Come stretch with me

New year, new you.  Gosh, how many times have you heard that over the past few weeks?   I don't know about you, but I kind of like me and don't want a whole new one.  But....I guess there are a FEW things I wouldn't mind improving on. 

Over the course of 30 days in January, I am going to improve my flexibility, my mindset and my overall mood with daily morning stretching.  Yep, I will be setting the alarm clock 30 minutes earlier each day and devoting that time just to me.  ME.  No one else.    I would love for you to come along on this journey with me.  Simply follow the link below and 'like' my FaceBook page.

https://www.facebook.com/insideouthealthstudio/

I will succeed!

January begins a more than usual hectic time for me.  My normal hectic is to work my more than full time daycare Monday thru Friday, workout 5 days  a week,  be gone from home for volunteer work at least 3 nights a week, and very seldom have a free weekend.  That's my usual hectic life.

My more than usual hectic life will still have all of the above mentioned busy, but I will be adding into it going back to school, enlarging my health business and buckling down on getting the work begun to open my gym this summer.

How am I ever going to find the time to get all of this in?

I like my sleep...I REALLY like my sleep.  I don't want to have to sacrifice it in order to accomplish all I have planned.  My friend Chris from On Track With Chris has a great time management tool that she has shared with me.  It is a simple time blocking tool.  Simple, right?  Well, you would think so.  My day is all blocked out, ALL I have to do is follow what I am supposed to do at each time and everything would get done.  That is all I have to do...but I just never seem to follow the blocking for very long.   Oh, I always start out with the best of intentions.  My blocking sheet is even color coded to help me.  But within a couple of weeks I fall away from it and before long, I am not getting hardly any of my to-do done.

This time around I will find a way to make this work!  This really is a must...not a want, a must.  I still have a couple of weeks to tweak the blocking and find what is going to work best.  I will find a way, I will make this work, I will succeed!

 We all find ourselves in times of more than usual hectic.  We can sink or we can swim, it is completely up to us. 

White Fat vs Brown Fat

I recently stumbled on the brown vs white fat concept, something I had not heard of before.  I'm finding this very interesting.  Who knew!  Below is a brief summary of these two fats.

1. Brown Fat
This fat is composed of several small lipid (fat) droplets and a large number of iron-containing mitochondria (the cell’s heat-burning engine). The iron, along with lots of blood tiny blood vessels, gives this fat its brownish appearance. Brown fat is usually found in the front and back of the neck and upper back.

The purpose of brown fat is to burn calories in order to generate heat. That’s why brown fat is often referred to as the “good” fat, since it helps us burn, not store, calories. Brown fat is derived from muscle tissue and is found primarily in hibernating animals and newborns. After life as an infant, the quantity of brown fat significantly decreases. Adults who have comparatively more brown fat tend to be younger and slender and have normal blood sugar levels.

You generate brown fat by: exercising, which can convert white-yellow fat to a more metabolically active brown fat; getting enough high-quality sleep, as proper melatonin production influences the production of brown fat; and exposing yourself to the cold regularly, such as exercising outdoors in the wintertime or in a cold room. Lowering the temperature in your living and working spaces is another tip.

Bottom line: You want as much of this type of fat as possible. Bring on the brown!

2. White Fat. 
This type of fat is composed of a single lipid droplet and has far less mitochondria and blood vessels, thus resulting in its lighter white or yellow appearance. White fat is the predominant form of fat in the body, originating from connective tissue.

White fat has many purposes. It provides the largest energy reserve in the body. It’s a thermal insulator and cushion for our internal organs, and cushions during external interactions with our environment (that’s code for a soft landing when we fall on our behind!). It is a major endocrine organ, producing one form of estrogen as well as leptin, a hormone that helps regulate appetite and hunger. It’s also got receptors for insulin, growth hormone, adrenaline, and cortisol (stress hormone). So, it’s a myth that fat cells just sit there and do nothing all day long!

White fat is found, oh heck, you know where it’s found. Just look in the mirror! In women, excess fat accumulates around the hips, thighs, buttocks, and breasts until perimenopause (the 40s), when fat is redistributed to the abdomen as well. Men tend to gather excess fat primarily in the belly region most of their lives.

An excess of white fat inside the belly (visceral fat) is associated with metabolic syndrome—a group of symptoms that signal an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Location of body fat really counts! Excess white fat throughout the body is associated with an increased risk of breast, colon, esophageal, gall bladder, and pancreatic cancer. It’s also associated with sleep apnea, and physical disabilities such as knee arthritis.

