When we get sick, so much is on hold. Our health matters to the entire family! I want to share with you FOUR important strategies to keep your immune system strong.

1. 🥦Nutrition. This is the hardest and most important one!!  Make mindful decisions to decrease sugar and carbohydrates and increase vegetables & protein. Basically, vegetables strengthen the immune system. They contain the nutrients our body needs to fight viruses. Sugar weakens the immune system. Sugar restricts white blood cells from absorbing bacteria and viruses from the body and flushing them out. 

🥦Secondly, protein builds and repairs cells. Proteins give your body amino acids — the building blocks that help your body’s cells do all of their everyday activities. Proteins help your body build new cells, repair old cells, create hormones and enzymes, and keep your immune system healthy. Most of us generally do not get enough protein (this is also one of the top four deficiencies that lead to low energy). Getting lean, healthy protein is key.

🥦Water & the immune system: Water helps to carry oxygen to your body cells, which results in properly functioning systems. It also works in removing toxins from the body, so drinking more of it could help prevent toxins from building up and having a negative impact on your immune system

🥦Remember that the health of your gut matters — 70-90% of your immune system is your gut! (Plus 40% of brain receptors are in your gut and 70% of serotonin is made in the gut). Keep your gut healthy with your nutrition and Optiflora Probitoics.

🥦It absolutely takes effort to choose a nutritious diet, but we can help and support you with great recipes and accountability groups.  As we get into the season of holiday treat especially, a plan is KEY. A plan ensures you have the framework to make the best nutrition choices when food is in front of you. Let us know if you need help creating a plan, starting new habits or getting some great recipe ideas.

2. 😴Sleep & Stress: Stress levels directly affect our immunity. When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections. The stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system. So, take necessary steps to decrease stress (we have a webinar on this next week with a therapist). And take other precautions for immunity during high-stress seasons. We use Stress Relief Complex as well as increase our immune supplements during high-stress seasons (our favorite Nutriferon, is below).

😴Sleep plays a key role in our immune system.During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. … The optimal amount of sleep for most adults is seven to eight hours of good sleep each night. Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye.  Chronic sleep loss even makes the flu vaccine less effective by reducing your body’s ability to respond. The top deficiencies that lead to lack of sleep are calcium and magnesium (you can supplement here) but also consider Dream Serene or Recover PM. (The above mentioned Stress Relief Complex can be a great option for before bed as well!)

😴These two are HUGE contributors to our holiday sicknesses– then add the sugar!!   

3. 👍🏼 Habits: Thankfully, the last few years have increased better habits among everyone! We used to teach about washing hands– now we ALL know! We are all more conscious of germs. Here are some important other tips to remember:

👍🏼Wash water bottles, PHONES, sheets and your steering wheel. (Basic G & Germ Off Wipes are incredible virus and bacteria fighters). 

👍🏼Switch to non-toxic cleaning products — a simple change can greatly improve your immunity and the immunity of your whole family by removing the toxics that cause inflammation, lung abrasion and weaken the immune system (saves money too).  

👍🏼Exercise is important! Because exercise increases blood and lymph flow as your muscles contract, it also increases the circulation of immune cells, making them roam the body at a higher rate and at higher number. Specifically, exercise helps to recruit highly specialized immune cells—such as natural killer cells and T cells—find pathogens (like viruses) and wipe them out. Do you need help creating a plan to get moving? Do you need great resources to help you get in movement at home and with your kids?? We can help!

4. 🌱 Supplement: Despite even the best efforts to eat organic and all natural, our food supply does not contain the vitamins and minerals it once did. Even organic produce is grown for yield and not for nutritional value This means the choice is ours whether to supplement in an educated way that eliminates deficiencies and allows our bodies to function the way they are designed. 

🌱These are just some BASIC starters, but based on unique needs and environments there is more you can add to address specific issues. Talk to your Shaklee advocate to determine a more customized and cost effective plan for you. If you’re wondering why we choose Shaklee, ASK US! We are passionate about the Shaklee Difference!

