THIS BLOG HAS RELOCATED!

Hello Wellness Enthusiasts!

Our Wellness Blog has moved on to our home: http://www.balanceboost.com

We have completed building our Wellness Social Networking Community where both Wellness Seekers and Wellness Professionals can interact and build networks to live a balanced lifestyle.

What we’re doing is more than just health information, work-out tips, weight loss strategies, avoiding wrinkles, and improving appearances- we are giving you a home base for living at your best – a Balanced Lifestyle. With all of the health information available it gets the point where it becomes TMI (too much information) or time consuming where it doesn’t allow us to move forward and incorporate better practices and products into our lives. By living a Balanced Lifestyle, you keep everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments that keep the scale even.

Just imagine being able to interact and connect with a Personal Trainer, Hormone Specialist, Doctor of Anti-Aging Medicine, Esthetician, Professional Athlete, Life Coach, Environmentalist, Acupuncturist, Organic Chef, other people like you while at the same time sharing your experiences with people beginning their Wellness Journey.

When you eat at a restaurant, if it’s good, you let people know, if it’s bad...you let people know. It works the other way around; you want someone to let you know if a restaurant is good or bad! Now imagine, on top that Word of Mouth information that you also connect with a food critic, local farmer (best produce comes from local farmers), and Department of Health agent to know the standing of the restaurant. How valuable is all of the information now when deciding on that restaurant?

That’s the same idea behind BalanceBoost- having the scoop on something that everyone else in the network will benefit from and vice-versa!

On BalanceBoost there will be Detox/Cleanse Groups, Extreme Wellness Groups, Personal Development Groups, “I have this, Do you?” Groups, Weight Loss Groups, Book Clubs, Recipes Swaps, Anti-Aging Groups, Environmental Groups, Runs/Races/Marathons/Triathlon Groups, Success & Challenge Stories and much more. There will also be segments on large scale issues like Environmental Issues, Relationship Issues, Declining Healthcare System in the US, the FDA, and more. We will alert you to breaking news so that you are informed on time of Recalls, Toxins, Cures, etc.

Our Wellness Directory, a national yellow pages will feature with everything from your local Personal Trainer to the local Reiki Master, and our Wellness Store features the products and services you love and will learn.

I am extending a personal invitation to you to help get BalanceBoost officially off the ground while also helping you live a Balanced Lifestyle. All of the above will be in action and accessible for you, and it all starts with YOU!

Please join me and this powerful group of individuals to begin BalanceBoost’s Wellness Social Networking Site. Start a Blog, Introduce Yourself, Start a discussion in the Forum and Start connecting with others.People want to hear about the products, services, treatments, and professionals that you like and all about what hasn’t worked for you!

Click Here to Join Me on BalanceBoost

Thank you so much and I’ll see you in the Network!

Yours Truly,
Tiffany Houser
Founder, BalanceBoost

From the Founder: Sleep Spa

Sleep for me these days seems like a luxury. Lately, I just can’t seem to get enough. Last night, or afternoon I should say, I fell asleep at 6pm! No, I am not 70- I know most of you are wondering my age since falling asleep at that time seems to be the norm of the people living in a retirement community.

As much as my current lifestyle requires more hours for work and somehow I still put a decent amount of time into my social life, I am learning to give in to sleep. In this go-getter era, our lifestyles rarely allow us to give in to sleep except on the weekends and even then most of us feel guilty that we are wasting our time or that it is not allowed. After reading this week’s guide, I know most of you are thinking (whether there is a sleep spa in your city or not) There is no way I could break away from work for a nap!

Now back when I worked 9 – 5, I could see where that mentality comes from, but at the same time if I think hard enough I could really add some wasted time spent on Instant Messenger, Email, Chatting in the Lunch Area, etc. All of which could add up to 20 minute increments which if I had known back then would have traded for some ZZZ’s.

Napping of course is not something we need everyday. Even though an afternoon rest is a part of the European and Latin American cultures as Susan mentioned, we Americans need moderation for both setting the time aside and accepting the fact that it's OK to shut down just like a computer and reboot 20 minutes later.

When Susan shared the experience she and her friend had at Yelo in her Spa Blog, I wanted our BalanceBoost readers to know more. One of the things she told me that stuck out was how she woke up naturally. She said that they simulated a sunrise with the LED light which as most of us nappers know when we pass or voluntarily take a nap, sometimes waking up comes with a jolt of confusion- was I sleeping? how long was I sleeping? or from the noise of an annoying alarm. Most of know that feeling sometimes defeats the whole rest that we got from the nap and in
Susan’s feature, she told us about the benefits sleep has on our skin and appearance. Now napping, for me at least, has more value to it, because not only am I hoping to increase my energy and concentration when I wake up, I may also be contributing to my aesthetics.

Even though I have not been to a sleep spa yet, I definitely recommend that you try it once just to have the experience to compare to a cup of coffee, energy drink or to see what you look like after (it's not a makeover, keep your expectations in the realistic zone).

So sleep away and you may wake up looking better and ready to conquer the world!

