Veterans Day at School

I called my aunt tonight because I was feeling a little nostalgic. My aunt is great for walking me through that. I told her about our school's veterans day activities and she was amazed. For as long as I can remember my school has annually honored veterans in our classes and/or assemblies. It's just something we do, like saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. It wasn't until I heard the surprise in my aunt's voice that it dawned on me that maybe our activities aren't necessarily the norm.

Veterans Assembly 2014

Our Veterans Day activities first began in the late 1990s. One of our social studies teachers created an assembly for the kids and had them invite their veteran relatives to be honored during our assembly. The next year we continued until it just became part of what we do. Sometimes we have assemblies and sometimes we do something different, but we always take a day to honor veterans.

Veterans Wall 2012

This year all the teachers taught from various lesson plans provided and chose what they wanted to teach. I taught my 7th graders about the history of the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful and we listened to the songs with lyrics. And we compared the two songs. Then the students heard from 3 different veterans about their experiences. And what was really amazing is that we had veterans from World War II.

I know our Veterans Day activities don't just reach the students. Every year I'm reminded about my relatives that have served and gain renewed gratitude for their service and all the men and women who have sacrificed for our country.

Sometimes, I think we need to share the times that touch us. And since every single student in my 4th hour class made a thank you card to the veterans who visited us, I think they also felt the true meaning of Veterans Day.

So what do you do to show honor and respect on Veterans Day?

Love your gut

No one wants to think about their gut. Okay, sometimes you may get a gut feeling. Follow it. Unless we are sick, constipated or have diarrhea it's just not worth our time. But the gut or intestines are the supplier of nutrients and eliminator of wastes for our body. That's an important job!

Our guts can become compromised though by just normal living. If you are regularly vaccinated, have mercury fillings, suffer from asthma, allergies, headaches, cancer or diabetes or what I had see floaters your gut may be invaded.

Then there are other signs that your gut is unhealthy and most of these don't seem directly related to your gut. Food allergies can stem from poor gut health. Anxiety, depression and mood swings could be related to your intestines. Skin problems, autoimmune diseases and even diabetes could start with gut problems. Memory problems, ADD and ADHD could also result from poor gut health.

So let's say you decide your gut is in less than decent shape. How do you go about fixing it? In my research I've found elimination diets. Remove the bad things you are eating that cause inflammation. This is easier said than done, in my opinion. It's suggested to remove gluten, corn, soy and sugar. Toss in caffeine and alcohol and you might be wondering exactly what you can eat.

If you can make it past the elimination, you need to replenish good bacteria in your gut. But how do you know what is a good bacteria? I always thought eating yogurt was good enough. I learned quickly, it helped a little. But it never was enough to bring lasting effects.

So what can help? ProBio5 can! The more I research, the more I find the ingredients in ProBio5 are the perfect combination for restoring gut health. Five strains of the best probiotics combined with chitinase. Chitinase breaks down the outer coating or chitlin of the crap that likes to take over and wreak havoc to your digestive system. After ProBio5 kills the bad stuff in your guts, BioCleanse takes over. It comes in and sweeps away the toxins that are being destroyed and helps you quickly get rid of it.

I could spend time sharing how each strain of ProBio5 provides benefits to your guts, but you'd go back and research it anyway. I know you will, you are sauvy! So what I will do instead is just show you the ingredients.

Just so you know, I'm a Plexus ambassador. I wasn't when I started taking Plexus products, but the results made me want to share. In the interest of full disclosure I'm also a junior high science teacher. So if you found this interesting or maybe just have some questions, comment below and I will get back to you. Wishing you health and happiness.



Sources:http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14510/10-signs-you-have-an-unhealthy-gut-how-to-heal-it.html

Importance of Sleep

Is this you?

Two nights ago I decided I was going to follow feng shui advice and close my bathroom door while I sleep. It's supposed to keep the bad energy of the bathroom out of my sleeping quarters. I follow my normal routine of getting a glass of water, taking my daily probiotics and moisturizing and then I get comfy in my bed. And I sleep. As normal I wake up once during the night and you guessed it, I headed for the bathroom. Only this time, I'm half asleep and my nose collides with the very sturdy wooden door. "Ouch!" I open the door and do my business, but now my nose is throbbing and I'm wondering why I did such a dumb thing like close my bathroom door. I get back into bed and wonder if my nose is bleeding. Needless to say, after an event like that I didn't get the quality of sleep I should have. So what! Right?

