If you are finding yourself comparing yourself to others it is important to remember the great quote by Theodore Roosevelt, "Comparison is the thief of joy." Social media has highlighted our insecurities when we look at the lives of others.  We need to remember that people only show their best sides, their life highlight reels.  Carefully curated - you rarely see people letting it all hang out...the ugly sides of life. You are perfect as you are.  You are whole and complete whether others acknowledge that or not.  On days when you forget this - stay off social media friends.  xo  

Today’s Health Tip

Comparison is the thief of JOY

In this episode I talk about the importance of an accountability partner when goal setting.  When we make a plan and are held accountable to that plan the chances of follow through are very high.  When we tell just ourselves that tomorrow we will go to the gym but then get invited out for drinks after work and we only have ourselves to disappoint it’s easy to let ourselves down.  Interesting, isn’t it? Want to get fit? Hire a personal trainer. Make appointments and stick to it. A gym membership guarantees you nothing. You gotta do the work. Want to lose weight? Weight Watchers works! Why? Because they hold you accountable.  It’s you that’s gotta do the work. Training for a marathon?  It’s hard to motivate for a 12 mile run alone on a Sunday morning.  Much easier when a group from the running club is counting on you to show up. You gotta get yourself there first, right? Whatever your goals are - seek out a mentor, a teacher, a practitioner or a friend to be your accountability partner.  Reminding you that you alone must first choose a goal and find an accountability partner but then the work begins. Making changes and reaching goals takes work.  There are no two ways about it. In many ways I serve as an accountability partner for the Wellness clients I work with.  Weekly check-ins to mark progress, the use of a wellness journal to watch trends, a detailed plan of action with steps and milestones on the journey to wellness.  For more information you can email me at melissa@theguudcompany.com It’s something to consider if you want to make some changes and have been struggling to go it alone.   #fitness #wellness #weightloss #accountabilitypartner #wellnesscoach #goalsetting #meetyourgoals #healthiswealth #motivation #training #showupforyourself #dowhatyousayyouwill

Why you need an Accountability Partner

In this episode I talk about how to find the right practitioner and I use the words interchangeably "doctor" and "practitioner".  Really it's about how to find someone to help you with your health.  The best place to start is by asking your friends or colleagues that you think are healthy about who they see to maintain their health. You should create a list of practitioners to interview. Next, you need to come up with a list of qualifying questions. A qualifying question might be something like, “Does this doctor use any alternative treatments or techniques or does he or she rely entirely on pharmaceutical products?”  Another might be “Does this doctor only see patients out of this office or are there other opportunities for an appointment?” which might be important if you are trying to get in immediately or if you have mobility and transportation problems. Whatever the questions that you deem important to making your decision are the questions you should have a list of at the ready. Then, call the doctor’s office and ask those qualifying questions of either the practice manager or the doctor directly. This is how I initially found my Lyme disease doctor. When I called her practice and asked what percentage of patients in her practice have Lyme disease, and the answer was 100%, I knew I was in the right place. Please understand that the first appointment with this practitioner should be considered an interview. You are interviewing them about their ideas on your health based on their findings. And I think that's an important distinction to make, you are simply getting advice from someone more qualified than you but ultimately it is your decision what you do with the information you are given. Finally, if your practitioner is not suggesting lifestyle recommendations (diet, hydration, mindfulness, movement, and better sleep) as the first step in healing you I highly suggest you find a new practitioner. Our Wellness is built on our daily habits. I'm going to say it again for the people in the back, "Our Wellness is based on our daily habits” and the people we are looking to for information on how to keep ourselves healthy should be working with us to educate and encourage us to be our own healers first. -- Come see me on Instagram www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki 

How to find the right doctor.

Inspired by a client question - today I give you a few quick tips about the easiest way to take supplements and how to teach kids to take supplements. Like what you hear?  More on www.theguudcompany.com or come visit me on Instagram www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki  

Easier way to take supplements

True detox is not about a few day juice cleanse, a fast or just abstaining from alcohol...true detox begins when we stop letting toxins in. Chemicals in food, water, personal care products, cleaning supplies....they are everywhere.  Did you know that there are over 800,000 registered man made chemicals in the United States alone?  FYI - none of them have any reason to be inside out bodies, yet our toxic loads increase to the point where our body burden is too much for us to bear - and we get sick. The second step of detox is to make sure that our bodies are ABLE to detox.  Drainage pathways must be open.  Kidneys filtering, liver producing adequate bile, lymph flowing, skin sweating......and that we are pooping twice a day. Without these pathways open you will simply RETOX yourself as mobilized toxins will have no way out. Make sense? Come see my instagram where I talk about this all the time www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki   Or visit us on the web at www.theguudcompany.com 

The truth about DETOX

Please note this is a replay. Wanted to share because of all the hype between Gwenyth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian about their OURA ring scores.  Check it out on Instagram if you missed it. Come see me while you are at it @melissahallklepacki Get your own and start making small changes to improve your wellness at www.ouraring.com 

The OURA ring for optimal performance

From the World Health Organization: Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain molds (fungi) and can be found in food. The molds grow on a variety of different crops and foodstuffs including cereals, nuts, spices, dried fruits, apples and coffee beans, often under warm and humid conditions. Mycotoxins can cause a variety of adverse health effects and pose a serious health threat to both humans and livestock. The adverse health effects of mycotoxins range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer. Both Aflatoxins and Ochratoxins are the most common types of molds/mycotoxins we see in the body.   I am currently working with Cell Core Biosciences Mold Protocol to remove these toxins from my body.  Follow me on instagram www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki and look for my story highlight on Mold where I show you the products I am using. If you are interested in learning more about the CellCore products or working with me on your wellness please reach out to melissa@theguudcompany.com  

