No Health Screenings, No Step Counting, No 'Biggest Loser' Contests - Only Simple Changes!

Corporate Wellness programs have nearly been done to death... no pun intended!  I am certain they all have the best of intentions.  They start with a health screening to see who needs their program the most, then there is some sort of physical activity contest (pounds lost, most steps, etc.) along with some brief informative session on nutrition. Many employees start, some stick it out and only a few see results that motivate them to stick with the plan long term.  It is a trend seen all too commonly in large groups.  Why? Because most programs are designed to only target a few types of people - not the working population as a whole.  By the end of this article, I hope you will see that Corporate Wellness programs need to truly include everyone better than they have in the past.

Health Screenings - Good or Bad?

They always start out with a "Health Screening" where a healthcare practitioner takes a few metrics as a measure of health (blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, etc.).  These are great and necessary for determining the physical well-being of your workforce, but it is not used to create an actionable wellness plan that addresses the health challenges these results uncover.  Once the results come in, they usually only target the sick. This is good for those with health challenges who want to change, but it leaves out healthy workers who want to take their fitness to the next level. Too often the "Wellness Champions" are not considered in the design of a plan so they choose not to participate.  I personally feel they should stop weighing employees altogether. If body weight were truly a major productivity or cost issue for working-age people, thinner developed countries would be enjoying greater economic growth than more obese countries (it’s actually the other way around), and foreign employers would not be locating plants in states with the highest obesity rates.

Rewarding Desired Activity

Then there is the issue of the rewards for activity. Seems fair at first glance. Consider a runner who normally runs for 50 minutes at a 10 minute mile pace running a total of 5 miles.  As a result of harder training, the runner progresses to an 8 minute mile pace and now only has to run for 40 minutes to run 5 miles.  Suddenly, in most point systems for activity, the runner would not earn as many points for running 5 miles in 40 minutes as they did in running 50 minutes. Even though they worked harder, the point system is based on time spent. Step counting and "Biggest Loser" contests can start off fun, but in many cases there ends up being someone with a competitive streak that takes it to a borderline dangerous level because there are time limits on the contests.  This can result in overuse injuries, higher risk of falling at work, as well as extreme and unhealthy weight loss habits. On the other side of that coin while there are those who could stand to adopt a few healthy habits like weight management and walking more throughout the day, this leaves out employees who already do this outside of work and don't feel motivated to participate in whatever program their employer is proposing.  

Keeping Employees Engaged, Even Those Who Manage The Program

Don't forget that it costs employers money in the beginning just to engage their employees in a program. Some employers offer an up-front bonus in the beginning just for participation, but many participants will disengage after the big initial reward is gone.  Don't forget about the costs associated with the Human Resources department who most likely have to keep the program going.  The last thing you need is a program falling apart due to lack of interest that will ultimately end up lower and lower on their list of priorities.

To Employees or For Employees?

Ask yourself: Are you doing wellness to your employees or for your employees?  The distinction should be self-evident. If a financial forfeiture (whether phrased as “incentive” or “penalty”) is required to raise the participation rate or if you need an elaborate “communications plan,” it’s a threat, not an offer.  Our suggestion: Ask employees what they want! In a 2014 survey from BenefitsPro.com, 62% of employees believe their overall health would improve if their company did more to create a culture of health, and 66% believe they would be more productive and engaged at work if their company had a culture of health.  

The Lesson: Include Everyone!

Because each company culture is different (for example: a medical office versus a mortgage company), everyone will have different requests or ideas on what they think a culture of health looks like to them.  Depending on the size of your company, you will need to partner with a program that already exists to help everyone reach their goals no matter where they are on the wellness spectrum.  For many people, all that requires is a little education and a few simple changes! That is where we come in! 

In a recent survey of our clients, 91% say they live a healthier life because they are better educated about health and fitness through our messages. Contact us for a consultation and more information about our proven program!  For more information, click here.

