Clean Eat Education: What's In Your Multivitamin?

Multivitamin supplements are by far the most popular nutritional product on the market today as they are very beneficial at filling in nutritional gaps and deficiencies.  According to a recent Gallup poll, half of all Americans take a multivitamin supplement and for good reason…the highly processed and refined foods of convenience consumed on a regular basis these days provide little to no nutritional value, so we have no choice but to supplement with a multivitamin in order to receive the recommended levels of essential vitamins and minerals, but, be aware, not all supplements are equal!

Many of the vitamins on the market contain harmful ingredients such as:

• BHT – linked to bladder, gastric, and lung cancer as well as DNA damage
• Boric Acid – used as insecticide and flame retardant – may cause DNA damage
• Synthetic vitamin A – linked to birth defects
• Stearic acid – contains pesticide residues
• Hydrogenated Palm Oil – known to cause cardiovascular disease
• Sodium benzoate – synthetic preservative

Also, extensive testing on leading multivitamin brands performed by ConsumerLab.com found defects in nearly 40% of the products tested.  This testing also found:

• One popular general multivitamin contained nearly 2.5 times its claimed amount of vitamin A in the retinol form.  Too much retinol can be very harmful
• A range of multivitamins contained more than the upper tolerable limits of niacin, vitamin A, and/or zinc
• Tablets of leading men’s and women’s multivitamins failed to break apart within the required time frame outlined in the testing which means they may not release all ingredients for absorption

Take a look at the labels of a popular women's general multivitamin and a VERY popular children’s vitamin:

Because of these alarming inconsistencies and potentially harmful effects of taking a product that is supposed to optimize your health, we have been very selective in the supplements we consume.  

Our preferred multivitamin is the Isotonix multivitamin without iron.  We prefer the iron-free version because iron can be toxic at high levels of consumption and we receive the recommended daily amount of iron through our regular diet.

So, why do we love and trust the Isotonix Multivitamin?

First of all, we know the product is highly tested and the production process meets GMP (Good Manufacturing Process) standards.  This means that Isotonix products are periodically inspected and approved by either the FDA or the USDA.  The manufacturing environment must be sterilized between production runs which drastically reduces the potential for impurities, heavy metals, and contamination. Moreover, product batches are subject to thorough inspection and analysis to ensure consistency and purity.  Finally, the manufacturer also requires a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for each raw material and every batch of Isotonix products are reviewed and approved by highly-trained production personnel.

Secondly, the isotonic state of the Isotonix multivitamins matches the fluid pressure of your bodily fluids to ensure optimal absorption (recall the study by ConsumerLabs.com that found many products failed to breakdown in the digestive tract in the required timeframe).  Non-isotonic supplements (pills and capsules) can take anywhere from forty minutes to four hours to digest which causes several important micronutrients to get trapped by fats, fibers, and tannins or become inactivated by the highly acidic pH level of your stomach.  

Also, nobody likes taking pills and capsules...all you have to do with the Isotonix products is pour a cap full and mix it with two ounces of water and you have a great tasting alternative to choking down those pills every morning!

When adding a multivitamin, it is important to realize that a multivitamin should be delivered in a way where little nutritive value is lost, making the absorption of nutrients important. It is this reason why Isotonix Multivitamin sets itself apart from the competition. In addition to providing 100% or more of the daily recommended value of many vitamins and minerals, Isotonix multivitamin includes the rapid absorption made possible by the Isotonix delivery system, eliminating the need to swallow a pill. Also, by removing the harmful binders and fillers listed above, the Isotonix multivitamin is a great tasting alternative to your everyday multivitamin.

Isotonix supplements have been carefully formulated to clear your stomach at an optimal rate to maximize absorption which means you’re actually getting what you paid for!

Oh, and speaking of getting what you pay for, the Isotonix multivitamin is very affordable…only $0.60 per day for the 90 day supply (which is 22% cheaper than the 30-day supply)!

Why is taking a vitamin supplement important?

Multivitamins can help in the process of converting food to energy and in the growth and repair of body tissue. Reduction of vitamin levels over extended periods can result in vitamin deficiency. These shortages may lead to symptoms which can include loss of appetite, loss of body weight, increased irritability and sleeplessness or constant drowsiness. Deficiencies of this nature can be easily avoided by adequate vitamin intake through the consumption of a high-quality multivitamin supplement.

