What Every Parent Should Know About Vaccines.

By Dr. Mercola, MD.

Common sense would suggest that, if we are giving our children more than five dozen vaccinations from day of birth to age 18, we are over-vaccinating our children. Yet, authorities continue to insist that "more is better" when it comes to vaccines without providing adequate scientific evidence to justify that assumption.

If you follow the CDC's recommended vaccination schedule, your child will receive 49 doses of 14 vaccines by the time he/she is 6 years of age. And by the age of 18, the CDC recommends that children should have gotten 69 doses of 16 vaccines.

Today, you'll pay $2200 to purchase all government recommended and mandated vaccines for a child (plus the cost of office visits) because the numbers of vaccines recommended for children have tripled in the past three decades. Sadly though, the short term financial costs to fully vaccinate your child according to the CDC schedule may actually pale in comparison to the costs to your child's long-term health.

The list of problems related to today's vaccines, and vaccine policy, is long and troubling:

1. Children not all biologically identical. The current one-size-fits-all approach to vaccination does not take into account differences among children's genetic profiles or immune responses based on factors such as age, weight, and overall health status.

2. Infant mortality rates between nations appears to be linked to the numbers of vaccinations given to babies before the age of 12 months. More vaccines may contribute to higher infant mortality.

3. Babies receive several vaccines at once—they may receive 8 vaccines or more simultaneously at a doctor visit (between 2 and 15 months of age). Vaccine "layering" may increase the risk for a serious vaccine reaction.

4. Vaccines have not been adequately tested for safety using methodologically sound scientific studies, so their long-term health effects are unknown. Moreover, the effects ofmultiple vaccines given together have not been adequately tested. And pharmaceutical companies have financed nearly all vaccine research to date, which introduces enormous bias.

5. Vaccines do not provide complete or permanent protection against infectious disease. For example, 75 percent of children who contracted chickenpox in a 2001 Maryland outbreak had been vaccinated against chickenpox. A high number of vaccinated persons also have been found in pertussis and mumps outbreaks.

6. Vaccines are not always sterile but can be contaminated with bacteria, viral fragments, and foreign human and animal DNA.

7. Vaccines may contain toxic additives (including aluminum and mercury), which can contribute to your child's toxic load.

8. Some vaccines are associated with a higher number of serious health problems, both immediate and delayed, yet healthcare professionals rarely report vaccine adverse events. Every year, more than 25,000 adverse reactions are reported to the government, including irreversible injuries and deaths. It's been estimated that this represents only about 1 to 10 percent of total vaccine reactions, which means that millions of people may have suffered vaccine reactions and injuries over the past few years.

9. Vaccines, say some researchers, may contain excitotoxins that disrupt your child's immune system (through microglial overstimulation) and damage developing brain structures, which raises his/her risk for a wide range of diseases, including autism, learning disabilities, and psychiatric disorders. New research gives evidence for a link between the high number of vaccines and the autism epidemic.

10. Many children receive even more vaccines than the vaccination schedule recommends. If you take your child to multiple health care providers or facilities, the odds are increased that your child may be given "extra" doses. Ten percent of children aged 19 to 35 months were found to have received extra vaccinations, according to a National Immunization Survey.

11. Preventing natural immune responses to environmental pathogens may not be in your child's best interest. Healthy children receive life-long benefits from naturally occurring immune responses.

Current Vaccine Policy Could Explain Our Higher Infant Mortality Rate

In a recent report on Adverse Effects of Vaccines: Evidence and Causality, an Institute of Medicine committee of medical experts acknowledged a casual link between adverse health effects and vaccination, while confirming that there are too few methodologically sound studies published in the medical literature to make definitive conclusions about many other serious health problems linked with vaccination. This report was published after a review of more than 1,000 vaccine studies by the Institute of Medicine.

According to the most recent National Vital Statistics Report, more than 26,000 American babies born alive in 2009 died before their first birthday, which gives the U.S. a very high infant mortality rate of six infant deaths per 1,000 live births. In 1960, America ranked 12th in infant mortality among all nations of the world. In 2005, we had fallen to number 30.Today in America, there are more premature babies than ever before and more full term babies die before their first birthday than in most European countries.

The most recent study (2011) looking and infant mortality and vaccination is perhaps the most disturbing. It finds that developed nations with the poorest infant mortality rates, like the U.S., tend to give their infants more vaccine doses before age one. To put this into perspective, doctors give American babies 26 vaccine doses before age one, which is twice as many vaccinations as are given babies in Sweden and Japan. Is it really just a "coincidence" that the infant mortality rate is twice as high in America as it is in Sweden and Japan?

Natural Immunity is Superior to Vaccine-Induced Immunity

The more vaccines are studied, the more apparent it becomes that proper vaccine studies are lacking, as vaccine expert and pediatrician Larry Palevsky explains. There is a major difference between natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity. Obtaining natural immunity has far greater benefits.

When children are born, they develop natural immunity to a large variety of microorganisms that they breathe, eat, and touch. The immune responses by cells lining their airways, skin and intestines, are very important in creating "memory" and protection against the organisms they naturally come into contact with. That primary line of defense is a very important step in the maturation of your child's immune system—and it's bypassed when he/she gets a vaccine.

With vaccination, you are merely creating an antibody.

Vaccines do NOT impart long-term immunity because they don't create the kind of memory that occurs when you go through the process of a natural immune response. And natural exposure does not necessarily lead to infection—it is possible to obtain natural immunity without actually getting sick, if your immune system is robust. In fact, vaccines do NOT strengthen the healthy functioning of the immune system, but actually may weaken it.

Bombardment by Multiple Vaccines Can Damage Your Child's Developing Brain

Dr. Russell Blaylock is a board-certified neurosurgeon and expert on vaccines and the nervous system. He may have discovered the central mechanism of how vaccines can contribute to the development of neurological diseases and has proposed a theory about the cause of autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Blaylock's theory can be summarized as follows:

Priming: Your child's immune system gets "primed" through exposure to an excitotoxin, such as a vaccine or an infectious agent, causing his/her microglia (special immune cells within the brain) to shift into "readiness mode."

Microglial Activation: Subsequent exposures to vaccines or other immune stresses over a relatively short period of time activate the microglia into full "battle mode," prepared to defend your child's body against what they perceive as an all-out invasion.

Bystander Damage: Excitotoxins and free radicals are generated, causing "bystander damage" in a runaway process that cannot be shut down. This leads to chronic inflammation and damage to brain tissues, including mitochondrial dysfunction, brain inflammation, seizures, and the other difficulties seen with autism.

Vaccines differ from natural infections in that vaccines can cause brain stimulation for very prolonged periods—the immune system in your child's brain is activated and re-activated by repeated exposure. Babies do not respond to vaccines in the same way as adults, even by one year of age. Immune over-activation can be especially damaging to a baby or young child's developing brain structures, such as the amygdala and limbic system.