Here’s how much white fat a “normal-weight” person would carry throughout a lifetime: Men’s body fat range is 15 to 25 percent; women’s is 15 to 30 percent. Your generic 154-pound person would carry about 20 pounds of fat. One pound of stored fat contains roughly 4,000 calories, so 20 pounds has 80,000 calories of energy storage. If you required 2,000 calories to live per day, you’d last about 40 days on a desert island. These numbers aren’t meant to be perfect or exact, but instead, give you a broad, general idea.

You generate white fat by: consuming too many calories and expending too few calories.

Bottom line: As a species, white fat is very important to our survival. It’s a matter of how much and where it’s located. You want to control your visceral fat level (keeping your waist circumference to less than 35 inches if you’re a woman, and to less than 40 inches if you’re a man) and keep your total body fat within the normal ranges for each gender.

Does white fat interact with brown fat? You better believe it. New research shows that when people overeat, they not only increase their total amount of white fat, but the over consumption results in their brown fat becoming dysfunctional and thus unable to burn calories.

Starting today, make it a point to achieve two major goals: Optimize your brown fat function and manage your white fat load—by doing precisely the same thing. That is, eat whole foods in moderation, stay active, practice stress resilience, and lead a mindful lifestyle. You’ll keep those mitochondria hummin’ while your health and wellness skyrocket!

*Article from Women's Health

Focus

 

"Focus on what it is you want to do. It will expand, it will multiply."

I like to listen to motivational/inspirational messages on youtube while I'm working out. I heard these words this morning and they spoke right to my heart. I am like a squirrel in a room full of shiny things...I go from one thing to the next shiny to the next shiny and then...oh wait...there's a real pretty shiny over there! Can anyone else relate?

Nothing seems to get my full attention for long. Maybe I should mention I'm an instant gratification type of person. I like to see results in short time and if not, I tend to lose interest and move onto the next shiny object. This is definitely not a good quality when working on longer term projects....like myself. 

However, if I pick just one thing to work on instead of trying to tackle the whole project at one time, I find I do much better. For too long I've been trying to take on all of me at one time. Working on becoming more organized, less procrastination, eat better, eat more, exercise, study, open a new business, keep my home clean....whew, I almost lost myself just reading all of that! Too many shiny things at one time.

Breathe. Focus. Choose.

My Gross Ninja

 This is my Ninja blender...I LOVE my Ninja blender and use it every single day to make my protein smoothie after I exercise, and often times again in the afternoon for my snack replacement drink.

As soon as I am done using it, the blender part is immediately rinsed off and cleaned.  I would like to think at 53 years of age, I have a working knowledge of how to do dishes.   I might be wrong.

My sister in law posted a video on FaceBook about taking hers apart because of a strange smell.  I didn't have a smell but thought I should probably take it apart and clean it well since I didn't even realize there was a seal down in there. 

Oh My Gosh is this ever Gross!!   I use this EVERY day!   I clean it EVERY day!  This makes me almost want to throw up in my mouth a little bit knowing that I have been drinking my smoothies that were made in it.

 I soaked the seal and blade in the dishwater for awhile and tried to scrub the seal, but it wouldn't come clean.  I boiled them both in soapy water for 15 minutes then let it set and soak another 15 minutes.  I am GOING to get all the gross off!

This is the disgusting water that was left after the boiling.  Look at all that crud that came out of what I drank out of every day!   

Scrubby, scrubby, scrubby.  I attacked the blade first with a baby bottle nipple cleaner and got it all nice and clean down where the ring goes.  It was shining back at me.   The seal however is a completely different matter.  I scrubbed this thing with my cleaning toothbrush as well as a scratchy pad.  This gunk won't budge!

Forget it, it is being thrown out and I got right on Amazon and ordered some new seals.  Even if this thing was sparking clean, I don't know that I could ever use it again.

Lesson learned, the seal will come out and be cleaned every time as well.  It wasn't easy getting it out, but now I know what is being left behind so I will make it happen.

Then....I opened the cupboard to get a glass for my water and realize I have ALL THESE cups with seals in them!!   I know what I'll be doing this afternoon.

Sugar Effects

We are headed into the Christmas season and all those yummy cookies and candies will be plentiful. At work, at church, at your friends house, at Christmas parties.  So before you reach for that cookie let this sink in for a minute. Sugar...it's the devil!  It’s super addictive! The more you eat it the more you crave it!    I'm not just saying this, THIS WAS ME!


