Kathe's seminar on health & wellness...

[Kathe]

I'm going to post my seminar on health & wellness. There is a lot of good information in this. I teach this in small group classes in homes and in chiropractic and doctors offices.

BECOMING HEALTHY

Presented by

Kathe Ray

RVP, Independent Consultant, Arbonne International

“Not produced or distributed by Arbonne International, Inc. These materials are not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with Arbonne International.”

Arbonne® is a registered trademark of Arbonne International

YOUR PERSONAL STORY

(Your personal story should be told at the beginning of the presentation. Your personal story should be relatable to the people you are speaking to. They should look at you and say to themselves, if she can do this, I can do this, too. They should feel your passion for what you are doing. Here is the story I tell):

Thank you all for being here tonight. I would like to thank (thank person who put the presentation together) for putting this presentation together. Here is a small gift from me as a thank you. (Be sure to make the host feel very special).

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Kathe Ray. I am a wife and a mom to 6 children ranging in age from 26 to 7. 4 I gave birth to and 2 were given to my in love when they came to me with my husband, Tom. Yes, we have quite a houseful. And they are one reason why I became a consultant with Arbonne.

We live in a world today where we are bombarded by so much. We are so busy. We live in the greatest nation in the world, yet the health of the average American is very poor. We are in constant stress and it is taking a huge toll on us. I wanted my life, and the life of my family to be different, so I started reading and reading and reading. What I learned I became passionate about sharing with others, especially women. I have personally known 5 women with breast cancer, 3 of whom died, all in their 30’s. It was almost unbearable on those families. I know so many women who are experiencing the heartbreak of infertility and miscarriage. When I learned the information that I’m going to share with you tonight I knew that I could not keep it to myself. I felt that if I could help just one person it would be worth it. We all want to make a difference in this world and this is my opportunity. Thank you for being here tonight and giving me the opportunity to share this with you. I hope that what I have to share with you tonight will make even a small difference in your life. If it does, please pass it along to someone you love. I am not a medical professional, just someone with experience and knowledge and a heart to share.

You all have a handout so you can take notes as I go along. There is a bit of information on the front and a place to take notes on the back. Also, if you have questions, please feel free to ask at any time. If you wonder about something, chances are that someone else will wonder the same thing so go ahead and ask. If I don’t know the answer, I promise you that I will find out and get back to you within 48 hours. I am passionate about helping you live a healthier lifestyle.

So let’s begin.

(At this point you will begin the presentation)

Do you, or someone you know, suffer from any of the following?

PMS
Hot Flashes
Migraine Headaches
Irregular Cycles
Mood Swings
Low Sex Drive
Cramps
Thyroid Imbalance
Uterine Fibroids
Blood Clots
Depression
Risk of Miscarriage
Osteoporosis
Inflammation
Insomnia
Elevated Blood Pressure
Fatigue
Acne
Allergies
Irregular Menstrual Flow
Memory Loss
Bone mass depletion
Breast Tenderness
Infertility
Fibrocystic Breasts
Thinning Hair
Breast Cancer Risk
Facial Hair
Fluid Retention
Unexplained Weight Gain

See your handout for more!

According to Dr. John Lee, M.D. there are well over 80 symptoms associated with hormone imbalance. If you have 3 or more of these symptoms, you may have hormonal imbalance. Go to www.johnleemd.com for more information & literature. The website address is on your handout.

WHAT ARE HORMONES?

¨ Hormones are manufactured from cholesterol. They have a very specific molecular structure. Any change – even in one atom – alters the function significantly. This is important to remember when we talk about synthetic hormones.

¨ Prescriptions are synthetic hormones. Synthetic progesterone is called progestin (the molecule has been changed). It was created to resemble, but does not and can not match. It cannot create natural hormonal balance if it’s not the same as our body manufactures from cholesterol. They are not bio-identical.

ESTROGEN & PROGESTERONE

Our 2 main reproductive hormones are Estrogen and Progesterone. These 2 hormones must work together and must maintain a delicate balance for optimal health.

