Are All Vitamins the Same?

"Aren't all Vitamin supplements the same?" We get asked that question a lot! There is a huge difference between buying a synthetic vitamin and a whole-food vitamin. It's important to learn how to read labels and understand the ingredients used. For example, check the label of your vitamin E supplement (or multi vitamin that contains vitamin E). D-Alpha tocopherol is the scientific name for the form of natural vitamin E that is found in food and that our bodies need. If the vitamin E is synthetic, it will be listed with a DL prefix, dl-alpha-tocopherol. You can experience side effects of synthetic vitamins from the additives and the unnatural state of the synthetic supplement. It is remarkable how many natural-looking vitamin bottles with natural-sounding brand names contain a synthetic vitamin. What type of vitamin are you using?

3 types of Vitamins:

1. Test Tube or Synthetic (usually found in drug stores or discount store vitamins)–made in a test tube in a lab, to resemble the real thing. This is toxic to the body and does more harm than good!

**Imagine a Plastic Lemon from the store with juice in it. This type is the Plastic lemon with NO juice. That is basically what you are eating if you take this type of vitamin.

• No enzymes
• Man-made
• Inorganic substances
• Stimulant
• Side effects
• Can actually be more harmful to your health to take

2. Crystalline or Extracted (**Usually  in health food stores)–These start out natural, but are heated through the processing, so all live enzymes are killed. You end up with a partially live vitamin, if live at all. Most of these have harsh binders and fillers, plastic coatings, and some contain tar.

**This is the Plastic Lemon with juice. IF you can get past the plastic coating, there is a little bit of real stuff in there. However, the juice has been heated so it’s not really like drinking it fresh squeezed.

• Weak enzymes
• Uses chemical and heat extraction
• Low quality raw materials
• Stimulant
• Imbalanced
• Harsh binder and fillers

3. Natural / Unaltered (**Shaklee food supplements and other whole food supplements)–Cold pressed to extract the vitamins, all enzymes remain alive so you get something as close to nature as possible

**This is the REAL lemon…unaltered and fresh. What’s inside is alive and natural.

• Strong enzymatic action
• Low heat, low pressure process
• Organic substances
• Feeds and improves cell’s health
• Balanced
• Contains essential unknown nutrients

**X brands need only 10% natural ingredients to legally be classified as “All-Natural.”  Shaklee food supplements are 100% natural!


My Vitamin Ate Through A Cup!!

Shaklee family member, Jenni Oates, tested her prenatal vitamins in water and the vitamins ate a hole through her plastic cup!! 

Here's her story: "Ok, so I tested my prenatal vitamins in water and this is what happened!! Be prepared to gross out! If you drop your vitamin in water, it is supposed to dissolved in 15 minutes or less or it passes right through you undigested. The other option is that it can get lodged in tissue and in organs because it is synthetic. Things that are synthetic are not living and therefore have zero intellegence, like our food. When you eat food, it knows how to make it’s way through the body, dividing up the usable parts and eliminating the waste. Synthetic vitamins (like drugs) can not do this. They are toxic to the body.

So after 24 hours in a cup of water and NOTHING, we dumped the water out of the cup, left it on the counter and forgot about it. We came back the next morning, and WA-LA!! The prenatal had EATEN A HOLE IN MY PLASTIC CUP!!!  This is scary, considering this is just what the Doctor ordered!  This is supposed to help my baby and me have everything we need to be healthy and form every cell properly.  I don’t think it worked.

After seeing this, I chose Shaklee Vita Lea and it’s been 10 years and I haven’t looked back!! Vita Lea dissolves completely in water in less than 5 minutes. It looks like a pile of dust at the bottom of the glass of water and leaves no food coloring in the water because it gets its green color from vegetables.
Test your vitamins and see what it does! Does it dissolve in under 15 minutes?  Does it leave food coloring or black, tarry particles in the cup?"

That is scary stuff!! I don't know about you, but I don't want to put that in my body! This is why my husband and I have been using Shaklee Vitalizer and we love it! This one little vita strip includes everything we need in 1 daily serving. 

We're so thankful for the Shaklee difference and that every single product is completely safe to use and it works...guaranteed! To learn more about the Shaklee difference, click here. If you have any questions or would like to know more about Shaklee nutrition, we'd love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment on this blog post or free to email us at PathToWellness12@gmail.com

Here's to your health!

* 3 Types of Vitamins/Vitamin Ate Through A Cup was reposted with permission from HealthyOates.

FREE Shipping Through Nov. 16th!!

Free Shipping* starts now through Saturday November 16th on all online Shaklee orders over $200!

