-counter meds to ward off or treat a cold. Starting on a food supplement program in 1985 moved me in a different direction. My friend suggested heaps of vitamin C frequently, and garlic and a supplement called lecithin (less-i-thin). They use it in salad dressings to keep the oil and water mixed together, emulsified. It works the same way in the body, keeping gunk liquefied so it can leave in the waste stream. Very helpful when you have buggers forming so fast you can’t cough them all up at once.

What I figured out was the cold medicines suppress everything, drive the battle between my immune system’s response fighters and the germs, down, down, down into my chest. The mass gets all sticky and gelatinous and won’t move. Nyquil suppresses coughing (which can keep you awake). The raging war between the good guys and the bad guys in your body gets all confined in a small space and the germs multiply and get all bacterial. Then you’ve got something the doctor knows how to treat, so he writes a prescription.

Is this familiar to anyone?

By the time I got home, I developed a full blown cold or maybe even the beginnings of the flu. I certainly had achy joints and swollen lymph glands. I got out the big guns. Please bear with me and try not to freak out at the quantity of supplements I take when this situation develops.

4 – 6 Sustained Release C

3 Lecithin

3—4 Garlic

1 Immunity Formula I (a supplement blend of C, A, E and 3 of the B vitamins, plus zinc, copper and selenium suspended in rosemary oil so the water soluble (C and B) and the fat soluble (A and E) vitamins don’t degrade each other)

I took this handful of supplements every 2 – 3 hours I was awake, swallowing them down with a little drink of protein smoothie so my stomach could handle them.

I also drank Traditional Medicinals herbal teas Throat Coat and Breath Easy, usually stirring in a throat lozenge made of Echinacea, zinc, larch tree extract, elderberry and stevia, 3 at once. Every time a coughing fit started, I popped a lozenge in my mouth. When I awoke in the night coughing or to pee, I went to the kitchen and took the whole Marianne all over again.

Happily the carcass of the Thanksgiving turkey was languishing in the freezer and there were carrots and celery and onion still in the frig. The broth worked magic and I drank a couple quarts with a little cous cous boiled up in it.

Results: In one day the achy joints and lymph were normal. In two more days, I was not coughing in the night. By day four I was able to enjoy some regular food and was not needing the Bomb as we call it every 2 – 3 hours, just every 4 – 5 hours.

Today I am healthy though a little puny from lack of exercise.

No antibiotics. No OTC drugs.

This is the same philosophy and process I use for dealing with other physical challenges like joint pain and arthritis. Even though the x-ray shows severe osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, gentle abs strengthening exercises, daily walking, eating lots of greens, and low sugar fruits and vegetables plus excellent protein, plus supplements keeps pain at bay.

Is it easier to take the medications advertized on TV and recommended at the pharmacy? Is it cheaper to take them? Is the relief immediate? YES to all these. But what of the long term effects of drugs vs. high quality pure supplements? Drugs have side effects. Supplements made with extreme care for additives, purity of ingredients, and tested to make sure they actually get into the blood stream have side-benefits, not side-effects.

Just a side note about Ester-C. Apparently this little package which you dissolve in water and swallow, will boost the white cell production thus helping the immune system. The study designed to verify this was done with 15 healthy men some of whom were smokers. Each took the Ester-C product for a week and had an increase in the white cell count. To read the study yourself, click here. I just had to look this up because what I know about vitamin C is that it is water soluble and degrades immediately when exposed to light and air and water. The tablets probably work better. I found an online source for 1000 mg. sustained release Ester-C for $21 plus tax and shipping. But I still have lots of questions. Is their C ascorbic acid only? What about the white stuff in the orange which turns out to be just as important? What is used to slow down the release of C into the blood stream? You want guar gum and nothing artificial separating the dosage delivery. And the Sustained Release Vitamin C I take is 180 tablets for $21.00. It’s made by Shaklee, a company I trust for its scientific research and the careful testing every step of the way from raw material, through processing to the finished product.

One more thought. Not every stomach can handle that amount of supplements. You noticed I do not take supplements on an empty stomach if I can help it. If you want to follow this regimen, I’d be glad to guide you along the way. By all means pay attention to your own body and pull back on the volume if you have a reaction to that much Vitamin C. I am just happy I have this resource to use to ease the discomfort of a bad cold and to get over it quickly with no medications at all and so no side effects with their residual problems.

I did not take a flu shot this season or any season. Am I recommending against flu shots? I’d be a fool to do that. Use your own judgment.

Before you go, leave a comment. If you liked what you read, pass it on.

Fondly, Betsy

Be Well, Do Well and Keep Moving

BetsyBell’s Health4u

www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com

206 933 1889 1 888 283 2077

betsy@hihohealth.com

Arthritis, Health and Fitness

But I have to have an operation!

