It's a good time to Cleanse.

Hello!  I'm going to talk about cleansing and why fall is a good time to cleanse.... in a minute.

First, I just want to say that I hope you are enjoying reading my blogs.  I know sometimes there might be too many details, too many words, I don't know how to put it... maybe it's dry.  But my problem is that I get really excited about something and I just tend to go on and on about it.  So if you've found that to be the case, I promise that I'll try to do better from now on!

Ok, so about the cleanses.  The time that seasons change is a good time to clean, that's true of our houses, and it's true of our bodies.  In the spring, our body is ready to eliminate all sorts of things that were stored all winter.  In the fall, our bodies are preparing for winter, and eliminating toxins and so forth is a priority, since it won't be getting rid of it during the winter (so it will be locked in the body).

So next week, I'm going to start doing a cleanse - the CleanStart, actually.  I've never done that particular cleanse.  But I've already sort of started, by eliminating sugar from my diet.

AGAIN.

I find that I'm able to stay with good habits for about 10 days or 2 weeks, and then I fall back in to my old ways.  Then I try again, and fall back again.  Well, I recently learned that it takes 30 days to make real changes.  I think that before, I had always just said "I'm never eating sugar again!"  Well, never is a LONG TIME!  So now I've decided to give it 30 days.  In 30 days (I'm actually on day 3 today), I will give myself a treat.  Then I'll go another 30 days, and so on.  I'm hoping that eventually I won't be craving sugar anymore.

Ok, so back to the thing about cleansing.  The reason I'm choosing CleanStart this time is because I like the ingredients.  It has a fiber packet, which I'm not entirely looking forward to, LOL  But, compared with the liver cleanse I did in the spring, this one is more colon-focused.  It almost feels like a building cleanse to me.  Meaning it has ingredients in it that strengthen the colon, in addition to cleaning it.

So this is fall, it's a great time of year to start a cleanse.  If you've ever considered doing one, a lot of people do the CleanStart and love it (I'm not sure why I've never done the CleanStart before, I sell a ton of it! hahaha).  I have lots of clients tell me how good it makes them feel.

For more information, or to purchase your own CleanStart, click here:  http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/product/cleanstart-wild-berry-14-day/sku-3993.aspx

Because this product is over $40 wholesale, you will not pay the $68.95, unless you choose to NOT become a member.  It will be $45, and that's enough to make you a member for free (no need to buy anything extra).

So I'm starting my cleanse next week, on Sunday.  I'll keep you posted on how I feel from day to day.

Weekly specials - Big savings, today and tomorrow only!

Ok, so I told you that today and tomorrow you can get several products at huge savings.  Only $5 for some, $10 for others and $15 for others.  There are also other products that are on special for the whole week, so take a look at this week's specials.

If you have any questions about the products or how to order, please feel free to call me at 847-697-0212.

The title of this blog is a link to the specials, and here's another one: http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/shop/weeklyspecials/

Major special - 2 days only! September 27 & 28

Nature's Sunshine is having a huge special this week only.  4 products are only $5, 3 are $10 and 3 are $15.  Those prices are good on orders placed on September 27th or 28th only.

Some of these are best sellers!  The Fenugreek & Thyme, which I've already talked about, VS-C, Vitamin D3, Cascara Sagrada and Skeletal Strength.  Those are some big sellers in our store!  If you go to the web site today, you won't be able to see these specials (unless you are a member and you sign into your account). When you are ready to place your order on TUESDAY or WEDNESDAY only, you will need the special promo numbers to order.  I'll include those numbers with the products.  I'll give instructions (and a link) on how to order tomorrow.

Here are the products, and a little info about them:

$5 products:
Fenugreek & Thyme promo# 16565-5 (retail $16.45) - I'm SO EXCITED!!!!  I'm going to order like 10 bottles of my FAVORITE product!  If you haven't read my blog about this product, you should (haha!).  It's fantastic for allergies, especially if you get congested, itchy, headachy, and so forth.  It is also fantastic for ear health and promotes a healthy reproductive system, and fights off infections.  If you have allergies, this is the FIRST product I'd recommend.