These 2 hormones are never meant to be used by themselves!

ESTROGEN

¨ Stimulates a girl to go through puberty.
¨ Estrogen is produced in the ovary Ú cell proliferation
¨ Develops breasts
¨ Female curves around hips
¨ Starts Menstruation
¨ Female Face
¨ Signals ovary to get cells ready and mature within the ovary in a follicle - one egg per sac
¨ When one egg bursts through ovulation. During this time, estrogen is building up cells in the uterus (bloody lining).

Estrogen should be the dominant hormone during the first half of the monthly cycle

PROGESTERONE

¨ Is made in the sac that the egg came from, corpus luteum
¨ Corpus luteum makes about 20mg Progesterone per day
¨ Thickens lining of uterus with fiber, oxygen, nutrients
¨ Increases libido (sex drive) to increase chances of pregnancy

Ø If egg is fertilized, Progesterone keeps increasing to retain pregnancy until the placenta takes over Progesterone production. The placenta will increase progesterone production until it reaches approximately 400mg per day

Progesterone should be the dominant hormone during the second half of your monthly cycle

[Kathe]

HOW DO ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE

WORK TOGETHER?

Estrogen and Progesterone are meant to balance each other

1st Half of Cycle
Estrogen dominates
Estrogen builds tissue in uterus
Signals ovary to release egg
Cells multiply

2nd Half of Cycle
Progesterone dominates
Progesterone sheds excess tissue
Raises libido to fertilize
Cleanses excess, protects & balances the body

HOW DO THESE ESTROGEN & PROGESTERONE

GET OUT OF BALANCE?

¨ DIET

¨ ENVIRONMENT

¨ PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS

¨ STRESS

DIET

How many times have you heard the saying, “you are what you eat”? What we eat has a direct effect not only for our overall health but it also directly affects our hormones.

Ø Not enough Phytoestrogens (fermented soy, red clover) Phytoestrogens come from plants and certain foods. They are weak estrogens with the same molecular structure as the estrogens produced in our bodies. They are bio-identical. When these weaker estrogens are absorbed into the body, they take up space and there is no longer room for the harsher xenoestrogens that may cause more damage. When is the last time you had fermented soy or red clover?

Ø High sugar / refined starches stored in body as fat (fat stores and manufactures estrogen). Bodies love to hold onto excess estrogen and it stores it in our fatty tissues, which in turn makes it harder to get rid of the excess fat. The more sugar and refined starches eaten, the more fat and the more estrogen.

Ø Excess calories – creates body fat. Portion size has become a huge problem in our society. We’ve become used to eating large portions, even when eating out. Think of “biggie sizing” or “would you like a fry with that”. Simply, if you eat more than your body can process it will turn to fat. Try cutting your portions in half. When going out to eat, ask for a take out box with your meal and put half of your meal in the box before you even start eating. Or split a meal with someone else.

Ø Data compiled by the US Department of Agriculture indicates that at least 40% of people in America routinely consume a diet containing only 60% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 10 most important nutrients.

Ø We live in an environment rich in Free Radicals. Free radicals are destructive compounds in the environment and in our bodies that cause aging and breakdown of the cells in our body. Degenerative diseases such as cancer, coronary heart disease and the aging of the skin is in large part due to free radicals. Free radicals come from things such as: air pollution, alcohol, chlorinated water, constipation without regular daily bowel movements, high consumption of trans fats, pesticides and fertilizers, stress, tobacco smoke, and the use of petroleum by-products and animal by-products in personal care products which absorb into our skin and more.

WHAT ARE VITAMINS & MINERALS?

VITAMINS are organic substances (plant foods) necessary to sustain life. They are essential, meaning required, for our bodies to function at peak performance. They are necessary for growth, vitality and well being. They are found in small quantities in natural foods or from dietary supplements.

MINERALS are inorganic elements found in soil. They function as components of living tissue and regulators of many important processes that occur in your body. They are found in every single cell and are involved in some way with almost everything the body does. Vitamins can do nothing without minerals and your body cannot manufacture a single mineral.

