Alarming Facts about the Food We Eat

It’s getting harder and harder to stay healthy in our increasingly toxic world. We’re exposed to more chemicals, pesticides and pollutants than ever before in history; they seep into the water we drink, pollute the food we eat and permeate the air we breathe.

Recently, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group released a disturbing study after analyzing the blood of newborn babies across the United States. In addition to discovering 287 chemicals and other toxins in their blood, they also found 76 chemicals that damage cells in humans and animals; 94 that are toxic to the brain and nervous system; and 79 that are toxic to a developing fetus.

What’s causing this?
Alarmingly, over-farming is wiping out the nutrients in your vegetables and fruits. Fertilizers intended to sterilize the soil have robbed it of mineral content. Since the soil is depleted, so are the foods grown in the soil, and so are we.

Take a look at this important study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) showing the loss of vitamins and minerals infruits and vegetables since 1975.

• Apples: Vitamin A is down 41%
• Sweet peppers: Vitamin C is down 31%
• Watercress: Iron is down 88%
• Broccoli: Calcium and vitamin A are down 50%
• Cauliflower: Vitamin C is down 45%; vitamin B1 is down 48%; and vitamin B2 is down 47%
• Collards greens: Magnesium is down 85%

So, how do you get the nutrients your body needs to safeguard your health?

Health professionals have signified certain supergreens and superfruits that infuse the body with phytonutrients to protect your health. Phytonutrients enhance your body’s natural detoxification pathways, enabling health and longevity. You might have heard of spirulina, chlorella and wheat grass, for example, which are supergreens. Mangosteen, Star Fruit and Acai Berry are powerhouses of nutrition, too—which is why they’re called superfruits. These superfoods can be your essential line of defense against environmental toxicity.

As the World Leader in Nutritional Cleansing, Cellular Replenishing, and Youthful Aging™, Isagenix® offers two revolutionary superfood products to boost your body’s ability to clear toxins and replenish with optimal nutrition. Isagenix Greens!™ and IsaFruits® contain the healthiest supergreens and superfruits on the planet. Our unique cold processing technique, which features natural spray drying and concentration, preserves the phytonutrients in these superfoods.

But, those are only just a few of the products available. And, I am excited to say my dietician approved my continuing to use all of the Isagenix products I enjoy!

If you would like more information contact me at 614-477-1794 or visit my website at www.aalthoff.isagenix.com and watch the "Are You Toxic" video.

To Your Health!!

Balance is the Key for Optimal Nutrition

As we get into the third and fourth months of the New Year, we see all those New Year’s Resolutions to get healthy and lose weight start to wane.

We all know that the average American gains seven pounds from Thanksgiving through New Years. We’ve even hopelessly coined the phrase, “The Seasonal Seven”. So we make a resolution January 1 to take off the weight, but most of us don’t keep it.

What is it that keeps us on this vicious cycle of gaining and losing? This perpetual existence of over indulging and then severely inhibiting our lifestyles is more than unhealthy; it's damaging. Why can’t the resolution stick and be a permanent change of health as opposed to an everlasting, never-ending restriction of food and choices, which consistently are sabotaged by the beginning of February?

In this fast paced world with smart phones and iPads and easy access to always being connected, we want the quick fix. We are the nation of the quick fix and the fast fix. So if something doesn’t give us that instant gratification the idea and the method are abandoned and off we go to bigger and better things… hopefully.

It’s not that we are always making bad choices, it’s that the choices we have are so limited. Our foods have become nutritionally bankrupt.

There are two main problems with food today and we must examine the changes in our food consumption in terms of type and quality since the 1950s:

· Some food is not really helping our body and may be harming us (Supersize it, residual toxins).

· Food no longer includes all the essential nutrients our bodies need to function correctly.

In essence we need to rebalance our bodies nutritionally. We need to remove the toxins and give our bodies a fresh start while flooding them with the organic essentials to help balance our pH and restore homeostasis. When our bodies are balanced internally and they can function the way they were meant to function the goals we have for health will more rapidly come to fruition. And we can all benefit from a constant, consistent intake of balanced nutrition rather than the rollercoaster of indulgence versus restriction. And what are the results of a truly balanced, optimal nutrition?

