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Tag: Healthy Eating

Happy Valentines Day!

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This is a day that is often filled with roses, cards and CHOCOLATE!

Believe it or not, dark chocolate is a heart-healthy choice (when not loaded up with sugar and saturated fat). Combine it with almonds and it gets even healthier because almonds can help reduce blood clots. When enjoyed in moderation, studies show that Dark Chocolate can be a heart healthy choice.

Dark Chocolate can help in:

  • Making platelets in the blood less sticky and able to create clots, which can cause heart attack or stroke.
  • Processing nitric oxide, which helps improve blood flow throughout the body, including the brain.
  • Lowering the risk of insulin resistance, which reduces the risk of diabetes.
  • Controlling chronic inflammation, which can lead to heart disease..

Keep in mind the higher the percentage of cocoa, the greater the amount of flavanols, but also the greater the bitter flavor. Just a bite or so a day is all you need to reap the cardiovascular benefits.

Clean, Bright, and Magical

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Picture this: Snow gently falling outside your window as the aroma of freshly brewed Mountain Cabin Coffee fills your home. The holidays are nearly upon us, bringing with them the warmth of family gatherings, the joy of gift-giving, and yes, the seasonal challenges that come with winter. But fear not! We have curated the perfect collection of products to help you create those magical moments while keeping your home and loved ones healthy throughout the season.

Indulge in the Season’s Finest

Mountain Cabin Coffee: Your Daily Winter Ritual

There’s something magical about that first sip of coffee on a frosty morning. Mountain Cabin Coffee offers eight premium blends, so there’s something for every kind of palate. We use 100% Arabica beans, hand selected and small-batch roasted to ensure you can wake up every frosty morning with a fresh, flavorful cup of brew.

It’s the perfect companion to your array of wintery beverages, including warm apple cider and rich hot chocolate. Try blending it into your hot chocolate or enjoy it alongside the cinnamon-spiced cider. With a rich aroma and smooth flavor, Mountain Cabin Coffee can complement every sipe of your seasonal favorites.

Whether you’re an early riser catching the first snowfall or hosting a cozy afternoon gathering, there’s a warm drink to match every moment of your day.

Riverbend Ranch Black Label Beef: The Gift of Flavor

This year, elevate your holiday feast with something truly exceptional. For a limited time, four unique bundles are available to gift—Rancher’s Favorites, Family Feast, Ribeye Roundup, and the Cowboy. Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other occasion, you can’t go wrong with high-quality USDA Prime or High Choice beef from Riverbend Ranch!

R3 Cookbook

With all that high-quality USDA Prime and High Choice beef, you might need a few ideas of how to use it. The R3 Cookbook features more than 170 recipes, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts. Whether you’re on the R3 Program or not, this cookbook can be the perfect addition to your kitchen, or the kitchen of a friend or family member!

And the R3 Cookbook isn’t just good for using our Riverbend Ranch Black Label Beef. Many different Wellness Company products are incorporated into the recipes, so you can make the most out of everything you select from Melaleuca.

Make your comfort food and stay healthy too with R3!

Making the Holidays Healthy

Your Winter Wellness Arsenal

Now that you have some excellent ways to indulge your taste buds during the holidays, there’s still more to do! As beautiful as the season is, winter brings its own set of challenges. The holidays can be a time of increased illness, especially if you live somewhere with cold winters. While the CDC reports flu peaks between December and January, you don’t have to let seasonal concerns dampen your holiday spirit. We’ve got your back with a powerful lineup of wellness supporters to keep your spirits bright!

Activate: Your Family’s Immune Guardian

Our newest addition, Activate Immune Complex for Kids, joins the trusted Activate family in time for the holiday season. Whether at school, at the playground, on the bus, or at friends’ homes, children are exposed to many germs each day.

And during the holidays, family gatherings and other get-togethers increase the chances for exposure—for them and for you! Maintaining an effective immune system is even more critical this time of year!*

Activate Immune Complex for Kids provides critical nutrients to maintaining that immune strength. It includes a powerful blend of vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as beta-glucan and zinc powered by Oligo. These ingredients help promote the adaptive immune system response, and the best part is that it all comes in a delicious sugar-free formula smart chew that kids love!*

“I got this for my youngest son, and he loves it,” says Maria, a shopping club Member. “He said they taste much better than the ones we had found in conventual stores. If I could give it 10 stars I would. This is a fun way for your child to increase their immunity.”