This cycle is magnified by the administration of multiple vaccines at once. Many studies suggest this is very risky. Did you know that your 12 or 15 month old baby is allowed to get up to 13 vaccines at once under the CDC Immunization Schedule? How can this NOT be an assault to the immune system or developing brain? When was the last time YOU took 13 different prescription drugs at once without suffering side effects?

Certain children appear to have a higher risk for developing chronic brain and immune system dysfuntion including autism, than others, if their immune systems are more easily "primed." All it takes is the insult of ONE more vaccine, or ONE more infection, and the stage is set for regression into autism or development of other kinds of neuroimmune disorders like ADD/ADHD and seizures. One of the factors that can increase vaccine risks is if your child is particularly susceptible to immune dysfunction because of an imbalance in their gut flora..

To read the rest of this article click HERE.

Have a Healthy and Successful Vaccine Free Day!

Which One Do You Use?

Choosing the right vitamin supplement is more than just looking at the ingredients. The form in which the supplement is in can make all the difference in the quality of the supplement you are receiving.
Normally, when you ingest a daily vitamin or nutritional supplement tablet, your body must work for up to four hours digesting and absorbing the vitamins and nutrients. During this lengthy breakdown process, a percentage of the nutritive value is lost. Even still, some supplement products do not even break down due to harsh fillers and binders, but pass to the small intestine. When this takes place, none of the contents of the supplement can be absorbed by the body. This is one reason the bioavailability of pills and capsules are significantly lower than isotonic-capable supplements.
Tablets & Capsules: One thing to watch out for in tablets and capsules are binders and fillers. Binders and fillers can include lubricants and disintegrates to aid the body in absorption, but these are added ingredients that your body does not need.
Gummies & Chewables: Gummy and chewable supplements can be appealing because of their colors and tastes, but most are very high in sugars and have fewer active ingredients making is effective in delivering the maximum benefit.
Liquids: If you do not like swallowing tablets or chewing chewables, a liquid supplement may be for you. Liquids may also have a great taste but, many liquid supplements include preservatives that can interfere with the active ingredients.
Isotonic: Isotonic, meaning “same pressure,” bears the same chemical resemblance of the body’s blood, plasma and tears. This means that the body has less work to do to obtain maximum absorption of the nutrients. The isotonic state of the suspension allows nutrients to pass directly into the small intestine and rapidly absorb into the bloodstream. Little nutritive value is lost, making the absorption of nutrients highly efficient while delivering maximum results with great flavor as well.

Make sure your not wasting your hard earned money with supplements you can't digest.

For an isotonic capable supplement click HERE.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Nutrition from diet alone is a myth

One of the biggest health myths is the idea that a person can get all the nutrition s/he needs by simply eating a balanced diet. The truth is that it is next to impossible to get even the minimal RDA amounts of the limited number of vitamins and minerals on the RDA list, much less the amounts of all the many nutrients needed for optimal health from diet alone.

Decades of over-farming has left the world's top soils severely depleted of essential minerals. For the most part, the only minerals replaced have been those needed for optimal growth and not vital minerals such as magnesium which are needed for optimal health.

Foods on our grocers' shelves frequently have had true nutrition processed out (and often harmful additives processed in to enhance shelf life, taste, color and texture). In many instances most of the claimed nutrition comes from added synthetic petrochemical vitamins and crushed rock minerals - which are vastly inferior to natural vitamins and minerals found in food.

 A balanced-diet of 2000 to 2500 calorie a day diet plan which should provide all of the measly nutrient amounts on the limited RDA chart doesn't even come close. Keep in mind that in many instances RDA amounts of vitamins and minerals are merely the theoretical amounts needed to prevent deficiency-related illness. Besides the fact that RDA amounts are often far below the optimal amounts, the RDA list does not include literally hundreds of other valuable nutrients which we have evolved and adapted to utilize.

If it is so easy to get all the nutrition needed from diet alone, why is it that up to 95% of us are deficient in magnesium? For that matter, why is it that most of us are deficient in other vital nutrients as well - even those of us who regularly eat a so-called balanced diet?

Another related myth is the idea that doctors are good sources of information and advice about diet and nutrition. In most instances, mainstream doctors are woefully deficient in information about diet and nutrition. Doctors are taught in medical schools where the primary funding source is the pharmaceutical industry and where curriculum is controlled by the AMA. Not surprisingly, doctors are taught that the way to treat illness is to prescribe drug company medications and to perform mainstream medical treatments. What they are not taught is the vital role that diet and proper nutrition play in our health.

One longtime doctor turned naturopath that I met told me that during his entire mainstream education he had but one single lecture on diet and nutrition. Other doctors, including more recent graduates, confirmed that their educational experience was much the same when it came to diet and nutrition.

In the world of mainstream health misinformation about vegetable and fruit servings, a serving of a fortified "fruit drink" is considered equal to a bowl of fresh organic blueberries and an order of french fries is equal to a bowl of fresh organic spinach. I've seen a poster of a  "protein shake" informing that it is equal to thirteen eggs, thirty apples, ten stalks of celery etc...... really. These are unheard of amounts of nutrients to be absorbed by the body at one time. Remember the saying, if it sounds to good to be true it probably is.

A good plan for obtaining plenty of nutrition to insure a maximum of good health and a minimum of illness is:

1. Eat a healthy and varied nutrient-dense diet with as many fresh organic items as possible.
2. Avoid junk foods, processed foods and inorganic meats - especially processed meat products.
3. Utilize supplemental items such as organic superfood powders and whole food derived nutrients to insure that you get all the vital kinds and amounts of nutrition needed.
4. Use only high quality supplements, when supplementing your diet.

Here's the truth. One of my favorite quotes  “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” ― Hippocrates

Not sure how to determine a high quality supplement? Click HERE

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

MMMMM Left Over Turkey Soup!

Leftover Turkey Homemade Turkey Soup Recipe-
To begin, add to a large 12 qt. soup pot:
•The bones, skin and scraps from a large turkey. (If your turkey carcass is small, add some chicken necks or other poultry parts).
•2 or 3 small beef shank soup bones (this helps to harden the fat so that you can remove it easily).
... •8 ½ quarts of water
•¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
•1 teaspoon of salt
•2 bay leaves

Bring the water to a boil over high heat, cover and simmer on low for 4 hours. Then let the turkey stock cool overnight on the stove so it has time to absorb all the flavor and nutrients from the scraps and bones.

In the morning, when your turkey stock has cooled, remove the scraps, bones and skin.

Once the bones, skin and major pieces are out, refrigerate the stock for at least 24 hours to allow the fat to harden on top so you can skim it off.

How to Make Turkey Soup

When you've removed all the fat from the stock and are ready to make your turkey soup, place the pot on the stove and turn the burner to high.

