Wednesday, December 22, 2010
reminder for cheaptoday.com
Everyone needs to go check out this website! Great for those last minute Christmas presents too!
I Love Shopping Deals!!! Cheaptoday.com - Check it out!!!
OK so for most people that know me - know that I love a deal! I am always on the hunt for them. Any website that can help make that easier for me is one that I want to share! So since this is my Arbonne blog - I thought I can share other things I love here as well!
Cheaptoday.com is a fabulous website that makes hunting for those deals so much easier! They have people that they pay that do the searching for you! I mean really waht can be better! So head on over and check it out! The more people that benefit from deals the better my day goes!
Cheaptoday.com is a fabulous website that makes hunting for those deals so much easier! They have people that they pay that do the searching for you! I mean really waht can be better! So head on over and check it out! The more people that benefit from deals the better my day goes!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Fighting Cancer With Good Food
A diet containing a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fats can help cancer patients deal with treatment side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
By Melanie Winderlich
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
The side effects of cancer treatment sometimes seem as daunting as the condition itself. Cancer patients can experience pain, fatigue, depression, and anemia, depending on the type of cancer, the type of treatment, and other factors.
Many cancer treatment side effects have a connection with eating — nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, trouble with chewing or swallowing, change in sense of taste — which makes getting the right nutrition a challenging aspect of ongoing cancer treatment.
A cancer patient has to be extremely conscious of his diet and pay attention to his body's level of tolerance for certain foods. Unlike standard nutritional guides and pyramids, cancer diet recommendations are slightly different to accommodate the special needs of cancer patients.
Dietary Needs During Cancer Treatment
Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea or vomiting are common when undergoing a cancer treatment like chemotherapy.
Because cancer patients might have problems with appetite or changes in their sense of taste or smell, they may have issues maintaining a healthy weight. Many cancer patients should focus on:
Protein-dense foods. Egg whites, lean meats, dairy products, and beans are full of protein, which allows the body to function properly and repair itself. Since chemotherapy and radiation can take a heavy toll on cells, it's important to maintain a healthy weight and get enough protein.
Calorie-dense foods. Healthy sources of carbohydrates, like grains, fruits and vegetables, and lentils, as well as fats, like butter, oils, and nuts, keep up energy levels with extra calories. Age, gender, and weight affect how many calories patients require.
Water and fluids. Clear liquids, like water, broth, and sports drinks, as well as full-liquid foods, like pureed vegetables, milk, and liquid meal replacements, can help keep a cancer patient’s system healthy. Liquids are especially important dietary items since diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration. Doctors recommend liquid serving sizes based on individual needs.
Vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals help normalize metabolism and maintain growth. Vitamin A, found in eggs, liver, and fortified milk, helps prevent infection and promotes healthy tissue; vitamin D, acquired through sunlight, dairy products, and fish, helps strengthen bones; and vitamin C, found in citrus and green leafy vegetables, helps heal and repair cells, tissue, and wounds. It's important to note that cancer patients, like everyone else, should try to meet their recommended intake of vitamins and minerals by eating enough healthy foods each day. Ask your doctor before taking any supplements. A variety of foods. The senses of taste and smell can change during cancer treatment, so it's important to keep a variety of foods in the house. What was once your favorite food may now make you sick to your stomach one day and top your favorite foods' column the next day. Since no one food provides every required nutrient, eating a variety of foods can help.
Remember that dietary recommendations depend on the type of cancer and treatment. For example, weight gain is somewhat common with breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer treatment, so these patients wouldn't want to add fat to their diets. Talk to your doctor about appetite and weight changes, which may be a result of taking an anticancer medication.
Eating Tips for Cancer Patients
Remember to think small: Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, as opposed to three large meals, may reduce the likelihood of nausea and vomiting. Also, says Cynthia Thomson, RD, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Arizona in Tucson and member of the Arizona Cancer Center, avoid food with strong smells can help with nausea. "Eat more cold foods, for example, and avoid fish and sulfur-containing vegetables," she says.
Helpful sources of nutrition during times when side effects are severe include meal-replacement liquids and powders. These soft, nutrient-dense foods offer lots of protein, calories, and vitamins and are easily transportable, and can help patients maintain a healthy diet, regardless of symptoms like mouth sores or dental pain.
Some cancer patients may not have problems maintaining a healthy diet during treatment. And if side effects, like nausea, randomly pop up, there are highly effective medications, called antiemetics, to control these issues.
The nutritional needs and wants of cancer patients can be deeply affected by cancer treatment and the stress of a cancer diagnosis. Following a diet recommended by their doctors and registered dieticians will help keep their minds and bodies strong on the long road to recovery.
By Melanie Winderlich
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
The side effects of cancer treatment sometimes seem as daunting as the condition itself. Cancer patients can experience pain, fatigue, depression, and anemia, depending on the type of cancer, the type of treatment, and other factors.
Many cancer treatment side effects have a connection with eating — nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, trouble with chewing or swallowing, change in sense of taste — which makes getting the right nutrition a challenging aspect of ongoing cancer treatment.
A cancer patient has to be extremely conscious of his diet and pay attention to his body's level of tolerance for certain foods. Unlike standard nutritional guides and pyramids, cancer diet recommendations are slightly different to accommodate the special needs of cancer patients.
Dietary Needs During Cancer Treatment
Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea or vomiting are common when undergoing a cancer treatment like chemotherapy.
Because cancer patients might have problems with appetite or changes in their sense of taste or smell, they may have issues maintaining a healthy weight. Many cancer patients should focus on:
Protein-dense foods. Egg whites, lean meats, dairy products, and beans are full of protein, which allows the body to function properly and repair itself. Since chemotherapy and radiation can take a heavy toll on cells, it's important to maintain a healthy weight and get enough protein.
Calorie-dense foods. Healthy sources of carbohydrates, like grains, fruits and vegetables, and lentils, as well as fats, like butter, oils, and nuts, keep up energy levels with extra calories. Age, gender, and weight affect how many calories patients require.
