Wellness

[World Traveler]

Bebe, I was finally able to read everything in detail that you wrote. Well done! I found it very informative and your details are amazing. I think Andrew should hire you as his PR person! 

My main thing with what I have gotten from him so far is the fact that the capsules have such finely crushed ingredients in them. As I get older I note that things don't dissolve as quickly inside me as in years past. The more vitamines/minerals that I can have that dissolve quickly, the better I feel about the changes of it doing some good in my system. So that makes me a Lessman fan!

Some years ago I met someone who took a calcium pill and let it sit in a glass of water over night. Most of it was still hard the next morning. Could have been the brand, but that told me that I probably didn't benefit from tablets as opposed to capsules.

Again, thank you so much for going to all this trouble for me, and I know others have greatly benefited from your research and desire to share.

[VaBelle35]

Thanks @bebe777for starting this thread.

re the question of oat bran vs oatmeal

I came to oatbran after doing Dukan.  He is a big fan of oatbran.  You have to eat 2 Tablespoons a day.  It is lower carb and expands wildly in water.  The longer it sits, the more water it soaks up, so you will feel full longer on it as it expands in your stomach.  I love it.  I bought Bob's Redmill brand.  You can also make things like pancakes and galettes with it (the recipes are all over Pinterest if you search on Dukan and Oatbran).

I came very late to the supplement party.  Over the years, I have had doctors who were for and against taking a multivitamin.  My last gyn suggested I take something, so I did the uneducated thing and did gummis and Flintstone vitamins for a while and then decided to try Nature's Code.  I loved NC.  I had no problems taking it (I took my packet at lunch).  I never felt better than when I was on it.  I tried Andrew Lessman's multivitamins with Fish Oil at one point during my NC years.  I think I saw a presentation.  I got about 1/2 way through my vitamins when the second cannister has a broken fish oil capsule and it stunk up the joint.  Couldn't finish them and went back to NC.  

At one point I stopped NC again and went to Centrum Silver chewables and then went back to NC.

In August 2013, I had just finished yet another round of antibiotics for a sinus infection.  I was traveling non-stop for work and I was constantly getting sick (sinus infection, female issues, sinus infection, female issues, and around and around it went for 2 years).

I stopped NC when Dr. Rouse left and they brought in the new representative.  QVC could not confirm for me if NC would continue to be updated and who would be doing the updating, so I cancelled my AD and switched to Andrew's Women's Complete 100 Max in September 2014.

That's when I started watching the shows and got interested in supplements.

On Halloween 2014, I did a Whole30 (30 days of food elimination to see if anything I was eating was contributing to my nasal allergies.  Sadly, food was not the issue.  At the end of my 30 days, I switched to the Primal Blueprint, a Paleo-type diet based on whole foods.

In November 2014, I had a complete physical and blood workup.  I go next week for the same (a little earlier this year due to my health insurance requirements at work).  I am very interested to see what my numbers are this year vs last year and that will determine what changes I make to my supplements, if any, and my eating style.

Here's what I take.

Women's Elite 100 - Max - I just switched to this one from ProCaps.  I haven't started taking it, it just arrived this week.  I like the profile of these packets better than the Women's Complete 100 and it will also allow me to drop other supplements, especially when I switch to Women's Elite 200 in the spring (have to use up all the other supplements I have first so that I don't overdo it).

Fibermucil/Cholestacare - at the same time, I ordered the F/C packets.  My family is 100% heart disease on both sides, so this product spoke to me.  While my cholesterol is "normal" and in a good range, it is something I watch closely and take serioulsy.

Resveratrol - This was in a TS bundle, so I bought it.  It's supposed to have wonderful benefits.

CoQ10and TruQ10 - A friend of mine told me that she and her husband started taking this at the insistance of their doctor.  She felt a big difference after a month of taking it.  I started researching it and felt it was something that would be beneficial to me and added the TruQ10 when it was a TS, because, why not.

Vitamin D - I started taking this after  I got my bloodwork back last November.  My D was 46 and both Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint) and Andrew say they like their D to be in the 70s.  So I will see how my D is this year and adjust accordingly.

Astaxanthin - I started taking this because I have dry eyes and my doctor wants me to eat flax seed (2T per day) or flax seed oil.  This has flax seed oil in it and it is also good for your eyes.  I personally don't notice a change taking this, but I will keep taking it.