• Energy Boosts

• Consistent weight loss over time

• Reduced cravings for unhealthy foods

• Improved muscle tone

• Balanced digestion

• Better sleep

• Better mood

Aim for balance in your life in all aspects – Isagenix can help. Moderation and variety are the keys. And remember this is not a diet. This is optimal nutrition to be healthy for life.

To learn more about my Nutritional Rebalancing Program with Isagenix, please email ANGELA at adshep2002@yahoo.com for her personal username and password and the best place to review the program. 10 minutes of your time is worth a lifetime of abundant health and balance.

Being a Successful Stat-at-Home Mom

http://aalthoff.isagenix.com/us/en/isavideos_enterprisingwomen.dhtml

Why Vitamins & Minerals Are SO IMPORTANT

After you read this, take a look at what you consume and determine if you feel you get enough vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. Could your health & wellness be improved if you consumed or supplemented more?

Source: The Health Awareness Foundation

Where do vitamins/minerals come from?

VITAMINS are natural substances found in living things such as plants. Vitamins must be obtained in the body from foods or supplements, as the body cannot usually produce them

MINERALS are found in plants. Plants get their minerals from the soil – soil gets their minerals from water washing over rocks. For vitamins to do their job, they require minerals. Minerals must also be obtained from food or supplements.

ANTIOXIDANTS are specific vitamins or minerals that protect body cells from the damaging effects of Free Radicals. Free radicals come from or are caused by smoking, sunlight, stress, exercise, etc., and are one of the primary causes of premature aging, sickness and disease.

How do vitamins/minerals get in the body?

Vitamins and minerals get into your body when you eat plants such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and spices or when you take a vitamin/mineral supplement. You can also get some vitamins and minerals into your body by eating meat as most animals eat plant food.

SUPPLEMENTS are vitamins and minerals that have been extracted from a plant or created in a laboratory and put into a form that can be ingested and used by the body.

There are effective supplements, ineffective supplements and hazardous supplements.

Uneducated consumers are at risk from two sides:

1. Consumer knows they should supplement but doesn’t know how to select an effective supplement, therefore wastes their money, time and health.
2. Consumer is uninformed (or given bad advice) on the need to supplement and sacrifices their health.

Where do vitamins/minerals go in the body?

Vitamins and minerals go from your stomach to your intestines. They then go through a very complex allocation system whereby the body distributes certain vitamins and minerals to parts of your body based on its own priority system.

If a nutrient is needed in a certain organ that it (the body) deems more important, it will take the nutrient from a less important organ, and allocate it to a more important organ. Sort of a “rob Peter to pay Paul” action. That’s why it is critical to maintain proper vitamin & mineral levels.

Vitamins and minerals in your body should not be viewed as independent substances, but rather as a cooperative network of nutrients working together. If one nutrient is missing, it throws the entire network of nutrients out of balance.

“A deficiency of a vitamin or mineral WILL cause a body part to malfunction and eventually break down – and, like dominos, other body parts will follow.” James F. Balch, M.D. Prescription of Nutritional Healing.

How do vitamins/minerals leave the body?

Vitamins and minerals are “used” by the body. As they perform their function, they often use themselves up in the process, which is the case with most of the critical disease fighting antioxidants.

Even thinking uses vitamins and minerals. Exercise and stress use a lot of vitamins and minerals; the use of diuretics (substances that increase the discharge of urine) such as drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea and sodas – washes vitamins and minerals out of the body creating deficiencies – this can create a major health problem!

Tobacco and alcohol can also inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals, or accelerate the loss of them.

YOUR HEALTH, YOUR INTELLIGENCE, YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR APPERANCE ARE DEPENDENT ON YOU REPLENISHING YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS SEVERAL TIMES PER DAY.

What do Vitamins and Minerals do for you?

Build Up Your Immune System

Illness and disease are not “caught.” One doesn’t catch cancer, heart disease or a cold. You create these ailments with deficiencies based on what you eat or don’t eat.

Increase Your Energy Level

Vitamins & minerals are involved in the release of energy from digested foods. Strong, lasting energy levels are good indicators of a healthy vitamin and mineral intake.

Enhance Your Appearance

Skin clearness, tone, and elasticity; hair strength, thickness and color; fingernail strength, color and texture all depend on vitamins and minerals. Some people look 50 years old at 30. Some look 30 at 50.

Everyone will die, but how you look and feel for the last 20-50 years depends on your lifestyle and vitamin & mineral intake throughout your entire life.