Here are just a few of the sugar effects:
* After ingesting any amount of sugar, your immune system is immediately compromised up to 80% for the next 4-6 hours. (Mine was basically a wreck 24/7?) 
* Sugar leads to insulin resistance which leads to diabetes
* Sugar causes inflammation in the body and also feeds cancer cells
* Sugar is one of the leading causes of obesity and inability to lose weight

Don’t you owe it to yourself to stop that vicious cycle?? I’m so grateful I took control over this almost four years ago when I made the choice to get my body more balanced. 

Chronic Inflammation

Time Magazine calls inflammation the “silent killer”. Inflammation comes in 2 forms, acute (think sprained ankle) and chronic (think long term health issues).

When you start regulating blood sugar, focusing on gut health (riding toxins/replenishing good bacteria) and reducing inflammation in your body, you can restore body to a state of balance. Our body sends us signals when it’s not functioning properly, don’t brush them off. Choose prevention.”

Anti-inflammatory diet, detox soaks and Plexus Slim and Ease are a great combination to combating the inflammation we are living with.

Root Cause

Allergy pills do NOT eliminate the source of your allergies.

Avoiding gluten does NOT heal your gluten intolerance.

Applying cream to eczema does NOT address why you are getting it in the first place.

Taking a sleeping pill does NOT get rid of your sleep problems.

Taking Ibuprofen for chronic pain and inflammation does NOT address why you are hurting in the first place.

Drinking caffeine does NOT fix your problem with chronic fatigue.

What DOES then?
Getting to the ROOT CAUSE. In most cases that is blood sugar imbalance, inflammation, and/or gut health! When those 3 things are on the right track, it really is amazing how good you can feel. 

https://plexusworldwide.com/debijohnson/shareables/healthy-gut-happy-weight-loss-4



 

Magnesium is a mineral found in many types of foods; it plays an essential role in human DNA production and repair, and in maintaining healthy bones, nerves and muscles. Though it is readily available, most Americans do not meet their need for magnesium through their diet.  Consider getting your magnesium level checked if you suffer the following 12 symptoms.

1. Low energy. "Magnesium is involved in at least 300 different chemical reactions in our body, and a lot have to do with energy production," functional medicine nutritionist Alison Boden told Reader's Digest. "A sign of low magnesium can be low energy." 

2. Twitching or cramping. Because magnesium plays an important role in muscle relaxation, insufficient intake can result in unintended muscle movement. "Without magnesium, our muscles would be in a constant state of contraction," says Ancient Minerals.

 3. Frequent headaches. Magnesium deficiency lowers serotonin levels, causes blood vessels to constrict and affects neurotransmitter function, all related to headaches -- especially migraines. MigraineAgain estimates that 50% of migraine sufferers have a magnesium deficiency.

 4. Insomnia. If you're having a hard time falling or staying asleep, it may be due to low levels of magnesium, particularly if you are experiencing a lot of stress. Stress hormones increase blood pressure and heart rate; this is partly accomplished by depleting the body of its magnesium, explains Dr. Ronald Hoffman. If there isn't enough magnesium available for the body to replenish itself, sleeping becomes a problem.

 5. Irregular heartbeat. With low magnesium levels, the heart can have trouble staying in its regular rhythm. Lab Tests Online says that doctors often prescribe magnesium supplements for patients who complain of an irregular heartbeat.

6. Increased sensitivity to noise. Not having enough magnesium curtails its role in stabilizing the nervous system, Hoffman says. This often results in hyperflexia, an enhanced startle reflex.

 7. Seizures. Seizures can result when the nervous system is severely compromised due to lack of magnesium, reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 8. Low bone density. Magnesium plays a major role in bone formation, and the majority of the body's magnesium is stored in the bones. "People with higher intakes of magnesium have a higher bone mineral density," says the NIH.

 9. Constipation. Bowel movements often slow down without enough magnesium in the body.

 10. High blood pressure. Magnesium is very important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure; a deficiency can definitely cause pressure to be too high. "Eating foods high in magnesium and other minerals can help prevent high blood pressure in people with prehypertension," says WebMD.

11. Type 2 diabetes. Breaking down blood sugars is another of magnesium's jobs in the human body. "People with higher amounts of magnesium in their diets tend to have a lower risk of developing diabetes," says the NIH. Research is ongoing to determine whether magnesium therapy can be used in diabetes treatment.