Start with the basics: 

🌱Multi Vitamin: Start with a high-quality, bioavailable multivitamins AND multimineral. Minerals are crucial to build help and absorb nutrients. 

🌱Vitamin C is not stored in the body and is a powerful antioxidant that helps support the immune system and protect against free radicals. Ours is also Sustained Release so you absorb it through the day. (Also available in chewable)

🌱Vitamin D – Sufficient levels of Vitamin D reduce your risk of infectious disease by strengthening your innate immune system. Vitamin D turns on key peptides in your immune system that trigger a strong anti-microbial response, allowing you to quickly and effectively fight off invaders before they can develop into a full-blown infection.

🌱Probiotics: As we said above 70-90% of your immune system is in your gut. Build health there and see so many side benefits of gut health! 

🌱Nutriferon: This is a MUST HAVE for our family to increase our immune response and keep us healthy. It promotes healthy immune function using an exclusive, patented interferon-boosting formula developed by Dr. Yasuhiko Kojima, the renowned immunologist who discovered interferon.*† Interferon stimulates immune cells and is vital to healthy immune function.

🌱Triple Defense Boost: This new innovation has been in research and development for 7 years and is ready to help you build a strong immune system (not recommended for pregnant and under 12). Packed with vitamins C and D, zinc, plant-based adaptogens, elderberry, and more. Supports, boosts, and defends your immune system, with ingredients shown to boost Natural Killer cell activity by 3x and critical immune cells by 5.8x. Enjoy hot or cold.

🥦😴👍🏼🌱

There IS so much more we could say (I know, even after this long post), but we are here with ANYTHING you need so you feel EMPOWERED to be healthier this season!

When you can’t find a recipe you like, you just make your own!

I like an InstaPot soup recipe that is simple — where you just toss everything in, pressure it up, and are set to go. Busy but healthy mom style!

Ingredients:
2 c. chicken broth*
1 onion, diced
2-3 chicken breasts, thawed
2 can Cannellini beans (or whatever beans you prefer), drained and rinsed
1 can green chilis
1/2 c. salsa
2-3 garlic cloves, minced*
Cumin
Chili Powder
Salt
Pepper

*Notes: I like to make homemade bone broth when I can. Costco also has a great bone broth that I prefer over plain broth because of nutrient and protein content. I prefer to grown my own garlic and mince it up, but it only lasts so long! I also use this easy-button option of minced garlic and use 1 tsp per clove.

Instructions:
1. Put everything in the InstaPot. I do like to put the broth and onion down, then chicken, then the rest.
2. Cook on high pressure for 20 min.

3. Release pressure and shred chicken, then re-add chicken and stir
4. Serve with your choice toppings. Pairs nicely with a green salad.

All snacks that the kids bring to school must be nut-free (and sunflower seed) due to allergies and as a family that gets a lot of protein for snacks from nuts I have struggled to find good, filling protein-dense foods. And I would rather not pay the money for the packaged products so regularly. So I blended some recipes to create these banana muffins. I usually use nut flours for all my muffins but have found some good quality, healthier grain-based flours.

This makes 24 muffins. They work great in silicon muffin cups

I also use two of my favorite Shaklee products in these muffins to add protein and vegetables–which are my two key parts of a good snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 c pure maple syrup

1/2 c coconut oil (melted)

4 eggs beaten

4 mashed ripe bananas

1/2 c milk (of any kind)

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 c. flour*

1 c. Shaklee Vanilla LifeShake

6 scoops Shaklee Organic Greens Booster

To Make:

1. Whisk together syrup and oil

2. Add eggs and mashed banana, mix well

3. Add milk, mix well

4. Add baking soda, vanilla and salt, mix well.

5. Add flour, protein and greens and mix just until all mixed.

6. Place in muffin cups and cook at 325 for 22-25 or until they are cooked through.

Enjoy!

