Recharge with the Right Drink

Summer heat combined with baseball, soccer, tennis or other outdoor activities can lead to thirsty — and potentially dehydrated — kids. Sure, water is always a good choice. But sometimes kids are looking for a little more flavor punch. So what are your options?

Skip the Soda

Although kids may beg for a soda, stand your ground and resist. Sodas bubble with high levels of caffeine and sugar, an unhealthy combination for anyone. In fact, a 12-ounce can contains about 25 to 60 milligrams of caffeine and a whopping 10 teaspoons of sugar. Even sugar-free sodas still contain acids that can damage children’s tooth enamel and cause tummy troubles.

Sugary, caffeinated sodas also cause a dramatic blood sugar spike and drop that can leave kids tired and edgy. Children are typically more sensitive to caffeine. Yet caffeine’s long-term effects on children’s growing and developing bodies haven’t been sufficiently researched. But caffeine is known to negatively affect sleeping patterns in children. Even if children are able to go to sleep after drinking caffeine, they may not get restorative, deep sleep. The resulting sleep deficit affects health, school performance and behavior. Too much caffeine can also lead to headaches and restlessness in children.

Serve Up Refreshing Nutrition

When it’s time for your child to recharge, serve Reliv’s Cool Punch Innergize!®, a naturally flavored sports drink that includes essential vitamins and minerals to restore energy and prevent dehydration. It offers the flavor kick kids love with the nutrition they need at just 70 calories a serving.

Plus, Innergize! doesn’t contain any simple table sugar (sucrose). Rather, it supplies energy through a combination of fructose and complex carbohydrates that are more efficiently absorbed and used by the body to produce energy. Innergize! also contains key minerals to maintain electrolyte balance and provides 100 percent of the RDI for Vitamin C. And Innergize! is easy to tote along to games by the bottle full or by the quart.

To learn more or Order Innergize click on the link below:
http://Katrina.reliv.com

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Our products are designed to provide optimal, balanced nutrition and to target specific wellness needs.

Why Apples are Good For You

Why apples are good for you
Pamela Campbell

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Some think it’s an old wives tale, but science is proving that it’s true.

A recent study reported by the national Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that adults who eat apples, drink apple juice and have applesauce reduce their risk for developing metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with a number of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The study revealed that adults who consumed apples and apple products on a regular basis reduced their risk for metabolic syndrome by 27 percent. They were also 21 percent less likely to have an increased weight circumference and they had lower blood pressure, two factors that also made them less likely to develop metabolic syndrome.

In addition to helping to protect you from metabolic syndrome, apples have numerous other health benefits. They contain many phytonutrients that function as antioxidants and support your heart health. They contain flavonoids, which prevent inflammation, the clumping together of blood platelets and help regulate your blood pressure and overproduction of fat in your liver cells. They also aid in lung health.

Every apple provides four grams of dietary fiber that help keep your LDL cholesterol levels under control.

It’s important to remember to always eat the skins of apples as they contain higher levels of antioxidants. Consider buying organic apples or, if you buy them off the shelf at the supermarket, make sure to wash them thoroughly before eating them.

Look for firm apples with rich coloring. Yellow and green apples with a slight blush are best. If you like sweet apples, choose Red and Golden Delicious brands. If you like slightly tart apples, try Braeburn and Fuji apples. Granny Smith, Pippin and Gravenstein are the most tart and retain their texture best during cooking.

When choosing apple juice, look for juice that is cloudy rather than clear as this means that its processing has preserved more of the phytonutrients.

Cheers!
Katrina van Oudheusden
Reliv Independent Distributor
http://katrina.reliv.com

Another Reason to Fill Up on Fiber

Fiber has been at the forefront lately for all its benefits, from treating and preventing constipation to lowering cholesterol and helping with weight loss. But there’s another, less frequently mentioned benefit: fiber can also prevent diverticulosis.

Diverti-what? Diverticulosis is a condition where small pouches develop in the colon and bulge outward through weak spots. It is a fairly common problem that develops as we age. In fact, about half of all people over age 60 are affected.

Some people with diverticulosis don’t notice any symptoms. Others experience mild cramps, bloating and constipation. But the danger of diverticulosis is that the pouches, called diverticula, can become infected or inflamed causing diverticulitis. An attack of diverticulitis can occur suddenly and without warning. Symptoms include bowel pain, fever, nausea, and rectal bleeding. Tenderness on the left side of the lower abdomen is also a common sign of diverticulitis. If the pouches perforate, it can be a life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical attention.

