No 'do-overs'!

Where has the past month gone? Paul works, I work, he does yard work, I do the house. Sometimes we dance the dance with our family and find time to do a little something together but, honestly, there just isn't enough time!!!!

I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy living my life by a day planner. I don't enjoy running in a wheel like a little hamster....you know, going 90 mph and never getting any where. This is not how my husband and I envisioned our retirement. So after many, many months of searching our souls we have come to some hard decisions. We are moving back to Montana.

Why, you might ask? It is not one thing. It never is. It is adding up the sum and figuring out that what you might like your life to be and the reality of it are two completely different things. Ideally, we would prefer that our work was a hobby to be enjoyed instead of expected. Ideally, we would be able to pick up the phone and get together with our family and friends and not feel like we were imposing or that they felt an obligation to squeeze us into their already hectic lives. It is no ones fault. It's just the way life is. As far as I know life is rarely ideal. You have to take what it gives you and make the best of it and so that is what we are doing.

By moving to Montana we will have more time to spend together as a loving couple and not just act as ships that pass in the night. We will be able to sit and really talk to each other again, and not just talk, but listen to what the other has to say. We will get back to the old days. Work will come second to play because by making the move, it can. Paul will be able to hunt and fish and get his passion back, and I will be able to hike, quilt and scrapbook. Oh, how we have missed those things. We will not miss the pace of life in the city or the traffic. Our lives will slow down and our life expectancy will go up! The omnipresent pressure of the demands made on us here in Phoenix will fall away and we will drink in the clean air and smile again.

Now, don't think for a minute that we won't miss things about living here in Arizona. We will desperately miss our children. We will miss our grandchildren and parents. Not just a little, but a lot. But we had to weigh how much time we actually got to spend together with everyone against all else and hope that by coming back for the winters that we can fill in the gaps spent by months of being away and enjoy the time we can actually spend together. That is our fervent hope and we will do everything in our power to make that happen.

Happiness is an elusive beast but we are trying to find a way in this economy to make the best of what life has to offer. There is always a price to pay for change but it is with my deepest conviction that this change will be the last major one for a long while. May peace come with it and understanding from all. It is with my deepest love that I send this out to you.

Hey, I'm Famous (Sort OF)!

If you get the chance, check out a LifeStyle magazine. There on page 18 you will find an article and photograph about a 53-year-old lady who feels twenty years younger. Me!!!

I truly believe that everything that happens to us during our lifetime, happens for a reason. Why was it that I had to spend so many years battling low blood sugar? Why was I always so light-headed and weak? Why did my hormones have to rage so? An why did I have arthritis that was changing every movement that I made? Why the pain? Why was it always so hard for me to control my weight?

I know why now. It was so that Reliv could come into my life. Reliv has given me my health back. I ate 'healthy' and I got a decent amount of exercise but it wasn't enough and I felt so bad that I was open-minded enough to listen to information that I would have closed my mind to earlier on. Why is it that we have to hit the bottom before we can look up?

I have the answers to many health-related questions now. I am a sponge and love learning more about how the human body works. It really is a fascinating vessel and I get so much pleasure sharing what I have learned so that others can feel as good as I do. That is the 'why'! Life is so short and we need to enjoy the ride. The ride is fantastic but especially so when we can do it in good health.

Look at your parents health history and the ailments that they have battled. More than likely you will follow their path as well, so if you could change that path, would you?

A strong and healthy body can battle genetics and when you can achieve that in such a tasty and simple way......well, you decide.

Our Children Are Our Future And That Scares Me!

Go to any public place and look around.....now, look down. Look at the children. How many do you see that are overweight? How many children get constant colds or are battling diseases that used to only affect adults even a generation ago? Things like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. How many children have trouble sitting still or concentrating in school?

By and large, we as Americans are very lucky. We have grocers who stock the shelves with every imaginable tasty delight. Foods that bring pleasure and foods that are quick and easy to prepare. But look at the labels on most of those tempting foods and you will find that they are full of empty calories and very little nutrition. We are the most overfed, undernourished people on the planet and it is totally under our own control!

It's never too late to make the changes that will affect your children for the rest of their lives. You can start slowly by encouraging your kids to get away from the computer and tv and get outside. Go 'play'! Move! Have fun!