*I like Namaste flour or Jovial flour

A year or two ago, I was making veggie-filled scrambled eggs every day for my kids. Then I was making double every other day. Ryan, in his brilliance, suggested we do “Egg Bake.” So this is his original recipe that I can made my own. This 9×13 pan of delish, serves the basis of my children’s breakfast (along with “red drink” and a carb–which they receive only when the other two items are finished) for all five days of school and leaves a piece or two for me to eat for lunch (I stick with a protein shake for breakfast).

Egg Bake:

10 eggs

8-10 oz egg whites

2-3 cups broccoli steamed

2-3 cups spinach, chopped

1/2 med red onion diced

2-4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 c water

Bacon or breakfast sausage, cooked (optional)

To make:

1. Steam broccoli, cook bacon, sauté onion and garlic together while chopping spinach and preheat oven to 410

2. Add eggs and egg whites and water to bowl and beat with immersion mixer.

3. Cool broccoli in water and chop. Cool bacon and chop.

4. Add all other ingredients to eggs. Mix well.

5. Pour into a 9×13 greased pan and cook at 410 for 30 min or cooked through.

6. Serve heated in a toaster oven for breakfast

Personally, I hated spring. And fall. But mostly spring.

I walked everywhere with a box of tissues. My face and eyes were puffy, my head hurt, my throat hurt. I was killing my organs with pain relievers to reduce inflammation.

I used to walk on the opposite side of the street when anyone was cutting their lawn. I always kept the windows closed.

It wasn’t fun. And it wasn’t fun because it effected life. Mine, and many other stories share how three simple steps can change the way you view the seasons–just like it did for me. Please read these stories (they are three of MANY) and learn how

1. Removing the toxins
2. Repairing the gut
3. Rebuilding the immune system

can change you answer to an invite to an outdoor event in May…

Marissa’s Story:
For as long as I can remember I had allergies. As a young child I remember playing

outside with my friends and having to go inside because my eyes are itchy and I couldn’t stop sneezing. My parents tried all of the available medications but unfortunately the meds made me very tired so I spent a lot of time inside sleeping. At the age of 17 I developed asthma which made my allergies much more serious. I would average 1 to 2 asthma attacks per week and sometimes once or twice a day in the spring and summer. My allergies and asthma dramatically affected my daily life. I tried allergy shots, frequent breathing treatments and every medication in existence but it never really gave me good quality of life. The side effects often left me feeling tired and lethargic. It wasn’t until I completed a full round of allergy shots while pregnant with my first daughter only to find out it was not recommended after my second daughter that I realized something had to change. A friend of mine reached out to me many times asking me if I would be interested in learning more about natural ways to combat my allergies but I blew her off because I thought I was a lost cause. If medications couldn’t help how could any sort of natural remedies do the trick? Thankfully she did not give up on me and insisted that I try another way.

So eventually I said yes!  I started with replacing my cleaning products because I could not clean my house without having immediate asthma attack even while wearing a mask using any products that I bought at the store and even some natural products I tried still gave me asthma attacks. I felt a huge difference after just removing the toxic chemicals from my home including laundry detergent. The next step was healing my gut.  I started taking a  probiotic called Optiflora. The next step was boosting my immune system. I started taking A Sustained release vitamin C and a product called alfalfa which is a natural decongestant on days when the pollen count was extra high. After about six months I was able to wean myself off of all medications that I was taking for my asthma and allergies. This was 5 years ago and I still feel amazing. My allergies and asthma don’t affect my quality life any longer and I’m so thankful! I never thought I would be able to play outside with my kids… and I do!

Madison’s Story: (from her mom)
Right around the time Madi turned 3 we noticed she was sneezing and sniffling a lot. She had no other symptoms so we figured it was seasonal allergies. At her 3 year appointment the doc prescribed Zyrtec. He said it was common and that it would do the trick with few, if any side effects. Once a day appeared to alleviate the symptoms. We did not know about Shaklee at that time.