It is a big deal, though.  Or is it? The next day I was not up to my normal anything. This situation made me take some time to research the importance of quality sleep.

Quality sleep lasts from 6-10 hours.

Ever have a big decision to make and say, "I'll sleep on it"? If so, it's probably one of the smartest decisions you've ever made. Good sleep promotes good mental health.  It improves memory because during sleep the brain is forming new pathways. It's also the reason you can wake up with a great idea. Sleep can actually improve your creativity. Need help solving a problem? How about getting six to eight hours of sleep. Deficiency of sleep has been linked to depression and even suicide. Yikes!

Quality sleep also plays a big role in physical health. During sleep our body is taking time to repair and eliminate wastes. Which is probably why I get up once a night to use the restroom. During sleep your body is balancing hormones, building up your immune system and repairing your heart and blood vessels.We all know that stress is harmful to our body, but good sleep has been proven to reduce stress. Increased inflammation is also associated with less than six hours of sleep.  If that's not reasons for getting your zzzz's, then you must be Superman!

One of the most amazing things I discovered in my sleep research is that dieters who got more sleep lost more fat. And 56% more fat than their counterparts with less sleep. Basically those dieters lost more muscle.

I haven't always been a good sleeper. In fact I used to go to bed at 9:00 to get a good night's sleep. But not anymore. I go to bed later, but sleep better. Maybe it's because I lost some weight, but more than likely it's the healthy supplements and food I've been putting into my body. Several months ago I started drinking Plexus Slim and didn't need to drink coffee anymore. I started taking ProBio5 and I sleep like I've never slept before; deep and satisfying. What have I learned from all this? I'm going to keep up with my Plexus products and keep my bathroom door open. My health is more important than feng shui any day!

Facing the New Year with New Tools

Most people wouldn't look at a hammer and expect it to drive in a nail for them. I know you wouldn't; you'd pick it up and swing it. You'd put some effort into it. So why do so many people think there's a magic pill out there that will remove their fat and make them healthy? Many people believe Jack has the magic beans and if they could only find them ... You can fill in the rest.

Tools are meant to be used. Effort has to be exerted. If you want to get healthy, there are tools out there to help, but you have to do your part. If you use a tool that gives you more energy, will you use it to get up and moving around and exercise? If you use a tool to clean up your intestines will you drink plenty of water to flush out toxins? If you use a tool to help your body absorb more nutrients will you provide your body with better food? If you use a tool to suppress your appetite will you eat only when you are hungry?

The tools are easily available online and can be shipped right to your door. There's a 60 day money back guarantee. But will you use the tools to make a difference in your health? If so, comment below or message me. I want you to have a healthy 2016!

Not Just a Pretty Drink

My morning Plexus Slim

There are two types of people in the world, those who just believe what they're told and those who want to know why. I'm in the latter group. I've tried Plexus Slim. Heck, I've been drinking one a day for 8 months. By the way, it's super yummy! I've even had good results; lowered my cholesterol levels, lost inches and weight, more energy and more. But I've only taken a cursory look at why. There's the old saying, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." That's just not me. So I'm going to look at the ingredients in Plexus Slim and see if I can figure out WHY it works.

Green Coffee Bean

Chlorogenic Acid
Chlorogenic Acid is extracted from green coffee beans. What are green coffee beans? Well, green coffee beans are not the kind you put in your grinder. These are straight from the plant and not roasted. It seems roasting coffee beans eliminates a good chunk of chlorogenic acid. As I looked at the research with this acid several benefits appear. First is lowering the absorption of carbohydrates in the digestive tract. This in turn prevents a body's blood sugar from spiking and reduces the amount of insulin produced; sort of like eating a low carb diet. Other studies suggest that chlorogenic acid can reduce body weight by reducing the fat absorbed from food and reduce fat stored in the liver. It also helps improve the function of the fat burning hormone adiponectin. Chlorogenic acid studies have also shown lower cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels.

This is a scary thought.

