Managing Cholesterol

Greetings!!

There are several ways that you can begin to manage your own cholesterol whether you have a genetic predisposition or not. You can truly lower your cholesterol without drugs if you do ALL of these things every day.  I am not saying that it is easy, but if you do it, you will see a change. And even if you don't do all of these things at once, even some of them will offer heart healthy benefits to you. Start with a few, then add a few more after a week and continue that until you are doing all of these things every day:

• Eat oatmeal for breakfast.  Steel cut is the best, but use old fashioned if you can't deal with the steel cut.
• Eat a handful of almonds every day (a combination of almonds and walnuts also works). Buy them UNSALTED and raw from the baking aisle.  1/4 to 1/3 cup per day is good.
• Eat 1-2 Tbs milled or ground flax seed. This can be added to the oatmeal, to your yogurt, sprinkled on salad, or my favorite is adding to my Juice Plus smoothie!
• Take psyllium husk (most commonly found in Metamucil but can also be found in health food stores in its pure form). 
• Eat 1/2 cup legumes every day. 
• Eat an apple every day! (yes that old adage about keeping the doctor away works)
• Take plant sterols (2-3 grams a day. These substances are found in many foods now but can be taken as a supplement easily. And of course they are found in high levels in the Juice Plus brand that Healthy Environments promotes.).
• Use soy protein (soy milk, edamame, soy nuts, tofu, etc).  I know--there has been some bad press around this issue. That was with very high doses and not using foods. So stick to the foods and not the high doses in supplements.
• Take garlic--and eat it too!  Aged garlic extract is a good source.  But put real garlic cloves in your food as often as you can.
• EXERCISE--yes, that means move on a regular basis. Even if you focus on walking 30 minutes a day, that is perfect! 

Not only are the above steps good for lowering cholesterol, but many are generally healthy habits as well.  The reasons are complex and directly influence different ways that the body produces and attacks cholesterol.  But, for most people, this plan will allow you to improve your cholesterol outlook without drugs.  All you need to do is go to the grocery store with these things on your list.

 So, rather than focusing on what you need to give up and what your doctor has told you to 'stay away from, focus on this list of TO DOs.  Check them off every day for heart disease prevention and to move towards healthy cholesterol levels.

To Your Health....

Deborah Mumm
Healthy Environments

Halloween is for Sugar Lovers

Happy Halloween!

Here are a few Halloween fun facts from the National Confectioners Association:

* 93 percent of children go trick-or-treating every year.
* Each Halloween $2 billion is spent on candy.
* 30 percent of kids report that they SORT their candy first when returning home with trick-or-treat loot
* Kids say they prefer homes that give: anything made with chocolate (68 percent) followed by lollipops (9 percent), gummy candy (7 percent) and bubble gum or chewing gum (7 percent).
* Parents favorite treats to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70 percent sneak these), candy-coated chocolate pieces (40 percent), caramels (37 percent) and gum (26 percent).

Halloween is the most child-centered holiday of the year, with Christmas and Hannukah running closely behind. It’s also the most sugar-centric day of the year, and perhaps should be considered the grand kick-off to a season of overindulging our appetites, climaxing at Thanksgiving, ending sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day, when we vow to shed the holiday ten.

Most of us allow our children to enjoy some of the spoils from Halloween, but doling out loads of candy over the weeks and months that follow can skew a child’s sense of the amount of sugar needed to make a treat sweet (and yummy), making healthful treats made with lower quantities of sweetener unappealing (a.k.a. yucky.)


Deborah Mumm
Healthy Environments

Halloween is for Sugar Lovers

Happy Halloween!

Here are a few Halloween fun facts from the National Confectioners Association:

* 93 percent of children go trick-or-treating every year.
* Each Halloween $2 billion is spent on candy.
* 30 percent of kids report that they SORT their candy first when returning home with trick-or-treat loot
* Kids say they prefer homes that give: anything made with chocolate (68 percent) followed by lollipops (9 percent), gummy candy (7 percent) and bubble gum or chewing gum (7 percent).
* Parents favorite treats to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70 percent sneak these), candy-coated chocolate pieces (40 percent), caramels (37 percent) and gum (26 percent).

Halloween is the most child-centered holiday of the year, with Christmas and Hannukah running closely behind. It’s also the most sugar-centric day of the year, and perhaps should be considered the grand kick-off to a season of overindulging our appetites, climaxing at Thanksgiving, ending sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day, when we vow to shed the holiday ten.