Fast forward to her 4th birthday – in April – she began to show symptoms again. I filled the prescription and began to administer in the morning. Within a couple days, we started to notice behavioral changes. Talking back, refusing to follow directions, angry response to requests. This was completely unlike our daughter. This was a kid that maybe had 1-2 timeouts a month…and within a couple days was getting upwards of 6 a day. During one of those timeouts I discovered a large pile of spit on the floor – a sign of pure defiance…from my usually mild-mannered daughter and I knew something was wrong. I spent some time searching Zyrtec online and if I read one, I read 30 parent reviews that had similar stories. Distinct behavioral changes were noticed after daytime doses and night terrors were evident after evening doses. I immediately stopped the Zyrtec and within 36 hours had my calm, obedient daughter back. It was clear that we would never use this type of product again.

At that time I had recently started using Shaklee’s Alfalfa to increase my milk supply for my newborn, Morgan. I had begun to notice that my seasonal allergy post nasal drip had disappeared. This was only previously controlled with the everyday use of Allegra-D. I knew Alfalfa was safe so I decided to crush a few and put them in Madi’s applesauce. I noticed within a day that her sneezing stopped. It cleared up the drip and I was wiping her nose less. This convinced me!

My entire family uses alfalfa now along with changing our cleaning and laundry products, we rarely have any allergy symptoms. In the rare event we experience any, we simply up our dosage and find almost immediate relief!

 

Stephanie’s Story:
I can’t really say a time when my allergy journey began. I’ve had allergies as long as I can remember. They were debilitating and ruled much of my life, especially in the spring. My eyes were always swollen, I would sneeze until I struggled to breathe, my throat itched, and I had a hard time sleeping at night. And it always ended in a sinus infection. But I didn’t think much of it; I thought some people had them and some didn’t.

It wasn’t until our son had eczema and we were searching for help, that we discovered how nutrition plays a big part in the way our bodies react to certain things.

We saw immediate relief in our son’s eczema when we switched to Shaklee cleaners and supplements, so we knew we needed to use them ourselves.

After two months of taking the Vitalizer strip, the fall allergy season came and it was suggested to me to take alfalfa. I couldn’t believe the relief I was experiencing from seasonal allergy symptoms. But I was still struggling through it. I decided to add an immune booster (Nutriferon) to my daily routine. When spring allergy season rolled around, I didn’t even realize it. It wasn’t until the middle of May before I started to question why I hadn’t been experiencing allergy symptoms. My body had been healing from the inside out and I no longer suffer through allergy seasons anymore.

 

 

Do you want to learn more about how Shaklee, a company trusted for over 60 years, and the resources we have around not only safe cleaners, effective supplements but also resources around nutrition can make you see spring in a new light? Reach out to the Shaklee Wellness Advocate that shared this link with you.

Health is not a badge of honor. Good health empowers us to live out the callings of our life with energy and passion. There was a time I did not understand what it meant to be healthy, but now frequently speak to groups and individuals about how to regain or improve health in order to fuel the callings in their life. Sometimes that means encouraging and resourcing a wife and mom that struggles with migraines, low energy or post-natal depletion. At others it means helping athletes fuel their performance to be at their best when their training is put to the test. And it can even look like helping someone change their life outcome by helping them walk through a door that would not be open to them without good health, which is the case for the sweet and wonderful woman you get to hear from today. This is just ONE story that displays why I love what we do…it’s not just selling health products. It is truly changing the world, one life at a time.

When I was fifteen, I was diagnosed with PCOS.

PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is an endocrine disorder that affects 1 in 10 women. Because it’s a syndrome, not a disease, it is inherently defined by its symptoms, which include things like insulin resistance, weight gain, irregular periods, infertility, hair growth, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and digestive issues. Though I was diagnosed fifteen, I had spent the previous two years taking maximum-strength birth control and living with six-week-long periods instead of answers.

Shaklee didn’t cure my PCOS. The reality of my PCOS is still present in my body. Harper didn’t promise me healing, but she gave me something else.

Hope.

When I first met Harper, it was during my Junior year of college. The symptoms that I’d been battling for the previous decade were magnified, as my stress levels continued to increase. Surrounded by pressures and diet culture, I drove myself into the ground with restrictive eating and exercise. The stress of being unable to lose weight, magnified the stress that my period hadn’t come in months, which also compounded the stress that my medications were making me feel sick. Not only did it feel like my body had given up on me, it felt like my doctor’s had as well.

