I’ve been noticing the leaves are changing their colors as I drive around town. We have a couple of gorgeous sugar maple trees in Wauconda – the kind that turn that brilliant orange-yellow and light up the entire street. I just revel in their color and beauty every time I see them – and wish I had one in my yard! I might have to make that a condition for removing some overgrown apple trees in the backyard…. We’ll see.
I, for one, cannot believe it’s October already. These days are going by so quickly! I’m already in the 6th week of home school, and it’s time to start thinking about Christmas! Our family tradition is to make a calendar for our immediate family members for Christmas. We all work on it – the children make the artwork for the months, I input everyone’s birthdays into my Excel file and make color copies of the artwork, and Glen takes care of all the printing. Our families have come to expect it – and I hear that it gets an annual review by an advertising agency’s art department. The pressure is on! Guess we’d best get started!
In this month’s newsletter:
1. Healthy Home Tips
2. Stay Healthy as You Go Out
3. Big Companies Find Going Green Saves Big Cash
4. Get Clean Cost Comparison
5. Shaklee Tip of the Month
6. Want to Cinch an Inch or Two?
7. Save Money This Month
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1. Healthy Home Tips (Daily Herald, September 18, 2006)
We’re going to be spending lots of time in our houses this winter, so here are some tips to keep you healthier.
Living Room:
*display nature shots and family photos to reduce stress, anxiety and boost your mood.
*choose leather or “pleather” furniture to reduce allergens such as dust & pollen.
*chose wood, tile or linoleum to reduce allergens – which love carpet. If you have wall-to-wall carpet, vacuum weekly with a HEPA-filter equipped vacuum cleaner.
Bedroom:
*avoid down-filled bedding as it’s a sanctuary for dust mites and other allergens
*chose natural fabric sheets instead of synthetic. They absorb sweat better, reducing your risk for acne.
*banish the TV – just one hour of the TV or computer screen glow can upset your sleeping rhythm, making it harder to get to sleep.
Kitchen:
*a well-lit kitchen prevents overeating. (personal testimony here: The bulb in our main light blew out this week, we haven’t had the time to replace it. I’ve been struggling with the munchies this week like I did before I started Cinch. Guess I’d better get that bulb replaced soon!)
*Post the Poison Control Center’s number next to your phone: 800.222.1222.
*Soap and water will kill the germs that help prevent colds. Avoid anti-bacterial soaps as they could promote antibacterial resistance. A good option is this new hand wash. It's a non-antibacterial cleanser - which is really hard to find right now. It comes in the starter kit, or you can order it separately here. Of course, this non-toxic cleanser will tackle all your cleaning needs too.
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2. Stay Healthy as You Go Out (Daily Herald 10/2/2006; www.webmd.com)
Dodge colds and flus this winter by using your own pen, instead of the germy pen handed to you by the checkout clerk, waitress, or especially the doctor’s office receptionist.
***
A small study done by a doctor in Virgina shows that hotel rooms harbor germs.
“To my surprise, in a hotel room occupied overnight by an adult with a cold, everything from television remote controls, telephones, light switches, and faucets were contaminated" with cold viruses, says J. Owen Hendley, MD, in a University of Virginia Health System news release.
The participants in the study had colds and checked into hotel rooms. They used tissues and washed their hands, yet the researchers found the virus germs (rhinovirus) on all sorts of surfaces in the hotel room.
Remember, that rhinovirus is most easily spread by hand-to-hand contact, but it can be passed less efficiently from surfaces for "at least one day," Hendley's team writes.
So, no need to panic, but a good reason to pack non-toxic cleansing wipes and an mobile air purifier when you travel.
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3. Big Companies Find Going Green Saves Big Cash (www.usnews.com)
Big business is now realizing how saving the earth can not only save them money, but also make them money too. In a recent issue of US News & World Report, chemical company DuPont was featured as one company who has voluntarily slashed energy usage and green house gas emissions, which are now 72% below 1990 levels.
