2013 Product Catalog

The 2013 product catalog has been released electronically.  it is available on the website, as a downloadable PDF file, plus I have turned it into an Android App.  Follow the below links to get each of versions:

Web Based Catalog

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/shaklee/2013productguide/

Downloadable PDF File

http://pages.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/shaklee/2013productguide/offline/shaklee_2013productguide.pdf

Android App

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wProductCatalog&hl=en

Melt Testing Shaklee -vs- Centrum

I created this video to show how easily dissolved the Shaklee vitamins are.  This video compares a normal non-chewable vitamin from Shaklee (Men's VitaLea) vs a chewable Centrum vitamin.  You can see how the Shaklee vitamin dissolves so much quicker then the Centrum.  Check out how much of each is left at the end of the video.



 I also found this article that talks about the same scenario:

HOW TO TEST YOUR VITAMINS: (by Brooke Thomas)

There are 3 tests that you can do to check your vitamins to make sure you are getting the best quality and not a synthetic version.

1.  The Water Test
If a vitamin does not dissolve in water in less than 30 minutes, it just passes through your body unused.  I tested several leading brands on the market as well as the prescribed prenatal multivitamin that I originally had when I was pregnant with my first daughter. These vitamins did not dissolve in 30 minutes, not even close! Plus, the water turned bright blue from large amounts of food coloring in the coating.

(There are two major problems with the water turning blue.

1.   Food coloring is also used to color candy, beverages and baked goods, and this may cause cancer.

2.  Food coloring can also be found in pet food, candy and beverages, and has caused brain tumors in mice.

It was very upsetting to find that this in the prenatal vitamins I would be giving my growing baby along with other vitamins I tested.   Shaklee’s vitamin dissolved completely in 10 minutes with no food coloring. There are no colors or harmful additives in Shaklee vitamins.

The prenatal vitamin also included a calcium pill.  Calcium is the hardest to break down in water so not many pass this test. Not a single speck dissolved off of it in 24 HOURS!!!!  However, Shaklee’s fully dissolved in 10 minutes…again!!

2. The Cooking Test

Another test I did was the cooking test.

You can literally “bake” your vitamins at 325 degrees.  If there are harsh binders and fillers in the vitamins they will cook out.  I could not believe what I found when I baked my prenatal along with the other vitamins! There was a black tar like substance that oozed out of it and it was very disturbing!

Nothing came out of Shaklee’s because it is a whole-food supplement so it was just like cooking food!

3. Final Test

I compared the vitamin and mineral level that the prenatal and other leading brands had contained vs. Shaklee’s Vita-Lea (their multivitamin). VitaLea had almost twice as much in it!

After several years of taking Shaklee’s essential foundational vitamins and protein, the true test is in how I feel and my family feels. Hardly ever being sick and always being full of energy has been a true test over time for me! I highly recommend switching your vitamins to a brand that is safe and works!

**Info adapted from www.healthyoates.com and www.bthealthsource.com
Source (http://www.puregoodness.net/health/all-vitamins-are-not-created-equal/)

Vitamins for kids?

Think about what sorts of meals your kids have been eating over the last couple of weeks and ask yourself how well balanced those meals were.  Did you run through the drive through and pick them up something quick a couple of nights?  How many TV dinners were microwaved for them?  Most kids out there don't get a well balanced meal, 3 meals a day, everyday... Take a look at this article from WebMD: (plus as an added bonus check out the nutrition facts for the Shaklee Incredivites at the bottom of this page.)

Which Kids Need Vitamin Supplements?

Given the reality of time-crunched parents, those well-rounded, home-cooked meals aren't always possible. That's why pediatricians may recommend a daily multivitamin or mineral supplement for:

• Kids who aren't eating regular, well-balanced meals made from fresh, whole foods
• Finicky eaters who simply aren't eating enough
• Kids with chronic medical conditions such as asthma or digestive problems, especially if they're taking medications (be sure to talk with your child's doctor first before starting a supplement if your child is on medication)
• Particularly active kids who play physically demanding sports
• Kids eating a lot of fast foods, convenience foods, and processed foods
• Kids on a vegetarian diet (they may need an iron supplement), a dairy-free diet (they may need a calcium supplement), or other restricted diet
• Kids who drink a lot of carbonated sodas, which can leach vitamins and minerals from their bodies

Top Six Vitamins and Minerals for Kids

In the alphabet soup of vitamins and minerals, a few stand out as critical for growing kids.

