I am a health and wellness coach. I am a Certified, Master Life Coach.  I use many tools to assist others in reaching their healthy goals and attain improved quality of life.

The tools I use are many:

• Healthy recipes
• Classes & seminars
• Books and texts
• Safe products that promote health
• Colleagues
• Support groups
• Private coaching

As a coach, I am frequently approached by others representing direct sales companies.  I am always excited to hear about others success in this industry as it provides them a means to make the income they need, make their own hours, and a way to save money on their products as well.  Besides, I offer products from a Direct Sales Company as well.

My problem shows its ugly head when I begin to read the labels on these products. when I see the ingredients used and sold to my friends and clients, from others, knowing the damage these products can do either in the short run or the long run.  I have protein mixes that we use on a daily basis, however, others try to sway me.

1.  One “healthy shake” company touts weight loss and healthy options for meal replacements, yet when I read the label is FULL of artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. (All things I recommend my clients avoid.) When I asked my friend about this, her reply was,

Yes, they do contain those artificial ingredients, but it’s okay because they “WANT” to use the natural stuff”  

2.  Another “shake” company claims that their shakes are meant to get you ready for the beach, however, it used to state, RIGHT ON THEIR LABEL, that you could test positive for drugs or doping if you used it.  Here is the actual verbage: 

 "Ecdysterone is a naturally occurring photo-chemical compound that could be erroneously detected and flagged in synthetic steroid screening tests. That unfortunate reality caused the NFL and WADA to add ecdysterone to the list of banned substances in 2010. Athletes and anyone subject to banned substances testing should consult with their physician and athletic organization."

Also: this report: the state of CA has warned XXX BRAND that the Chocolate Shake has unacceptable levels of Lead.”

I prefer to use products from a company that thoroughly tests it’s products and ALL of its ingredients to prevent anything like this from happening, rather than using it anyway and just slapping a warning on the product.  If it could be harmful, or illegal THEY WON’T USE IT!

3.  New to the scene is a new skin care product that claims to show drastic changes in wrinkles and aging.  I have a line of skin care that I use and trust to be safe for myself as well as if my child ever got into it.  Upon researching this “new product” I found startling information about it’s main ingredient.

Although used in many different landscape situations, all parts of the oleander plant contain the glycoside oleandrin, which makes the plant one of the most poisonous in the world. All parts of the plant are toxic. It should not be used where children play or in places where it may be ingested by pets.

Symptoms of oleander poisoning may include nausea, vomiting and severe abdominal pain. There may also be an increased heart rate, or the heart may even slow down. In some cases, victims may report a yellow halo effect in their vision. Severe poisoning can lead to cardiac arrest, and individuals should seek immediate emergency care if ingestion occurs ~Wise Geek

Of course we don’t ingest this, but 90 seconds after we rub something on our skin, it enters our blood stream.  Also, little ones tend to eat anything they get their hands on or at least play in it and roll around in it…  (and… everything goes in the mouths of our tiny ones)

4,  I have a friend who offers food products and “answers” for those in a hurry to make meals, but when I read the labels and ingredients, I determined it wasn’t for us.

It’s not that I don’t want to support my friends in their endeavors, its just that I am VERY picky about what I feed and surround my family with/in.  I want the products I spend my dollars on to support our health and not cause additional stresses on our bodies.  I want the same for my clients.

So, my answer isn’t that you cannot use these other products, my answer is, you need to determine for yourself and your family what you will accept and use and what artificial products are okay.  In our household, nothing artificial is okay. (Unless it’s my hubby’s Mt. Dew – I have no say in that issue.) 

If you would like more information on products that always work, are always green, and that are ALWAYS SAFE. Contact me, I’m happy to talk with you!