Ashley@ACultureOfWellness.com
704-770-8214

Beyond the Scale: 7 Ways to Measure Your Fitness Progress

Stepping onto the scale is a sure-fire way to see if you've gained or lost weight, but because your fitness encompasses so much more than weight, a scale isn't always the best tool. The numbers on a scale can be misleading too. You could wind up frustrated and ill-informed if the numbers don't reflect what you think they should.  And even if you're happy with the number on the scale, your weight is no guarantee that you are physically fit.  Get the real skinny on your fitness with these 7 additional ways to measure your progress.

1. Medical Markers: Hey, we all want to look great in our jeans, but true fitness is more important than vanity; it is about true health. Make an appointment with your doctor to determine your resting heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Schedule a follow-up appointment for at least 90 days after you begin exercising consistently.  After that, checking out these numbers annually will keep you on track.
2. Clothing Size: Anyone who has struggled with weight gain has gone through that confidence-shattering moment - that tidal wave of self-loathing - when you wriggle into a pair of pants that used to fit and you can no longer button them up. On the flip side is that moment of triumph when a dress that was once too small fits again.  How your clothes fit and how you feel in them are important indicators of your progress and are arguably tied more closely to your sense of confidence than any other metric.
3. Endurance:  Last month you couldn't jog down the street without panting like a dog and collapsing from a side stitch. This week, you can make it around the block.  When you are able to add time and/or distance to your training, it proves that your body is getting more efficient, you are getting stronger, and your training is accomplishing what you intended.
4. Strength: Stronger muscles are a good thing. Not only do you get attractive muscle tone, but more muscle mass increases your metabolism, improves balance and stability, decreases your risk of osteoporosis, and improves your overall body mechanics.  When you're able to do more repetitions of a strength training exercise or increase the amount of weights you can use, you've got something worth celebrating.  Track your progress so you can look back and see your improvements.
5. Body Fat Percentage: Because people who replace fat with lean muscle mass can actually gain weight, it's important to track your body fat percentage rather than just look at the number on a scale.  There are several ways to measure your body fat percentage, such as BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) devices that estimate body tissue makeup through electrical current, calipers that measure subcutaneous fat, hydrostatic weighing, which calculates body mass based on water displacement, and BOD POD, which calculates body mass based on air displacement.  While BIA scales and devices and skinfold calipers are affordable and easy to use, they are not always accurate.  Hydrostatic weighing and BOD POD offer much more accurate results, but tests can be expensive and not available in all locations.
6. Visual Observation: Is there a shadow of a muscle on your bicep? Is your waist trimming down? Actually seeing changes in your body - and being complimented on them by others - is one of the most rewarding parts of getting fit.  Don't forget that body transformations require consistency and never happen overnight. It takes about four weeks of consistent effort for you to notice the earliest changes, about eight weeks for your close friends and family to notice, and twelve weeks for everyone else to notice.  Take a weekly picture in your workout clothes once a week so you can compare the changes over time.
7. Measurements: Most people seek fitness to change the shape of their body - to whittle their waist, build up their biceps, or reduce their derriere. Your measurements will show you exactly how and where your body is changing - something the scale cannot do.  As you drop fat and build muscle, the number on the scale might not change a whole lot, but these numbers don't lie.  For the most accurate results, measure your waist, hips, neck, chest, thighs, and biceps, then take those measurements two more times.  Average all three. Chart your measurements weekly to see your progress.

This I Believe...

Be completely still for just a moment...

Can you feel your blood pumping?  Can you feel your food moving through your bowels? Have you noticed that scratch on your leg looks a little bit better than it did yesterday?  All of that is happening without your conscious help!

Dear reader... YOUR BODY IS AN INCREDIBLE, SELF-SUSTAINING ORGANISM!  It is genetically programmed to constantly heal itself even though our environment is constantly changing.  But in our Western society that takes a pill for every ill, our bodies cannot achieve this goal the way it wants to.

This I Believe: YOUR BODY'S ABILITY TO HEAL ITSELF IS GREATER THAN ANYONE HAS EVER PERMITTED YOU TO BELIEVE!  Through this article, I hope to inspire you to not only question what you have been told, but to make a positive change in your life - not because I say you should, but because you want to!

