Month / February 2015

by tessbrennan

$20 Running Shoes and Other Great Bargains!

Yesterday, I walked into Costco in saw a pallet with a bunch of $20 running shoes. I was so excited at this great deal and they looked like all my other running shoes. I have with 1,000’s of miles on those shoes and I needed a pair for daily work. I happily threw them in my cart with all of my other bulk supplies, checked out and headed home.

I took them out of the box at home and they were so light, I thought wow that’s awesome. And then I put them on.

My $20 tennis… I got what I paid 4. I got a pair that on the outside looked just the same as the others I own at home, however when I put them on… I again was forced to realize the differences between a $20 pair of shoes and my much more than $20 shoes.

My other running shoes have exceptional arch support that you can feel when you take a step, they support my feet and do what they’re supposed to do. These new shoes are flat inside with no support. 😦

I’ve had other bargains that I’ve tried in the past.

I tried a different brand of laundry detergent once. I thought a cheaper box of soap could save me some money. In reality this new laundry detergent caused my clothes to become dingy, even when I used more detergent it still did not get the results I wanted. (AND my husband complained and insisted I go back to Shaklee Laundry) I went back to my already economical choice, my clothes look amazing  and I save money by spending “more” on quality product because I use significantly less. (My box of detergent costs a bit more than others, but lasts 2-3 times longer.)

The same thing goes for my daily supplements, I can buy cheaper vitamins at the store, however recent articles show us that these cheaper vitamins may not contain the ingredients promised. They also may contain other ingredients I don’t want.

For this reason it’s much more economical for me to spend the money on a supplement I know contains what it says it contains and that the company guarantees.

What’s more, the supplements I take on a daily basis have provided me with the results I wanted. For over 7 years I have felt better, I have had more energy, and I have NOT had to take 6 daily pharmaceuticals. I don’t have co-pays at doctors offices and I don’t have co-pays on those 6 pharmaceuticals every month – a HUGE savings. It would not serve me to go back to bargain vitamins that didn’t provide me with the nutrition that I need to stay healthy.

I don’t do cheap options very much anymore, and when I do they almost always prove that quality and value are more important!

I may “think” I am saving money because what I am buying looks like the other vitamin/shoes/detergent/toilet paper (that’s another story) yet it doesn’t contain what it is suppose to, SO I’ve wasted my money I will now head to the shoe store and get myself a good pair of walking shoes.

(You know its bad when your bulk purchase of toilet paper is never ending and you consider stealing tp from commercial institutions because it looks softer and more useful!)

TP

by tessbrennan

Supplements – You get what you pay for… Or do you?

Many times I’ve had people ask me why I am so picky about what supplements I take and offer to my family and clients.  I’ve gone the gamut over the years and determined that I will only purchase these from sources that I trust, COMPLETELY.  Shaklee is just that. This amazing company completes more than 100,000 quality tests on products each year to be sure they are what they say they are.

 Always_Safe

This company was founded on the principals to leave things better than you found them. Protect our clients, their neighbors, our environments, and our children!

Always_Green

Finally, our products are guaranteed to work!  100% No questions asked.  Granted, if you leave the bottle of supplements on the counter and never open them, then you cannot expect to see any difference.  But just like the thousands of people I know who have noticed a difference, you will too!Always_Works

Finally, we don’t just “say” something works, we do the clinical research, complete with third party reviews and many journal postings from our evidence based research and results!

Clinical_Research

Its sad when we hear reports of other companies not being true to their word, only true to their own bottom dollar. 😦  This was evidenced in today’s news reports. I have linked the article to the title below.

MAJOR RETAILERS ACCUSED OF SELLING
ADULTERATED HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

(Date Posted: 2/3/2015)

On February 3, 2015, the New York State Attorney General announced that his office sent letters to four major retailers, GNC, Target, Walmart, and Walgreens, for allegedly selling store brand herbal supplement products in New York that either could not be verified to contain the labeled substance, or which were found to contain ingredients not listed on the labels. The letters, sent Monday, call for the retailers to immediately stop the sale of certain popular products, including Echinacea, Ginseng, St. John’s Wort, Saw Palmetto, Valerian, and Ginkgo.

The letters come as DNA testing, performed as part of an ongoing investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, allegedly shows that, overall, just 21% of the test results from store brand herbal supplements verified DNA from the plants listed on the products’ labels — with 79% coming up empty for DNA related to the labeled content or verifying contamination with other plant material.

The letters to retailers have been posted by The New York Times and are searchable by retailer and type of product.

If you would like more information on OUR AMAZING supplements or how you could build your own steady stream of income from partnering with us, contact me.

by tessbrennan

Scrumptious Saute’d Brussels Sprouts

I had the munchies this AM so I fixed myself one of my favorite treats! Saute’d Brussel Sprouts and mixed veggies. This amazingly flavorful treat is full of nutrient dense bites and fiber.  Only 122 calories per serving and so much goodness!

This is SO easy and has so much flavor! (Makes 2 servings)

Begin by chopping your veggies:

4-5 fresh brussel sprouts, sliced in half
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1    small onion, sliced or chopped
1    carrot chopped
3    cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped or halved.

Pour 1 TBSP grape seed oil (it has a higher flash point and is safer for saute’ing than is EVOO) into a skillet or pan. (We use iron skillets) and heat over medium heat.

Add sprouts, cut side down and all other veggies to hot oil. Cover the pan and let them cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When you notice the color of your produce begins to really POP and your onions and sprouts have begun to caramelize, Move them to a bowl and enjoy.

* Sometimes, I add a sprinkle of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for a different pop of flavor.