Most of us allow our children to enjoy some of the spoils from Halloween, but doling out loads of candy over the weeks and months that follow can skew a child’s sense of the amount of sugar needed to make a treat sweet (and yummy), making healthful treats made with lower quantities of sweetener unappealing (a.k.a. yucky.)


Deborah Mumm
Healthy Environments

Alkaline Water & Chile Miners

Greetings!

Once it was learned that 33 Chilean miners were trapped underground, one inspirational woman made it her mission to deliver the best hydrating water to these miners so they would survive.

Here is her story....

Chilean Miners & Water

Amazing!

Deborah Mumm
The Wetter Water

Awesome Books, Articles & Tips for Wellness

Greetings....

There are many fantastic programs out there to help with many health and wellness issues. Take a look at a few that I have found to be helpful.

You can save hundreds of dollars by using some of these programs...and doing things yourself. Check it out!




Have a healthy day!

Deborah Mumm
http://www.healthy-environments.com

Our Summer Weddings!

Make your own slideshow design

Chicago Enagic Super September Weekend

If you live in the Chicago area...or want to travel this weekend....then you need to come to the Holiday Inn Express in Rosemont, IL for a fantastic weekend filled with health tips & fun!

Michael Kinnett of CA will be the presenter...and he is an awesome speaker. Friday, the 24th of Sept. will be FREE to all from 7 -9 pm. Saturday will be and educational day for Distributors.

Here is the flyer for more information.
Wellness Weekend 9/24 & 9/25

Hope to see you there!

Debbie Mumm
http://www.healthy-environments.com
http://www.thewetterwater.com

Fall Allergies? Avoid these---

ATTENTION!

If you have fall allergies, you may be able to reduce your symptoms by avoiding certain foods and drinks. Your body interprets chemicals in certain foods to be allergens...which can lead to itchiness, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing and more. Check this list for surprising trigger and consider avoiding them to help with allergies.

If you are allergic to RAGWEED then avoid...bananas, cantaloupes, chamomile tea(a close relative of ragweed), honeydew, watermelon, zucchini.

If you are allergic to TREE POLLEN then avoid....almonds, apples, carrots, cherries, hazelnuts, peaches, pears, plums.

If you are allergic to GRASS then avoid...melons, oranges, tomatoes.

If you have seasonal allergies then avoid....beer, wine, liquor (all 3 contain histamine)

This information was stated by Clifford Bassett, MD, member of the public education committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Have a HEALTHY Day!

Deborah Mumm
Healthy Environments

The Truth about Vitamin and Energy Waters

Truth About Vitamin Water -- Do 'Functional Beverages' Work?

 

Water used to be just a source of mere hydration, but over the last decade the bottled variety has undergone a makeover. Enriched with all sorts of ingredients, from vitamin C to lemongrass, the beverage appears to offer a smorgasbord of health benefits, but truth be told, so-called "functional water" is more the work of clever marketing than a means of disease prevention.

Health for Sale
With the help of health buzzwords and smart packaging, beverage companies are taking advantage of our obsession with quick weight-loss solutions and wellness products. (In Japan, even logic-defying "diet water" is for sale.) This has caused bottled water sales to skyrocket.

In 2009, Americans ingested a whopping 8.5 billion gallons of H20. In fact, soda is the only drink Americans reach for more. Although the Food and Drug Administration is charged with regulating bottled water labeling, beverages that claim to energize, increase mental focus, improve memory, prevent heart disease and blast fat can be found on store shelves across the country.

For example, SoBe Lifewater's "B-energy" drink says it will "help your body unlock and release energy found in food." However, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) notes that B vitamins help convert proteins, fats and carbs into energy; they do not make a person feel more energetic. Most likely, any "energized" feeling you get as a result of drinking it is due to caffeine -- one bottle of B-energy contains more of the stimulant than a can of Coke.

For those of you concerned about memory loss, San Francisco–based Purity.Organic wants to help. The company's functional-water beverages contain ginkgo biloba, which they claim enhances memory. Unfortunately, there is no conclusive evidence to support an effect of ginkgo on memory or dementia, according to the National Council Against Health Fraud.

Some beverage companies build advertising campaigns around promising -- but preliminary -- research leading consumers to believe a functional water is some kind of prevention miracle. People who purchase Preventiv, a functional water containing the red wine antioxidant resveratrol, are led to think that their bottle of Berry Bordeaux benefits the heart. Preventiv's slogan is "Enjoy the heart healthy, anti-aging benefits of a case of red wine." (The company notes that the statement has not been evaluated by the FDA.) Although animal studies have demonstrated positive effects of resveratrol, a review of research on the chemical in the April issue of the journal Mechanisms of Ageing and Development showed that scientists are still in the midst of figuring out how it works in humans.