What always amazes me about people who have come to know Western Medicine is when they say, "Wow, it's starting to look like Eastern Medicine is on to something!"  Great!  I'm glad you figured that out, but Eastern medicine has been around for thousands of years.  It has served us so well because they have a different perception of the body as a whole.  Western Medicine thinks of the body like a machine - a car or a phone, where pieces can be replaced or fixed with a pill.  Eastern Medicine sees the body for the organism that it is - like a plant.  When you put a plant in nourishing soil, water it and give it sunlight, it flourishes and grows and is healthy... (unless you give that plant to me!  I have a rule in my house that if it doesn't move or make a noise, it is going to die!  In fact, the last time I presented this talk using a plant as a visual aid, I left the plant at the venue!).

Here is an unfortunate reality that has hindered the Eastern and Western paradigms from merging:

According to an article published in the New York Times several years ago, fewer than 30% of Medical Doctors (MDs) receive any training in nutrition because many schools do not require it.  Physicians are able to seek out nutrition courses, but it is not a requirement.  For those who have had no training in nutrition, it is against the law to prescribe food because it is outside their scope of practice.  By that logic, it the cure for cancer were found in our food (which I believe it is), a Medical Doctor with no training in nutrition could not recommend dietary suggestions.  In fact, it is against the law in this country for an Oncologist to recommend anything other than Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy for treatment (which are both neurotoxins and cause permanent damage to healthy cells).

The hope I have left in humanity at this point comes from people like Dr. Max Gerson who in 1958 wrote a book of how he cured 50 people of terminal cancer while using natural therapies.  Because his therapies weren't "science-based," his clinic was not welcome here in the U.S. so he had to open in Mexico.  Or like Chris Wark, who after being diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer in December 2003 used natural therapies to heal is cancer after his Oncologist told him he was "insane" for taking that kind of risk.  Today, he has a blog ChrisBeatCancer.com where he tells his story and the stories of many others who have healed themselves through natural means.

Dr. Max Gerson and Chris Wark speaking out appears to be a thorn in the side of Western culture because their methods weren't "science-based" and they are calling the ones healed through natural therapies "LUCKY."  That made me laugh... because I don't remember LUCK having anything to do with SCIENCE!

I am proposing you walk away from the end of this article with a mindset to become a more informed consumer instead of just crying to your doctor when you see a new commercial on TV for a drug that causes more problems than it helps.

Pay attention to the food you put in your mouth, the fluids you drink, the air you breathe... and what goes on your SKIN!  The skin is your body's largest organ and it readily absorbs everything it comes into contact with.  Think about that when you go home tonight and get into your pajamas and sleep for 8 hours under your sheets washed in Tide.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Tide is a registered pesticide, stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells, is the #1 cause of Eczema, feminizes male fish and is banned in Europe!

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, every $1 spent on wellness saves $3 in healthcare.  Let's shift our spending from management and cure to prevention... because an ounce of prevention isn't just worth a pound of cure... it IS the cure!

THIS I BELIEVE!

Are You Sure Your Company Offers Health Benefits?

You're probably thinking, "Of course my company offers health benefits... they offer health insurance."


Unfortunately many people in the business of processing claims or selling insurance do not see the distinction. When large employers do an analysis of their "health" benefits spend and try to equate expenditures to health outcomes there is disappointment.  This should not be a surprise.

First, the metrics for measuring health outcomes are either non-existent or vague at best.

Secondly, even if metrics exist, base line data is usually not available.

Third, and the most important issue is that favorable outcomes to an organization have no bearing to what an individual employee perceives as good health.

Most employer "health" initiatives are cost containment strategies. They focus on averaging down the average cost of a claim. This metric usually has no bearing on improving the health of the employee.it is focused on maintaining the same level of health for a "sick" individual but at a less expensive cost.

While short term financial gains may be realized by focusing on the few individuals who meet the employer's definition of "sick", long terms gains to improving employee health will not result using the current "benefits" model.