Who should take Isotonix Multivitamin?

Almost everyone over the age of 18 would find it beneficial to enhance their diet with Isotonix Multivitamin. Even when eating a balanced diet, it is difficult to consume the optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals each day. Numerous studies have been conducted on the importance of vitamins and minerals. One should supplement with a multivitamin to assure that their daily nutrient intake is balanced and powerful enough to ward against any deficiencies, allowing for the best health possible.

Products/Kits:

• Single Multivitamin (with or without iron) available in a 30 serving supply or a 90 serving supply.
• Optimal Wellness Kit includes a 30 serving supply of multivitamin, activated B complex, and omega III fish oil.
• Daily Essentials Kit (bottles - with or without iron) includes a 90 serving supply of multivitamin, activated B complex, OPC-3 and calcium plus.
• Daily Essentials Kit (packets - with or without iron) includes a 30 serving supply of multivitamin, activated B complex, OPC-3 and calcium plus.

If you purchase using the links provided it will ask "were you referred by a friend?", please enter whitneycarlsonfitness@gmail.com. Using the links provided you can use discount code 10OFFMA for 10% off. If you have any questions please contact us at whitneycarlsonfitness@gmail.com.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product(s) is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

** As always, check with your doctor or healthcare professional prior to taking on a supplement regimen or testing products to treat medical conditions.  We are not health care professionals - this is for informational purposes only and does not override professional medical advice.

Our website may contain affiliate links. Clicking or purchasing something through these links does not cost you any extra. We may receive a small commission which helps us keep the recipes, workouts, and educational information you love coming!

Supplement Spotlight: OPC-3

OPC-3

You've probably heard about the importance of combating free radicals quite a bit over the last few years (or at least 10,000 times if you watch Dr. Oz), but what does all of this really mean?  Free radicals are everywhere - there's absolutely no way you can avoid them...all you can do is follow a clean eating lifestyle and supplement using powerful antioxidants to ward off the free radicals.

Not to scare you and make you want to crawl into a cave and spend the rest of your life there, but consider the free radicals we're exposed to through our daily routines:  

While you sleep, you are exposed to free radicals through the (not-so-clean) air you breathe (unless you have a good air purifier). Then, when you wake, you're exposed to other germs and toxins in our water and household products, detergents on your towels, the plastics your food is packaged in, pesticides on our produce, outdoor and other indoor pollutants, and the annoying list goes on.  Next, your workday is filled with stress with more germs and more toxins...the attack on our body is relentless and, if it's not controlled, it WILL lead to oxidative stress within our body which will cause inflammatory diseases (like arthritis, lupus, vasculitis, respiratory diseases), ischemic diseases (like heart attacks or strokes), neurological disorders (like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's), cancer and certain pathological disorders commonly associated with aging.  You can read this excellent pharacognosy review if you want to learn more about free radicals and antioxidants.

As I said above, following a clean eating lifestyle of increased protein, low glycemic index carbs, fruits and TONS of vegetables will help you fight the oxidative stress caused by free radicals.  I also highly recommend that you consider juicing (using a Vitamix to retain the fiber) to get the necessary nutrients you need, but, to be honest, all of this is not enough. This is where we'd like to introduce you to one of our favorite products, OPC-3.

OPC-3 is packed full of the highest quality natural antioxidants you can find on the market and it is the only product that combines grape seed, red wine, pine bark (Pycnogenol®), bilberry and citrus extracts.  In case you were wondering, OPC is the acronym for oligomeric proanthocyanidins which are very powerful antioxidants found in nature.  Here are a couple ingredients that make us love OPC-3:

• Red Wine Extract - Red wine extract is a powerful antioxidant and contributes to maintaining healthy circulation by strengthening capillaries, arteries and veins, and promoting overall cardiovascular health.
• Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol®) - Pycnogenol® is a natural plant extract from the bark of the maritime pine tree, which grows exclusively along the coast of southwest France. This unspoiled and natural forest environment is the unique source of pine bark.  

As one of the most potent natural scavenger of free radicals, Pycnogenol® combats many aggressive free radicals before they cause oxidative stress to vital organs.  Its super-antioxidant capabilities help support healthy blood platelet activity, support healthy blood glucose levels, reduce mild menstrual cramping and abdominal pain, maintain joint flexibility, promote cardiovascular health, improve erectile dysfunction, maintain healthy cholesterol levels and support a healthy complexion.  