For more information on how to properly supplement your body in obtaining an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals, contact me at 614.477.1794 or visit www.aalthoff.isagenix.com

Do You Work Out All the Time and Get Less Than Optimal Results?

Several weeks ago I was asked about the best strategy for maximizing weight loss in the gym. It should be obvious to everyone reading this post that despite the amazing potential for Isagenix® products, systems and packs to help you reach your weight loss and fitness goals, your success can be expedited and enhanced by a well planned workout regimen. What I have discovered…Drum roll please…is that there is currently no consensus that can lead you to one specific workout plan to maximize weight loss. Virtually every source seems to have a different opinion as to what will lead to the greatest success. With that said, there is some information available that can help you make some better personal choices on how to utilize your time in the gym. Ultimately, everyone seems to say that weight loss success in the gym is a great experiment unique to each individual. I can suggest some things you can try to discover what best works for you. Remember, these suggestions are assuming your goal in the gym is to facilitate weight loss while improving your level of fitness.

Both cardio and weight training have their pros and cons when integrated into a fitness regimen. Most sources suggest that you should ensure adequate energy exists to make it through an effective workout routine. Therefore, you may consider splitting your cardio and weight training so these workouts occur on separate days. Another suggestion is to combine the two specialties with interval or circuit training, which give a full body workout. Weight lifting often burns more calories per minute than performing endurance exercises. Furthermore, muscles require energy, i.e. the more muscle you have, and the more fat you will burn. However, you will most likely fatigue more quickly if you focus entirely on weight training in a workout. This, once again suggests that a combination of cardio and weight training is the best strategy (combined with good nutrition of course!).

So should cardio occur at the beginning or the end of your workout? Many sources suggest it is better to do cardio first and then lift weights when your desire is to increase weight loss. Yet cardio has a tendency to deplete the body’s carbohydrate stores. Therefore you are eliminating the fuel your body needs to get in a good weight training routine. Too much cardio can also be a bad thing as you may find your body burns muscle to ease the demands of doing too much aerobic work. We should then pay attention to the “Hierarchy Scale of Energy”. If you understand how your body burns fuel, then you may be able to build a workout that best serves your fitness desires.

The human body accesses certain nutrients for energy in the same way and in the same order every time.

1. Muscle Glycogen—Sugar processed from carbohydrates and stored in muscle for contraction.

2. Liver Glycogen—Storage organ for excess Glycogen; this is the primary fuel source for brain function.

3. BBA (Blood Borne Amino Acids)

4. Fat

(http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/smart-cardio-to-burn-fat-574698.html).

As you can see fat is the last thing to go. Ultimately Perry NIckelston in his article Smart Cardio to Burn Fat suggests the following framework to help reach your weight loss goals (Smart Cardio to Burn Fat, Nickelston, Perry, Articlesbase.com, September 23, 2008).

1. 5-minute cardio warm-up

2. 30 minute weight training routine (This will eat up #1-3 on the hierarchy scale)

3. 15-20 minutes of cardio to now hit the fat reserves

The last consideration is heart rate and I will address this in my next post. If you would like to find out more about how Isagenix® can help you to achieve your weight loss and fitness goals when coupled with a strong workout regimen you can contact us through our web-site at www.aalthoff.isagenix.com, or by calling 614-477-1794.

Don’t forget, new members enroll for FREE until December 31^st, and all new products packs get a FREE before and after BodPod assessment until December 31^st too.) Happy Holidays!!

Friendships, Relationships and Weight Loss

Harvard University researchers have predicted that within the next 40 years Americans will hit a 42% obesity rate (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A35SO20101104). Something has to be done and I am trying to lead that mission of informing as many people as I can. I enjoy getting information out there for you to review and make informed decisions best for you.

We must consider addressing these recent findings. As Americans we have become much more accepting of excessive weight and obesity simply because it has become so prevalent. Also, I realize it is infinitely more difficult to critique someone else’s problems when you share that same problem or have similar bad eating habits and weaknesses.