Three important philosophical changes are required for employers to impact on their employee's health via the benefits program:

First is the admission that vast majority of employer funded benefits are financial benefits, not health benefits.  Providing tax effective compensation to fund health care costs are important but they are not health interventions.  Ironically funding poor health may make it easier for employees to delay behavior changes that will improve their health simply because the financial consequences of poor behavior are absorbed by employers and not employees.

The second is that restricting financial assistance to health conditions defined by the employer as important is paternalistic and probably counter-productive. We know the 80% of the claims costs are incurred by less than 20% of the population. Does this suggest that 80% of the population is healthy and does not deserve employer support to improve their health?

The third is the industry's focus on supporting sick employees to be sick at a cheaper price. The industry needs to evolve to providing a benefit program that encourages all employees (both those currently suffering from a chronic condition and the majority of employees who are not claiming or absent from work) to maintain or improve their health before the consequences of poor habits decrease the quality of their lives.

The only real solution to prevent or treat chronic disease is to make sustainable lifestyle change. In fact, if we exercise more, eat better, don't smoke and drink moderately (or not at all) we can prevent;

• 90% of type II diabetes,
• 80% of cardiovascular disease,
• 70% of stroke and colon cancer
• 40% of other cancers.

If it's that simple, why are we not doing it? Well that's simple too - Change is hard!
Perhaps providing a corporate culture that supports healthy living is the closest employers will come to providing "health benefits".  

That's where we can help!  We make change fun and manageable for anyone willing who wants to see positive changes in their health.  Call us today to set up a consultation - 704.770.8214.  You'll be glad you did!

Workshop #1: 5 Things Americans Lack in Their Diet

Notice I didn't call this post The Laundry List of Foods Americans Need to Stop Eating... that list could take forever! I believe that adding these 5 things to your lifestyle through supplementation can bring about significantly healthful changes in your immune system, your mood, your weight, energy levels and a whole other laundry list of benefits!

Micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals): Americans are starting to get that whole "calorie" thing down pat, which provides us with the essential carbohydrates, fats and proteins we need for energy. Restaurants all over the country offer "healthy calorie" options and many people think they are eating healthy. The truth is that we are still overfed and undernourished. A lot of the food we eat at restaurants is processed and comes from non-organic farms, which kills essential vitamins and minerals. When nature suffers, so do we! The best ways to get these essential micro-nutrients is to either eat locally grown produce from organic farms or provide the body with nutrients directly through supplementation. What to look for: If you can contact the manufacturer of the supplement you decide to take, find out if they know what the absorption rate is. Many advertise a percentage on the bottle, but the truth is that only a fraction of it is absorbed by the body.

Fiber: Let's face it - fiber is the least sexy topic... ever... and if you can come up with a sexy line for it, I'd love to hear it! Fiber is the non-digestible part of plant food. It performs functions that no other organ can and plays a huge part in our health and well-being. The average person only gets 10-15 grams of fiber per day... and is likely to be carrying 10-15 pounds of... sludge... in their intestinal tract! If you are carrying this... sludge... in the organ that absorbs the nutrients in your food, it is also being reabsorbed into your system. Fiber comes to the rescue by sweeping this up and pushing it out of your digestive tract. Remember: taking all the vitamins and supplements in the world won't matter if they can't be absorbed into the body because there is... sludge... in the way! What to Look For: Look for multiple sources of both Soluble Fiber (traps excess sugar, fat and cholesterol) and Insoluble Fiber (speeds the movement of food through the digestive tract). Supplement with fiber drink mixes or bars when necessary.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: The typical American diet now tends to contain 20 times more Omega-6s than Omega-3s. Research on Omega-3s suggest that the brain actually prefers EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids. However, due to the over-consumption of Omega-6s and under-consumption of Omega-3s, our cells are not able to absorb what little Omega-3s we get because Omega-6s block the membranes that allow them in. Healthy doses of EPA and DHA Omega-3s (1,000 to 3,000 mg) have been shown to improve mood, concentration and memory, promote healthy fetal development, decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke, and promote healthy joint mobility. What to Look For: Supplementation of Omega-3s should come from pure, cold-water fish, and then purified, distilled and certified to contain no contaminants.