Once the stock comes to a boil, turn the burner to low and simmer for the rest of the cooking time. As it heats up, add the following ingredients:
•1½ cups of raw brown rice (or use a mixture of about 1 cup basmati brown rice and ½ cup wild rice)
•½ cup dry vegetable broth (I like to use organic with no MSG)
•4 teaspoons of salt
•2 medium or 3 large onions chopped fine
•2 large or 4 medium peeled sweet potatoes chopped small
•(Optional – add celery, zucchini or summer squash, chopped small)
•2 to 3 cans drained black beans (or use 2 packages frozen petite green garden peas)
•2 large bunches of kale, chard or other dark green leafy veggies chopped fine or shredded in the Cuisinart
•3 tablespoons dried parsley or several stalks chopped fresh parsley
•¼ teaspoon shredded thyme leaf
•4 pinches or 6 shakes nutmeg
•4 cups of chopped leftover turkey meat or 2 lbs. of lean ground turkey pinched into small bits and added a little bit at a time

The rice needs to cook for 1½ hours, the onions and sweet potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour and the peas and greens no longer than ½ hour. But the meat will be thoroughly cooked or heated within about 10 minutes.

And this leftover turkey soup recipe only has about 150 calories per cup.

This homemade turkey soup recipe is not engraved in stone. So feel free to experiment and create your own great leftover turkey soup.

have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Thanksgiving tips

Gobble Gobble!!!!

From Coach Lydia at http://lifeismysport.blogspot.com

It’s Thanksgiving day and what do you do?! You get up prep the turkey throw it in the oven; have a cup of coffee and maybe a little bite to eat. You start running through your checklist and time is flying you say there is no time to workout. As you are prepping for the big meal, you are grabbing a bite here and there ---cheese, crackers, a few chips but you completely skip having any decent meals, until you sit down with the family. And instead of eating smart, you gorge on mash potatoes, stuffing, gravies, green beans casserole, etc…. and a cup or two of the holiday cheer. Right?!

I know what you guys are thinking come on Coach Lydia…. It’s Thanksgiving give it a break.

Now I’m not saying you can’t enjoy your holidays, but let’s be smart about it.

Here are some simple focused tips to help you keep on track and not blow it.

Don't: Skip your workout.

Squeeze in a workout wherever you can. How else will you burn off the mash potatoes or Giada’s Italian inspired stuffing you watched her make on the TODAY show. I know schedules can be tight whether you are doing the cooking or traveling to eat someone else’s cooking.

Take 15 minutes of hard and fast—Jumping rope 90 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. You have steps? Run up and down your steps for 2 minutes, burpees for 2 minutes, crunches for 2 minutes keep going till you get to 15 minutes. Sprint up and down your street for 15 minutes. Or simply find 5 exercises you like and do them for 1 minute each (totaling 5 minutes) do it 3x with only 1 minutes rest in between. Going fast and hard will rev up your metabolism to help cope with the day and it's such a surge on your body that it takes your body a lot of effort to get back to beginning state that you can burn extra fat up to 38 hours after that type of intensity. <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]-->

Don’t: Hold out.

The worst thing you can do is “save” for the big meal. Your body burns fat when it’s fueled on a consistent basis. If you starve yourself until the big meal is ready all your hard work up to Turkey day suffers. Be smart and eat breakfast and lunch (healthy meals) and drink LOTS of WATER.

Do: Stay in Control.

Before you dig into the potatoes, butter that roll and dive into the stuffing. Eat protein and veggies first. Protein and veggies are naturally low glycemic and help blunt the blow of not so good carbs. Slowing down how fast your body breaks down the potatoes, stuffing and breads will reduce the chance of you going into fat storing mode.

Next set a meal budget for yourself. Limit yourself to one cocktail, loads of fresh veggies and fruit, one small piece of dessert, etc. I don’t believe in portion control with the right foods, but practicing portion control on the sweets and alcohol can help keep off excess holiday pounds.

Everyone has a holiday favorite—from Mom’s special stuffing to grandma’s pumpkin pie. And if you only get to indulge in these treats once a year, there's no reason to deprive yourself. Just remember: everything in moderation.

Great way to stay in control and blunt the yummy carb impact.

Don't: Leave with leftovers.

Post-party indulging plays a huge role in holiday weight gain. You only can fight the temptation of leftover pumpkin pie for so long! Leave behind the leftovers altogether. When I host the festivities, I always make sure my guests go home with leftovers.

Do: Be realistic.

It's likely you won't be motivated to drop five pounds during the holidays—but that doesn't mean you have to gain the average 7-10 lbs, either. Set a goal to maintain your current weight, and worry about actual weight loss once the New Year is in full swing.

Holidays are meant to be enjoyed--- So enjoy: your friends, family and life. Just keep your goals in mind, keep reminding yourself that you are committed to reshaping your health, body and life. Then go and enjoy yourself!

Coach L

To all my friends south of the boarder have a safe and great day tomorrow!

Have a healthy and Successful Day Today!

Vitamin D proven far better than vaccines at preventing influenza infections

(NaturalNews) If scientists discovered something that worked better than vaccines at preventing influenza, you'd think they would jump all over it, right? After all, isn't the point to protect children and adults from influenza?

A clinical trial led by Mitsuyoshi Urashima and conducted by the Division of Molecular Epidemiology in the the Department of Pediatrics at the Jikei University School of Medicine Minato-ku in Tokyo found that vitamin D was extremely effective at halting influenza infections in children. The trial appears in the March, 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr (March 10, 2010). doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.29094)

The results are from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 334 children, half of which were given 1200 IUs per day of vitamin D3. In other words, this was a "rigorous" scientific study meeting the gold standard of scientific evidence.

In the study, while 31 of 167 children in the placebo group contracted influenza over the four month duration of the study, only 18 of 168 children in the vitamin D group did. This means vitamin D was responsible for an absolute reduction of nearly 8 percent.

Flu vaccines, according to the latest scientific evidence, achieve a 1 percent reduction in influenza symptoms

This means vitamin D appears to be 800% more effective than vaccines at preventing influenza infections in children.

To further support this, what really needs to be done is a clinical trial directly comparing vitamin D supplements to influenza vaccines with four total groups:

Group #1 receives a vitamin D placebo
Group #2 receives real vitamin D (2,000 IUs per day)
Group #3 receives an influenza vaccine injection
Group #4 receives an inert injection

Groups 1 and 2 should be randomized and double blind while groups 3 and 4 should also be randomized and double blind. The results would reveal the comparative effectiveness of vitamin D versus influenza vaccines.

Unfortunately, such a trial will never be conducted because vaccine pushers already know this trial would show their vaccines to be all but useless. So they won't subject vaccines to any real science that compares it to vitamin D.