Next, it is up to us as parents to control what our children eat. They don't buy the food and can only consume what we allow them to, so we need to do what is best and what is right for their proper development, don't we? We can be an example for them by showing them that nutritious food is something to enjoy. It helps them grow up strong and gives them energy. We can set an example for them. Your kids pay attention to you, they really do!

Teach your children that good health depends on the right balance between what they eat and how much they move. It's never to late! Small steps make a big difference.

Sharing meals is an ideal way for the family to spend time together. It is a time that your children will look back on with fond memories when they grow up. I can remember sitting down to dinner with my family and everyone talking about what went on in their day. The food was what brought us to the table but the conversations kept us in tune with each other. Those were great times.

Studies have been done that say that the tv should be shut off during meals and snack time. The reason being that you need to focus on what you eat so that you make wise choices and don't over or under-indulge. Try it and see what happens!

Also, restrict your chidrens access to the refrigerator and snack cupboard. Reward them with praise and fun activities rather than with food. Involve your kids in meal planning and preparation. They are more likely to eat what they have helped to make.

A lot of these changes require time, I know. Time to shop more effectively. Time in meal preparation and time to supervise play. But all of this time may save your children from poor scores in school, teasing from thin friends and, more importantly, save them from ailments and diseases that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Isn't it time well spent?

We all love our children and I know we all want what is best for them but sometimes there just isn't enough time to do what is right by them. You can supplement them with vitamins but only 15-30% of any tablet actually absorbs into their system and the rest gets 'flushed away'. Vitamins have a daily recommended dosage on them and those standards were set back in the 30's when ricketts was what people were most concerned about getting. Now there is so much more. The fruits and vegetables that we do eat do not hold full value in their nutritional content because of the way that they are grown. The soils are depleted and they are picked before they are ready so that they don't spoil in shipping. Our meat are full of injected hormones. What is a mom to do?

By providing your children with a tasty Reliv shake a day you can not only meet, but exceed, all of their nutritional needs. Enzymes are included that help with healthy brain development and supports cellular development for clarity, memory function, learning and cognitive function. Antioxidants protect against cell destroying free radicals and the kids love the creamy shakes that fuel their day.

I have seen children improve their performance in school, get off of medications and become happier and healthier members of their own little societies. Life is good if you have the health to enjoy it! I truly enjoy working with families to achieve their healthy goals. Can I be of help to you?

Federal Government Guidelines to Childrens Healthy Nutrition

These amounts are based on preschoolers but you can go to MyPrymid.gov and customize the profile for your childrens age....

Your little ones should have 1,800 calories per day for proper development.

Incorporate 6 oz of whole grains every day and at least half of that should be whole grain. Just because bread is brown does not mean it's whole-grain. Search the ingrediants list to make sure the first word is "whole" (like "whole wheat")

2 1/2 cups of vegetables with lots of color should be eaten by days end. Go dark green with broccoli and spinach, or try orange ones like carrots and sweet potatoes.

1 1/2 cups of fruit daily are natures treat...sweet and delicious. Go easy on juice and make sure that it's 100%

2 cups of milk is a must for the calcium to build strong bones. Look at the carton or container to make sure that your milk, yogurt or cheese is lowfat or fat-free.

5 oz of meat or beans a day is your childrens' building block. Eat lean or lowfat meat, chicken, turkey and fish. Ask for it baked, broiled or grilled. Not fried. It's nutty, but true. Nuts, seeds, peas, and beans are all great sources of protein too.

Oils are not a food group, but you need some for good health. Get it from oils from fish, nuts, and liquid oils such as corn oil, soybean oil and canola oil.

Fats and sugars---know your limits. Get your fat facts and sugar smarts from the Nutrition Facts label. Limit solid fats as well as foods that contain them. Choose food and beverages low in added sugars and other caloric sweetners.

Find your balance between food and fun. Move more. Aim for at least 60 minutes every day. Walk, dance, bike, rollerblade...it all counts. How great it that!

Keep your children strong by feeding them healthy!

Colorado or Bust!

My Toyota Camry is seven years old but she serves me well and loves the open highway. She had been to the carwash and given the deluxe treatment so, with tank filled, was ready to take me on another new adventure....