So, don't swallow the functional Kool-Aid just yet.

Lessons in Labeling
Last year, the CSPI filed a class action lawsuit against Coca-Cola for the health claims made on its product VitaminWater. CSPI stated that VitaminWater flavor labels such as 'defense' and 'energy' "play on the health-conscious mindset of consumers." The popular brand also came under fire for claiming, among other health benefits, to promote healthy joints, support immune function, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Perhaps most disturbing is that each bottle of VitaminWater contains 33 grams of sugar. CSPI wrote in the suit, "it is just another flavored, sugary snack food like Coca-Cola, except they chose not to carbonate it." (The company does, however, offer VitaminWater Zero that uses a natural sweetener instead.) "The sugars in VitaminWater actually inhibit the body's ability to burn fat," says Esther Blum, a dietician in New York City and author of "Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous: A Nutritionist's Guide to Living Well While Living It Up." "If you really want to drink flavored water, stick with unsweetened or naturally-sweetened."

Not only was VitaminWater misleading consumers with health claims; it was potentially causing weight gain.

To Drink or Not to Drink ...
In August, San Francisco-based Soma Beverage Company introduced yet another nutrient-rich water. Called Goodberrymint, the beverage is unsweetened -- a plus -- and contains several types of berries, as well as mint. It sounds tasty, sure. But, says Blum, "nothing can replace fruits and vegetables in a diet." So, although the average American is already guzzling 400 calories daily, functional water should not be considered an alternative source of nutrients, or a way to prevent disease. Rather, think of it as just a fancier way to stay hydrated. 

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen

Healthy Environments Inc.

How Soda Feeds Cancer & Tumors!

Greetings!

It wasn't that long ago that I enjoyed a soda or Gatorade as a special treat. I didn't buy that stuff often but did keep it available for my kids and their friends when they came over to visit. This is now a distant memory in my past. I love my kids and care for their friends too much to offer them a soda...or as some Naturopathic doctors call soda...Cancer in a Can.

Studies show that sodas and Gatorades will encourage cancer and tumors to grow in a body. I have shown people in my Kangen Water demos that these drinks take about 3 days for the body to recover from the acid amount it added to the body. I am not that thirsty...to drink 30 glasses of water to eliminate the acid from soda or Gatorade.

Here is one study that shows the dangers of drinking soda!
Cancer & Tumor Growth from Soda

So...have an Iced Tea, Lemonade or better yet, water...or Kangen Water...instead of a cancer enhancing drink. Okay?

Have a healthy day!

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments

The Allergy Queen: Are Your Laundry & Cleaning Soaps Safe?

The Allergy Queen: Are Your Laundry & Cleaning Soaps Safe?: "Greetings! Did you know that more people get sick or die from poisoning of common household products? These are products we use every day...."

Are Your Laundry & Cleaning Soaps Safe?

Greetings!

Did you know that more people get sick or die from poisoning of common household products? These are products we use every day... on our clothes, our furniture and even the dishes we eat off of! Because we can never fully rinse these chemicals off, we tend to breathe them or taste them.

Because we are unable to feel, see, smell, or taste many household toxins at first contact, it is important to be aware of the most common household toxins and to proactively take measures to prevent or reduce our exposure to them.

The most common household toxins are as follows:

1. Triclosan:
Most commonly found in: many liquid soaps and in some deodorants, toothpastes, cosmetics, kitchenware, and children's toys.

2. Phthalates:

Linked to: endocrine, reproductive, and developmental problems.

Most commonly found in: vinyl flooring, plastic food packaging, plastic bags, plastic clothing, detergents, children's toys, shower curtains, and personal care products like soap, shampoo, nail polish, and hair spray.

3. Bisphenol A:
Linked to: endocrine problems.

Most commonly found in: food and drink containers, baby bottles, teethers, toys, metal food cans, and dental sealants used to prevent cavities.

4. Carbon monoxide:
Linked to: cardiovascular and nervous system failure.

Most commonly produced by: leaking furnaces and chimneys, gas stoves, wood stoves and fireplaces, back-drafting from gas water heaters, and auto exhaust from an attached garage or nearby traffic.

5. Perfluorinated chemicals:

Linked to: many different types of cancer and developmental problems in children.

Most commonly found in: teflon-coated cookware, microwave popcorn bags, and stain-guarded clothing, furniture, and carpets.

6. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs):

Linked to: reproductive, respiratory, neurological, and developmental problems. Also linked to different types of cancer.

Most commonly found in: air fresheners, hair spray, perfumes, cleaning products, paints, carpets, and furniture made out of pressed wood.

7. Radon:

Linked to: lung cancer.

Most commonly found in: confined spaces, the most common of which are poorly ventilated basements that have cracked walls and/or floors.

8. Lead:

Linked to: cancer, neurological dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, reproductive problems, and developmental problems in children.

Most commonly found in: lead plumbing pipes found in older homes, lead-based paint, crystal tableware, and some varieties of imported mini-blinds.

9. Pesticides and herbicides:

Most commonly found in: non-organic food supply, non-organic farming regions, and non-organic landscaped areas that are well maintained.

Although we are all at risk of experiencing health problems due to exposure to the household toxins listed above, particularly worrisome are the effects that these toxins may have on babies growing in their mothers' wombs.

A study conducted in 2004 by the Environmental Working Group found that umbilical cord blood from 10 newborns contained chemicals used in consumer products, pesticides, and by-products from gasoline, garbage, and the burning of coal.

Still, within the context of living emotionally balanced lives, we can significantly lower our risk of developing many different types of chronic disease by doing our best to avoid the most common sources of the toxins listed in this article.

Please check out the plant-derived cleaning products that Healthy Environments promotes. They work great!

Deborah Mumm,
The Allergy Queen
Plant based Cleaning Products

Times for Drinking Water?

Greetings!

Did you know you should drink half your body weight in ounces every day? This is to help flush out all the toxins you are taking in!

Did you know that there are optimal times of day to drink this water?

Drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body:

2 glasses of water after waking up helps activate internal organs

1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion

1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure

1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

So...go get a nice tall glass of water!

To your Health!

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen

The Wetter Water

11 Reasons to Stop Drinking Milk

Greetings!

True or False? Drinking lots of milk helps prevent osteoporosis.
FALSE! Studies show that countries who drink lots of milk have more osteoporosis than countries that don't drink milk.
So-- is milk good for you? Not really. The dairy industry introduced milk years ago and since most people like the taste of it, incorporated it into the human diet as a necessary nutrient.
Here is a great article with 11 reasons why you shouldn't drink milk. So, if you and your family consume a lot of dairy products you may want to start reducing your intake on dairy so you can have a healthier future.
The first 3 reasons why Dairy is bad for you are:

1. Cow’s milk is intended for baby cows.  We’re the only species (other than those we are domesticating) that drinks milk after infancy.  And, we’re definitely the only ones drinking the milk of a different species.
2.  Hormones. Not only are the naturally-present hormones in cow’s milk stronger than human hormones, the animals are routinely given steroids and other hormones to plump them up and increase milk production.  These hormones can negatively impact humans’ delicate hormonal balance.
3.  Most cows are fed inappropriate food.  Commercial feed for cows contains all sorts of ingredients that include:  genetically-modified (GM) corn, GM soy, animal products, chicken manure, cottonseed, pesticides, and antibiotics.
Read about the other 8 reasons to avoid dairy HERE!

Have a Healthy Day!!!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments Inc.

How to Clean your Fruits & Veggies

Greetings!

Recent studies are suggesting that the chemicals left on our fruits and veggies may be causing Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD or ADHD) in our children.  How can you be sure you are getting all the pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals off your foods before you feed them to your family?

I made a little video that shows how I wash my produce.  The timing on the sound is a bit off so I look a bit weirder than usual...ha!  But you will get the idea.

How to Wash Veggies

Have a Healthy Day!!!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments

Kangen Water has Record Sales in 2010

Approximately 4,000 Kangen Water machines are shipped monthly in the United States. The Enagic equipment has been perfected over decades of research by Japanese scientists. Using the highest-quality components, the machines purify water and ionize it, creating healthy Kangen Water for drinking. The water retains healthy minerals such as calcium while filtering out contaminants, and the alkaline structure makes it rich in antioxidants. Enagic machines are recognized by the Japanese government as medical devices, and used in Japanese hospitals to promote health. Enagic ionizers are also widely used in households around the world, with strong growth in the United States. In addition to drinking water, Enagic ionizers also create other specialized types of water, including acidic water for cleaning that can help eliminate the use of cleaning chemicals. As consumer interest in protecting both the environment and personal health grows, so have sales of Kangen Water.