 12. Depression, anxiety, confusion or personality changes. Low levels of magnesium in the brain can affect neurological functions that result in all sorts of problems. Studies have shown that some phobias -- such as agoraphobia -- have developed as a result of low magnesium levels, Dr. Hoffman says. Magnesium has long been used as an effective home remedy for these symptoms, says Psychology Today in an article titled "Magnesium and the Brain: The Original Chill Pill."

If you suspect that you may be suffering from a magnesium deficiency, it is advisable to confirm your suspicion with medical testing before taking supplements.  Once you have done this, don't spend and waste money on OTC stuff.  Plexus BioCleanse has 95% DV!

Self Care Bundles

Some things are great to stand alone, some things are better in bundles.  Our health is definitely better in the bundle situation.  The more ways we come at our health, the better.  It is so very important that we put our own Self care a top priority.  Without our own mental and physical health, there is no way we can sustain doing all we need to do each day in our busy lives.

As you know,  I am an avid Plexus natural supplements user and share with anyone who will listen to me.  Heck, I even share with those who don't ask!   However, as I am getting my body more healthy from the inside out, I also am working on it from the outside in.  I love to use my Young Living essential oils as well as follow along with workouts from Beach Body.

Some other bundles might be 
Plexus and Paleo
Plexus and Weight Watchers
Plexus and Keto
Plexus and Juice Plus

There is no reason at all not to bundle!  Plexus is NOT a diet. It is a wellness system, a supplementation system. It can fit in seamlessly with your caveman, crunchy, oily, point-counting lifestyle, and make it better! No matter what healthy lifestyle you have adopted, I am confident  you still need supplementation that Plexus provides. 

Let's take a quick quiz to find out:
1. Do you have as much energy as you would like?
2. Do you sleep as well as you would like?
3. Do you crave sweets?
4. Do you have diagnosed vitamin deficiencies?
5. Are your hair and nails healthy?
6. Do you have any "digestive" issues?
7. Do you ever feel like you are in a fog?
8. Do you have consistent physical discomfort?
9. Do you find it hard to stay focused?
10. Do you need help going 💩!?!
11. Would you like to lose weight?
12. Would you like help in  naturally reversing the signs of aging, dark spots, fine lines, dehydration?

If any of these are "yes," I challenge you to add Plexus in for two months and see what a difference it can make. You obviously care about your health, why not bundle up and give your health and even better boost?

Fair Foodless

It is fair time in our neck of the woods.  State fairs, county fairs,  Sweet Corn festival, small town celebration days...you name it and it is happening.  And with all these fairs comes one of the greatest creations on earth, fair food!   Oh my goodness I LOVE my fair food!  

Right now the Bureau County Fair is going on and this is my FAVORITE time to eat!   For years I actually had Fair Food Followers who would watch my FaceBook posts to see what I ate each night.  Yep, I was THAT dedicated to my fair food.  Over the last few years the food intake, by my normal standards, was pretty pathetic.  This year is even worse, I have not had one single fair food item!  What is up with that??

I'll tell you what's up, it's this dang being healthy stuff, that's what!  In the past, we would go over to the fair 3-4 nights and I would walk around and eat.  Oh sure, we would look at stuff and visit with people, but make no mistake, I was there to eat.   This year we didn't even go.  Nope, I wasn't feeling the need to eat so I didn't even go over. 

Dang being healthy stuff.

Change Have To to Get To

My mentor, Coach Jennie, is all about changing our mindset from HAVING to do something to GETTING to do it.  Yep, SHE is all about it.  Me, on the other hand, still have a whole lot of things on my HAVE TO list.  I'm sure you have this list as well, things that need to be done and you are going to do them because they have to be done, but you don't really want to do them.  MmmHmmm, you know you have that list too.

*Exercise
*Eat better
*Conquer Mt. Laundry
*Balance the checkbook
*Go to you aunts dogs birthday party
*Clean out the closet
*Drink enough water daily
*Give the cat a bath

We do these things because we know we have to.  But what if we change that to we GET to?  Check out what Coach Jennie has to say on this.

Instead of I HAVE to get up 45 minutes early to exercise, change it to I GET to get up, get my heart pumping, get oxygen going through my bloodstream, release the happy hormone and get energized.

Instead of I HAVE to drink my water, I GET to drink 1/2 my weight in ounces of water every single day because I know I am helping my digestion, my energy, flushing out toxins, my skin will be less dry, my joints will ache less and my wrinkles will be more plumped out.

Instead of I HAVE to eat better, I GET to eat some grapes instead of a bag of chips because...well, because nothing good ever comes from eating a bag of chips.

