Isagenix Health

In 2020, Isagenix collaborating with researchers at Clarkson University, published results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the mental and cognitive performance benefits of e+ Energy Shot (e+ Shot) (1). The results found that e+ Shot, compared to a shot containing an equivalent dose of caffeine, significantly improved cognitive reaction time (faster, more accurate responses on a test).  

These researchers have now re-evaluated and published updated results based on new studies characterizing an individual’s mental and physical fatigue level. This re-evaluation demonstrated that those individuals who were generally highly mentally and physically stressed responded even better to e+ Shot when compared to caffeine alone (2). 

Study Details and Results 

 The original study included 30 young male and female research participants. Each participant consumed a caffeinated beverage containing approximately 100 milligrams of caffeine and e+ Shot, providing a combination of 85 milligrams of caffeine plus a blend of ten adaptogenic herbs.  

After consuming their assigned product, each participant completed a series of cognitive and mental performance tests. After at least 48 hours, subjects consumed a different study product and once again completed the battery of tests.  

After determining the effects of the caffeinated Shot and e+ Shot, researchers re-analyzed the data based on the participant’s mental and physical energy and fatigue status using a validated survey.  

Overall, when considering the participant’s energy and fatigue status, there were clear differences in the effects of the beverages. Consumption of the adaptogen-rich, caffeine-containing e+ Shot preferentially benefited individuals with initial low mental and physical energy status and high mental fatigue compared to caffeine alone.  

According to Dr. Ali Boolani, who led the study, “our findings suggest that e+ Shot was most beneficial for individuals who are typically low energy or high fatigue (both mental and physical). Also interesting was that normally physically energetic individuals became more anxious with the caffeine alone. In contrast, these same individuals were not anxious with the e+ Shot, suggesting that the adaptogens prevent or reduce negative responses to caffeine in certain individuals.” 

 E+ Shot – A Perfect Solution Anytime, Anywhere 

 Isagenix is committed to formulating simple, proven, and natural products to improve your health. This latest study suggests that, whenever the need strikes, e+ Shot is that perfect, portable caffeinated adaptogenic shot for a midday “pick-me-up,” an exercise pre-workout, or a mental boost.   

References

1. Boolani A, Fuller DT, Mondal S, Wilkinson T, Darie CC, Gumpricht E. Caffeine-Containing, Adaptogenic-Rich Drink Modulates the Effects of Caffeine on Mental Performance and Cognitive Parameters: A Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 29;12(7):1922. doi: 10.3390/nu12071922.  
2. Boolani, A.; Fuller, D.; Mondal, S.; Gumpricht, E. Trait Energy and Fatigue Modify Acute Ingestion of an Adaptogenic-Rich Beverage on Neurocognitive Performance. Appl Sci. 2022, 12, 4466. doi: 10.3390/app12094466.

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Trainer: Mona Dolgov, Nutritionist, Cookbook Author, & Culinary Expert

Natural beauty is at the top of mind for so many thanks to the introduction of Hair Revival, Collagen Elixir, and the Celletoi Skincare Line. What if you could enhance the effectiveness of these products with simple tweaks to your diet?  Culinary expert and nutritionist Mona Dolgov shares how the foods you eat can have a major impact on your natural glow. She shares which foods to prioritize, what to avoid, and offers tons of recipes ideas to look and feel your best.

The post Foods and Recipes to Enhance Your Glow appeared first on Isagenix Health.

Starting a busy week without a plan in place can often derail your best intentions. The same goes for your weight loss and wellness goals on a Shake Day. Prepare for success with these Shake Day meal planning tips. 

Shake Day Basics 

The Isagenix System for weight loss and well-being is comprised of Cleanse Days and Shake Days. With helpful tools like the Cleanse Day Tracker and Cleanse Day Approved snacks, planning the perfect Cleanse Day is a breeze. Your Shake Days can be just as simple and successful with a basic meal plan and recipes to keep you organized. 

On Shake Days, you replace two meals with your choice of Isagenix shakes and consume a nutritionally balanced third meal along with a few 100-200 calorie snacks. If you have different goals on different days of the week, keeping a variety of Isagenix shake options on hand and customizing your menu could be the best choice for you. 

Organize your Shake Days for success with these four steps: 

1. Choose two meals each day that you will swap for shakes. 
2. Next, choose one meal each day that will be your third meal option and pick delicious, balanced recipes between 400-600 calories for each meal.  
3. Make your weekly shopping list to ensure you have the ingredients you need on hand. 
4. Prepare and proportion your snacks ahead of time. 
5. Don’t forget to include Ionix Supreme®, Natural Accelerator ™, IsaFlush™, and your other favorites to help you reach your goals. 

Meal Planning for Successful Shake Days  

Meal planning is a simple solution that can make a big difference in helping you reach your health and weight-loss goals (1). Planning meals in advance takes the stress out of trying to decide what’s for dinner every night and will end the temptation for takeout when you’re feeling tired at the end of a long day. 

Consider your schedule for the coming week and decide how many meals you will need to prepare. Jot down your Shake Day menu ideas for each day of the week and collect any recipes you plan to use. Rely on the convenience of an Isagenix shake when you are most crunched for time and plan to cook when you aren’t as rushed.  

It’s not necessary to always follow the same Shake Day schedule. If your routine is different from day to day, adapt your Shake Day to work best for you.  Personalizing your Shake Days is the best way to be successful, so be sure to customize each menu to your needs. 

Here are three sample Shake Day meal plans to help inspire your own plan.  

References  

1. Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, et al. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Feb 2;14(1):12.  