Ultimate Eye - same as Astaxanthin - because it's good for your eyes and I spend a lot of time at home and at work staring at a computer screen (which contributes to the dry eye condition).

Maximum Joint Effort

Turmeric & Ginger

Circulation & Vein Support - I work out a lot and fly on airplanes a lot.  I think these are crucial for my joints.  I have one knee that annoys me (I've fallen on it, slammed it into things and just generally abused it over the years).

Ultimate Women's Wellness - I discontinued BCPs in April of this year after 27 years.  I though this might help with the transition.  I feel fine on it.  I might add or change to Positive Passage to see how I feel on that, but I felt UWW was more for what I was experiencing and where I was in the process.

Ultimate Friendly Flora and Cranberry Benefits - I missed the TS as I was on travel, but I did watch the presentations when I got home and felt these were important to add to the Ultimate Women's Wellness.  I had been taking Culturelle but stopped when I started taking the Fibermucil as that has probiotics in it.  The UFF has a lot more than Fibermucil, so I think it's a good addition.

Marine Collagen and Health Hair Skin & Nails - The MC intrigued me when he first presented it.  While my hair, skin and nails are good, I did have some nail damage that wasn't clearing up from overfiling, a deep bruise on my leg where I smacked it on the corner of the dishwasher many, many months ago that has not healed but is now almost completed faded out and a few other skin things where I've noticed a change.  MC is the one product where I noticed a difference.  I also think it contributes to the complements I've been getting recently (see below).  I've only been on HHS&N since the TS, so I can't say I've seen a difference but my nails do seem to be growing faster.  I go to the salon every 2 weeks and she had been cutting them the last 2 times.

Energy & Fat Metabolism and Urgent Energy - I love these.  I take the E&FM on days I go to the gym for cycle and zumba.  I also take it on days I have long meetings or long days of travel.  I take Urgent Energy for when I work out in the morning.  I think E&FM last longer and throughout the day and I get so much work done, I feel very focused and clear headed.  I think UE is more immediate.  For example, tomorrow I am volunteering at an all day festival, so I am taking 1 UE in the morning and one at lunch. I've taken E&FM more than I've taken UE but I like them both.  It does nothing for weight loss for me, though, but that's not why I take it.

Immune Factors - this one spoke to me because I fly a lot and go to the gym a lot and those are just breeding grounds for germs.  For something like the festival tomorrow, where I am handling money and tickets and being with a mass of people,  I will take some in the morning and some at lunch.

Brazil Nuts - I eat one a day.  I consider this a supplement.  It is the easiest supplement you can take.  I buy conventional as I read organic isn't necessary for nuts.  Conventional brazil nuts are huge, so one is enough.  Organic tend to be smaller, so you may need 2 of those.

Night Time - I love this one.  This is especially helpful when traveling, changing time zones and staying in hotel rooms.  A good night's sleep is key to having a good day the next day, making good food choices and having energy to do what I'm there to do.  I am interested in tryin Valarian as mentioned above.

Breath + - Colleen talked me into this the last show.  She just happened to mention it and they talked about it briefly as an aside, it wasn't presented.  I like it.  I use it at lunch time when I go into the office.

How I take them:

Bebe pointed out a few things in the other AL threads, so I've made some changes since that discussion:

Early Morning:  Coffee + Coconut Milk and 1/2 Banana

Ultimate Women's Wellness

Ultimate Friendly Flora

Healthy Hair Skin & Nails

Energy & Fat Metabolism Factors or Urgent Energy
Immune Factors

CoQ10 - 200

TruQ10 - 100
Vitamin D3

Allegra

Breakfast

Maximum Joint Effort

Fibermucil/Cholestacare

Circulation & Vein Support (1)

Ultimate Eye (1)

Cranberry Benefits (1)

Lunch

Women's Elite 100 Max 1000

Astaxanthin

Resveratrol

Ginger & Turmeric

Dinner

Circulation & Vein Support (1)

Ultimate Eye (1)

Fibermucil

Cholestacare

Before Bed

Marine Collagen

Cranberry Benefits (1)

For me, supplements are part of a whole lifestyle change I've been on since 1999. I workout 4-6 days a week (Zumba, Yoga, Water Aerobics, Cycle/Spin), I take sleep seriously and make it a priority.

