7 Resolutions to Make 2011 Your Healthiest Year Yet

1. Reach your healthy weight. Okay, let’s get the most common/most ditched resolution out of the way. Most of us need to lose at least a few pounds. But before you figure out how you’re going to do it, understand why you need to lose weight. Being overweight impacts every part of your body, from your heart to your kidneys to your bones and joints. It puts you at higher risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes and osteoarthritis. And your self-esteem is generally lower when you’re carrying too many pounds.

Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard. A good start is the Relìv Slimplicity Weight Loss System. It includes a delicious, protein-packed meal replacement shake, appetite-curbing Accelerator, a pedometer, a food and exercise journal and other tools to support your weight loss efforts.

Now that we’ve knocked out the most obvious resolution, let’s move on to some other healthy steps for 2011.

2. Eat more whole grains. A recent study showed eating whole-grain foods could be as effective as blood-pressure lowering drugs. Study subjects who ate three daily servings of whole-grain foods, which included wheat and oats, saw a significant drop in their systolic (the top number) blood pressure similar to what people see using medication. Lowering blood pressure this amount (between 3 and 6 mm Hg) could potentially decrease the incidence of heart attack and stroke by at least 15 to 25 percent, says the study leader.

3. Fill up on fiber. A high-fiber diet is linked to a 40 percent lower heart disease risk. It also reduces cholesterol and can reduce or even prevent high blood pressure. In addition, a high-fiber diet promotes the growth of the friendly bacteria called probiotics that aid in proper digestion and promote a stronger immune system. And of course, fiber fills you up so you feel fuller longer. That means you may eat less. And since fiber is digested more slowly, your blood sugar will stay steadier, too, preventing hunger pangs.

4. Go green. Studies show increasing antioxidant-rich green leafy vegetables in your diet may reduce your risk of developing type-2 diabetes by about 15 percent. And with reports issuing dire warnings predicting 52 percent of Americans will be diabetic or prediabetic by 2020, anything you can do to prevent becoming a statistic is smart.

Another way to keep your blood sugar under control is by incorporating Relìv GlucAffect^®into your daily diet. It’s clinically proven to lower blood sugar and to help people lose weight.

5. Have a berry wonderful year. Work a variety of berries into as many meals as possible. Berries top the superfoods list and pack a multitude of health benefits with few calories. Black raspberries have been found to prevent colon cancer and reduce inflammation in the body overall. That means they also may protect against other diseases such as heart disease. Blueberries offer plenty of health perks, too, including helping to fight artery hardening — which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Blueberry fiber also has been shown to ease and protect against as ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer. Studies also show blueberries can reduce abdominal fat, lower triglycerides, lower cholesterol, and improve fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity.

6. Make sleep a priority. Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. Without adequate sleep, your immune system weakens, and your body becomes more vulnerable to infection and disease. Sleep regulates your mood, concentration and ability to make decisions. Studies also have found that not getting enough sleep has a significant impact on your waistline by increasing hunger and changing the body’s metabolism. Lack of sleep decreases your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels and may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Make sure you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night.

7. Get addicted to exercise. No more excuses. Once you start making exercise a part of your daily life, you’ll wonder what you ever did without it. Really! Believe it when people say how good they feel after exercising. Exercise not only improves your body and helps you lose or maintain weight, but also improves your mental function and clarity. It also produces a relaxation response that releases stress, elevates your mood and reduces the risk of depression. So work in a daily walk, bike ride, treadmill trot, or join a gym, class or fitness club.

Joining a group committed to the same goals makes exercise more fun, offers support, and makes you more likely to stick with it. Team Relìv Fitness Club is one example of a helpful group to join. Check out Team Relìv on Facebook to jump in. No matter where you live, the online support and inspiration will keep you moving toward a healthier you throughout 2011!

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FITNESS CHALLENGE 2011: Taking Health and Wellness to a New Level

HOW OLD ARE YOU REALLY?

Your physical age can be deceiving….

Come learn how our new “Body Composition Analysis” helps customize a program for you to start turning back the clock.