Good Zymes: Your Holiday Feast Friend

Let’s be honest—holiday indulgence is nearly inevitable. And when you eat something that won’t sit well with your gut, Good Zymes steps in. Good Zymes is a multi-enzyme digestive aid that delivers 18 different enzymes to help your gut safely and naturally break down gluten, proteins, fiber, dairy, and more. This will help you process everything from Grandma’s famous stuffing to those irresistible gingersnap cookies. Just one capsule before meals helps you enjoy the festivities without worry.*

Activate Immune Complex for Kids provides critical nutrients to maintaining that immune strength. It includes a powerful blend of vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as beta-glucan and zinc powered by Oligo. These ingredients help promote the adaptive immune system response, and the best part is that it all comes in a delicious sugar-free formula smart chew that kids love!*

“I got this for my youngest son, and he loves it,” says Maria, a shopping club Member. “He said they taste much better than the ones we had found in conventual stores. If I could give it 10 stars I would. This is a fun way for your child to increase their immunity.”

Good Zymes: Your Holiday Feast Friend

Let’s be honest—holiday indulgence is nearly inevitable. And when you eat something that won’t sit well with your gut, Good Zymes steps in. Good Zymes is a multi-enzyme digestive aid that delivers 18 different enzymes to help your gut safely and naturally break down gluten, proteins, fiber, dairy, and more. This will help you process everything from Grandma’s famous stuffing to those irresistible gingersnap cookies. Just one capsule before meals helps you enjoy the festivities without worry.*

“These work very well,” says shopping club Member Charlene. “The Good Zymes work for me with pancreas issues as well as others in my family with lactose and gluten issues. I have recommended them to lots of people since there is so much digestive issues with people now.”

A Clean Home Is a Happy Home

Spiced Apple Tough & Tender All-Purpose Cleaner

Transform your holiday cleaning routine into a sensory delight with our Spiced Apple Tough & Tender All-Purpose Cleaner and Sol-U-Mel 3-in-1 Cleaner. These limited-time offerings bring the warm, inviting scent of spiced apple to your cleaning routine—because who says maintaining a spotless home can’t feel festive? (And while you’re selecting these two great products, don’t forget to add Cranberry Spice Lemon Brite!)

Clear Defense: Your On-the-Go Protection

Getting together with family and friends means more shared moments, handshaking and hugging. And during the holiday season, that can also mean more chances to get sick. Keep Clear Defense Hand Sanitizer nearby as a quick way to help put the odds back in your favor! And with a combination of aloe vera, jojoba oil, and glycerin, it also keeps your hands moisturized!

But remember, although hand sanitizers are convenient and can inactivate the microbes on your hands, hand sanitizer doesn’t replace good old-fashioned handwashing! If your hands truly are dirty or greasy, use water and soap (like Sun Valley Mint & Herb Foaming Hand Soap, powered by Sol-U-Guard Botanical).

A Healthy Home Means Happy Holidays

Remember, the best gift you can give yourself and your loved ones is the gift of wellness. With all this preparation, it’s important that you don’t overlook one of the best ways to ensure you’re in peak condition for the holidays—taking your Peak Performance Pack! With the combined power of six core supplements, Peak Performance will help you maintain total-body health!

This holiday season, let the wellness Company help you craft a home that’s not just merry and bright, but clean, healthy, and truly memorable. Don’t let sniffles and stomachaches dampen your spirits.

From premium beef, coffee and chocolates to our immune-supporting supplements and holiday-inspired home cleaners, we’ve got everything you need to make this winter wonderful.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

CAULIFLOWER RICE?

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YES, cauliflower rice can be a healthy alternative to white rice.

Let’s face it, rice in general has no flavor it’s more of a texture, which makes cauliflower rice is a great choice for adding to your meal where you would normally want a rice. For example in a quick stir fry or in a dish like chicken cacciatore. Plus cauliflower rice is low in calories and carbohydrates, and can be a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.Here are some things to know about this versatile side dish:

•Calories: One cup of cauliflower rice has 25 calories, compared to white rice or potatoes both of which can be high in calories

•Carbohydrates: Cauliflower rice can have up to 89% fewer carbohydrates than white rice per serving.

•Fiber: Cauliflower is a good source of fiber, which can help you feel full and eat fewer calories throughout the day.

•Antioxidants: Cauliflower rice is packed with antioxidants.

•Vitamins: Cauliflower rice contains riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium.

