The Science Behind Our weight/fat loss system

The Science Behind the Isagenix 30-Day System

January 21, 2015

Scientific evidence continues to grow stronger of Isagenix products effectiveness for long-term weight loss.

Rewind back to 2002, and Isagenix was born out of an idea—call it a stroke of inspiration or a practical, thoughtful approach to a nutritional program—to produce a line of products like no other.

An important distinction was that these products would be combined into a system involving “Shake Days” and “Cleanse Days.” The Shake Days replaced two meals a day with shakes, allowing for flexibility on a third meal. The Cleanse Days, conversely, were one or two days a week of fasting supplemented by the herbal drink, Cleanse for Life, andIsagenix Snacks™ wafers.

It was this Isagenix 30-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning system (along with additional supportive products like Natural Accelerator, IsaFlush, and the adaptogenic-drink Ionix Supreme) that propelled the company to new heights in bringing convenient health and weight management to thousands of people.

Fast forward 12 years, and it’s easy to see that the different Isagenix product solutions have come a long way. Not only that, but the science behind Isagenix has come a long way as well. Seeking scientific validation of its core system, the company has now funded several independent clinical studies performed at colleges and universities.

Clinicians including Dennis Harper, DO, and Robert Watine, M.D., are credited with putting Isagenix on the path to clinical research by collecting data on their own patients using the products.

Beginning in 2009 at New York Chiropractic College, “proof of concept” of the Isagenix system began with two independent open-labeled pilot trials. The principal investigator, Mary Balliet, Ph.D., submitted her research to the renowned scientific conference Experimental Biology. It would be the first time that the system would strike interest within the scientific community, paving the way for further interest and research.

By the time 2010 and 2011 rolled around, the company had sought out collaborations with several colleges and universities for a variety of research studies. It was also in 2011 that Isagenix partnered with University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), a leading research institution in the field of health sciences, health promotion, and disease prevention.

The science behind the Isagenix system throughout the years.

The UIC partnership would prove to be particularly fruitful, largely because of the selection of Krista Varady, Ph.D. as lead investigator. Dr. Varady’s previous research offered encouraging results from intermittent fasting regimens for weight loss and cardiovascular health.

Unlike other regimens, however, the Isagenix system was the first to incorporate both an intermittent fasting (Cleanse Days) and a calorie-restricted regimen together (Shake Days). Dr. Varady noted that she was excited at the prospect of comparing the system to a heart-healthy diet, the gold-standard benchmark.

Sure enough, after a 10-week study, subjects on the Isagenix system turned out to have superior results across all clinical parameters in comparison to the heart-healthy group. Notably, they lost more weight, more total body fat, and twice as much visceral fat leading to greater improvement in cardiovascular risk factors (2,3).

The UIC study was a major milestone for Isagenix. Its findings were reported in two reputable peer-reviewed journals in 2012, Nutrition Journal and Nutrition and Metabolism (2,3). In addition, in 2013 the study won the award for best poster in the Obesity Research Interest Section at the Experimental Biology conference.

It should have been no surprise that the results of the UIC study would attract other researchers who had an interest in evaluating Isagenix products. The company, however, was interested in taking research a step further—a new challenge for the Isagenix system. “Most companies would stop there, but not Isagenix,” said Chief Science Officer Suk Cho, Ph.D. “The question was whether people could maintain their weight loss. We also wanted to evaluate the detoxification component of the system.”

In collaboration with a new principal investigator, Paul Arciero, Ph.D., at Skidmore College, and toxicologist Don Patterson at AXYS Analytical Services, it was time to build on where prior research had left off. A new study was designed that would evaluate the system on both women and men, how it would affect arterial flexibility and blood flow (both markers of cardiovascular health), as well as its impact on basal metabolism.

The study was also the first to evaluate a “cleansing” factor by measuring the increase in circulating toxins as a result of the Isagenix system—the essential first step in detoxifying and eliminating harmful compounds from the body. It would be the first study of its kind to evaluate the influence of nutritional intervention on an increase in circulating toxins as a result of the weight loss achieved by a combination of “Cleanse Days” and “Shake Days.”

After an initial 10 weeks, the Isagenix system proved once again to deliver results consistent with the UIC study. The findings were presented as a poster at Experimental Biology and as an abstract in The FASEB Journal (4).

At this point, Isagenix gave Dr. Arciero the funding to extend the study with a 12-month weight maintenance period. The initial subjects were split into two groups, with half assigned to a dietitian-counseled, heart-healthy diet and the other half continuing on a maintenance program using Isagenix products.

After six months, the preliminary results were exciting for Isagenix. The system was still showing promising results with considerable metabolic and cardiovascular improvements, along with weight loss and metabolic rate maintained or improved. Currently underway is a review of the final data of the Skidmore College study after 12 months of weight maintenance.