Cascara Sagrada #12647-7 (retail $15.40) - This product is great for occasional constipation.  It works well, don't take too much! :-P

Vitamin D3 #16564-2 (retail $12.75) - The sunshine vitamin!  This is a good time of year to start taking vitamin D, while your levels are still probably relatively good from the summer.  Although many of us are deficient anyway, because of wearing sunscreen and sun glasses all summer.  Either way, taking vitamin D regularly can keep you from becoming deficient.  More and more research is showing that people actually need a lot more vitamin D than was previously thought.  Because of the high quality of Nature's Sunshine products, you will get more benefit from this product than from many others, even if they have more IU's.

Fizz Active-Immune #3045-5 (retail $16.15) - A healthier alternative to "Airborne."  It helps boost your immune system, and is especially good during cold and flu season when everyone around you is sick!  Fizz Active does not have sugar, artificial sweetener, or artificial flavor (all of which unfortunately, Airborne does).

Those are all the $5 products.

These following are the $10 products:
Bowel Detox #16566-0 (retail $25.15) - Bowel detox promotes balance and health in the intestinal system.  Although it does promote regularity, this is NOT a CLEANSING product.  It helps the colon eliminate properly by aiding with proper digestion and improving the health of intestinal tissue.  This is a product that can be taken regularly to encourage regular elimination and good digestion.

Flaxseed Oil w/Lignans #16567-1 (retail $23.50) - Flax seeds are high in the essential fatty acid (EFA) Omega 3.  Flax seed oil contains about twice as much Omega 3 as fish oil.  EFA's, especially Omega 3, are essential for EVERY cell in the body.  They are known for their benefits to the cardiovascular system, but they are also important for the brain and nervous system, strengthen cell walls and support the kidneys.  Lignans provide another EFA, linoleic acid, which stimulates immunity.

Skeletal Strength #16568-9 (retail $22.15) - Skeletal Strength is a fantastic product that strengthens and supports the entire skeletal system, including bones, connective tissue, even muscles.  More than just Calcium, Skeletal Strength contains ALL the minerals and nutrients required for a healthy skeleton.  The numbers are lower than other calcium supplements, but is in the form and balance that is ideal for repairing and nourishing the skeletal system.  We've had people take this after breaking bones, and their doctors are amazed at how much more quickly they heal than expected!  (we have been told this time and time again)

And finally, the $15 products:
Para-Cleanse #16569-7 (retail $31.90) - Used to cleanse parasites from the body!  If you know or suspect you have parasites, do a regular cleanse first - that prepares the body for this type of cleanse and makes sure nothing is "in the way" as the parasites are being moved out of the body.

VS-C TCM #16570-1 (retail $31.15) - One of NSP's Chinese formulas.  This is the concentrated form of the VS-C formula, which helps strengthen the immune system, and protect against illness, especially viruses.  It promotes a healthy immune and respiratory system.  We have lots of clients who start taking this product when their kids start school (and have their kids take it too, of course), and take it through the entire school year.  One client in particular told us that her kids went from the kids who missed the MOST school because of illness to the kids getting perfect attendance rewards.  When taken regularly, only about 1 a day is needed (at this price, get 9 bottles and get your whole school years worth on sale!).  It can also be taken when you are already sick, and it will help you get over your illness quicker - but then you need to take more (feel free to talk to us about how much to take then!).

High Potency Garlic #16571-2 (retail $31.15) - This it is the finest and most potent garlic on the market. Garlic is an incredible food.  It strengthens the immune system, benefits the cardiovascular system, improves digestion, and supports the liver.  This is NOT garlic that has had the odor removed - however it does have a special coating that keeps the odor from causing garlic-breath.  It is made to dissolve in the small intestines, not the stomach, so you won't burp garlic, either.  One 400mg tablet is the equivalent of one 1200 mg of other brands, or one clove of raw garlic.  (This is another one I take to keep from getting sick, or if I do get sick)

So those are the products that are on special for those 2 days only.  Remember, it is TWO DAYS ONLY!!! Tomorrow September 27th and Wednesday September 28th ONLY!  If you wait until Thursday, you won't get these deals!!!

Fenugreek & Thyme - Only $5!

Wow, what an amazing coincidence.  My favorite product, Fenugreek & Thyme, will be on sale next week for TWO DAYS ONLY!!!  I'm so excited, I'm going to buy a whole bunch of bottles.