You Snooze, You Don't Lose

by Susan Tomback, BalanceBoost Spa Blogger

With A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation reports that the average American gets 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep per night (down from the 7+ hours reported last year). We know that sleep is needed for mental clarity, immunity, preventing premature aging and mood stabilization, but did you know that a good night's sleep also provides cellular detoxification and renewal of the skin?

Sleeping is actually the easiest way to look better! It will therefore come as no surprise that many orally administered medications prescribed by dermatologists for skin conditions such as acne and eczema contain small amounts of sedatives; looks like even modern medicine is forcing us to sleep more for enhanced beauty results.

Even if you don't have specific skin problems, puffy under-eyes and a pale complexion is never a good look, so why do we routinely deprive ourselves of this much-needed restoration? An increased average workday is the top culprit, but other factors such as lifestyle, increased stress levels, poor food choices and sleep disorders are also to blame.

Ever-dedicated to encouraging all to reach full wellbeing potential, the spa world's answer to this imbalanced dilemma is The Sleep Spa, of course!!

One of the top trends in the spa industry in 2008 is the prevalence of sleep programs in the spa environment, according to Spa Finder's CEO, Susie Ellis. That's right, the power nap has returned, and this time, it's trendy! For European and Latin Americans, the siesta midday break has been more of a staple than a trend- they may have been on to something this whole time.

If you pay attention to your inner circadian rhythm, you'll find that there is a late afternoon lull, about 8 hours after you wake up, and that it is natural to want to sleep. So, instead of going for that 4pm coffee jolt, it's actually more natural and beneficial to take a 20-minute nap.

Yelo, a Manhattan-based sleeping haven, is on the cutting edge of this trend. They offer signature YeloCabs, ideal cubbies for optimized napping that can be booked in 20 or 40-minute increments. I treated myself to their 20/20 therapy (20 minutes of reflexology followed by a 20 minute nap), and the experience was unlike any other I’ve had.

The anti-gravity chair positioning was truly restful, and before the reflexology was over, I had already succumbed to nap-land. A LED light mirroring the sunrise awakened me naturally, and I felt completely rested and revived! This natural awakening process was key in rounding out a truly restful and restorative nap, and left me with a peaceful feeling as I returned to reality.

I treated a friend to this same sequence, as he had complained recently of chronic exhaustion (and looked it!). Doubting the power of the power nap, he went in a skeptic, only to emerge a believer! I took pride in complimenting him on his newfound de-puffed and bright-eyed, refreshed appearance, and he felt, to his surprise, well-rested. It was fantastic to know that I was not the exception to the rule and that the Yelo formula and its components were truly vetted and right on point.

In just one nap therapy I saw a dramatic shift in appearance in my friend, as if he had just received a facial! The drained face and puffy eyes were replaced with color and an awakened gaze. Looking and feeling well-rested brings an obvious change in appearance and also attitude!

Look for more dedicated sleep spas and designated sleeping areas and therapies to be incorporated into your local spa soon...sleeping never looked so good!

Will you be a true sleeping beauty?

From the Founder: Alcohol

Sipping on cocktails or wine is something I enjoy a few times a month. Whether for relaxation purposes or as a social release during the times I catch up with my friends, having a drink is part of my life. However, there is a shot of irony with alcohol when it comes to living a balanced lifestyle.

It seems for most of us the scale is tipped too far when it comes to alcohol. Let’s not kid ourselves; we all tend to go a little too far with alcohol in some way, shape or form. Anyone who knows what a hangover feels like has put a boulder on the scale, which we know makes it very difficult to get the scale even with those odds.

I have had some really unforgettable hangovers where all I could think about was the next minute giving me some salvation from the horrible feeling. You may be wondering, why drink to the point where I feel like that the next day, and my answer to you is that when I am drinking I am serving another aspect of my well-being (as mentioned above).

When I think about wellness, I think about Balance- keeping everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments to keep the scale even to achieve goals. So for me when it comes to drinking alcohol, for the most part, I incorporate preventative measures to combat any of the extreme side effects of a happy hour gone wild.

First, I make sure I eat. Of those unforgettable hangovers 99% of them were the result of me not having enough food in my system giving the alcohol an all-access passport to travel throughout system wrecking havoc. On top of eating, I also eat a banana, take Vitamin B complex and OPC-3 (antioxidant with Pycnogenol) before or after my alcohol consumption. The banana is pretty hearty, plus the potassium rehydrates. In the home remedy world, Vitamin B is said to fight off the toxins in alcohol leading to that crushing headache due to its depletion. The antioxidant is just an overall back up fighting off free radical damage. I really notice a difference when I do not follow this regimen.

Now for my liver, I eat apples for breakfast during the work week. Even though it is a home remedy, I believe in the power of natural solutions. Twice a year I do a 7-day cleanse which includes a liver component that contains Milk Thistle, N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (amino acid), Dandelion Root, Garlic Bulb, Hawthorn Berry Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit and Seed Extract, Yellow Dock Root, Burdock Root, Licorice Root, Barberry Bark and Root, Rosemary Leaf, Ginger Root, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Hyssop, Red Clover Flower, and Turmeric Root Extract.

If you’re a drinker like myself, consider how to be a ‘Well-Drinker’. Cheers!

If You Recall Clearly...

Maybe Not.