A poll of 37,000 Americans conducted by Food Technology found that:
· Half were deficient in B6
· 42% did not consume sufficient amounts of calcium
· 39% an insufficient iron intake
· 25 – 39% did not obtain enough vitamin C

Additional research has shown that a vitamin deficiency may not affect the entire body, but only specific cells. Example: Those who smoke may suffer from a Vitamin C deficiency, but only in the lung area.

Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis Balch, CNC and James Balch, MD, 2000

ENVIRONMENT

Xenoestrogen is a term coined by the late Dr. John Lee, M.D. Xenoestrogens are defined as synthetic substances that differ from those produced by living organisms and imitate or enhance the effect of estrogens. The estrogenic stimulations is an unintended side-effect of these agents.

Xenoestrogens are part of a group of chemicals that are hormone or endocrine disruptors. They differ from phytoestrogens (estrogenic substances from plants). External estrogens from a variety of sources may have a cumulative effect upon living organisms, and xenoestrogens may be part of a larger picture of a process of estrogenization of the environment. Xenoestrogens have only been recently introduced into the environment, less than 70 years, and are produced by industrial, agricultural and chemical companies.

Xenoestrogens have been implicated in a variety of medical problems. Foremost is the concern that xenoestrogens as false messengers disrupt the process of reproduction. Studies have implicated observations of disturbances in wildlife with estrogenic exposure. Reproductive issues which are of concerns in humans are fetal exposure and decreased reproductive ability in men (i.e. decrease in sperm numbers). Another issue is the potential effect of xenoestrogens as oncogenes, a modified gene that increases the malignancy of a tumor cell, specifically in relation to breast and/or prostrate cancers.

Source: wikipedia.org and www.johnleemd.com

WHERE DO WE GET XENOESTROGENS?

In our world today we live in a sea of xenoestrogens. Estrogens are fed to our cows, chickens and other animals. Pesticides with estrogen are sprayed on our crops (fruits, vegetables & grains). Unless you eat 100% organic for meats, dairy, grains, fruits and vegetables, you are eating food with xenoestrogen.

· Cows, chickens and other meats – one national chicken producer brags about getting their chickens to market in only 7 weeks rather than the 3 – 4 months that it should naturally take. When estrogen is fed to these animals it makes them grow faster (so the farmer has a faster turn around of his money) and makes them grow larger (he gets paid per pound). Xenoestrogens cannot be cooked out of your food and when you eat the food you eat these xenoestrogens.
· Any food coming from the above animals: milk, sour cream, butter, yogurt, eggs, etc.
· Vegetables, fruits and grains sprayed with pesticides.
· Plastics: heating food in plastic causes the estrogen in the plastic to leach into the food. Buying food which has been heat processed and then placed into plastic containers, cooking food in the oven or microwave in plastic containers and even food stored in plastic containers that have been exposed to heat causes us to ingest estrogen. Beware of those supposed heat proof plastic containers that many processed foods come in. Remove the food from these containers and place into a glass or ceramic dish before heating.

More…..

· Medicines
· Micro-chips
· Automobiles
· Soaps and hair care products
· Perfumes
· Products containing mineral oil, petrolatum, SD40 alcohol and other petroleum by-products
· Petroleum by-products used in skin care and cosmetics
· Carpeting
· Fertilizers & pesticides
· Pollution of the air, water and soil
· Chlorine bleach
· Cleaning solutions
· Solvents
· Etc., etc., etc.

Many of these can also cause the liver to be overworked. One of the functions of the liver is to help rid the body of excess estrogen and toxins. When the liver is overworked it may not function properly.

[Kathe]

PRESCRIPTION / RX CAUSED

Many medicines used today have estrogen properties. The most common of these are Birth Control Pills, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT).

· Birth Control Pills – these are a combination of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progestins. These are not bio-identical hormones.
· Hormone Replacement Therapy – also a combination of the two synthetic hormones.
· Estrogen Replacement Therapy – synthetic estrogen
o Premarin (a type of ERT was the #1 selling drug in America. Premarin is made from the urine of pregnant mares. See below for more sources on this drug.
o Premarin was replaced at #1 by Synthroid, a synthetic thyroid drug. See below for more sources about Synthroid.