Dr. Cho notes that few companies that market nutritional products ever venture into funding quality research to demonstrate the efficacy of their products. “We did. We want to show that using our products in the long-term leads to lasting benefits,” says Dr. Cho.

For customers who’ve enjoyed the system from its early years, it should come as little surprise that Isagenix products have worked so well. www.fatbgone.org #scienceofweightloss

Article originally printed in our “Why Diets Fail” Winter Science Newsletter.

How to Avoid Catching Contagious Stress

New research proves that stress is not only unhealthy, but contagious.

Don’t Catch Stress! We’ve all heard that stress is both unhealthy and unavoidable. But did you know that it’s also contagious?

New research from The Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Clemens Kirschbaum Technical Center in Dresden, Germany has recently addressed the intriguing possibility that stress can spread like an infectious disease.

These researchers conducted a large-scale study investigating stress moving from person to person through observation and its physiological responses (1). They found that both men and women become just as stressed when observing indirect stress through a one-way glass as they do from direct stress.

This empathetic form of stress creates the same cascade of harmful hormonal and physiological responses that were thought to only result from direct stress. Contagious empathetic stress, given the amounts of unavoidable direct stress we already register as experienced, also merits investigation within the research and healthcare communities.

Stress is needed for our survival. In short bursts it is protective, preparing us for “fight” or “flight,” but chronic stress, both direct and observed, can be harmful to the body (2). Increased concentrations of the circulating stress hormone cortisol is linked to a spectrum of metabolically related disorders including obesity and cardiovascular disease (2). Permanently elevated levels of cortisol can potentially disturb the immune system and can even become toxic to the brain (1). And this presents a valid argument for better attention to techniques and lifestyle stress management.

There are multiple avenues to stress management. Some are better known than others, such as relaxation, deep breathing, and routine exercise. Others are relatively new to the Western world, such as the use of stress-modulating herbs called Adaptogens.

Adaptogens affect multiple body systems including our neurological, endocrine, and immune systems, as well as the body’s homeostasis and energy metabolism (3). They offer a unique approach to stress management, especially for individuals that do not find meditation, yoga, or deep breathing their particular “stress-reducing” cup of tea.

Adaptogen expert Alexander G. Panossian, Ph.D., from the Swedish Herbal Institute, reported that an active component of the adaptogenic herb rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) had biological activity that helped regulate the stress response (3). This herb is one of the primary adaptogenic herbs found inIonix Supreme, along with wolfberry, ashwagandha, and amla berry to support the body in modulating the effects of chronic stress. Ionix Supreme is an adaptogenic tonic, suited for everyday use.

It’s our responsibility to do our part to stop the spread of unwanted worry, anxiety and pressures that come with everyday life. However, with Adaptogens, anyone who is confronted by stress can better manage their response to it. Along with other healthy habits such as exercise and quality sleep, stress can be controlled. www.fatbgone.org

#stress #adaptogens #stressmanagement #stresshormones

References:

1. Engert V, Plessow F, Miller R, Kirschbaum C et al. Cortisol increase in empathic stress is modulated by social closeness and observation modality. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2014 ; 45 :192-201.
2. Jantz G L PhD. The physical dangers of stress: Is being stressed out more harmful than you realize? Hope for Relationships. 2014.
3. Panossian A G PhD, DSci. Adaptogens in Mental and Behavioral Disorders. Psychiatr Clin N Am 36 (2013) 49–64.

Are Your Telomeres Tired?

April 17, 2015

Research shows that poor sleep quality leads to shorter telomeres and premature aging.

“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together,” said the 17th-century writer Thomas Dekker. We all know that adequate and sufficient sleep is key to good health. But did you know that too little sleep or poor sleep quality can make you age faster?

Chronic lack of sleep is associated with a myriad of health conditions including obesity, depression, and asthma. So what is considered poor sleep? According to the National Sleep Foundation, seven to nine hours of quality sleep is recommended each night for adults (1). Despite this, approximately 35 percent of Americans report their sleep quality is “poor” or “fair.” While occasional sleeplessness, due to factors such as personal or job-related stress is expected, chronic, poor sleep patterns are increasingly considered a major factor for reduced health and quality of life.

But how exactly is sleep quality related to health? One reason may be due to how sleep affects telomeres. Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of our chromosomes, that are a significant marker of cellular aging. As Isagenix Scientific Advisory Board member and telomere researcher Bill Andrews, Ph.D., says, “When telomeres shorten, bad things happen.” Indeed, previous research has linked shorter telomeres to poor sleep quality (2, 3).

Now, a recent study by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, including Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, have attempted to further characterize the relationship between sleep quality and telomere length, alongside another lifestyle factor implicated in telomere health—chronic stress.

This new study, published in the 2014 December issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (4) included 87 obese subjects (BMI=35.4; 82 percent female) and looked at sleep quality, self-reported stress levels, and telomere length from several immune cell types (the best targets for measuring telomere length). They found that poor sleep quality was closely associated with significantly shorter telomeres in most immune cell types.

