MacroLife Blog
Secrets to Happiness
I don’t have a lot of patience for most self-help books, but two books moved me profoundly — Gifts of Imperfection written by Brene Brown Ph.D - University of Houston research professor. Dr. Brown has over the past few years rocketed in popularity because of her groundbreaking work in the areas of vulnerability, courage, worthiness and shame. At the root of most conflicts, whether personal or professional, you'll usually find a miscommunication. Sometimes the most damaging miscommunications are the ones that don't involve any communication at all. Want to be happy? “Stop trying to be perfect."In 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice From the Wisest Americans. The author, Karl Pillemer, PhD, a gerontologist at Cornell, asked over a thousand Americans in their 70s, 80s, 90s, and100s to share advice on marriage, child rearing, work, and overall happiness that they wish someone had given them when they were younger. As I read it, I kept thinking of my Mother, who would have turned 87 in December. She taught me about family, loyalty, and love – and how to dress with style. Here are some of my favorite lessons from the book:Act now as if you'll need your body for a hundred years. The author points out, “It’s not dying you should worry about — it’s chronic disease.” Don’t tell yourself, “I’m going to die anyway” as an excuse for bad health habits. If you don’t make the right health choices now, you may be sentencing yourself to years, or decades of suffering from chronic illnesses that will limit your ability to socialize, travel, and enjoy daily life.The secret to a long, happy marriage: Choose your partner carefully, and marry your best friend. As one 90-year-old gentleman put it, “Romance and love are not the same… Love develops slowly in marriage and continues to do so throughout its life. First there is intense physical attraction. Then there is joy of sharing similar activities and interests.” After the fireworks dim, you should still look forward to being with your partner, relaxing together, sharing common interests, and talking to him or her, just as you would your close friends.Say it now. Many of those interviewed said that they deeply regretted leaving things unsaid. So if you have something to say to someone, tell the person before it’s too late. One 72-year-old man said, “If you have a grudge against someone, why not make it right? There may not be another opportunity.”While the pandemic continues, the effects it has on mental and emotional health are as important as the effects on physical health. That is why we remain steadfast in our promise to deliver the finest Immune and Health Boosting SuperFood systems.In Health Food Stores worldwide: click here to find a store near you.Elevate your Health with Macro Greens & Miracle Reds. Get to know MacroLife!In this video clip Sylvia Ortiz, talks about the inspiration behind her top selling SuperFoods; Macro Greens and Miracle Reds for: Health and Vitality from Delicious Drinks. Find out how you can heal your body by choosing the right foods to eat.
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Fire up your Immune System! Antioxidants are a Key Line of Defense
I’m sure everyone is concerned with Coronavirus – COVID-19. Here’s some useful information from experts at Stanford University on Coronavirus, and from Dr Edward Wagner. The new Coronavirus may not show signs of infection for many days. How can you know if you are infected? There is currently no vaccine to prevent the coronavirus (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and avoid unnecessary close contact with everyone while the virus is active. Experts believe the virus is spread: Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - CORONAVIRUS:1. If you have a runny nose and sputum (mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract), you have a common cold.2. Coronavirus pneumonia is characterized by a dry cough (with no runny nose), fever, and shortness of breath.3. If someone sneezes with it, it goes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.4. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours - so if you come into contact with any metal surface, wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap. Wear a glove or use a paper towel when filling up at gas station.5. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. Normal laundry detergent will kill it.6. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.7. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but - a lot can happen during that time - you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.8. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.Stay home if you’re sick.Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough/sneeze into the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash.REST and Down time deliver big immune system rewards – Overdoing and not sleeping enough taxes your immune system. If you’re feeling tired or run down, get some extra sleep, spend time in the sun, meditate and rejuvenate. Antioxidants are the good guys. Antioxidants occur naturally in the body and you also get them from some foods you consume. They provide protection against the effects of damaging free radicals in your body, including your skin. They act as free radical scavengers, using electrons to neutralize and “mop up” free radicals, preventing them from damaging your cells. Many studies have confirmed the benefits of antioxidants and the role they play in maintaining good health and reducing your risk of a number of diseases. Antioxidants also can help slow down the aging process, which can have immense effects on your skin health. That’s an extra BONUS! Getting Antioxidants is easy with delicious MacroGreens and Miracle Reds. Both are specifically formulated to deliver a full spectrum of powerful antioxidants to the body. These SuperFood blends are literally packed with proven antioxidants that help mop-up unstable free radicals that damage cells—compounds sorely missing in typical diets.Please send and share this with family and friends. Take care everyone and may the world recover from this Coronavirus soon.Sylvia Ortiz, Founder Macrolife Naturals, Inc.