How long ago did you memorize world capitols, do long division or learn a new language? We're guessing you answered eighth grade or thereabouts. When was the last time you misplaced your car keys, forgot an acquaintance’s name, or spent many frustrating hours trying to recall who sings that song you can’t stop humming? If you’re like most of us, the response is last week or maybe this morning. What, you ask, does long division have to do with the missing car keys? The connection is brain fitness and a theory known as “use it or lose it.”

Where Brain Cells Go To Die

If you think you are too young to be concerned about memory loss, lack of concentration and even dementia, think again. In reality, your neurons start to die off after puberty and your brain begins shrinking at the ripe old age of 20! Luckily, with a little effort you can stimulate the growth and connection of new neurons and help keep your mind quick and clever throughout your life.

With every speed dial programmed on your phone and calculator used for balancing the check book, we sacrifice another opportunity to engage our brains. Yet the very technology that offers those tempting but detrimental shortcuts may also be your biggest ally in the fight against brain fog. Among the many exciting new computer based tools for memory and creativity cultivation is brain training, also known as brain aerobics.

Wake Up Your Mind

Though a variety of activities enhance brain health, such as reading a challenging book, completing a cross word puzzle or joining a social club, brain training offers unique benefits. Whether you’re eight or eighty, sharp as a tack or feeling a bit mentally sluggish, brain training can improve your cognitive function. One company, fittingly called Brain Aerobics, offers a software package and classes known as TrainBrain that is aimed at increasing brain plasticity. The beauty of products like TrainBrain lies in their individualized approach. The difficulty of each challenge conforms to your personal pace of mental growth. Thus your brain won’t be bored silly with easy tasks or overwhelmed with exercises that are too advanced.

Pump It Upstairs

And one, and two and three and think? If you are the kind of person who lets the Pilates DVD languish in a dusty drawer, perhaps joining a brain gym will keep you motivated to work out your neurons. While the idea of wearing a sweatband to put together a puzzle may sound a little strange, businesses that offer a place to focus on mental fitness are cropping up all over the US. If you aren’t quite convinced enough to invest your money in a neuro-gym membership or even an intellectual video game, you can try out riddles and other exercises at websites with free brain-boosting activities.

What’s on your mind and how do you cope with an ever aging brain?

From the Founder: Brain Fitness

This topic comes at interesting time for me. This past weekend I celebrated my birthday, and as I enter another age, I am beginning to notice a few differences in myself. To speak specifically about this topic, my mental capacity seems to be overloaded.

I recall a conversation I had with few friends of mine a while ago and how we believe that a person does not necessarily forget things or has gone down on the sharpness totem pole, but that we come up short in the brain game due to the new information we receive and seek.

Just like a computer, we felt that the brain can only hold so much information in our memory. We were discussing how our brain deletes files for us that may not be as important or that we haven’t referenced in a long while to free-up space for new and more everyday information. We were also discussing how our brains have a recycle bin just like a computer and is very contextual b/c even though something has been "deleted", we are shocked how random, useless information pops up again over our best friends wedding anniversary.

Yes the memory degenerates, and cells are damaged and destroyed, but if you really think about it, your brain or consciousness has some sort of filter, mysterious storage and contextual retrieval system. However, brain fitness does seem to have some substance to it as I’ve known that Alzheimer's patients are given jigsaw and crossword puzzles to work on in their treatment.

I do believe the brain needs work-out and it is not something we need to wait to do until our twilight years. Some things I’ve heard people try with math are figuring out a gratuity, calculating the amount of materials needed for home improvements, or adding up monthly bills without a calculator. There are also CD's/mp3's that you can listen to as well to give your brain some braun.

A little brain game I like to play is trying to dial phone numbers from memory, which by the way could come in handy one day if you are ever in an emergency situation. Another brain game, which could do you some good beyond brain health, is to go through the calendar in your head and write down the birthdays and anniversaries for the people in your life and match it up to the calendar you use everyday. Try this once a week for a set amount of time until they match up perfectly. This will also put a smile on the face of a few people in your life.


What are some brain fitness techniques that work for you?

Thirsty for the Truth?

With the recent introduction of Diet Coke Plus, you may be wondering if soda is now considered a health food. Vitamins, minerals and sweet sparkling cola—what more could you ask for? For starters, you deserve a beverage that does not increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome and perhaps even cancer.

Bursting the Bubbly

It’s no coincidence that a Coca Cola bottle closely resembles a slender and attractive woman’s body. Diet soda manufacturers, boasting $21 billion dollars of profit each year, would have you believe their products are a wise option for those trying to cut calories and lose weight. But an eight-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center shows that your odds of becoming obese increase by 41% for each can of diet soda you drink per day. Surprisingly, the risk is much higher for diet soda drinkers than for people who consume regular soda.

Scientists have offered several theories to explain the link between diet soda and obesity. Some in the medical community note the role of artificial sweeteners in increasing appetite and disrupting the body’s regulation of caloric intake. It seems that consuming sweet foods, especially those containing aspartame, causes us to crave carbohydrates and stimulates our cells to store fat. Other researchers point out that people who drink soda are more likely to eat fast food and make unhealthy dietary choices. Whatever the connection, it’s obvious that the diet soda industry has duped us.

