Why supplement?

| December 31, 2014
Why supplement
Unfortunately, many people are overfed and yet undernourished.
Proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle plays an important role in helping prevent many major diseases (like heart disease, diabetes and even cancer), but getting proper nutrition in our modern world can be a challenge.

Why Supplement?

• Our bodies cannot produce many of the nutrients we need, so they must be found in the food we eat and the supplements we take every day. Additionally, if the food we are eating is lacking nutrients, then supplementing can really be beneficial in staying healthy.
• Most people say that they eat well, but research shows that 80 percent of Americans are not eating enough servings of fruits and vegetables.i We are also not getting enough Omega- 3 oils (EPA/DHA), antioxidants, B vitamins or a host of other nutrients our bodies need.
• The nutritional content of our food has changed. A 2004 study of common crops showed a decline in the nutrient content between 6 and 38 percent over the past 50 years.ii
• The amount of processed food that we eat has been on a steady climb ever since the invention of the refrigerator. Today, most of us eat more processed food than non-processed food. Convenience has become more prized than quality.
• Our high stress and fast paced lives increases our needs for nutrients, especially the B vitamins.
• The world is a much more toxic place than it used to be. Our bodies are exposed to more pollutants and under more oxidative stress than ever before. We need optimum nutrition in order to help our bodies battle these stresses.

None of us are perfect, there are days when you might eat well, but then days when you don’t. A multivitamin, along with other key nutritional supplements can be the insurance policy you are looking for to fill in those nutritional gaps that may leave us vulnerable.

i Krebs-Smith SM, Guenther PM, Subar AF, Kirkpatrick SI, Dodd KW. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. J Nutr. 2010;140:1832–1838.
ii Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82. PMID: 15637215.

Supplements that can optimize your health:

Multivitamin
A daily multivitamin can lay the foundation and give your body the basic nutrition it needs. However, your body may also need some other vitamins, too.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids (such as EPA and DHA) have been shown to help lower triglycerides, stroke and heart disease risk, help with blood pressure, and have also been shown to be helpful in dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, depression, asthma, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.i

Vitamin C
Most of us don’t get nearly enough vitamin C in our diet. Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, wound healing, the absorption of iron, and our immune system. Since vitamin C is rapidly used in the body, look for a sustained-release form.ii

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for calcium metabolism and healthy bones. Vitamin D also supports our immune system and having optimum blood levels of Vitamin D may be helpful in cardiovascular health and may reduce your risk of certain cancers, and even depression.iii

B-Vitamins
The B vitamins help regulate carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. They help with DNA synthesis and repair, help to lower homocysteine, and are helpful for functions from stress management to energy metabolism.iv

Vitamin K
Vitamin K may not be as well-known as other nutrients, but it is essential to our health and generally lacking in our diet. It may be lacking if we don’t eat enough green leafy vegetables. Vitamin K is essential for bone mineralization, normal blood clotting, and wound healing.v

Calcium
Most people know that calcium is important for bones and that osteoporosis is a major concern with our aging society.  Did you know calcium is also helpful for maintaining normal blood pressure, and may play a role in weight loss?vi

Antioxidant
Antioxidants are essential for protecting our bodies against free-radical damage–which may be one of the reasons why we age. The best sources of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables; look for supplements containing vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zinc, and selenium.vii

Probiotics
While not a nutrient, probiotics make our list because they are essential for proper digestive functioning. Probiotics are microorganisms that support the normal functioning of the whole digestive tract and may reduce the tendencies many have for constipation and diarrhea. They also help with excessive gas and even conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.viii

Lutein and Lycopene
These vitamin-like compounds found in food are great antioxidants.ix They also support a strong immune system and help maintain overall wellness and long-term health of the eyes, heart, skin and lungs.

I take Shaklee’s Vitalizer because it is convenient daily strip of everything I need. In my home, we use the Shaklee brand supplements. To read why I chose Shaklee, GO HERE.  I highly recommend Shaklee to anyone looking for natural products that actually work.

To shop please visit HERE.

Happy supplementing,
Stephanie

For more information, please contact me at sharingAtoZ@gmail.com with the subject line SHAKLEE  or click HERE to get started as a member.