To order your vitamin D click HERE

Vitamin D also significantly reduced asthma in children

Getting back to the study, another fascinating result from the trial is that if you remove those children from the study who were already being given vitamin D by their parents, so that you are only looking at children who started out with no vitamin D supplementation before the trial began, the results look even better as vitamin D reduced relative infection risk by nearly two-thirds.

More than six out of ten children who would have normally been infected with influenza, in other words, were protected by vitamin D supplementation.

Also revealed in the study: vitamin D strongly suppressed symptoms of asthma. In children with a previous asthma diagnosis, 12 of those receiving no vitamin D experienced asthma attacks. But in the vitamin D group, only 2 children did.

While this subset sample size is small, it does offer yet more evidence that vitamin D prevents asthma attacks in children, and this entirely consistent with the previous evidence on vitamin D which shows it to be a powerful nutrient for preventing asthma.

To order your vitamin D click HERE

Vaccine pushers aren't followers of real science

Now, given that vitamin D3 shows such a powerful effect in preventing influenza -- with 800% increased efficacy over vaccines -- shouldn't CDC officials, doctors and health authorities be rushing to recommend vitamin D before flu season arrives?

Of course they should. But they won't. Because for them, it's not about actually preventing influenza and it never has been. The vaccine pushing camp is primarily interested in using influenza as an excuse to vaccinate more people regardless of whether such vaccines are useful (or safe).

Even if vitamin D offered 100% protection against all influenza infections, they still wouldn't recommend it.

Why? Because they flatly don't believe in nutrition! It runs counter to their med school programming which says that nutrients are useless and only drugs, vaccines and surgery count as real medicine.

The vaccine pushers, you see, aren't followers of real science. You could publish a hundred studies proving how vitamin D is many times more effective than vaccines and they still would never recommend it.

They are promoters of medical dogma rather than real solutions for patients. They promote vaccines because... well... that's what they've always promoted, and that's what their colleagues promote. And how could so many smart people be wrong, anyway?

But that's the history of science: A whole bunch of really smart people turn out to be wrong on a regular basis. That's usually how science advances, by the way: A new idea challenges an old assumption, and after all the defenders of the old (wrong) idea die off, science manages to inch its way forward against the hoots and heckles of a determined dogmatic resistance.

This attitude is blatantly reflected in a quote from Dr John Oxford, a professor of virology at Queen Mary School of Medicine in London, whose reaction to this study was: "This is a timely study. It will be noticed by scientists. It fits in with the seasonal pattern of flu. There is an increasing background of solid science that makes the vitamin D story credible. But this study needs to be replicated. If it is confirmed we might think of giving vitamin D at the same time as we vaccinate." (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/ne...)

Did you notice his concluding remark? He wasn't even considering the idea that vitamin D might replace vaccines. Rather, he's assuming vitamin D only has value if given together with vaccines!

You see this in the cancer industry, too, with anti-cancer herbs and nutrients. Any time an anti-cancer nutrient gains some press (which isn't very often), the cancer doctor will say things like, "Well, this might be useful to give to a patient after chemotherapy..." but never as a replacement for chemo, you see.

Many mainstream doctors and medical scientists are simply incapable of thinking outside the very limiting boxes into which their brains have been shoved through years of de-education in medical schools. When they see evidence contrary to what they've been taught, they foolishly dismiss it.

"The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible." - Bertrand Russell

  To order your vitamin D click HERE                                                                                                 

Medical journals as guardians of ignorance

Medical journals largely function not as beacons of scientific truth but as defenders of pseudoscientific dogma. To have your paper published in most journals, your paper must meet the expectations and beliefs of that journal's editor. Thus, the advancement of scientific knowledge reflected in each journal is limited to the current beliefs of just one person -- the editor of that journal.

Truly pioneering research that challenges the status quo is almost always rejected. Only papers that confirm the presently-held beliefs of the journal's editorial staff are accepted for publication. This is one reason why medical science, in particular, advances so slowly.

Studies that show vitamin D to be more effective than vaccines will rarely see the light of day in the scientific community. It is to the great credit of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, in fact, that it accepted the publication of this paper by Mitsuyoshi Urashima. Most medical journals wouldn't dare touch it because it questions status quo beliefs about vaccines and influenza.

Medical journals, you see, are largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry. And Big Pharma doesn't want to see any studies lending credibility to vitamins, regardless of their scientific merit. Even if vitamin D could save America billions of dollars in reduced health care costs (which it can, actually), they don't want vitamin D to receive any scientific backing whatsoever because drug companies can't patent vitamin D. It's readily available to everyone for mere pennies a day.

In time, it will be recognized as superior to vaccines for seasonal flu, but for now, we must all suffer under the foolish propaganda of an industry that has abandoned science and now worships a needle.

To order your Vitamin D TODAY click HERE

Have a Healthy and Successful Vitamin D Filled Day!

Are You Deficient in B Vitamins

Did you know 80% of the population is deficient in B12?
Vitamin B12 depletion and deficiency are much more common than previously thought, especially in the over-60 population. Equally disturbing are emerging signs that other age groups harbor suboptimal blood levels of B12 as well.

Why is vitamin B12 deficiency such a big deal?

Your body depends on vitamin B12 for a host of functions, including…

Helping to maintain normal energy levels
Promoting healthy neurological activity, including mental alertness
Supporting normal homocysteine levels for healthy cardiac function
Helping to ease occasional stress and sleeplessness
Maintaining healthy cell growth and repair
Promoting normal immune function
Supporting normal metabolism of carbohydrates and fats
When your blood levels of vitamin B12 are low, one or more of these functions may be disrupted.

Without adequate blood levels of B12, you can experience symptoms related to low energy, mental fatigue, mood changes, sleep difficulties, and even occasional indigestion.

Your body relies on the efficient conversion of carbohydrates to glucose – your body’s source of fuel – just like your car needs to be able to use gas to run smoothly. Vitamin B12 plays a major role in that conversion in your body. Likewise, B12 enables your body to convert fatty acids into energy as well.

Overall, vitamin B12 is a nutrient your body cannot do without for efficient, healthy metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.

The older you get the more likely you are to have a vitamin B12 deficiency.  The two ways that you become deficient in vitamin B12 are from not getting enough in your diet and from losing the ability to absorb it. Also the older you get the more your digestive system breaks down, especially if you have been following the standard American diet. Specifically the lining of your stomach gradually loses its ability to produce hydrochloric acid which releases vitamin B 12 from your food. The use of antacids or anti ulcer drugs will also lower your stomach acid secretion and decrease your ability to absorb vitamin B 12.  Infection with Helicobactor pylori, a common contributor to stomach ulcers, can also result in vitamin B12 deficiency.

If you often feel tired, run-down, and lacking in energy, you're not alone.  Low energy is one of our country's biggest health complaints.