Water and fluids. Clear liquids, like water, broth, and sports drinks, as well as full-liquid foods, like pureed vegetables, milk, and liquid meal replacements, can help keep a cancer patient’s system healthy. Liquids are especially important dietary items since diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration. Doctors recommend liquid serving sizes based on individual needs.
Vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals help normalize metabolism and maintain growth. Vitamin A, found in eggs, liver, and fortified milk, helps prevent infection and promotes healthy tissue; vitamin D, acquired through sunlight, dairy products, and fish, helps strengthen bones; and vitamin C, found in citrus and green leafy vegetables, helps heal and repair cells, tissue, and wounds. It's important to note that cancer patients, like everyone else, should try to meet their recommended intake of vitamins and minerals by eating enough healthy foods each day. Ask your doctor before taking any supplements. A variety of foods. The senses of taste and smell can change during cancer treatment, so it's important to keep a variety of foods in the house. What was once your favorite food may now make you sick to your stomach one day and top your favorite foods' column the next day. Since no one food provides every required nutrient, eating a variety of foods can help.
Remember that dietary recommendations depend on the type of cancer and treatment. For example, weight gain is somewhat common with breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer treatment, so these patients wouldn't want to add fat to their diets. Talk to your doctor about appetite and weight changes, which may be a result of taking an anticancer medication.
Eating Tips for Cancer Patients
Remember to think small: Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, as opposed to three large meals, may reduce the likelihood of nausea and vomiting. Also, says Cynthia Thomson, RD, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Arizona in Tucson and member of the Arizona Cancer Center, avoid food with strong smells can help with nausea. "Eat more cold foods, for example, and avoid fish and sulfur-containing vegetables," she says.
Helpful sources of nutrition during times when side effects are severe include meal-replacement liquids and powders. These soft, nutrient-dense foods offer lots of protein, calories, and vitamins and are easily transportable, and can help patients maintain a healthy diet, regardless of symptoms like mouth sores or dental pain.
Some cancer patients may not have problems maintaining a healthy diet during treatment. And if side effects, like nausea, randomly pop up, there are highly effective medications, called antiemetics, to control these issues.
The nutritional needs and wants of cancer patients can be deeply affected by cancer treatment and the stress of a cancer diagnosis. Following a diet recommended by their doctors and registered dieticians will help keep their minds and bodies strong on the long road to recovery.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Well-known cookbook writer is now an "Energizer bunny" promoting natural cosmetics
'FauxTox' lady shares secret
Well-known cookbook writer is now an "Energizer bunny" promoting natural cosmetics
By Sarah Petrescu, Times Colonist
September 15, 2009
Patricia Haakonson delivers her pitch to eight sharp-witted, mature women armed with facecloths and wine glasses and seated around a dining room table.
"I'm going to show you a natural, safe alternative to Botox that works," she says.
Wide-eyed silence is followed by laughter all around.
"It does," she pleads.
One woman pipes in: "Well, if you're going to say Preparation H -- been there, done that."
The table of women cracks up all over again.
Haakonson, 59, sells beauty and health products for Arbonne, a fast-growing company that operates by network marketing and direct sales, similar to Tupperware and Mary Kay.
The evening's "FauxTox" party introduces Arbonne's popular anti-aging line and serves to train Haakonson's new sales protégé, Marilyn Rook, a retired chief operating officer of the Vancouver Island Health Authority.
"We met playing golf and I just knew she'd be fabulous," Haakonson told me earlier in the day at her home, which overlooks the Royal Oak Golf Club.
She should know. In the nearly three years Haakonson has sold Arbonne products, she has acquired a team of 20 saleswomen, been named a regional vice-president, and received a diamond-studded watch and a white Mercedes-Benz convertible.
"It's based on sales volume," she says.
Haakonson's success might have come from old-school salesmanship but her story is part of growing trend in home-based businesses and network marketing, especially as recession layoffs and early retirements rise.
More than 88 per cent of the 600,000 direct sellers in Canada are women, according to the Direct Sellers Association of Canada, and companies like Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware are actively recruiting.
"You get out of it what you put into it," says Haakonson, who estimates she makes up to $6,000 a month, working 25 to 40 hours a week -- the higher end of the wide range in income from selling Arbonne products.
"I don't really need the money. But I'm very passionate about what I do," she says.
Haakonson retired from 25 years as an executive manager with the provincial and federal governments at the age of 49. During that first year she lost 44 lbs. on a low-carbohydrate diet and wrote a lifestyle book with her husband Harv, a retired physician, about the experience.
A best-selling cookbook followed and before they knew it, the Haakonsons had spent a year travelling across Canada and the United States in their motor home to promote the books.
"I cooked on every breakfast television show in Canada," Haakonson said. Harv appeared on Good Morning America.
Haakonson was introduced to Arbonne after a Bikram yoga class in Palm Springs, while on vacation about three years ago.
"A tiny woman who could bend like a pretzel asked me to try it. My skin was so soft afterwards I said, 'Where do I get it?' "
This is where the business opportunity comes in.
Haakonson was given three options: To buy the cream at retail cost, "Which I never recommend," she says, to pay a membership fee and receive a discount, or to join the sales team.
"I felt compelled to tell friends and family all about it so I've never looked back," she says about taking the latter choice. "My little lines and wrinkles didn't completely disappear but the effects on my skin have been incredible."
Haakonson says she's tried every anti-aging cream on the market. "I draw the line at injecting botulism into my skin. That's just too extreme."
The Arbonne products appeal to her because of their use of natural and non-toxic ingredients.
"Educating women about their health and healthy products is so important to me," she says, surrounded by mini-displays of Arbonne products, from creams and perfume to vitamins and makeup.
"If I won millions of dollars in the lottery tomorrow I wouldn't stop doing this -- it's too much fun and I'm like the Energizer Bunny just talking about it."
