The new energy shot site has been live for a few days and it has been very interesting and exciting to watch the results of the voting for the energy videos.  These videos were submitted by students from the American Film Institute in California, a very prestitgous film school.

I'm not going to reveal who is winning so far but I have to say it is very surprising! 

All of the videos are also featured on You Tube! 

"Castaways" is one of my favorites - watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWPQos78JA8 .  The quality of this video and all the energy videos is amazing.

Make sure to view, vote & win now!  You could win a year's supply of energy the natural way - an energy supplement drink without all the sugar or artificial ingredients and only 2 oz. 

Which ones are your favorite and why?  Send me your comments!

The new ALL DAY Energy website is now live at www.wellesseallday.com!  The new site features videos submitted by American Film Institute students.  You can view the videos, which are also featured on You Tube, and then vote for your favorite.  The videos are fun to watch and very well done.

After voting enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a year's supply of energy plus lots of other prizes.

The new site explains how the ingredients in the energy shot work together to give a natural energy boost and maintain mental focus and endurance in the "How it Works" section.  Once of the articles by expert Marie Spano, MS, RD, talks about what to look for in choosing an energy drink or shot.

Also included is information about B vitamins and caffeine and exercising.  Great information! 

The goal of this new site is to give the more comprehensive information than any other energy supplements or drinks currently on the web.  I think we have accomplished this in a fun and informative way.

Visit the new site now at www.wellesseallday.com and vote for your favorite video!

In case you haven't heard, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month program is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Fifteen national public service organizations, professional associations, and government agencies comprise the Board of Sponsors, who work together to ensure that the NBCAM message is heard by thousands of women and their families.
 
You can check their website for more information at www.nbcam.org

This really hits home for me, as I have had two aunts on my mother's side suffer from breast cancer.  Both of them came very close to not making it and one is still very sick.  My grandmother also had breast cancer many years ago but is also a survivor.

I just turned 40 and am planning on getting a mammogram as soon as possible, although I know I should have had one before now.  But I know it's very important to get one for early detection and with my family history, it's even more critical.

Vitamin D & Breast Cancer

Newly available data on worldwide cancer incidence have shown a link between deficiency in exposure to sunlight and breast cancer according to researchers - see article  Those who were deficient in Vitamin D were nearly twice as likely to have their cancer recur or spread over the next 10 years, and 73 percent more likely to die of the disease. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. About 184,450 cases and 40,930 deaths from the disease are expected in the United States this year

Help celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month and schedule to get a mammogram now and help spread the word to your women family and friends.

Here is a great blog about life with breast cancer - Kathy Ellen's Breast Cancer Blog

I love to walk and hike and I used to run, but the older I get the more my knees hurt.  Lately, I have noticed that my knees make a strange sound when I bend them.  A friend of mine recommended some great knee braces from Nikken and they do help a lot, especially when it is cold out. 

I also take the liquid glucosamine and chondroitin supplement on a daily basis.  My greatest fear is not being able to walk and hike when I get older because my knees hurt too much or needing to have knee surgery later. 

Strengthening the muscles above around the knees can also help tremendously such as the quadriceps and hamstrings.  Exercise keeps your joints from stiffening and provides needed support, making movement easier and reducing joint pain.

Here are some great exercises for these muscles from Jen Mueller, a certified trainer, from the Spark People website. 

STRETCHES

1. Chair knee extension: Sitting in a chair, rest your foot on another chair so the knee is slightly raised. Gently push the raised knee toward the floor using only leg muscles. Hold for 5 - 10 seconds and release. Repeat 5 times on each leg.
2. Heel slide knee extension: Lie on your back, with left knee bent and left foot flat on floor. Slowly slide the left heel away from your body so both legs are parallel. Hold for 5-10 seconds, return to starting position. Repeat 5 times on each leg.
3. Knee flexion: Sitting in a chair, loop a long towel under your foot (resting on the floor). Gently pull on the towel with both hands to bend the knee, raising your foot 4 - 5 inches off the floor. Hold for 5 - 10 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 times on each leg.
4. Hamstring stretch: Standing, put one foot in front of you, toes up. With hands on the small of your back (or one hand holding a chair for balance), bend the opposite knee and hip (not your lower back), until you feel the hamstrings stretch. The upper body comes forward at the hip. Hold for 5 -10 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 times on each leg.