Chromium
I've seen small amounts of chromium added to my multivitamins. And it's because chromium helps take blood sugar and move it to the cells to be used as energy. So if you have high blood sugar, it takes the sugar and puts it to good use. But it's not just sugar that converts to energy. Chromium also helps turn fats and protein into energy your body can use. Chromium has also been known to slow down the loss of calcium. Remember from science class, calcium is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones.

The fruit not found with the other produce.

Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia is a fruit that I can't find at my grocery store; dang it! This too, helps with glucose levels. Studies have shown that it can lower insulin levels. This fruit can also lower the bad cholesterol and help raise the good cholesterol levels. A scientist working with garcinia cambogia says it needs to be combined with either potassium or magnesium. Plexus Slim uses a compound with potassium. He also says to take it on an empty stomach and avoid mixing it with food for at least 30 minutes to get the full benefit. Also, once mixed with water it will break down quickly. So drink it up right after you mix it. I have no problem with this, because it tastes so good.

Alpha Lipoic Acid
Several studies have shown alph lipoic acid can lower blood sugar levels. It also kills free radicals. I'm all for killing those radicals, but what does that really mean? Well, it means pain from nerve damage gets better. Germany has been using alpha lipoic acid to help people with nerve damage.

If you aren't eating your beets, at least you can drink some Slim.

Beet extract
This is what gives Slim the pretty pink color. But there's more to beet extract than just color. Oh yes there is. Studies have shown it can reduce blood pressure by widening the blood vessels. That's from the nitrates in beets. In turn it also helps get the blood flowing easier to the brain. No more brain fog.

I'm not even sure I've researched every single thing in Plexus Slim, but what I have makes me glad I started on this journey to better health. The most important thing is that I feel better. That is huge. My doctor even told me to keep up with what I'm doing. I will admit that I'm now taking more Plexus products. Yes, Plexus has a whole array of health and wellness products. I'm taking probiotics and magnesium. But there's pain relief, vitamins, skin cream and more. What did you like about this information? Comment below and let me know. Thanks for reading.

Changing it up!

Change- it's a simple word that encompasses many meanings and emotions. I used to feel change was frightening; and occasionally I still do. Think about it for a minute. For change to happen, most of us have to alter what we are doing. So why do we do that? In my case, I'd had enough. And most of us have to get to that point before we decide to change.

I was in my late 40s, feeling like my health was vanishing. I couldn't stop the scale from moving up. I had to force myself to do anything. My mood was crappy; I had to go to the doctor all the time, but nothing seemed to get better. And I was plain old tired of it. I needed a change.

So I took a leap of faith. And I'm not joking here. I bought a health drink. What? Am I crazy? Maybe, but I needed a change. And I got it. After one day of drinking Plexus Slim, I felt the energy. I didn't have to force a smile. It was real. And before long, I was losing inches here and there. It was easier to work; it was easier to exercise. Change

A little bit later, I noticed I lost some weight. I was really just surprised that I wasn't gaining. I used to have a reddish tint to my skin that some people thought was a sunburn, now my skin is whiter. After 2 months and 6 days of drinking Plexus my cholesterol level plummeted 38 points! I was astonished. I wanted change and that's what I was getting.

A little over a month ago I started using some more Plexus products; ProBio5 and BioCleanse. These products work together to restore health to the digestive system. But the changes I've seen are much more than better digestion. I've noticed my psoriasis doesn't itch as much or look as bad as it did before. Change I have real deep sleep on these products. I wake up so refreshed now that I don't even have a morning cup of coffee.  Change. Allergy season was bad this year. Before I'd have been relying on some allergy medicine and sinus rinse to alleve my headache. This year I've had a few sneezes, but no headaches. My eyes don't tear up for no reason like they used to do and make me scramble for a tissue. Change

Change doesn't happen overnight, in most cases. But change can happen. It's for real! If you are interested in change, let me know. Comment below or send me a message. I'd be happy to talk to you.

Turn it Around...

#plexusworks #thisisforreal

I've had a rough ride. I don't joke about this. One day my doctor told me I needed to lower my cholesterol. I got tips and suggestions on how to do this. Basically, give up red meats and cheese. Eat more vegetables and fruit. I tried; I really did. But sometimes I ate pepperoni pizza. When I had a stressful moment at work, I'd have a sweet. I'm not perfect, you know? Did it do me any good? NO!

