Blog Archives - Slim Up Be Healthy

Slim Up Be Healthy

What is "Bioavailability?"

5/11/2022

Bioavailable refers to the rate at which a product or nutrient is absorbed into your body and is available to help produce healthy cells. This is especially important when taking supplements.

Why do our bodies not absorb vitamins?
There are 2 factors:
...the way our body functions
...the quality of the product

The worse culprit is stress. When your body is under stress, your digestive system “shuts down.” So, when you are under stress it is more important to take healthy supplements that have a higher rate of being absorbed and keeping you healthy. Need some tips on how to better manage your stress? Here is a course that has some great tips and activities "Stress Management for Daily Living."

Also, if your intestines are “blocked” you may not be able to absorb nutrients from your food and supplements. Many people do not eat enough fiber. It is also a good idea to do a healthy cleanse a couple of times a year to “clean your system.” The 7-Day Healthy Cleanse program I found to be awesome. I felt so energized and healthy. Not interested in a cleanse diet? You may want to get the individual products of the cleansing and detox herbs.

Second, not all products and vitamin supplements are made from healthy or natural ingredients. For example, Tums is a source of calcium, and while it may give you some temporary relief as an antacid, it is not a good source of calcium for your bones because it is not absorbed into the bloodstream effectively.

Price is often a determining factor for some people when chosing a vitamin supplement. The more “expensive” supplements have more research behind their ingredients and process to make sure of their bioavailability.

It has long been thought that some synthetic or cheap vitamins do not break down and pass straight through the body and are not absorbed at all and go straight down the toilet! They become a waste of money because they have not done what you have paid to have them do and that is to help you build healthy cells. So, please do not let price be the determining factor in what vitamins you buy.

Here is how you can tell:
The “water” test: Drop your vitamin supplement into a glass of water. How long does it take to break apart? Does it sit on the bottom of the glass “forever?”
The supplement should break apart with in a very short amount of time. The particles that float to the top are the ones that are absorbed in your stomach and the particles that are closer to the bottom of the glass of water are the ones that go down and are absorbed by in your intestines.

The “burn” test: Put your vitamin on some tin foil and then place it in the oven at 450 degrees. Be sure to open the windows because some supplements will really smell!
Biologists will tell you that anything that is “natural” will turn to ash… similar to the logs you burn in the fireplace. If your supplement melts to a sticky substance, the product is not all natural. Synthetics and plastics are not what you want in your system and that reduces the chances that you have fed your cells with healthy nutrients.

Here is what Shaklee states about the bioavailability of their products:
"S.M.A.R.T.™ Technology
Our supplement strips Vitalizer™ are formulated with Shaklee Micronutrient Advanced Release Technology™, our unique, patented delivery system designed to optimize absorption of key nutrients in the body. The multivitamin in the Vitalizer strips, Vita-Lea® is designed to dissolve in less than 30 minutes in the stomach and to enhance absorption of folic acid from the patented microcoating. And our B+C Complex in both strips provides up to 198% greater absorption of B vitamins over 12 hours, as shown in a clinical study, through sustained-release delivery to the small intestine.” (Naturally Blog)

So, what other proof can I give you that Shaklee products work and why you may want to give them a try?

Well, here is one more...
Vitamin supplements are actually relevantly “new.” Therefore, there has been no scientific tests available to determine the long-term effects of taking supplements…until recently. A longitudinal study called the Landmark Study was done to determine the effects of taking supplements for 25-30 years. The results compared people who took Shaklee supplements to those who took other supplements and those who just “ate right.”
People who took Shaklee over a period of time had significantly better health.

What is the ROI (return on investment) of taking vitamin supplements?

The health and energy I have from taking Shaklee supplements is priceless.

Best way to get started is the Ready Set Wellness plan to see the difference Shaklee can make in your health.

What is BMI?

5/10/2022

BMI stands for Body Mass Index.
What does this measure? This is a measurement for determining if you are a healthy weight for your height. Your BMI puts you in a “weight category” … are you underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obese.

BMI is only a first step to help you determine if you are in a healthy weight range or if you may have a health risk. There are other factors that may contribute to a higher BMI and you may want to check with your health care provider to be sure.

Check out the BMI calculator from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and see your BMI. https://bit.ly/3OORcuF

However, even if you are in a healthy range, you may still want to lose weight in order to feel better about your body weight or to continue to improve your health.

For many years I stayed at the higher end of my healthy BMI weight range. While I felt good, I struggled with feeling comfortable. . I found that the Prove It Challenge program helped me to break that comfort zone and finally reach my desired weight. I feel so much more comfortable and look even better in my clothes! And I know I have less health risk being at the lower end of the BMI scale for my height.

Sometimes when we feel “comfortable” it is not easy to motivate ourselves to lose the last 5-10 pounds we feel we should lose. Message me for a copy of my free E-Book “5 Steps to Motivate Yourself to Reach Your Fitness Goals.”