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This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting my blog and small business! (Please review the disclosure tab at the top for the full disclosure.)
On this blog I share what I’ve learned about health and nutrition, but there are certain things I need to disclose: * I make money from my Shaklee links! If you want to start your own blog and make money too, contact me here: sharingAtoZ@gmail.com * I’m a mom, not a healthcare professional. I am Shaklee Independent Distributor. The information provided on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental health condition. Please consult your healthcare provider. I share personal uses. Please check the Shaklee labels and get advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
i Fetterman JW Jr, Zdanowicz MM. Therapeutic potential of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in disease. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2009 Jul 1;66(13):1169-79. PMID: 19535655.
ii Deruelle F, Baron B. Vitamin C: is supplementation necessary for optimal health? J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Dec;14(10):1291-8. PMID: 19032072.
iii Marcinowska-Suchowierska E, Walicka M, Tałałaj M, Horst-Sikorska W,et al. Vitamin D supplementation in adults-guidelines. Endokrynol Pol. 2010 Nov-Dec;61(6):723-9. PMID:21104649.
iv Thompson J. Vitamins and minerals 4: overview of folate and the B vitamins. Community Pract. 2006 Jun;79(6):197-8. PMID: 16780289.
v Iwamoto J, Sato Y, Takeda T, Matsumoto H. High-dose vitamin K supplementation reduces fracture incidence in postmenopausal women: a review of the literature. Nutr Res. 2009 Apr;29(4):221-8. PMID: 19410972.
vi Shahar DR, Schwarzfuchs D, Fraser D, et al. Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;92(5):1017-22. PMID: 20810979.
vii Fusco D, Colloca G, Lo Monaco MR, Cesari M. Effects of antioxidant supplementation on the aging process. Clin Interv Aging. 2007;2(3):377-87. PMID: 18044188.
viii Veerappan GR, Betteridge J, Young PE. Probiotics for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2012 Aug;14(4):324-33. PubMed PMID: 22581276.
ix Khachik F, Beecher GR, Smith JC Jr. Lutein, lycopene, and their oxidative metabolites in chemoprevention of cancer. J Cell Biochem Suppl. 1995;22:236-46.PMID: 8538204.
i Krebs-Smith SM, Guenther PM, Subar AF, Kirkpatrick SI, Dodd KW. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. J Nutr. 2010;140:1832–1838.
ii Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82. PMID: 15637215.

Organization tips for beginners

| December 30, 2014

For many years, getting organized has been one of my priorities. As such, I have tried and even paid for many organizational programs. (You can read about my favorites here.) While I have learned lots of useful tips about organization, my house and life is still a work in progress.  However, I wanted to share with you some of the most helpful ideas I have learned. Hopefully, my organization and decluttering tips for beginners will help you begin or improve upon the journey to a more organized and decluttered life!

Organization tips

Organization tips for beginners:

1. Before bed, plan for tomorrow. Set out your outfit and get everything you need for the next day in one spot. This one step positively influences my morning rush.  This is step also very helpful if you have children. Pack lunches, set out homework, papers or anything else that is needed the next day.

2. Complete a quick pick up daily. Start with five minutes dedicated to making sure everything is put back in its place. For my family, the time right before evening baths seems to work best for our pick up. During this time, I make sure to start the dishwasher so I can unload it in the morning. This has become part of my evening and morning routines.

3. Do a daily load of laundry (depending on your family size). This helps from creating a marathon laundry session on the weekends.

4. Plan your week. Check activities on your calendar(s) to ensure everything still works with your schedule and needs. It is also helpful to do meal planning.

5. Declutter on a quarterly basis (at least). Finding a charity that picks up donations has greatly increased the amount I declutter. When my 9 to 5 job slows down a little, I go online to schedule a pick up and start decluttering!

6. Adopt a minimalist mindset about new purchases. When deciding on an impulse purchase, ask yourself a few questions: Do I/they really need it? Where will I/they put it? Just pausing for a moment has really helped control the amount of items I bring into the home for my children and myself.

Do you have any favorite organization or decluttering tips? I would love to hear them below.

Happy organizing,
Stephanie

To stay connected with Sharing A to Z, please see Facebook or Pinterest. You can also subscribe below (or on the middle right sidebar) to get our SATZ newsletters.

 

Organizing blog review

| December 30, 2014

At one point in my life, I was very organized. Then, work, kids and life got in the way. Now it seems as if organizing is a long path that I must continually walk. Some days I am running full speed getting so much done and other days it is like I am walking backwards. Through the years I have found several blogs that have had the most impact on me. Below I am sharing them with you, to hopefully help you too!

Organizing Blogs

The FlyLady
When I was younger, I used to be organized. I’m not sure if it is because I didn’t have children or if I didn’t have a lot of stuff yet. Maybe it was a combination of the two. In any event, my first try to getting organized was using the Flylady’s website.  The Flylady has many free tips and daily emails to help get organized. She also has her favorite products for purchase and additional people to help with other various areas. I have purchased several of her products. I love her water bottles. My review of them is here.  I have tried her water bottle brush and dish brush and love them, too. Her dryer vent cleaner helps to get the lint out of the dryer, but doesn’t work for my type of vent that goes outside. I have also tried her mop, but can’t seem to figure that out.