STRENGTH TRAINING

1. Wall slide: Leaning with your back against a wall, bend your knees 30°, sliding down the wall, then straighten up again. Move slowly and smoothly, using your hands on the wall for balance. Keep feet and legs parallel, and do not allow knees to go out over the toes. Repeat 5 -10 times.
2. Bent-Leg Raises: Sitting in a chair, straighten one leg in the air (without locking the knee). Hold for about one minute. Bend your knee to lower the leg about halfway to the floor. Hold for 30 seconds. Return to starting position. Work up to 4 reps on each leg.
   
3. Straight-Leg Raises: Sitting in a chair, rest your foot on another chair. Lift the foot a few inches off the chair while keeping your leg straight. Hold for 5 -10 seconds. Return to resting position. Repeat 5 -10 times. (Also work on increasing the time, up to 2-3 minutes if possible.)
4. Abductor Raise: Lie on your side, propped on one elbow. The leg on the floor bent, the other straight. Slowly lift the top leg, hold for 5 -10 seconds, then lower. (Ankle weights will increase the intensity). Do 1-3 sets with 12-15 repetitions each. Remember to rest in between sets.
5. Hamstring Curl: Stand with the front of your thighs against a surface (a table or wall). Flex one knee up as far as is comfortable. Hold for 5 - 10 seconds, then lower slowly. If possible, do not touch the floor between repetitions. (Ankle weights will increase the intensity.) Do 1-3 sets with 12-15 repetitions each. Remember to rest in between sets.
6. Step-Ups: Stand in front of a step, like a sturdy bench or stairs, about two feet high (or less if necessary). Step up onto the support, straighten your knees fully (without locking them) and step down. Maintain a steady pace. If you are comfortable with your balance, pump your arms while doing this exercise. Start with 1 minute, slowly building your time. Gets your heart pumping too!
7. Stationary Bike: Biking is a good way to increase strength and range of motion. Make sure you have the right positioning of the legs. At the bottom of the pedal stroke, the bend in the knee should be 15 degrees. Start with 10 minutes and slowly increase your time.

Always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. These exercises are designed to help, not hurt. If you experience pain at any time during the exercise, stop. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong.

You can ice your knees for 10-20 minutes if they are sore after doing these exercises.


 

 

A new study just released revealed the five top reasons why physicians recommend dietary supplements to their patients.  The Life Supplemented Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study found that a majority of physicians - 79% - recommend supplements to their patients for these health reasons:

1. Bone Health 33%
2. Overall health and wellness 32%
3. Joint Health 29%
4. Heart Health 26%
5. Maintain healthy cholesterol 22%

The physicians were not asked to specify which supplements they would recommend for each condition; however, there are certain supplements that are widely recognized for each of these health areas.

1.  Bone Health - Calcium and Vitamin D are widely recognized and recommended for maintaining bone health and managing osteoporosis

2.  Overall health and wellness - This survey found that 72 percent of physicians think its a good ideas for patients to take a multivitamin. 

3.  Joint Health - Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements have been shown in clinical trials to aid in joint discomfort and mobility often caused by osteoarthritis.

4.  Heart Health - Omega-3's, EPA and DHA, found in fatty fish such as salmon are often taken for many health reasons, including a healthy heart.  Other supplements include vitamin E and B vitamins. 

5.  Maintain healthy cholesterol - Soluble fiber is known for its cholesterol-lowering effects and plant sterols are becoming popular also.

Top supplements used by the 72 percent of physicians who say they use a dietary supplement:

1. Multivitamin
2. Vitamin C
3. B vitamins
4. Vitamin D
5. Vitamin E
6. Calcium

Read more about this study here

 

Happy Friday!  I just came across a great new study recently released by the University of Michican on Calcium and pregnancy.  Although I am long past the pregnancy stage (my kids are 16 & 12), I think this is very important for all women who are pregnant or thinking about having a child anytime soon.  The more you can do to have a healthy baby the better.

This study shows that women who take 1,200 mg of a calcium supplement daily have a 31 percent reduction in the amount of lead in their blood, reducing fetal and infant exposure. 

" Lead exposure during fetal development and infancy can cause low birth weight or slow weight gain after birth, cognitive defects such as lower intelligence scores, lower motor and visual skills, or even miscarriage. Damage from lead exposure and poisoning is usually permanent."