Can of Controversy

Adding insult to injury, several studies highlight a relationship between diet soda and serious diseases like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and cancer. A trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute revealed that people who drink just one daily diet soda raise their risk of metabolic syndrome by 34%. And though there has never been a definitive conclusion about ties between the aspartame in diet soda and certain types of cancer, many well respected health organizations have criticized the FDA for too quickly dismissing these possible connections.

If you enjoy a fizzy drink now and then, there’s no need to panic. Many companies offer carbonated beverages made with natural fruit juices that don’t contain artificial sweeteners or preservatives. However, if you find yourself hooked on diet beverages, check out this aspartame detoxification program and information about Splenda (sucralose). On the site, sweetpoison.com, there is an interesting press release from 2007, announcing how Coca-Cola will start to use Stevia in their beverages…which makes you wonder, why would they change a financially successful formula?

How often do you consume artificially sweetened food and beverages?

From the Founder: Diet Beverages

Even though I haven’t completely cut out diet beverages, I gave up soda as a New Year’s resolution 7 years ago and have stuck with it. I knew back then that soda, whether it had calories or not, it was bad for my health and appearance.

In our main feature this week, you learned some shocking information on the world of diet beverages, however, when I gave up soda I was not aware of the majority of that information. I had given it up because of the un-natural ingredients, high sugar content, staining and rotting of my teeth, and figured if I wanted something with no calories I could just drink water. I still drink diet energy drinks once or twice a month for that extra kick, and yes, I go for the diet because I too buy into the whole calorie counting mind game when I have a choice of regular or diet. Everything else I drink is completely un-sweetened or is sweetened with the best form of sweeteners (fructose, sucrose) or with an organic sweetener (cane juice, honey).

Now, some people drink diet soda, mainly colas for the caffeine high because they either do not want to drink coffee, prefer the taste over other options or do not seek that energy boost naturally. I have a close friend who tells me over and over again how she is addicted to Diet Coke and how she drinks on average 3-4 cans a day. There are so many alternatives available to get that energy boost such as green tea, guarana, apples, stretching your muscles to increase blow flow and much more.

With the surge of these alternative beverages, for the first time since its inception, the Soda Industry is seeing a significant drop in sales. This is mainly due to the increase in the wellness movement (Congratulations!) where people are more inclined to grab water or enhanced water.

Times are changing and that’s exactly why Coca Cola made over a BILLION dollar investment in Smart Water/Vitamin Water and why they are now moving towards using Stevia (which is still up for debate) in their diet beverages instead of aspartame. You are becoming more aware and educated on your health and your buying power is changing ingredients and giving us healthier options – Thank you!

C.H.E.K Yourself

Are you ready for a whole new approach to fitness and wellness? The C.H.E.K (Corrective High-performance Exercise Kinesiology) approach promises just that.

C.H.E.K -trained practitioners help clients achieve their goals by addressing all aspects of our health with a balance of movement, rest, nutrition and thought. Simply put, “C.H.E.K is an approach to being a healthy human,” says Penny Crozier, Chief Executive Officer of the C.H.E.K Institute. “Our practitioners view the body as a whole. We don’t just help you reach your fitness goals but look at the big picture, including your present level of health and fitness.”

That means not just prescribing one type of exercise, but assessing a client’s physical needs and limitations and then addressing them with specific actions. “We don’t just recommend specific types of exercise without first building an underlying foundation of fitness,” says Crozier.

C.H.E.K -trained practitioners (Levels 1 – 4) begin with the basics- movement analysis, then learn to assess the human body based on survival reflexes. This extremely effective system seeks to identify the etiology (cause of ailment) of each patient’s challenges or injury based on sound orthopedic, neurological, hormonal, digestive, eliminative and limbic/emotional factors. “C.H.E.K practitioners look at all parts of the foundation for good health, including diet, stress, sleep, and emotions, as well as fitness,” explains Crozier.

Level 4 practitioners are able to also focus on chronic pain patients and medical failures. Paul Chek, Founder of the C.H.E.K Institute states, “so many ailments can be traced back to the 'Faulty God Model', students (at the C.H.E.K Institute) are given extensive training in basic metaphysics, comparative religion, and philosophy so that they may effectively understand many of the common reasons people don’t heal.”

Once you undergo a thorough health assessment, your C.H.E.K practitioner will recommend the next steps to achieve good health. In cases where additional help may be needed, C.H.E.K practitioners assess and then refer clients to other experts. “We walk the client through several possibilities to determine what they need to work on, and do not attach ourselves to our client’s outcome." says Josh Lebow, of The Body Tailor, a Massachusetts-based C.H.E.K Level 4 practitioner. This allows the success or non-compliance of the action plan to be based on what the client really wants for their health and wellness and can only look to themselves for achievenment or blame.

C.H.E.K Practitioners are able to develop highly specific and effective physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development programs. C.H.E.K practitioners can also identify and rectify most nutrition, hormonal, organ, circadian and lifestyle challenges. While many C.H.E.K Level 4’s hold professional licenses, those that do not are trained to work within the scope of practice for their profession and to effectively integrate with licensed professionals for optimal patient outcomes.

