Happy August, where have I been? Goofing off to be honest!

Wow, it has been quite a while since my last post, sorry. You know no matter what we do, where we live or what our daily situation, we all have stuff. Stuff that keeps you from getting things done that we cannot control all the way to stuff we could control that I sometimes think we use for an excuse so we do not have to do stuff. So what is it for me, a little of all of the above.

The reason I chose this subject is that over the last month I have received so many e mails about people from all over the country trying to do this and that with their health, still trying to get their New Years resolutions started, and we are now in August.

I guess what I am trying to say is procrastination is everywhere and that if you are guilty of this new American past time, you are in the best possible company around. The smartest, most intelligent and talented people everywhere have fallen privy to this new hobby.

So what should we all do about this quandary that has so many of us in it's hold, I mean procrastination? Chill out, take some time to look at the things you are putting off, as they might just be things that never ever really need to be focused on. They may also be things that do need immediate attention and possibly looking at these in a newer light may be all that is needed to see that attention is needed. Some may have been ideas or maybe badly set unattainable crazy goals that were set out of desperation or foolishness, and when reevaluating them, you may see that taking them off the list would be wise.

I think we as Americans have the best intentions of any country I know of, and we really do have the most passion about our intentions. I think we just lose a little momentum or end up, after they are set trying everything possible to find excuses not to achieve them. I think we also have the ultimate problem of putting them in motion along the way.

So what is the real moral of this story? I think we all need to chill out a little and possibly retake another look at these goals.We might also want to complete a few of those undone tasks no matter what they may be, you might just end up a lot healthier, more in shape, and possibly feel a lot more motivated once a few are checked off the list....

Help your pets through the 4th of July holiday

The K9 Magazine Firework Safety Code For Pet Owners


Every year the skyline is set alight with rockets, Catherine wheels and Roman candles as celebrations take place to the accompanying sound of fireworks. Bangs, explosions and bright lights are partnered by screams, sirens and the occasional howling dog.

Dogs do not like fireworks. Fact. Every year dogs along with many other animals experience fear and confusion, sometimes alone when their owners are away enjoying an organized bonfire.
It is not unusual for dogs to run away or escape from the home when frightened by fireworks so ensuring your garden is ULTRA secure is a must, especially at this time of year.

Our simple 6 point guide should help to ensure your pets can get through the firework season safe and sound.

It is a good idea to bring any outdoor pets inside for the duration of firework period. If this is not possible, covering kennels up with a blanket at night will give a dog a little protection from the bright flashes and loud bangs. Outside dogs are often used to thunder but fireworks can cause a very different reaction. Always remember how acute a dog's sense of hearing is. A loud bang to us can feel like volcano erupting to a dog.

It may be hard, but try and stay with your dog during the majority of the firework season. A dog can often react very differently to a bang when you are not there. If it is possible, see if you can view your dog via a hidden vantage point just to gauge his or her reaction to the bangs. Even though you may elect to stay with the dog, try very hard not to react to the sounds of fireworks yourself. Do your best to ignore the bangs and crashes, showing your dog that there is no imminent danger despite the loud noises and bright flashes.

Always make sure your dog has his or her own special area where they can go to feel safe. Be it an indoor kennel or a place under the stairs, dogs love to have a den at their disposal.
It sounds obvious, but try to keep the windows and curtains closed as often as possible during firework season as this will lessen the effect of the noise and bright flashes.

Normal household noises such as the TV, vacuuming or music can help to distract from the loud noises coming from outside. Maybe firework season is a good time to have a disco at home followed by a few days of vacuuming!

Last but certainly not least, always ensure your pet has some sort of identification on him or her. It is a sad fact but many dogs do run away from home during firework season, even dogs that has previously shown no fear of fireworks can occasionally take flight at the loud noises and flashes in the sky. Be prepared, your dog has no comprehension why the sudden noises and bright lights and as an animal with ultra sensitive senses, it's important to be prepared for any sudden displays of anxiety or fear.

Why do we wait???

Why do people wait until they are completely falling apart before they even think of using or trying nutrition to fix deficiencies in their bodies? I am amazed and as I have seen this so many times over the years, it is confusing for my head to comprihend.Frankly it is so frustrating to the point of wanting to scream at them and ask what were, AND WHAT ARE you thinking?

To use an example, and to let you know, I asked their permission to borrow this story as it is a good one. I have a couple that have been customers of mine for over twenty years, or I guess I should say she was a customer and he would stand in the door way smoking and blowing his smoke out the door while she shopped.