In the last few months (and especially the last few weeks since I have not been wearing makeup due to an eye issue -- see the Pink Eye thread in Wellness), people have been commenting on my skin all the time.  Today, the receptionist at the salon I go to was demanding to know what I use on my face.  The other day a woman in line at TJ Maxx said I had great skin.

I have not been sick since August 2013 (unless you include my eye issues the last few weeks).

I attribute this to my eating, my supplements and my dedication to sleep.

[VaBelle35]

---

@winamac1 wrote:

from bebe's post

Cruciferous Extracts

* In the past few years, the recent research on cruciferous veggies has read as though they're magic bullets. The research is crazy good and it's still coming in. It is crazy good. -- I don't take this product because I eat a whole lot of Vitamixed cruciferous veggies every day, but if you don't then this is an excellent supplement choice.\

I don't take these as I eat so much broccoli and cauliflower.

---

I want to add this to my arsenal.  It's on my list.

[BichonEmma]

Those taking Andrew's marine collagen what are you mixing it with? I have the big bottle. I don't do smoothies. I had so much trouble getting it to mix in anything without having the whole process take over 1/2hr so the bottle is just sitting there 😪

i was making a cup of green tea, letting it cool down to warm tea. I'd add the powder, then let it sit for another 20 or so minutes until it disolved. Last couple times I did it I forgot about the tea and it got too cold to drink, wasting it. 

I've had zero luck getting it to mix without clumps. I've tried a spoon, whisk, fork, room temp and warm drinks. I don't want to do hot because I'm afraid it would kill some of the good stuff, which is also why I didn't heat up the tea. 

I feel like it's really aimed at smoothie drinkers, which I am not. 

[World Traveler]

---

@bichon_emma wrote:

Those taking Andrew's marine collagen what are you mixing it with? I have the big bottle. I don't do smoothies. I had so much trouble getting it to mix in anything without having the whole process take over 1/2hr so the bottle is just sitting there 😪

i was making a cup of green tea, letting it cool down to warm tea. I'd add the powder, then let it sit for another 20 or so minutes until it disolved. Last couple times I did it I forgot about the tea and it got too cold to drink, wasting it. 

I've had zero luck getting it to mix without clumps. I've tried a spoon, whisk, fork, room temp and warm drinks. I don't want to do hot because I'm afraid it would kill some of the good stuff, which is also why I didn't heat up the tea. 

I feel like it's really aimed at smoothie drinkers, which I am not. 

---

Since you don't like smoothies, which is how I use it, you might just drink it straight like he demonstrated on the program in July. Evidently the past iteration of the drink was not so pleasant taste-wise, as he mentioned a few times that it now had no taste. I noticed that he had to stir it up pretty vigorously. That's when I realized that I better use it in a smoothie to ensure it is dissolved properly. One of his presentations he had the host try it too and she said there was no taste. So I guess you could down it with a tall class of water.

[VaBelle35]

@World Traveler is correct.

The original version needed to be mixed with something with a little bit of flavor because the taste was like drinking water from your fish tank.  It wasn't horrible.  I drank it in lemon water and it was fine.

The new version that was released with his last visit, is actually better in plain, still bottled water.  I initially was drinking it with lemon water and it tasted funny.  It actually made the lemon water taste flowery, like cheap hand soap in a public restroom.  LOL

I mix it in about 1/4 cup of room temperature bottled water and drink it in 2 sips.  I let it sit on the counter for a while and drink it later with my Cranberry pill.  I personally don't find the need to mix it in 8 oz of water.

That's probably a question I should ask Andrew.  Can you drink it with less water.

ETA:  Okay, question asked!  Let's see if "Virginia" gets an answer on air.  LOL

[bebe777]

@VaBelle35 I'm rooting for you.

-- bebe

[BichonEmma]

---

@World Traveler wrote:

---

@bichon_emma wrote:

Those taking Andrew's marine collagen what are you mixing it with? I have the big bottle. I don't do smoothies. I had so much trouble getting it to mix in anything without having the whole process take over 1/2hr so the bottle is just sitting there 😪

i was making a cup of green tea, letting it cool down to warm tea. I'd add the powder, then let it sit for another 20 or so minutes until it disolved. Last couple times I did it I forgot about the tea and it got too cold to drink, wasting it. 

I've had zero luck getting it to mix without clumps. I've tried a spoon, whisk, fork, room temp and warm drinks. I don't want to do hot because I'm afraid it would kill some of the good stuff, which is also why I didn't heat up the tea. 

