Do You Want to Focus on Self- Care or Proactive Self-Care?

Don’t put off feeling your very best!

We all want to feel our best. Feeling “off” and taking days off of work essentially presses pause on your life.

The problem? If you’re trying to manage those “off” feelings once they’re already there, you’re giving those feelings a head start. Do you really want to spend your time trying to play catchup, putting bandages on small problems so that you can finally live a life you love? Or do you want to finally be ahead of things, feel in control of your Health and Happiness, and be able to face life with a smile on your face?

Or, to put that another way: Do you want to focus on reactive self-care or proactive self-care?

Proactive Self-Care vs. Reactive Self-Care

Reactive self-care is that game of catchup we tend to play when we notice that we aren’t feeling our best. Often, we feel like we’re constantly 1 step behind whatever it is that’s holding us down. We scramble to address the problem and feel better quickly, but it inevitably takes time and energy that we, quite frankly, don’t have.

Proactive self-care, on the other hand, is anything we do to try to always feel our best. It’s taking steps now to hopefully avoid all those messy “reactive” steps in the future. Proactive self-care sometimes takes effort as well (learning how to care for yourself, making lifestyle changes, etc.), but it’s an investment in a happier, healthier future.

Proactive self-care doesn’t guarantee that you’ll always be at the top of your game 100% of the time, but there are things you can do to give your body a better chance at feeling its best.

And a lot of them have to do with supporting your immune system.

The Immune System

The immune system is the body’s natural line of defense. When “unwelcome guests” are introduced into the body, they release certain signals that the immune system recognizes and responds to.1 That’s a pretty simple overview of the immune system, but in reality, it’s a complex network of different cells in different locations throughout the body, all of which respond at different times, in different ways, to different stimuli.

Because it’s rather complicated, the immune system is difficult to completely unlock and impossible to fully control.2 But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your best to support your body’s natural immune response.

By taking steps to support your immune system, you’re focusing on proactive self-care rather than reactive self-care. You’re working to keep your immune system strong so that you can feel great more often.

How to Benefit the Immune System

There are things that impact your immune system on a day-to-day basis, like your diet, stress, poor sleep, medical conditions, medications, and other environmental factors. Even social isolation (which is linked to stress) can have a negative impact on your immune system.

When your immune system — your body’s first line of defense — isn’t strong enough to overcome these things, the body is left more vulnerable. You’re more susceptible to that “off” feeling that keeps you from thriving or that keeps you from functioning at peak performance.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to help support your body’s natural defenses, like:

• Don’t smoke. Smoking has multiple negative effects on your body’s immune response.4

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

• Exercise regularly. Exercise is linked to lowered risk of heart disease, and there are many theories about other ways exercise positively impacts your immune system.5

• Get good sleep. Adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night.

• Manage stress in a healthy way. Find methods that work for you, including meditating, journaling, therapy/counseling, etc. If stress is severely impacting your day-to-day life, talk to your doctor.

• Focus on gut health. Seventy percent of immune cells live in your gut! A healthy gut can lead to a happier you.

When Do You Need Immune Support?

Some people think that supporting their immune system is only important during a certain time of year, but that’s simply not the case. Immune support is vital all year long, and we should all do our best to make long-term lifestyle changes that benefit the immune system.

Immune support is about feeling your best, and you always deserve to feel your best!

Plexus Immune Plus™

When it comes to Health and Happiness, consistent immune system support reigns supreme. That’s why we love Plexus Immune Plus — a dietary supplement that helps prime, support, and maintain your immune system, so you can feel your best and focus on what’s important.*

Immune Plus is formulated to stimulate the body’s natural immune-defense system and help reduce free radicals with daily use. Featuring 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C, plus 2 Prebiotic Mushroom Extracts, Black Rice Extract, Andrographis, and a Superfood Antioxidant Blend, Immune Plus’s ingredients are nature-inspired and scientifically backed.*

It’s time to experience more days that radiate Health and Happiness!