Probiotics: It is important to remember that biotic means life. While antibiotics certainly have their place in medicine, they also kill a lot of essential life-giving bacteria... not all, but some. There are more microorganisms (flora) in the intestines than there are cells in the whole of the human body! An imbalance of good and bad flora in the intestines can lead to occasional indigestion, constipation, abdominal discomfort and other digestive problems. It can also lead to acne, bad breath, sluggishness and unexplained fatigue. Other culprits of an imbalance in intestinal flora include chlorine, stress and processed sugar/flour. Probiotics can often be found in yogurt (watch out for sugar/calories!), miso soup, kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut. What to Look For: If you decide to supplement your probiotic, look for Stomach-Acid-Resistant strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus (which targets the small intestine) and Bifidobacterium lactis (which targets the colon). These attach themselves to the intestinal wall to counteract bad flora, but they need fiber to stay alive!

Water: Water is essential to all of our bodily functions because hydrogen and oxygen each play a role in the generation of energy molecules. Have you ever noticed how the directions on every bottle of medicine we've ever taken says to take with a full glass of water. It may just be that our body was just crying out for water. Water makes up a large part of many of our organ systems and when we don't replenish what it eliminates, we unnecessarily suffer in many ways. The recommendation now is to drink half your body weight in ounces (Ex: 150 lb person needs at least 75 oz of water per day). Drink lots of water when taking your supplements, when taking your fiber, when taking your Omega-3s, when taking your probiotics and whatever else you are ingesting into your body... because there is a very good chance that water plays a huge part in the bodily processes that help the functions of these nutrients succeed. You can live without food, but you can't live without water!

My philosophy on wellness takes a holistic approach in that there isn't just one way to achieve health and balance, but rather a combination of many lifestyle habits working together to support each other. Our immune system is the same way - there aren't organs specifically designated for it, however our immunity is a result of all our other systems working together harmoniously! 1 Corinthians 12:26 says (speaking of the human body) If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. The more we learn about the way the human body works, the more we are able to see that our bodies have the ability to heal itself far greater than anyone has ever permitted us to believe. While I haven't listed everything that's needed to maintain good health, I've at least given you an accessible and affordable head start!

I specialize in helping businesses keep employees and their families out of the doctors office through a simple and affordable approach to wellness. People are waking up to the fact that there are holistic paths to health, however they believe this approach to be too expensive. My job is to educate employees and consumers where our American culture has failed us and what safe, effective and affordable options are available to them in the marketplace today. I do this by partnering with a United States based manufacturer that combines the best of science and nature to provide solutions to common health challenges and deliver them right to our clients' doorstep! The first 4 recommendations I made are very accessible and affordable... I would know - I use them all myself!

If you or your Charlotte, NC area company is open to taking a look at what I have to offer, give us a call today to set up a consultation - 704.770.8214. There is no obligation and you will be guaranteed to learn something new!

3 Reasons Your Health is Your #1 Retirement Investment

If I was told that I could only do one thing to plan for my retirement, it would be to invest in my health. And the following are 3 reasons why I say that health is the best thing you can invest in for retirement.

1.)  If you are in good health you are more likely to miss fewer days of work, to be more focused, effective and “present” at work and thus to do a better job and improve your chances of a pay raise and / or a promotion.  Plus, considering that many of the chronic diseases retirees face can be eliminated or delayed though better health choices earlier in life, it goes to reason that investing in your investment in health now has a very real probability of lowering your healthcare expenses in retirement.  You don't want to spend your health to build your wealth only to spend your wealth only to get your health back!  This leads to reason #2...

2.)  If you are healthy, you will have the choice to work later into your life. Nearly half of current retirees retired sooner than they expected to and the number one reason was health - either their own deteriorating health or to be a care-giver for a loved one.