Have you ever wondered what is going on in your body?  How can I be proactive to prevent illness or disease?  We go to the doctor when we are feeling ill and get medicine to treat the symptoms.  We get a physical that gives us some indications of how our body is functioning.  But we still don’t get an overall big picture related to diet, nutrition, and how exercise plays a role in our overall health and wellbeing.

With the help of our Reliv Business Partners, we feel that we have found the answer! We are integrating science and technology to sustain our wonderful line of products and help to provide you with targeted solutions for your health and wellness needs.  New technology applied to monitors can now detect body composition.

 We have purchased one of these monitors so we can provide our clients with this valuable service.  With our monitor, you will be able to get a Segmental Inner Body Scan.

What is a Segmental Inner Body Scan and why?  Simply put, segmental gives you more information.  This totally unique product gives individual body composition readings for each body segment- trunk, right arm, left arm, right leg and left leg.  The Body Composition Monitor is especially useful to maintain a healthy body, to build or rehabilitate a particular part of one's body, or as a weight loss program monitor.  In seconds,  Inner Scan Body Composition Monitor can display a complete body composition profile, including weight, body fat % (total and segmental), body water %, muscle mass (total and segmental), bone mass, DCI (Daily Calorie Intake), BMR , visceral fat, metabolic age and physique rating.  This data will allow you to make the nutritional and physical exercise adjustments required to correct your body’s deficiencies allowing you to be the best you can be.  By recording your segmental readings every 2 weeks will allow you to track your progress.  Also, this will allow you to see how the changes you made in your nutrition and exercise is helping to improve your overall health and wellness.

We feel that this is the best way to improve your Health and Wellness and be the best you can be.  By monitoring the key indicators provided in the Segmental Inner Body Scan, tracking your results, and making nutrition and exercise adjustments, will allow you to meet your goals.

Contact us if you want to learn more about our Health and Wellness system.

Join us for FITNESS CHALLENGE 2011: Taking Health and Wellness to a new level.  Be the best you can be in 2011.  Maintain a healthy body and stay away from the doctor’s office.  Through the use of nutritional supplements, a good diet, and regular exercise-you can do this.

To Your Health,

Roxana and Tom Groves

Independent Reliv Distributors

Contact Information for details or appointment-

Email:              tom@oppor2unityknocks.com

Website:          http://oppor2unityknocks.com

Phone:             916-740-6165

Nutrition & Exercise: A Winning Combo

In addition to good nutrition, exercise is a vital part of good health. A regular, active lifestyle reduces the risk
of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and it helps lower cholesterol and control your weight.

By staying active during your “prime,” you’ll be more likely to remain active and healthier as you age. Inactivity starts a domino effect that leads to decreased strength and muscle size, decreased bone mass and density, and less elastic tendons and ligaments. Good nutrition, combined with being active, can delay or even
prevent some of these changes.

Relìv products contain high-quality nutrients that work synergistically to provide many benefits for joints and bones.  Arthaffect®, for example, helps promote lifelong joint health.  The formula combines the best of traditional Eastern herbal therapies with cutting-edge nutrients that have been clinically proven to help repair and rebuild joint tissues.

In addition, FibRestore®, Relìv Classic® and Relìv Now® all contain the enzymes bromelain and papain, which help reduce inflammation, plus a host of antioxidants and other nutrients that benefit joints and bones. And Pynogenol®, found in Relìv Now and GlucAffect®, is showing amazing benefits to joint health thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Relìv products offer the ideal support for active lifestyles. This active lifestyle choice combined with Relìv nutrition makes for a winning combination!

To Your Health,
Dr. Carl W. Hastings
Relìv Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer

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Snap Out of Your Sugar Surplus

Sweet on sweets? For more reasons than cavity prevention, it’s time to tame your sweet tooth once and for all.

In the past 20 years, Americans have more than quadrupled their individual sugar intake. A health survey showed that between 2001 and 2004 the average intake of added sugars for Americans was 22.2 teaspoons a day. That packs 355 calories! But weight gain is not the only health risk sugar poses.

Researchers and health associations such as the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetic Association say sugar is one of the three major causes of degenerative disease.