This is September 27th and 28th only.  So if any of you read my post about Fenugreek & Thyme and have been "thinking" about trying it, next week will be a good time to give it a try.

So I'll post a link as soon as I get one.

My favorite product #2: Master Gland Formula

Hi everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  I did.  Saturday, we went to a party for my cousin and his lovely new wife.  It was a lot of fun seeing family and lots of old family pictures.  Sunday the weather was bad, and we all felt tired and lazy, so we watched a couple movies and relaxed :-)  Not a productive day at all, but I guess that's ok once in a while!

So today I'm going to talk about another one of my favorite products - Master Gland Formula.  The glandular, or endocrine, system works like an orchestra - everything has to work together to in order to get harmony and beautiful music.  Otherwise, there is chaos and nothing works!  Glands are organs that secrete hormones that are usually used somewhere else in the body.  Hormones are chemical messengers that tell the other organ "do this now" or "stop doing that now."  Without hormones, nothing in the body knows what to do when.  So you might have a perfectly healthy thyroid that is never producing its hormones, because the pituitary isn't telling it to.  Or you might have a pituitary working overtime telling the ovaries to produce progesterone, because the ovaries are unhealthy and don't respond.  See? Chaos!

Master Gland Formula has enough nutrients that it can even replace a regular vitamin supplement.  It has nutrients in it for all the glands.  It gives you energy by supporting the pituitary, thyroid and adrenals.  It helps balance blood sugar by supporting the pancreas.  It helps with reproductive health by nourishing the ovaries and uterus or testicles and prostate.

The nice thing about Master Gland Formula is that it has ingredients that are so dense in nutrients, that your body can use them very easily.  So even very weak organs can use the nutrients and become stronger with time.

One of my favorite combinations is for women suffering from PMS.  You take Master Gland Formula and Female Comfort together, and many people have wonderful results.  All symptoms of PMS are a result of imbalance in the endocrine system.  Taking Master Gland Formula along with another formula that is specifically for the female organs (where extra nutrition is needed) gives the whole body nutrition and balance.  I have had several clients get really good results with this combination (sometimes having to change the Female Comfort for something else, like FCS II or C-X).

Now I'll give you my PERSONAL experience with Master Gland Formula.  This is just my personal experience, of course, that doesn't mean it will work this way for everyone!  I went to the doctor and had some blood work done, and he told me my pituitary wasn't working very well.  Now, the pituitary is THE "master gland."  It is like the conductor of the orchestra - it tells ALL the other glands what to do and when to do it.  So because it wasn't working, none of my hormones were doing what they were supposed to do.  So I started taking Master Gland Formula, and took it for quite some time.  Some months later (maybe a year later), I went to the doctor again.  This time it was a different doctor, so they weighed and measured me - and I was an inch taller!  I had been 5' 6" since I was 13 years old, and here I was 25 and I was now 5' 7"!  I've measured a few times since then, too, and I'm always 5' 7".  The only thing I can figure is that my pituitary (which produces growth hormone) had stopped working correctly when I was 13, so I stopped growing.

Now I can't guarantee that the Master Gland Formula caused me to grow.  However, that is the only thing I can attribute to it.  The pituitary is what stimulates growth, my pituitary wasn't working well, I took a product that helps the pituitary work, and I grew.  Not exactly scientific proof, but it's all I have.

If you'd like more information, feel free to call or e-mail.  Don't forget to check out our web site, too.  It's www.naturalalternativesherbshop.com

Favorite products: Fenugreek & Thyme

I posted several blogs about the quality of Nature's Sunshine Products.

Well, I thought I'd talk about one of my personal favorite products, Fenugreek & Thyme.

I have had ear problems since I was a little kid.  My mom figured it out because I couldn't hear.  At first she thought I was ignoring her, but when she asked if I wanted to go to McDonald's, and I didn't respond, she KNEW it was real!  (I was 3, I didn't know better LOL)

The doctors wanted to put tubes in my ears, but thankfully, my  mom said no.  She had heard about problems other people had later in life due to those tubes (likely due to scar tissue on the ear drums).  They had major hearing loss, stuff like that.  So my mom said no, and started really looking into herbs and other natural methods for helping my problem.