Some of the top reasons for this are: 

Refined foods sold in grocery stores are depleted of vital nutrients...
Refined foods are loaded with sugar...
Refined foods are full of chemicals...
Refined foods are overloaded with food colorings; and...
Refined foods are loaded with preservatives...
...but it doesn't stop there, either. 

Add the harmful effects of caffeine, pollution, conventional therapies, and the stress most of us experience everyday... and you've got yourself a recipe for energy drain.

Not many know it, but if you or a family member experience: 

Tiredness and feelings of weakness...
Less-than-optimal nervous system functioning...
Less-than-optimal eye health...
Loss of appetite and unintended weight loss...
Occasional constipation and gas...
Feelings of mild moodiness...
Less-than-optimal memory...
A tendency toward nervousness...
Less-than-optimal balance...
Less-than-optimal liver or heart health...
Premature grey hair...
Occasional digestive issues...
...you may need to supplement with vitamin B12, even if you eat foods rich in B12.

You can eat plenty of meat, poultry, lamb's liver, brewer's yeast, clams, eggs, herring, mackerel, kidneys, milk, dairy products, or seafood -- and still have low levels of B12.  How can that be?

It could be because your body is unable to absorb it from your gut.  You see B12 needs the help of a protein in order to be absorbed.  That protein is called intrinsic factor.  And because the lining of your stomach makes intrinsic factor, people with less-than-optimal gastrointestinal health often need to supplement with B12. 

Thus, the need for supplementation

Don't be fooled by supplements out on the market today! The absorption of  vitamins in a pill, liquid, capsule, tablet or gelcap just don't cut it. The absorption rate is less than 50% in those forms. So if you want a supplement that has up to 95% absorption and is the most powerful delivery system taken orally click HERE to get more information.

Have a Healthy and Successful Vitamin B Day!


Source Dr Mercola

11 Nice Ways to Say 'No' to Food Pushers This Holiday Season

Politely Turn Down Food at Parties and Gatherings
By Erin Whitehead

During the holiday season, food temptations are everywhere. From stuffing and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving to eggnog and sugar cookies in December, the seasonal temptations are endless. It can be tough enough to navigate the turkey buffet without having your great aunt force an extra helping of potatoes on your plate or resisting Grandma Dolly's pleas that you take a second piece of her famous apple pie.

Food pushers range from well-intentioned loved ones to total diet saboteurs.  Regardless of their motivation, it's important to stick to your guns. You can always be honest and say that you're simply trying to eat healthier, but if that response gets ignored (or doesn't come easily), the following retorts to their food-forcing ways will keep you in control of what goes on your plate and in your mouth!

Note: These tips work year-round at birthday parties, family get-togethers and Sunday brunches with friends alike!

The Push: "It's my specialty, you have to try it!"

Your Response: "I will in a bit!"

Why It Works: Stalling is a great tactic with food pushers. Odds are the offender won't follow you around making sure you actually try the dish. If they catch up with you by the end of the party to ask what you thought, tell them that it slipped your mind but you'll be sure to try it next time.

The Push: "This [insert name of high-calorie dish] is my favorite. You'll love it!"

Your Response: "I had some already—so delicious!"

Why It Works: A white lie in this situation isn't going to hurt anybody. You'll get out of eating food you don't want or need, and the food pusher will have gotten a compliment on what probably is a delicious dish.

The Push: "It's just once a year!"

Your Response: "But I'll probably live to celebrate more holidays if I stick with my diet plan!"

Why It Works: People can sometimes see healthy eating as vain—a means to the end result of losing weight and looking better. It's harder for a food pusher to argue with you if you bring attention to the fact that you eat right and  exercise for better health and a longer life. Looking good just happens to be a side effect!

The Push: "Looks like someone is obsessed with dieting…"

Your Response: "I wouldn't say obsessed, but I am conscious of what I eat."

Why It Works: Words like "food snob" or "obsessed" are pretty harsh when they're thrown around by food pushers. But don't let passive-aggressive comments like this bring you down—or make you veer away from your good eating intentions. Acknowledging your willpower and healthy food choices might influence others to be more conscious of what they eat. Sometimes you just have to combat food pushers with a little straightforward kindness.

The Push: "If you don't try my dish, I'm just going to have to force you to eat it!"

Your Response: "Sorry, but I don't like (or can't eat) [insert ingredient here]."

Why It Works: It's hard to argue with someone's personal food preferences. If someone doesn't like an ingredient whether its sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or butter, odds are that he or she hasn't liked it for a very long time. If you'd like to get creative with this one, go into detail about how you got sick on the ingredient as a kid or how your mom says you always threw it across the room as a baby. Who can argue with that?

The Push: "You need some meat on your bones."

Your Response: "Trust me, I'm in no danger of wasting away!"

Why It Works: This food push is definitely on the passive-aggressive side. Using humor to fight back will defuse any tension while making it clear where you stand.

The Push: "One bite isn't going to kill you."

Your Response: "I know, but once you pop you can't stop! And I'm sure it's so delicious I wouldn't be able to stop!"

Why It Works: This is another situation where humor will serve to distract the food pusher from his or her mission. It's a way to say "thanks, but no thanks" while making it clear that you're not interested in overindulging.

The Push: "But it's your favorite!"

Your Response: "I think I've overdosed on it; I just can't eat it anymore!"

Why It Works: If you have a favorite holiday dish that everyone knows you love, it can be especially tough to escape this push. If a loved one made the dish specifically for you, the guilt can be enough to push you over the edge. But people understand that food preferences change, and most have been in that situation of enjoying a dish so much that they can't touch it for awhile.

The Push: [Someone puts an extra helping on your plate without you asking.]

Your Response: Push it around with your fork like you did as a kid to make it look like you tried it.

Why It Works: While putting food on someone else's plate can be viewed as passive-aggressive, it was probably done with love. (Let's hope!) Making it look like you ate a bite or two can be an easy way out of the situation, but you can also just leave it alone and claim that you've already had your fill. (After all, you didn't add that extra helping!)

The Push: "Have another drink!"

Your Response: "I have to drive."

Why It Works: No one will argue with the fact that you want to drive home sober. If they do, you should have no qualms walking away from the conversation, period. If they offer a place for you to stay, you can always get out of the situation by blaming an early morning commitment or the fact that you need to get home to let the dog out. Kids will also get you out of everything.

The Push: "We have so many leftovers. Take some!"

Your Response: "That's OK! Just think, you'll have your meals for tomorrow taken care of."

Why It Works: Not every party guest wants to deal with the hassle of taking food with them, and this makes it clear that you'd rather the food stay. If the host is insistent, you can feign worry that they'll go bad in the car because you're not going straight home, or it'll go bad in your fridge because you've already been given so many leftovers at other parties recently. Or be polite and take them. You'll have more control of your food intake away from the party anyway. So whether you don't eat the leftovers at all or whether you split a piece of pie with your spouse, you're in control in this situation.