Read more about this important study now!  Read

I'm so excited!  We are getting ready to launch a brand new website for our energy supplement very soon.  This is always one of the favorite parts of my job - creating and launching fresh new websites with all new features and graphics. It's like buying a new car or a whole new wardrobe. We have been working hard on this site for a couple of months now and its really looking great. 

We decided to do this as a separate website enable to give in-depth information about the energy 2 oz shot, but also present it in a really fun and dynamic way.  It will feature such pages as "Dare to Compare" and "People are Talking" and "How it Works".  Visitors will be able to get in depth information on the ingredients and other news and information regarding the energy drink.

The site will also feature videos for visitors to vote on.  These videos were submitted by first year film students from AFI - American Film Institute - a very prestigious film school in California.  Each film student was told to incorporate the energy product into the video in a fun and creative way.  They turned out amazingly great!  These students are really talented.  Make sure you check them out and vote on your favorite and then enter to win the Viewers Choice Video Sweepstakes for a year's supply of energy!

Check back soon to find out when the site launches and to vote on your favorite video!

Please come and join us at one of our largest events this year!  We will be attending the AARP Life @ 50+ show in Washington, DC, September 4-6.  We are excited to meet our consumers face to face and hear their stories about how our products benefit their lives and introduce them to our new product offerings.  The show will be held in the beautiful Walter E. Washington Convention & Exhibition Center in Washington, DC. 

Make sure to stop by and see us at booth #3135. 

We will have live samples available of our liquid glucosamine chondroitin, liquid calcium, and energy products.   Along with great exhibits the event will include celebrity speakers and concerts.   Attendance at the event is expected to be approximately 30,000 people giving us a chance to talk to many people while we are there.

Print this article and bring to the booth and you will get you a FREE gift at our booth!
 
For more information on this event click here.  See you there!

Life@50+ | National Event & Expo

Washington, DC, September 4–6, 2008

Tired of feeling tired all the time?  You are not alone.  More than half of us say we're tired on a regular basis.  If you're like me, being tired keeps you from doing the things that could actually help boost energy levels.  Things like exercising or cooking a healthy dinner.  It's too easy to stop and get a pizza because you are "too tired" to cook or hit that snooze button one more time in the morning!

Here are some tips to keep your energy at a more even level throughout the day.

• Take a quick walk in the morning, preferably outside in the fresh air.  It's hard at first to get up, but once you are it feels great.  It increases the amount of oxygen to your brain and makes you more alert, which will help get you through the rest of the morning.
• Have oatmeal for breakfast.  Oatmeal is better than sugary cereals, which will give a "sugar high" and then a crash later. 
• Make sure to take your nutritional supplements every day!  It's easier to remember if you take them at the same time.
• Drink a cup of coffee or instead have a healthy energy supplement drink with B vitamins for sustained energy and antioxidants like Green Tea.
• Do more difficult tasks in the morning when you are at your best.
• Eat a good lunch with high protein and a piece of fruit and then take another short walk of 15-30 minutes to get the blood flowing again.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
• Have a mid-afternoon snack with some carbs such as a high-fiber granola bar
• Try these simple exercises for quick energy here
• On the way home, listen to some energetic tunes and de-stress.  Use this time to do some deep breathing.  Listen to upbeat music while cooking dinner.
• Slow down about an hour before going to sleep.  Try to get at least 8 hours of quality sleep to rejuvenate for the next day.

Here is another great story about our liquid glucosamine and chondroitin product.  I've recently noticed that a lot of people ask on various chat sites and communities if glucosamine actually works.  The answer is yes!  But it may not work the same way for every person and it does take a few weeks to feel the effects.  You may not notice a different for several weeks.  It really depends on what the source of your joint pain is such as what type of arthritis.

But don't take my word for it.  Here's a real life story from a person who it has worked well for.

"...I've been taking it (glucosamine and chondroitin liquid) for I'm not sure how many years now, and it's one of the few things I've ever bought that actually works like it's supposed to.  I got banged around playing soccer in my youth, as well as being "bumped" by cars while on both 10-speeds and motorcycles, so sufice it to say, I "crackled" whenever I bent my knees, even just walking.  I'm not sure how long I took before it started working; I just noticed one day that I no longer "crackled" going down the stairs."  J. Cunningham, Smyrna, Georgia

Arthritis Tip of the Day
Turn a trip to the supermarket into a chance to exercise.  Push the cart once around the perimeter of the store without stopping.  This also gives you a chance to see what's on sale before you start filling your cart.