My daughter-in-law, Angela, is my newest Reliv distributor and her family lives in the quiet little town of Windsor, Colorado. Windsor was devasted by a Class IV tornado a year ago but has rebuilt herself and settled back into its normal way of life. The town is clean and wholesome and a place where people can safely and happily raise their families. We drove straight through from Phoenix to there and arrived in the wee hours to a mother who was anxiously anticipating her daughters arrival. The next day was spent in celebration of lost time, over bbq burgers and soda. Children were playing, dogs were chasing and laughter was everywhere and it made for a very good day.

We came to Windsor to share our Reliv experience and in a quaint little coffee shop we told the folks what these products have come to mean to us. Angela has gone from a greatly affected Type I diabetic to nearly normal insulin levels. From 120 units of insulin a day to 15. The neuropathy in her feet and legs is gone and she has lost 27 pounds. I have gone from low blood sugars, hot flash-hell, arthritis and 40 pounds of excess weight to someone who suffers none of those things now.

When the health conscience people of Windsor listened to our stories and read the information we had brought they accepted our offer to help them with their issues as well and it made for a very satisfying evening, knowing that we were able to address so many people. After all, that is what Reliv is all about.

We did mix business and pleasure. It was a good thing. My little Camry carried us home through wind and rain and brought us back to life in the big city. We went to sleep that night in blissful dreams knowing that all was right and lives will be changed for the better thanks to 'our two little shakes a day....' I love my Reliv!

Reaching Her Goal and Riding Along!

You know how sometimes you meet someone and after visiting with them, even for only a short while, they strike you as the kind of person who is always going to be successful? This kind of person exudes an air about them that says that they are confident and secure within themself and they aspire to do great things. Well one of these people is a member of my family, in a round about way. She is my daughter's sister-in-law, Belinda. I have known Belinda for as long as she and her husband have been married but we really haven't had any kind of prolonged conversation until just recently. After following along in my blogs and having seen each other at a recent family gathering, she and I got together over Starbucks to talk girl talk. You know, the kind of girl talk where you discuss female maladies and the dreaded weight gain that seems to just creep up on us. Well, after reading and seeing my results using Reliv, Belinda wanted to know more about it and how it worked. It is as easy as simply supplying your body with the nutrients that it needs and the body kicks in and goes to work! Nothing fancy. Just efficient.

Belinda has made a commitment to better health and has set goals for herself that include marathon's and backpacking adventures. Her spirit bursts with enthusiasm and it is going to be so much fun watching her work towards her goals. She uses her two Reliv shakes a day to fortify her body and reduce her weight and along with a healthy mealplan and exercise regime I can only foresee her reaching her goals.

I have hiking into Machu Picchu as one of the goals on my "bucket list" and so does Belinda. Wouldn't it be great if someday we were able to sit at the top of the ruin knowing that it is only one of the many things that we are able to do now thanks to good health and good nutrition...?

If you would like to follow Belinda's health and weight loss progress you may link up with her on www.belindaspassion.blogspot.com

Does anyone care?

I have been busy lately and I meet a lot of people. When I see someone that is in pain, I try to help. Sometimes it is that they have a physical need that needs to be met, but often times it is simply that they want someone to talk to. Someone to actually listen to them.

Why is it that we get so caught up in ourselves that we forget to pay attention to the signs all around us? We rush, rush, rush, everywhere we go. We hear what the people around us say, but do we truly listen?

I wonder.

You know we only get one go around in this life. Maybe we should slow down a little and access what is really important......

A Hop, Skip And A Jump

My grandmother sat on the couch the last few years of her life. Her hips were so painful that she had to use a walker just to move around. She was an Iowa farm-girl and to see this once vibrant woman immobile was painful just to watch. Grandma has since passed away but the arthritis that put her on her sofa has affected my mother, my sister, and yes, myself.

I am only 53 years old and already a joint in my hand was frozen stiff. My feet, hips, hands and neck were sore and daily activities were more limited than what they used to be. If I wanted to back up my car, I had to turn my whole body around to look because my neck wouldn't rotate. I couldn't quilt any more and to hold my husbands hand was not something I looked forward too. How sad it that? My hips hurt all of the time and I could see where I was going to follow all of the special women in my family....right to the old sofa one day. I didn't want that. Who would? I will not take prescription medication, if at all possible, because with my medical background I know the damage that it does, in the long run, to your liver and kidneys. I was looking for an alternative.

