5 Daily Supplement Must Haves!

If I only had a dollar for every time someone said to me "I take (fill in the blank with some herb, pill or tincture promised to do miraculous things)" and when I ask why, the response I get is "because Dr Oz said... (fill in the cure-all claim here; from dramatic weight loss, to guaranteed sleep to the energy of ten lemur's to looking so youthful you are mistaken for your teenage daughter!) OK, maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but seriously if you took all the "recommendations" from that show and applied them to your supplement cabinet, 

1) You would probably overdose on something or have a bad interaction between ingredients 
2) You would need a pantry the size of the Trump Towers to store it all 

3) You would need the conference spending budget of our IRS in 2010 to afford it all! 

Bad political jokes aside, let's be sensible for once shall we? Let me throw one disclaimer out there before I proceed. I do in fact think Dr Oz does the general public a HUGE service by providing eye opening education and calling a spade a spade when people are not living healthy. However, the show has producers, massive overhead, Big Network honchos to answer to, and millions and millions of dollars to be made by relying on advertisers and online product sales. Can't fault them for making a buck, but what I do want people to start doing is their OWN RESEARCH! Don't just take people's word for it. The latest craze is just that... a flash in the pan until some manufacturer wants to corner the market on the next gimmick. Craze is one letter away from craz-Y... so when someone, even a doctor says jump, don't say how high...ask WHY? 

That goes for me to! I give advice, but that should never be a substitute for you doing your own due diligence. All this factored in, what are some of the key supplements that aren't a fad and have true science and legitimate backing to them? Well, I am so glad you asked, or at least continue to read so you care at least that much. If I had my druthers, I would have almost everyone adding the following items into their daily health regimen. This would be the basics to any good health foundation. From here you would then seek out more specific supplementation to meet your own bio-individual demands. 

1) Prebiotics AND Probiotics - gut health is imperative to nutrient absorption and your immune system. If your gut is not healthy, it is impossible for you to continue to be in good health. Some things that damage your gut are: medications (especially antibiotics), alcohol, acid foods beverages, stress, illness, parasites, not enough prebiotics for the good bacteria (probiotics) to munch on and thrive. 

2) Full Spectrum Digestive Enzyme with each cooked meal or non-raw, non-living food - What the heck are enzymes? Enzymes are protein chemicals, which carry a vital energy factor needed for every chemical action, and reaction that occurs in our body. There are approximately 1300 different enzymes found in the human cell. These enzymes can combine with coenzymes to form nearly 100,000 various chemicals that enable us to see, hear, feel, move, digest food, and think. Every organ, every tissue, and all the 100 trillion cells in our body depend upon the reactions of metabolic enzymes and their energy factor. Nutrition cannot be explained without describing the part that enzymes play! Enzymes are especially important for people with food intolerance's,   stomach discomfort, acid reflux, those who eat a lot of cooked or processed food, those who want to stay health and slow aging and more! Learn more here (because there is way more to the wonderful world of enzymes than I can cram into a blog). I am still amazed that enzymes get very little attention 

3) Greens powder or liquid - whether is is wheatgrass shots or greens powder, phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and enzymes that are readily available for your to thrive on can dramatically boost your overall health. From disease prevention and fighting illness to increasing blood iron, healing wounds, clearing skin, cleanses the blood and detoxes liver, can stop bone loss and the list goes on! 

4) Protein Source - I think we can admit it is pretty easy to get our daily fill of yummy, energy boosting carbs in, but it seems many of us lack quality protein necessary for muscle growth and retention, hormone balance, hair, nails, body repair, etc. And protein sources like Whey Isolates have been shown to boost immunity, support a growing baby if you are pregnant, keep blood glucose steady, help prevent bone loss in seniors ...am I making a convincing enough case for you to incorporate more protein into your daily diet? Try starting your day with about 20-25 g of protein. Then each meal, women should aim for another 20 or so grams of protein and men about 30-35 g. If you are athletic or pregnant, you may want to add get closer to 1 g of protein per pound of your ideal healthy body weight. 