Foods that are high in simple sugars raise blood sugar levels quickly. As a result, the pancreas pumps out insulin to bring levels down. This roller coaster fluctuation stresses the body and can depress the immune system. It also causes dramatic mood and energy swings. Meanwhile, an increase in insulin in the blood stream promotes fat storage and paves the way to elevated triglycerides (blood fats). Both of these factors can lead to heart disease.


Control Your Cravings

The American Heart Association (AHA) now recommends men consume no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar and women consume no more than 6 teaspoons per day. To put this in perspective, one can of regular soda has about 8 teaspoons of sugar. So give soda the boot as your first step in getting your sugar consumption under control.

The AHA stated that “there is strong scientific data linking excess sugar above these limits and an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.”

Several animal studies also link sugar consumption to high blood pressure, another heart and stroke risk. Other research suggests high sugar intake can lead to cancer, insulin resistance and arthritis.

12 Ways to Kick the Sugar Habit

Studies have found sugar is habit-forming and possibly addictive — both physically and emotionally. While it may not be easy, cutting back on sugar is a smart way to protect your health. Here are some ways to kick the sugar habit:

1. Find out how much sugar you’re actually consuming each day so you know where you need to cut back. Keep track of all the sugars you consume daily, including white bread, pasta or rice, honey, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate and high fructose corn syrup.

2. Choose complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat breads and pasta along with fruits and vegetable rather than refined sugars. Naturally occurring sugars in fruits, milk and plain yogurt don’t seem to have the same unhealthy effect as refined sugars.

3. Bump up fiber intake. Adding fiber to your diet slows the absorption of sugars to prevent unhealthy blood sugar spikes.

4. Eat small meals or snacks throughout the day so your blood sugar stays more even. If blood sugar levels plunge, you’re more likely to crave sugar.

5. Start the day with protein and whole grains to keep you satisfied and prevent sugar cravings.

6. Sweeten foods with spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg to calm your urges for sugar.

7. Give your body adequate vitamins and minerals since nutrient deficiencies can lead to sugar cravings. Relìv Classic® and Relìv Now® provide a full range of essential nutrients in just two shakes a day.

8. Get your energy boost from exercise and enough sleep rather than sugar.

9. Sugar cravings usually last about 10 to 20 minutes. Distract yourself during that time with a walk or some other activity to keep your mind and body busy.

10. Drink more water. We sometimes mistake hunger or cravings for thirst.

11. If your sweet tooth is calling loudly, munch on fruit such as a banana or orange to squelch the craving while stoking up on important nutrients.

12. Substitute the sugar in your coffee or tea with Relìvables® All-Natural Sweetener, with zero calories plus fiber. 

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Stress-Proof Your Holidays

In the midst of the holiday hoopla, are you “laughing all the way” or stressing every day? While this season is known for peace and joy, sometimes it can be overwhelming and stressful even to the most seasoned Santa.


What Stress Does to Your Body

Stress affects you physically, mentally and emotionally. It can trigger insomnia, headaches, irritability, anxiety and depression. Heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke are also linked to stress. It also can cause weight gain.


Feeling achy? It’s probably muscle tension in your neck, shoulders and back due to stress. Forgetfulness, disorganization, weakness and fatigue, and teeth grinding are also telltale signs you’re under too much stress. Your digestive tract reacts to stress in the form of constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, stomachaches or nausea. Stress decreases your ability to absorb vital nutrients too. At the same time, stress increases the amount of free radicals damaging your body, while depleting many essential vitamins and minerals.


In addition, stress overtaxes your immune system and leaves you vulnerable to colds, infections, autoimmune disorders and even cancer.


Seven Ways to Rein in Holiday Stress

1. Make a to-do list early in the season and map out your time accordingly. This will give you a sense of order and calm.
   
2. Prioritize your invitations and self-imposed to-dos. Choose what you WANT to do, not what you feel you HAVE to do.
   
3. Accept “good enough.” Just make your signature dessert rather than 10 different cookie recipes. Only put up the decorations that mean the most to you or have the most impact and leave the rest boxed up. Recognize it’s OK to take short cuts. The main goal is enjoying time with family and friends, right?
   