By following the C.H.E.K approach, you’ll learn to stop compartmentalizing the many different aspects of your health—and view your mind, body, and soul as one. Taking Personal Training to the highest level.

For more on C.H.E.K and to locate a practitioner, visit www.checkinstitute.com.


Are you looking to take your health and wellness to the next level?

From the Founder: C.H.E.K Yourself

I have to start by letting you know that this topic really fascinates me. I had heard about Paul Chek through my work in the wellness industry but never really looked that deep into his Institute or the C.H.E.K concept until a friend of mine, who is really into his health and wellness told me how he is working with a woman who is C.H.E.K certified instead of a Personal Trainer. Because of the enthusiasm and intensity in the way my friend shared this information with me, I jumped into detective-mode to get a better understanding.

He told me about tests he’d taken with his C.H.E.K practitioner that were more advanced than what a typical Personal Trainer and even some doctor perform. Excited about the programs they were about to embark upon, he also showed me the book she gave him, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!, which I had seen before but never paid attention to its contents. The book, even though it looks like something for school kids if you quickly flip through it, is filled with detailed information and illustrations and is easy to understand and follow.

What drew me in even more was reading this page on the C.H.E.K Institute’s website and the interview I conducted with Josh Lebow, a Level 4 practitioner. This approach is the real deal when it comes to wellness and personal responsibility for your health and fitness (no one is going to do the work for you or help you get results if you’re not willing to do what it takes). The C.H.E.K approach takes it to another level (depending on your practitioner), which supports the whole mind, body and soul foundation of wellness and addresses spirituality and your thoughts.

I know a lot of people get turned off and maybe even offended when things start to go down this path, but I am the exact opposite because of what I know about achieving wellness, optimal health and happiness.

News Flash! Your health is completely tied into your emotions and spiritual outlook. Please understand spirituality is not religion, it is not faith- it is what guides you towards happiness, positivity and doing what’s right for yourself and others. Josh Lebow expresses, “True spirituality is taking responsibility of what you create moment-to-moment.” This means it is up to you to create your own health and happiness – no one else can and will do this for you.

Now, getting back to this level of spirituality, Josh discussed that they study (at the C.H.E.K Institute) how people tend chose guilt and pleasure. This was an “Ah Ha” moment for me because I do this see in life. Josh went on to say that people with chronic pain chose to continue to live with pain and won’t take the steps needed to alleviate and potentially eliminate the pain altogether because deep down they feel they don’t deserve to be pain-free. This notion is pretty deep but he goes on to say that we are a society of guilt-ridden people that would rather suffer than be happy and free of ailments because it makes us feel it is an easier way of life.

Josh gave the example that if someone does not feel pain [in their knees] they have to take on, in their mind, more responsibilities such as taking out the garbage or exercising regularly.

The C.H.E.K approach, on top of the health and fitness achievements, teaches people to move away from guilt and towards pleasure - you are deserving.

Who wouldn’t want all of that?

Love You!

Cupid has arrived and in the tradition of St. Valentine this one day asks us focus on the people in our lives who we want to express our feelings of love and commitment. While this is a time honored holiday, why not spend the other 364 days loving and making a commitment to yourself?

Janet Jackson asked, "What have you done for me lately?" The Wellness Industry asks, "What have you done for yourself lately?" in regards to your health, happiness and longevity.

Just last week, my health deteriorated to the point where I practically fainted during a Super Bowl party which scared me to death! I had experienced something similar to this during my freshman year in college during track practice. I started to feel extremely weak, saw black spots, became very hot and felt nauseous. A teammate gave me a piece of candy and some Gatorade and instantly, I felt better. I didn’t think anything about the incident until it happened again the following week.

I went to my doctor and explained what happened and expressed my concern that I may have Diabetes or Hypoglycemia. At that time the tests concluded that I had low blood pressure which increases dehydration and that I had a very active metabolism (couldn’t complain about that one).

Now, 14 years later, the incident at the Super Bowl party was more severe than what I had experienced in college. I considered the obvious – I had guests visiting me so I was very social that weekend - drank alcohol, did not consume enough food over a 60 hour period, and was sleep-deprived from the work week. The following night after the incident I had major menstrual and/or abdominal cramps which was not normal for that time of the month, plus I do not suffer from PMS.

After that red flag, I called my doctor and she wanted me to take a pregnancy test…yikes! However, I was 99.9% sure I did not have a bun in the oven and was right. From there, we started discussing a few other possibilities and I made an appointment to come in for tests.

Due to the fact that I always want to be and feel healthy, I really felt uneased by this whole situation. Also, my allergies were bothering me which I have not experienced in long while. So I did what I do best – I turned into my own detective and started “investigating” all of my symptoms online.

To add to all of this, I discovered that there was a big mushroom growing in one of my plants. When I went to get rid of it, I saw a ring of mold around the pot. Just like a detective I added this information to my notes and now have more to share with my doctor at this appointment and will have her also test me for mold toxins.