What can you move from you HAVE TO list over to your GET TO list?  

Make The Bottom Step Yours

We've all heard that every journey begins with a single step, and this is true.  However, that first single step can be hard, scary, lonely.  Not everyone wants to go on your journey with you.  Heck, not everyone wants YOU to go on your journey.   How you are is comfortable to them, they don't want you to change, they may not accept the changes. They want to hold you back. 

You have to do you.  What do you want, what dreams do you have, what goals?  Give some serious thought to these questions and write down ideas.  You aren't going to figure this out in two minutes, let it be an ongoing list that is ever growing and changing...as you continue to grow and change.

Who you are today and what you want is not the same as it was ten years ago, and it won't be the same ten years from now either.   You are a living, breathing, ever evolving wonderful child of God.  He did not make you from a mold.  You are your own unique person...with a mind of your own.

Take a look at that list you are writing.  What do you need to do to get started on making any one of the items on it come to fruition?  Not the whole plan, just the first thing necessary to get it going.  That is the very first step...often times the hardest step.  Don't look at the whole staircase that needs to be climbed to reach what you want at the top.  Look at the first most precious step.  The step that means change, improvement, a better you.  

Stand tall, know what you want and step up. 

Do You Rebound?

Do YOU rebound? This fun and super effective exercise has SO MANY benefits! It is one of my favorite ways to stimulate lymph flow.


But there are SO MANY MORE benefits as well!
Let's go over a few:
💫Just 10 minutes a day is equivalent to 20-30 minutes of jogging
💫EASY on the joints
💫Increases bone density
💫Strengthens pelvic floor
💫Enhances immune function
💫Improves stability and balance
💫Increases respiratory capacity
💫Promotes growth and tissue repair
💫Tones the endocrine system, especially the thyroid, to increase output
💫Circulates more oxygen to tissues
💫Greatly enhances muscular and valvular fluid exchange, lightening the heart’s workload
💫Aids venous blood flow as well as lymph flow (enhancing waste-cleansing)
💫Strengthens heart muscle and other muscles, causing them to work with greater efficiency
💫Stimulates metabolic activity
💫Enhances digestion and elimination
💫If's FUN!!!


Here is a nice beginner rebounding video

There are very few things as SIMPLE and EFFECTIVE for your overall health as rebounding!

Pink Weekends for myself

Once a month I have scheduled out an entire weekend just to myself. These weekends are highlighted in pink marker on my calendar and called my Pink Weekends. During this time I accept no demands from anyone on my time (with the exception of ambulance calls). I choose what I want to do, when I want to do it...or if I even want to do anything at all! My Pink Weekends are for ME.

This was a Pink Weekend. I slept in on Saturday. Enjoyed a lazy morning in my pj's and then went for lunch with a book. Most of the afternoon I laid on the couch watching Christmas in July on Hallmark. After church Sunday I went for lunch with my parents and had plans for supper with a dear friend. In between there was more couch laying and Christmas in July watching. 

The problem with laying on the couch with the air conditioner on and under a blanket for hours at a time watching Christmas movies is that when you get up and go outside, you realize it is July and not really Christmas! Not gonna lie, I felt a bit let down.

It is now Monday and my Pink Weekend is over. It's back to work and the daily demands of life, but it's ok, I'm relaxed and ready to take it on. I know everyone can't take a whole weekend to themselves. I've got them scheduled out through the rest of the year and constantly have time demands trying to sneak in on them. It is important though to find SOME time for yourself on a regular basis. A time you can look forward to when things are rough. A time to let your body and mind relax and recharge. Maybe your time will be an hour walk by yourself after supper every Tuesday and Thursday. Or a soaking bath every Sunday night, or Friday night after work until Saturday morning with no demands on you.

Whatever your Pink Time looks like is up to you, the important thing is to make sure you find the time just for YOU.

My anxiety and depression

I'd like to say being  the lovable happy me you all get to enjoy comes naturally, but unfortunately this is not how it is. For a big part of my adult life I had been a hot mess of anxiety accompanied by the lowest of low self esteem.   What DID come naturally was self doubt, insecurity and shame for feeling the way I did while others around me seemed to have it all together.

For many years I self medicated with alcohol and men.  The alcohol numbed the bad feelings and allowed me to be more free with myself without worrying what others thought of me.   The men gave me (momentary) confidence in myself.  I allowed myself to be used in order to get the temporary feeling of being accepted.  