These tactics can work wonders in social situations, but honesty is sometimes the best policy. A simple "No, thank you" is hard for a food pusher to beat, especially if it's repeated emphatically. Remember, too, that it's okay to have treats in moderation, so don't deprive yourself of your favorite holiday  foods
Just make sure that you're the one in control of your splurges—not a friend, family member or co-worker who doesn't know your fitness and health goals!


Do you have a favorite way to say, "No, thank you," to food pushers? Share your strategies in the comments section to the below. 

Have a Healthy and Successful Holiday Season!

7 Ways to Eat Mindfully

From Professor Brian Wansink, PhD, the author of Mindless Eating

Here are seven essential tidbits from Wansink:

1. People who stock up at discount stores eat up to 48 percent more. If you buy in bulk, put pretzels and other snacks in portion-size Baggies. Never, never, ever eat out of the box.

2. The longer you sit at the table, the more you'll eat. Dine with one friend, you'll eat about 35 percent more. With a group of seven, you'll eat 96 percent more. if you're trying to lose weight, eat alone or with the smallest group possible, and pace yourself with the lightest eater.

3. If you pre-plate your food in the kitchen, you'll eat 14 percent less than if you serve yourself a smaller portion at the table and then take seconds.

4. Brian's rule of two: When eating at a buffet, put only two items at a time on your plate. Even if you make repeated trips, you'll eat a lot less.

5. Always eat in the same room of your house (but not in front of a TV or computer). You won't snack as much.

6. Don't leave serving dishes on the table unless they're filled with vegetables.

7. A Butterfinger or a hug? What do you really want? Physical hunger builds gradually. Emotional hunger develops suddenly.


Have a Healthy and Successful Food Controlled Day!

Three ways apple cider vinegar benefits weight loss

(NaturalNews) Vinegar is a traditional folk remedy long valued for its many health benefits. Recent research shows at least three ways in which the traditional healers were on the right track at least when it comes to weight loss. A 2006 review article in the "Medscape Journal of Medicine" concludes vinegar may have a role in blood sugar control and appetite suppression. Other studies show vinegar may also promote weight loss by preventing fat accumulation through its impact on insulin secretion.

If you want to cut down on nibbling between meals try vinegar. In a 2005 study in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," scientists fed bread plus low, medium or high amounts of vinegar to twelve healthy subjects, while the control group ate plain bread. Those who received the vinegar felt fuller than the control group, and the effect increased with the amount of vinegar ingested. While vinegar soaked bread may not be your favorite dish, you might try sipping vinegar in water along with your meal or having a salad dressed with vinegar and oil. Be sure to brush your teeth after sipping vinegar as it can be hard on tooth enamel.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes or who are pre-diabetic may benefit from vinegar's apparent ability to stabilize glucose. A 2007 study reported in "Diabetes Care" followed 11 people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but who were not taking insulin. Every night for 3 nights they ingested either 2 tablespoons of either apple cider vinegar or water plus some cheese. The results showed drinking vinegar at bedtime had a significant and favorable impact on waking, or fasting, glucose concentrations even among the subjects who were taking hypoglycemic medications during the study.

By promoting stable blood sugar vinegar may help prevent the sugar crashes that encourage you to wolf down the nearest source of carbohydrates, shooting your blood sugar back up and starting the cycle all over again. In the 2005 study of vinegar and satiety, the scientists also evaluated blood samples to determine vinegar's impact on glucose and insulin levels. The low and intermediate vinegar groups had significantly lower blood glucose levels at 15 and 30 minutes, which continued to be measurable at 90 minutes for the high vinegar group. Similarly, the intermediate group enjoyed lower insulin levels at 15 minutes, the high group at 30 minutes.

In a 2004 study in "Diabetes Care," insulin-resistant individuals who drank vinegar and water followed by a meal enjoyed significantly improved insulin sensitivity compared to a control group. The study authors concluded that vinegar's effects may be similar to those of some popular diabetes drugs. Of course given the connection between insulin levels and fat storage, these results support vinegar's use as a fat burning food.

Animal studies offer further proof of the value of drinking vinegar to lose weight. Scientists in Pakistan mixed apple cider vinegar with food given to diabetic and non-diabetic rats. The result was significantly lower LDL and higher HDL cholesterol in the non-diabetic rats. Similarly, the diabetic rats enjoyed significantly lower triglyceride levels and raised levels of HDL cholesterol. In a 2009 study which used mice as subjects, acetic acid (the main ingredient in vinegar) was associated with reduced liver lipids and less fat accumulation.

The brand I love to drink is Omega's Certified-Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made the "old fashioned" way, by allowing the natural fermentation process to occur to full-strength (5% acidity), without chemicals, additives, preservatives or water.

Have a Healthy and Successful ACV Day!

Are You at Risk for Prediabetes?

Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes"—blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

 To help address prediabetes, as well as prevent type 2 diabetes look at these simple yet healthy lifestyle changes.

Exercise More- exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone, and it's especially important for people with both prediabetes and diabetes. But exercise doesn't necessarily mean running a marathon or bench-pressing 300 pounds. Exercise is about moving your mass. Take a daily walk, swimming, or playing with the kids. Make the effort to move more often.

Maintain a healthy weight- if you are overweight, the more pounds you lose, the less your chance of developing diabetes. Talk with a weight management coach or nutritionist about what a healthy weight looks like for you. Then set a weight goal and take action! 

Eat a low glycemic diet- choose low glycemic foods from carbohydrates, proteins and fats.  Incorporate fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein and monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats (such as extra virgin olive oil & fatty fish) into your diet. 

Follow these three steps and you will be well on your way to becoming healthy again. To have these three components at your finger tips contact me about getting started on the TLS Weight Loss Solution health program.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

How's your Immune System?

Are you one of those people who seem to "catch" every bug out there? Do colds and other respiratory infections seem to hang around day after day or week after week? 

It is true that our immune system weakens with age, which is why the flu can be fatal in the elderly. Nutrition plays a key role in staying healthy during the cold and flu season. It is my belief that with a proper diet and supplementation there is no need to get the flu shot. So before the next cold and flu season hits (it might have started already) give your diet a "shot in the arm".

Here are some tips to boost your immune system and stay out of the doctors office.

Foods:

Foods high in protein like lean chicken, fish, beans and eggs are the foundation to a healthy immune system.  It's key for antibodies and white blood cells which seek and destroy germs and cancer cells. Many proteins are great sources of zinc, iron, and many B vitamins. Aim for 3 to 4 ounces twice daily.

Brazil nuts are full of selenium which is an anti-oxidant that protects cells from free radical damage. Selenium also speeds up the white blood cells to kill off germs. Aim for 200 micrograms per day. You will also find selenium in salmon, crab, tuna, shrimp and mushrooms. Between 30-40 micrograms per 3 ounce serving of seafood.