Before we looked at addressing any of the symptoms, Harper did something that most of my previous doctors had failed to do: she listened. She believed me. She validated that my symptoms weren’t in my head, something that people often do with PCOS. She affirmed the legitimacy and difficulty of what I was going through. For the first time, someone told me that my body was not only made to function better but that it could function better. After years of false promises, I had given up on believing that I could ever feel better, normal, or whole. I wasn’t looking for a cure for PCOS; I just needed to know that I could live with some measure of abundant life.

I hadn’t just lost hope in feeling “normal” during day-to-day life; the way PCOS was manifesting in my body had me questioning things related to my future. Since highschool, I had felt called to overseas ministry. This wide-eyed, naive, teenage dream of loving people overseas began grinding against reality. If I couldn’t make it through a morning without being sick or needing medication to get my period, how was I going to move overseas? More than that, I had questions of how I would convince an organization to take me on, given my current emotionally exhausted state.

We started with the Vitalizer strips, adding GLA and shake powder, since I’d been undercutting my calorie consumption for a while. With each physical symptom that improved, regardless of how minor, I noticed new emotional levity. I was no longer consumed by medications or weight loss. I can’t overstate the value in finally having an advocate in my health corner. She wasn’t trying to heal my PCOS; she was giving me back some freedom and normalcy in my life.

Since that first meeting with Harper, I have graduated with my M.A. and am currently raising support, to live overseas and start an English program for refugees. Looking back, I cannot imagine doing the work that I’m doing now, if I was still in the emotional and physical place of my Junior year. Everything feels more livable.

A few years ago, my body felt like the enemy; it was the thing that was thwarting my attempts at a beautiful, sacrificial life. Now, my body is the vehicle that I’m using to live that life. It’s not perfect; there are times when PCOS and past traumas rear their ugly head. But the GLA vitamins are still going strong. More than that, the hope that Harper catalyzed will always be another part of my redemption story.

–Hopeful Heart

Written by Ryan Guerra

Halloween. Otherwise know as Round One of the holiday season sugar challenge. The mindset and health commitments we make as we head into Halloween and all it’s sugary fare undeniably sets the tone for the following months of parties, gatherings and temptations to keep a “stash” in the house. If we approach the season with a growth mindset decided on what we pre-define as success then it is totally possible to ENJOY the season and some of it’s indulgences AND ALSO feel great because of habits we decide on ahead of time that will make it simple to make healthy choices.

Set yourself and your loved ones up for success by using ideas like these as we approach round one; Halloween.

1. Make up your mind. Decide in advance what you WILL enjoy and how much. This time of year candy bowls appear in the office and children come home from trick or treating with half of Willy Wonka’s factory in a bucket. Pre-commit to only a certain reasonable amount of fly-by snatch and grabs from the community candy bowl each week. One mini-snickers each day is not going to derail your health over a short period of time, but grabbing one every-other time you walk by it will. If you have children that trick or treat talk to them ahead of time about what they hope they get during their outings and that when they get home they can pick 10-20 total pieces of their favorite candy to keep. (Don’t worry. We won’t be recommending they give the rest to their parents..sorry 😉 Unless it’s the unavoidable Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup tax of course.)
2. Donate. One candy donation program that is available in most areas is Halloween Candy Buy Back, which donates candy to soldiers overseas in care packages. This candy is also often used to give to kids in villages that soldiers have a presence in to promote good-will and create relationships based on kindness and giving. However, whether you donate or discard the excess treats just be sure to get it out of the house! Why create the temptation to chip away at the stash until it’s down to Double Bubble and hard candy and you finally throw it away?! (talking to myself here!)
3. Make the mind-body connection. Think about how good it feels to NOT get that sugar crash. The short term “yum” factor and energy boost from sugar is addicting, but the sugar crash that comes with it creates brain fog, headaches, reduced immunity and lethargy. Be intentional to make the mental connection to the sense of accomplishment and clear-mindedness that occurs when you make healthy decisions to not partake or consume beyond what you committed to.
4. Don’t beat yourself up. If in the course of festivities you over-do it and eat five too many reese’s peanut butter cups (oh…only I do that? Ok.) chalk it up to the short term enjoyment you get out of it, but re-commit to your plan and begin to replenish your body by hydrating well and supplementing with the vitamins and nutrients that sugar depletes. /nerd alert/ When your body metabolizes a carbohydrate, of which sugar is one, it uses vitamin B, Zinc and magnesium to process it all to name a few. When we are depleted of vitamins like these it sends the body into an imbalance, which often leaves us craving a quick burst of energy and we ironically go to sugar for that, which is what has cause the depletion in the first place. Stop the cycle by going to the root of what is needed to bring back balance instead of throw fuel on the fire. HINT: It might seem silly to write down something like the number of treats you’ll allow yourself weekly at the office or daily from your kid’s trick or treat haul, but when you write a commitment down you increase your success rate ten-fold versus just having it in your head.