So when I was little, she put me on herbs and took me to the chiropractor, and after a while I cold hear again.  It turned out that I had chronic inner ear infections, which apparently don't always hurt, because they affect the nerves.  But they do cause serious problems, such as hearing loss.

Well, over the years, I would occasionally get ear infections, but no where as bad as they had been then (good and bad, because they hurt like crazy!).  Through my adolescence and teenage years, my ears were ok... As an adult, I had still been getting ear infections, and due to poor life style choices (bad diet, not using herbs, other bad habits, stuff like that), they kept getting worse.  I was getting at least 2 every year - spring and fall, when my allergies would get bad.

Then, about 6 or 7 years ago, I discovered Fenugreek & Thyme.  I had gotten bad enough that I decided I was DONE getting ear infections!  I never wanted another one, never wanted to take another antibiotic (I always got bad side effects).  So I started searching for the right herbs.  I remember seeing Fenugreek & Thyme on the shelf one day, and it specifically said "for ear health," either on the bottle or on our little "shelf talker."  So I grabbed the bottle and started taking it.

I haven't had an ear infection since then.  I take that back.  I haven't had an ear infection that I know of.  I haven't had to go to a doctor because the pain was so bad it would wake me up out of a dead sleep and make me cry.  I have had a few times, again, spring and fall, when my ears would bother me - but mostly those are times that I have been neglectful of taking my Fenugreek & Thyme.  I pretty much lived on it - 2 capsules with each meal - for about 2 years.  Now I sometimes forget to take it, so when my ears start bothering me, I'll have to take 4 with each meal for a few days, then go back down to 2.  But I respond so well to it.

I am, of course, human - so when symptoms aren't bothering me, I forget about the products I need.  I guess that's part of the beauty of herbs.  They actually help your body heal itself, so I don't HAVE to take them forever.  But because this is a weakness I have, I expect to need it the rest of my life.  But that's ok.  Because, like most herbs, Fenugreek & Thyme doesn't have side effects - it has side benefits.  One benefit is that fenugreek helps balance hormones.  Another is that Thyme strengthens the immune system.  Also, when I take it, I have almost no other allergy symptoms.  No sore throat when I wake up, no sinus congestion and pressure, no itchy nose, eyes and ears, no dry eyes... or very little anyway.  And my allergies are never as bad as they used to be, or as bad as most other people are complaining about.  My allergies rarely "drive me crazy" anymore.

OH and one other benefit of Fenugreek & Thyme - it helps with headaches!  I will take like 4 of them when I have a headache, and if it's not gone an hour later, I'll take 4 more, and that usually gets rid of a headache.  Sometimes, when I'm sick, I'll take 4 of them all day long - like every hour.  They are that safe.  Many herbs are - most I'd say.  It's not always necessary, of course, but it's nice to know the option is there if it is necessary.

So that's the first of my favorite products:  Fenugreek & Thyme!

NSP Quality 3: Quality Through Testing; Purity, Safety and Potency

by Linda Hammons and Courtney Hammond

Nature's Sunshine produces the highest quality natural supplements. But, what does quality really mean? Our quality boils down to three things: purity, safety and potency. We can proclaim our products' purity, safety and potency with confidence because we test ~or these things every step along the way. In fact, we have over 600 tests at our disposal to ensure that our customers get the very best.

NSP Products Are Pure

Purity testing is absolutely critical. One aspect of purity testing includes making sure that we obtain and offer the correct species and part of the plant that offers the most health benefits. A few years ago, NSP tested a sample of St. John's Wort that was purchased from a large national retail store. Our testing revealed that it was the wrong species of St. John's Wort. That particular bottle may have been inexpensive, but it was also an ineffective product! Nature's Sunshine has the labs, and we test every lot of material. You can be 100% assured that you will get the correct species and the correct part of the plant. 

Purity testing also guarantees that you get what is listed on the label and nothing else. What else might you get with lower quality brands? Try dirt, rock or insects. NSP's suppliers tell us that if they can meet our standards, they can meet any standards because ours are the highest in the industry. We pay more to our suppliers because we require our raw materials to be cleaned. This is an extra step in the harvesting process, but we aren't looking for the cheapest raw materials, we're looking for the purest raw materials. 

Did You Know?