The Flylady has many great tips and ideas. My favorite tip is: each night, take a few minutes to prepare for tomorrow. This means set out your outfit and everything you need to make the morning rush a little less crazy. My favorite quote from her is: “you can’t organize clutter!” Even though I did find most of her tips helpful, I ended up unsubscribing to her emails as they were sent daily (sometimes more than one was sent) and I got frustrated and felt I was drowning in useful tips.

Alejandra.tv
After a little break I happened to stumble upon an organizing video from Alejandra.tv. She has lots of videos with neat organizing tips and tricks you can watch on youtube. She also has a program you can purchase. I did purchase the program; printed out all of the notes and watched the videos. My favorite takeaway from that course was her goal and task printables. I liked listing my large goals and the tasks that go along with it and then incorporating them into my daily schedule as time permitted. It is fun watching her videos and seeing how she has her home organized. However, after the videos and courses, my house and life still was not organized. Additionally, she doesn’t have children and I enjoy help dealing with their items, too.

Mary Organizes
Mary Organizes is a wonderful website with neat tips and tricks to get organized. Mary is a personal organizer and blogger. Her blog has various challenges (that are free) to help declutter and get organized. You can read about my first week of her last challenge here. She also has a Facebook group to help support each other. She recently opened a planner store on her website. I am so excited to use her planner in 2015. To read more about her planner click here.
My favorite thing learned from Mary is that you shouldn’t keep anything in your home that isn’t useful and doesn’t make you happy. I also like how she believes that children should help with their decluttering and room organization. I also love her challenges. She breaks everything down into small tasks. While I didn’t get to follow the last few challenges exactly, I did declutter more that I have before and I plan to keep trying her challenges.

Do you have any favorite organizational or decluttering blogs? I would love to hear them below.

Best wishes,
Stephanie

To stay connected with Sharing A to Z, please see Facebook or Pinterest. You can also subscribe (on the middle right sidebar) to get our SATZ newsletters.

January Jumpstart

| December 28, 2014

January jumpstartJanuary is a time to start over. Why not make healthier choices with eating? Have you every felt like you were eating too much or mindlessly eating? I have found that when I am in this mode, my body needs a reboot and a fresh start. By taking a few days to really focus on what I am eating, it feels so much better and makes healthier choices is so much easier.

After trying a few different juice cleanses and other programs, I was left feeling very hungry (and cranky)! After joining Shaklee and learning what they are all about, I decided to try a reboot utilizing veggies and several of their products. I could still eat food and reboot! I finally found what I needed!

If you are like me and love the support and motivation a group has to offer, I’d love to recharge with you! Email me at SharingAtoZ@gmail.com. I can answer any questions and provide more information.

To better remove the toxic junk from my body, I add the following natural and effective products:
alfalfa*
liver dtx*
Tea*
180 smoothee*
180 snack bar*
herb lax*
raw veggies
organic lemons for your water

* Indicates a Shaklee product. For more information, please check out my Shaklee website HERE; click on the purple links above or contact me.

If you would like to detox, please email me at SharingAtoZ@gmail.com (subject line DETOX). Once you order all your products,  and I will add you to our private online forum and give you all the details you will need to support you on your 5 day detox! The online forum provides access to our online group, a free printable, daily emails, recipes, daily motivation & encourage, a healthy community, and a healthier body!
We are currently starting a 5 day detox on January 5th! This is the perfect time to reset after all of the Holiday celebrating!
Detox 5 day

If you aren’t ready to join this round or missed the date, you can get on my list and I’ll let you know when the next one starts.  (We do them almost monthly!) You can also check out a video by clicking here. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting my blog and small business! (Please review the disclosure tab at the top for the full disclosure.)
Additionally, I am Shaklee Independent Distributor. The information provided on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental health condition. Please consult your healthcare provider. I share personal uses. Please check the Shaklee labels.

Christmas in Florida

| December 23, 2014

Ahh, Christmas in Florida. That seems to be almost every Midwesterner’s dream. I know it was mine when I was a teen.

