How Clean Are Your Counters?

How clean are your counters? I mean really. If I wash a piece of fruit and set it on my counter is it still clean? If my little niece is eating at my kitchen table and she sets her food on the table is it safe? Some cleaners I have used in the past leave a residue that is very visible. What is that residue? Do I want that residue on my food? Or on my hands or the hands of the children in my home? No way!

 Having battled with Chronic Fatigue, asthma and allergies and now knowing what some of the ingredients in household "cleaners" actually do I wonder how much those products affected my health. Now I use only the safest household cleaners and personal care products. For me I will never go back. Why on earth would I want to clean my counters or my body with things that can cause cancer, fatigue, mood swings, asthma and so on and so on? I want my counters to be truly clean. I can actually clean my fruit and vegetables with the same stuff I clean my counters with! Now that's safe.

I can honestly say since changing out household products and improving my nutrition and supplementation I am fatigue, asthma and allergy free! I am healthier than I have been in years and I know that my home is safe for all who enter!

If you are interested in a list of products and some of the harmful ingredients in them I am happy to share.

The Hike

Yesterday I went on a hike to an area I love and have not been able to visit in quite some time. The last time I did go I walked just a short distance and had to turn back. With the chronic fatigue, severe joint pain and asthma I was suffering from for the past few years long walks in areas with steep canyons and lots of stairs have been something I wouldn't even contemplate. So now that I am feeling much better and have been taking 2 mile hikes and other long walks I knew this would be within my ability to do. I prepared for the hike by having a balanced breakfast full of vitamins and nutrients along with my daily supplements. On the way out there (it was over an hr ride) I had an Energizing Soy Protein shake. A few hours in I realized all of a sudden that I hadn't packed any snacks, I was burning a lot of calories and was suddenly starving! I was very happy to find a Cinch Snack Bar in my bag. That little bar kept me going the rest of the afternoon until we left. I was able to enjoy the walk, scenery and wonderful company. I am so thankful to have my health back and know that it just keeps improving every single day.
I am looking forward to continuing to hike and improving my health and start planning some wonderful hiking vacations again. A year ago I thought I would never be able to take those kinds of vacations again and now I am feeling like I am on top of the world!!

A New Beginning

The purpose of this blog was to document my Shaklee challenge. I wanted to have something to look back on that was objective and document as I went through the proccess. I know that I was very skeptical and really wanted to keep track of the products that I tried. I can say with certainty that this challenge is over. I have tried so many of the products and loved every single one! I have stopped taking them at different times just to see what would happen and regreted it every single time, although it was necessary.

I feel like this blog is going to be heading in a new direction. I want to share what I have learned about health and wellness through this blog and just share the ways that Shaklee is changing my life and the lives if those around me. I hope that you will continue to follow me on this very exciting journey.

Who Can You Help?

When I first started taking Shaklee products as you know I was a skeptic. That has completely changed. I believe in the products and the company 100%! That is of course why I joined the Shaklee family and work hard every day to spread the word.

 Oh, I know that I can go anytime to You Tube and search for testimonials and find plenty. People who were devastated by severe health issues. But when you meet people and hear their stories in person it hits you that much harder.

 The stories of improved health are truly staggering! I know that I feel so much better and can say how I felt before and all that good stuff but to hear the stories of people with such profound health improvement is beyond great! I think of my family members and friends who are not nearly as sick as most of these people and think wow their health can really change! The hardest and saddest part is when people don't want to hear it or don't believe it. You are devastated when that happens but you can't make people listen. All I can do is focus on the great stories that I've heard, pray that people will listen and keep going.

 I have heard stories that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. I have heard so many stories that I am not really surprised anymore but I am always encouraged and motivated by these stories. These are stories that make you cry and make you laugh and really just continue to keep it fresh in my mind so that I keep moving forward and I am always thinking of someone new.

 If you had a great gift like this who would you help? Who do you know that really needs a miracle in their health? This gift is for real, what will you do with it?

Who Do I Work With?

 Recently I was able to go to the Shaklee 2011 Global Conference. I must say I wasn't going to go and I was very dissapointed but it just wasn't going to work. My team insisted that I go and they made sure I went. If it hadn't been for them I couldn't have gone. They are quite a blessing to me and I am glad to know and work with them. This is just one example of the kind of people I work with.