4. Set a budget and stick to it. Don’t overspend or you’ll spread financial stress over the next several months.
   
5. Exercise every day. While trudging around a mall is exhausting, a brisk 30-minute walk at a steady pace is more beneficial and is a known stress-reliever, as it improves mental function and clarity and boosts your mood.
   
6. Get adequate sleep. Aim for seven to eight hours every night. There’s nothing worse than a cranky Santa who loses it when the ribbon runs out.
   
7. Make good nutrition a priority. Fill up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. In addition, make sure these nutrients are part of your daily plan to stress-proof your body:

• Zinc – key to the production of serotonin, a brain-calming chemical
• Iron – to lift mood and reduce anger
• Essential fatty acids such as omega-3 – to increase resistance to stress and its side effects while boosting immune function
• Antioxidants – to fight free radical damage caused by stress and lower the stress hormone, cortisol
• B Vitamins – essential for energy and maintaining regular blood sugar levels
• Fiber – to help digestion, reduce hunger and level out blood sugar. Put Relìv on Your To-Do List Give your body the stress relief it craves with Relìv’s optimal, balanced nutrition.

Relìv Classic® and Relìv Now® provide a full range of stress-fighting vitamins, minerals, and herbs and other vital nutrients. Antioxidant-rich FibRestore® includes 10 grams of fiber along with 21 herbs shown to help the body better cope with stress. ReversAge®, GlucAffect® and Relìv Now® for Kids also contain omega-3 fatty acids along with other health-promoting ingredients. Just two Relìv shakes a day may help make the season a little brighter and healthier! 

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Give Your Immune System the Gift of Good Nutrition

‘Tis the season for colds and flu. With all the family gatherings and indoor activities, viruses have more opportunities to be passed around. Taking care of yourself can make the difference between enjoying the festivities or simply enduring them.

A strong immune system is the key. Yet your immune system can get tired from overworking to make up for poor health habits and lack of good nutrition. As a result, immune cells can lose some of their protective effects.

Even marginal nutrient (and micronutrient) deficiencies can weaken your immune system. You may not have obvious symptoms when you’re deficient, but a deficiency can affect your body’s ability to ward off disease and infections.

Start this cold and flu season off strong. Research shows physical activity can protect against colds. One study found people who exercised five or more days per week were about half as likely to get a cold as those who exercised less.

Other lifestyle factors are essential to staying healthy this winter too.  Get enough sleep. Enrich your diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber. Seek comfort in immune boosters like mushrooms, garlic and warm
chicken soup — which scientists have proven really does work against cold and flu.

Then ramp up your protection even more with Relìv. Our products offer balanced nutrition with antioxidants and other nutrients to support your immune system so you can stay healthier this winter. Because the gift of
good health is the best gift of all.

To Your Health,
Dr. Carl W. Hastings
Relìv Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer

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More Reasons Than Ever to Lose Weight

We’ve all heard how being overweight can lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and joint problems. But did you know it can also lead to cancer?

Doctors have known for a while that there was a link between obesity and some cancers. Now researchers have specific numbers to match up with obesity-related cancers.

The report from the American Institute for Cancer Research says excess body fat causes:

• 49 percent of endometrial cancers 
• 35 percent of esophageal cancers
• 28 percent of pancreatic cancers
• 24 percent of kidney cancers
• 21 percent of gallbladder cancers
• 17 percent of breast cancers
• 9 percent of colorectal cancers

While being obese raises your risk for cancers, it also makes treatment for cancer more difficult with lower survival rates.

Scientists believe excess estrogen released by body fat may be behind some cancers such as estrogen-receptor positive breast cancers. Increased body fat also can lead to increased levels of oxidative stress an inflammatory compounds in the blood, which can cause DNA mutation and abnormal cell growth, as seen in many cancers.

Good News: Every Pound Lost Makes a Difference

OK, now for the good news. You know losing weight can help you feel better and look better. Even a little weight loss makes a big difference. So why not start your plan to lose weight today?