Let it snow

Christmas time brings such joy, happiness and fond memories. Growing up in the great Midwest, I had my share of snow on and around Christmas. However, after I moved to Florida about ten years ago, getting into the Christmas spirit was a difficult transition. Yes, I know the true meaning of Christmas isn’t about snow or presents. However, to me, a Florida Christmas just isn’t the same as one in the Midwest (or pretty much anywhere else with snow)! Sure, the weather is awesome this time of year, but it just isn’t the same putting lights around a palm tree instead of a snowy evergreen. Singing that you are “dreaming of a white Christmas” just seems silly.

Lights on tree

The first picture in this post shows my kids playing with “snow” aka packaging peanuts (which were not fun to clean up). That’s as close as we come to snow in south Florida! My children have never experienced a white Christmas (or even seen snow), but I am hoping to change that soon. Until then, we decorate palm trees and get into the Christmas spirit the best way we know how: with music, decorations, Christmas books, family traditions and advent wreaths! How do you celebrate Christmas? I would love to hear your family traditions below.

Merry Christmas,
Stephanie

To stay connected with Sharing A to Z, please see Facebook or Pinterest. You can also subscribe (on the middle right sidebar) to get our SATZ newsletters.

Lost cat

| December 22, 2014

I’ve seen signs for lost cats and dogs before and I’m ashamed to admit I sometimes thought, “How could you lose a pet?” This thinking is pretty much the same as before having children, I may have smugly said to myself, “I will never have a snot-nosed kid” or “My kid will never throw tantrums.” Well, karma slapped me in the face for those pre-baby comments and is doing it again now. Our little kitty has been missing for two days now. Well, he isn’t really a kitty. He is going on eleven. However, we still call him a kitty.
We had a few friends over Saturday night. However, he was hiding in his favorite spot in my closet. I checked on him a few times that evening, so didn’t think much of it when I didn’t see him before bed. Even after not seeing him when waking up, we weren’t too worried. He normally makes himself scarce on the weekends and comes out at night after the kids go to bed. Sometimes he doesn’t come out from his newfound hiding spot for hours at a time, even when called. So, at first we weren’t very worried.  But as Sunday progressed, we started to get worried and the search began.

Tux

We sat around the table Sunday evening sharing our favorite memories about our little kitty. We shared how he would sit on the chair at the dinner table like he was going to eat food; how he licked yogurt off our fingers and how he would “talk” when we put our hand up and opened and closed it. We also told the kids how we got Tux: After my husband (then boyfriend) and I had to move from St. Petersburg to Ft. Myers for his new job, I was less than pleased.  So, I convinced him that getting a cat was a good idea. We saw a flyer for a free cat by our apartment’s mailbox. Shortly thereafter, there was a hurricane and the sign was gone. However, we had previously written down the contact information, called the number and went to get our new cat. The gentleman who found the cat said he ran into his work (a water treatment plant) and he took him home.  He named him Tux because he thought his coat looked like a tuxedo.
Little Tuxey cat moved with us several times around Florida. He also watched my two babies grow up.
So now, it is with a sad heart that I too am one of “those” people posting signs and in neighborhood Facebook group asking for others to please be on the look out for my lost cat. Not only am I sad for my lost, probably scared cat, I am also sad that I had thoughts that I wouldn’t ever be in this situation.

We miss you little guy!

UPDATE: I am so happy to update this post: This morning while getting ready for school, the kids and I heard our doorbell ring. We ran to our door to find our wonderful neighbor and friend holding Tux! We are so blessed and thankful that she saw him and cared enough to follow and to bring him home to safety. We can never thank you enough, Lindsey!  XOXO

This is the best Christmas gift ever!!!

Learning and growing,
Stephanie

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Blog button

| December 18, 2014

What in the world is a blog button? When I began blogging, I didn’t realize everything that was involved. I needed to learn how to be a writer, a marketer, and a graphic designer very quickly. I am still working on it, but graphic design is the aspect of blogging that is my biggest opportunity. Thankfully, I have met some wonderful blogging friends. Some even help you with your graphics! I’m so excited to use my new button (below), which was so kindly created for me by April at Monetized Mom. Thank you, April!

SharingAtoZ button

Have you started blogging or are you good with Graphic design? I’d love to know some helpful resources in the comments below! Thank you!

Learning and growing,
Stephanie

To stay connected with Sharing A to Z, please see Facebook or Pinterest. You can also subscribe (on the middle right sidebar) to get our SATZ newsletters.

Free Shipping Special {Ends 12/19/14}

| December 16, 2014

Free shipping

Happy Holidays! Shaklee is offering a special free shipping offer now until 12/19/14! This is a great time to give the gift of health this holiday season or join us for the January jumpstart! You can read more about giving the gift of health here.