Stock up for winter, treat yourself to something new, or give the gift of health this year! Starting now, receive FREE SHIPPING, up to $20, on all online orders over $200 (excludes AutoShip orders). All products are backed by Shaklee's 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.  1. ENFUSELLE NUTRITION SKIN THERAPY KIT The same nutrients that help keep you healthy on the inside also play a huge role in how you look on the outside. 50 years of scientific nutrition research has been applied to developing the most advanced therapeutic skincare system around providing you the answer to healthy-looking, beautiful skin. Look and feel 25 years younger! 2. Shaklee 180 turnaround kit Lose Weight Go from before to after with clinically tested weight loss products** – and a program designed to burn fat, not muscle. This customizable two-meal kit delivers a complete program of smoothees, snacks, energizing tea and metabolic boost* – along with access to exclusive tools and rewards. Over $395 value in product, program tools and first-kit shipping upgrade. ** The weight loss portion of the Shaklee 180 Program was tested in a preliminary 12-week clinical study. 3.VIVIX Global cutting-edge research in the fight against cellular aging and years spent in partnership with leading scientists have culminated in Vivix—a scientific breakthrough from Shaklee. Only Vivix contains both resveratrol and a proprietary phytonutrient blend. This phytonutrient blend harnesses the powerful antioxidant properties of rare muscadine grapes and has been shown to be 10X more powerful than resveratrol alone in slowing a key mechanism of cellular aging.* All natural. Patent pending. Clinically tested key ingredients. Exclusive. 4. VITALIZER Vitalizer is the most advanced multinutrient supplement in the marketplace today with 80 bio-optimized nutrients clinically proven to create a foundation for a longer, healthier life.* Vitalizer is the powerful and convenient approach to complete supplementation providing the best spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-aging phytonutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics*, all in one daily serving. Custom formula created specifically for today's healthy active men and women Patent-pending delivery system designed to enhance absorption of key nutrients Based on 12 clinical studies and a first-of-its-kind Landmark Study Feel better in 30 days or your money back. 5. SHAKLEE BABY PRODUCTS Clean, fresh baby. These extra gentle products are naturally formulated to get your baby pip-squeaky clean from head to toe. Made with organic chamomile and lavender,  these products are pH balanced and sensitivity tested to shower, moisturize, and soothe even the most tender skin with love. 6. BASIC H ORGANIC SUPER-CLEANING CONCENTRATE This little 16 oz bottle creates an unbelievable 48 gallons of super-safe, really powerful, all purpose cleaner. We challenge you to use it up any time soon to clean everything from spilled milk, to bug guts on the window, to splattered spaghetti sauce. Now go, get cleaning. Basic H Instruction For all-purpose cleaning: Add 1/4 tsp. to 16 oz. of water. For windows and mirrors: Add 1-2 drops to 16 oz. of water. For degreasing: Add 1 1/2 tsp. to 16 oz. of water. For bigger jobs, add 2 oz. to 1 gallon of water. 7. SHAKLEE SPORTS NUTRITION Shaklee's Sports Nutrition products are used at the highest level of competition so you can trust them every time you take them- before, during, and after your workouts. Everything you need. Nothing you don't. No artificial flavors, sweeteners or added preservatives. 8. GET CLEAN WATER  Cleaner, healthier water and a cleaner, healthier planet? We can all drink to that! This Starter Pack contains all you need to get one full year of healthier, great-tasting water*: Get Clean®  Water Pitcher - Food Safe: BPA-Free; 10 cup capacity Get Clean®  Water refillable Filter Housing Kit (with 1 filter - 80 gallon capacity) Get Clean®  Water Filter Refill 3-pack (80 gallon capacity each) The only filter on the market to remove lead from water. 9. ENFUSELLE SPA SHEA BUTTER CREAM Enfuselle® Spa Ultra Moisturizing Shea Butter Cream - Pamper your skin. Luxurious shea butter is extracted from the fruit of the shea tree, and has amazing moisturizing properties. Back by popular demand, this Shea Butter Cream has a wonderful consistency and soaks deep into your skin, leaving it smooth and hydrated. We've added vitamin E for extra skin nourishment. For hand and body. Paraben Free. 10. PROSANTE HAIR CARE The ProSanté Hair Care System provides one simple, flexible system that can be personalized to meet each individual's unique hair needs in every situation. Each ProSanté system includes one each of the following products: Nourishing Scalp Treatment, 2 fluid ounces Revitalizing Shampoo, 10 fluid ounces Purifying Shampoo, 8 fluid ounces Lightweight Conditioner, 10 fluid ounces Replenishing Conditioner, 8 fluid ounces Long-Lasting Finishing Spray, 8 fluid ounce 11. STRESS RELIEF COMPLEX Stress Relief Complex offers nutritional support that helps you get through the day in a calm, alert and healthy way.  It's powerful ingredients are designed to provide relief from tension  -- without making you drowsy.*  Includes L-theanine, ashwagandha, beta sitosterol, and L-tyrosine. 12. NUTRIFERON A Shaklee exclusive, NutriFeron is a patented, clinically proven blend of immune-strengthening plant extracts. When used daily, it increases the production of your body’s natural interferon, a critical activator of the immune system. NutriFeron works at the cellular level, by rapidly activating your immune system’s defenses* Happy Holidays and remember to share this awesome special with your family & friends!

What's in your drinking water?

Everyone knows that water is essential to life. But what's coming out of your tap or bottle may not really be your healthiest choice.

The Real Dirt on Clean Water

Sure, your water may look clean but is it?

Most people think that governmental agencies ensure that our water's clean. And while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Clean Water Act to safeguard our water supply, it only set standards and testing requirements in our municipal water treatment facilities for 114 different contaminants out of literally hundreds more.