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How to Lose Weight Safely and Keep it off
Want to drop pounds, and do it safely?First, keep in mind that experts say it’s best to lose weight slowly. As it’s more likely to stay off. If you shed pounds too fast, you’ll lose muscle and water instead of fat, says the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.The academy’s advice: Aim to lose 1-2 pounds per week, and avoid fad diets. It’s best to plan your weight loss on changes you can stick with over time.Start with a PlanYou’ve probably heard the saying, “calories in, calories out” and you just need to burn more calories than you eat and drink.It’s not always that simple. Because your metabolism plays a big part on how well your body turns calories into fuel. If you cut too many calories that can be bad for you, as this can slow down your metabolism and cause you fall short on some nutrients.There are many ways you can lose weight, without cutting calories too much. You could start by: Figure out how many calories you get in a usual day, and trim back a bit by cutting back 20% on portions or total calories. For example if you consume 2,000 calories daily you’d drop down to 1,600 a day. Read food labels and get to know how many calories are in each serving. Drink more water, many times your just thirsty and not really hungry. “Feed the thirst first”. Whatever method you use, you’ll need to add good-for-you foods like plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein so you keep good nutrition high. Think of your plate like a clock. 12-6pm half the clock filled with vegetables 6-9pm healthy carbs and 9-12pm lean protein. Working with a dietitian is a good idea, for a couple reasons you can make a healthy eating plan and be accountable. Accountability and SupportMany apps can help you track you’re eating. Since you probably have a smartphone with you all the time, you can use it to keep up with your plan. Or keep a good old fashion pen-and-paper food journal of what you ate and when. You’ll also want to have people on your side to help you stay motivated and to cheer you on. So ask your family and friends to support your efforts to lose weight. You might also want to join a weight loss group where you can talk about how it’s going with people who can relate. Their encouragement can be “contagious,” in a good way! Weight yourself 2 times a week. I recommend Friday and Monday. Why? Because Friday you can see how well you’ve done all week and a Monday weight-in will let you know if you went over did it on the weekend and need to cut back. Find Out What Drives You to EatBasically speaking, food is fuel. It gives you energy. But very few people eat just for energy. Food is at every social gathering. And it's where many of us turn when we have a rough day.It’s important to know what makes you want to eat when you’re not hungry, and have a plan for those times.First step is finding out what your triggers are. Is it stress, anger, anxiety, depression or loneliness in a certain part of your life? Or is food your main reward when something good happens?Next, try to notice when those feelings come up, and have a plan ready to do something else instead of eating. Could you take a walk? Text or call a friend?How about a reward for making a different choice? Just not food as the reward ☺Reset What and When You EatYou don’t have to go vegan, gluten free, or quit eating specific foods to lose weight. Actually just the opposite as you’re more likely to keep the pounds off for good if it’s something you can live with for the long haul.But it does make sense to cut way down on, or totally cut out, empty calories.Limit added sugars. These are the sugars in cookies, cakes, sugar-sweetened drinks, but not the sugars