Well-known cookbook writer is now an "Energizer bunny" promoting natural cosmetics
By Sarah Petrescu, Times Colonist
September 15, 2009
Patricia Haakonson delivers her pitch to eight sharp-witted, mature women armed with facecloths and wine glasses and seated around a dining room table.
"I'm going to show you a natural, safe alternative to Botox that works," she says.
Wide-eyed silence is followed by laughter all around.
"It does," she pleads.
One woman pipes in: "Well, if you're going to say Preparation H -- been there, done that."
The table of women cracks up all over again.
Haakonson, 59, sells beauty and health products for Arbonne, a fast-growing company that operates by network marketing and direct sales, similar to Tupperware and Mary Kay.
The evening's "FauxTox" party introduces Arbonne's popular anti-aging line and serves to train Haakonson's new sales protégé, Marilyn Rook, a retired chief operating officer of the Vancouver Island Health Authority.
"We met playing golf and I just knew she'd be fabulous," Haakonson told me earlier in the day at her home, which overlooks the Royal Oak Golf Club.
She should know. In the nearly three years Haakonson has sold Arbonne products, she has acquired a team of 20 saleswomen, been named a regional vice-president, and received a diamond-studded watch and a white Mercedes-Benz convertible.
"It's based on sales volume," she says.
Haakonson's success might have come from old-school salesmanship but her story is part of growing trend in home-based businesses and network marketing, especially as recession layoffs and early retirements rise.
More than 88 per cent of the 600,000 direct sellers in Canada are women, according to the Direct Sellers Association of Canada, and companies like Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware are actively recruiting.
"You get out of it what you put into it," says Haakonson, who estimates she makes up to $6,000 a month, working 25 to 40 hours a week -- the higher end of the wide range in income from selling Arbonne products.
"I don't really need the money. But I'm very passionate about what I do," she says.
Haakonson retired from 25 years as an executive manager with the provincial and federal governments at the age of 49. During that first year she lost 44 lbs. on a low-carbohydrate diet and wrote a lifestyle book with her husband Harv, a retired physician, about the experience.
A best-selling cookbook followed and before they knew it, the Haakonsons had spent a year travelling across Canada and the United States in their motor home to promote the books.
"I cooked on every breakfast television show in Canada," Haakonson said. Harv appeared on Good Morning America.
Haakonson was introduced to Arbonne after a Bikram yoga class in Palm Springs, while on vacation about three years ago.
"A tiny woman who could bend like a pretzel asked me to try it. My skin was so soft afterwards I said, 'Where do I get it?' "
This is where the business opportunity comes in.
Haakonson was given three options: To buy the cream at retail cost, "Which I never recommend," she says, to pay a membership fee and receive a discount, or to join the sales team.
"I felt compelled to tell friends and family all about it so I've never looked back," she says about taking the latter choice. "My little lines and wrinkles didn't completely disappear but the effects on my skin have been incredible."
Haakonson says she's tried every anti-aging cream on the market. "I draw the line at injecting botulism into my skin. That's just too extreme."
The Arbonne products appeal to her because of their use of natural and non-toxic ingredients.
"Educating women about their health and healthy products is so important to me," she says, surrounded by mini-displays of Arbonne products, from creams and perfume to vitamins and makeup.
"If I won millions of dollars in the lottery tomorrow I wouldn't stop doing this -- it's too much fun and I'm like the Energizer Bunny just talking about it."
Donna Johnson Arbonne's First NVP
Spirit Wings Kids, Inc.
Donna Johnson: Reaching Up by Reaching Out
By Josephine Gross, Ph.D.
Sunday November 1, 2009
A former athlete and swimming coach, Donna Johnson has been a full-time network
marketing leader for thirty-two years. She has been a top earner in her company for
the past twenty-two years and has a vibrantly active organization that spans several
countries. Donna is passionate about helping others create what she calls 3-D success: 1)making a difference in the world; 2) creating a balanced life; 3)enjoying financial peace. To fulfill the “making a difference” part of her vision, she created Spirit Wings Kids, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming and empowering children and their families through education, financial assistance, resources, referrals and role modeling for living a life of contribution. “The foundation offers help in several different ways,” says Donna, “because although
money may be necessary to help families through times of crisis, it usually plays only a limited role. Our company president, Rita Davenport, loves to say, ‘If money can fix it, it isn’t a problem.’ Life’s real problems require much more than just financial assistance; they require a focus on things like character, behavior and mindset.”
SpiritWings.com includes a Tot Spot, Kids Korner, Teen Scene, Young Adult Studio
and Empowered Families department, offering ongoing resources and opportunities
for everyone to give and receive, and pay it forward on a global scale. When Donna joined her current network marketing company over two decades ago, she had already
been in the business for ten years and was discovering the true freedom that comes with being an independent business owner. “I absolutely love having a free life,” she says. “I love working when I want to—even working hard—but I don’t like structure: I don’t like bosses, alarm clocks or cubicles. If I want to make my calls outside by the pool, I want to be able to do that.”
Since Donna’s love of freedom was the driving force behind her business, when it came time to baptize her new organization, she chose the name Spirit Wings. “The name goes back to a song by Joni Eareckson Tada,” Donna explains. “Joni had an amazing story: she was an athlete who had a diving accident that made her quadriplegic. She became an artist, using a paint brush with her teeth, and a singer. She wrote a beautiful song that goes, ‘Spirit wings, soar above all the earth-bound things…’ The song resonated with me and that’s how Spirit Wings was born. Our symbol is the eagle, which represents the freedom to fly.”
In 2008, Donna decided to take Spirit Wings a step further and created the Spirit Wings Kids Charity. “There are two parts to Spirit Wings Kids,” says Donna. “The first part came out of a very personal and trying family experience. Six years ago, my stepdaughter Emily was diagnosed with a life threatening eating disorder. Costly treatments seemed to be her only hope for recovery. “We spent several years and over half a million dollars trying to find the right treatment—none of it covered by insurance. What struck me was that had I not had the financial resources to be able to participate in the costs, she might not be alive today. This inspired me to start a foundation for families in need.” Donna had always been a giver who believed in
tithing, but this experience fueled her desire to create a nonprofit organization to support children.