A deeper look at MOLD/MYCOTOXINS

I use a small weekly planner that I bought at the drugstore as a way to track my daily health. Watching my diet, my weight, my symptoms...recording any new symptoms or events I am able to track trends and share any ongoing health trends with my doctor. Listen in today for how I use this and why you should consider a using something similar if you have wellness goals. Come find me on Instagram www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki

How to use a daily health tracker

If you have been struggling with health and you are getting no where....perhaps your bloodwork and studies appear normal but you don't feel "well".....it might be time to consider deeper causes. Toxic Mold Parasites  Heavy Metals We are going to dive into these topics over the next couple of weeks.  We will talk about how to avoid them in the first place, how to know if you have them and finally, how to get them out! Topics like foods to avoid, supplements you can take to help your body detox, practices for better elimination, testing and how to find the right doctor will all be covered. I'm excited to learn and I hope you will join me.  Please tell a friend if you know someone who has been struggling to listen and learn along with us. For future reference: all supplements I talk about can be found here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/melissaklepacki  and are discounted for you. Our family did the 23andme genetic test which gives you the raw data you will need for the sites I discuss when we look at detox can be found here:  www.23andme.com  Come find me on instagram where I can show you the test I am doing for mycotoxins: www.instagram.com/melissahallklepacki 

Digging deeper into the CAUSE of what ails you; toxic mold and mycotoxins

What if your shoes could reduce pressure and demand on your feet and joints? So instead of feeling fatigue, pain, and tightness, you were left feeling recharged? Magic, right? Actually, it’s science—the science behind OOFOS recovery footwear. That's direct from their website www.oofos.com I personally own 4 pair.  These have been the only shoes (besides running shoes) that I have worn for months.   It is like walking on marshmallows with extra arch support. If you are on your feet all day, these are for you.  Runners, walkers try these are a workout and a long shower...your feet will thank you. Available on their website, Zappos and Amazon.  Basic slides are $50 And they are machine washable!

Oofos - footwear for living

Greenwashing is the is a form of marketing spin in which green PR (green values) and green marketing are deceptively used to persuade the public that an organization's products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly and therefore ‘better’ for us or the planet. Some examples to watch out for: Use of the word NATURAL.  THe FDA takes natural to mean that nothing artifical or synthetic has been added to a food that you normally would not expect to be there.  Also FDA policy states that "natural" does not convey and health or nurtitional benefits. NON-GMO is being used all over packaging/products that don't contain any ingredients that could be GMO.  Good to note here that we have 10 GMO foods here in the USA: alfalfa, apple, canola, cotton, corn (sweet corn and field corn NOT POPCORN), papaya, potato, soybean, squash and sugar beets. SUPERFOOD is just a marketing term. CLEAN means nothing in particular. Sustainably sourced. Consciously crafted. Ethically made.  ALL MEAN VERY LITTLE.  Claims that are not often backed up by much of anything. Next time you are at the market, take a look at how many buzz words pop out at you. Then just buy real food, no bag...no box.

What is Greenwashing?

The best way to protect yourself if you are going to be outside for long periods of time is to spray your clothes with Permethrin.  You'll need to do this outside in a well ventilated area, wearing a mask and gloves.  I like to spray pants from the knee down, socks and shoes, hats and the collars and arms of shirts (front and back). Clothing will need to completely dry for 24 hours before wearing and will hold up thru several washings. Available at EMS, REI and Amazon. Here is a link http://bit.ly/GuudPermethrin

Lyme Disease Prevention

If your regular Physician won't test you at a preferred Lyme lab OR if you test positive for Lyme or a co-infection, you will want to find a Lyme Literate Physician. If you use this link https://www.ilads.org/patient-care/provider-search/ you can register for an account and receive a list of Physicans in your area who are trained to treat Lyme Disease and co-infections. Listen in for more! www.instagram.com/theguudcompany     

Lyme Disease Awareness: Find a Doctor

Tick checks are imperative if you have been outside.  I make my kids take showers after being outside. Listen in for what to do if you find a tick crawling on you or if one has bitten you.  Proper tick removal will ensure you aren't letting it inject more toxins into you. If you have been bitten SAVE THE TICK and have it tested. Some States offer free tick testing.  Check with your health department. In Pennsylvania - http://bit.ly/GuudLymePATest   Other labs include:   www.tickchek.com  www.ticknology.com Please share what you are learning with others.  Lyme is in every State in the USA and over 80 Countries world wide.  We need knowledge for prevention.

Lyme Disease Awareness: Tick checks and removal.

I know we are in the midst of a Corona Pandemic however I'd be remiss if I didn't touch on Lyme Disease as my dogs started bringing in ticks last weekend.  With a beautiful warm Spring upon us and parents urging kids to play outside during this quarantine, we are faced with a big potential for a Lyme problem. Listen in all week for info on Lyme Disease and co-infecitons and be sure to share this with those you know worried about Lyme Disease. For more information: www.ilads.org Come join me on Tuesdays at Noon EST on Clubhouse for Lyme Chat.  You can find m @melissaklepacki

PLEASE LISTEN!! Lyme Disease Basics

“Today’s Health Tip” delivers quick daily tips for a healthier lifestyle in your daily flash briefing on the Amazon Echo devices, Apple Homepod or through iTunes as a podcast.