To get you started, bite off little chunks. If you're overweight, losing just 10 percent of your body weight can reap many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar and reducing your heart disease and cancer risk. So if you weigh 200 pounds, all you have to do is aim for a 20-pound loss to gain a healthier body.

What’s more, losing just 10 percent of your weight is easier to achieve than setting a larger goal up front — so you’re more likely to succeed. And that weight loss success could just motivate you to keep going with even more weight loss and health results.

Helping Healthy Habits Stick — So Pounds Don’t

One way to create long-term weight loss success is to focus on behavioral goals. When you work healthy habits into daily life for a few months, they tend to stick — so pounds don’t. Try these:

• Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
• Take a walk every day for at least 30 minutes.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. 
• Eat more lean protein and high fiber foods.
• Minimize unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates in your diet.
• Drink more water to fill you up and keep your metabolism running efficiently.

More Wise Weight Loss Moves

To move the scale faster, based on your current weight, eat about 10 calories per pound. Mindful, high-protein snacks can help you control hunger through the day so you don’t binge at dinner. Then just weigh yourself weekly to monitor trends. Before you know it, you’ll see the numbers — and your waistline — decreasing!

Another way to shake off the weight in a steady, healthy way is with Relìv’s Slimplicity® Weight Loss System. A delicious Slimplicity meal-replacement shake fuels you with essential nutrients, while the complementing Accelerator capsules boost energy, burn fat and control your appetite. With the Slimplicity Starter Kit, you’ll also get a handy pedometer to encourage walking, and a food and exercise journal. Adopting healthier habits, along with partnering with Slimplicity, creates a powerful combination to keep disease at bay while you look and feel better than ever.

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For Successful Weight Loss, It’s Mind Over Munching

Many people start a weight loss program gung-ho, ruthlessly slashing calories, skipping meals and living on carrots and diet soda. By week two, this cold-turkey approach starts to wear on your resolve — not to mention your health and energy. So by week three, you’re a weight loss drop out.

If weight loss was on your resolution list last year and you still haven’t been able to check it off, maybe it’s time to rethink your weight loss mindset. Here are some tips to keep you going strong toward your weight loss goal with mind over munching.

Make it simple. A diet should fit easily into your lifestyle. Your diet plan shouldn’t be so strict or difficult to follow that it becomes work. Being required to eat strange foods or follow complicated recipes as part of a diet is a fast-track to failure because it becomes unsustainable when real life knocks on your door.

Plan to cheat. To stick with a weight loss plan, plan to cheat now and then. Why shouldn’t you have some birthday cake at your child’s party? Allow some wiggle room in your diet for foods you enjoy or set aside an occasional “cheat” meal or treat. That way you’re more likely to stick with your weight loss plan in the long run.

Set small, manageable goals. Start with 5 or 10 pounds as your first goal so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Once you’ve achieved that milestone, focus on the next weight loss increment. Breaking weight loss into smaller bites makes it easier to stick with it.

Set a deadline. An upcoming class reunion is one of the biggest carrots to dangle for weight loss motivation. You could also pick a target such as your next birthday or beach vacation to meet your weight loss goal. However, make sure the weight loss goal is realistic for the date you have set. Trying to lose 20 pounds in one month is a sure-fire way to fail. Plan to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week for more achievable, lasting results.

Get moving. Regular exercise can boost your motivation along with your metabolism. It will put you in a better mind frame to make smarter food choices. For example, after an invigorating hour-long walk, do you really feel like undoing the good you’ve just done by gorging on a fat slice of cheesecake? Not likely.

Write it down. A food diary is proven to help people be more successful losing weight. It holds you accountable for everything you put in your mouth. You can see when and why you’re eating to get to the root of emotional eating so you can deal with it more effectively. Remember, knowledge is power!

Slow down. It takes about 15 minutes after eating for your brain to register that it’s satisfied. Eat slowly so your brain can catch up with your stomach to signal you that it’s time to put down the fork.

Focus on the food. When you’re eating, don’t allow distractions like driving, reading or Internet surfing because your brain will have trouble recognizing the amount of the food you’re consuming. Paying attention to what you’re eating and savoring each bite means you’ll feel more satisfied and will recognize the fullness factor sooner.