I feel like it's really aimed at smoothie drinkers, which I am not. 

---

Since you don't like smoothies, which is how I use it, you might just drink it straight like he demonstrated on the program in July. Evidently the past iteration of the drink was not so pleasant taste-wise, as he mentioned a few times that it now had no taste. I noticed that he had to stir it up pretty vigorously. That's when I realized that I better use it in a smoothie to ensure it is dissolved properly. One of his presentations he had the host try it too and she said there was no taste. So I guess you could down it with a tall class of water.

---

The taste isn't the problem. It really doesn't have one, I did drink one glass of water that I tried to mix it in, I failed and it was very chunky. It didn't taste like much of anything, the chunks however grossed me out 😝

I only switched to mixing it with the warm tea because I figured it would mix easier in something warm. It does but I'm still not getting it to mix well. 

[BichonEmma]

---

@VaBelle35 wrote:

@World Traveler is correct.

The original version needed to be mixed with something with a little bit of flavor because the taste was like drinking water from your fish tank.  It wasn't horrible.  I drank it in lemon water and it was fine.

The new version that was released with his last visit, is actually better in plain, still bottled water.  I initially was drinking it with lemon water and it tasted funny.  It actually made the lemon water taste flowery, like cheap hand soap in a public restroom.  LOL

I mix it in about 1/4 cup of room temperature bottled water and drink it in 2 sips.  I let it sit on the counter for a while and drink it later with my Cranberry pill.  I personally don't find the need to mix it in 8 oz of water.

That's probably a question I should ask Andrew.  Can you drink it with less water.

ETA:  Okay, question asked!  Let's see if "Virginia" gets an answer on air.  LOL

---

As far as the 8oz of water...I bet if you drink something around the time you take it that would be fine. So you have enough liquid in your stomach. I would imagine the cranberry pill would benefit from the liquid as well. 

You have given me an idea though, I think I'm going to try putting it in a glass of watter before I go to bed. With luck it will be ready for me when I get up 👍🏻

I have RA so I'd like to take it in the morning. For the couple weeks I was taking it it seemed to help. I'm off my RA medication right now (per the dr) so I could really use it now 

[World Traveler]

---

@bichon_emma wrote:

---

@World Traveler wrote:

---

@bichon_emma wrote:

Those taking Andrew's marine collagen what are you mixing it with? I have the big bottle. I don't do smoothies. I had so much trouble getting it to mix in anything without having the whole process take over 1/2hr so the bottle is just sitting there 😪

i was making a cup of green tea, letting it cool down to warm tea. I'd add the powder, then let it sit for another 20 or so minutes until it disolved. Last couple times I did it I forgot about the tea and it got too cold to drink, wasting it. 

I've had zero luck getting it to mix without clumps. I've tried a spoon, whisk, fork, room temp and warm drinks. I don't want to do hot because I'm afraid it would kill some of the good stuff, which is also why I didn't heat up the tea. 

I feel like it's really aimed at smoothie drinkers, which I am not. 

---

Since you don't like smoothies, which is how I use it, you might just drink it straight like he demonstrated on the program in July. Evidently the past iteration of the drink was not so pleasant taste-wise, as he mentioned a few times that it now had no taste. I noticed that he had to stir it up pretty vigorously. That's when I realized that I better use it in a smoothie to ensure it is dissolved properly. One of his presentations he had the host try it too and she said there was no taste. So I guess you could down it with a tall class of water.

---

The taste isn't the problem. It really doesn't have one, I did drink one glass of water that I tried to mix it in, I failed and it was very chunky. It didn't taste like much of anything, the chunks however grossed me out 😝

I only switched to mixing it with the warm tea because I figured it would mix easier in something warm. It does but I'm still not getting it to mix well. 

---

I hear you and totally agree. The chunks of anything that is supposed to dissolve is not my favorite either. My smoothie is a concoction of things that Dr. Oz had on his show one day. Very tasty. It has almond butter and whey for protein, a couple of dates for fiber and sweetness, half a frozen banana, flaxseed oil, one cup of unsweetened almond milk, a few cubes of ice, and a very small amount of unsweetened chocolate powder. I love this drink and have it every morning while downing my various Lessman supplements. So I just toss in the marine collagen.Started with two servings/scoops, as he suggested for initial use. Now down to one scoop.