Over the years he would ask a question here and there, but it was basically tradition that he would stand in the doorway while his wife shopped. Now you need to know she had tried for many years to get him to clean up his act and eat better, exercise and quit the bad habits with no success. Well, about a year ago he went to the Doctor for the first time in twenty years. He found out after an examination that he had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, an enlarged prostate, skin cancers, bad circulation, and the beginnings of emphysema. On top of this he was deficient in almost every vitamin and mineral and had elevated levels of free radicals in his blood and a low grade infection. What a mess!! the Doctor said he was going to have to make changes today or he would not be here to see the New Year.

Now you need to know that his wife went through cancer, actually forth stage and her Doctor allowed me to work on her diet and nutrition along with him and the therapy and she has been in remission for over ten years and every checkup is perfect. The Doctor himself has become a wonderful believerr and uses nutrition in his practice and always says he thought he knew everything until he me Jeff and his vitamin magic. While working with her and her Doctor were able to, along with nutrition were able to get her off every medication that she used. She now uses only natural supplements for blood pressure, cholesterol, mood and hormones, as well as her immune system that is working great.

Her husband followed her in the Saturday after he had been to the Doctor and for the first time he actually came in the store. He actually walked over to the counter and asked me if he could chat. He began to cry and I almost flipped as he unloaded his new medical findings. I asked him what the plan was, he said his Doctor said he has thirty days for a total lifestyle cleanup and then he would have more tests and begin radical prescription drug therapy. I then asked what his plans were? He said I am surrendering and will do everything you ask.

So, to get to the purpose of this blog, why oh why do people wait until this point to ask for help? Do you think you can keep doing everything wrong and never pay the piper? Do you think that an unhealthy lifestyle will never wear you down and get it's revenge? Wow, I wanted to scream at him but as I looked into his eyes all I could see was a scared little boy afraid and desperate. I decided to help, please like I would have actually said no.

We decided to meet on the following Monday evening at their home and I said you will be a non smoker by Monday or I will wash my hands of you, he agreed. We met and I put him on the strictest program I have ever put anyone on ever! The following month he went to the Doctor and most of his levels were down by almost fifty percent. His blood pressure was near normal and his blood work was great. The Doctor said keep doing what you are doing and in ninety days we will re test.

I am glad to report that he is not only in amazing health a year later but he now brings everyone he knows to the store and always preaches not only good health, but he has become a proponent of total prevention.

Now, if I could bottle his new ideas and motivation, that my friends would be a winning combination!!!!!

Warm days require re hydration and minerals

Every time I come to the east coast in the warmer weather I am reminded of what humidity is and how it feels. I was raised in the mid west where humidity was the norm in the spring and summer, but I have been away from it and in the desert for a very long time.

This is usually the time I remind everyone who is in this climate to drink and actually over drink water to keep the body hydrated as it dumps fluid out through the pores and through frequent urination. This is also the time time to remind ourselves and those around us to increase our nightly dosages of minerals and calcium to keep muscles limber and prevent cramping. Arthritics sometimes feel that the colder months are harder on them, and they may be, but losing all of your minerals through dehydration and not replacing them will cause similar symptoms and many times worst than the effects of a cold winter day.

One other thing that many people still do not grasp is that huge consumption of sodas or sugar filled energy drinks can actually cause dehydration and strip the body of healthy minerals. Water is the key to re hydrating your body, and minerals are the key nutrients for rebuilding healthy muscles, bones, tissue and healthy cells. Your skeletal system needs and demands minerals and hydrating fluids to protect it's organs too.

Bottom line, hot and hot and humid weather requires a checklist of things we need to remember. Sun screen, water, minerals, healthy foods, lots of rest and living in the land of re hydration.

Stress is around you even when you do not see it's face

When people talk about the stress in their lives they all have reasons that they feel are the culprits at that time for the added stress. When asked people will say it is financial, emotional, relationship , sickness based, the kids, the career, but how many people say it is the people they work with?

I think we take for granted that we are around certain people that are not our family for upwards of forty hours per week. I think we fail to remember that when people at work are having a crisis, and if we like them even a little bit, we are touched by the their stress, and may even go through it with them every step of the way if we are good friends. We also pick up vibes both good and bad from the people we are around all day long, and I am sorry to say that we sometimes take those bad vibes home with us, and many times create a Hell of our own at home and then it becomes a whole other kind of twenty four hour stress.