Set yourself and those around you up for success as the bell is about to ring for Halloween, Round One of the holiday sugar challenge. Think about how good it feels and the control you have over your choices that will let you enjoy the season ahead, without regret and having to dig out of increased sugar dependency, decreased immunity and the weight gain that doesn’t have to come as part of the holiday package.

BONUS: Ifyou love Reese’s peanut butter cups like we do in our house we hope you will enjoy this healthier alternative that is a hit with our family! It is still calorie dense, but uses healthy ingredients.

Ryan Guerra has a diverse background in investment advisory, ministry and health and wellness. He loves the continual pursuit of learning in order to bring value and contribution in the areas of faith, family and business. His wife says he’s smarter than science…and because listening to your wife is one of the smartest things you can do…of course he believes her.

Written by Ryan Guerra

There are universal truths that exist in our world. What goes up must come down. If you check the door locks ten times before leaving town…you will still question whether you locked them all as you pull out of the driveway…or worse are taxiing for takeoff. If a tree falls in the woods and nothing is there to hear it then it doesn’t make a sound (oh, you disagree? Prove it.) Oh…and no one LIKES getting sick! Good news is that you can actually do something(s) to avoid having to deal with the last one. We are encouraging as many as we can to “opt out of sick season” and we are excited to share how so that many of us can save time, money and preserve focus and consistency in life this season.

One of the gifts of our business is that we get to share what we’ve learned with others; be it in one-on-one in informal settings like the gym or a play-date or in nationwide coaching and education settings . We’ve seen the time-saving, life-giving impact that paying attention to these areas of immunity can make. Many are simple no-brainers that might be harder to create discipline around and others require a more in-depth look at what unique deficiencies may exist that contribute to someone’s weakened immune system. Wherever you land you’re in the right place and these are ways we love to help!

To improve and/or maintain health there are four essential recommendations in the areas of nutrition, sleep/stress, habits and supplementation.

1. Nutrition:
This is KEY. Just like “abs are made in the kitchen” and nutrition is more vital to a lean physique than working out nutrition is also the cornerstone for immunity. Make mindful decisions to decrease sugar and carbohydrates and increase vegetables. Sugar restricts white blood cells from absorbing bacteria and viruses from the body and flushing them out. It absolutely takes effort to choose a nutritious diet, but SO worthwhile when you consider time spent for doctor’s visits, time home from work or school and the money for insurance deductibles, co-pays, doctor visits and prescriptions! It adds up. (So pretty much that whole ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure rings true!) Not to mention…shoot for nutrition that supports immunity and you might even get a set of abs as well!