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If achieving a healthy lifestyle is your goal, then managing stress should be a top priority.

Stress is often the unseen factor hampering the weight loss efforts of many. Unfortunately, it’s not something that can be easily changed and often goes unaddressed when implementing a positive lifestyle change.

How Does Stress Affect Health?

There are several ways stress can impact your well-being. From a biological standpoint, the hormone cortisol plays an integral role in your body’s reaction to stressful situations. One of its functions is to help make energy readily available, if needed, to escape or fight off an attack. This acute physiological response is also referred to as the fight-or-flight response.

This same function occurs when handling more modern sources of stress, such as a tough day at the office or a long day with the kids. While this mechanism helps keep you “safe,” long-term stress can start to have negative impacts on your health. Studies have linked higher levels of cortisol in individuals under stress to numerous negative outcomes that affect your brain, nervous system, sleep patterns, cardiovascular health, and weight (1).

Does Stress Really Affect Your Waistline?

The short answer is yes. Many can relate to finding their progress stalled during a weight loss journey. You might feel like you’re doing everything right and following your plan to a T, yet you still aren’t seeing results. If that is the case, there may be unseen factors at play hampering your efforts. Uncontrolled stress and poor sleep are common culprits.

In the short term, acute stress is often associated with unwanted weight loss, while continuous stress or ongoing problems lasting for months to years (chronic stress) is associated with less nutritious food choices, resulting in weight gain (2, 3).

One study investigating stress’s effect on weight found that increased cortisol was associated with a reduction in dietary restraint and increased calorie intake, leading to weight gain among women (4). The researchers also noted that the increased calories specifically came from foods high in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats (4). Classic “comfort foods” can make a substantial contribution to stress-related weight gain.

Researchers are pinpointing these changes in normal dietary patterns during periods of prolonged stress as a driving factor in the association between chronic stress and obesity. They have also observed that going through long-term stress induces distinct behavioral changes such as decreasing physical activity, increasing sedentary behavior, and decreasing sleep duration (2). A combination of any of these changes (physiological or behavioral) can take a toll on both your health and your weight.

Four Ways to Better Navigate Stress

Here are five things you can do to better navigate stressful seasons in your life:

1. Acknowledge the stress you are under and re-evaluate your goals.

Shifting your focus to self-care through proper nutrition, physical activity, and stress management can help you feel your best during trying times. This mindset shift can eliminate the pressure of seeing dramatic changes on the scale, making your emotional and mental health a much-needed priority.

2. Prioritize activity you enjoy.

Whether your workout is a challenging class, “you time,” or a social opportunity to catch up with friends, make it a staple in your daily routine. Physical activity of any kind has been shown to help alleviate stress and improve mood (5). Getting active each day is also a cornerstone of health and supports your weight loss goals. When you are starting to feel busy or overwhelmed, don’t let your workout routine be the first to go.

3. Stick with your Shake Days.

Studies have shown that those who are struggling with chronic stress are more prone to cravings (2). Following your Shake Day schedule can help you feel satisfied throughout the day and much less likely to overindulge in comfort foods. Shake Days are designed to fuel your body with dense nutrition, so you can look and feel your best. With the bonus of convenience, IsaLean® Shakes and Bars can take the stress out of mealtime.

4. Drink adaptogens daily.

Whether it is a tough workout, a rough day, or a stressful time in your life, adaptogens have been shown to help your body adjust (6, 7). Making Ionix® Supreme or Adaptogen Elixir part of your daily routine can give you consistent adaptogen support.

Because stress is often unavoidable, an important step in protecting your health is developing methods to better navigate these stressful times and prevent negative long-term effects. Isagenix products can help you achieve this goal.

References

1. Roberts C, Troop N, Connan F, Treasure J, Campbell IC. The effects of stress on body weight: biological and psychological predictors of change in BMI. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Dec;15(12):3045-55. doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.363.
2. Chao A, Grilo CM, White MA, Sinha R. Food cravings mediate the relationship between chronic stress and body mass index. J Health Psychol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2018 Oct 14. Published in final edited form as: J Health Psychol. 2015 Jun; 20(6): 721–729. doi: [10.1177/1359105315573448]
3. Masih T, Dimmock JA, Epel ES, Guelfi KJ. Stress-induced eating and the relaxation response as a potential antidote: A review and hypothesis. Appetite. 2017 Nov 1;118:136-143. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.08.005. Epub 2017 Aug 5.
4. Roberts CJ, Campbell IC, Troop N. Increases in weight during chronic stress are partially associated with a switch in food choice towards increased carbohydrate and saturated fat intake. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2014 Jan;22(1):77-82. doi: 10.1002/erv.2264. Epub 2013 Oct 4.
5. Pedersen BK and Saltin B. Exercise as medicine – evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015 Nov; 25(53): 1-72.
6. Panossian A, Wikman G. Evidence-based efficacy of adaptogens in fatigue, and molecular mechanisms related to their stress-protective activity. Curr Clin Pharmacol 2009;4:198-219.
7. Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of adaptogens on the central nervous system and the molecular mechanisms associated with their stress-protective activity. Pharmaceuticals 2010; 3: 188-224.

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Trainer: Lindsay Gnant, MS, RDN, Manager of Scientific Content

It’s easy to take gut health for granted when everything is working smoothly, but when things feel “off” it can have a big impact on almost every part of your life. Registered Dietitian Lindsay Gnant shares her tips to keep your gut functioning and feeling its best. She discusses general dietary guidelines to support a healthy gut, misconceptions around fiber intake, how different stages of life can impact your gut, and more.

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