Contrary to drug makers claims, HRT and ERT provide no protection against heart disease or osteoporosis. This was one of the top reasons women were placed on HRT and ERT, to protect them against these 2 diseases.



Sources: http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/equine_protection/the_facts_about_premarin.html & Premarin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MORE…..

More facts about synthetic hormones:

· 1976 – Mayo Clinic: Stated that the only cause of uterine cancer is unopposed estrogen
· 2000, Jan – Journal of American Medical Assoc. (JAMA): Rate of breast cancer increases by 53% when synthetic estrogen is combined with synthetic progestine
· 2000, June – University of Illinois study: HRT/ERT does not reduce the risk of memory loss, does increase the risk of breast cancer, increases the risk of stroke & heart attack, increase risk of gall bladder disease, increase risk of deep tissue thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, & uterine cancer.
· 2000, Dec – Estrogen was placed on the known carcinogen list by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
· 2001, July – American Heart Association: No longer supports the use of HRT or ERT in the prevention of heart disease
· 2002, July – Women’s Health Initiative Study Stopped: Risks include breast cancer, heart disease, blot clots and stroke. This was a study of 16,600 women and it was stopped 3 years early due to these risks. Study was presented in the JAMA.
· 2005, September – SwedishMedicalCenter: Serious side effects of HRT/ERT can be endometrial cancer, breast cancer, blood clots, cardiovascular disease and ovarian cancer.

STRESS

Stress is something that was not a common occurrence 20 years ago. Stress is very common for the average person living today in the U.S. The physical and emotional toll of daily living is putting many of us under constant stress.

What happens to your body when it is under stress?

· Excess cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands
· Your body experiences the “fight or flight” syndrome and produces too much adrenaline
· When the body perceives danger it chooses survival over reproduction. This causes the body to stop ovulating. When the body stops ovulating, the body stops producing natural progesterone. You can still have normal menstrual cycles.
· When we get tired and worn down we turn to stimulants such as coffee, chocolate, sugar, caffeine and sodas to give us a temporary boost of energy
· When the adrenals are exhausted, the body turns any progesterone it might have into adrenal hormones for support, unbalancing the body even more
· The body is unable to absorb nutrients if the adrenals are tired and stressed. This means even if you are eating properly, stress keeps your body from getting those nutrients.

MORE FACTS ON ESTROGEN DOMINANCE

When you factor in DIET, ENVIRONMENT, PRESCRIPTIONS AND STRESS, you end up with statistics such as:

· According to Dr. John Lee, M.D. studies show that by the age of 34, 50% of women have no progesterone being produced in their body
· A 1996 HarvardUniversity study concluded that women low in natural progesterone have an 80% higher risk of developing breast cancer and that the risk of developing other malignant cancers increases 10 fold.
· The Estrogen Alternative by Raquel Martin – read page 118 about the synthetic hormone Tamoxifen and its major side effects. This hormone is being used as a treatment for breast cancer.



Reference: John R. Lee, M.D. “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause” & “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause” & “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer”.

CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE TODAY

Today, many doctors are not aware of natural alternatives. They are taught to treat the symptom rather than to find and treat the cause. Factors such as time, overhead, malpractice suits and more have caused our medical professionals to become overworked, under staffed and in many cases uneducated about natural hormones. Many medical practitioners are trained by pharmaceutical companies to treat with prescription drugs, which can be patented, rather than natural remedies which anyone can produce. Natural alternatives can be less expensive and in most cases will be better absorbed into your body on the cellular level.

When a typical woman goes to the doctor for relief of menopausal, PMS or post partum symptoms she will be given any one or more of the following:
HRT/ERT/Birth Control pills
· Thyroid medication
· Antidepressants
· Diuretics (water pills) or Diet pills
· Cholesterol lowering drugs
· Osteoporosis drugs
· And if all else fails, sent for psychological counseling

After many years of teaching this I have had many women come forward to say they have gone through this entire list and were still experiencing many of the issues from page one.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

NATURAL PROGESTERONE & SYNTHETIC PROGESTIN?