that are naturally in fruits. Sugary foods often have a lot of calories and few nutrients. Try to consume less than 10% of your daily calories from added sugars.Choose your carbs. You can decide which ones you eat, and how much. Look for those that are low on the glycemic index (for example, asparagus is lower on the glycemic index than a potato) or lower in carbs per serving than others. Whole grains are better choices than processed items, because processing removes key nutrients such as fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Include protein. It’s satisfying and helps keep up your muscles. There are vegetarian and vegan sources (nuts, beans, and soy are some), as well as lean meat, poultry, fish and dairy.Most Americans get enough protein but can opt to get it from leaner sources, so you may already have plenty in your diet. Your exact protein needs depend on your age, gender, and how active you are.Make friends with good fats. Small amounts of fat can help you feel full and less like you’re on a diet. The better choices are those in fish, nuts and seeds, avocados and olive oil. These have unsaturated fats -- polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.Fill up on fiber. From vegetables, whole grains, fruits -- any plant food will have fiber. Some have more than others. Top sources include artichokes, green peas, broccoli, lentils, and lima beans. And, fruits, raspberries are high on the list.Eat more often. If you eat 5-6 times a day, this helps keep hunger at bay. You could split your calories equally across all of those mini-meals, or make some bigger than others. You will need to plan portions so that you don’t end up eating more than you intended.What About Meal Replacements? These products help control calories. They’re easy convenient and take the guesswork out of dieting. Just remember if you’re leaning on meal replacements and cutting out meals you’ll need to re-adjust when you add meals. Best to keep meals close to total calories as the calories in a meal replacement. Watch your drinks. One easy way to lose weight quickly is to cut out liquid calories, like soda, juice, and alcohol. Replace them with zero-calorie drinks such as lemon or lime water, mineral water for a fizzy alternative, unsweetened tea or black coffee.Diet drinks can backfire; sure they’ll save you calories, compared with sugary beverages. But if you then reach for a cookie or other treat because you’re still hungry or you think you saved enough calories for it, the plan backfires.Should You Fast – what about Intermittent Fasting? You might think fasting is a quick way to drop pounds. But experts don’t recommend it, because it’s not a long-term solution. It’s better to have an eating plan that you can stick to over time and fits into your lifestyle. An alternative is intermittent fasting, there’s a few versions 16-8 which is eating all your meals in 8 hours and then fasting 16 hours before your next meal. This is an extreme version and for many too intense to sustain. A modified version is eating your last meal by 7 or 8pm (earlier if you can) then not having your next meal for 12-14 hours later. Example dinner at 7pm breakfast 9am. No matter how you kick-start your weight loss, the best way to keep it off is with long-lasting lifestyle changes, like a healthy eating plan and physical activity. If you’re not sure where to start, how many calories to cut, or how to do it safely, you might want to consult a registered dietitian.Written by Sylvia Ortiz, Founder of MacroLife Naturals. Sylvia is a go-to media source and frequent speaker on balancing the body's Ph, and the importance of ingredients. MacroLife's Macro Greens and Miracle Reds are widely regarded as among the best natural products ever produced.