It was my husband who found it for me and the answer was Reliv. Now, my arthritis didn't happen overnight and I was willing to be patient while Reliv's Arthaffect worked within my body. It took almost two months before I started seeing anything happen and it was the hand-holding where I first took notice. It didn't hurt! That joint in my hand that had been frozen for two years now moves and my hips are flexible and I am down on the floor playing with my grandchildren. I can fully turn my head to look from side to side and I am able to quilt again. Now that I am active I am losing weight and I feel better than I have in years.

No, my arthritis isn't cured, but it is not painful any more. I get out of bed in the morning with a hop, skip and jump and a smile on my face....not a grimace! If you would like more information you may email me or give me a call. I enjoy helping others feel as good as I do.

Ouch, It Hurts (No More!)

The painful toll of joint disease affects more than 46 million Americans and is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Worldwide, more than 355 million people suffer with the disease.

By 2030 the number of people with arthritis is expected to rise by 40%. Osteoarthritis affects nearly 27 million Americans and rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.3 million. Obesity is the number one cause of osteoarthritis because the extra weight stresses the joints. Nearly two in three people who are obese will develop knee osteoarthritis over their lifetime, but losing 15 pounds can cut the knee pain in half.

According to the 2008 World Arthritis Day "Think Psitive" survey, 97 percent of people with arthritis indicated the condition affects them or people they care about emotionally and 5 percent of them said it may lead to depression.

Clinical evidence shows arthritis/rheumatism can have a debilitating effect on people's lives by restricting physical, psychological and social function.

In 2003, more than 650,000 total joint replacement procedures were performed by orthopedic surgeions in the U.S. The most frequent reason for these surperies is to relieve pain and disablility caused by servere arthritis.

Reliv has over 10 million dollars in research and development for a product to help control arthritis. It has a US government patent and is available from your authorized Reliv distributor. I can, personally, attest to the benefits of using this product and if you continue reading you may find a bit of you in what I say.....

CardioSentials

A clinical study was done supporting the effectiveness and safety of this product. It showed a significant reduction in cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and glucose, while raising HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering triglycerides. It significantly decreased the overall risk factors for heart disease.

The American Heart Association recommends 1-2 grams of phytosterols to help block the absorbtion of cholesterol in the digestive tract and our product has that. Policosanol reduces LDL, raises HDL and improves coronary blood flow. Our product has that. OptiBerry (registered trademark) is a patented blend of berry extracts which helps relax the artereial walls and keeps the blood flowing and has great antioxidant capabilities. Our product has that. CoQ10 is an imp0orotant heart-productive antioxidant producted naturally in the body that diminishes with age. It energizes heart function, reduceds LDL cholesterol oxidation and supplements amounts that are diminished by age and the body's reaction to statin drugs. Gugulipid is a powerful herbal antioxidant that helps protect against hardening of the arteries. Our product has all of this.

This information was inspired by a tragic phone call that I got this morning. Please read on .....

Broken Heart Broke My Heart

This morning the phone rang and my husband rolled over in bed to pick it up.....the call was from a friend of a friend of ours in Montana. We have a home there and in Arizona so we have people in both places that mean a lot to us. This time it was not a welcome call. Our neighbor had a massive heart attack and he is in critical condition in the hospital. At this stage of the game, no one can say what his prognosis will be.

When I look at this man I see someone who is not overweight, is physically very active and every time I have eaten around him he made good choices. What happened? Why?

I have to admit, after the shock of hearing this news and calling my neighbor's wife to see how she and he were doing, I felt sick to my stomach. Part of it was coming face to face with my own mortality but part of it was, here I am distributing a product that could have kept this from happening and I had not even mentioned it to them. I feel guilty and ashamed that I judged, by looking at him, that he didn't need what I had to offer.

Have you ever done that? I mean, just look at a person and presume you knew what their health was really like? We are such a superficial society but no one really knows what is going on inside of another person's body. My poor friend was building up plaque that no one even knew about, and even though he was aware of his family's predisposition to heart disease, he took no steps to do anything about helping himself. Now we may lose him and they say that if he lives, he will have brain damage. This is so sad..........he is only in his early 60's. He should be at home. He should be working in his beautiful yard and enjoying all that he prepared his retirement to be........