I was able to meet so many people who have the same vision I have. Not only that but all of the Shaklee speakers echoed that same vision. I felt at home there, like I belonged with these people and was even more motivated to share my story and this amazing company.

 What is the common denominator within the Shaklee Family (That's right I said family)? This is a community of people who care about others. A group of people who have enjoyed improved health and know that there is hope for everyone and want to be sure that no one is missed that everyone can feel better and we want to tell everyone.

 I know that I work with a special kind of people and a special kind of company. We all have dreams of improved health and finances and want to share that with as many people that will let us.

Never Again!

I have been taking my Shaklee supplements faithfully since April and have been feeling great! Recently due to a busy schedule and poor planning I ran out. I didn't just run out of this or that, I ran out of everything! How could this be? This can't possibly be right! Oh, I know at this point I am going to suffer but have no idea how much.

 If you have have read my previous posts you know that I have eliminated insomnia, chronic joint pain, asthma, allergies, midnight potty breaks and chronic fatigue to name just a few. Well despite the fact that I ran out of all but one supplement shortly after getting back from our Global Conference I was doing pretty good for a while. A trip like that would normally cause me to relapse into the dismal world of chronic fatigue but this was the first time in a long time that I didn't really pay for such a trip with lots of time sleeping to recover. It felt great! For a while. The fatigue did creep in about a week later when I was out of my supplements. An hour nap almost everyday, the joint pain was starting to creep back in and so were the late night potty breaks which did interfere with my sleep. While the fatigue before would have been rmuch worse I did not enjoy revisiting that place.

 While at our conference I had frequently forgotten to take my Zantac for my ulcers. Now if you have or have ever had ulcers you know that you don't forget. If you forget you have pain. I didn't. For the first time I didn't have pain and reflux! It was great! And short lived. I found that without my supplements that also creeped back in very quickly. I felt so bad like I had really harmed myself and it could have been prevented. I am restocked and most of my symptoms have subsided.

 One of the most interesting things that happened to me while off the supplements was the change in my mood. I found that I was crabby and that my overall outlook was not too cheery. It was very slight but I noticed it. I didn't like it and I was glad that it was quickly gone when I got back to the supplements.  I was glad I was able to identify that it was due to the lack of supplements otherwise I fear that may have spiraled a little.

 I felt it was really important to blog about this so I never forget how I felt without the stuff that keeps me going. Never again!

Who's That Girl?

Anyone who really knows me is going to get a real kick out of this post. Why? Because anyone who knows me would never describe me as perky or chipper. Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate the heat, especially when it's humid. Humidity to me is like hot, wet death. I can't stand it! It makes me feel terrible, sluggish, fried and lazy. Get the picture?

 Keep in mind when I started this blog it was because I was trying out the Shaklee products and wanted to keep a record of what I tried and how it worked along with my health and whether or not it improved. My overall health and attitude have changed drastically! How drastically? Well I had a conversation with someone recently and was telling her how much better I felt since starting with Shaklee. She said she could see the difference in me, that before I had a very laid back type of personality and now I am way more perky. I was shocked when she said that. We don't spend a ton of time together but do see each other very often. Let me tell you no one in my life has EVER called me perky! That's like calling Donald Trump funny or Simon Cowell nice! Is the new me perky? Am I more chipper and fun loving? I sure feel different.

 Another iteresting experience happened yesterday. It was sunny, hot and humid, mind you not as hot as it has been it was a cool 90 degrees or so and very humid. I had a long morning and came home but still felt great. I had all this energy that I just had to burn off so I decided to go for a walk. WHAT?! Why on Earth would I even think that, let the words come out of my mouth and then actually act on it. That can't be what happened! I should have talked myself right out of that! But, I didn't. Not only did I want to got for a walk in the heat but I wanted to do it with purpose and effort. Who is this person thinking these ridiculous things?! Not me! But it was me and I did go. I started out with a run up the hill then decided to walk the mile trail as quickly as I could and actually followed through! Who is this person?! I walked (with my 10 yr old partner) the mile trail around the lake in 18 minutes! I know it's no record or anything but it was quite an achievemnet for me. I don't do heat let alone exert myself in any way in it. It actually felt good! Is this what it feels like to be healthy? It's been so long I don't remember, but I like it!