How do we do this practically? Whether you take advantage of the individualized help we offer Shaklee members around nutrition and supplementation be sure to have a plan. A plan ensures you have the framework to make the best nutrition choices when food is in front of you. For example, when you have an event that will involve indulgent foods make sure to consume protein and vegetables earlier in the day (which we should be doing every day anyway 😉 and then have a 10-20 gram protein shake on your way out the door in order to take the edge off hunger and put yourself in better control of choices. If the event is at a restaurant or you know the typical fare that shows up to seasonal/holiday parties each year do the work before attending and check out the menu and make decisions on your food choices ahead of time. Without fail this always leads to a healthier selection when you are placing an order or standing in front of the feast of food…even if you might diverge from the plan a little bit in the moment. Employ good choices 80-90% of the time and you set yourself up to enjoy foods that might be “off the healthy menu” on the occasion you indulge. When you DO indulge in a sweet treat or that half plate of Thanksgiving stuffing (guilty!) or adult beverage or few be sure to have a plan for recovery. A quality, proper supplement will help your body process sugars and ensure you are not left nutrient deficient and be able to recover from the biological stress that less healthy choices create. More on that to come…

2. Sleep & Stress:
Our bodies need sleep to repair and rest. Not getting enough quality sleep leads to a weaker immune system. Probably not news to any of us, right?! But this is an area where facts and reality often part ways in our day to day choices. If you are like us we understand the impact sleep deprivation and stress creates on the body, but often sleep is the first thing we compromise when we hit a hectic pace of life. Then we are rudely reminded (colds and flus are always such jerks!) of the symptoms that stress and lack of sleep cause when it’s already too late.

Don’t have time for that “magical, arbitrary prescription” of eight hours of sleep? Good news! You might not need that much. Business Insider recently shared a method to determine what might be your genetic make up in terms of how much sleep you need. In addition, evidence suggests that committing to a power nap (20-30 minutes) each day or a few times per week can help take the edge off sleep deprivation in the short term. A sleep schedule and stress management approach is essential as it not only keep the mind sharp, but the body needs restorative rest and sleep to reset all systems, including immunity. (Shaklee members can contact us to help with these areas. Stress and sleep are closely related and simple steps or supplements can aid in bringing them into harmony. Ever wonder why a glass of warm milk was the standard to aid sleep in the past, but is not as effective now? We’ve got the answer).

3. Habits:
We don’t have to give Howie Mandel a run for his money in order to decrease our exposure to unwanted germs, but small actions like the following can yield potentially big results. Establish habits such as washing hands each time you walk in the door and prior to each meal.  Have your children change out of their school clothes when they arrive home. Clean your phone (which might as well be a petri dish for germs) and other commonly touched surfaces daily. One area that gets overlooked in the busy-ness for some is changing bedding regularly. Considering that we spend 6-8 hours (or however long the Business Insider method suggests for you, haha) in our beds it is an immunity game changer to wash sheets to reduce the build up of germs that we would otherwise lay on for up to a third of every day! Don’t have time to change the entire bedding? You can still get the worst of the germ exposure eliminated by changing/washing pillowcases once per week.  Other ideas would be habits like using a non-clorox/non bleach sanitizer to clean common surfaces and handles at home and sanitizer wipes when at the grocery store or setting up shop to work at a local coffee shop. How many apples do you pick up and inspect when grocery shopping? Yeah, exactly…and so does everyone else! So washing produce with a non-toxic cleaner is vital. (My eyes were opened to how dirty our produce can be and how germs can spread through food from my friend Monica, who has great professional culinary advice!

4. Supplement:
Many of us may already feel like we have a good handle on the first three essentials, but there is yet one more approach to build immunity. It may require some up front investment of time and even funds to implement (and we are here to help!), but the cost to be pro-active is far less than the cost of being reactive. As summer comes to a close and fall begins (what we refer to as the beginning of “sick season”) we often get asked which supplements provide the biggest immunity bang for the buck. These are just some BASIC starters, but based on unique needs and environments there is more you can add to address specific issues. Talk to your Shaklee consultant to determine a more customized and cost effective plan for you. If you’re wondering why we choose Shaklee, watch this little video or ASK US! We are passionate about the Shaklee Difference!