Spirit Wings Kids, however, is not only for people who seek funding. “Everybody who has applied for funding has received it,” says Donna, “and we’ve been excited about that. But we are also a resource for help besides financial support. In our process with Emily, we discovered that her treatment helped to a point, but it was only part of her recovery. In fact, the defining piece to the healing process was learning to live a life of independence and contribution. When the mind shifts its focus to serving and caring for others with compassion and generosity, healing naturally occurs! “Emily kept being released from treatment centers that could not help her, the last one of which charged $2,200 a day. I finally reached out to my friend Mark Fournier, because of his expertise in empowering children, teens and families in difficulty. Mark stepped in and a few weeks later he had Emily turned around, just by working through some self-esteem issues and basic life skills that traditional treatments didn’t address. “We learned that awareness is a big part of any recovery process, so we decided to provide resources for people to grow their understanding of family dynamics, in addition to simply providing funding.”
Team Involvement
The second part of the Spirit Wings Kids Found-ation is its global outreach program.
“At first the people who applied for funding were all in the United States,” says
Donna, “mainly families with children who had health issues and needed support. But
I always wanted to do something on a global scale. I also believe that when someone
receives funding and help, one of the best ways for them to continue to heal is to pay it forward. I wanted to create some kind of dynamic to the Spirit Wings Kids
Foundation that would allow everyone to give on an ongoing basis.” In her search to make this happen, Donna was introduced to Streams of Mercy, an organization devoted to loving and supporting the orphans of the world. “Together with my network marketing organization, we are funding several orphanages around the world right now,” she says. “At all our trainings, we talk about the needs of the orphanages and how we can support them. “For instance, at our Green Bay leadership retreat in August, I shared my story about the orphanages I visited in India and showed video clips of my trip. I then told my group, ‘This is not a heavy solicitation; I just would like you to think about participating. My goal for this retreat is to have ten people pledge $75 a month. Seven hundred fifty dollars a month supports an entire orphanage, and I’ve already picked one out in Africa.’ “And for every orphanage we support through donations from our trainings,” she adds, “I match the $750 so we can actually fund two orphanages.” Sure enough, at the Green Bay event, ten people signed up for $75 a month. They can further participate by going online to watch the progress, and they can even go to Africa and visit the orphanage. Donna will be going there in May 2010 with her twin teenage daughters.
With the matched funds from the Green Bay event, she will be supporting an additional orphanage, in Jamaica. “I’ve always had a passion for the Jamaican people,” says Donna. “I’ve had great opportunities to help them, including sponsoring a little boy there when he was nine. Now, he’s twenty-seven and he helps us run Bananas Garden, our Eco Bed and Breakfast in Negril. I’m very excited to be able to support an orphanage on the island.” Trip to India Donna went to India in March because she wanted an opportunity to visit some of the orphanages she had been funding. The Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire showed the world the corruption that goes on there, and she wanted to see the situation firsthand. Fortunately, Streams of Mercy not only supports orphanages that are doing things right, it also helps expose those that are corrupt. “Being in India was life-changing,” says Donna. “It was definitely an assault on the senses. There are tons of people everywhere and you can barely see the sun because of the pollution. The noise level was mind-blowing, with horns honking at all hours of the night. I came back with a new appreciation for the blessings in our country.”
One of the most significant events during her trip occurred because Donna traveled
with a suitcase her twins had used the previous Christmas. Halfway through her trip,
she reached into a side pocket and pulled out a Christmas card her girls had received. There was $140 cash inside they had forgotten about. “I remember scrounging for pennies in my house when the ice cream man would come around” says Donna, “and here my girls get $140 and don’t even remember it.” Donna’s first thought was to email her daughters and tell them she found their money. But then she thought, “Wait a minute, this is a gift from God. I really wanted them here with me, but they couldn’t come. However, now I have their money.” Instead of sending the money back, Donna decided to put it to work and made a little video clip showing how far $140 went in India. It was amazing to see. “It was an eye-opener for my girls,” she says, “because they can spend that amount on a pair of jeans. After seeing just how far that money went in India, they became so much more careful with their finances. Now they are talking about what they can do to help children in need. They ask me, ‘Mom, if we got this dress on sale, what could we do to help someone?’ “I believe my video clip has also inspired people who are struggling financially and
think, ‘Gosh, I can’t fund an orphanage.’ It shows that even a little bit goes far for these orphanages around the world. In the U.S. we have a hard time understanding
that. “On the video I explain how we reach out so our blessings can come to us. They then flow through us and we reach out again to give back to others. It could be through encouragement, coaching or helping someone succeed; it also could be through
volunteering and financial giving. We can give back in so many ways.”
The Spirit of Giving
Donna believes the best way to teach giving is by example. In her talks, she also
uses the image of an open hand. “If you visualize an outstretched hand,” she says, “you’ve got five fingers pointing out to other people. When people feel stressed or financially impaired, they start to close down and pull in. If you close your hand into a fist, all five fingers are pointing back at you, and you are now cut off from the flow of giving and receiving. “The blessings we receive aren’t ours, they’re ours to share. There’s no U-Haul at the end of a hearse. If we share our blessings with others, they multiply five- or tenfold.” Donna’s goal is to grow awareness around Spirit Wings Kids and help people realize the many ways they can give in addition to financial contributions. She wants to expose people to what goes on in the orphanages and expand her global support. “I plan to take a trip every year, like my trips to India this year and to Africa next year. I want to be able to take my children and grandchildren and show them another side of reality, because we live in a very materialistic society. I want them to see a simpler way to live.