In addition, the role of stress was examined and for individuals under higher stress, poor sleep quality and shorter telomeres were positively associated. The authors concluded that poorer sleep quality was related to telomere length and that this relationship may provide clues linking poor sleep quality to poor health outcomes in the obese individual.

Luckily, Isagenix can help individuals with poor sleep quality, unrelenting stress, and, of course, a clinically-validated Cleansing and Fat Burning System for weight management. First, under the leadership of another Isagenix Scientific Advisory Board member, nutritionist Dr. Michael Colgan, Isagenix has developed Sleep Support and Renewal™, which contains a fastacting melatonin formulation along with other calming ingredients such as valerian root and the amino acid L-theanine.

Next, for combating life’s daily stresses, Isagenix offers Ionix Supreme, a concentrated beverage full of adaptogenic herbs to improve stress management and reduce stress-induced fatigue along with the Adaptogen-rich, naturally sourced caffeinated e+ energy shot. Finally, for healthy, sustained weight loss and improved body composition, the 30-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning system has been shown in two independent studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Skidmore College to significantly reduce body weight, total body fat, and visceral fat.†

With Isagenix targeted solutions and weight management systems, you give your body the best chance at improving your sleep quality and “energizing” those telomeres. www.fatbgone.org

#telomeres #sleep #stress #adaptogens

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. National Sleep Foundation. How sleep works: How much sleep do we really need? Available at: http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
2. Prather AA et al. Shorter leukocyte telomere length in midlife women with poor sleep quality. J Aging Res 2011;2011:721390.
3. Cribbet MR et al. Cellular aging and restorative processes: subjective sleep quality and duration moderate the association between age and telomere length in a sample of middle-aged and older adults. Sleep 37:65-70, 2014.
4. Prather AA et al. Tired telomeres: Poor global sleep quality, perceived stress, and telomere length in immune cell subsets in obese men and women. Brain Behav Immun 2014 Dec 20. pii: S0889-1591(14)00574-1. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.12.011. [Epub ahead of print].

Optimal use of Protein for fat burning and muscle building

Mimi Hughes

Reminder that we store fat and carbs but not protein so need to consume regularly throughout the day.Protein can be found in a variety of foods. Eggs, chicken, fish, dairy, and beef are all sources of protein. However, not all protein is created equal.

For a superior protein option, study after study shows nothing compares to whey protein. Whey has a high concentration of branched-chain amino acids (or BCAAs), which are quickly absorbed and used to build and repair muscle—especially if consumed after exercise.

Arguably the greatest benefit of consuming whey protein is the ability to maximize fat loss without losing muscle. A study comparing whey protein and soy protein found that subjects consuming whey had 62 percent more fat loss during 5 1⁄2 hours after a workout (1).

Another study looking at the effect of supplementing with whey protein, soy protein, or carbohydrate after workouts for a period of nine months found that those consuming whey had 55 percent more muscle gain than either soy or carbohydrate groups (2). In fact, those who consumed soy protein had similar muscle synthesis as those who ate carbohydrates alone. For fat burning and muscle growth, the kind of protein you choose matters. Let me know if you have any questions, free shipping ends today. #buildingmuscle #fatburning #wheyprotein

Importance of the right protein and what it does for You

Mimi Hughes added 3 new photos.

Protein is the major structural component of muscle.New research shows that eating protein at the right times, particularly at breakfast, is primary for maintaining lean body mass with age. Plus, the effect of protein on muscle synthesis, satiety, and fat burning can also depend largely on the protein’s quality. When dietary protein intake is too low, muscles will break down and gains in size, strength, and power will be compromised. But not all protein is equal. Much research suggests that whey protein, which is high in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), is a superior protein source for igniting muscle synthesis. This source should be from grass fed cows, an organic source. Why? Four out of five animals are routinely given antibiotics (regardless of whether they’re sick) and one out of five dairy cows are stimulated with hormones to produce more milk. Research has shown that when cows are fed their natural diet of grasses in this way, it also keeps them healthier in comparison to grain-fed cows on feedlots. 

Consuming protein is not only great for promoting muscle gain, but also fat loss. Protein can suppress hunger more than fats or carbs leading to reduced calorie intake. Protein is also highly thermogenic, meaning it requires a lot of extra energy just to absorb and digest. Whey protein is more thermogenic than other sources, which is a win-win for athletes trying to build muscle, burn fat, and get lean. #protein #grassfed #wheyprotein

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Which oil do you use?

Mimi Hughes

Which oil do you use? I use Camelina Gold, it contains an abundant amount of omega 3 fatty acids and has a favorable omega 3 to omega 6 fo 2:1. It also has a smoking point of 475 degress and packed with natural antioxidants like Vit E. (On chart Blue is omega 3 and purple saturated fat).#omega3 #oil