Then I met my husband.  Nineteen years later and I am still amazed how my life changed simply by having circumstances surrounding my life change.  Don't get me wrong, the beginning had some difficult times, but then we settled into life together and I am blessed for it.   Besides my mom, I had someone in my life who believed in me.    Greg helped to build confidence in myself which helped push the anxiety and depression down.   

But....it is not gone, it is always down there waiting for the opportunity to come out and play.   
* Comparing myself to others
* Knowing others are doing things together and not being invited
* Falling behind on commitments 
* Not knowing what is going on
* Stress related to work
These are just a few of the situations that are likely to set me off.   In order to deal with it all I used to take an over the counter medication to take the edge off.  It pretty much worked, but I was also putting a lot of chemicals into my body which was doing its own kind of harm.

For the sake of shortening this post, let's jump ahead to the research I did and learned that I'm not a crazy hot mess, what I had was a nasty dirty gut.  Once I found a good probiotic that accomplished what I needed it to do, my emotional health soared!!   My immunity is improved, my serotonin is able run free with its friend dopamine, and my digestion is incredible!

http://d2xz00m0afizja.cloudfront.net/cdn/shareables/vitalbiome-product-info-sheet.pdf

If you are like I was and tired of living a life determined by your anxiety or depressed moods, do some research on your own.  You DON'T have to live this way!  I can tell you from personal experience there is so much more.





 

Liver: Elevated enzymes

I have had several inquiries if Plexus could help with elevated liver enzymes. Although Plexus Slim does not attempt to treat, diagnose or  cure any disease, I thought I would pass along this bit of information concerning one of the main ingredients in Plexus Slim, Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Benefits for Liver Protection
Alpha-Lipoic Acid has been used successfully for the maintenance of liver health and as a treatment for several toxin-related illnesses. Alpha-Lipoic acid has been used extensively in Europe for years as a non-toxic nutrient to treat various chemical overdoses such as mushroom poisoning, radiation poisoning and alcoholic hepatitis.

It has also been used to treat elevated liver enzymes. Elevated liver enzymes, which can indicate liver damage, can be a serious problem for people with life threatening diseases. For people who take oral medications such as antibiotics and/or anti-virals, balanced liver enzymes are essential for these drugs to get metabolized properly. Unfortunately, these same drugs can cause increased liver enzymes. Alpha-Lipoic acid may help protect the liver so that you can take certain drugs.
Another benefit of Alpha-Lipoic acid may be its ability to elevate the levels of glutathione (GSH). Low levels of glutathione may cause oxidative stress, and cause inflammation and damage organs. Glutathione latches on to toxins and makes them water-soluble enough to be flushed out through your kidneys. "The quickest way to rid the liver of toxins is to stimulate glutathione production by means of Alpha lipoic acid ," says Savant Mehta, MD, director of the liver-transplant program at the University of Massachusetts

So for those of you who want and need to bring down those liver enzymes, Plexus Slim MAY help you.  You have nothing to lose by doing a bit of research into it.

Keto Plus Plexus

Anyone out there doing the Keto diet?

Here’s why supplementation is so important...
On a Ketogenic diet, you are basically cutting out all carbohydrates and sugar. Once your body is in a state of ketosis, it is then relying on fat for energy. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, not exactly! If your body is used to high carb intake and you take those away, it’s possible you might experience what is known as the keto flu.   It subsides, but your body feels achy, and you are fatigued and irritable.

 So, here’s how Plexus can help:
Plexus Slim: has  chromium which helps normalize blood glucose levels, reducing cravings and providing energy and less irritably as your body enters ketosis. The prebiotic, XOS, feed the butirate that we NATURALLY have in our system to help produce more fatty-chain amino acids. What does this mean for you? Your body goes into fat-burning mode more easily! AND has only 2 carbs, so it has negative net carb impact on your Keto day! 

Plexus BioCleanse: contains magnesium which will help replenish your electrolyte levels, preventing muscle cramps, headaches, and trouble sleeping. 



Plexus ProBio5: balances your gut health. Starting a diet like this can stress your gut leading to either constipation or even upset stomach as you are introducing higher levels of fats to your body.
 
VitalBiome: reduces bloating and gut distress, improves digestion and regularity, makes you feel calmer, and improves mood. 

XFactor Plus: it’s sugar free, which is important on a keto diet! It contains Aloe, which increases  absorption up to 300%, allowing your body to really absorb the vitamins and minerals. It also has vitamins B and C to help beat tiredness.