3.)  Your health will determine what activities you are able to enjoy in retirement. Will you be able to play with grandchildren, travel and enjoy other leisure activities; or will you be immobile and in pain? A large determinant of which scenario will be your reality will be determined by how seriously you invest in your health during your working years.

So what do you think is the #1 retirement investment and why? If you also choose health, are there reasons other than the ones I gave that stand out to you?

Risk? What Risk?

Recently, I was asked about the risks associated with a corporate entity recommending a product line with our U.S. based manufacturing partner.

The Green Advantage operates under the assumption that informed consumers take responsibility for themselves and make better choices about their health.  Part of my job is to show consumers where to get ingredient information about our partner's products so that if there is any doubt they can make an informed choice whether or not to use a product.  We do not recommend that employers incentivize or punish employees to use any specific product.

For example, I had a potential customer reveal to me that she was allergic to tea tree oil, which is in over 1/3 of our partner's product line.  Tea tree oil allergies are not common but do exist.   Because of that, she was not an ideal customer for us and did not open an account... which is fine.  At least she was able to make an informed decision.  

I also always advise people during my presentations to consult with their physicians before using a product they are not sure of.  That eliminates risk to the employers.  I am not aware of any lawsuits our partner has encountered because of their products.  They make their ingredients list very available to their customers to avoid such cases.  Many of our products are patented and do everything we claim they do.

I hope I have eliminated any doubts you may have about partnering with us.  At the end of the day, you have to be able to sleep at night knowing you are doing what is best for your employees and I have to be able to sleep knowing what I am doing is in the best interests of everyone involved in making informed decisions.  If you have any other questions, please direct them to me at 704.770.8214 or ashley.reynolds@yahoo.com.

Alarming Corporate Wellness Statistics

Think your employees don't need you for Wellness advice?  Think again! 

 

• When asked who employees depended upon for credible information about managing their health, Welltok found they listed themselves as the overwhelming No. 1 resource (77%), followed by friends and family (50%) and their doctors (32%). They really don’t rely upon employers (10%) or carriers (8%) for regular input on how to manage their health. When asked what stands in their way of optimizing their health, the workplace topped the list.  (Source: Dan Cook, BenefitsPro.com, 09/19/2014)

• Keas surveyed 761 employees who participate in one of Keas’ employer health programs. Nearly nine of 10 said health is included in the company value statement, yet one-third felt their employer did not practice what it preached. Specifically, 42% of employees don’t feel their company truly cares about their health and well-being. And, maybe even worse, 43% of employees feel executives avoid dealing with and disciplining managers who cause unhappiness and stress among employees.  (Source: Kathryn Mayer, BenefitsPro.com, 05/09/2014)

• 62% of employees believe their overall health would improve if their company did more to create a culture of health, and 66% believe they would be more productive and engaged at work if their company had a culture of health.  (Source: Kathryn Mayer, BenefitsPro.com, 05/29/2014)

People want to be well and healthy — both physically and mentally — and they want (and many times, need) that motivation from their employers. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that happier employees are going to result in more productive and more engaged employees, not to mention ones that stay at their jobs longer.  It’s time for a real culture of health in the workplace — because talking the talk only goes so far.

LET'S GET STARTED!  Call 704.770.8214 for your FREE Consultation

What Are Your Wellness Traditions?

What We Will Discuss Today:

• Nutrition in the 21st Century
• WHY Vitamins & Minerals?
• Soil Mineral Depletion
• Our Toxic Household
• Are There Safe Alternatives?
• Medicine Kit in a Bottle
• Is There A Solution??

OUR ENVIRONMENT: It's where we live... it's the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the things that touch our skin.  Our responsibility is to future generations!  What kind of Wellness Traditions will YOU leave behind??  Are you shopping the way you shop, eating the way you eat, and cleaning the way you clean just because that's how your parents do it, or would you rather be an informed consumer?

If people normally do business with people they like, know and trust...wouldn't it make sense to shop with a company that helps real families like yours instead of lining the pocket books of major advertisers and retail distributors?

Industry Myth: "We can get all the nutrition (vitamins and minerals) we need from our food supply."

