Give me a D...

...D3

First Fitness Nutrition has just released an amazing new product, 8Rx. The company provides excellent training on our products, from the actual doctors, scientists and product developers, but I always like to do a little research on my own.

You can see here that 8Rx is a proprietary, synergistic blend of 8 of the most powerful all-natural nutraceutical grade ingredients and extracts.

Over the next few days, I'll share what I've found out about these ingredients individually! Starting today with Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D is found in dietary sources such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. Being in the sun also contributes to the daily production of vitamin D.

Vitamin D3 has benefits for men, women and children:

• Helps strengthen immune system
• Helps prevent osteoporosis
• Helps prevent cancer
• Helps prevent type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• Helps maintain blood levels of calcium and phosphorus
• Helps increase absorption of calcium
• Potent immune system modulator
• Four times as potent as Vitamin D2
• Helps lower inflammation by increasing anti-inflammatory messengers
• Helps prevent risk of coronary artery disease
• Helps control insulin synthesis and secretion

Vitamin D deficiencies were rare when most men worked out in the sunny fields and women hung clothes out on the line. But as work shifted from farms to offices, that changed. Elderly individuals, obese individuals, exclusively breastfed infants, and those who have limited sun exposure are all at higher risk of Vitamin D3 deficiencies. Also, individuals who have fat malabsorption syndromes (e.g., cystic fibrosis) or inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease) are at risk.

There is strong evidence that deficiencies may result in rickets, muscle weakness and pain, osteoporosis, psoriasis, and thyroid issues.

The new 8Rx formula contains a synergistic blend of Vitamin D3, Vitamin K, DHA (Omega 3 - Fish Oil), Olive Leaf Extract/Sesame Lignans, 2-AEP Calcium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Turmeric Powder/Piperine, and Green Tea that is unavailable in any other single supplement. There are over 1500 clinical studies published proving the health benefits of these ingredients supporting that they may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Stay tuned for more info on the benefits of these all-natural components!

Upcoming Event - Friday, September 3rd in Starke, FL

Get Renewed

Whole Body Wellness Info Session

Friday, September 3rd @ 7:00 pm

Do you suffer from:

Fatigue?

Gas & bloating?

Skin problems?

Allergy symptoms?

Constipation?

Food cravings?

A struggle with weight loss?

Irritability & mood swings?

Headaches, body aches?

IT’S TIME FOR BODY RENEWAL

Simple program · Eat regular food · No dieting or fasting required

Call for directions.

RSVP to Amy at (386) 623-0476.

Introducing Whole Body Renewal...

Simple program

Eat regular food

No dieting

No fasting

DEATH BEGINS IN A TOXIC BODY!

Parasites, toxins & fecal matter live in your body! They cause disease ... aging & death!

IT’S TIME FOR
BODY RENEWAL...

The 10-Day Whole Body Herbal Cleansing System that helps you look and feel like new again!

• Toxins enter our body through insecticides, cosmetics, cleaning products, industrial pollutants, and more.
• The average person has 5-25 lbs of dried fecal matter in their colon.
• Up to 95% of people have parasites living in their bodies.
• Parasites and toxins are a major cause of obesity.
• The average person consumes 50-160 lbs of sugar per year.

So if you suffer from:

Fatigue
Irritability & mood swings
Gas & bloating
A struggle with weight loss
Constipation
Food cravings
Headaches, body aches
Skin problems
Allergy symptoms

BODY RENEWAL is your answer for:

Healthy elimination
Reduced bloating
A flat abdomen
Weight and inch loss success
Improved digestion
Whole body wellness

This system combines the powerful synergy of three proven, all-natural products—Reneú (40 ct), Lipomax and Fit to a Tea to help cleanse your body of toxins, parasites and the harmful substances that build up in your system.

3 Powerful Products— 1 Complete System:

Reneú®
Ultimate Colon Cleanse
An advanced inner body care formulation to support the cleansing and detoxification of the colon. A cleaner colon and intestinal system helps enhance the absorption of food, vitamins and minerals which optimize good health and enhance weight and inch loss.*

LipoMax®
Liver Cleanse
Designed to help cleanse, detoxify and provide optimal liver support. Lipomax also helps relieve the symptoms of bloating, fatigue, water retention, allergies, sluggish bowels and metabolism.*

Fit to a Tea!®
Whole Body Detoxifying Tea
Supports whole body wellness by cleansing and detoxifying the entire body.*

The secret to wellness for a lifetime ...
BODY RENEWAL!

Attitude is a decision...

...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; - Romans 12:12 (NKJV)

We've all heard it before, "Attitude is everything"; "Your attitude determines your altitude".

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the word "attitude" means "an internal position or feeling with regard to something else." Other words often used as synonyms are: "disposition, feeling, mood, opinion, sentiment, temper, tone, perspective, frame of mind, outlook, view, or morale."

I found this article from Dr. Ellen Duke in my Inbox recently:

Choose Your Attitude

Although we don't yet fully understand the mind/body connection, we do know that a positive attitude can:

• Help improve mood, self-esteem and sense of well-being

• Decrease depression, anxiety and hostility

• Lessen pain and other bodily symptoms

• Speed recovery

• Enhance immune function

• Extend longevity

We also know that to a great extent, our attitude is determined by how we decide to think about events. This "self-talk," whether positive or negative, is so powerful that it determines not just our emotions, but the condition of our physical and mental well-being as well.

Three simple action steps to help optimize your emotional health:

1. Acknowledge that you're in control. The great thing about your attitude is that it's yours. You cannot control what others say or do, but you can control how you react to it. Simply put, no one can put you in a bad mood unless you give them permission!

2. Be thankful. Put things in perspective. You are alive, something that billions of those before us cannot say. You have food, shelter and safety. Something that millions alive today do not enjoy. Appreciate your countless blessings!

3. Don't worry about the small stuff. Remember what's important, and ignore the little things. Focus on the larger picture and you'll find less frustration in your daily interactions with others. The things that matter most are your health and happiness and your family's health and happiness.

This prompted me to wonder what the Bible says about attitude, as I believe the Bible is the best and most trustworthy "self-help" book available to us all! I think Dr. Dale A. Robbins sums it up best in his article, "Check Your Attitude":

How To Develop Good Attitudes

1. Identify and Repent of Bad Attitudes

Acts 8:22 "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you."

2. Submit Your Attitudes to God

Bring your attitudes into obedience to God’s Word. Apply discipline to your thought life — submit your thoughts to those of Christ’s. A good attitude is a matter of faith, disregarding your feelings, with a determination to embrace God’s outlook and disposition.

2 Corinthians 10:5 "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..."

3. Equip And Feed Your Attitudes

Dwell on the things that God’s word tells us to — those good and virtuous things. If you dwell on the negative, your attitude will reflect the same.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things."

Now, one of the best attitude quotes I've read recently, "When life gives you lemons, throw them back and demand chocolate!" Now, that's attitude!

Go out and make it great day, because, yes, the day is what you make it! may God bless you all!

Sugar-Free Kids...

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." - Psalm 127:3

As parents, I think we all agree that we are responsible for the well-being of our children. Why is it that so often we neglect their nutritional needs? We are constantly giving them sugary drinks, candy, cookies and more and most of us probably don't think twice about it.

Several studies have found that milk (lactose is a sugar) and other beverages are the two main sources of sugar in children, while candy was the third highest contributor. Another study also showed significant, positive behavioral changes in children who had been diagnosed at ADHD when sugar was removed from their diets.

Did you know...

• Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.
• Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
• Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.

Here is a great article I found that addresses how we can cut back on sugar in our childrens' diets:
nutrition

Would You Like Sugar With That?

by Aurea Thompson, MSH, RD, CSP, LD/N Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition Wolfson Children’s Hospital

Although artificial sweeteners are declared safe for consumption, many people choose not to use them for themselves or their kids because of taste or other personal reasons. Here are some tips on how to reduce sugar intake without using artificial sweeteners.

Rule #1: Learn to like foods that are less sweet.

Replace one-fourth to one-third of the sugar called for in recipes with non-fat dry milk. Here’s how:

Cakes: For each cup of flour, use no more than ½ cup of sugar in cakes.

Cookies: Alter cake-like cookies the same way as above. Altering other noncakelike cookie recipes may result in an unacceptable baked product.

Muffins and quick breads: For each cup of flour, use no more than one tablespoon of sugar.

Yeast breads: For each cup of flour, use no more than one teaspoon of sugar.

Rule #2: Use spices and herbs.

Try using cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg to enrich the flavor of foods in place of, or with a reduced amount of sugar.

Rule #3: Add fresh fruit.

Mix fresh fruit into unflavored oatmeal in place of brown sugar, or mix fruit into plain yogurt instead of buying the yogurt with all the cookie and candy toppings. In place of maple syrup, make your own toppings for pancakes and waffles by puréeing fresh fruit and adding a bit of water and vanilla extract.

Rule #4: Sweeten foods with juice.

Use fruit juice or frozen juice concentrate to sweeten foods.

Rule #5: Consider using honey or molasses.

Honey and molasses taste sweeter than table sugar. Using them instead of sugar may help you reduce the total sugar content of a recipe, but by weight, they contain as much sugar (carbohydrate) as table sugar.

Rule #6: Serve cooked fruits and vegetables.

Cooking fruits and vegetables can make them taste sweeter than eating them raw.

Rule #7: Make your own beverages.

Make your own reduced-sugar beverages by mixing together carbonated water and fresh fruit juice.

Rule #8: Make sure your kids get plenty of rest.

Chronic lack of sleep can cause people to crave more sugary foods. Make sure to get plenty of rest whenever you are trying to reduce the amount of sugary foods in your diet.

Rule #9: Make sure your kids don’t go four hours or more in between meals/snacks.

Younger children and toddlers should have regular snack times throughout the day, and older children should be allowed to have sensible snacks in between meals. Keeping your kids on a schedule helps prevent hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, from occurring. Toddlers and preschoolers may need to have something to eat every two hours to prevent the “hungry tantrums.” By providing a healthy snack schedule, you can help prevent your child from craving sugary foods.

Rule #10: Use fruit for dessert.

Try using the best fruits of the season as an after-dinner dessert! Cut up fresh strawberries, bananas, or melon for toppings on frozen yogurt or applesauce. Or mix blueberries, raspberries and strawberries together with a little “light” whipped cream for dessert. If fresh fruit is not available, try frozen fruit as a topping over fat-free vanilla yogurt, Greek-style yogurt, or yogurt of your choice. Mix frozen fruit with soy milk in the blender for a homemade smoothie...great for an after dinner treat in the summer!

--
God gifted us with our children, let's take the best care of them we can!

Healing Power of the Amazon Rainforest...

. . . the earth's greatest living natural pharmacy Zavita, a legendary plant recipe comprised of seven of the world's most powerful healing botanicals, is known among the Amazon's indigenous peoples and tribal healers as "Elixa-da-Vida"—the "Elixir of Life"

On the April 13 Product Training Call, Chairman Lee Causey and Dr. Pete Coon, of our medical advisory board, discussed the the life-changing benefits of Zavita.

Chairman Lee Causey cited the more than 350 scientific studies that support the health benefits in the indigenous plants contained in Zavita. These Ingredients are backed by over 20 years of published research, more than 50 clinical trials on humans, more than 200 laboratory studies evaluating the biological activities of each extract, and more than 100 ethnomedical reports documenting the use of the Amazon Rainforest botanicals in Zavita by traditional tribal healers and natural medicine practitioners

Lee explained that although cells continue to renew themselves, because we are bombarded with free radicals, the cell duplication process is stifled and our bodies begin degeneration, and that Zavita feeds the cells with proper nutrients to regenerate and help us maintain vitality and strength as we age.

Dr. Pete Coon is a health and wellness expert and medical and veterinary forensic pathologist, a professor of medical and veterinary forensic pathology and infectious diseases, a published author, and one of the most informative lecturers in the area of health, wellness and preventative medicine.

Dr. Coon explained that more and more people are turning to alternatives and botanicals for healing. He went on to say that the 8 botanicals in Zavita have been in the business of healing for millions of years serving as anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-stress agents.

"Zavita can change a person's mental, physical and emotional well being. It can help all the systems of the body work together in synergy. Nothing on the market comes close to Zavita. It is one of greatest preventative tonics we can take to boost the immune system and the healing process." —Dr. Pete Coon

Important facts on the healing properties of Zavita:

Zavita helps promote healthy inflammatory responses, reduces muscle aches and pain, helps support cartilage and joint functions and blocks pain.

CATS CLAW: Used by the native people for intestinal complaints, tumors, diabetes, asthma, wounds, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, hypoglycemia, cancer, hormones imbalance, fevers, and rheumatism. Recent findings show it beneficial for lupus, upper respiratory conditions and parasites. Studies have shown it a significant treatment for Aids, HIV infection. It is useful for blood cholesterol, ulcers, chrones disease, protects against foreign invading agents, prevents blood clots, lowers blood pressure, an is the most studied botanical herb in the rainforest. It targets whole body wellness and stabilizes the immune system.

CATUABA: Reduces muscle aches and pain after physical activity* Increases libido and enhances performance* Helps regulate blood flow* Enhances memory and cognitive functions* Calming and relaxing* Helps prevent cramps and spasms* Improves sleep* Helps support the cardiovascular system*

CHÁ DE BUGRE: Appetite suppressant—supports weight loss, Protects against harmful micro-organisms, balances and strengthens heart muscle protects against foreign invading agents, balances heart muscle, helps dilate blood vessels for more oxygenation.*

CHUCHUHUASI: Helps decrease inflammatory responses, blocks pain, relaxes muscles, increases libido, blocks free radicals, stimulates immune system, regulates unhealthy cell growth, increases antioxidant protection.*

IMPORURU: Helps decrease unhealthy inflammatory responses, helps support cartilage and joint functions, reduces muscle aches and pain after physical activity, helps protect against harmful micro-organisms.*

SAMAMBAIA: Helps protect brain and nerve cells, supports immune function, blocks free radicals, helps decrease unhealthy inflammatory responses, helps maintain regularity, protects skin cells, promotes detoxification and cleansing, maintains healthy lung function.*

TAYUYA: Helps neutralizes free radicals, improves digestion and bowel functions, helps the body adapt to internal and external stess, promotes detoxification, regulates cell mutation and growth, helps regulate menstruation, enhances liver functions, keeps skin healthy, improves exercise recovery.*

From my Inbox ...

avoid waist-widening, nutrition-void sweetness...

Found this article in my inbox this morning from RealAge Tips of the WEEK-

3 Sweet Ways to Eat Less Sugar

Any idea how much sugar you eat in the course of a day? The amount might startle you -- even if you don't have a soda habit or a sweet tooth, per se.

Most people take in about 430 calories of added sugar every day. That's a lot of waist-widening, nutrition-void sweetness! Here are three ways to add sweet without dipping into the sugar bowl.

3 Ways to Sweeten Stealthily
In their book, The Good Housekeeping Complete Household Handbook, the domestic experts at Good Housekeeping offer these three ideas for taking in the reins on your sugar intake:

1. In your coffee pot: Brew your morning coffee with a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean and ditch the flavored creamers. Just 1 tablespoon of flavored creamer can add 6 grams of sugar.

2. On your breakfast: Maple syrup adds about 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar per tablespoon. For a little sweet, add fresh fruit or pure fruit purees to pancakes and waffles. Or even oatmeal.

3. In cookie recipes: You can generally get away with cutting the sugar by up to a third in recipes for cookies, cakes, or other baked goods. Try experimenting with a little less of the sweet stuff on your next batch of macaroons.

The Unsweet Truth
Extra calories in sugar often turn into extra pounds, but that's not the worst of it. Studies suggest high sugar consumption could also increase the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer -- particularly pancreatic cancer.

Need a few days off?

...Catch a Cold

Some people seem to expect a bout with a cold or the flu each year. If you haven’t had your quota yet, here are some things you can do:

Eat a poor diet. If you want to catch a cold, make sure your body lacks the vitamins and minerals it needs to keep itself in good repair. Eat lots of processed foods, stripped of their nutritional value.

Avoid adequate rest. Deprive yourself of adequate rest. Stay up late and reduce the time you sleep as much as possible. Use tobacco, coffee and other stimulants to fool yourself into thinking you have more than enough energy.

Stop exercising. Reduce the effectiveness of your immune and lymphatic systems. Unlike the circulatory system, your lymphatic system depends upon exercise and movement to circulate these germ-fighting fluids, so sit on the couch and stare at the TV.

Rarely wash your hands. Increase your chances of catching a cold by compromising your personal hygiene. Remember to use your dirty hands and fingers to rub your eyes, pick your nose or wipe your lips.

Think negative thoughts. Look for opportunities to visualize having a cold. Pay attention to news reports about outbreaks of the flu and pay close attention to advertising that sells medications for cold sufferers.

Invite stress. Stress yourself physically by experiencing extreme temperature and humidity changes. Stress yourself mentally with constant worry or fear.

Become dehydrated. Avoid drinking enough water. Reduce the effectiveness of your natural defense mechanisms and other bodily functions by carefully avoiding fluids.

Of course I'm joking! The only way to catch a cold or the flu is to make yourself a hospitable host to the millions of cold and flu germs around you every day.

Keep your immune system boosted with daily multi-vitamins, lots of green veggies, and high antioxidant herbal elixirs.

---
Healthy news and information from Dr. Ellan Duke. Published monthly by River Hills Chiropractic and Wellness Center.

Who Am I?

That the Lord of all the earth would care...

On a daily basis I see and hear about and talk to people who are struggling. Not because I work with the needy or the homeless, but because they are my family and my friends. I know people struggling with divorce, making the light bill, the house payment, getting to and from work, to find work, providing for their children. People who are lonely or have lost their dearest and closest friends. Every morning and afternoon I pass by a community of homeless people. All of this makes me realize how blessed I am. But then I start to feel guilty.

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;" - Romans 3:10 (NIV)

Why is it them and not me? Who Am I? I am no better than any one of these people, neither my friends, my family nor these complete strangers who sleep on the sidewalks. I have done nothing better than any other person, often I know I have done worse in my lifetime. Yet, so many blessings have been poured upon me.

Have there been times when I've struggled? Sure, in some sense. But I've never known hunger or failed health or poverty. Most of my struggles have been self induced. But these people I know and see struggling are doing everything they can to survive or to find peace.

You know, I get that life's just not fair and I thank God for that. If life were fair, we'd all be in big trouble. The Bible says our good deeds are like dirty rags in God's sight and there is no one who does right, not one.

"All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away". - Isaiah 64:6

If you're reading this, I'm asking you to pray. Pray for your friends, your neighbors and even the complete strangers who are struggling to make ends meet in today's world; those who have made the wrong choices and can't find their way out of the hole they've dug for themselves; those who are lonely and grieving. There's a world of sadness out there, changing it starts with prayer.

My First Weight Loss & Wellness Session

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm @ the Bethel UMC Fellowship Hall

Please be my guest for a FirstFitness Weight Loss & Wellness Session given by FirstFitness Presidential Director, Carol Brown.

I am so excited to get to train with Carol. She and her husband Bob have been with FirstFitness for over 5 years and she has extensive knowledge of our products and the business opportunity. You can read their story here.

You will learn more about our new Xtreme Cleansing & Weight Loss program, and our wellness products designed to protect your body against illness, including the H1N1 virus. You will also have an opportunity to sample our delicious Body FX shakes and Trimbolic.

FirstFitness collaborates with distinguished doctors, scientists and researchers to give you and your family the finest, most effective health and wellness products in the world. They even have a money-back guarantee!

These products have really WOW'd me in just a few short months. I would not invite you to this event if I didn't believe in them 100%!

You can help me reach my first goal in this business just by being there!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Bethel UMC Fellowship Hall
4843 S US Highway 441,
Lake City, FL
(386) 623-0476

Elixir of Life...

from yeah whatever...to love it!

Ok, so aside from my faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, I'm a skeptic! If I get an email about politics or missing children, I immediately go to Snopes. If I'm doing something at work, I always want to test it extensively before implementing it. Ask anyone in my family, hearing is not believing for me. You have to show me! Show me documented evidence or something physical. One of my pet peeves is when people just repeat things they've heard without researching the truth!

When my cousin started trying to sell me on this "Amazon Elixir", I was not interested. I mean I had tried Mona Vie when my in-laws started using it. (By tried, I mean I took it once and didn't like the taste or the price and wrote it off.) Well, then FirstFitness combined Zavita with their Wellness line, so I decided to do my research. At the time, Jason, my husband, was going through a fit with one infection after another and was having trouble sleeping at night. Given the following claims with more than 350 scientific studies to back it up, I decided to give it a shot:

Strengthen the immune system*

Reduce pain & inflammation*

Support healthy joint function*

Improve mental clarity*

Enhance deep restful sleep*

Increase longevity*

"The daily use of Zavita provides the body’s cells with high levels of antioxidants that absorb and neutralize free radicals to help our bodies fight disease."

Additionally, it is listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) for Nonprescription Drugs, Supplements and Herbs, unlike competitive products.

So, we tried it and we love it! Within 2 days, I noticed that I felt better, more alert and was just in a better mood. Jason started sleeping better that very night. We have turned to Zavita when we've had headaches, stomach aches, felt a cold coming on, or just been drained by life itself.

Get Vital Green—and send the cold and flu bugs packing!

Arm your body’s natural defenses and boost your resistance with antioxidants from some of nature’s most powerful plant substances. Deliver super-green factors to every cell in your body . . . and fight off colds and flu this season!

Get your daily supply of fruits and green vegetables with Vital Green!

Even the healthiest among us need a little boost to keep from getting “whatever’s going around.” Vital Green is the world’s most potent and powerful, source of chlorophyll from the land and sea. It supplies over 50 fruits and vegetables, phytonutrients, powerful antioxidant enzymes, essential trace elements, vitamins, polypeptides, and pH alkalizers to naturally help build your immune system, increase your energy, detoxify poisons, chelate heavy metals and deactivate harmful “free radical” molecules.*

Contact me today at (386) 623-0476 to order or order online at www.firstfitness.com/amypolk

Get Vital Green—and send the cold and flu bugs packing!

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.