Plexus is a TOOL to aid you with overall health! I’ve said it OVER & OVER...Plexus is NOT JUST about weight loss! It’s so much more than that! Get healthy from the inside out with Plexus!
Note: SOME people will look at Slim HC and be concerned over the 8 carbs. However, those doing keto should know to go off of NET carbs (Carbs - Fiber = Net Carbs) That makes Slim HC only 2 net carbs.

7 Reasons you can not lose weight

You know it's not just about diet and exercise! The top 7 reasons and the Plexus products that can help you!

1) SLEEP - If you are not sleeping you will not lose weight. (Probio5 and MegaX)

2) DIGESTION - constipation, bloating, feeling full all the time, a swollen stomach. ( Probio5 and Biocleanse)

3) ENERGY LEVEL- thyroid and iron anemia (X-Factor and Slim)

4) MENSTRUAL CYCLE - if it is off you will have a hard time losing weight because estrogen makes fat. If there is excess estrogen it interferes with the thyroid and increases fat production. (Slim and Biocleanse)

5) CRAVINGS - one way to know you are burning fat is that you will crave NOTHING. If you crave sweets it means your body only burns sugar and not FAT. (Slim/probio5 and Accelerator+)

6) INFLAMMATION- means the adrenals are not strong enough. It sucks the energy from the body and slows metabolism. (Mega X, EASE and NERVE)

7) STRESS - if the body is stuck in stress mode and it cannot relax the adrenals are overloaded and you have too much body stress. (X Factor, Slim and BioCleanse)

Plexus Cheat Sheet

Here is a little cheat sheet for secret Plexus stalkers

Better Sleep: Slim - add MegaX & ProBio5 for amazing changes in your sleep issues

Cholesterol, blood pressure, lipids: Slim, MegaX

Energy: Slim - add Edge for a game changer

Mental clarity: ProBio5, MegaX, Edge, VitalBiome
 
Skin Issues: ProBio5 & Body Cream
 
Weight loss: Slim, ProBio5, BioCleanse (TriPlex) - Optional...add Block, Accelerator or Boost, P96 
Protein shakes
 
Discomfort, sore muscles, and swollen/achy joints: Ease and/or Nerve capsules & Ease cream
 
Nerve issues: Plexus Nerve
 
Sugar cravings: ProBio5 & Slim
 
Tummy issues, Digestive issues: BioCleanse and Pro Bio5
 
Stress: ProBio5, Slim, & Vitalbiome
 
Mood: VitalBiome, Slim & Accelerator
 
Better hair & nails: XFactor & MegaX
 
Reduced absorption of sugars/starch: Block
 
Glucose stabilization: Slim & Block
 
Hormones: Slim & ProBio5

Skin care: Joyome
 
*These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.

Probio5 and VitalBiome

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS…IT IS A SCIENCE!

MOOD & ANXIETY ISSUES??........SEROTONIN & GUT HEALTH are key!

VITALBIOME and PROBIO5 truly work great as a duo!

KEY FACTORS
A whopping 80% of your immune system and about 95% of your body’s serotonin (mood elevating hormone) are in your gut.
The GUT is absolutely one of the most important things we need to take care of. Consuming fermented foods and a diet rich in veggies, healthy fats, and lean proteins are critical to supporting your gut health. However, for many of us, eating such a perfect diet all the time just isn’t that easy, and oftentimes it isn’t enough.

PROBIO5 and VITALBIOME serve 2 different purposes. While Probio5 weeds out the bad organisms from your gut garden, VitalBiome serves as the healthy "seed" you need to plant in your gut. VitalBiome contains 7 clinically-proven strains of probiotics and a beneficial yeast (S. Boulardi) in clinically proven amounts to help improve:
✅feelings of stress, anxiety, and other mood issues
✅digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, acid reflux, and so many other digestive disorders
✅Decreases inflammation in the gut
Both are essential to an ideal, balanced gut ecosystem, but VitalBiome is especially helpful to add to Probio5 if you struggle with one of the above things.

Corrosive Coca-Cola

Facts about Coca Cola…(not for the faint of heart)

Coke is a powerful cleanser:

It can dissolve a T-bone steak in two days.

Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let sit for one hour, then flush clean.

Pour a can of Coca-Cola over battery terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

Soak a rag in Coca-Cola and then place over rusted bolt for several minutes in order to loosen.

The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

Commercial trucks delivering the Coca-Cola syrup (concentrate) must identify their shipment as Hazardous Material because it is a highly corrosive material.