“Many of us today are making some assessments, changing purchasing behaviors and
becoming more accountable for how we’ve lived. It’s too easy to blame the banks for
creating loans that people perhaps had no business taking out in the first place. The
problem is not just with the bank approving a $500,000 loan when you can only afford a $300,000 home. This is about personal accountability as well, and the responsibility of living within your means. “When you’re prudent with your finances and live within your means, you can give more. When I started earning six figures a month, I waited a very long time before I purchased my current home in Arizona. My home in Wisconsin is a simple log cabin on a lake. I usually have a little retreat there after my events for my leaders, and when they walk in, they say, ‘Oh my, you’re a real person!’ This is a simple, comfy home—nothing palatial.“I have raised children who have taken to the philosophy of voluntary simplicity. For instance, my son heads up TheDraw.org, a regenerative land based community that teaches sustainable living and permaculture design. People admire me for my business accomplishments, but to see my accomplishments in my children is my greatest source of pride—to know that they are doing amazing things in this world and leaving a legacy that will continue for generations.”
Donna Johnson: Reaching Up by Reaching Out
By Josephine Gross, Ph.D.
Sunday November 1, 2009
A former athlete and swimming coach, Donna Johnson has been a full-time network
marketing leader for thirty-two years. She has been a top earner in her company for
the past twenty-two years and has a vibrantly active organization that spans several
countries. Donna is passionate about helping others create what she calls 3-D success: 1)making a difference in the world; 2) creating a balanced life; 3)enjoying financial peace. To fulfill the “making a difference” part of her vision, she created Spirit Wings Kids, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming and empowering children and their families through education, financial assistance, resources, referrals and role modeling for living a life of contribution. “The foundation offers help in several different ways,” says Donna, “because although
money may be necessary to help families through times of crisis, it usually plays only a limited role. Our company president, Rita Davenport, loves to say, ‘If money can fix it, it isn’t a problem.’ Life’s real problems require much more than just financial assistance; they require a focus on things like character, behavior and mindset.”
SpiritWings.com includes a Tot Spot, Kids Korner, Teen Scene, Young Adult Studio
and Empowered Families department, offering ongoing resources and opportunities
for everyone to give and receive, and pay it forward on a global scale. When Donna joined her current network marketing company over two decades ago, she had already
been in the business for ten years and was discovering the true freedom that comes with being an independent business owner. “I absolutely love having a free life,” she says. “I love working when I want to—even working hard—but I don’t like structure: I don’t like bosses, alarm clocks or cubicles. If I want to make my calls outside by the pool, I want to be able to do that.”
Since Donna’s love of freedom was the driving force behind her business, when it came time to baptize her new organization, she chose the name Spirit Wings. “The name goes back to a song by Joni Eareckson Tada,” Donna explains. “Joni had an amazing story: she was an athlete who had a diving accident that made her quadriplegic. She became an artist, using a paint brush with her teeth, and a singer. She wrote a beautiful song that goes, ‘Spirit wings, soar above all the earth-bound things…’ The song resonated with me and that’s how Spirit Wings was born. Our symbol is the eagle, which represents the freedom to fly.”
In 2008, Donna decided to take Spirit Wings a step further and created the Spirit Wings Kids Charity. “There are two parts to Spirit Wings Kids,” says Donna. “The first part came out of a very personal and trying family experience. Six years ago, my stepdaughter Emily was diagnosed with a life threatening eating disorder. Costly treatments seemed to be her only hope for recovery. “We spent several years and over half a million dollars trying to find the right treatment—none of it covered by insurance. What struck me was that had I not had the financial resources to be able to participate in the costs, she might not be alive today. This inspired me to start a foundation for families in need.” Donna had always been a giver who believed in
tithing, but this experience fueled her desire to create a nonprofit organization to support children.
Spirit Wings Kids, however, is not only for people who seek funding. “Everybody who has applied for funding has received it,” says Donna, “and we’ve been excited about that. But we are also a resource for help besides financial support. In our process with Emily, we discovered that her treatment helped to a point, but it was only part of her recovery. In fact, the defining piece to the healing process was learning to live a life of independence and contribution. When the mind shifts its focus to serving and caring for others with compassion and generosity, healing naturally occurs! “Emily kept being released from treatment centers that could not help her, the last one of which charged $2,200 a day. I finally reached out to my friend Mark Fournier, because of his expertise in empowering children, teens and families in difficulty. Mark stepped in and a few weeks later he had Emily turned around, just by working through some self-esteem issues and basic life skills that traditional treatments didn’t address. “We learned that awareness is a big part of any recovery process, so we decided to provide resources for people to grow their understanding of family dynamics, in addition to simply providing funding.”
Team Involvement
The second part of the Spirit Wings Kids Found-ation is its global outreach program.
“At first the people who applied for funding were all in the United States,” says
Donna, “mainly families with children who had health issues and needed support. But
I always wanted to do something on a global scale. I also believe that when someone
receives funding and help, one of the best ways for them to continue to heal is to pay it forward. I wanted to create some kind of dynamic to the Spirit Wings Kids
Foundation that would allow everyone to give on an ongoing basis.” In her search to make this happen, Donna was introduced to Streams of Mercy, an organization devoted to loving and supporting the orphans of the world. “Together with my network marketing organization, we are funding several orphanages around the world right now,” she says. “At all our trainings, we talk about the needs of the orphanages and how we can support them. “For instance, at our Green Bay leadership retreat in August, I shared my story about the orphanages I visited in India and showed video clips of my trip. I then told my group, ‘This is not a heavy solicitation; I just would like you to think about participating. My goal for this retreat is to have ten people pledge $75 a month. Seven hundred fifty dollars a month supports an entire orphanage, and I’ve already picked one out in Africa.’ “And for every orphanage we support through donations from our trainings,” she adds, “I match the $750 so we can actually fund two orphanages.” Sure enough, at the Green Bay event, ten people signed up for $75 a month. They can further participate by going online to watch the progress, and they can even go to Africa and visit the orphanage. Donna will be going there in May 2010 with her twin teenage daughters.