• Vitamin A promotes normal growth and development; tissue and bone repair; and healthy skin, eyes, and immune responses. Good sources include milk, cheese, eggs, and yellow-to-orange vegetables like carrots, yams, and squash.
• Vitamin Bs. The family of B vitamins -- B2, B3, B6, and B12 -- aid metabolism, energy production, and healthy circulatory and nervous systems. Good sources include meat, chicken, fish, nuts, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, and soybeans.
• Vitamin C promotes healthy muscles, connective tissue, and skin. Good sources include citrus fruit, strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes, and green vegetables like broccoli.
• Vitamin D promotes bone and tooth formation and helps the body absorb calcium. Good sources include milk and other fortified dairy products, egg yolks, and fish oil. The best source of vitamin D doesn't come from the diet -- it's sunlight.
• Calcium helps build strong bones as a child grows. Good sources include milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, and calcium-fortified orange juice.
• Iron builds muscle and is essential to healthy red blood cells. Iron deficiency is a risk in adolescence, especially for girls once they begin to menstruate. Good sources include beef and other red meats, turkey, pork, spinach, beans, and prunes.

Megavitamins -- large doses of vitamins -- aren't a good idea for children. The fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) can be toxic if kids overdose on excessive amounts. Ditto with iron. Your kids can get too much of a good thing.

(Source WebMD)

Click for a larger view

Do you really need a multivitamin?

Eating enough food that will supply your body with the recommended daily value (DV) of nutrients your body needs is possible, but not easy. You'd really need to be vigilant about what you eat and keep track of exactly what goes into your mouth. If you're busy and on-the-go like most of us, you may have a hard time doing this, in which case a multivitamin may be right for you.

Here are some basic rules you can use to find a multivitamin that works for you:

• For men: You won't need as much iron as a woman, only about eight milligrams per day. You can most likely get that much iron from your diet if you're a meat eater. Pork, beef, shrimp, turkey and liver all contain a lot of iron. So do potatoes with the skin on, lentils and beans, and oysters. Most multivitamins for men contain no iron at all. They also contain extra selenium, a mineral, and vitamin E to help prevent prostate problems.
• For women: You need extra iron because of a loss of the mineral during monthly menstruation, about 18 milligrams per day. If you've made it through menopause, then congratulations -- you'll now need a little more vitamin D in your multivitamin. Folic acid is big for women who plan on having children. It prevents certain neural tube defects like spina bifida, so doctors recommend that all women take extra folic acid during their childbearing years. There are also pre-natal vitamins specific to women looking to get pregnant that contain more folic acid and extra vitamin A.
• For kids: Contrary to what you might think, kids don't really need large amounts of vitamins and minerals. A lot of children's foods are already fortified with vitamins and minerals, so if your child eats a well-balanced diet then he or she may not even need a multivitamin. Vitamin D is important for bone growth and it's difficult to get enough through diet, so most children's multivitamins contain large amounts of it. Multivitamins for kids often look and taste like candy, so never allow them to take the pills themselves and keep them out of reach.
• For the over-60s: If you're more than 60 years old, then you should probably take a daily multivitamin. Sadly, as we age we lose the ability to absorb certain vitamins and nutrients. B12 is one of these, so multivitamins for older folks contain more of it. Vita­min K can help protect you from hip troubles, but it can also mess with your blood-thinning medication, so consult your doctor for a recommended multivitamin that jibes with your meds. Too much iron is no good for the older set, so most multivitamins for the elderly don't contain any. Look for men's and women's formulas for multivitamins formulated for people over 60.
• For vegetarians and vegans: If you're one of these people, you'll have a laundry list of vitamins and minerals you won't be getting without a meat and dairy-rich diet. Iron, magnesium, selenium, calcium, vitamin D, zinc and B12 are likely to be scarce if you're the type to eat Tofurkey with soy gravy every Thanksgiving. Choose a vegetarian specific multivitamin to help you restore these necessary nutrients.

Despite the fact that multivitamins are recommended for many people, not everyone needs them, and some doctors even think that they can do more harm than good in certain cases. Studies in the past few years have revealed some startling new findings for people who rely on multivitamins to provide their recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals.

(Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/vitamin-supplements/multivitamins-good-for-me1.htm)