If you were to do a quick search on PubMed for the effectiveness of Pycnogenol® in treating certain disorders, you'd find thousands of articles.  Here's one example where Pycnogenol® was used to reduce fasting blood glucose levels, waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and increased good cholesterol (HDL) levels.  It also reduced free radicals by nearly 35%!

I have hereditary high-blood pressure (one of the reasons I started eating clean!) that is now mostly under control, but comes and goes during times of high stress, especially in the mornings.  I can feel it as soon as I wake up...heart pounding, but not racing, so I go take a couple capfuls of OPC-3 and can honestly feel my blood pressure drop within a minute...it's crazy!

We've also heard dozens of reviews about how OPC-3 has been used to improve allergies (sometimes even eliminate them!), arthritis, migraines, and the list goes on and on.

If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I'm a skeptic...people told me about OPC-3 and how awesome it was and I didn't believe them.  They told me to do some research just on one of the ingredients (Pycnogenol®) and see if that changed my mind.  After digging through some PubMed articles, I was willing to give it a shot and I'm glad I did.  I really can't tell you how much I love this product (if you can't already tell by the length of my post)!  So, if you don't believe me, do some research...click the product link and Google or PubMed the ingredients.  

Isotonix® OPC-3®

You can find this product on Amazon, but SHOP.COM is the only authorized retailer of Isotonix products.  We've heard a couple complaints from people buying through Amazon and receiving expired products, so shoot us an email at whitneycarlsonfitness@gmail.com or go here if you want to learn more and/or order OPC-3.  This product is "isotonic" which simply means the same pressure as other fluids in the body (plus, no pills!).

- Scott

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product(s) is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

** As always, check with your doctor or healthcare professional prior to taking on a supplement regimen or testing products to treat medical conditions.  We are not health care professionals - this is for informational purposes only and does not override professional medical advice.

Clean Eat Education: Supplement Spotlight - Calcium

CALCIUM

The Skinny:

• Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body
• Calcium is an essential nutrient which means the body cannot produce it on its own, so it must be absorbed through food and/or supplements, although practically no one gets enough calcium from food (see the sources below).  
• When calcium consumption is too low on a regular basis, the body draws it from the bones which can lead to skeletal disorders.
• Food Sources of Calcium:
  • Non-dairy: Almonds (although you'd need to eat a pound of almonds to meet the RDA listed below!), Kale (1.5 lbs to meet RDA!), Broccoli (5 lbs to meet RDA!)
  • If you consume dairy then Greek yogurt is a great source, but you'd need to eat almost 2 lbs to get the 1,000 mg RDA!

Functions:

• Builds & maintains bones - although this is what most people consider the primary benefit of calcium, it also:
  • Can help burn fat (see research study here)
  • Supports cardiovascular health
  • Reduces the risk of high blood pressure

Recommended daily amount (according to The National Academy of Sciences):

• Adults (19-50): 1,000 mg/day
• Adults (51 +): 1,200 mg/day

If you can't get all of your recommended daily amount from whole foods there are calcium supplements available. Our favorite calcium supplement is Isotonix® Calcium Plus which is blended with Vitamin D3 & Magnesium to increase the absorption of Calcium and provide the body with commonly under-consumed nutrients.  You know how much we love the isotonic delivery too! "Isotonic" simply means the same pressure as other fluids in the body. This translates to it being absorbed by the body much better than pills or capsules. Plus, you get 90 servings for ONLY $19.50 and it tastes great!

The Daily Essentials Kit also comes with a 90 serving supply of Calcium along with Multivitamin, B-Complex, & OPC-3 (that is less than $12 per product per month)!

Please note that if you are interested in ordering any of these products, you can contact us at whitneycarlsonfitness@gmail.com for more details.  By contacting us directly, we can offer you special DISCOUNTS and PROMOTIONS that are available to our readers.  We can also answer any questions that you may have regarding these products and other supplements. If you purchase using the links provided it will ask "were you referred by a friend", please enter whitneycarlsonfitness@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for more Supplement Spotlights!

- Whitney

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product(s) is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

** As always, check with your doctor or healthcare professional prior to taking on a supplement regimen or testing products to treat medical conditions.  We are not health care professionals - this is for informational purposes only and does not override professional medical advice.