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Bags, Sags and Wrinkles Oh My! Hold Back the Years with Remarkable Antioxidants
Bags, Sags and Wrinkles Oh My! Hold Back the Years with Remarkable Antioxidants Let’s face it. Aging is not pretty! But it is heck of a lot easier to take when you age gracefully. I like to think of graceful aging as when a person fully accepts the inevitable aging process, and then intelligently delays it with a bag of natural health tricks that work! What’s in your healthy bag of tricks? Of course, most of us know the tenets of good health—regular exercise, plenty of sleep and a healthy diet—which all support healthy aging internally and externally.But I’ve got one more for you that provides powerful support in holding back the years – antioxidants!Yes, ANTIOXIDANTS If you want to maintain healthy, gorgeous skin and hair for the long haul, plus support your body’s cellular health – be sure to get plenty of these anti-aging wonder micronutrients in your diet and supplement program. Eating antioxidant-rich foods and supplements regularly is a great age-combating action that most anyone can do. And doing so will likely make you feel great because nature tends to hide antioxidants in—colorful fruits and vegetables, nutritious fish, nuts and whole grains. About AntioxidantsTo understand antioxidants, you first have to know what free radicals are. Free radicals can be an atom or a group of atoms with an unpaired electron, often formed when oxygen that interacts with certain molecules. They are highly unstable and reactive. They can start a chain reaction and cause damage to cellular components such as the cell membrane or DNA. Environmental toxins such as tobacco smoke, radiation (including radiation from the sun and cell phones) and poor diet can cause free radicals in the body. Yet, certain bodily functions such as when your body breaks down food or even when doing something positive, like exercise, generate free radicals. Free radical damage translates to more wrinkles. Free radicals are the enemy! Antioxidants are the good guys. Antioxidants occur naturally in the body and you also get them from foods you may consume. Antioxidants are the good guys. They provide protection against the effects of damaging free radicals in your body, including your skin. They act as free radical scavengers, using electrons to neutralize and “mop up” free radicals, preventing them from damaging your cells. Quick Example: What happens when you cut an apple and leave it on the counter? Answer: it turns brown, right? But what happens when you add lemon juice to the cut apple…it doesn’t turn brown. Why? Because the antioxidants/Vitamin C in the lemon juice protect the apple. That’s what they do in your body, they protect your cells from free radical damage. Thank goodness for antioxidants! Many studies have confirmed the benefits of antioxidants and the role they play in maintaining good health and reducing your risk of a number of diseases. Antioxidants can help slow down the aging process, which can have immense effects on your skin health. That’s the great news. Getting Antioxidants If you want to support healthy, glowing skin and your own vitality, choose foods and supplement ingredients with high ORAC values. ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen free-Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC is an in vitro test that attempts to quantify the "total antioxidant capacity" of a food by placing it with certain molecules that generate free radical activity and other molecules that are vulnerable to oxidation. After a certain amount of time, how well the sample is protected the vulnerable molecules from oxidation by the free radicals is measured. The less free radical damage there is, the higher the antioxidant capacity of the test food. Pretty simple. Foods with high ORAC values include: most berries and super fruits like acai, mangosteen and goji, and plant and herbal extracts such as turmeric, grape seed and green tea. But sometimes finding and consuming all that fruit—especially some of the tropical super fruits, and antioxidant extracts can be challenging. That’s why supplements can be a great option. In fact, we created Miracle Reds specifically to deliver a full spectrum of powerful antioxidants to the body. It’s essentially a super fruit blend of blueberries, boysenberries, elderberries, blackberries, and red raspberries combined with green tea, grape seed extract, pomegranate, acai, mangosteen, goji and much more. It’s literally packed with antioxidants proven to help mop-up unstable free radicals that damage cells. All of Miracle Reds’ ingredients are high in polyphenols, carotenes, and phytonutrient antioxidants—compounds sorely missing in typical diets. Here’s how I use it. First thing in the morning to start my day with a refreshing super fruit blended powder drink, or, in the afternoon, instead of reaching for acoffee or soda. It’s caffeine free, low calorie and does wonders in protecting against free radicals. It’s my favorite natural health trick for keeping my skin and body as youthful as possible! Enjoy Life, Sylvia
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Can Collagen Peptides Support Healthy Weight?