NUTRITION IN THE 21st CENTURY:

• We are Overfed and Undernourished! 
• The modern diet differs drastically compared to that of our ancestors. 
• Although we live in an age of availability and abundance, we choose to ignore many foods that are good for us.
• Processing foods destroys nutrients! 

WHY TAKE VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS??

• Your body can’t produce them.
• Timing is everything.
• Deficiencies today can hurt tomorrow.
• What happens when we don’t get enough??

SOIL AND MINERAL DEPLETION 
Warning... 35 Years Ago!
“In the future, we will not be able to rely anymore on our premise that the consumption of a varied balanced diet will provide all the essential trace elements, because such a diet will be very difficult to obtain for millions of people.”   - Dr. Walter Mertz, US Department of Agriculture, 1977 Statement to Congress


Farming Disrupts Healthy Land:

Natural Land is:

• Inhabited by a diversity of plant species
• Plants grow according to seasonal and climactic fluctuations
• Replenished by its own decaying and dying plant matter

Cultivated Land is:

• Often limited to a single type of crop, depleting the soil of essential nutrients.  Modern farmers attempt to counter this with crop rotation.
• Manipulated to accelerate the maturation of the plant, sometimes yielding multiple crops in a single growing season, accelerating mineral depletion.
• Harvested, removing all plant matter, leaving the land barren.  Today's organic waste is either incinerated or buried in a toxic mix of trash at massive landfills.

Chemicals:

• Ever increasing demands on the farm
• Pesticides and herbicides reduce the plant’s ability to absorb and assimilate the few trace minerals that may be remaining in the soil.

In Conclusion:  When Nature Gets Cheated, SO DO THE REST OF US!!

3 Potential Solutions: 

• Re-mineralize farmlands.
• Eat locally grown produce from organic farms.
• Provide the body with minerals and nutrients directly through supplementation.

Patented Oligofructose Technology:
Oligofructose was developed from the ground up to address the two critical flaws in mineral supplementation – absorption and excess free radical creation – to help ensure you get more of what you take a multivitamin-mineral for. It provides 10 Times More available for Absorption and 5 Times Greater Antioxidant Protection than grocery store brands

2 Landmark Studies:
1) Oligofructose dramatically outperformed the inorganic forms of minerals.
2) Oligofructose not only protects against dangerous free radical activity in the digestive tract, but extends that protection throughout the entire body – better than any non-Oligofructose supplement on the market.
Nutrition Journal & Free Radical Biology and Medicine

If I told you this technology were available at a BETTER PRICE AND VALUE than the grocery store brands... would you be interested in giving it a try for 90 days... AT NO RISK??

 OUR TOXIC HOUSEHOLD:
Traditional Household Cleaners:  They may work, but what's hiding inside the bottle??

Are you using any of these products??
Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency  www.epa.gov and Material Safety Data Sheet  www.msds.com    Also check out: www.ewg.org/cleaners/hallofshame