My triglycerides and total cholesterol were still too high. My doctor sent in a prescription for a low dose of pravastatin. I had no idea at the time, but my life would change forever. I got my prescription and began consuming it every morning with my blood pressure medicine. After 3 months had passed, I had to give some more blood for a new lipid evaluation. At that time my doctor decided to double my "low" dose pravastatin.

Once I was on the new dose, I started feeling weird. My doctor told me to take CoQ10. So now I had to take something else to fix the side effects of my cholesterol medicine. I know it sounds insane, but I bought it and hoped for the best. As I look back on this time, I wonder what I was thinking. But I had never researched statins. I work, I'm busy; and basically it never occurred to me.

About the time the statins started lowering my cholesterol to an acceptable level for my doctor, I started feeling bad. My skin was red. My face was red; it was so bad people thought I was sunburned when I wasn't. My stomach was red. I NEVER expose my stomach to the sun, but it was RED. My neck and arms were red. I didn't know what was going on. When I sat down, my lower abdomen, hips and thighs would burn. I didn't know what was going on and I was scared.

I was so freaked out by the redness I called the school nurse and took a Benadryl.

The sad part is that I was extremely weak and couldn't concentrate at all. I ended up quitting the 2 meds I was on; lisinopril and pravastatin. I changed high blood pressure medicine with no problems, but dropping pravastatin was a mess. I ended up on my mom's couch for a good while. Thank God for a sympathetic mom. I had no idea what was happening to me and I'm still not sure now. I couldn't hardly eat or walk. My muscles were weak; I could always see my thigh muscles when I flexed them, but I couldn't see them now. I lost weight; no doubt about that, but at a price, muscle mass. Doing anything was a chore. I'm so glad my mom was a trooper and didn't give up on me.

The best Mom a daughter could ask for.

I was scared to drive by myself, but she made me drive alone to the store. She convinced me I could do it. And guess what; I did. Eventually, I made my way back home and to work. It was scary and my legs were shaking, but I did it. I'm still so damn mad that doctor prescribed medicine  that turned me into a semi-invalid.

I started exercising to strengthen my muscles. It seemed like all of them had turned to mush. I got to the point where working wasn't a problem, but my cholesterol started creeping back up. First it was 211, then it was 244; when it hit 250 my doctor wouldn't take no for an answer. I refused the statins. So what did she do? Well, she looked up other medicines. In my head that meant more side effects that I don't know about and more problems. By this time I'd been exercising regularly in hopes of losing weight and lowering my lipid counts. And it didn't seem to work. I couldn't lower cholesterol or lose weight. I felt like I hit a wall.

I didn't want to take any stupid cholesterol medicine. In fact I didn't even pick it up when the insurance finally approved it. Instead I contacted a friend who had been posting about a product that naturally lowers lipid levels and helps lose weight in several ways. I was curious and what did I have to lose?  I looked at some testimonials. Some people lowered their lipids and blood pressure and lost weight. One day I looked at some results and decided to order this product myself.

It took a few days to get my Plexus Slim, but I'm glad it came. Online ordering was a breeze. As soon as it showed up, I mixed it with some water and had a surprisingly delicious drink. As the days went by I realized I was in a better mood and smiled easier. I had more energy, not just in the morning, but all day. I began sleeping better; even on my old, crappy mattress. (I'm happy to admit that  now I have a new mattress.) Things were looking up, but my next blood test still loomed ahead.

I felt better. I was exercising more, but what's the actual blood work going to say? What's the doctor's scale going to read? I'd been taking my Plexus regularly for 2 and a half months before my blood work. And the results shocked me. My cholesterol went down 38 points and I had lost 6 lbs. My doctor tried to attribute it to the new medicine until I said I didn't take it. It was all Plexus and the energy it gave me to exercise and the will power it gave me over crappy food. I'll be going in for more blood work next month and I'm expecting to see even better results. I'm so glad I was led to try this product. I'm a skeptic; I never just jump on board with the latest fad. Plexus changed me in many ways for the better and I'm going to stick with it. Want to join me? Let me know.


Update: When I  went back for more blood work I found out my cholesterol is now normal. Total cholesterol is now 195 and triglycerides are 111. My doctor told me to keep doing what I'm doing. And I will!