Apparently, the distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, why would you do that to your body?

Inflammation

Inflammation...a nasty little thing that causes poop issues, joint issues and difficulty losing weight. There are several things you can do to help fight the inflammation, I am going to hit on three of them here.

WATER: Drink 1/2 your weight in ounces every single day. EVERY single day. You can add a bit of lemon juice to it first thing in the morning to help cleanse the liver. Also, if you don't drink enough water, you body will go into dehydration mode and hold on to any liquid it gets. This causes inflammation in the form of water weight. While in dehydration mode, your body will also pull fluid from wherever it can get it. This includes your joints. You know those squishy pads between your bones that keep things cushioned? Those things (in simple terms) start to dry up and this causes even more join pain. 

FOOD: Many things we ingest on a daily basis contribute to inflammation. One of the biggest culprits is sugar.
*Sugar can be found in baked goods, candy, energy bars, soda, and lots of well known sugar foods. But then there are the not so well know such as refined carbs, peanut butter, fruit juice, sweetened yogurt and condiments.
*Vegetable oil: Mayonnaise, salad dressings, barbecue sauce, crackers, bread, potato chips.
*Fried foods: french fries, fried chicken, fish sticks, chicken tenders, onion rings.
*Refined flour: Pizza, white bread, crackers, pasta, pretzels, flour tortillas, breakfast cereals, bagels.
*Dairy: Milk, soft cheeses, yogurt, butter.
*Artificial sweetener: No-sugar-added products, no-calorie “Diet” soft drinks.
*Artificial additives: Breakfast cereals, processed foods containing fruit, candy, ice cream.
*Saturated fat: Burgers, pizza, candy, chips.
*Processed meat: Bacon, hot dogs, bologna, sausage, jerky.
*Trans-fat foods: Margarine/shortening; baked goods like doughnuts, cookies, and muffins; non-dairy coffee creamers; frozen pizza; frosting.
*Fast food: You know what I'm talking about, I don't need to type it out.

EASE: Are you familiar with turmeric? This powerful spice is in Plexus Ease and is packed with anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. Turmeric has been proven to fight off destructive free radicals, rejuvenate cells, cleanse the liver, protect the heart , boost moods and supports healthy brain functioning. BUT normally, turmeric taken in pill form is ineffective because you need FAT with it. Our Ease has a superior one in the form of the Green Lipped Mussel, an Omega3 fatty acid, which is up to 100 times more effective in reducing inflammation than a regular Omega 3 supplement! Plexus Ease also contains serrapeptase & Green Lipped Mussel! Google those ingredients, you’ll be impressed!
**Do not take with a shellfish allergy**

Sleep Deprivation and your gut

Remember the last time you got a really good nights sleep? 
Remember how incredible it felt to wake up well rested before the alarm even went off?

Most of you are going to answer 'no' to both of those questions.  Most of you don't know the enjoyment of a well rested body, but you know all to well what it feels like to not get enough sleep. 

Not meaning to add insult to injury, but those who are sleep deprived, on average, eat 400 more calories than those who are rested.  Sleep deprivation impacts hunger and fullness hormones.

*Ghrelin tells your brain it's time to eat.
*Leptin cues the brain to put the fork down

With insufficient sleep your ghrelin goes up and your leptin goes down.  This leads to risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. 

Sleep deprivation can be linked back to the whole gut-brain connection.  The gut-brain axis (GBA) refers to a two-way communication stream between the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and the enteric nervous system (the 500 million neurons embedded in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract).


Stress and anxiety — both elements of mood disruption — can seriously impact our sleep. In our modern world of constant stimulation, fast food, and the various stressors unique to each individual, it’s important that we understand the role the gut plays on our ability to cope with stress,  which can have a major impact on our ability to sleep. Taking care of our physical and emotional stressors by cleaning up our gut health could be a major win for our quality of sleep.

 Enter Plexus Probio5 and Bio Cleanse.  You can read all about their goodness here. 

 Getting your gut healthy allows the gut and brain to connect so much better.  This better connection helps you to sleep better.  Better sleep means a more well rested, happier you.  

You can also help your sleep by eating....or avoiding...certain foods in the evening.

Good food:
banana
dairy
nuts
seeds
honey
eggs

Bad food:
spicy
chocolate
alcohol
high protein

To help your mornings be a little more cheerful:
* Eat a low carb/high  protein breakfast
* Bring in natural light
* Exercise or meditate
* Drink a full 8 oz. glass of water