Start with a healthy base:
We recommend everyone (young and old) to be on a QUALITY multivitamin with research that backs it’s effectiveness. Why supplement? Despite even the best efforts to eat organic and all natural, our food supply does not contain the vitamins and minerals it once did. Even organic produce is grown for yield and not for nutritional value This means the choice is ours whether to supplement in an educated way that eliminates deficiencies and allows our bodies to function the way God designed them.
For seasonal immunity and those who require additional immune support:
Optiflora probiotics: Over 70% of the immune system is in the gut. Probiotics help to maintain a healthy digestive system. Yogurt is often touted as a great probiotic source because it CONTAINS pro-biotics, however in almost every case the probiotics in yogurt or other fermented food does not make it past the first stage of digestion and deeper into the gut where immunity is really supported. Shaklee has a patented triple-encapsulated delivery system that guarantees delivery of the full dose of probiotics at the right point in the digestive system. This is especially important for those who have Candida issues, have recently been on antibiotics, steroids, or those who experience digestive issues.

Vitamin C: Shaklee makes a chewable Vitamin C for children (better than Flinstone’s in every way, including that it is all natural and has no toxic fillers or ingredients like most over the counter kid’s vitamins have). Shaklee also has a sustained release Vitamin C supplement for adults. Ask me why sustained release is key for certain supplements. (hint, without sustained release it IS true that in many cases you pee out a large amount of the valuable nutrients. Money down the drain)

Vitamin D: Bioavailability matters and ensuring that the Vitamin D you are taking is absorbed into your body is key. Vitamin D is chocked full of benefits for year round health and immunity, but especially important during the colder, cloudier winter days as well as if you work indoors most of the day. Just because a vitamin D supplement has vitamin D in it does not mean it is absorbed unless it is formulated to include the other nutrients that aid in absorption.

That extra boost:
These supplements can be taken regularly, but can also just be added when you feel like you or someone in your family is coming down with something or even once you are undoubtedly sick. Either way, they will help you avoid getting sick or at the very least assist your recovery by keeping symptoms subdued and reduce the time it takes to begin feeling human again. In our family we have avoided sickness countless times in the last several years simply by keeping these on hand and using them at the right time. Not only do we rarely get sick now, even with very young children, but we have more time and less interruptions in our lives from being sick.

Vitalized Immunity: Is a tasty (alka-seltzer-like) orange flavored tab that dissolves in water and boosts your immune system with a variety of vitamins. Has the equivalent of sixteen orange’s worth of vitamin C in addition to other immune boosting ingredients. (For kids under ten I usually give ½ of a tab.)

NutriFeron: Scientists and medical communities have identified interferon as being crucial to healthy immune function. NutriFeron is an exclusive, patented formula, which provides a proprietary blend of four plant extracts designed to naturally increase levels of interferon in the body and provide immune support at the cellular level. When symptoms of sickness begin this is what our family supplements with immediately with close to a perfect record of fighting off the sickness before it takes hold.

Defend & Resist: Defend & Resist Complex strengthens your body to respond to environmental challenges by giving your immune system what it needs to stay strong. Key ingredients in Defend & Resist have been shown in laboratory studies to help stimulate the body’s natural resistance with Echinacea purpurea and maintain a healthy immune response with black elderberry and larch tree. Who knew such little-known natural sources could be part of supporting your body, which was designed to be strong, to fight off sickness and germs?!

The first two of these were staples in our home daily leading up to Christmas when everyone we talked to seemed to be sick and when nutrition and sleep were at a low. We managed to stay completely healthy despite regular contact with sick family and friends over the holidays. Yes!!

These are four simple guidelines to begin a roadmap to a stronger immune system. Be mindful of these things and begin creating nutrition, sleep and other healthy habits and you will certainly be able to find success in “opting out of sick season.” If the supplementation aspect is an area you want to learn more and determine what fits your needs and budget best your Shaklee Health Advocate can help!

Here’s to skipping sick days (at least the ones where you are ACTUALLY sick 😉 and a healthy, fun and energy filled fall, winter and holiday season!

 

Ryan Guerra has a diverse background in investment advisory, ministry and health and fitness. He loves the continual pursuit of learning in order to bring value and contribution in the areas of faith, family, fitness and business. His wife says he’s smarter than science…and because listening to your wife is one of the smartest things you can do…of course he believes her.