The company's Q1 results expanded at an unheard of rate as households across the country learn of the benefits of Kangen Water, the tremendous potential of the firm's compensation plan, and the peace of mind afforded with the security of the company. Throughout the difficult economic times, Enagic has continued to thrive. After 36 years as the leading manufacturer of healthy ionizers, Enagic predicts strong interest in Kangen Water will grow throughout 2010 and into the coming decade.


This amazing water, produced with a state-of-the-art filtration machine manufactured by Enagic, a leader in the water purification industry. For over 30 years, this company has been conducting ground-breaking research in water with the power to create an alkaline body and positioning itself as an authority on the subject of water quality and its power to improve our daily lives.

Deborah Mumm
The Wetter Water

How Healthy are Cucumbers?

I never thought cucumbers had much nutritional value...but I guess I was wrong.  Take a look at the nutrition found in a cucumber!
You may want to grow some organic cukes of your own because cucumbers are a healthy fruit from the same family as pumpkin, zucchini and other squashes.
100 grams of cucumber has
•    Vitamin A 180 I.U.
•    Niacin Trace
•    Vitamin C 9 mg.
•    Calcium 32 mg.
•    Iron 1.8 mg.
•    Phosphorus 27 mg.
•    Potassium 80 mg.
•    Carbohydrates 17 gm.
•    Calories 70
Some of the reported health benefits include
•    Cucumber is best natural diuretic known, secreting and promoting the flow of urine.
•    Helps in kidney and urinary bladder disease.
•    Liver disease
•    Pancreatic disease
•    The potassium content of cucumber makes it highly useful for conditions of high and low blood pressure.
•    Cucumber contains erepsin, the enzyme that helps to digest protein.
•    The high silicon and sulphur content of the cucumber is said to promote the growth of hair, especially when the juice of the cucumber is added to the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach.
•    A mixture of cucumber juice with carrot juice is said to be beneficial for rheumatic conditions resulting from excessive uric acid in the body.
•    Cucumber juice is also valuable for helping diseases of the teeth, gums, especially in cases of pyorrhea.
•    The high mineral content of this vegetable also helps to prevent splitting of nails of the fingers and toes.
•    Cucumber, radish and bitter gourd are beneficial in diabetes.

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments, Inc.

7 Diet Tricks

Greetings!

Here is a nice article with Diet Tips you might like....

According to Live Science, these diet tricks will actually help you keep off the pounds:

Avoid corn syrup
Science shows that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is bad news. One study showed that rats who drank HFCS-sweetened beverages gained significantly more weight than rats consuming the same amount of calories in sugar.
Keep away from junk food -- It's Addictive
Junk food can affect your brain in ways similar to drug abuse.
Structure meal times
Long stretches without food make people crave energy-dense snacks, which can make healthy choices difficult.
Satisfy your body -- especially at breakfast
A protein-rich breakfast leaves you less hungry for the rest of the day. Some fat in the meal can help, too.
Favor foods closer to nature
Favoring whole fresh foods over processed ones will naturally optimize the healthiness of your food choices.
Change your environment
Altering your food environment -- whether this means using smaller plates or keeping seconds out of immediate reach -- can help you lose weight.
Enjoy your food
Food that is eaten mindlessly is neglected food. When you pay attention, you are satisfied in a deeper way.

Sources:

  Live Science May 23, 2010

Deborah Mumm, 
The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments

Getting Kids to Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Greetings!

You want to make sure your child is eating enough fruits and vegetables, but kids just don’t want to go near them.  Some parents resort to hiding fruits and vegetables in kid-friendly foods.  But some nutrition experts feel that if kids don’t know they are eating this good food, they may never make the connection to eat it in the future.

Be sure you are setting a good example by eating fruits and vegetables in front of your child, as children who see adults eating healthy foods are more apt to try them.  But if the only way your picky eater will go near fruits and vegetables is if they are hidden in your family recipes, then try these tips:

Getting Fruits & Veggies into Kids


So...try and keep it fun!  Plus, eat good food with your kids and soon they will be doing it themselves.


Have a great day!

Deborah Mumm

Healthy Environments

Fruits & Veggies in Capsule Form

ABC Announces Soda can Help Prevent Kidney Stones!

Soda Prevents Kidney Stones???
I highly doubt it.  A kidney stone is usually caused by an increase of acid in the kidneys.  Soda is extremely acidic.  It is so acidic it takes almost 3 days to return your body back to the state it was before consuming the soda.
Here is the article by ABC News....
Soda & Kidney Stones

What is your opinion on this?
Add acid to your body to get rid of a build up of acid??? Hmmm...doesn't make sense to me!

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments