New Direction for this Blog

Hi everyone. As you may be aware, it has been some time since I've posted anything to this blog. A lot has happened in the past months. Aside from our move to Denver, CO we're also no longer focusing on either Melaluca or Norwex products, though we are still in both companies. It isn't that we no longer believe in them, but more an issue of we have other priorities that have sucked away our time.

So, in deciding what to do with this blog, I've decided to move it in a direction that we've been going on for over nine months now, a plant-based diet. And I'm becoming more and more convinced that specific plants need to make up the bulk of our diet, that is, starch. But before we get to that, allow me to give you a little of our journey over the past year.

As some may know, prior to September of 2017, we were on the Keto diet from about Feb 2017 through August 2017. How did that work? Well, okay for the seven months I was on it. Okay in that I was able to keep my weight up (somewhat, some may contest that I dropped too low) and maintained my energy levels on it, and appeared to stay in ketososis for a decent period of time. By all outward appearances, I was healthy.

Then I went in for my physical. The doctor didn't find anything bad on the blood test, though he didn't do a cholesterol test, strangely enough. I had a clean bill of health from him. The only problem he had with me was my Keto diet. He pointed me to a website and recommended that I do a search on "Parkinson's" and watch whatever videos it pulled up. For him, saturated fats were the deathnell of existence, especially the amount I was getting eating four eggs cooked in coconut oil for lunch every day. Due to my weight and activity level, I had to have around 3000 calories a day, and on the keto diet, it had to mostly be fat.

Due to being in a clinical trial, I had an online list of my blood pressure that I could review. From December of 2016, through August of 2017, my blood pressure level dropped from borderline too high, to what the site the doctor referred me to as very good shape, around 117/58. That was in the previous month. So I figured the good doctor and the site he had pointed me to just didn't take into account that I was burning all that oil right out of my system, so it wasn't there to do all the bad things they said it could. And in my case, I could have been right. If I had eaten less, my weight would have dropped more.

However, I wasn't on the Keto diet to reduce weight, obviously. I wasn't on it necessarily because I thought it might be the healthiest diet in the world, though I had convinced myself that it was healthy enough. No, I was doing it for one primary reason: because there was some clinical evidence that it could help one who has Parkinson's mitigate their symptoms. In my seven months doing that diet, I had noticed no changes in my symptoms, one way or the other. At least, due to my diet. I did notice an increase in my symptoms when I came off the Amantadine that the clinical trial was for. So it would be hard to attribute that to the diet, or that it would have been worse or better if I wasn't on the ketogenic diet.

So at that point, I wasn't married to it aside from it had become a habit during that time and I believed it to overall be healthy at least for me. So I was open to new input. As I started to watch those videos, while I wasn't immediately hooked, I could see the logic of his arguments, which were all based on the scientific evidence over the last 50+ years. The more I researched it, the more I became convinced that a plant-based diet was key to good health. The more I looked at the evidence, the more I began to believe that the cause of our major diseases were meat and their byproducts.

By now I can hear you yelling, "What is that website!" Okay, here it is already! https://nutritionfacts.org/

The thing I like about his site is he backs up his conclusions almost exclusively from scientific studies. Now, I know what many of you are thinking. It was "science" that has said a balanced diet included meat and milk and eggs. Is this just some cherry-picked studies he's using? How can we trust his science anymore than we can trust the past science that has come to different conclusions?

I know, because that was my first thought. I'd grown distrustful of any science because so much of it appeared to be biased toward telling me I couldn't eat what I wanted to eat. Or shouldn't eat. Only to be shown in a few years that it was wrong and the opposite was true. Was this just another scientific fad?

As I looked into it, what he showed is that these were the conclusions that science had come to over 50 years ago, and that every major study showed to be true down till today. No, this wasn't something that would change, because this was how we were designed to eat. It is shown all through history that starch-based, plant diets were what civilization was founded and sustained upon.

When you look at the nutritional value of any meat, it makes logical sense that one could not live on meat alone. Aside from some protein (which your body doesn't run on except in the severest of starvation situations) and some other vitamins, there is no nutritional value to meat. The one thing it is high in is saturated fat, and lots of it. But you cannot live on a meat only diet. You'd get scurvy and other diseases if you did, because there is little vitamins in meat.

However, you can live on potatoes alone. It is one of the most complete packages of food, including protein and vitamin C. You can live on rice or beans, supplemented with some broccoli. There are a lot of vegetables that contain protein and all the vitamins you'd need to survive. There is no meat which could do that.

"But," I can hear someone suggest, "no one has claimed meat could do that (for a good reason, I might add) but that it should be part of a balanced diet. After all, it is a well known fact that there is no plant-based source of vitamin b12."

True. Just as there is no animal source of b12 either. "What?" That's because b12 doesn't come from cows, but from bacteria in the soil. It is only that cows and other animals eat unclean food that they have b12 in their muscle. Same was for us before sanitation came along in the last 100-150 years or so. We derived our B12 from eating not fully cleaned vegetables and drinking water from streams and rivers.

Since no one is recommending that we go back to eating our vegetables with dirt on them or drinking from dirty streams and rivers, since that was also a source of other diseases which tended to cut life short, that leaves either eating food that contains b12 naturally or artificially, or eating a b12 supplement. While generally I would recommend the more whole food route, I'm not in favor of eating things like meat products that are shown to have much worse conditions than b12 deficiency, to get my b12 from. I mean, when is the last time you heard that b12 deficiency was one of our top 15 killers? Like, never. Why would I smoke (eat) a cigarette for the benefit of tobacco's helping me with Parkinson's symptoms? Or worse yet, to eat something that has been shown throughout history to result in our nation's number one killer, heart attacks, and the basis of many other diseases, just to avoid being vitamin B12 deficient? That's just stupid. No, I'll take the safer supplement, thank you.

So, that's what I've been doing for the past year, starting in January. And I can report, it has appeared to have helped my Parkinson's symptoms. It's been minor at this point. But neither have I noticed any progression in my symptoms either. Note: I know some of the progress I've had this year has been healing from my DBS surgery last September. However, I have noticed more steadiness in the last few months in my right hand. The only time it has gone "wild" has been after the few time's I've eaten meat. We'll see how it goes this Thanksgiving next week. But that is progress.

That said, even if I hadn't noticed any betterment of my symptoms, I plan on staying on this diet. For two reasons. One, because the last thing I need to add to my life now is another chronic disease. While there is evidence that a plant-based diet could help prevent Parkinson's, there is nothing showing it can reverse it. There is evidence, however, very strong, that it can prevent several other number of diseases, like coronary disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and several others like MS and reverse them. I don't want to add those diseases to my list because I wasn't willing to change my source of caloric intake.

Two, because whether it slows down the progression of my symptoms, or stops them, or even if it miraculously reverses my symptoms (I'd get a lot of medical attention for sure if that happened!), or does nothing, my best bet is to eat food that is healthy. That is, to gain the best chance for a healthy life otherwise than what I already have to deal with. The best chance I have to survive this disease is to eat and live as healthy as possible.

To sum up this section by saying there are two types of conclusions people will likely come to, other than the one I have. One, you could disagree with the science, or that it doesn't accurately reflect the science, and refuse to stop eating so much meat and dairy, believing that is the safer route. That is certainly where the meat and dairy lobby wants you to be.

Or, you might agree with the science I've presented, but due to your addiction to meat and dairy, don't want to give it up, much like the smoker in times past who knew it would likely give them lung cancer but enjoyed it too much to stop, and so you won't stop eating it. Perhaps you'd say to yourself, "Hey, everyone is going to die, why shouldn't I eat what I enjoy eating while I am alive?"

Fine, as long as you remember this when you have a heart attack and happen to survive it at age 30, when you threaten to leave your wife or husband to raise your kids themselves (hey, I know someone this actually happened to), you'll recall this information and come back to it once faced with your own mortality. Unlike Parkinson's, this diet has been shown to actually reverse heart disease. And cancer. And diabetes. And several others. So you'll still have a chance, if you survive the first round.

As far as the first group, I only ask that you remain open to the evidence. When you have a doctor who has seen everyone he's worked on, without exception, get better under this diet (Dr. McDougall), that he has cured hundreds of people on his diet from the above conditions, who go on to live full lives, and other doctors who can attest to the same thing, you know this isn't some passing science fad we're talking about here. Once you come to that conclusion, I hope you'll be ready to also join me on this journey into health.

So, that's where this blog is now headed. It still fits the direction of this club, to be a wellness club. I plan on promoting wellness through my journey into a starch-based, plant-based diet. More articles will be forthcoming. Arms and legs should be kept in the cart at all times. Hang on, here we go!

NEWS FLASH: New Soruce of Healthy Living Products!

One of the main reasons we're in Melaleuca is because they offer quality products that avoid harsh chemicals and are good for you. I've recently discussed their quality vitamins that are clinically proven to be effective thanks to the Oligo® system of mineral absorption which no other vitamin can claim. In fact, because other vitamins don't have something like Oligo®, they mostly don't get metabolized and go in the toilet.

We still have a lot more of their products to review for you based on our experience. But that is why we use and promote the use of the Melaleuca products: because they promote a healthy living space.

This weekend, we happened upon another company with the same goals and dedication to their products, in as far as we could discern. Enough so, that we've signed up to be consultants in that company and can sell directly to you and others, unlike Melaleuca which all we can do is point and help you join the discount club.

What is this new venture and what does it mean for our participation in Melaleuca?

The name of the company is Norwex®. Their main products involve a specialized microfiber cleaning systems that mostly eliminate the need for a cleaner at all, that's right, you can use water alone to clean your house (aside from some really stubborn stains) and yet will get it cleaner than using harsh chemicals while killing 99% of the bacteria as well. They also promote the replacement of cleaning with harsh chemicals, not by substituting them with safer plant-based solutions as Melaleuca does, but by getting rid of needing them all together!

We'll have more about this company and their products in the very near future. Meanwhile, you can already visit our online site ( http://lenitacopple.norwez.biz ) where you can learn more about their products, buy from us, and/or contact us about holding a party either in your house (if you live reasonably close to Marble Falls, TX) or on Facebook.

Does Norwex® having competing products that you can buy from Melaleuca? Yes they do. For example, they have a bathroom cleaner similar to Melaleuca's Tub n' Tile®. Which one is better? We have yet to find out. But you can expect some comparisons in the near future as Lenita test them out in the real world of her cleaning business. Stay tuned for that.

Despite the overlap, we love and trust Melaleuca's products. Norwex® has a high bar to reach for us to declare their equivalents as good as or better than Melaleuca's. Which ever way it turns out, you'll know we are recommending products we feel confident about.

Likewise, there are plenty of products Norwex® sells which Melaleuca doesn't (as well as Melaleuca has some Norwez® doesn't) that will also contribute to a healthier living space and life. Enough so, we feel good about offering both company's resources as means to that goal.

So you should start to see some updates to our website here to reflect that reality in the near future. We encourage you to contact us about how you can obtain their products and/or become a part of their exciting organizations. You won't regret it!

Are Your Vitamins Doing the Job?

Ideally, we'd get all our vitamins, minerals, antioxidants,  and other nutritional needs from our diet. However, there are few who can manage their meals in order to accomplish that goal. The usual solution is to take multi-vitamins, however, how do we know whether they are effective in supplying what we need? How do we know whether the bioavailability is adequate to take advantage of the nutrition in those pills?

One of Melaleuca's high quality products is its vitamins. There are three main reasons why you'll be hard-pressed to find better vitamins anywhere else.

1. High quality vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements that are effective.

Of course for vitamins and supplements to improve one's health, the ingredients in them need to pure, top quality, and in sufficient quantities. Anyone who is familiar with Melaleuca products knows the consistent quality and value they diligently infuse into everything they do. It would be no surprise that their vitamins and supplements follow this same company-wide commitment to excellence.

Of course, there are many unfamiliar with Melaleuca's products, and anyone can claim that their products are unbeaten among the competition. Every company is going to say their product is top quality, whether it really is or not.

That's why Melaleuca goes a step further. After all, you'll be putting this stuff into your body. How can you know it is not only effective, but safe? That's why . . .

2. Melaleuca verified their vitamins and supplements' effectiveness through two clinical trials.

I don't know of any other vitamin brand who substantiates its product by scientific clinical trials. All you'll find to support other brand's claims are testimonials harvested from customers. Even if you were able to factor out those who over exaggerated their experience or outright lied, it would still be easy enough to find testimonies of "it works!" among those susceptible to the placebo effect to prove any product does what it claims. While testimonies can offer support for scientific facts, alone they mean nothing.

If the vitamins you are taking are only supported by testimonies, maybe you should give some consideration as to why that is the case? Support from clinical trials means you can have confidence that the effectiveness of Melaleuca vitamins and supplements is real, and not fake.

That is how you know the claim in point 1 is true. Cheap ingredients would not have produced positive results in those trials. Which, incidentally, is why most of the other brands don't do a clinical trial--they'd fail.

3. Real scientist developed a formula to increase bioavailability called Oligo®.

Oligo® itself has been scientifically studied. "In a study at the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, Canada, irrefutable scientific data confirmed that Oligo delivers an unparalleled level of actual absorption through the intestinal wall. In fact, the study showed that Oligo provides up to four times greater absorption than other mineral forms." (Finally, U.S. Doctors And Researchers Agree With Melaleuca Scientists! … Our Competitor’s vitamin supplements are essentially worthless!)

In short, you can trust a large percentage of the Melalueca's vitamins, minerals, and herbs to enter your body than you would from most any other brand. It is highly likely much of what you take now gets flushed down the toilet. Now that is an expensive vitamin!

Personal Experience

As I stated, personal testimonies are not bad. However, they can't prove the effectiveness of any product for the majority of people. In part because of the placebo effect, in part because there frequently isn't a clear cause-effect relationship established. They may make it seem that way, but due to the uncontrolled method, the sense of "feeling more alert" could just as likely be a result of drinking an energy drink, eating a healthy breakfast, or getting a good night's sleep than due to taking a particular product.

At best, a personal testimony can only say, "This worked for me. Maybe you'll find similar results. Maybe you won't." But when backed by scientific studies, it becomes illustrative and supportive of the conclusions reached by a study. Even then, any particular individual may not respond like most do in a study.

With that disclaimer aside, what you want to know is whether I have personal experience with them or not and what do I honestly think about them?

First, a little background on my health. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2013. First symptoms occurred in 2012. The disease has progressed since then, and so far medication has kept me functional and independent. If you know anything about the five stages of Parkinson's, I'm in stage 2. I think I've stayed in stage 2 this long (since 2014) because the last two years I've been exercising a lot.

To be clear, Melaleuca nor I am touting their vitamins as a treatment for Parkinson's symptoms. While there are proven health benefits shown by the studies, no one is making any claims that these vitamins treat any disease.

I've been on Melaleuca's Peak Performance Pack for Brain Health for over a month now. It might help to tell you how this fits into Melaleuca's vitamin product line.

The core base is their multi-vitamin: Vitality. There are three formulas of it: men, women, and 50+. Next step up is adding a Calcium dosage to the vitamins, which is called the Vitality Pack. The next one in line is the Vitality Essential Nutrition Pack, which pairs the vitamins up with some antioxidants, cardiovascular support, and digestive and immunity support. This combination forms the core for the rest of the packs. Throw in vascular support and fighting inflammation from exertion, and you have the Peak Performance Nutrition Pack. Using that pack as a base, Melaleuca adds a combination of supplements to create four specialized packs: brain health, bone and joint health, metabolic health, and heart health. The Peak Performance Brain Pack is the one I use. Then for the person who says, "I need all of that!" There is the Peak Performance Total Health Pack. It contains all of the vitamins and supplements mentioned. *(Product links don't go to the products on mobile phones.)

On the subjective side, I do feel it is helping my energy levels, improved sexual functioning, and my body is doing as well as can be expected, given how much I workout and play Pickle Ball. Brain focus seems to have improved, as well as the sight in my left eye. I say this is the subjective side because improvements tend to be gradual and I can't guarantee that they aren't due to other factors.

I should note that Melaleuca encourages one to go 90 days on one of the Peak Performance Packs before noting improvements. I'm into the second month taking these. I'll try to give an update at the 90 day mark as to the final notes on what is different.

However, there was one definitive improvement I noticed within the first week. One of the "gifts" Parkinson's has given me is constipation. It became bad for quite some time, but I found it could be controlled with magnesium and fiber decently well. Wasn't the perfect solution, but overall it worked.

So when I contemplated switching from the supplement list I was taking to this vitamin pack, I noticed that the combined total magnesium in the pack was less than what I had been taking. So when I started taking these, I braced myself for the return of constipation.

However, the exact opposite happened. My bowel movements became near-perfect regular, even better than pre-Parkinson's. It has stayed that way the entire time I've been on them. My guess is the probiotic has something to do with it. I was taking a probiotic before, but apparently it wasn't nearly as effective as Melaleuca's.

I should also add that my wife had been taking a competitor's vitamins to help her with pain due to cleaning houses all day. They were helping, but they were also costly and didn't include some of the benefits Melaleuca's did without adding them in, making it even more expensive. So my wife gave one of Melaleuca's packs a try. She reported it did just as good as the competitor's, if not better. She's still in month one of taking them.

I also like the pre-packed packets. Each 30 day set has an AM and a PM packet containing all the supplements to take. Convenient and easy to take on trips.

So far, I'm impressed. Look for a future update when I've been taking them for 90 days.

Bottom line: Melaleuca's vitamins can't be beat for proven health benefits both scientific and testimonial based. There's a vitamin combo for most any budget, ranging from $16 to $119 at prefered customer discounts as of this date.

You can't go wrong. To get these vitamins and supplements, as well as many other high-quality but affordable products, submit a request for more information about how to join the club on our contact page.

Do it now before you forget!

Special Membership Offer!

NEWS FLASH!

Melaleuca is running a special promotional membership price to the end of this month. From now until May 31st, you can become a member for $1.00!

You read that right!

One American dollar will open the door to Melaleuca's amazing wellness products at discounted prices of 30% to 50% off retail!

That is a discount of $18.00 off the already low price of $19.00 per year. When you consider all you get with this membership into the largest online wellness buying club, you'd be crazy not to take advantage of this awesome deal! Browse the over 500 high-quality products to see what I'm talking about.

Contact us to sign up. But hurry if you want to get in for $1.00. There are only 7 days left on this special offer. Do it now. You won't be sorry.

Welcome!

This is where we will be posting Melaleuca product reviews and any other general news of interest to our club members. We might even post an opinion on a related topic occasionally.

So you don't miss out on anything, be sure to follow/subscribe to the blog post either by email or RSS feed to the right. You can use the search function to find a specific review or post or browse using the archive links further down. (Some of these functions not available on mobile phones.)

Thank you for your interest in a healthier life!