So many of the prescription drugs for heart disease have side effects that directly affect the kidney and liver. Hey, let's damage one to fix the other, shall we? That makes sense!!! Reliv offers Cardiosentials that does the same thing as statin drugs, in a safe and effective way.

Right now I am a little too emotional. I am sad and I am angry. If I can help just one other person so that this does not happen them I will do it for my friend. If I can help you or your loved one, just let me know. A broken heart does not have to happen.......

Parkinson's Shmarkinson's

My dad was a mid-western farm boy and basketball player. He has spent his whole life being active and living a healthy lifestyle and two years ago, at age 71, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. We had suspected as much a lot sooner but he is not one to go to doctors so it wasn't until he was forced into reality that he had a name to go with his condition.

The progression of the disease has my father where he has a tremor on half his body, he shuffles when he walks, has difficulty with balance and swallowing poses a real problem as he says that his mouth is always dry. The medication he must take causes severe constipation. It gives him hallucinations as well so sleep is difficult and with prostate problems too, he has to get up multiple times during the night. His body never does get complete rest so he is tired all day....tired and weak. He had lost a considerable amount of weight and he no longer went out for morning walks with his buddies. I was watching my once vibrant father wither away and I felt like there was nothing that I could do.

By now you all know that Reliv came into my life. It had done such wonderful thing for my health that I convinced my dad that he should give it a try. After all, what did he have to lose? Along with his Parkinson's he has a pacemaker and arthritis (bone on bone) so he is dealing with multiple issues. With even the slightest bump he bruises terribly too. Those awful black marks that so many elderly people get.

Well, I put him on Reliv's basic nutrition and then added ProVantage (for his weakened muscles), Reversage (it covers SO much) and Arthaffect. That is quite a lot of product to be taking but he wanted to feel better so rather than complain, he mixes it with ice cream and really ENJOYS his two shakes a day!!! The results to date, and it's been four months,are that his energy is way up and his balance is restored. He no longer bruises as he used to, the color is back in his cheeks, he is swallowing better and has gained 4 pounds and he is back walking with his park buddies again. Now Reliv does not claim to cure anything, but my dad has a quality of life that he did not have a few months ago. At this stage of the game, that is everything.

If you give the body the 'food' that it needs, the body works with all of it's power to try to heal itself. Sometimes the body is too far gone to reverse the damage, but in this case, it helped. If you ask my dad, he is happy again. That is huge!!!!

Why do many people wait until their health is so far gone? Why, when we are in our middle years, do we ignore what our bodies are telling us? When there is something that we can do to prepare our bodies for the aging process, why don't we? You tell me. I can help and I get great pleasure from doing it.

Aging Gracefully...Did You Know?

The human body ages for a number of reason:

Hormones decline. Hormones are chemical messengers that tell the cells what proteins to manufacture and the organs what functions to perform. When hormone levels decline, less information is transmitted and the body functions less effectively. One of the most powerful things we can do to slow biological aging and prevent disease is to compensate for these age related changes in hormone production.

Free Radical Damage. As we age our body is less able to defuse and repair the cell damage from free radicals, so cells become more vulnerable to oxidation, DNA mutation and tissue rigidity. To compound the problem, high-fat diets, smoking and sedentary lifestyles speed the decline of hormones and contribute to free radical damage throughout the body.

Inflammation. Inflammation throughout the body is another major contributing factor to disease and aging. Ongoing inflammation throughout the body can kill brain cells, thicken the blood, cause arterial plaque to break off, cause free radical damage, and fuel cancer growth.

Bottom line: The key to healthier aging is to slow the decline of our body's functioning and to restore vigor through good nutrtional support and smarter lifestyle choices.

People over 50 need more of some vitamins and minerals than younger adults do. Specifically, make sure your'e getting enough vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B6.

Zinc, along with vitamins C and E and the phytchemicals lutein, Zeaxanthin and beta-carotene may help prevent or slow the onset of age-related macular degeneration

Vitamin E may have a potential role in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease

Low levels of vitamin B12 have been associated with memeory loss and linked to age-related hearing loss in older adults.