This has saved DuPont $3 billion (yes, with a ‘b’), and has increased their business by 30%. DuPont’s chief sustainability officer, Linda Fisher explains it was a long process that required them to analyze every plant and every process to become more efficient. However, the end result has been worth it – the money saved, the increase in efficiency and business, and less harmful effects on the environment.
As the big businesses realize that environmental stewardship is good for business, we’ll see more and more stories like this one.
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4. Cost Comparison between chemical cleaner, and non-toxic cleaners
You and I may not be emitting the kinds of green house gases that a company like DuPont used to, but we can each do our part to take care of our environment. The cool thing is that we can follow DuPont’s model, and not only save money, but make money as well! It may not be quite $3 billion saved, but what about saving $3,000? Would that make a difference in your bottom line?
This non-toxic cleaner starter kit replaces $3400 worth of products for only $135 (member price). Does that sound a bit incredible? It did to me, so I went to my local Wal-Mart – with my four children in tow – and did some cost comparisons. Here are my results (equivalent number of bottles are based on the Get Clean Product Bulletin):
Fantastik: 60 bottles @ $1.78 = $106.80
Windex: 728 bottles @ $4.44 = $3,232.32
Cascade: 2.5 boxes @ $2.38 = $5.95
Downy: 3 bottles @ $4.28 = $12.84
Woolite: $4.74
Clorox Wipes: $2.33
Soft Scrub: $2.66
Bounce: $3.24
Tide: $6.64 (100oz)
Mr. Clean (couldn't find MopNGlow)= 25.5 bottles @ $2.47 = $63.23
Total Wal-Mart cost = $3,441.75
How incredible is that? Obviously, the biggest money savings is with Windex. But, even if you paid just $1 a bottle for an off-brand of Windex, you’d still save over $600 – that’s pretty significant money.
And, by the way, the comparison doesn’t even include the hand wash or the dish wash. Those are a bonus savings, included in the kit. Plus, in the kit you get all the tools you need to get started using the super-concentrated cleaners – including spray bottles, soap dispensers and microfiber cleaning clothes & sponges – my favorite!
As I was dragging my kids around the store, I realized other intangible benefits to buying my favorite brand instead of Wal-Mart (besides the obvious – non-toxic, safe cleaners).
1) The smell near the fabric softeners nearly knocked me over – literally. I’m sensitive to scents, and I was lucky to get out of that aisle without a headache of the worst kind.
2) I had to make a special trip to Wal-Mart to check out prices. Why? Because I only go there once or twice a year. I don't need to because all my personal care products are delivered right to my door. Convenient? Yes. But with four children with me, it also saves me the aggravation of the whining and begging that Wal-Mart inevitably brings about, and the money I would be tempted to spend (that I know some of my friends are spending) to buy their kids something just to stop the begging.
3) Buying a starter kit is the equivalent of planting 10 trees. I know I don’t have the space to plant 10 trees in my yard – so this is really cool. (Click here to see how they figured that out!)
While you’re saving money by “going green,” tell your friends about these great starter kits and you will start making money too. It’s simple.
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6. Want to lose an inch or two?
I cannot tell you how much I love this new weight management program. It’s so easy to use and tastes so good – I actually look forward to my shakes & bars each day!
So far, I’ve lost 10 pounds and 2.5” on my hips, 1.5” on my waist. I’ve also lost some on my thighs and chest, but haven’t measured to see the difference. Even though I’ve not lost as much as some of my friends who are on the program, I’m still thrilled with it, because I feel so much better since I’ve been on it. This past week has been a bit more difficult – not enough sleep, combined with a trip out of town doesn’t bode well for losing weight on this or any other diet!. However, I can tell you I’ve at least maintained my weight loss, and haven’t gained any back. How amazing is that?
Intrigued, but still not sure?
*call 925.924.3030 for a 3-minute call that explains why the difference between this weight loss program and any other program on the market today.
*visit this site to read up on this easy weight loss program, and see actual results (I met some of these people in San Francisco – they really exist!)
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