boost

What is a Meal Replacement Shake and Why are they Pushed on the Elderly?

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What is a Meal Replacement Shake?

You’ve seen them advertised on tv. Boost. Ensure. Those meal replacements in a bottle, with elderly ladies jumping on a trampoline or elderly men finishing what looks to have been a marathon, who are just overjoyed with happiness, radiant health and physical activity.

Cut to…. having these shakes be recommended by doctors for patients who are suffering the effects of chemotherapy, and are not hungry due to the poisons being pumped into them, who have no energy to exist, due to the poisons being pumped into them (a topic explored in another blog here!), or for those people living in a nursing home who maybe struggle to eat properly due to denture issues, decreased appetite or various other health issues.

First of all, what is in those meal replacement shakes? Can it even be called food?

It is definitely not food. It is a chemical concoction of food-like substances created in the lab with a whole lot of sugar added to it. They are marketed (very well) to medical doctors, nurses and health aids to recommend to their patients, but it seems the ingredient list is lost in translation.

Here, we break it down. Can you even recognize any of these ingredients as real food?

Ensure Plus® Milk Chocolate

Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Blend of Vegetable Oils (Canola, Corn), Milk Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali).

Less than 0.5% of: Nonfat Milk, Magnesium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Soy Lecithin, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Cellulose Gum, Potassium Citrate, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Cellulose Gel, Carrageenan, Salt, Ferric Phosphate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin B12, Phylloquinone, and Vitamin D3.

There are 22 grams of processed sugar in one 250mL bottle.
Processed sugar FEEDS cancer cells. Yet they are highly recommended to everyone who has chosen to take chemotherapy because they HAVE CANCER. Too much sugar can also destabilize blood sugar, lead to sugar spikes and crashes and cause moodiness.

There is also less than 1 gram of fibre in the entire bottle, which is an essential piece of our nutritional needs. It helps to move things through the digestive system and sweeps up toxins as it goes.

The canola or corn oil are both extremely inflammatory compounds and cause a great deal of havoc in the body.

All of the vitamins and minerals that are in the bottle are synthetic, and your body really has no idea what to do with them. Your body likes natural vitamins and minerals from real food, as they are synergistically available to work together in the body. There are many vitamins/minerals that need others to be fully utilized by the body, and Mother Nature provides this for us in REAL FOOD.

There are many artificial ingredients in this bottle which help to create flavour, thickness,  colour and preservatives to let it sit on the shelf for months. All of which cause a host of inflammatory responses in the body.

What should you eat instead?

For people who are suffering ill effects from chemotherapy, or have decreased appetites, or anyone who needs to eat when they may not feel like it, a simple smoothie is the best recommendation.

For example, you could blend up a bit of frozen banana and strawberries with almond milk and that would be a perfectly healing meal (that needs no replacement!)

Or raspberries, blueberries and peaches.

Or strawberries, kiwi and natural peanut butter.

It does not matter what the combination is, as long as the person enjoys the ingredients. There is a much higher chance of them drinking something fruity and palatable than blended green vegetables to start. Meet them where they are at, and if it is a plant based, whole food – throw it in that blender and I really hope they enjoy it!

With Sources from:

https://ensure.com/nutrition-products/ensure-plus#milk-chocolate
https://draxe.com/meal-replacement-shakes/

What Otto Warburg Actually Discovered About Cancer

Curbing Cubicle Crash: 12 Healthy Snacks To Quell The Mid-Day ‘Hangry’ Attack

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12 healthy snacks to quell the mid-day ‘hangry' attack

Do you struggle with the 3 pm energy slump?  Find yourself thinking, should I have another cup of coffee…?  Wondering if there’s any birthday cake left in the staff room or where the darn change for the vending machine snacks…?

Research shows that eating a combination of complex fibre with protein and healthy fats every three or four hours, helps to;

  • Maintain normal blood sugar level
  • Give you an energy boost
  • Conquer tummy rumbles

Here are some well-balanced snacks that are fun, portable and will keep you satisfied until your next meal.

Let’s Get Snacking!

  1. Energy Bars

Energy bars are everywhere these days.  They are quick, no bake, easy to make ahead and can be left at room temperature.  Most recipes call for a combination of;

  • Ground nuts and seeds
  • Mixed with peanut or almond butter
  • your choice of cranberries or raisins

However, my favorite recipe switches out the nut butter for ground pitted dates.

For anther great date recipe, click here for, “Salted Cashew Butter & Dark Chocolate Stuffed Dates”.

2. Avocados

Avocados are ‘good for you’ fats.  They are nutrient dense and fibre rich.  Try an avocado in the half shell stuffed with lightly salted or spicy sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

3. Hummas To The Rescue

Hummus doesn’t have to be bland and boring anymore.  Think Mediterranean!  Try various recipes like sundried tomato and basil hummus for a taste of pow!  Spread on multi-grain or high fibre crackers.

cucumber snacks
4. Kukoo For Cucumber

Try having thick slices of cucumber double as a sandwich with cheese, lean meat or peanut butter filling.

5. Who Loves Goat Cheese?

Goat cheese chunks rolled in ground nuts or granola are a perfect balance of creamy and crunchy.  Pop-in-the mouth kinda snack.

6.  I LOVE Goat Cheese!

Try rice crackers or thin wholegrain crisps, spread with goat cheese.  Then top it with raisins or better yet chopped dates.

7. Change It Up!

The traditional apple or banana slices with a nut butter always tastes great, but how about slices of fresh pear, pineapple chunks, or mango?

dates and nut butter
8. Take The Road Less Traveled

Pair up delicious dried fruits like chopped dates, figs, prunes or apricots with nut butter, or wait for it…hummus!

9. Go Greek

Top your low fat Greek yogurt with ground flax, hemp, or chia seeds.  Sprinkle with some gluten free oats or granola, and add berries of your choice.

10. Roasted Chick Peas

Another satisfying fibre and protein rich finger food is roasted chickpeas.  Add tons of flavour with some curry, paprika, garlic or chili powder…or for a touch of sweetness, while still warm toss with a half teaspoon of honey or pure maple syrup, and a dash of cinnamon.

11. Fresh Take On Veggies & Dip

Pair up various fresh cut veggie sticks, (or home baked veggie chips) with a protein dip made with light ricotta, basil, parsley, oregano and a touch of lemon juice.  Your taste buds will thank you!

12. Not Yer Granny’s Granola

Packed with healthy fats and loaded with nutrients, this is the perfect snack to power you through the rest of your day!

Yes, we’ve all been there.  Sometimes mornings are a rush, so don’t add more stress to your day.  Keep a stash of yummy, accessible snacks in your car, bag and desk.  That way you won’t be craving birthday cake at the office.

Plan for success.  Your daily energy requirements are important.