Building blocks with enough vitamins and minerals, amino acids and essental fatty acids, along with CoQ10, L-carnitine, N-acetylcysteine and glutathione. An ideal formula containing all of these ingredients can be found in Reliv's Reversage. Reversage also contains Symbiotropin, a unique combination of natural substances that stimulate the body's release of human growth hormone, and 7-Keto, a safe prohormone that is more potent than DHEA in fighting the effects of aging by improving weight loss, stamina, concentration and focus.

The list of ingredients that promote healthy aging goes on and on but most all can be found in Reversage. Taken once daily for five days a week my people have noticed results in energy, stamina, less bruising and their skin is more resilient and healthy looking. Imagine what is going on in the inside!!!!

Reliv products encourage healthier aging. For more information you may contact me directly.

No Need For 'Weed'

After watching his wife's health come back to where she was a healthy and happy woman again, JD decided that maybe these little shakes she was taking might not hurt him either. He is a construction worker who had damaged his shoulders in a bad fall a few years ago and maybe this "stuff" could help?

At first it was hard for him to remember to mix his shake before going to work but as he became more diligent, he found that his shoulders were feeling better. He was able to carry heavier loads and handle his tools with less strain. Little did he know that there was more healing going on than he could imagine.

You see, JD had been diagnosed with a chemical imbalance as a young man and 22 years later he was using weed to help himself feel better. He didn't like the way the prescriptions he was given made him feel and it messed with his performance in the bedroom. So, JD smoked cigarettes and drank Red Bull at work and smoked pot in the evening to get through the day. You can only imagine how his head and his body must have been feeling.....

After two weeks on Reliv his shoulders started feeling better and he noticed that his cravings for cigarettes was diminishing. He said that his Red Bull started tasting "funny" to him and he was not using as much pot as he was used to. Now three months later, JD no longer feels the uses energy drinks and he has cut back from two packs of cigarettes a day to a half pack! But the best part, to him, is he no longer has the need for weed!!!!!

When your body is healthy and your chemicals balance themselves out you won't find yourself reaching for the unhealthy things that have made you feel better. Better to fix the problem than just put a 'bandaid' on it, don't you agree?

What's So Great About Losing Weight? (Besides Looking Better?)

If you ask your heart, back, or joints, the most important reason to lose weight is for your health, not your looks. Here are some things to consider....

Heart Disease
The heavier you are, the harder your heart has to work. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease, the pathway for heart attacks. In addition, the heart disease risk factors of high blood pressure and cholesterol are more common in people who are overweight. Those same risk factors also increase your risk of stroke. Even a 10% decrease in weight reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 20% in men. When your heart is healthy then every part of you works better.

Diabetes
Consider this scary fact: Gaining just 11-18 pounds doubles your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Over 80% of people with diabetes are overweight or obese. Even modest amounts of weight loss -about ten pounds- combined with increased activity reduces your risk for diabetes and improves blood sugar if you have diabetes. If you do have diabetes, losing small amounts of weight also can reduce the amount of medication you need to regulate your blood sugar levels. Overall, managing your weight is the best thing you can do to prevent the development of diabetes.

Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit their doctor. The biggest risk factor for back pain is carrying excess weight. The more out of shape you are and the heavier you are, the more stress you put on your back. One of the best things that you can do to prevent and eliminate back pain is to lose weight and strengthen your abdominal and back muscles.

Arthritis
For every two pounds you gain, your risk of developing arthritis increases 9-13 percent. Patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 25 are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those with a lower BMI. Your knees and hips especially take the brunt of excess wieght and will thank you for losing even 10 pounds.

Cancer
Yes, weight even affects cancer risk. Being overweight and obese can increase your risk for cancers such as colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney, endometrial, cervical, ovarian and postmenopausal breast cancers. In fact, obesity and being overwieght is clearly associated with doubling the risk of kidney cancer in men and women.

In addition to the 'biggies' mentioned here, being overweight can also cause a host of other problems including sleep apnea, fatigue, breathlessness, sleeplessness, varicose veins. Obviously, being overweight is anything but jolly. That's why today is the day for you to start losing weight and getting healthier. Contact me and I will show you how.

The Weight Is Over!!!!

Today is a very good day. I took one of my "FAT" photos and had it screened onto a tee shirt and the guy at the printer just stood there with his mouth wide open. He said, "Is that really you?" Now, the way he said it, you would have thought that I would be offended but I wasn't. You see I am losing weight and I don't even look like that person any more....

