1. Add a high-quality protein powder to your daily regime
According to a study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (February 2024), increased dietary protein intake was associated with healthier aging Healthy aging was defined as being free from 11 major chronic diseases, having good mental health, and not having impairments in either cognitive or physical function, In addition, the Journal of Sports Medicine (October 2020) reported that protein supplementation and a protein intake of 1.6 g/kg of body weight daily combined with resistance training results in muscle growth. And finally, pre-sleep intake of the protein to ensure optimal daily intake has been shown to promote benefits on both muscle and bone growth according to the latest research stated in Nutrients (June 2020). So drink your protein supplement at bedtime to achieve your intake goal for the day if necessary.
Protein supplements are comprised primarily of protein (as compared to a meal replacement supplement that may contain protein, carb and fat sources) and are best suited for use before bed and in smoothie recipes or in a shaker cup as an on-the-go option that does not require blending. Since most smoothie recipes have other ingredients as sources of fat and carbohydrates, such as avocado or nut butters and fruit respectively, using a protein powder as your protein source avoids adding more fat or carbs to the recipe. Powders can also be used to increase the protein content of recipes for pancakes, muffins, yogurt and fruit bowls, and so forth. You can choose whey, casein, egg or beef protein as animal-based options. Pea, hemp, rice, soy or pumpkin are common plant-based selections.If you regularly eat soy, rice or eggs, I recommend choosing supplements from alternate protein sources so that you can vary your dietary intake and reduce the risk of food sensitivities. You should consider the following points when purchasing a protein powder:
• It should be free of artificial sweeteners, including sucralose, aspartame and acesulfame potassium.
• Grass-fed products may still be treated with growth hormone and antibiotics, so a certified organic protein powder could be a better option if you would like to avoid exposure to these compounds. Look for whey proteins that say they are hormone-free on the label.
Cheaper protein powders will not be hormone free and will tend to contain artificial sweeteners. Costco provides options for whey protein that are affordable, but they are not hormone or artificial sweetener free like Dream Protein, So, this explains the difference – and if you are consuming the product daily – you want to make sure this is the case. For a vegan option we recommend Pea and Rice protein.
2. Support your liver and digestive system for 30-days
As seen in Integrative Medicine (September 2022), exposure to environmental toxins contributes to both acute and chronic illnesses and is of growing concern. The importance of the microbiome to gastrointestinal (GI), as well as systemic health, has been the topic of much research recently. The microbiome influences health, and can either be a source of beneficial metabolites, or contribute to poor health. Dysbiosis, particularly in the GI tract, or oral cavity is a source of toxicity in the form of proinflammatory compounds These compounds then must be cleared by the liver from the circulation and contributes to overall workload of the liver. Bacterial overgrowth in the GI tract has also been shown to be a contributing factor to liver disease. Herbal medicines like those in Clear Detox- Hormonal Health and Clear Detox- Digestive Health can have beneficial effects on microbial balance, digestive function and liver function as well as favor probiotic abundance, while addressing the overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Additionally, the ingredients in both products also offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting activities. Inclusion of these herbal medicines for 30 days can used to modulate the microbiome and is a novel therapeutic target to reduce toxins and total toxic load in the liver and digestive system. These products were formulated in 2008 and have been used by thousands of readers of #1 bestselling The Hormone Diet, which over 275,000 copies have been sold and the New York Times Bestseller Supercharged Hormone Diet. (both books include instructions for 14-day Hormone Diet detox and recipes).
3. Stop checking your weight – start checking your muscle mass
You can do this by purchasing a scale that measures your lean body mass (muscle mass), fat mass, hydration, and visceral fat. You want to see the fat mass and visceral fat decrease while the muscle mass increases or at least stays the same. I recommend the Renpho Scale that works with an app on your mobile device, costs only $46 bucks, is super user friendly and has thousands of five star reviews on Amazon. It is essential that you are not losing muscle during a fat loss program and this scale will help you to determine just this.
4. Reset your sleep and protect your brain cells
Magnolia bark, otherwise known as Relora, is commonly used for reducing the stress hormone cortisol as studies have shown it can reduce cortisol and raise the anti-aging, antistress hormone DHEA in some intances in as little as two weeks. The benefits of this change include improvements in broken sleep patterns like waking between 2 – 4 am, a reduction in sweet or carbohydrate cravings, encouragement of the loss of belly fat, reduced anxiety and tension and improved immunity. Biofactors (November 2017) reported neuroprotective benefits of magnolia including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory impacts on the brain and central nervous system, which could offer protection against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The impact of magnolia can be enhanced when combined with L-theanine. The effects of four weeks L-theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions in healthy adults was assessed in a study reported in Nutrients (October 2019). Participants were 30 individuals (nine men and 21 women; age: 48.3 ± 11.9 years) who had no major psychiatric illness and they were given 200 mg of L-theanine per day. For stress-related symptoms, test scores to assess depression, anxiety, and sleep quality all improved after the 4 weeks of L-theanine. Sleep disturbances and sleep medication use also decreased, Forcognitive functions, verbal fluency and executive function scores improved after L-theanine administration. Their findings suggested that L-theanine has the potential to promote mental health in the general population with stress-related ailments and cognitive impairments. Clear Cortisol contains magnolia bark (Relora) and L-theanine. Take 2 to 3 capsules before bed.
5. Give your body an oil change with a plant-based omega
Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources, are considered Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) and they are necessary for human health. Unfortunately, the body can’t make them, they can only be obtained through food however, food processing, modern farming methods, and even “fresh” food preparation often destroy EFA’s and the result can be disastrous to your health. The Omega-6 fatty acid plays a crucial role in our brain function, as well as normal biological growth and development. Also known as Linoleic Acid (or LA), Omega-6 helps stimulate skin, hair and nail growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.
Pure Form Omega® contains evening primrose oil, high linoleic sunflower oil, pumpkin seed oil, and extra virgin coconut oil, all excellent sources of essential Omega-6, along with organic flax seed oil for essential Omega-3.
Some top reasons Pure Form is beneficial include:
1. Contains high anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid) a powerful, natural anti-inflammatory
2. Promotes superior cellular energy and improved transport across cell membranes
3. Improves cardiovascular health based on quality of Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid) of which the interior of our artery is made
4. Highly effective against osteoarthritis through dual mechanism of increased joint oxygenation and anti-inflammatory action
5. Improves our skin, hair and nails due to unadulterated Omega-6 as there is actually NO Omega-3 in the skin
6. Extracted under a blanket of nitrogen to prevent oxidation – the enemy of oils – preventing rancidity; it is also naturally preserved through the injection preservatives are required
7. Tested and exceeds Health Canada purity standards by 3000% (some of the highest health standards in the world) with no signs of rancidity or oxidation so EFA’s are fully functional.