If you are interested in getting a jumpstart on your health and weight loss goals, please check out our January jumpstart. You can read more about body reboot version of our January jumpstart here. My Project Dream International team and I will be here to support and encourage you along the way. There are many different ways to  participate, please contact me for more details!

You can read more about Shaklee and my favorite products here.  You can learn about becoming a member here.

Wishing you much health and happiness in 2015,
Stephanie

P.S. Be sure to place your order before 12/16 to ensure that you get everything by Christmas!

January jumpstart

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting my blog and small business! (Please review the disclosure tab at the top for the full disclosure.)

Holiday Survival Guide 2014 – Pampering and Crafts {Week #12}

| December 15, 2014

Welcome back to the Holiday Survival Guide 2014!  This is week 12 and we are nearing an end to our fun holiday series and link up. If you would are new to the series (or would just like to review some previous week’s ideas) please click here or here. This week we have some adorable Holiday crafts ideas. We also have some delicious self-care recipes. During this busy time of year, it helps to take some well-deserved time off for you! We’ve also have your top links from last week’s link party and a new, fresh link party for all your awesome crafts and DIYs! (And be sure to join us next week for the final wrap-up!)

Holiday Survival Guide 2014

We’re going to get you decluttered, organized, cleaned, decorated, and ready for all the holiday fun…without you needing to be committed to the looney bin before New Year’s.

It takes quite the team to pull this off, but we’re here for you! We’ll be here every Monday through the end of the year to make sure you’re on track and able to enjoy everything you have planned.

Ready to meet the team?

Sheri from Career Girl Interrupted

Dani from Dani Schnakenberg Studios

Katie & Jairus from KatieMarcum.com

Jessica from Jessie Bee Healthy

Kristen from From Son Up Til Son Down

Stephanie from Sharing A to Z

and our lovely co-host Amanda from It’s a Fabulous Life

Each week we’ll take turns bringing you something awesome to help you stay on track preparing for the major Holidays of the season. Be sure to come back and link up your holiday posts each week so we can share the fun!

From our friend Kristen:

Mistletoes

 

Mistletoes

Gingerbread Houses 

Gingerbread Houses

 

When you’re done crafting, it’s time for some relaxing “Me-Time”!  So how about trying these delicious beauty DIYs from our friend Jessica:

Peppermint Lavender Body Spray

Peppermint Lavender Body Spray

Peppermint Lavender Face Peel

Peppermint Lavender Face Peel

 

Now, who’s ready to party? Share your Halloween-inspired crafts, printables, and activities with us this week!

Link Party Rules:

  1. Follow all hosts: subscribe, FB, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter…whatever you prefer!
  2. Be sure to link directly to your specific post, NOT your blog’s homepage.
  3. Don’t link and run! Be sure to visit the last couple links before yours and let them know how you found them through #HolidaySurvivalGuide2014!
  4. By linking up, you give all hosts permission to pin and share your projects (with links back to you, of course). We’ll also be sharing the top three clicked through with each following week’s project!
  5. Be sure to follow the Holiday Survival Guide 2014 Pinterest board, too!

Top links from last week:

1. Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt {Printable} from Evolution of Mom

 

Chrismat Light Scavenger Home

2. Candy Cane Legend with Printables from Life With Lorelai

Candy Cane Legend

3. Christmas Tree Decorating Tips from My Pinterventures

 

 Christmas Tree Decorating Tips

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Happy Holidays,
Stephanie

To stay connected with Sharing A to Z, please see Facebook or Pinterest. You can also subscribe (on the middle right sidebar) to get our SATZ newsletters.

My new planner

| December 14, 2014

Planner

There is something special about beginning a new year. A clean slate. A new chapter. The end of one year and the hope of a better year. However you look at it, it is an exciting time! Having a planner is one thing that makes me feel like I am a step ahead in life. I have tried many planners and I am so excited to use the planner from Mary Organizes for 2015. Mary has a very popular organizing blog. She is a very successful professional organizer. She is a mother, wife and is a wonderful Shaklee leader! I am so excited that she created this planner to help you (and me) organize life!

There are so many wonderful things included in this aesthetically pleasing and functional planner! I love to have the option to look at my whole month and also my tasks for the week and day. This planner gives me all three options. It also has a section that lists numerous home maintenance tasks with helpful timelines! She has several options to create a planner that will work best for you. Please check out her store and website for her wonderful planners and organizing tips!

Happy planning,
Stephanie

P.S. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All of these ideas are my unbiased opinions.

To stay connected with Sharing A to Z, please see Facebook or Pinterest. You can also subscribe (on the middle right sidebar) to get our SATZ newsletters