With the matched funds from the Green Bay event, she will be supporting an additional orphanage, in Jamaica. “I’ve always had a passion for the Jamaican people,” says Donna. “I’ve had great opportunities to help them, including sponsoring a little boy there when he was nine. Now, he’s twenty-seven and he helps us run Bananas Garden, our Eco Bed and Breakfast in Negril. I’m very excited to be able to support an orphanage on the island.” Trip to India Donna went to India in March because she wanted an opportunity to visit some of the orphanages she had been funding. The Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire showed the world the corruption that goes on there, and she wanted to see the situation firsthand. Fortunately, Streams of Mercy not only supports orphanages that are doing things right, it also helps expose those that are corrupt. “Being in India was life-changing,” says Donna. “It was definitely an assault on the senses. There are tons of people everywhere and you can barely see the sun because of the pollution. The noise level was mind-blowing, with horns honking at all hours of the night. I came back with a new appreciation for the blessings in our country.”
One of the most significant events during her trip occurred because Donna traveled
with a suitcase her twins had used the previous Christmas. Halfway through her trip,
she reached into a side pocket and pulled out a Christmas card her girls had received. There was $140 cash inside they had forgotten about. “I remember scrounging for pennies in my house when the ice cream man would come around” says Donna, “and here my girls get $140 and don’t even remember it.” Donna’s first thought was to email her daughters and tell them she found their money. But then she thought, “Wait a minute, this is a gift from God. I really wanted them here with me, but they couldn’t come. However, now I have their money.” Instead of sending the money back, Donna decided to put it to work and made a little video clip showing how far $140 went in India. It was amazing to see. “It was an eye-opener for my girls,” she says, “because they can spend that amount on a pair of jeans. After seeing just how far that money went in India, they became so much more careful with their finances. Now they are talking about what they can do to help children in need. They ask me, ‘Mom, if we got this dress on sale, what could we do to help someone?’ “I believe my video clip has also inspired people who are struggling financially and
think, ‘Gosh, I can’t fund an orphanage.’ It shows that even a little bit goes far for these orphanages around the world. In the U.S. we have a hard time understanding
that. “On the video I explain how we reach out so our blessings can come to us. They then flow through us and we reach out again to give back to others. It could be through encouragement, coaching or helping someone succeed; it also could be through
volunteering and financial giving. We can give back in so many ways.”
The Spirit of Giving
Donna believes the best way to teach giving is by example. In her talks, she also
uses the image of an open hand. “If you visualize an outstretched hand,” she says, “you’ve got five fingers pointing out to other people. When people feel stressed or financially impaired, they start to close down and pull in. If you close your hand into a fist, all five fingers are pointing back at you, and you are now cut off from the flow of giving and receiving. “The blessings we receive aren’t ours, they’re ours to share. There’s no U-Haul at the end of a hearse. If we share our blessings with others, they multiply five- or tenfold.” Donna’s goal is to grow awareness around Spirit Wings Kids and help people realize the many ways they can give in addition to financial contributions. She wants to expose people to what goes on in the orphanages and expand her global support. “I plan to take a trip every year, like my trips to India this year and to Africa next year. I want to be able to take my children and grandchildren and show them another side of reality, because we live in a very materialistic society. I want them to see a simpler way to live.
“Many of us today are making some assessments, changing purchasing behaviors and
becoming more accountable for how we’ve lived. It’s too easy to blame the banks for
creating loans that people perhaps had no business taking out in the first place. The
problem is not just with the bank approving a $500,000 loan when you can only afford a $300,000 home. This is about personal accountability as well, and the responsibility of living within your means. “When you’re prudent with your finances and live within your means, you can give more. When I started earning six figures a month, I waited a very long time before I purchased my current home in Arizona. My home in Wisconsin is a simple log cabin on a lake. I usually have a little retreat there after my events for my leaders, and when they walk in, they say, ‘Oh my, you’re a real person!’ This is a simple, comfy home—nothing palatial.“I have raised children who have taken to the philosophy of voluntary simplicity. For instance, my son heads up TheDraw.org, a regenerative land based community that teaches sustainable living and permaculture design. People admire me for my business accomplishments, but to see my accomplishments in my children is my greatest source of pride—to know that they are doing amazing things in this world and leaving a legacy that will continue for generations.”
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Most Potent Super-Spice Antioxidant in Your Cabinets
We're talking about the super-spice Turmeric -- a powerful antioxidant with surprising health benefits
by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN & Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist
co-authors of the brand new Fat-Burning Kitchen program
You may have already known from my past newsletters that cinnamon is one of the most powerful antioxidants that you may have been overlooking in this world where acai, goji, other berries, and red wine are the only antioxidant sources that get major press.
However, have you ever eaten curry? That yellow color in curry is attributed to a spice called Turmeric, and it is one of the most powerful antioxidants you can consume with amazing health benefits.
Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as a dye, as a spice for dishes, and also in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric has some of the world’s most powerful fat-burning and healing qualities of any food or spice. It is a potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial substance.
What is turmeric?
Turmeric grows as a shrub in India and tropical parts of Asia. The roots are ground up to make turmeric. Its active ingredient is a substance called curcumin and it is bright yellow. This bright yellow spice has medicinal properties as well as adding its pungent color and taste to many delicious dishes.
Ayurvedic medicine has used this spice as a whole body cleanser, an aid for digestion, and in treatments for fevers, infections, liver and gall bladder problems and arthritis. It may even help to burn fat, and is also very effective as a preventative for heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
The rich stores of antioxidants are very effective against the free radicals which contribute to premature aging, disease and cancer. Many natural practitioners actually recommend turmeric when a potent antioxidant is needed.
