As a small businesses we all know the value of a good customer.  A great deal of time and effort goes into getting a customer and maintaining them is critical to longevity in business. At Alkaye Media, we believe that getting to know the client on a personal level is often just as important as knowing them in the business sense. I would rather have staff spend 15 minutes talking to a customer than 15 minutes doing paperwork. That relationship goes a long way to understanding their needs now and in the future.

Thus is the case of the Lagrange Country Club. We had been working at the Club for various other clients when we struck up a conversation with the Banquet Manager. That single conversation led to us providing a host of other services directly to them. Thankfully, they were so happy with us that they offered to give us a testimonial. Even better, The Manager was willing to do a video testimonial. I’m sure you’ll agree that a video testimonial makes a connection much better than something in writing. Why not try that yourself?

See the video here: https://youtu.be/HOGLKTwUfl0

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Every Business and Person has a story to share. Alkaye Media is dedicated to assisting you in doing that. We create attention-getting promotional videos as well as provide digital marketing services. Video is the #1 way to tell your story. Are you using it?

Let us help you share your story. Contact Alkaye Media, (630) 971-8700. A proud member of http://www.platinumnetworkingassociates.com/

Sandy Bosch
(815) 685-4767
[email protected]

HINSDALE - Hinsdale business owners Mike and Mary Doepke, RN, were honored April 24 with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Home Helpers National Convention. Held in Nashville, the convention also included the Doepkes’ induction into the company’s Hall of Fame.

As owners of Home Helpers of Hinsdale for the past 11 years, the Doepkes are among the most respected and decorated franchise owners in the company.

“Mike and Mary have built a reputation for compassionate care, business integrity and giving back to the community,” said Cheryl Hammons, senior vice president for franchise services. “They are adored by their clients, admired by their employees and respected in the community.”

The Doepkes, of Western Springs, said they are humbled to be recognized for doing what they enjoy most – helping people to age well in their own homes.

“Mary and I are so grateful to our office staff and our wonderful group of caregivers,” Mike  Doepke said. “Our business is successful because of the people who are out there every day making life easier for our clients.”

Founded in 1997, Cincinnati-based Home Helpers is one of the nation’s leading home care franchises helping people live healthier, more independent lives in the comfort of home. With a presence in more than 600 communities across North America, Home Helpers cares for seniors, new and expectant mothers, those recovering from illness or injury and individuals facing lifelong challenges. 

Home Helpers of Hinsdale has received the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice award from Home Care Pulse and the Home Care Bureau’s A+ rating for the past two years and was honored with the 2015 Business Excellence award from the Darien Chamber of Commerce. 
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For more information, contact Home Helpers of Hinsdale at (630) 323-7231, or visit maryandmikecare.com.

Beginning around age 30, we begin to lose muscle and gain body fat every year. Specifically, age-related muscle loss occurs at an average rate of three to five percent per decade between the ages of 30 and 60 and accelerates significantly after age 60 (1). This is a serious concern since abnormally low muscle mass, know as sarcopenia, is linked to loss of strength and mobility, culminating in unhealthy aging and frailty.

The good news is that no matter your age, you can take steps to improve your muscle health. Both good nutrition and regular exercise are essential to maintaining muscle mass over time. If you want to give your muscles the best support, these are three steps you can take today to boost your muscles now and in the future.

1.      Focus on Protein
Dietary protein is essential for ensuring muscle health. A number of studies have shown that people who consume higher amounts of protein over time, maintain more muscle mass compared to those who consume less protein (2). Consuming enough protein-rich foods every day is important, but scientific studies have shown that the source of protein also matters when it comes to preventing age-associated muscle loss. For example, numerous scientific studies support whey protein as the best source of protein to promote muscle building for people of all ages (3). Additionally, scientific studies suggest timing of protein intake is important and that dividing your protein intake evenly throughout the day creates an ideal environment for maintaining and building muscle (4). So, your best strategy is to choose a balanced amount of protein at each meal and make sure you include a quality source of whey protein on a regular basis.

2.      Get Your Vitamin D
It has long been known that vitamin D is important for healthy bones but continued research has also identified a role for vitamin D in muscle function. In several recent studies, researchers found that vitamin D supplements supported improved muscle strength and balance for older adults (5). Surprisingly, one third of all U.S. adults have low levels of vitamin D, or vitamin D insufficiency (6). For people who live in southern latitudes moderate daily sun exposure can help your body make its own vitamin D, but people who live outside of the sun belt or who spend most of their time indoors are at increased risk of suboptimal vitamin D concentrations. Consuming fortified foods and supplementing with vitamin D are more reliable approaches to adequately meeting your body’s vitamin D needs.

3.      Resist Muscle Loss With Resistance Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the most important strategies for maintaining strong, lean muscle. Any type of physical activity has benefits for muscle health, but resistance exercise, such as lifting weights, is more effective for increasing muscle mass and strength (7). Regardless of your level of fitness, adding resistance exercise three days per week will have great benefits for both protecting and building muscle.
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Better Together
Each of these tips for boosting muscle health can have great benefits on its own. However, the results of a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrates that all three work together to produce combined benefits (8). In this study, researchers developed a program to help improve muscle health in older adults who had low muscle mass. The researcher’s program evaluated the use of whey protein, vitamin D supplements, and strength training exercises compared to a group of subjects who only exercised. The exercise-only group showed some improvement in muscle health; however, the group following the combined exercise and nutrition program showed significantly greater improvements in muscle health and added more than three pounds of muscle on average over the course of the 12-week study.
Muscle loss is a gradual process with effects that accumulate over time. To stop negative effects of muscle loss, it’s important for people of any age to take steps to support muscle health with sound nutrition and regular exercise. Especially when used together, whey protein, vitamin D and strength training can combine to give your muscles a boost.
 
Karen Myers
ISAGENIX – Solutions to Transform Lives
Health and Wellness
630-235-3367
www.karenmyers2.isagenix.com
[email protected]
I offer solutions; better health and a way of life!

S&D restores dumpster rooms back to the clean and serviceable areas they should be!  Below you will find before photos reflecting a soiled, high-traffic dumpster room.  The after photos display freshly painted walls and newly epoxied floors to make the room look crisp and clean.