In most medical journals and papers, there is no difference made between natural progesterone and synthetic progestin. Therefore most doctors do not know the difference. Here are the main differences between natural progesterone and synthetic progestin.

· Synthetic progestin is obtained only by prescription – pharmaceutical companies market and sell synthetic progestin
· Natural progesterone can be obtained many different places without prescription
· Synthetic progestin has a different molecular structure and is not recognized by the body
· Synthetic progestin has some of the same effects, however it has side effects, in some cases, severe and deadly side effects
· Natural progesterone has the identical molecular structure as the progesterone produced in our body. Our cells will use it the same way. There is no difference.

WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS TO USING NATURAL PROGESTERONE?

There are many benefits to supplementing your health regime with natural progesterone cream. Following are just some of them:

· Helps use fat for energy
· Natural diuretic
· Natural antidepressant
· Improves thyroid function naturally
· Normalizes blood clotting
· Improves sex drive without use of drugs
· Normalizes blood sugar levels
· Helps prevent breast cancer
· Increases bone density without use of osteoporosis drugs
· Cleans estrogen receptors and cleans the body of excess estrogen
· Helps build healthy strong bones
· Etc.

How many of these would you like?

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO

BALANCE YOUR BODY NATURALLY?

At this point you may be asking yourself what you can do to balance your hormones naturally. Dr. Lee states that if you have 3 or more symptoms of estrogen dominance that you should take steps to correct it. As my grandmother used to say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Taking care of yourself with natural alternatives and making some lifestyle changes now may keep you healthier in the long term and keep you from experiencing some of the diseases that we have talked about.

[Kathe]

Some things that you can do to get healthy naturally:

DIET – It starts here

· Start making better food choices. Less sugar, refined starches and processed foods. Shop the outside of the grocery store and stay away from the inner isles. Shop organic if at all possible. Find a local farmers market or store that carries organic. You may pay a little more now but the savings in the long term will be well worth it.
· 25% of the average American diet is sugar. That leaves 25% less nutrition to protect your health and your life. Cut out as much sugar as you can. The average can of soda pop has 12 teaspoons of sugar. (and for those of you who drink diet soda pop you are trading sugar for chemicals which do just as much, if not more, harm and in studies have shown to lower the ability to lose weight) Watch out for things like sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup.
· Cut your portion size. Less food equals less calories equals less fat. When eating out, ask for a take-out container with your meal and when it comes, place ½ of your meal in it immediately or share a meal with someone else.
· Stop eating fast food. We are trading convenience for good health.
· Keep healthy snacks where you and your family can get to them. Stop buying cookies, chips and processed snack foods. Keep things like fruit, dried fruit, nuts & yogurt around the house. Buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit – it will cut out a lot of sugar.

· Keep away from trans fats in your food. Look on food labels for hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils. Our bodies understand these ingredients like plastic. It is almost impossible to digest and I believe a reason why many Americans find it hard to lose weight. Another downside to these trans fats is that they leach calcium from the body.
· Gelatin is a by-product of animal rendering plants.
· Cut out soda pop. Has zero nutritional value, adds calories, adds sugar or chemicals and the phosphates (fizzy stuff) leaches calcium from bones and teeth.
· Become a label reader at the grocery store and learn what to look for and what to stay away from.
· Drink clean pure water. According to statistics, 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. A 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy thinking, short term memory, trouble with basic math, difficulty focusing on a computer screen or printed page and more. Lack of water is the #1 cause of daytime fatigue. One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pains in almost 100% of dieters in a University of Washington study. Mild dehydration slows down metabolism by as much as 3%. Drinking 8 – 10 glasses of water daily could significantly ease back and joint pain. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer and you are 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.