In fact, the Environmental Working Group obtained test results from a database of over 20 million records from state water officials to determine the quality of drinking water in 45 states. The results revealed 316 contaminants were present in our water supplies. Among them were 202 chemicals that aren't regulated by any safe water standards.ⁱ 

Checking the quality of your local water is easy to do. Just visit the National Drinking Water Database. 

So yes, your water looks clean. But really, it's not.

Why Filtration?

The simple answer? You either use a filter or you are the filter. 

Only 2% of all treated water is used for drinking water. The rest is used on your lawn, shower, laundry, or used for farms or industry. It's simply too time-consuming and expensive to test and remove the thousands of chemicals that may be present in any particular water source. 

And even if your water was perfectly clean before it left your municipality, it still has miles to travel in pipes before it gets to your home. Who knows what it runs into along the way?

What are you really drinking? 

Here's what may be in your water, and some of its hazardous effects:

Industrial Pollutants (such as benzene, nitrates, and petrochemicals): Long-term exposure may cause increased risk of cancer, as well as blood, nervous system, kidney, and liver problems.

Agricultural Pollutants (pesticides such as atrazine, lindane, alachlor, and others): Long-term exposure may cause increased risk of cancer, as well as eye, liver, kidney, spleen, blood, and nervous system problems.

Heavy Metals (such as lead, copper, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium): Even at low levels, long-term exposure may cause behavioral problems and learning disabilities. The EPA estimates that between 10 and 20% of total lead exposure in young children comes from drinking water.ⁱⁱ 

Disinfection By-products (such as: trihalomethanes, chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane,and bromoform): Long-term exposure may cause increased risk of cancer, as well as liver, kidney, or central nervous system problems. 

With all these problems with tap water, you might think that bottled water is the answer—but you're wrong. What most people don't know is that there're no regulations regarding the quality of bottled water. That's right, none! Bottling companies don't even have the same regulations to follow that your local municipal water supply does. That means that despite the clean look of your bottle, in many cases the water it contains isn't any better than tap water. 

The bottom line is that you can't control what happens to your water before it gets to your house. But you can control what happens after. If you want to make sure you have really clean drinking water, you really have to use a filter—a good one.

Why Get Clean® Water?

Because it's safe, powerful, green and smart—and it outperforms both Brita® and PUR®*, hands-down:

• Safe It reduces 59 harmful contaminants—at least 21 of which Brita doesn't even touch—including up to 99% of water-borne lead.
• Powerful It's incredibly thrifty, delivering over 80 gallons of purer water from every hardworking, environmentally friendly filter—twice as much as big-name brands—for just a little over a penny per glass**.
• Green It uses a unique refillable filter system, so there's less waste in landfills.†
• Smart It features a convenient smart-meter that shows you exactly when to replace your filter, so there's no more guessing. And on top of all that, it's 'Gold Seal' certified to tough ANSI/NSF Standards 42 and 53 by the Water Quality Association (WQA).

i http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/executive-summary.php

ii http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/lead1.cfm

* Comparison of current WQA and NSF certified reduction claims conduced on May 26, 2011, referencing Brita® pitchers using OB03 cartridge and PUR® pitchers using CFR-950Z cartridge and is valid only for the named products marketed at that time. Product data claims obtained from the NSF and WQA website certification listings. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. "Big name brands" defined as Brita and Pur.

** Compared to Brita and Pur pitcher filters at 40 gallons.

† Compared to traditional carbon production.

Cinch Transformation - Size 10 to 2

I'm excited to share a Cinch Transformation Inch Loss testimony with you!! Meet Laura Evans - she went from size 10 to 2 using Cinch!

Here is Laura's story:

If I can do it, you can do it! For years I have been spending time taking care of everyone else in my life – my children, my husband, my family, my friends, my job, my staff, my boss and my customers. So it is no wonder that as my family grew and my responsibilities grew... so did I. Sure I had all the excuses and reasons why. But after watching my parents struggle thru cardiovascular disease and open heart surgery, I knew this was not how I wanted to age gracefully and not what I wanted my kids to experience. So I took another look at the Body Mass Index chart and realized I was not at a healthy weight according to the medical data. That’s when I knew I needed to make a change. I chose Cinch® from Shaklee. I was tired of “yo-yo dieting;” I have lost and gained hundreds of pounds many times over. I wanted to lose the weight and stop the yo-yo. I knew the preliminary clinical study with real people conducted with Shaklee Cinch resulted primarily in fat loss, not muscle loss. I knew muscle helps metabolism. I set my goal low: to lose 15 lbs in 90 days just like the clinical study participants had achieved. To my surprise, not only did I lose the weight, I started to change my body shape! I went from “mom look” to athletic. Something I have never been in my life! Cinch changed my life for the better, for good!

You can learn more about Laura's story HERE. My hubby and I love using Cinch every day! I also love knowing that the products are all natural, free of artificial flavors & sweeteners, and are packed with healthy non-GMO protein!

To order your Cinch Transformation Kit, or learn how Cinch can help you lose those extra inches, click HERE.

Have a great weekend!