(Easy and delicious Smoothie Recipes - now there is no excuse to skip breakfast!)

Note: If you are vegan, try mixing up your plant based proteins since a plant protein is an incomplete protein, meaning just one source like hemp or pea doesn't have all the amino acids necessary for the building blocks of good health. 

5) Omega-3's & DHA - are anti inflammatory, help with brain, heart and eye health, decrease blood pressure, very important for the brain of a growing fetus, helps decrease depression, decrease severity of autoimmune disease  and click here for 61 more ways omega's help your health 

Now I know you are going to say, "but Briana, you have links to items to purchase in here so aren't you just trying to sell product too?" Nope...not really. I carry these items BECAUSE I personally take them, have my family and friends take them and recommend my nutrition clients take them. It is because I have done the research and found the highest quality products or reached out to manufacturers to create the products I saw the market was lacking so that myself, my family and my clients could have access to those things as well at reasonable prices. I don't care where you buy your products as long as you know you can trust the supplier/manufacturer and source of ingredients, so more power to you! I provide links here for your further education and for you to see what we offer then compare ours to others you might have access to or already have in your possession. I care that you take sensible measures to improve your health, not that you always buy from me. 

I know that if you get to know us at Simply B you will know we are about doing better each day, educating our 3 C's - clients, community and customers. KNOWLEDGE is POWER and ACCESS leads to  ACTION. Fair enough? We sure think so! 

If you must... Choosing a Protein Bar

What to look for in a Protein Bar or Energy Bar

Nutrition bars were originally designed for serious athletes and outdoor survival and activities like hiking but are now perceived as healthy, nutritious snacks or meal replacements for daily consumers. They may be better choices than cookies and chips, but they are not necessarily good choices. Most contain hidden sugars, low-quality protein, fillers, high fat, tummy upsetting sugar alcohols and a lot of additional ingredients that may not be healthy if consumed regularly.

The fact that protein bars are extremely convenient is great news for active people who are looking for something to tide them over between workouts and meals. With sales of nutrition bars soaring to $1.7 billion over the past decade, there are literally thousands of brands to choose from. As long as they are eaten occasionally, they can be beneficial to your fitness goals. But eat too many of the poor-quality bars, and they might actually sabotage your efforts. Here’s what to look for.

Make sure it’s a protein bar

To be called a “protein” bar, it should have at least 15 grams of protein per bar. Although carb content is variable, you should choose a bar that is relatively low in carbs to avoid blood and insulin spikes that will hinder your fat-loss efforts. Energy bars are at the other end of the spectrum: high-carb, low-protein. Energy bars such as PowerBars® or Clif® Bars are useful for very intense cardio (aerobic) exercise that lasts more than an hour.

Meal replacement bars have a more balanced ratio of carbs, proteins and fats, and usually contain more calories than other types of bars. Despite what they sound like, these can never replace a properly balanced meal. Organic and raw bars like Lärabar® provide energy in as natural a method as possible. They are made with whole foods and are devoid of artificial sweeteners and inserted protein. They are, nevertheless, relatively high in sugars and low in protein.

Look at the source of protein

Most protein bars will have a “propriety protein blend” as one of the first things listed in the ingredients list. Choose bars that use high-quality sources of protein, such as hydrolyzed whey, whey isolates and micellar casein. Whey or soy concentrates are fine but are frequently used as fillers and shouldn’t be listed too high on the ingredients list. Gelatin (or collagen) is often added to protein bars to improve texture. Since it is a type of protein, it contributes to the total number of grams in the bar. Careful, though: It’s a low-quality protein, and some unscrupulous brands use it to artificially boost their protein content. Check the ingredients and ensure that gelatin and collagen are not listed too high up on the list.