I attend and teach multiple group fitness classes during the week. I do this to accomplish several things. First, I am a workout junkie. I got my ACE Personal Training, BodyPump, Cycling and Primary Group Fitness Certifications for a reason. My ultimate goal is to train and help others with health and wellness. Daily, I watch others to see how they change during their journey to lose weight – personal visual field research if you will. If they don’t lose weight, I find myself questioning why from afar. Ultimately, I would like to not be watching from afar, but being trusted and helping hands on. I know I will never know it all; however, the more information I have the better position to open a conversation with someone about health and wellness, which is most important to me; the health of my family and close friends fall into a similar category.

The second reason I find myself at the gym so often is due to a desire for full accountability. I do not mean that I wish to hold others accountable; rather, I wish to surround myself with people who will hold me accountable and let me know when I am not living the life I wish for…a life of health and strength. So what does this all have to do with effective weight loss, effective weight control and fitness? The very first line of the article states, “Americans will keep growing fatter until 42% of the nation is considered obese, and having fat friends is part of the problem…”

Essentially, the researchers determined that your friends are a reflection of you and visa versa. If you hang out with people that drink too much then you need to ask yourself if you drink too much as well. Likewise, if your friends are obese then eating may become an issue in your life. Maybe it is already. It is very hard, if not impossible for an alcoholic to stay clear of his/her demon if all their friends meet at a bar. The same is true for you if you have difficulties with your weight and all of your friends meet at the desert bar.

Because our national weight problem is getting worse, things will become exponentially more difficult for people with weight challenges. There are fewer people out there that take their weight seriously, so the relational support systems are disappearing. The study showed that “…an American adult has a 2% chance of becoming obese in any given year, and each obese social contact increases the risk of becoming obese by .5% per year.

So what is the solution? The first step is to find a weight loss and fitness program that you can do. Personally, I know through over 150 testimonials the Isagenix® 30-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System or the 9-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System may be the path to a thinner & healthier you. It certainly was for my immediate family and me. However, if your friends and family are constantly challenging your efforts by offering you candy, chips and soda then that path will be filled with landmines that may undermine your success.

The second step is to make a choice. Either extricate yourself from that social circle (this is very difficult I know), or decide to be the example. Tell your friends or family that you are seeking their support or organize a “Biggest Loser” contest. Working toward the same goal with others holding your accountable is extremely motivating!

Challenge each other, support each other and go for the gold! Run the race like you want to win it! If you would like more information then you can visit our website at www.aalthoff.isagenix.com or call me at 614-477-1794.

Isagenix Testimony for Nicholas

Isagenix Testimony for Nicholas

My son has struggled with recurring fevers and illnesses for several years. He has undergone much blood-work and most recently several EKG’s followed by a full cardiology work-up at the University Hospital. His medical records already at age 6 are over an inch thick including so many ear infections by age 1 that he had tubes put in his ears. His preschool teachers noted that he missed so many days of school- and his fevers were never in conjunction with other illnesses being passed around the classroom. The latest conclusion by doctors was that his immune system was just missing something that caused him to have the same response each time - 1-3 days of fevers with swollen lymph nodes, a bellyache, and lethargy.

My sister-in-law introduced us to Isagenix and we decided to try it out. Nicholas had just finished a cycle of recurring fevers every 2 weeks (3 times repeated). We use the IsaShakes each school morning as well as IsaMune spray and IsaKids vitamins. We have also removed as much processed food and high-fructose corn syrup as possible from his diet. He was less than thrilled to not have pop-tarts on the menu – but has now forgotten about even asking for them.

He started Kindergarten this year – exposing his body to a whole new myriad of kids and their “germs”. He has not had one fever, one illness, or missed one day of school. He has been completely healthy and within 3 months of using the products we have seen only positive changes. He calls the shakes his “Superman Shakes” and tells everyone they are keeping him strong and from getting sick. Even his sister who has an “iron-clad” immune system has picked up some sinus junk from school and he has not even shared that with her.

I know that no medical doctor will say that these products will treat or cure an illness but I believe that the combination of healthy foods and Isagenix have made a world of difference with my son. It is a joy and blessing to see him strong and healthy and thriving! Teaching our kids about healthy eating habits is a gift we give them that will last a lifetime.

Thanks Isagenix!!

Kristy M. Cone

Finance Manager and Church Treasurer

Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene

If you would like to learn more about how Isagenix® products, packs and systems can help you, then visit my web-site at www.aalthoff.isagenix.com or call me at 614-477-1794.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Isagenix programs and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your physician or health care profesional before starting this or any other health or fitness program.