· Simple calculation for drinking water: Divide body weight in half. This is equal to the number of ounces an average person should drink daily. If you are very active, then drink more. If you drink caffeinated beverages you must add more water.
· Note on adding water to your diet. The first 2 weeks you will spend more time in the bathroom. It takes that long for the bladder to realize you are serious about drinking that much water and adjust. Hang in there and soon you will not be spending as much time in there.
· Exchange the white foods you are eating – rice, pasta, bread – for those made with whole grains and seeds. A nutritionist once told me the whiter your bread the quicker you’re dead. White products have little nutritional value and almost no fiber.
· Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine dehydrates your body. Use the Daily Detox Tea to wean yourself off of caffeine without withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, tiredness and being cranky. Caffeine can contribute to dry skin as the skin is the last on the list of organs to get hydration from water.
· Cut back on alcohol. Same as above – it dehydrates the body. And as an added negative, it slows down the body’s metabolism.
· Cut out processed foods. There is little real food value in today’s processed foods. Making your own takes a little more time and effort but it is well worth it to you and your family.
· Eat more organic fruits and vegetables. Full of natural sugars and fiber to satisfy your cravings.

· The daily requirement of fiber is essential. Fiber is a cleanser and will cleanse your body of toxins, excess estrogen and extra fat without damaging your liver. The average person needs 25 – 30 grams of fiber per day. Low fiber diets contribute to breast cancer.
· USDA statistic: when fiber consumption was doubled, study participants lost an average of 10 pounds without changing anything else!
· Take a daily colon supplement to rid your colon of toxins, build up and estrogen and to promote good colon health
· Start on a good supplement regime. Dr. Christiane Northrup in her book “The Wisdom of Menopause” states that the days of taking just one daily multivitamin is over for those who really want to be healthy. Taking a handful of premium vitamins are a must. These vitamins must include a daily multi-vitamin, daily mineral supplement, Superfoods, antioxidant, Omega 3’s and digestive enzymes to help them all absorb with maximum efficiency. At the end of this paper I will provide a list of products that I recommend.
· Fighting Free Radicals: Antioxidants fight free radicals. Vitamins A, C, E, Beta-Carotene, Green Tea & Grape Seed Extract. Foods rich in antioxidants are: Papaya, sweet potato, collard greens, carrots, chard, beet greens, spinach, cantaloupe, broccoli, butternut squash, watermelon, peaches, yellow squash, apricots, hubbard squash, zucchini, prunes & acorn squash. The highest is papaya with 8,867 IU down to acorn squash with 234 IU. (IU = beta-carotene international unit).

ANTIOXIDENTS DEFEND AGAINST FREE RADICAL DAMAGE

“The average life expectancy of many species has been increased by more than 20% by adding antioxidants to the diet. This increase is equivalent to raising the human life span from the present 74.8 years to 97.2 years.”

Currently, tremendous interest and research is being focused on antioxidants and their value in helping to reverse and prevent free radical damage.
As we learned earlier, free radicals are produced in the body by harmful chemicals, air pollution, radiation, sunlight, food additives, tobacco smoke, infection, fat metabolism, stress and other substances. We are constantly being bombarded with free radicals!!

Free radicals cause tremendous damage to every kind of tissue throughout our bodies. Free radicals work quickly. In seconds, one radical can trigger a chain reaction that produces thousands of additional free radicals. Free radical destruction destroys the collagen and elastin support system within the body’s joints, skin and organs. Even worse, free radicals can reprogram DNA initiating and accelerating disease.

The case for taking vitamins and minerals grows so pervasive that not taking them is an invitation to reckless aging and premature death. Numerous studies show that people who take vitamins delay the onset and severity of aging disease. In fact, vitamins and minerals are cheap compared with the enormity of good they do and the money they save in drugs, high tech procedures, doctor bills and hospitalization.

To sum it up, as your cells age, so does your body. And how fast your cells age depends greatly on whether you give them antioxidants to help combat the raging destruction of free radicals.

An over supply of antioxidant defenses in the body stretches life and vigor, promotes health and prevents disease.