Youdon’t even have to rice. your own head of cauliflower as you can buy frozen cauliflower rice to make your meal prepping easy.
You can purchase cauliflower rice in almost any store in the frozen food section.

New Finding on Vitamin D Levels!

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New research reveals that vitamin D may play a more significant role in overall health than previously understood. A comprehensive review of 99 randomized, controlled trials involving over 17,000 participants worldwide offers new insights into the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation.

Key findings suggest that taking an average of 3,320 IU of vitamin D daily may lead to improvements in several health markers:

  • reduced blood pressure
  • lower overall cholesterol
  • decreased Hemoglobin A1C
  • improved fasting blood glucose and insulin levels

Many of you only take 2000 IU’s, and this suggests that may not be enough. Remember that D3/K2 is critical to help get the vitamin D out of the blood (which can lead to calcifications) and to the bones where it is needed!

The Olive Oil Deception 

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Did you know that olives are a fruit?
And just like fruit juice, olive oil tastes best and is the most nutritious when it’s fresh.

Fresh-pressed olive oil has the highest levels of antioxidants, polyphenols, and a unique anti-cancer compound called Oleocanthol.

But there’s a problem:
According to Forbes, “It’s been reliably reported that 80% of the Italian olive oil on the market is fraudulent. A study last year by the National Consumer League found that six of 11 bottles of Extra Virgin olive oil from three major retailers—Whole Foods, Safeway, and Giant—failed to meet Extra Virgin requirements.”
Yes, many olive oil companies produce low quality olive oil diluted with other oils, and some companies sell “olive oil” that isn’t even made from olives!

In his book, Extra Virginity, olive oil expert, Tom Mueller, warns of contaminants and cancer-causing agents in these fake olive oils:
“Italian investigators have found hydrocarbon residues, pesticides, and other contaminants in fake oils, and pomace oil, a common adulterant, sometimes contains mineral oil as well as PAHs, proven carcinogens that can also damage DNA and the immune system.”

So how do you know if it’s authentic?

The Label: The label should indicate the harvest date and whether the oil has been blended with other oils. Look for a quality seal from the International Olive Council (IOC) for European oils or the California Olive Oil Council for American oils, which indicate that the oil has been tested and meets certain standards.

The Bottle: The bottle should be dark colored glass to protect against UV Ray exposure

The Taste: Authentic EVOO has a bright flavor with hints of fruit, grass, and almond, and a slightly bitter, peppery aftertaste. Low-quality or “fake” EVOO may taste dull, greasy, waxy, or crayon-like, or have no flavor.

So shop carefully and read those labels!

Have you ever heard of the French Paradox?

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We all know that high saturated fat and high cholesterol foods are bad for our hearts, right?

The French consume more of these foods than we do, yet they enjoy significantly better heart health. This finding seemed to contradict other research that clearly linked fat-laden diets with increased risk for heart disease.

Many researchers attribute this paradox to the heart-healthy components of grapes. While the French may eat more fatty foods, they also drink more wine with their meals. The grapes used to make the wine are an extremely potent source of natural antioxidants including flavonoids.

Of all the potential vegetables, fruits, herbs, exotic berries, nuts, and roots that lead to a healthier heart, none compares to the purple grape. Purple grapes are filled with polyphenols that positively impact the interior of blood vessels unlike anything else.

That said, drinking wine every night is not a wise move for many for obvious reasons.

That’s supplement my diet with two of my very favorite ingredients daily!

Grape Seed/Skin Extract: A super-concentrated, natural extract associated with maintaining healthy blood pressure and supports healthy endothelial function. Grape skin includes many critical natural compounds that are extremely useful for a healthy cardiovascular system, called Anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are powerful polyphenolic compounds that are especially helpful in maintaining a healthy endothelial function.

Resveratrol: A polyphonic compound found in grapes and some berries. Resveratrol has been shown in lab tests to neutralize free radicals and is associated with a wide variety of beneficial physiological effects, including cardiovascular health. It is also associated with helping maintain healthy endothelial function. It’s suggested in several studies that resveratrol has a positive impact on diseases such as cancer.

Question: Do you look at the ingredients in your supplements? 

Is There Anything a Carrot Can’t Do?

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Someone one once asked me “What do carrots do?” I absolutely couldn’t answer, other than providing vitamins for the eyes and vitamin A I had no idea of what carrots do!