1. DETERGENT (Tide): Registered Pesticide DANGER! A leading cause of eczema.  Stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells.  Respiratory tract irritation, carcinogenic, can burn eyes, mouth, throat, and stomach.  Can cause Asthma Attacks.  Banned in Europe.  Feminizes male fish. Leading detergents contain fiberglass.
2. BLEACH (Clorox): Registered Pesticide  DANGER! Causes severe eye injuries.  Can burn the skin, mouth, throat, and stomach.  Neurotoxin, kidney and liver damage, reproductive issues and carcinogenic.  Can be fatal if swallowed.  Carcinogens from Dioxins are 300,000 times more potent than those of DDT (well-known organic pesticide).  It bio-accumulates in the body - we cannot detoxify it.
3. DISINFECTING WIPES (Clorox, Lysol): Registered Pesticide  DANGER!  Eye, skin, respiratory tract irritant.  Registered pesticide that people use as a disinfectant.  Harmful by inhalation, ingestion and skin contact.  Carcinogenic, skin irritant, headaches, coma, heart block and cardiac arrest.  ON THE LABEL:  HAZARDOUS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
4. DISH DETERGENT (Cascade): Neurotoxin  Did you know:  The following 16 states have banned Phosphate ingredients:  Washington, Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oregon, Utah, New Hampshire, Montana, Vermont.  Chlorine bleach mixes with hot water, toxic volatilized chlorine fumes are created, which are then released into the air in your home as a steamy mist.  Common symptoms from breathing chlorine fumes include headaches, fatigue, burning eyes and respiratory irritation. 
5. HOUSEHOLD CLEANER (Formula 409):  Neurotoxin  DANGER!  Strong lung irritant.  Linked to cancer, reproductive disorders, kidney and liver damage.  Can cause depression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, abdominal pain, lesions may occur in brain, lung, liver and meninges and heart.
6. TOOTHPASTE (Crest, Colgate): Registered Pesticide  DANGER!  Neurotoxin, kidney and liver damage, severe lung damage, reproductive issues.  Artificial sweeteners: Saccharin, Aspartame are carcinogenic.  Flouride: possible carcinogenic; a cumulative poison.  Categorized by the FDA as a "toxic drug".  The 1984 issue of Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products lists Flouride as "more poisonous than lead and slightly less poisonous than arsenic."  
7. GLASS CLEANER (Windex): Neurotoxin  DANGER!  Contains Ammonia, can cause kidney and liver damage, even tumors.  Known to attack the central nervous system, liver and kidneys.  Linked to reproductive disorders.  Does it even make sense to use a blue liquid to clean a clear surface??
8. LOTIONS (Cetaphil, Johnson's Baby Lotion):  Carcinogenic  Known to cause dermatitis, cancer, kidney and liver damage.  Can also impact birth outcomes, including gestational age and birth weight, fertility (lower sperm production), anatomical abnormalities related to the male genitalia, and can cause early puberty.
9. SHAMPOO (Johnson's Baby Shampoo, Paul Mitchel): Carcinogenic  Known to cause dermatitis, cancer, kidney and liver damage.  Hormone disruptor, cancer-causing agents.
10. COSMETICS:  Carcinogenic  Many cosmetics made in the U. S. are banned in Europe and Japan.  Carcinogen, allergen, contain petrochemicals like paraffin, coal tar, lanolin, and contain pesticide residues.  Can also cause blisters, skin irritation and allergic reactions.  Linked to cancer.  The Consumer Agency and Ombudsman tested 49 eye shadows and found that all of them contained lead, cobalt, nickel, chromium and arsenic.  The amounts used are causing allergic reactions and hormonal disruptions.

By now I'm sure you're wondering... 
IS THERE A SAFER, MORE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE??  YES!!!

MEDICINE KIT IN A BOTTLE:
Melaleuca Alternifolia Oil...AKA “Tea Tree Oil”
6 Properties
1. Naturally Antiseptic
2. Soothing
3. Safely Penetrating
4. Non-Caustic (no harmful chemical reaction)
5. Effectively Solvent
6. Pleasantly Aromatic

WWII – The Australian government commandeered the entire supply of tea tree oil for the war effort and those involved in its production were exempted from military service.  The soldiers referred to the oil as a “Medicine Kit in a Bottle”

Melaleuca Oil Uses:
Antibacterial Soaps, Acne Creams and Lotions, Moisturizing Creams and Lotions, Oral and Dental Products, Hair Care Products, Parasiticide and Insect Repellent, Antifungal Creams and Foot Care Products, Personal Care Products, Inflammation, Burn Gels, Hand and Nail Care, Coughs, Colds and Flu, Child Care, Pet Care, Agricultural Applications (greenhouse and garden), Household Cleaning and Laundry


I market for a green manufacturer that consistently delivers unique and high-quality natural products at reasonable prices, with 1/3 of their products containing Melaleuca Oil in its purest form. From everyday products like soap and shampoo to vitamin and mineral supplements - each product is scientifically designed to improve the well-being of you and your family.  Will you consider simply switching stores and saving money??