Dr. Robert Youngblood M.D., Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, states: “Because of free radicals, I have a thriving practice in plastic surgery. Not only do free radicals speed up the aging process internally, they also cause the aging process to accelerate externally.”
Benefits of antioxidants demonstrated in many studies and years of clinical research include the following:

1 Strengthens capillaries, arteries, veins, and blood walls including those that supply the heart.
2 Improves joint flexibility, and fights joint inflammation and pain from arthritis, low back and neck problems.
3 Improves skin smoothness and elasticity
4 Improves skin disorders such as eczema
5 Improves circulation
6 Reduces prostrate inflammation and other inflammatory conditions.
7 Improves and averts varicose veins, and reduces the risk of phlebitis.
8 Reduces diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy.

“Aging is characterized by the accumulation of cell damage from free radical attacks”

Earl Stadtman, PhD

Over time, the free radical damage takes its toll by leaving the body aged and diseased. 80 – 90 % of all degenerative diseases involve free radical activity, according to experts.

Some of which include:

1 Heart Disease
2 Cancer
3 Arthritis
4 Rheumatism
5 Phlebitis
6 Varicose veins
7 Parkinson Disease
8 Senility
9 Alzheimer Disease

Superficially, free radicals’ destruction manifests itself in lines, wrinkles, dry skin, and loss of elasticity, skin discoloration and aging.

But the good news is:

Enter the saviors- ANTIOXIDANTS!! Antioxidants are chemically designed to neutralize the free radicals by stopping and repairing their damage.

Chemically, free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron and are trying to pull one from another molecule. Antioxidants are compounds that give up one of their electrons that neutralize the free radicals and stop the cellular breakdown.

The powerful big three antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin C. “By feeding your cells antioxidants you give them a powerful your potion” Jean Carper
Stop Aging Now. Antioxidants may prove as potent as antibiotics and vaccines in fighting disease,” declares Dr. Mathis Rath, a colleague of the late Linus Pauling.

ENVIRONMENT

· Eat organic, pesticide free food whenever possible
· If you smoke, STOP!
· Cook and microwave without using plastic – use glass or ceramic instead
· Buy products stored in glass or ceramic instead of plastic
· Use personal care products (hair care products, lotions, etc) and cosmetics without animal or petroleum by-products
· According to an EPA brochure, when products are put on the skin, the ingredients will be absorbed into major organs within 29 seconds. This is why medicines are dispensed in patches now. What are you putting on your skin?
· Stop or cut down on using products with fragrance. Use fragrance free or naturally fragranced products only. Fragrance is used heavily in many products and is an allergen. Fragrances, unless natural based, are from chemicals which can cause problems. Yes, use something else instead of that strawberry/kiwi lotion.
· Use environmental friendly/people friendly cleaning products and solvents

*For more information on the use of animal by-products in food, cosmetics and personal care products type in ‘rendering plant’ in google.com search. See also, ‘rendering plant gelatin’.

PRESCRIPTION/RX

Find healthy alternatives to birth control pills, HRT and ERT.


IMPORTANT NOTE!!

If you are currently on HRT or ERT and want to go off of them, you must wean off gradually. Dr. Lee has instructions for weaning off while supplementing with natural progesterone cream. Talk to your personal consultant for more information or read Dr. Lee’s “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause” book.

STRESS

· Learn to say NO! The judicious use of the word no is a must in our busy lives today. It’s OK to say no. You do not have to be PTA president, chief soccer mom, head of this or that committee on top of working, running a home, being a chauffer to your kids’ activities and more.
· You will not be a bad mother if your kids are only in one activity at a time – or gasp! - NONE AT ALL!
· Have a family dinner at least 3 times per week. Have everyone help make it as well as setting the table and cleaning up afterwards. Cooking healthy meals together will teach your kids to eat healthy and eating them together – without television – will teach them to eat without stress. Cleaning up together will teach them responsibility and that mom doesn’t have to do it all. This has also been shown to reduce the risk of teenagers smoking, drinking and drug use.
· Exercise. 30 - 60 minutes per day 3 – 5 days per week. Walk, swim or ride a bike. Some weight bearing exercise to help build strong bones.