Pumpkin seeds contain about 6 milligrams of zinc which is a very beneficial nutrient for immune health. The older we get the more deficient we tend to get. Typically aim for 11 milligrams for men and 8 milligrams for woman. If you tend to get sick often you may want to aim for 30 milligrams daily. Now that's a lot of pumpkin seeds! You will also find zinc in oysters, ginger root, pecans and dry split peas.

Garlic has very strong antibacterial properties especially when eaten raw and is a virus killer. Aim for a clove a day. For a great article on garlic click HERE.

Rainbow of vegetables and fruits are full of antioxidants which not only strengthen the immune but also fights off free radicals. Antioxidants work best when mixed together so the greater variety of colored veggies and fruits the better. Aim for 7-10 servings a day. Blueberries and red grapes are packed with antioxidants! 

 

Supplements are supposed to be just that, supplements. Unfortunately most people do not even get the minimum amount of nutrients yet alone the optimum amounts vitamins and minerals.  With our very busy lifestyles supplements are almost always needed to strengthen our immune systems. Just be careful in your choice of supplements.

Majority on the market today can not be digested due to the binders, coatings and fillers. The cheaper the vitamin the better the chance no digestion will take place. I use personally Isotonix. For more information on this brand click HERE  

You can also look back at a past blog on about choosing supplements, click HERE to read now.  

So what supplements should you choose? One way to find out is to take a nutrition analysis. Based on your answers to 91 questions for men and 94 questions for woman I can find out what nutrition deficiencies you may have. Email me a request at coachmask@rogers.com and you will receive a FREE analysis. For basic recommendations I suggest the following:

1) Super antioxidant (OPC) to read more on this super antioxidant click HERE. Or watch this quick 2 minute video.

Vitamin D is very powerful vitamin. The research done on this vitamin is endless.

Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and even effects diabetes and obesity. Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. To read more click HERE. To get optimum vitamin D look at taking 1,000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight

Vitamin C  is another powerful antioxidant to keep the immune system optimal. Vitamin C plays a significant role in a variety of metabolic functions. It strengthens the immune system. It helps in the synthesis of collagen, which strengthens the cardiovascular system. Because our need for vitamin C is so high during the immune robbing times of winter it is recommended you supplement with 1000-2000 milligrams daily.

Green tea is believed to be one of the main reasons for the Japanese to have lower rates of disease. Green tea is a major storehouse of immunity-boosting compounds. Some research suggests that green tea is helpful for fending off the bugs that cause flu and diarrhea, pneumonia, whooping cough and even cavities. Aim for 2-3 cups daily for optimal benefits.

Off the menu items include refined sugars and starches. Sugary and starchy foods ( which convert easily into sugar in the body) deliver a double whammy to the immune system. Eating sugar is like giving  Valium to your white blood cells, knocking them out so they can't kill off germs.

Saturated and Trans fat like burgers, red meat or fried chicken are best avoided to keep your immune system healthy. Eating too much of these fatty foods causes inflammation which will inhibit immune functions. Remember,  eating healthy fats like salmon, avocado's or flaxseed are good to eat and may also help improve immune function.

Alcohol temporarily "intoxicates" your immune system, reducing the ability of all cells to fight those pesky germs. So stay away from the "hot totties" as they do more harm than good.

I hope this will help pave the way to a healthy immune system for you this fall and winter.

To order your Isotonix supplements click HERE now!

Have a Healthy and Successful Winter!

Lasting weight loss comes from health and nutrition not 'diet drinks' or 'diet foods'

(NaturalNews) Pop culture is full of dietary advice, usually focused on short-term weight loss. Often the emphasis on calories and fat content in food causes people to eat unhealthy to lose weight. The same as they did to gain the extra pounds in the first place. They simply replace one type of unhealthy food habit with another. Here are some common-sense, health-wise tips to help you gain perspective on diet and nutrition and lose weight naturally.

1. Observe your body from the perspective of living inside of it. Most people live unconsciously in their bodies, unaware of their organs, muscles and joints except when they experience pain or some sense of body dysfunction. This tendency to ignore and neglect the body often results in eating whatever seems easiest and most readily available. Overtime, this can result in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Many people live outside their bodies, observing them only as objects, concerned about their bodies meeting some physical ideal from a magazine. This can result in a style of dieting which robs the body of nutrients. Someone who thinks of their body this way may fast to become thin but still struggle to climb a small hill. Or they may spend hours on the treadmill without stretching sufficiently, becoming more vulnerable to injury.

Instead of either of these extremes, notice how your body feels. Do you feel as much energy as you did ten years ago? Are your joints as flexible as they were a decade ago?

2. Think of every meal as an opportunity to improve your health. A couch potato tends to think of food solely in terms of satisfying false needs -- the temporary sense of emotional comfort derived from eating certain foods, and the feeling of security that comes from a full stomach. An obsessive dieter, on the other hand, thinks of food as an enemy, and tries to sneak past enemy lines at meals by strategically ingesting few calories. This tends to result in shortsighted choices -- avoiding fats entirely, for example, which can leave the body vulnerable to the aging effects of free radicals which are inhibited by healthy fats. Also, many people react against the sense of deprivation this type of dieting causes and end up overeating.

The healthy eater, on the other hand, deliberately chooses foods which benefit their body -- providing energy as well as nutrients for long-term health. Educate yourself about your unique health profile and select foods which help combat those conditions you already have or are vulnerable to because of genetics or other factors. Notice how certain fruits and vegetables
make you feel.

3. Replace commercially prepared foods with natural whole foods. That frozen dinner that seems like a "calorie bargain" -- promising to satisfy your hunger while still remaining under a set calorie limit -- may harbor hidden dangers. Many frozen foods contain MSG and other chemicals that affect the nervous system in a way which can over-stimulate the appetite, leaving you with the desire to overeat. The same is true for many snack foods advertised as "healthy" or "natural." Diet sodas pose a similar danger, offering the lure of zero/low calories but causing a spike in blood sugar levels.

4. Stock up on an array of healthy snacks and keep some wherever you feel most vulnerable to food cravings -- your home, your office or your car. Buy nuts, seeds, dried fruits (with no sugar or chemicals added) as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.

5. Make your it your goal to feel healthy, energetic, more relaxed, stronger and more flexible as well as specifics related to any conditions revealed by a physical exam like high blood pressure or high blood sugar. Let weight loss be a natural side-effect of gaining health. This type of approach is easier to maintain over the long run and will help you avoid the "yo-yo dieting" effect.

The only way to long term weight-loss success is a healthy diet and some sort of exercise. 