The point in sharing my story with you is that if I didn’t love myself enough and want to really take the driver’s seat with my health and wellness I might have just taken allergy medication, seen a doctor that conducted the same basic tests that I had done 14 years ago (thankfully, my doctor's practice has incorporated a wellness approach with their patients and go beyond basics), or I could have ignored the incident altogether going by information that was given to me 14 years ago.

Love begins with yourself and BalanceBoost.com hopes to inspire you to become your own detective and educate you on all areas of wellness to help you love yourself all year round by being healthy, happy and living well.

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Tiffany Houser, Founder


Are you your own detective when it comes to your overall health?

From the Founder: Raw Milk

The topic of Raw Milk has a lot of buzz around it right now due the legal issues of how and where it can be sold. It’s interesting to me because once again the FDA wants us to believe what’s best for their bottom line which now a days seems to be more business-related rather than concern for our education and safety.

I personally wrote off milk back in 2004, when I became serious about living a wellness lifestyle. As I mentioned in the past from my findings in the book Ultra Prevention, I discovered that that medical research has linked milk to many common and preventable health problems.

This sentence is what that made me give up milk forever, “For many, milk is the cause of allergies, sinus problems, eczema, and ear infections as well as a potential source of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and digestive problems.” Most of which I used to suffer from, until I stopped consuming the majority of the dairy products in my diet.

The book states that over 75% of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance. The book also goes on to say that we should not consume milk from a cow unless we are a calf.

I know some of you are wondering, “Where will I get the calcium by bodies needs if I am not drinking milk?”

Ultra Prevention also notes that most women in Africa ingest little calcium – perhaps 300 to 500 mg a day – yet they rarely come down with osteoporosis. This is because they are not drinking alcohol, colas, caffeine, or eating salt or excessive animal protein – all of which leach calcium out of your bones and into the toilet.

Now, I know most of you may want to stop reading this, but while living a wellness lifestyle I also insist upon balance – not giving up the things that make you happy. Most of us do enjoy a cocktail, a cup of coffee, a steak and other indulgences, but there are other amazing sources of calcium such as broccoli, bok choy, french beans / haricot verts, quinoa, dried figs, sardines, parsley, sesame seeds and almond butter. (For more foods that contain calcium, click here.) There is also supplementation, but find out which form calcium is best for your needs.

Back to the topic of Raw Milk, my vote is yes due to the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides found in our pasteurized milk supply. Bovine growth hormone, used to increase milk production, may increase the likelihood of breast cancer. So on top of the everyday ailments, the additives in our milk supply can also lead to major diseases!

Overall, my suggestion is to avoid dairy at all costs. With all of the information we discovered while researching this topic, if consuming dairy makes you happy I say stick with the raw. Yes, it takes an extra step or two to get it, but aren’t you worth it?


Were you aware of all of the issues involved with what was marketed to us as an innocent and beneficial drink? Ever wonder what happened to all of the “Got Milk?” advertisements?????


Tiffany Houser
BalanceBoost

Milk Does a Body Bad?

If you’re like most Americans, you were raised—thanks in large part to the U.S. government and National Dairy Council—to believe that several daily glasses of milk were good for you. On the other hand, a growing number of doctors and researchers say that milk and other dairy products may worsen inflammation, allergies, asthma, and other health problems. Some experts also theorize that lactose intolerance—the inability to digest milk sugar—is a signal from our bodies that we shouldn’t be drinking animal milk at all.

The Raw Deal

There’s another side to the dairy debate:
raw milk.

Once a dinner-table staple, raw milk’s popularity decreased during the 20th century, with the advent of pasteurization, a process that kills E. coli and other pathogens with heat. But that may not be all that pasteurization destroys, say raw milk advocates, who claim the process also kills beneficial bacteria, proteins, vitamins, and digestive enzymes.

Instead, they praise raw milk’s nutritional value, creamy flavor, and alleged health benefits for conditions like eczema, allergies and Crohn’s disease. They may be right: A study published in the June 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that British children who drank raw milk regularly were 40 percent less likely to develop eczema and 10 percent less likely to develop hay fever than those who didn’t drink raw milk.

Not so fast, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), whose director of dairy and egg safety has likened drinking raw milk to “playing Russian roulette with your health.” The FDA claims it’s safe to drink milk from cloned cows, but has banned interstate sales of raw milk—although individual states can determine commerce within their borders. Currently, raw milk is legal in 22 states and its devotees are growing in number: An estimated half-million Americans drink it.

Liquid Assets

The issue isn’t as simple as the FDA implies, however. All raw milk isn’t created equal, point out advocates. Yes, raw milk is unhealthy—if it comes from an industrial dairy. They view pasteurization as an excuse to produce dirty milk: Pasteurization doesn’t prevent contamination, it merely kills germs after they surface. In fact, outbreaks of salmonella, listeria and Campylobacter have been traced to pasteurized milk and cheese.

Unlike industrial dairies whose milk is later pasteurized, raw milk dairies tend to be cleaner and their cows are fed organic grass rather than corn. When purchased from such dairies, raw milk may be healthier, safer—and tastier—than pasteurized varieties.

For more on raw milk, see Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck (Bloomsbury USA, 2006). Click here to find a raw-milk distributor in your area.


Could you cut out milk from your diet altogether?