Fiber to the Rescue

A high-fiber diet is key to preventing diverticulosis. Fiber helps make stools soft and easier to pass. It also prevents constipation, which can cause increased pressure on the colon and lead to the development of diverticula.

So bulk up your diet with plenty of fiber-rich fresh fruits and vegetables and whole wheat bread and pasta. The American Dietetic Association recommends you eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day.

A medium apple or pear with skin each has 4 grams of fiber. One-half cup of cooked broccoli has 2.5 grams of fiber, while a half-cup of cooked kidney beans has 8 grams. And one slice of whole wheat bread contains 2 grams of fiber.

Another delicious way to help meet your daily fiber quota is with Reliv FibRestore®. Each serving gives you a full 10 grams of fiber, which is about one-third of the recommended daily amount. In addition to fiber, FibRestore also offers a unique combination of beneficial ingredients, including 21 herbs and a powerful package of antioxidants.

Click here to learn more about FibRestore

Cheers to your health!
www.relivingrecipes.com

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Our products are designed to provide optimal, balanced nutrition and to target specific wellness needs.

How to Prevent H1N1 without the Flu Shot

Here are some recommendations with the H1N1

Dr.Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist), having clinical experience of over 20 years.

The following message given by him; I feel it makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat.
In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t under estimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

***We are all so fortunate to know the benefits of Reliv and boosting our immune system

Also remember when just feeling a little under the weather ….. a cup of hot water with a scoop of Arthaffect + 1 scoop of Lemon Innergize = a delightful and healthy drink ….. Arthaffect is for inflammation and Innergize is hydration…. It’s yummy!

For more information on these products visit. http://katrina.reliv.com

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Our products are designed to provide optimal, balanced nutrition and to target specific wellness needs.

Take Steps to Improve Cholesterol

Many people nonchalantly visit the doctor for a routine check-up, have a few blood tests, and then whamo! Much to their surprise, they find out they have high cholesterol.

High cholesterol doesn’t offer any outward symptoms to send up a red flag that there’s a problem. But, along with high blood pressure, it’s a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

Cholesterol problems are known as lipid abnormalities, which include high total cholesterol, high LDL (“bad cholesterol”), low HDL (“good cholesterol) and high triglycerides.

Physicians often prescribe medications called statins to lower cholesterol. Unfortunately, while statins can be beneficial, they also can cause unpleasant side effects such as muscle pain or weakness, liver damage, headaches and digestive problems.

In addition to medication, physicians often recommend exercise and dietary changes to patients to improve their cholesterol levels. Adding at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three or more times a week can increase your “good” (HDL) cholesterol by 5-10 percent and lower triglycerides.

Certain foods can also help improve cholesterol levels, including:

• Avocados
• Barley
• Beans and lentils
• Fish
• Fresh vegetables and fruits, especially blueberries
• Oats and other whole grains
• Healthy fats such as olive oil, fish oil, flax
• Garlic
• Nuts and seeds, especially walnuts and almonds

 

Another Healthy Option
A healthier diet and regular exercise can definitely help your cholesterol levels. But here’s the kicker: Most studies and long-term follow-ups find most people fail to follow this lifestyle prescription. They may just rely on medication that sometimes still doesn’t lower cholesterol enough.

An easy way to further improve cholesterol levels — even if you also take statins — is through nutritional supplements. Soy and fiber each have been proven to improve lipid abnormalities and, in turn, benefit heart health. A recent multi-center, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study of Reliv Now® and FibRestore® found that these two nutritional supplements lowered risk factors for cardiovascular disease. See the study results.

Reliv’s CardioSentials® takes it a step further and works on multiple levels to support total heart health. CardioSentials has been clinically shown to reduce total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides for people with high cholesterol, as well as increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce blood glucose levels. Phytosterols help moderate cholesterol levels; policosanol helps maintain normal cholesterol and improve coronary blood flow; and an array of potent antioxidants help protect arterial walls and reduce lipid oxidation. View CardioSentials clinical study.

For more information or to order please visit:

http://katrina.reliv.com

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Our products are designed to provide optimal, balanced nutrition and to target specific wellness needs.