Raw botanical materials are paidfor by weight. Some suppliers will grind up dirt, stems and rocks that are attached to the botanicals because it adds weight. It also lowers the amount of beneficial active ingredients. NSP routinely rejects these adulterated raw materials.

NSP Products Are Safe

Our customers are concerned about their health. Many have compromised immune systems. Offering safe products is essential, and we have built our reputation on that. NSP tests for foreign materials and for micro-contamination, such as salmonella and E. coli. When harvested, botanicals need to dry properly; if they are milled while wet they are susceptible to yeast and mold. We test for these too. NSP also tests for heavy metal contamination, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and PCB.  

Testing Is the Only Guarantee

Organic growers strive to offer crops free of chemical additives. But even organic material requires extensive testing because pesticides can travel in the air. The recent E. coli outbreak ill Germany that killed over 20 people came from an organic sprout farm. An organic label isn't a guarantee of safety. An NSP label, backed by extensive testing is your safety guarantee.

NSP Products Are Potent

Potency testing guarantees that every lot is going to have the same beneficial active constituents in the same beneficial amounts. A potent product assures consistent results. 

What Didn't Make the Grade

One of the most common questions Lynda Hammons is asked involves rejecting material. Currently NSP rejects about two percent of raw material every year. The Quality Assurance department and the Purchasing team have worked very hard to reduce that number over the years by finding the highest quality suppliers and developing strong partnerships with them.

Some Examples of Recent Rejections:

• An incoming lot of slippery elm failed the gel test, which means it didn t meet activity criteria. The inner bark of slippery elm is the active ingredient. In this case, the inner bark was mixed with the outer bark and it didn't have the correct activity and potency levels. So it was rejected. 
• One particular lot of oat straw was rejected for mercury and dirt contamination.
• A shipment of ginseng contained the pesticide quintozene and was rejected.

NSP Quality 2: You Get What You Pay For

A Few More Reasons Why NSP Quality is Unbeaten

The following information was taken from a recent presentation given by Lynda Hammons, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for Nature's Sunshine Products.

Consider the Source

There's a saying: "Garbage in, garbage out."  If you start with mediocre material, there's nothing you can do during the manufacturing process to improve quality.  Sourcing is critical to the quality of Nature's Sunshine supplements.  

Every year, NSP scours the world in search of the best fields and crops for each botanical.  Some companies own their own fields.  But Nature's Sunshine has decided not to own any fields, because if we did, we would have to go to those fields every year and get that crop, no matter how good or how bad it was.  Instead, we go to different harvesters and find out where the best crop is that year.

The Best of Facilities, the Worst of Facilities

NSP is committed to bringing our customers the very best botanicals from all over the world.  And we don't take our suppliers' word for the quality of their facilities.  We travel the globe to audit our suppliers firsthand and make sure they are building quality into their entire practice.

Managers often ask about different geographic regions with regard to quality.  Some of the best botanicals are grown in China.  Lynda says, "I have seen some of the best facilities in China."  She adds that she has also seen some of the worst and best facilities right here in the United States.  "[Consumers] need not be concerned, because we audit our suppliers to make sure they follow good manufacturing practices," she says.

Nature's Sunshine invests heavily in these audits.  It is not cheap to travel so much.  But it is critical to see exactly where the botanicals and materials are processed.  Says Lynda, "We closely scrutinize all of their processes: how they harvest, how they process material, how they clean the herb material and their equipment.  We take the time to look at minute details that other companies may skip."

Evaluating Vendor "Facilities"

"When we first contact a cupplier, they typically say, 'We'll put you down for an hour tour of the facility.'  We tell them, 'It's not a tour.  This is an audit.  It can take a minimum of a day, and it can take two days.'  

"We look at their equipment.  We look at their documentation.  We look at every step throughout the process to make sure they are following good manufacturing practices.

"One of the first places I check is the restrooms.  I go to both the men's and the women's, and I look for soap and hot water.  You would be surprised at the number of potential suppliers who fail an audit because they don't have one of these.

• During an audit in China, the facility did not have any soap because they said people would steal it.  FAIL
• Last year, we went to an audit in Florida, and a Ph.D. met with us.  He knew the raw material very well.  I went into the restroom, and they had no hot water.  It wasn't even hooked up!  The worst part was they did not appear to realize they needed hot water for personal hygene and to clean their equipment.  We didn't even complete the audit.  FAIL.

