“A healthy outside starts from the inside.” Robert Urich
This post has been written by Shannon Health Warrior. She is amazing.
Let’s be real though, the chicken and the egg have a few things to add to that quote, because what we PUT INSIDE our bodies comes from OUTSIDE lol!
We all have those days. Out the door early, lunch on the road, too queezy for breakfast, had to work through lunch, gotta hurry out the door for practice, running late, no time for dinner, need a pre work-out boost, want the kids to start the day off right… you name it, we could all add to this list.
A simple, time efficient staple I encourage every kitchen stock for maintaining a healthy eating style is… a clean, safe, nutrient dense health shake!
Meal replacement or health shakes are a useful tool for maintaining our health! From hectic days around the house, to life on the go, shakes can provide quality nutrition as well as assist in reaching any health goals we may have.
Trouble is, there’s a lot of boohockey and hullabuloo involved in the food industry… specifically the category of meal replacement or health shakes. MLM’s the world over all have their spin on the “perfect shake” Which companies can be trusted and which ones are grinding up sawdust and selling it to me? Grab Dr. Ginger's free 'Shake Down Report' here. She reviews the top selling shakes and ingredients. Quite surprising!
Here are two tips I have learned to help me find the real health supporting shakes in the midst of the chaos:
- 1Look for 3rd party certifications. Labels and insides do not have to match in the industry. If you suffer from sensitivities or allergies, find companies who test their ingredients and have obtained certifications saying their products have integrity; you increase your chances for finding a winner!
- 2Learn which ingredients do not support your health goals, and develop a personal “Never” list. If you don’t know what an ingredient on a label does, look it up. If it’s not in alignment with your health goals, reduce or eliminate your consumption. I have developed a list of ingredients over the years that don’t align with my health goals. We’ll discuss one of them here today!
Personally, mornings are a challenge for me. I struggle with nausea and am not usually friendly till between 9 and 10am. But I still need some nutrition to get my day started. Having a clean shake to sip on throughout my morning is a real asset to starting my day in a productive way.
The only trouble is, there are some serious deceptions in the health shake industry that can harm many individuals.
Just because it looks healthy on the front of the package, doesn’t make it healthy through and through. Shakes often advertise one or two good ingredients on the front of the label, but include ingredients in their formula that are NOT real health ingredients.
Dig into the dirty little secrets on the back. Some are even ingredients that can sabotage your health and set back your goals!
One of the first ingredients on my personal “Never” list is whey.
What’s up with whey?
Whey contains lactose. Lactose is the main sugar present in milk.
According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, “some 30 million to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant.” Consuming lactose for those who are lactose intolerant can cause GI troubles!
For anyone working on their gut health, it is best to avoid commercial whey in your food products and health shakes.
According to holistic doctor and nutrition expert, Dr. Ginger, “Most whey proteins are derived from the cheese of commercial dairy cows, pumped up with rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone), fed not grass, but GMO corn or soy, and in turn doused with antibiotics.”
She goes on to share, “Whey protein is traditionally designed as a “gainer” of weight and can lead to metabolic acidosis and wasting of bone/osteoporosis.”
Metabolic acidosis is when the body is producing too much acid.
Health Hint: Disease loves a more acidic body. It’s where health challenges thrive.
The body is healthier and more capable of reversing disease when it is in an alkaline state. Whey can contribute to poor bone density and making your body a more acidic, disease friendly place.
It opposes our goal of getting the body to a more alkaline, disease resistant state.
So head to the kitchen and flip over your shake mix or protein powder! Take a close look at the ingredients to see if this deal breaker ingredient is listed.
If it is, don’t worry! Clean, safe shakes are out there and are a huge support to achieving health goals.
No company is perfect, but there are a few with integrity who do their best to produce real, clean, health products. Schedule a call with me here: Learn about a unique, clean professional grade line of nutritional supplements that made a huge difference in our health.
What is your favorite on-the-go ‘go-to’ food?