Since then I’ve learned that there are three compounds found in carrots: falcarinol, luteolin, and beta-carotene, can all cause apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells. Luteolin and beta-carotene are very anti-angiogenic, which means they help stop blood vessels supply to tumors.

Luteolin upregulates the tumor supressor gene p53 that is normally downregulated in cancer. It also down regulates the WNT-beta catenin, which is normally over-expressed in many cancers.
Luteolin downregulates P13k pathway. P13k regulates cell survival, proliferation and increased expression is associated with tumor progression.  When over expressed it reduces apoptosis (cell death) and allows proliferation.
Luteolin downregulates MUC1; a sticky protein that coats cancer cells in a protective layer, making it difficult for anti-cancer substances and medicines to permeate the cancer cell.
Luteolin activates AMPK . AMPK inhibits MTOR another pathway related to cancer progression.

Luteolin and Beta-carotene downregulate VEGF pathways that are over expressed in many cancers. VEGF pathway stimulates cancer cell growth.
Luteolin and Beta-carotene enhance insulin sensitivity!

Beta Carotene, luteolin, and falcarinol help repair normal function to the PPAR pathway, which regulates how certain genes are expressed and how fats and glucose are used in the body. It plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation and tumor growth.
Beta-carotene and luteolin down regulate MMP. MMP (matrix metalloproteinases) contributes to angiogenesis or blood supply to the tumor.

Falcarinol, betacarotene and lycopene lower inflammatory pathways by effecting TNF-A, IL-1, IL 6, and Cox-2.
Falcarinol suppresses the Notch pathway and shows the potent antiproliferative activity by selectively killing colorectal cancer cells and repressing tumor growth, without affecting normal colon epithelial cells! The study can be found here!
Falcarinol is a POTENT immune stimulator. Beta carotene and luteolin also stimulate the immune system.
Falcarinol, Luteolin activates PTEN, a major tumor suppressor gene.
Falcarinol induced a gut bacteria change in rats that led to a decrease in chemically induced neoplasms. Study here!
Falcarinol is antifungal and antibacterial!

Here’s a great article on retinoids in carrots potently repairing common dysregulated pathways in colorectal cancer, even the APC “genetic” polyp disorder associated with some colorectal cancers!

Endocannabinoid system- THC binds with CB1, so does carrots! Study here!

Carrots and terpenes. Carrots have 31 terpenoids! Terpenoids have been shown to potently inhibit cancer!

Carrots are high in pectin surprisingly! Pectins make it hard for cancer cells to adhere therefore, carrots help prevent metastasis. Pectins can also cause direct cancer cell death for some types of cancer. If you want more pectin, Modified Citrus Pectin is a supplement some people take.

If you’ve made it all the way through this article to ask “What about all that sugar?” A friend’s fasting blood sugar was pre-diabetic at 110 prior to diet change. Averaging about five pounds of carrots a day plus a fruit smoothie, it’s now around 70 NON-FASTING! Natural sugar is processed differently and each molecule of fruit/veggie sugar contains a plethera of anti-cancer substances!

If you’re interested in learning more about carrots and cancer, I highly recommend the book  Killing Cancer with Carrots!

I Love Olives

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Picture an olive branch. It’s a symbol of both health and longevity.

And rightfully so. Olives contain components that benefit the brain and heart, reduce cancer risk, aid in weight loss and increase longevity.
Olives are high in monounsaturated fat. Studies show that a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids are great for heart health because they

  • Reduce LDL cholesterol
  • Decrease Blood Pressure
  • Decrease A1c numbers
  • Improve Insulin sensitivity

Eating olives also increase our glutathione levels, which support our immune function. Plus, olives are fermented and fermented foods boost our microbiome and digestive health!

I add them to my salads or as a snack with my favorite cheese!

Access Bars

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I love having the Access Bar for a pre-workout “snack” because of the fat burning technology the bar offers. They help me with my workouts too.
If I et one 15 – 20 minutes before a workout, my performance is improved and I am using a good source of energy as I am not exercising on an empty stomach.

Because they taste so good, I love cutting the Access bars into slivers when I’m having a sweet-tooth craving. A few slivers of the Access Bar always seems to do the trick and it help prevent binging on not-so-great snacks. These two flavors pictured are ling-time favorites!

How do you Access?

Always check the labels

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Cellulose is actually mulched wood turned into a powder and yes, it’s in the Parmesan cheese.
Buy a block of Parmesan cheese and grate your own.