From the Founder: Probiotics

As I live a wellness lifestyle, taking western medication is never my first choice. However, in the world of disease and infections, antibiotics are necessary in some cases, which is why I love this week’s topic of Probiotics from our Weekly Wellness Guide.

Most of us catch a little bug or something each year (we’re not invincible). For those of us living a wellness lifestyle, our preventative measures keep us away from these bugs or allow our bodies to have more power to ensure they stay in the minor level of illness.

As you may know from reading some of my articles, I suffered from digestive problems that really made me miserable. Being my own detective (which I encourage all of you to be as well), I began trying to figure out the root of this issue because it needed to be solved immediately.

I learned how the digestive system works and how my diet affected this process. However, the fascinating part about my “investigation” was that there are good bacteria in our gut that are vital to our overall health. These good bacteria act like an army inside of our stomach — they fight off infections and keep things moving, if you know what I mean.

Last year, I battled with Urinary Tract Infections and had to take antibiotics to kill off the infections. While they helped clear my symptoms at the time, I knew that the antibiotics were also killing my good bacteria and that I could develop an immunity to the antibiotics.

We all need to note that even though antibiotics are necessary, we develop immunity to them when taken in high doses and high frequency. My mother is the first to take antibiotics anytime her doctor prescribes them to her and I worry if a time comes when she really needs to fight off something severe that her body will be “numb” to the antibiotics because of her high consumption.

I learned all of this from my investigation, and have been taking daily doses of Probiotics ever since. When I contracted the Urinary Tract Infection for the 3rd time, I found a natural remedy to combat my ailment, rather than just following normal medical protocol. And guess what — it worked! The product I used also educated me about which preventative measures to take to avoid going through it all over again! Now that’s Wellness at its Best!

Tiffany Houser
BalanceBoost

Catch the Probiotics Bug

If you think all bacteria are bad guys, think again. When taken as probiotic supplements, some bacteria can actually improve your health. Sure, popping bacteria in a pill may sound a little odd, but it’s perfectly safe—and brimming with benefits.

Your body’s digestive tract naturally contains both “good” and “bad” bacteria. The good bacteria assist with the digestive process, keep your immune system running smoothly, produce vitamins, and in a 2005 report from the American Society for Microbiology, may even protect against HIV.

Normally, these bacteria coexist in a delicate balance. But when the good bacteria are killed off—by antibiotics, poor diet, preservatives in food, drugs, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, stress, aging, or conditions like irritable bowel syndrome—their bad counterparts gain a foothold and take over your gut. The result? You develop unpleasant digestive symptoms, decreased immunity, and poor general health.

Good bacteria have long been consumed in food and beverage form as part of a healthy diet: They occur naturally in yogurt, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut. However, food alone may not provide enough of these good bacteria to produce results. In fact, a proposed class action lawsuit recently filed against Dannon alleges that its Activa and DanActive yogurts don’t live up the company’s health claims. To see real benefits, say some experts, you’ll need to take probotic supplements.

So should you pop some probiotics? Recent research findings suggest that it may be good idea for some people. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, probiotic supplements show promise in treating diarrhea, urinary and genital infections, irritable bowel syndrome, and in preventing eczema, tooth decay and the recurrence of bladder cancer.

What to look for: All probiotic supplements aren’t created equal. Look for products that can survive the trip through your digestive tract, such as those that contain Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus GG, and Bifidobacterium. Follow package directions, and store your supplements away from heat and moisture. Side effects of probiotics are generally mild—like bloating—but, as with all supplements, let your health professional know you’re taking them.

What are your thoughts on the benefits of Probiotics?

Wheatgrass by day, Margaritas by night

Technorati Profile
Are you a hypocrite if you party on Saturday night and go to church on Sunday?

Will a cardio kickboxing class erase a cigarette smoked with a glass of wine?

No and No, but Balanced Living could be your answer to even things out. Keeping everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments to reach your goals is Balanced Living and here are some examples:

Balance Environment: You’re a do-gooder who treks to the Dominican Republic for an annual Habitat for Humanity project. You are helping people while your airline is trashing the environment with CO2 emissions…uh oh. The good news is that some airlines are implementing environmental programs to help you cope with flyer’s remorse.

Anti-Aging Balance: You WANT to go to a yoga class, but you work a full-time job that isn’t just 9-5. You have a career. You have meetings to attend. Teams to build. Deadlines to meet. Networking events to attend. Family responsibilities. Dreams to fulfill. You’re not 20-something anymore when time was blowing along in perfect doughnut holes. One thing to try is a little bit of yoga into everything you do. Take a deep, Pranayama breath when you are typing, analyzing, reading, surfing, eating in front of your computer.

Balance Fitness: Yoga is all the rage, but if your joints hurt, it’s nothing but pain and you’re left cursing, “F the yoga hype!” If you don’t like the gym, take a dance class. Do whatever it takes to unflatten your butt after sitting in front of a computer all day…except for buying a pack of belly dancing classes and quitting after two sessions. Just like that TV infomercial “Learn Spanish in One Week” audio tape you ordered, impulse buys never do anyone any good (except for the salespeople).

Balance Spa: A car needs an oil change every three months. What if you visit the spa as frequently? Chances are, your car and your body will take you to all the places you want to be.