All of my life I have felt like there was something wrong with me. When I was growing up I ate the same as everyone else in my family and in modest amounts, but I always carried more pounds than they did. My dad called me 'Fat Albert' and at the time I didn't know who Fat Albert was, but when I found out, it broke my heart. I looked into the mirror and I didn't think I was that fat. I wasn't. NO!

Every bite that went into my mouth was something that I was very conscience of. I have always tried to eat 'healthy' and if I had something that could be considered unhealthy I felt terrible pangs of guilt. I shouldn't eat those things. After all, I was fat. I have gained and lost so many pounds. I don't even want to think about it. I have tried every diet and even succeeded at some, but I felt angry, deprived and usually very hungry. It was torture! Why? Why? Why was this happening to me?

It took 54 years but I finally have an answer and, really, it is a very simple one if you think about it. You go to the doctor with a problem, but doctors don't put the pieces to the puzzle together unless you force them too. They are busy and they just don't have time. I used to work for doctors so I know. My problem was that I am (was) hypoglycemic. When you have chronic low blood sugar you are reaching for food every few hours so that you aren't fuzzy headed, weak or shaky. If you wait too long you pass out. That was life for me. 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I thought that this was just the way it had to be.....but I was wrong.

Other health issues caused me to desperately search for answers to my dilemma. I found Reliv which is TOTAL nutrition in the form of a shake. I take it twice a day and it fills in all of the gaps that my body has that are not 'normal'. Everyone's gaps are different, but because it is 'food' it doesn't matter. It just fills them in! Now that my body is healthy it work right. Now that it works right I find that I can lose weight. I am doing that with Reliv too, because it is healthy, simple and IT WORKS!

Three months ago I weighed 173 pounds. This morning I stepped on the scales and I giggled out loud when it said 139.2!!!! I have 8 more pounds to go but I can do it because I am strong now. I am healthy. I am skinny! Oh, how I love my Reliv!!!

Too Sweet For Her Own Good!

My son married ten years ago. The girl that he chose was perky and fun and had a good attitude about life but as time went on she changed.... she was sick with one thing or another, it seemed like all of the time. They spent a fortune at the doctors office and she missed a lot of work. The sparkle left her eyes, she didn't care about herself or anyone or anything else any more and she had gained a lot of weight. There was a lot going on with her and we weren't sure why but it was affecting everything she did and everyone she touched. It became so bad that my son and her eventually divorced.

You know, when you truly love someone it is hard to let go and my son just couldn't be happy without her in his life. After less than a year they became a couple again and tried to find answers as to why his girl was changing so much. It has taken years to put it all together, but at the crux of the problem was diabetes. What a cruel disease this can be! When your sugar is out of balance so is your chemistry. When your chemistry is out of balance, so is your life.

I help people balance their nutrition with Reliv so just as her doctor was preparing to put her on an isulin pump, my company came out with a new product. The products name is Glucaffect and it was put through clinical trials for 2 months. The Glucaffect group had significant results. On average the people lowered their blood sugar by 30%, their cholesterol and triglyerides dropped and weight loss was 16 pounds. The placebo group, nada!

Naturally, I wanted Angie to try it and see what it might do for her. She had nothing to lose, because like with all Reliv products it was 100% money back guaranteed, so she took three servings a day and after 2 weeks her sugars went from the low 400's to the 200's. A week later she was down to the 100's and now she can eat anything she wants and her numbers are at non-diabetic levels. Mind you, she is a type 1 diabetic!!!! She went from 120 units of insulin down to 15 and has lost 29 pounds in 8 weeks!!! The sparkle is back in her eyes and we have our girl back. I just can't believe the changes in her. Everything else in her life is falling into place again and I couldn't be happier for her. You see she was just too sweet for her own good, but now she really IS!!!

If you have a friend or loved one who is diabetic or pre-diabetic, I can help. I truly can. The benefits of this product are HUGE and they have not one thing to lose---except high sugar levels! Have them give me a call....