Later in life, individuals may have trouble with muscle loss as a natural part of the aging process. New research suggests supplementation with collagen peptides may help.In a study of fifty-three older men with sarcopenia (i.e., age-related muscle loss) they participated in a 12-week resistance-training program and also took powdered collagen peptides (15 g/day) mixed in water or a placebo. After the study, those receiving the collagen peptides had improved fat-free mass (+4,2 kg compared versus +2,9 kg in the placebo group), isokinetic quadriceps strength (+16,5 Nm compared to +7,3 Nm in the placebo group) and fat mass (-5,4 kg versus -3,5 kg in the placebo group).Conclusion: Because collagen contains the amino acid glycine, and glycine is important in forming muscle tissue, collagen helps improve muscle mass, which helps boost metabolism. In summary, it could be possible that the short post-exercise interval and the rapid digestibility and absorption of collagen peptides supplementation may have supported the post-exercise muscle protein anabolism (muscle building process). Researchers have added a few other theories for why the collagen peptides affected the muscles: the collagen supported joint comfort that allowed the men to exercise better, the collagen peptides improved amino acid delivery or since collagen is rich in arginine and glycine, it supported creatine synthesis in the body that helps supply energy to the cells. Adding collagen protein into your diet can help support your bones and joints. In a 24-week study, researchers observed the effect of collagen supplementation on exercise-related joint pain on 97 human athletes. The researchers found that collagen supplementation can reduce joint pain. As such adding collagen to your routine can help in your weight loss by preventing pain and joint injury from physical activity and exercise. Collagen is an important component of our body, making up 90 percent of our connective tissue and 70 percent of our skin. Research has found that collagen supplementation can reduce joint pain. ... Adding collagen to your daily diet can help keep your bones strong, helping you to stay active and healthy. Another side benefit collagen can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, increase skin hydration and surface, plus support skin elasticity. Collagen consumption can increase skin elasticity and help your body's skin repair process, thus encouraging your body to form new collagen, What to Look for in a Collagen Supplement? There are a lot of collagen supplements available, and I’ve tried most of them. I recommend you do your research and make sure you purchase one that contains no additional additives, flavors, or sweeteners. Also, make sure the collagen has no hormones. Look for "rBST free." rBST is a growth hormone given to dairy cattle in increase milk production. Find a collagen from grass-fed bovine or wild-caught fish.MacroLife Naturals MacroMeals contain 25 grams of time released protein per serving. Providing a blend of Collagen Peptides, Whey Protein and Brown Rice protein – for fast, medium and slow digestion. This helps quench hunger fast and keep you satiated longer.Article written by Sylvia Ortiz, founder MacroLife NaturalsStudy data was published in the British Journal of Nutrition by researchers Institute of Sports and Sports Science at the University of Freiburg, Germany. Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, Aukermann DF, Meza F, Millard RL, Deitch JR, Sherbondy PS, Albert A. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes
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OUR TOP 3 NATURAL BEAUTY SECRETS
Here are 3 ways to ditch the chemicals, save money, and get glowing—the natural way!Want to reduce the amount of chemicals in your life? Here are 3 easy and inexpensive ways to get started! Get Glowing And Remove Makeup With Grapeseed Oil. Grapeseed oil is suitable for a wide range of skins types, and has anti-aging antioxidants. It won’t clog pores, and it can also help prevent wrinkles that come with premature aging by blocking damaging free radicals. Three to four drops per application should be all you need, and you can apply with your fingers or using a cotton pad. Grapeseed Oil is also an eye makeup remover – mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow—all gone while moisturizing the sensitive eye area. Argan Oil For Silky, Sleek Locks. Argan Oil is a key ingredient in many popular hair products, but you can cut out the chemicals and fillers used in many of these products by using Argan Oil in its pure form. You’ll tame frizz and lock in moisture by adding a couple drops of this fatty-acid-rich oil to the ends of your hair. Apply while it is still damp; then dry and style as usual. Pamper Yourself With Coconut Oil Body Scrub. Coconut oil could be the most versatile natural beauty product. Packed with vitamin E and fatty acids, it is anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Coconut Oil is a “super-oil” that can be used for everything from dry hair to athlete’s foot.If you want to avoid the sodium laureth sulfate present in most body washes and scrubs, use coconut oil as a homemade body scrub – it’s great for sensitive skin. It takes just two to three simple ingredients: coconut oil, sugar, and an essential oil, such as lavender (optional). Use two-parts sugar to one-part coconut oil; just warm the oil (microwave works well) and stir in the sugar and essential oil. Coconut Oil for use on the skin should be organic, virgin or extra-virgin, unrefined, and cold pressed.
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