Balance Personal Growth: A break-up can be the best form of personal evolution. Author Elizabeth Gilbert shows how a brutal divorce blossomed into a 21st century exploration of Italy, India and Indonesia in New York Times bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love.

Balance Nutrition: We’ve all tried cutting carbs, or going all vegan, or all raw…but if you’re craving something, you’re body needs it. So eat that filet mignon if you have to and then go back to your vegan diet. Is it cheating? Is it hypocritical? Only if you feel it is.

Balance Health: Drink coffee Mon-Thurs, but refrain from this good bacteria killer and teeth-stainer Fri-Sun. Eat an apple instead with natural energy boosters.

Life is not about beating yourself up. Have a toolkit.

What’s your Kryptonite and how do you balance it?

Get Green. Get Global.

Almost 2 years after its release date, the documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth, which put one of the biggest spotlights on the detrimental effects of our careless lifestyles on the environment, conveys important information and carries a message that must be heard on an ongoing basis.

On An Inconvenient Truth’s website, climatecrisis.net, it states: There is no doubt we can solve this problem. In fact, we have a moral obligation to do so. Small changes to your daily routine can add up to big differences in helping to stop global warming. The time to come together to solve this problem is now – TAKE ACTION

Climatecrisis.net goes on to state that the average American generates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year from personal transportation, home energy use and from the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume. (the site provides a tool to CALCULATE YOUR PERSONAL IMPACT to see how much CO2 you produce each year.)

Taking action is what most of say we are going to do, and fundamentally we are concerned about environment for many reasons but as life gets in the way, some of us find ourselves still wasting precious resources and living in excess.

Here are some simple Eco-Tips from Globalstewards.com:

- Simplify your life as much as possible. Only keep belongings that you use/enjoy on a regular basis. By making the effort to reduce what you own, you will naturally purchase less/create less waste in the future.

- Reduce Purchases by thinking before you buy any product - do you really need it? How did the production of this product impact the environment and what further impacts will there be with the disposal of the product (and associated packaging materials)?

- Avoid Creating Trash wherever possible: when ordering food, avoid receiving any unnecessary plastic utensils, straws, etc. (ask in advance), buy ice cream in a cone instead of a cup, don't accept "free" promotional products, buy products with the least amount of packaging, etc.

- Shopping Bags: If you only buy a few products skip the shopping bag. For larger purchases, bring your own. If you do decide on using a shopping bag, opt out of the double-bagging.

- Reusables: Switch from disposable to reusable products: food and beverage containers, cups, plates, writing pens, razors, diapers, towels, shopping bags, etc.

For more tips, read GlobalStewards.com’s Green Living Guide. Incorporate one of their tips into your life each day to begin your commitment to the environment and to your quality of life.


How do you contribute to a sustainable environment?

Happy New You!

As we begin 2008, there is the pressure to make resolutions. According to dictionary.com, a resolution is the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure; a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy.

Unfortunately most resolutions are destine for failure because there is no real understanding of the issue at hand, just the call for action. To truly experience successful change in life you need to dig deep into the root of the issue before taking action.

By following these 4 stages of change, you will be on your way to a new you:

1. Identify what you want to change (attitude, appearance, health commitment, career, environment awareness, etc.). Many of us have come to accept the fact that we are not perfect, and quite frankly, who wants to be perfect? By clearly identifying a starting point for change, you will be better positioned to tackle the challenge.

2. Examine all of the components of your life that are in need of change to create forward movement and positivity in life (poor social skills, low confidence, increased health risks, tired of working for someone else, wasting precious resources). This will reinforce your purpose for change.

3. Explore how you envision your life to be with change (smile more, toned muscles, reduce your risk of cancer, love your job, not just the money, contribute to the sustainability of humanity). This list may become lengthy, and very quickly you may find yourself motivated to start experiencing change.

4. Finally make an implement a Plan of Action. After you have completed the first 3 stages you will have your own information and the right tools to make your change happen. There will less room for failure because you will follow what you learned rather than another plan that someone else designed.

Making things happen for yourself and visualizing what it is you really want for your life is how long term change comes about - and what better way to do that than with your own information. Not everything is based on facts and statistics. Only you know yourself.

Self discovery is one of the most uplifting and gratifying moments in life. Most of us want to be ourselves and want people to like and love us for who we are, but if we do not discover who we are and determine what we want out of life how can we expect understanding from others?

Ask yourself, what do you want for your life? How do you want your life to be? When we say Happy New You, we are welcoming you into the world of Personal Growth. There is something to be said about focusing solely on yourself. This does not mean becoming selfish or isolated from others, it is about looking deep inside yourself to find what you truly want for yourself. You will see how this exercise will permeate into other areas of your life and from this experience you will be able to give more, and more importantly, receive more.

Remember the old adages, if you want something done, do it yourself. The person who will be most effective in caring for and changing you is YOU! You are important, you are special!

Happy New You!

What do you want for yourself in the New Year?


Live Well. Achieve Balance.
Tiffany Houser
The Balance Group l BalanceBoost
http://www.balanceboost.com/
wellnessguide@balanceboost.com