A digestion aid and fat-burning compound
Turmeric helps to digest fats by stimulating the flow of bile in the gall bladder and therefore is very effective as a digestive aid and fat-burning compound. Studies also show it is highly effective at reducing the inflammation from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
For the heart, it contains strong anti-platelet substances which help prevent the blood from clotting too easily, and so is very effective against heart attacks and strokes. In addition, homocysteine, a chemical component in the body, which is one of the primary predictors of heart attacks, is significantly lowered in the presence of curcumin.
The curcumin in turmeric also has been shown to lower and reduce the oxidation of plaque on the artery walls.
As an anti-inflammatory it has been used effectively for a treatment for all types of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and for joint pain.
Turmeric and cancer-risk reduction
Turmeric is a powerful weapon against cancer cells as well. Studies show that this super spice can actually prevent cancer tumors from growing and in those who already have cancer, turmeric slows the growth and spread of cancer. In a research study done with mice injected with cancer cells, the curcumin in turmeric was proven to be more than twice as effective as the cancer drug paclitaxel (Taxol).
The curcumin in turmeric is also highly effective when combined with the anti-oxidant quercetin (found in red onions, apples and cherries) against pre-cancerous polyps in the colon. Studies show that polyps were reduced by 60% and the average size of existing polyps were reduced by 50%.
Turmeric and Alzheimer's disease
One of the most exciting new studies has shown turmeric’s value against Alzheimer’s. Studies of the Indian population who have a high intake of turmeric in their curry dishes show a very low incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia in the elderly.
Alzheimer’s victims have a buildup of a certain type of plaque in the brain and turmeric is highly effective at breaking down this plaque and protecting brain health.
Ways to get turmeric into your diet:
One way to get high concentrations of curcumin is to use the spice turmeric in some of your cooking and recipes.
Curry contains turmeric, but is usually a combination of several spices and you may not get as much turmeric as you would using pure turmeric. That's not to say there aren't benefits to curry too, since it is a blend of several spices.
Try to get creative and test using turmeric and/or curry on various foods so you can benefit as much as possible from this potent super-spice...
Turmeric is very yellow and can stain so be careful when using it. This spice doesn’t have to be used just for curries. It is delicious on sautéed apples, or steamed cauliflower, green beans and onions, or any of your favorite veggies.
Try it with raw cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli, or with celery, sweet pepper, jicama or radishes. Turmeric is also a great spice to complement recipes that feature lentils. Give salad dressings an orange-yellow hue and a little extra flavor by adding some turmeric powder to them.
Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it's fun to find new ways to use it in healthy recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a healthy dose of it to egg salad. It adds a great flavor, and gives the egg salad a delicious rich yellow hue.
The best way to get turmeric daily and maximize your benefits
Let's face it... we know that spices like cinnamon and turmeric have incredible health benefits, but it's hard to remember to use them more than once or twice a week in recipes or on your typical foods.
So what I've found is the best way to make sure you get ample turmeric on a daily basis is to get turmeric capsules.
Turmeric can be purchased in capsules from a health food store, or you can make your own if you want to buy empty capsules and fill your own. The best turmeric is available in bulk in health food stores and is usually fresher and more pungent.
It is important to check with your physician if you are pregnant or nursing; it can be a uterine stimulant. If you have gallstones or bile obstructions or congestive heart failure, it is best to avoid using. And check with your doctor if you are on prescription drugs, as the drugs may interact with the turmeric.
by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN & Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist
co-authors of the brand new Fat-Burning Kitchen program
You may have already known from my past newsletters that cinnamon is one of the most powerful antioxidants that you may have been overlooking in this world where acai, goji, other berries, and red wine are the only antioxidant sources that get major press.
However, have you ever eaten curry? That yellow color in curry is attributed to a spice called Turmeric, and it is one of the most powerful antioxidants you can consume with amazing health benefits.
Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as a dye, as a spice for dishes, and also in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric has some of the world’s most powerful fat-burning and healing qualities of any food or spice. It is a potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial substance.
What is turmeric?
Turmeric grows as a shrub in India and tropical parts of Asia. The roots are ground up to make turmeric. Its active ingredient is a substance called curcumin and it is bright yellow. This bright yellow spice has medicinal properties as well as adding its pungent color and taste to many delicious dishes.
Ayurvedic medicine has used this spice as a whole body cleanser, an aid for digestion, and in treatments for fevers, infections, liver and gall bladder problems and arthritis. It may even help to burn fat, and is also very effective as a preventative for heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
The rich stores of antioxidants are very effective against the free radicals which contribute to premature aging, disease and cancer. Many natural practitioners actually recommend turmeric when a potent antioxidant is needed.
A digestion aid and fat-burning compound
Turmeric helps to digest fats by stimulating the flow of bile in the gall bladder and therefore is very effective as a digestive aid and fat-burning compound. Studies also show it is highly effective at reducing the inflammation from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
For the heart, it contains strong anti-platelet substances which help prevent the blood from clotting too easily, and so is very effective against heart attacks and strokes. In addition, homocysteine, a chemical component in the body, which is one of the primary predictors of heart attacks, is significantly lowered in the presence of curcumin.
The curcumin in turmeric also has been shown to lower and reduce the oxidation of plaque on the artery walls.
As an anti-inflammatory it has been used effectively for a treatment for all types of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and for joint pain.
Turmeric and cancer-risk reduction
Turmeric is a powerful weapon against cancer cells as well. Studies show that this super spice can actually prevent cancer tumors from growing and in those who already have cancer, turmeric slows the growth and spread of cancer. In a research study done with mice injected with cancer cells, the curcumin in turmeric was proven to be more than twice as effective as the cancer drug paclitaxel (Taxol).
The curcumin in turmeric is also highly effective when combined with the anti-oxidant quercetin (found in red onions, apples and cherries) against pre-cancerous polyps in the colon. Studies show that polyps were reduced by 60% and the average size of existing polyps were reduced by 50%.
Turmeric and Alzheimer's disease
One of the most exciting new studies has shown turmeric’s value against Alzheimer’s. Studies of the Indian population who have a high intake of turmeric in their curry dishes show a very low incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia in the elderly.