Look at the carbs

Just because a bar is high in protein doesn’t mean it’s low in carbs. First off, avoid protein bars that list refined sugars, such as sucrose, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and chocolate, as the first or second ingredient. These are no better than candy bars. To make a protein taste good without using too much refined sugars, manufacturers often add artificial sweeteners (acesulfame potassium) and sugar alcohols (or polyols) such as xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, glycerol or glycerine. Sugar alcohols should be listed along with sugars and dietary fiber under the total carbohydrate listing on the nutrition label. These are hydrogenated forms of carbohydrate that are colorless and odorless, and give the bar a pleasing moist texture. They are not as sweet as sucrose, have fewer calories and don’t cause tooth decay. However, they may cause bloating and intestinal discomfort in some people since they are not completely absorbed by the gut. They do contribute calories and affect blood-sugar levels, so they need to be accounted for by the low-carb dieter.

Nutrition bars are not subjected to any quality testing prior to marketing. In 2001, the supplement-testing group ConsumerLab.com analyzed 30 brands of energy bars and found that 60% failed to meet their labeling claims. Among the highest failure rates were protein bars (92% failed), often because they were under-reporting the amount of carbs and sodium contained in the bar. So even if you’re super-skilled in reading nutrition labels and ingredient lists, you may not actually be consuming what you think you’re consuming. Thanks a lot devilish manufacturers! 

Look at the fat

Ever since manufacturers were pressured to remove trans fats from their products, they've replaced them with palm oil and palm kernel oil. Although not all saturated fats are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, palm oil is. Be careful not to consume too much of it. If a bar has hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated anything kick it to the curb! Those are heart HURTING trans fats. 

(source: askmen.com)

Homemade Protein Bar Recipes w/ Simply B Natural Whey

Feel duped by "health bars" in the store? Some are packed with chemicals, fillers, dyes and just plain "blah" processed ingredients. Be in control of what you choose to snack on. Try one of these or alter the recipes to fit your tastes/goals. 

No-bake protein oat bars

Simply Good!

2 cups dry oats
4 scoops Simply B Natural whey protein powder (vanilla or chocolate works best)
½ cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup of water or milk

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and then press into a 9-by-9 inch pan lined with wax paper. Freeze for 40 minutes and cut into bars.

Since these bars have a good amount of healthy fat, they are best used when you’re not preparing to exercise or recovering from your session, when fat should be avoided.

Blueberry and Banana Bars -Oh My! 

1 cup raw oatmeal

5 scoops of Simply B Natural whey protein powder, vanilla or cinnabun
½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
¼ cup fat-free cream cheese
2 egg whites (can substitute 1 tbsp chia in soaked in 6 Tbsp water for each egg white)
1½ bananas, mashed
1 cup blueberries
¼ cup water
3 tsp. coconut or olive oil

Directions:

First, preheat the oven to 325F. Combine oatmeal, protein powder and dry milk. Next, in another bowl, combine the cream cheese, egg whites, bananas, blueberries, water, and oil; beat this with an electric mixer until well blended. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour this batter into a sprayed 9-by-9 inch square pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Nuts and seeds protein bar

Learn more about Chia HERE

½ cup oatmeal
½ cup gluten free baking flour or oat bran
6 scoops Simply B Natural whey protein powder, vanilla
1 cup non-fat dry milk
2 tbsp flaxseeds or Chia seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
¼ cup mixed nuts
¼ cup dried fruit
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup water

Combine oatmeal, oat bran or GF baking flour, protein powder, dry milk powder, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit in a bowl. Stir in natural peanut butter, vanilla and water until moist and spread with a wooden spoon or spatula into a non-stick baking dish. Place in the fridge for an hour until firm.

If you’d like to make this recipe more low-carb in nature, consider replacing the dried fruit with another type of nut or seed and replace the oat bran with more ground flaxseeds. This will increase the caloric value of the bars though, so be sure you keep that in mind when working them into your overall diet. Cut into small squares about 2 x 2 or 3x2