Recently I have been reminded by someone very special to me to let things roll off my back and realize that most of the time people that are very difficult at work whether it is a fellow employee an owner or a boss may be in a lot of pain and venting or yelling or generally being hard to deal with is their only salvation. It is not good that they ignore all of the rules set forth my courtesy manual number one or that they do things that would make Miss Manors scream out loud, we just need to be supportive and let them lean on us.

One more thing, if it is all bad and there are no good times at all anymore, then it is time to leave and let them sink in the hole they have dug for themselves. Nutritionally, always take extra B Complex daily, preferably a stress formula so you do not get run down. Make sure you increase your nightly minerals, take some L -Tryptophan or Valerian root, Exercise and eat well and treat this as if you were going into combat every day. A war we can win while we are being supportive, allowing ourselves to be leaned on, and hopefully getting all those around us into to a better and healthier place.

Hopefully!!!!!!!!!!

Plastic water bottles in the news

Today on the morning news they were talking about the damaging and health problems associated with of all things plastic water bottles. Plastic is of course loaded and made with chemicals, but on the other hand plastic has been a savior for us in almost every avenue of our lives. I do not think I could imagine life today without plastic for everything from car parts, medical supplies, security, technology, cell phones and the list continues.

The segment this morning was addressing the use of plastic in our drink bottles and re usable water bottles. I have in my mind always felt that a few refills will most likely not be a problem, but after over using and dishwasher cleaning what about long term use. They were speaking about how chemicals in the plastic could seep into the liquids we are drinking and possible affect our health negatively. I am sure much more testing will be done and I will keep you posted as I am very interested in where this will go.

As of this point I will go back to using glass or a steel water bottle, just for my own piece of mind. But I am also the clumsiest person I know so I will have to be careful not to drop my bottle like I do the plastic one I am used to using. I am also guilty of being a re user and re filler of bottles and use them for weeks at a a time. I always thought that reusing them would cut down on land fill debris, when I guess I actually should have just not used a plastic bottle at all. We should most likely think convenience for us for the moment and permanently in the landfills.

Maybe this will be a way to start doing a huge recycling campaign and pay by the pound to get people to recycle.

The picture above is my new filly, she is five days old here with her Mom.

How is your allergy season going?

So, how are you doing this allergy season? It seems to be a the worst one in a while in many parts of the country and in Las Vegas it is awful. There are some wonderful things for relief that are easy to use and some basic dietary restrictions that can ease you through the rest of the season.

First of all, as you know mucous is a major culprit that causes annoying symptoms. This one problem causes runny noses, scratchy throats, chest congestion and also carries bacteria into our lungs which can quickly inhibit our breathing and lead to bronchitis and chest infections. If you are privy to these problem,s try cutting out all dairy, wheat and complex carbohydrates for a few weeks. Anything white, or sweet will also cause problems. I am the first to say eat n "ATKINS" type diet for a few weeks to allow your body to flush out old built up mucous while not adding any more.

Water and liquids are very important to keep us hydrated as well as diluting old mucous so it does not get thick and a gluey consistency, this is when it is almost impossible to clear out and gets stuck and coats everything. Using fluids often helps more than you think and as basic as it is to drink a lot of water many of you do not drink enough and our skin, bladders, urinary tracts and elimination cycles will let you know it if you would just listen to your bodies.

Next, let us focus on proper nutrition. Vitamin C in higher dosages, always buffered and in complex form and timed released is my favorite suggestion to insure proper success. If you usually use 2000mg per day, try doubling or tripling the dosage. Your intestines will let you know if you have reached your "bowel tolerance".

Next increase your B Complex for the stress on your adrenal glands and supplement extra pantothenic acid, or B-5 to support the adrenal glands. You might want to bring in an immune booster, make it a blend so you can cut down on the amount of products you have to take, Body Well is a wonderful combination that can be used during flu and cold season as well as allergy season. It combines all of the things that build and support our immune systems and help to keep us healthy and strong to fight against the things that weaken our defenses.

Just these few basic changes will make a great difference for any of us no matter where you live. As each part of the country has different types of plant growth and different types of pollens, all of the changes above are of benefit as they work on making us stronger. They allow our bodies no matter where we live and no matter what pollens we are dealing with to be stronger, healthier and help us to glide through the season.

If you have to use something from the drug store because your body is run down, go ahead, but as soon as you get your body tuned up try to phase it out and let the nutrition help your body do the job for you.