Alzheimer’s victims have a buildup of a certain type of plaque in the brain and turmeric is highly effective at breaking down this plaque and protecting brain health.
Ways to get turmeric into your diet:
One way to get high concentrations of curcumin is to use the spice turmeric in some of your cooking and recipes.
Curry contains turmeric, but is usually a combination of several spices and you may not get as much turmeric as you would using pure turmeric. That's not to say there aren't benefits to curry too, since it is a blend of several spices.
Try to get creative and test using turmeric and/or curry on various foods so you can benefit as much as possible from this potent super-spice...
Turmeric is very yellow and can stain so be careful when using it. This spice doesn’t have to be used just for curries. It is delicious on sautéed apples, or steamed cauliflower, green beans and onions, or any of your favorite veggies.
Try it with raw cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli, or with celery, sweet pepper, jicama or radishes. Turmeric is also a great spice to complement recipes that feature lentils. Give salad dressings an orange-yellow hue and a little extra flavor by adding some turmeric powder to them.
Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it's fun to find new ways to use it in healthy recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a healthy dose of it to egg salad. It adds a great flavor, and gives the egg salad a delicious rich yellow hue.
The best way to get turmeric daily and maximize your benefits
Let's face it... we know that spices like cinnamon and turmeric have incredible health benefits, but it's hard to remember to use them more than once or twice a week in recipes or on your typical foods.
So what I've found is the best way to make sure you get ample turmeric on a daily basis is to get turmeric capsules.
Turmeric can be purchased in capsules from a health food store, or you can make your own if you want to buy empty capsules and fill your own. The best turmeric is available in bulk in health food stores and is usually fresher and more pungent.
It is important to check with your physician if you are pregnant or nursing; it can be a uterine stimulant. If you have gallstones or bile obstructions or congestive heart failure, it is best to avoid using. And check with your doctor if you are on prescription drugs, as the drugs may interact with the turmeric.
Arbonne International Donates More Than $4.7 Million Dollars in Product to Operation Gratitude
Irvine, California, October 2009 - Arbonne International announced today that it has made a charitable donation of approximately 1.5 million personal care products...with a retail value of nearly $4.75 million dollars...to Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that sends care packages to the U.S. military. This donation is the largest Operation Gratitude has received from a corporate sponsor to date and follows a $642,000 donation Arbonne made to the organization in May. Arbonne, headquartered in Irvine, California, formulates botanically based, scientifically advanced beauty, health and wellness products, distributed through an international network of Independent Consultants.
"We're honored to donate Arbonne skin care products to Operation Gratitude to improve the lives of the brave men and women who are serving in the military overseas," said Rita Davenport, Arbonne President. "They fight to preserve our freedom and way of life and we owe them a debt of gratitude. We hope these products show our appreciation for their service to this country, and far beyond our borders. We know these products will help protect them from the harsh elements. Arbonne thanks you and salutes you!"
Operation Gratitude (www.OperationGratitude.com) is the 501 (c) (3) non-profit, volunteer organization that annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individual U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions. The organization's mission is to lift morale and express to all Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people. Each package contains donated product valued at @$100 and costs the organization $11 to assemble and ship. By the end of 2009, Operation Gratitude will have shipped more than 500,000 packages to American Military deployed overseas.
MEDIA NOTE: Rita Davenport, Arbonne President, and Richard Estalella, Arbonne Sr. VP Operations, will make an official announcement about this donation at Operation Gratitude's "Kick-Off of the Operation Gratitude 2009 Holiday Drive" event this Saturday, October 24, between noon and 1 p.m. Pacific time, at the armory, located at: Operation Gratitude, 17330 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406
ABOUT ARBONNE
For three decades, Arbonne has been committed to enriching the lives of its Independent Consultants. Through unparalleled products, a strong, supportive community and a generous compensation plan, Arbonne provides the opportunity to achieve prosperity and freedom, and to live beautifully. The company creates personal care and wellness products that preserve and enhance the skin, body and mind. At Arbonne, beauty begins with premium botanical ingredients, an integrative approach to beauty and an unwavering commitment to pure, safe and beneficial products. Arbonne products are available exclusively through a network of independent distributors in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.arbonne.com.
"We're honored to donate Arbonne skin care products to Operation Gratitude to improve the lives of the brave men and women who are serving in the military overseas," said Rita Davenport, Arbonne President. "They fight to preserve our freedom and way of life and we owe them a debt of gratitude. We hope these products show our appreciation for their service to this country, and far beyond our borders. We know these products will help protect them from the harsh elements. Arbonne thanks you and salutes you!"
Operation Gratitude (www.OperationGratitude.com) is the 501 (c) (3) non-profit, volunteer organization that annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individual U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions. The organization's mission is to lift morale and express to all Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people. Each package contains donated product valued at @$100 and costs the organization $11 to assemble and ship. By the end of 2009, Operation Gratitude will have shipped more than 500,000 packages to American Military deployed overseas.
MEDIA NOTE: Rita Davenport, Arbonne President, and Richard Estalella, Arbonne Sr. VP Operations, will make an official announcement about this donation at Operation Gratitude's "Kick-Off of the Operation Gratitude 2009 Holiday Drive" event this Saturday, October 24, between noon and 1 p.m. Pacific time, at the armory, located at: Operation Gratitude, 17330 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406
ABOUT ARBONNE
For three decades, Arbonne has been committed to enriching the lives of its Independent Consultants. Through unparalleled products, a strong, supportive community and a generous compensation plan, Arbonne provides the opportunity to achieve prosperity and freedom, and to live beautifully. The company creates personal care and wellness products that preserve and enhance the skin, body and mind. At Arbonne, beauty begins with premium botanical ingredients, an integrative approach to beauty and an unwavering commitment to pure, safe and beneficial products. Arbonne products are available exclusively through a network of independent distributors in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.arbonne.com.
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