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Bee Superfood

(Food Matters) The Egyptians wrote about it back in 5500 B.C., the Indians used it for their religious ceremonies in 1000 B.C. and even the Babylonians have been noted to use it in their medicinal practices. The western world actually discovered the benefits of bee superfoods by accident during an investigation of native Russian Beekeepers who regularly lived past 100 years of age who ate raw honey, rich in bee pollen, every day.

Royal Jelly - Royal Jelly is a milk like secretion from the head glands of the worker bees. The queen bee lives almost exclusively on royal jelly and she lives around 40 times longer than the rest of the bees. Royal Jelly is a powerhouse of nutrients containing every nutrient necessary to support life. It is the worlds richest source of pantothenic acid (also known as Vitamin B5), which is known to combat stress, fatigue and insomnia and is a vital nutrient for healthy skin and hair.

Bee Pollen - Bee pollen is collected by bees from flowering plants and formed into granules. Bee pollen is the most complete food found in nature and has five to seven times more protein than beef. It is especially beneficial for the extra nutritional and energy needs of athletes and those recovering from illness. It is a natural antidote for fighting allergies particulary hayfever and sinusitus. Research shows that pollen counteracts the signs of aging and increases both mental and physical capability.

Propolis - Propolis is the substance that bees coat the walls of their hives with and bee hives have often been referred to as the most antiseptic places in nature. The powerful antibiotic properties of propolis can help protect humans from bacteria and can strengthen our immune system. Propolis works against viruses, something that antibiotics cannot do. Research shows that taking propolis during the high risk 'cold and flu' season reduces colds, coughing and inflammation of the mouth, tonsils and throat.

For more info on how foods can help chronic health challenges watch the movie trailer of one of my favorite movies.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Are You Missing the Most Obvious Source to Good Health?

What are you drinking?

Do you feel tired? Have you gained weight? Do you look older than you feel you should?

The answer may be in what you are drinking and how much.

WATER - WATER - WATER

Natures Cure!

Coach Mask want's to educate you on the extreme importance of water.

Did you know that many health issues can be directly related to dehydration? Nearly every function of the body is monitored and linked to the efficient flow of water through the body.

Here are some basic facts that may open your eyes:

>Water makes up 75% of the body; therefore you need to stay well hydrated to operate at your peak potential.

>75% of Canadians are chronically dehydrated. If you feel thirsty, have a headache, feel fatigued, have dry eyes and mouth, dry chapped lips, loss of appetite, dark circles around your eyes, are irritable, or have urine dark in color, it’s your body letting you know that it needs hydration (WATER - not soda, coffee, sports drinks or anything else). Listen to your body!

>In 37% of Canadians, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. Knowing this, it’s no wonder the obesity rate is skyrocketing. Instead of grabbing a snack, try drinking a big glass of water first.

Water is crucial to our health! For those who are dieting it is especially beneficial as it helps suppress your appetite, reduces body fat, maintains muscle tone, eliminates toxins and waste, increases energy and has zero calories.

>Even mild dehydration will slow down the metabolism as much as 3%.

>A mere 2% drop in the body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short term memory, difficulty focusing on small print, such as a computer screen, and trouble with basic math.

If you experiencing any of these, DRINK UP!

Why your body can’t function without water and therefore some possible consequences you may be experiencing:

Water forms the fluids that surround the joints; arthritis
Water forms the base for saliva; poor digestion, acid reflux
Water serves as a lubricant; dry eyes, skin and mouth
Water regulates the metabolism; weight gain or obesity
Water helps alleviate constipation; digestive issues
Water regulates the body temperature; hot flashes, fatigue

Water can aid in prevention of diseases. If the body isn't being flushed out regularly with water, toxins can build up and cause life threatening diseases. Keeping hydrated and clear of toxins can:

Cut Colon cancer by 45%
Cut Bladder Cancer by 50%
Cut Breast Cancer by 79%

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Which would you rather do? Drink refreshing, clean water now or deal with cancer later? Now that may scare you and I hope it does. Take this information to heart and it may just save a lot of problems down the road.

Not all water is created equal.

Most tap water in the Canada is acidic (having the pH below 7.0). Because of weak guide lines, unfortunately most commercially sold bottled water is also acidic. The pH of drinking water varies from area to area, depending on the mineral concentrations, and other additives used in the processing of the water system such as chlorine, fluorides, etc.

Alkaline water is water having a pH above 7.0. The higher the pH of the drinking water, the more effective it is in combating the damaging effects of acids on the body.

Maintaining an alkaline pH will keep the body in optimum health. When the body is alkaline it is able to fight off disease, when the body becomes too acidic the body can become weak and disease can take over.

Scientists report that over 150 or more degenerative diseases are caused by high acid levels. Fortunately parasites, viruses, bad bacteria and disease cannot live in an alkaline body.

Knowing that statement alone is why I highly recommend drinking alkaline water.

Read the article Alkaline vs. Acid from Coach Mask for a more detailed explanation of the importance of maintaining an alkaline lifestyle. Click HERE to read now!

You may be thinking:

How much water is enough for you?

On average, a person should drink a minimum of eight 8 ounce glasses a day. That’s about 1.8 liters.

Another method to determine water consumption would be to drink 55-65% of your body weight in fluid ounces.

Don’t worry; I am going to give you some simple and achievable steps to help you get there.

12 Tips to Help Drink 8 Cups of Water a Day

Call to action – Start day 1 by replacing at least one soda or coffee with 1- 8oz glass of water.
When first starting, drink one glass of water and increase by one every day until you get up to 8 glasses per day. This is particularly helpful for those who are not avid water drinkers.
Add lemon, lime, orange or a favorite tea to liven up the flavor. Have it cold or try it warm.
Splurge on a reusable stainless steel water bottle – it will keep it cold and you look good too. Fill it up often.
Become a water snob – Get an alkaline filter and you will never go back to regular water (suggestions below).
Drink and Drive- (water that is) Always take water with you; start programming yourself so you want water when you’re in the car.
Drink your vitamins – There are several powdered vitamins that you can mix with water that will give you even more added benefits.
Water with dinner – Fill it up! Drink a glass before you eat, you will eat less while meeting your water needs.
Filter It – If you’re not drinking alkaline water at lease use a quality filtration system.
Pace yourself – If you are out socializing have a glass of water in between drinks or appetizers. This will limit your food consumption, but it also helps to counteract alcohol’s dehydrating effects.
Combine Habits – Incorporate water with already established habits. While you read, have a glass of water. Workout, make sure you have your water bottle with you. Watching a favorite show or on the computer, incorporate a cup of tea. Incorporating water into existing habits will increase the likeness of creating a new habit and sticking to it.
Break time – instead of smoke break or a gossip break, take a water break. Turn a bad habit into a good one!



There is nothing that can replace water. Train yourself to reach for a glass.

Check out more information at Coach Mask's blog and learn how to make you and your family healthy and feeling great!

For the water filtration system I use in my home click HERE

Have a Healthy and Successful Water Filled Day!