Seeing is believing. Much as we hate to see pictures of ourselves when we’re overweight, you need to keep a “before” photo handy so you can clearly see your progress. Also, write down your starting weight. Every month, look at your “before” picture and glance at your starting weight to see how far you’ve come. If you’re using a food diary, go back to the beginning and read your comments to see how you’ve evolved. Then look forward to your slim-and-trim “after” photo to flaunt!

Celebrate victories. As you achieve each weight loss milestone on the way to your goal, be sure to reward yourself. Stop for a manicure, buy a belt in a smaller size, or treat yourself to flowers or a movie. Then look forward to celebrating again at your next milestone!

Choose a healthy partner. Relìv’s Slimplicity® Weight Loss System is an ideal partner to help you reach your weight loss goals. A delicious, satisfying shake for lunch combined with Accelerator capsules before each meal help boost your metabolism, burn more fat and control your appetite. The plan includes a pedometer to encourage walking, a food and exercise journal and ongoing support so you can stay on track to lose weight safely and effectively. The Slimplicity system easily fits into your daily life to help you make smarter, healthier lifestyle choices as you lose weight and reap the rewards.

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Bye, Bye, Belly!

Weight loss isn’t just about looking good; it’s about improving your health. While none of us prize a poochy tummy, belly fat can also be dangerous. A bulging belly is usually made up of two types of fat: visceral and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fat lies just under the skin and is the most noticeable. Visceral fat, which still contributes to your girth, lies under the abdominal muscle and surrounds vital organs. The more visceral fat you have, the greater your chance of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

But both kinds of belly fat need to go. Just a few simple steps can help you better target abdominal fat so you lose inches as you gain confidence, energy and overall better health.

Order a fat cell-shrinking combo. To reduce the size of abdominal fat cells, it’s vital to combine both calorie cutting and exercise. A study showed a group of women who both exercised and trimmed calories reduced abdominal fat cell size by about 18 percent. The group who just dieted did lose weight but had no changes in abdominal fat cell size.

Kick up the calcium. At least three servings of dairy products a day — totaling 1,100 mg of calcium — can significantly reduce body fat even without cutting calories. And if you are cutting calories, you’ll speed weight and fat loss even more compared to those who consume only minimal dairy. A study shows a high-dairy diet can boost weight loss by as much as 70 percent. Study participants consuming three daily servings of yogurt lost more inches around their waist and more pounds than those on the low end of calcium consumption. When your body is deprived of calcium, it conserves it. The result is your body produces higher levels of calcitriol, a hormone that triggers increased production of fat cells. But extra calcium in your diet keeps calcitriol levels lower so more fat is burned and fat cells become leaner.

Sip on soy. Menopausal and postmenopausal-aged women tend to steadily accumulate fat around the middle. In a study, however, a group of women in their mid-fifties drank a daily soy-based shake for three months. As a result, while their weight remained the same, they reduced their subcutaneous abdominal fat. The group that drank a placebo shake with no soy gained abdominal fat while maintaining the same weight.

Boost the C. The lower your vitamin C intake, the more likely you are to accumulate belly fat. A study showed women who take in less than 56 milligrams a day have a 131 percent higher probability of having abdominal fat. The body needs enough vitamin C to turn fat into energy. Research also shows that women who get lots of vitamin C daily burn 30 percent more fat during exercise than those who don't.

Go fishing for fat loss. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found fish oil (omega-3) supplements and regular aerobic exercise together significantly reduced fat mass better than either one alone.

Chill out. The stress hormone cortisol causes your body to hoard fat and deposit it right around the belly. So it’s no surprise women in a study who reported the highest stress levels also had the widest waistlines. Find ways to unwind each day. An evening stroll is a great start!

Time it right to keep it off. So your weight is OK or you’ve recently lost weight? Keep it that way and lose the internal belly fat by working in just 80 minutes a week of aerobic or resistance training. This helps not only to prevent weight gain, but it also stops regain of harmful visceral fat one year after weight loss.

Reliv’s Simplicity® Weight Loss System provides the ideal nutritional support for anyone looking to drop excess pounds. Learn more.

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