March 12, 2012 betsyjbell 6 Comments

Gentle Reader,

I was talking with a guy last night who had to have an operation for his hip. The osteoarthritis had become so advanced into the hip joint that various movements were impeded. A long time supplement user, he fortified himself with various supplements in order to tolerate the operation well and heal quickly. He is a little disappointed with how long it has taken to get back to a range of motion he hoped for. He is apprehensive about the operation waiting for his other hip.

As a wellness advisor, I have counseled many people about steps they might take to prepare for surgery, all kinds of surgery, whether for cancer or for arthritis and bone issues. I thought I would share with you the document I have developed over the years. Please add your own thoughts if you have had surgery and found alternative supplementation and actions that have helped with healing.

Before Surgery:

Soy protein 2 x daily (if taking chemo, increase to 3-4 x daily)

Vita-Lea 3-4/daily (Shaklee’s multivitamin-mineral supplement)

Fiber Tablets or Mix: Soluble fiber (bloodstream), insoluble fiber (gut)

Herb Lax: Cleanses gut, blood

Vita. C Sustained Release w/bioflavinoids: anti-inflammatory, new cells grow faster, immune system support, helps w/pain. Take a minimum of 3-4 of 500 mg./da – up to 10,000 mg. (gradually decrease since body has to adjust to excreting excess)

B-Complex: aids in good digestion. Depleted by stress. Take 8/da – space out

Zinc: Helps w/pain, healing, no more than 50-60 mg./day except when there is trauma like a cut or incision (up to 120 mg./da until healed). Body can’t make new cells w/o zinc, protein, & C.

Immunity Formula I: 2-8/da (A proprietary Shaklee supplement to enhance the immune response.)

Carotomax: Cleanses cells, reduces inflammation (swelling), makes mucous membranes healthy. Especially helpful if using breathing machine.

Vitamin E: Oxygenates cells, gets rid of toxins of anesthesia.

DO NOT take GLA, E, OmegaGuard (fish oil), Garlic or lecithin before surgery. Stop 1 week prior.

Alfalfa (vitamin K): 10-20/da to reduce bleeding during & after surgery.

Garlic: Helps flora, antibacterial agent. Not before surgery as is a blood thinner.

NutriFeron: Take 4 for 2 weeks. (A proprietary herbal blend that stimulates interferon production.)

OsteoMatrix: Coats nerve endings, helps repair them quicker, helps you relax so you can sleep deeper (can take w/Gentle Sleep Complex). (This is Shaklee’s calcium product.)

Iron: Need blood test to know if needed. (Shaklee’s comes with vitamin c to help absorption.)

After Surgery:

Performance: Dilute more than usual, make ice chips out of it, & start taking slowly as soon as feel like it. (Shaklee’s rehydrating drink, perfectly balanced for absorption.)

Protein: Take as soon as can drink but don’t feel nauseated. Alternate with Physique. (Physique is Shaklee after workout maximize, excellent for healing sore muscles.)

Liver DTX: 2 at night (Shaklee’s detox milk thistle product to help restore normalcy after the medications of surgery.)

Stomach Soothing complex: Helps calm digestive system if feeling queezy. Made with peppermint and ginger, can be taken as a tablet or dissolved into hot water for tea.

Vita-Cal: Helps reduce gas bubbles. (A chewable Shaklee calcium product)

Fiber: Start w/very small amounts to start cleansing. A Fiber Blend tablet or ¼ tsp. Fiber Blend.

Vitamin E 400+: 4-6/da. Prevents blood clots, oxygenates. Start slowly if high blood pressure is an issue.

Lecithin: Helps build sheath around nerve endings which helps reduce pain. 6 daily

GLA: Up to 6/da, anti-inflammatory. (Shaklee makes their GLA from borage oil for best absorption and least contamination)

Omega Guard (fish oil): If you digest it well.

Alfalfa: Diuretic, liver cleanser, reduces swelling, helps kidneys, etc. start working again. 20 daily

Herb-Lax: Start slowly. Very helpful after surgery as elimination slows down so much from the anesthetic. Take to the hospital. From personal experience, this is super important.

Purified Water: very important

B-Complex: Promotes healing, increases energy level.

Ginseng: Helps energy & supports adrenal glands. (Shaklee’s CorEnergy)

Dandelion leaf: Swelling & inflammation. (Not a Shaklee product)

Optiflora pills and powder is strongly recommended to rebuild the flora. 1 serving daily of this pre and pro biotic made by Shaklee

This is a tall order when you may not be used to taking so much stuff.

The minimum pre-op is Energizing Soy Protein, Vita C, Optiflora, Vita lea Gold and Alfalfa

Post op: Physique, Vita C, Vita E, Optiflora, Vita Lea Gold, Alfalfa, Herb lax, Lecithin.

I have gleaned this information primarily from Carol Dalton, a nurse practitioner in Colorado who, during her long practice, has found the Shaklee supplements to work best for her patients. People who have followed this protocol have had remarkable healing and suffered the least from the trauma of surgery.

Be Well, Do Well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

BetsyBell’s Health4u

206 933 1889

www.HiHoHealth dot com