· Sleep. Get a good nights’ sleep. Get yourself into a good bedtime routine and follow it every night. For example: No caffeine or sugar after 3 pm, eat a healthy, light dinner, before bed wash and moisturize your face, brush your teeth and put on comfy pajamas. No TV in bed. Say your prayers and read until sleepy.
· Stay away from alcohol, caffeine and sugar as much as possible
· Make your “To Do” list for the next day after dinner so you don’t worry about it during the night
· Go to church regularly. Studies show that regular church attendees are less stressed.
· Spend time with friends. Studies show that women who get together with friends on a regular basis have less stress.
· If you are married, have a weekly date night. Even spending an hour together going for a walk will do wonders for both of you, your marriage and your stress levels.

LEARN TO JUST SAY NO!

[Kathe]

Hormone Testing

Anyone can test their hormones using a saliva test. Order yours at Official Web Site of John R. Lee, M.D. or balancemyhormones.com: The Leading Balance Hormones Site on the Net

The saliva test is the most accurate way to test hormone levels

The saliva test is used by the World Health Organization (WHO)

Remember that during menopause, estrogen levels may drop 40 – 60%. This is natural and causes the body to stop menstruating. However progesterone levels may drop to zero even before menopause (by age 35) and that is not natural.

Blood serum tests reflect only 20% of the unbound biologically active molecules of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones ride on the red blood cells. Blood tests do not reflect accurate hormone levels.
Most doctors do not test prior to putting women on birth control pills, HRT or ERT.

You are in charge of your body. Ask your doctor for a saliva test. Be the decision maker.

ESTROGEN VS. PROGESTERONE

ESTROGEN DOMINANCE
Causes breast stimulation
Causes weight gain
Can cause miscarriage
Stores fat in cells
Fluid retention/bloating
Depression and headaches
Thyroid imbalance
Increase blood clotting
Sleep disorders
Decreases sex drive
Slows loss of bone mass (Osteoclast function which is necessary for good bones)
Dry skin / thin skin

PROGESTERONE
SUPPLEMENTATION
Protects against fibrocystic breasts
Helps weight loss
Protects baby
Uses fat for energy
Natural diuretic
Natural antidepressant
Assists thyroid hormone action
Normalizes blood clotting
Restores normal sleep patterns
Restores sex drive
Stimulates bone building (Osteoblast function)
Supports healthy skin function



Recommendations for products to enhance a healthy lifestyle

All Arbonne products (personal care, cosmetics, weight loss & supplements) are made with plants and good things from the earth. They do not contain animal by-products or petroleum by-products. They are free from fillers, chemical dyes and chemical fragrances. All nutritional products are natural, not synthetic. Arbonne uses the finest pharmaceutical grade ingredients which are tested for the highest potency possible. Ingredients in all products are active meaning you receive “live” components to work for your best health. All supplements are bio-available at the cellular level which means that every cell in your body will be able to absorb these nutrients. Meets US Pharmacopoeia disintegration time standards of 30 minutes, meaning your body is absorbing the supplements rather than flushing them down the drain. And they are made without yeast, colors, salt, caffeine or preservatives. (Suggestion - show these items as you talk about them)

· Smart Nutritional Hybrid Supplements for men and women – A perfect combination of Superfood Antioxidants and digestive enzymes with core vitamins and minerals, in conjunction with targeted botanicals, to meet the dietary needs of men and women. It’s so smart that it’s patent pending. With an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) score of 8000 it measures outstanding for the amount of Antioxidant activity. This provides maximum Antioxidant protection from Free Radicals. Everything you need in daily power packs. Convenient and simple.
· 7-Day Body Cleanse – this is an excellent super cleanse for your body. This will cleanse your body of toxins caused by air, water, food, medicines and more. Rids of the body of parasites and deadly toxins.
· Natural Progesterone Cream – natural bio-identical USP progesterone cream. We offer 2 products depen