"Many suppliers ask, 'Why are you going to the restroom?'  Obviously, other companies are not going into their restrooms during audits.

"I've earned a nickname in the industry - The Terminator - becauase it is very hard to pass one of my audits.  I'm proud of that because it means Nature's Sunshine quality is extremely difficult to match."

Sustainability is Key

As a manufacturer and distributor of natural products, NSP feels it has a stewarship to help maintain the environment and preserve natural resources for future generations to enjoy.  Last September, Nature's Sunshine personnel traveled to the Atlantic Coast in Canada to observe the wild-crafted kelp harvest.  The upper portion of kelp floated on top of the water.  Lynda and NSP's Manager of Purchasing, Ellen O'Neal, spent some time with a local harvester traveling in the boat.  The man used a special rake to cut off only the top of the kelp.  If he had pulled the roots out, the crop could not continue to thrive.  His harvesting technique allowed the kelp to grow back, and in several years they can harvest again from the same location.

We also worked with a biologist the company has on staff who travels to each of the harvest sites and documents where that company is harvesting every year and how much they harvested, so they will not go back there too soon.  That company is taking steps to make sure they have kelp and other sea products available for the future.  Sustainability measures are something we consider on every audit. 

Nature's Sunshine's Quality

I just got the September 2011 newsletter from Nature's Sunshine, and it has a few excellent articles in it that I'm going to share over the next few days.  Well, today, then again when I get back from San Diego.  I must say, I'm very proud to belong to a company like Nature's Sunshine.  You can buy products cheaper just about anywhere - drug stores, grocery stores, even health food stores.  But NONE of them have the quality standards of NSP.  Read on:"Quality and Commitment... in Her Own Words"  by Linda Hammons, VP of Quality Assurance and Regulartory Affairs, Nature's Sunshine.

"Nature's Sunshine has quality that is second to none.  It's important to us that you consistenly get the best results with Nature's Sunshine products.  For that reason, you can be assured that we will always be committed to quality and excellence.

"Over a thousand companies produce or manufacture dietary supplements in the United States today.  More than 85% of the brands on the market are made by small, contract manufacturers.  They put pretty labels on bottles and sell them to big box stores, warehouse clubs and other companies that sell - but do not make or test - their own products.  These sellers are not responsible for their quality.  As a result, a lot of poor-quality products are on the market.

"At Nature's Sunshine, we design and manufacutre our own products.  we are in charge of our quality.  We know what we put into every bottle.  There is a huge gap between bad products and good products.  And there is a big gap between good products and Nature's Sunshine's highest quality products.

"Quality is not an accident.  It doesn't just happen!  Nature's Sunshine spends millions of dollars every year plus a lot of time, effort and expertise, assuring that we offer the highest quality products.  I have never been asked to cut costs.  We have the funding for testing because we need to test to ensure quality.

"Sometimes quality can mean the difference between life and death.  Many of our distributors found Nature's Sunshine because of a critical health issue.  I am a cancer survivor of eight years, and I fully believe that I would not be here today if it weren't for premium quality Nature's Sunshine products.  In my case, it was the difference between life and death.

"NSP was built on quality and that will not change.  Quality is built into the entire process, from the fields where our botanicals are grown, through the harvesting, cleaning, processing, to the moment the product goes out the door.  It requires testing, testing and more testing.

"I have been with Nature's Sunshine for eighteen years, and I have never once been asked to compromise our quality.  No one has ever said, "We don't want to have this product go on backorder.  Can you just accept a little dirt?"  I have never been asked to do that.  That is my commitment to you - we will NOT compromise on quality!

"I give you my personal commitment and the commitment of everyone at Spanish Fork, of everyone at the Home Office: we will continue to provide you with the highest quality supplements in the world.  We are likewise committed to providing you the very best customer service.  Believe me, with my health issues, I know how important it is to have the highest quality products." 

Had to create a whole new blog!

I was trying to find my blog by typing in the web site "massagetherapistextraordinaire.blogspot.com" and it kept saying it didn't exist.  I then realized that I originally spelled "therapist" wrong, so it was therpist.  OOPS.  So I'm making an entirely new blog, just so that I can hand out business cards with the words all spelled correctly!

Lesson learned!