Zippity Do Da

Yesterday Paul and I did our Reliv training in the morning and then headed on out to vist my folks in Congress. My dad has Parkinson's Disease and takes his shakes faithfully to help with all of his symptoms. He was looking pretty good too and had even been out trimming his citrus trees and picking grapefruit. Mama was having trouble with her computer again so got that back on track and it made for a very nice afternoon. She had baked a lemon meringue pie for a treat and after having been on a diet (and losing 35 pounds) it tastes especially good!! My folks have been helping us sell our ATV and since they live in a little retirement community they had us come park it out there for a week to see if we'd have any luck. Well, no takers, but it did give us an excuse to visit a few more times and was not a problem to bring it home and try selling it on Craig's List from here. My dad still likes to get out and have fun and yesterday was no different. Getting that quad in the backend of our truck takes some doing and, zippity do da, they did it!!!

So grateful for any time spent with my loving folks. Life is short so capture each and every moment we can and hold it dearly.....

You've GOT To Be Kidding!

For 54 years my health has gotten progressively worse. As a young girl I was even in a car accident because I blacked out behind the wheel of a car going 60 mph. I hadn't done anything wrong, I just had extremely low blood sugar. When you have that problem you have problems thinking clearly and you are often weak. I figured that was just the way I was and lived my life going through the motions every single day.....

I married my high school sweetheart, Paul, shortly after graduation and we wanted to start a family right away. It took over three and a half years of frustration and tears before I conceived our first baby. None of my friends had this problem. What was wrong with me?

I've had a very good life and been blessed with not only a wonderful husband but two great children. They found love and our daughter has given us four vivacious sprites for this excited grandma to chase around. Oh, what fun, but oh, how tired I became. I had been waiting years to be a grandma and now it took every bit of energy that I had to do the simplest of things with them. I tried hard because I wanted it soooo much, but it was killing me. You see I am going through menopause now too and my hormones were RAGING. I was having 6-7 hot flashes a night and soaking the sheets. You roll over to get dry and then you freeze to death so I wasn't getting any sleep at night. I was exhausted and that is how I would start my day.

My feet would hit the floor and the pain would shoot up through my body like the worst tooth ache you could ever imagine. My feet, hips, hands and neck were feeling the pain of arthritis and it even was beginning to freeze joints in my hands. It hurt to hold hands with my honey, hurt to quilt. Sometimes I even felt like it hurt to breathe because a deep breath would seize up my back. I was a mess.

I hurt, I felt lousy and I was getting fat! I hate being fat. I have always had to watch every single bite that I put in my mouth. Other people would eat the same things I did, in the same amounts and I would be the one to keep getting heavier and heavier. My husband was always a good sport about it, but I knew it bothered him, so naturally, it bothered me.

When you physically hurt, you emotionally hurt, and I was heading down a path that I didn't want to be on. My doctor put me on antidepressants and he kept giving me more and more. Nothing was helping. Nothing. I just wanted to give up and I didn't care any more.....

My poor, Paul. Thirty-five years of marriage and he didn't know what to do to help me. Every marriage has it's ups and downs but this was something he couldn't control and he so wanted to find a way to bring me back....and then he found Reliv.

I had never heard of the stuff and, quite frankly, I didn't care. Because I love him so much I was willing to hear out the ladies that came over to my house that day. I listened to them and because I am an intelligent person with a medical background, what they told me made sense, but it just sounded too good to be true. Hey, my dad always told me, "If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!", but my dad was wrong.

Two shakes a day, tailored to fit my needs, gave me all of the nutrients that my body had been lacking. LACKING FOR YEARS! Within days my hormones started to stabilize and my hotflashes subsided. Within a week they were gone and I haven't had one since. My blood sugar is in balance now, so between those two things I was starting to get some sleep. You know, you just don't realize how important sleep is to your overall health until you aren't getting enough of it. The changes kept coming and it's been like a wonderful avalanche!!!!! After two months my joints started to move without pain and I no longer have any that are frozen. It feels glorious! You know, I never would have expected it, but I started losing weight too. For me, that is huge! I have tried every stinking diet under the sun, lost and gained back ...well, I don't even want to try to add it up! It never STAYED off.

My friend said to me, "You've got to be kidding?!?" when I told her how easy getting back my health had been. All of these years of one thing compounding another and, oh, how I wish someone had guided me a long time ago. I am finding such delight in helping other people relieve their aches and pains, getting their energy back and shedding those god forsaken pounds. I love seeing the happiness when someone tells me that their diabetic numbers are falling into line, or their cholesterol and blood pressure are normal again. My body feels good now but so does my spirit!

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