Immune Plus Benefits

• Daily immune support and wellness formula*

• Supports healthy immune system function*

• Stimulates the body’s natural immune-defense system*

• Provides antioxidant support to help reduce free radicals*

• Helps maintain the body’s immune response at the cellular level*

Superfood Antioxidant Blend Benefits

• Supports efficient cellular oxygen consumption by reducing reactive oxygen species*

• Promotes cellular metabolism*

• Supports nitric oxide production*

Immune Plus Features

• Provides 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C

• Contains Prebiotic Mushroom Extracts to help support the immune system*

• Gluten Free, Vegan, Non-GMO

• No artificial colors or preservatives

Proactive self-care is a great way to support healthy immune system function so that you can keep living life at full speed! Start being proactive as you prime, support, and maintain your immune system — and invite more Health and Happiness into your life — with Plexus Immune Plus.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

1. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/immune-system-overview

2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system

3. https://health.usnews.com/wellness/slideshows/what-weakens-the-immune-system?slide=7

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5352117/

5. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007165.htm#:~:text=Physical%20activity%20may%20help%20flush,system%20cells%20that%20fight%20disease.

Gut Health & Weight Loss Solution

When your gut is healthy, everything else seems to fall into place. Caring for your gut with a simple Weed, Seed, Feed routine helps you strike the right balance so you can thrive physically and get more out of life every day.

If you’re experiencing a weight loss plateau, gut health may be what your body is missing. Let’s take a closer look at how your gut microbiome helps you feel your best inside and out, and reach your weight management goals!

Your Gut and Your Weight

Many weight loss programs focus solely on diet and exercise. But when you’re trying to lose weight, this “eat less, move more” approach can be frustrating. That’s because there’s more to weight management than eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity.

Your digestion, metabolism, energy levels, immune system, and even your mood can contribute to reaching the goals that you’ve set.

That’s where gut health comes in!

Modern science has discovered some incredible ways beneficial microbes living in your gut contribute to optimal health. Beyond aiding your body’s digestive system, certain microbial strains have been linked to an improved mood, reduced feelings of stress, a healthier immune system, and even weight loss.1

Your Gut and Digestion:

Digestion is one of the primary ways your gut contributes to weight management. Your “gut” is what’s also known as your “gastrointestinal (GI) tract.” It encompasses everything to do with eating and digestion, from the swallowing mechanism in the esophagus to the digestive power of stomach acids to breaking down and absorbing nutrients.

Inside your GI tract, your gut microbiome helps to break down food and determine what is useful and what is eliminated as waste. Certain types of bacteria can break down certain foods better than other types, so having the right balance of bacteria in your gut microbiome is vital for effective digestion.2

20 Best Foods for a Healthy Gut Microbiome

Your Gut and Hunger:

Some of the bacteria in your gut may also affect how full or how hungry you feel, or which foods you tend to crave.

Studies suggest that gut microbes may even “manipulate” us into eating the foods that will help them thrive, which can be good or bad news for your diet. Beneficial microbes love healthy fiber-rich foods, for example, while unwanted microbes love sugar.3

Gut bacteria can also produce certain chemicals that create feelings of hunger or fullness. Feeling more full leads to eating less, which can lead to losing weight.4

Your Gut and Overall Health:

Now you know how gut health can help you stay on track with your diet. But what about your active lifestyle? It’s hard to burn calories when you’re slowed down by dehydration, bloating, GI discomfort, stress, and unpleasant mood swings.

A positively balanced gut can help you in many ways beyond digestion. As we mentioned before, science is now helping us understand the role your gut plays when it comes to increased health and wellness.

Here’s how your gut helps you feel great, so you can live your best life every day:

Better Hydration: Your gut helps keep you hydrated. It absorbs 90% of the incoming water that reaches the colon from the rest of the digestive tract.5*

Less Digestive Discomfort: Gut imbalance affects regularity. Studies show that people who experience occasional constipation may have low abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.6

Improved Overall Health: Approximately 95% of your body’s Serotonin is produced in the gut. Certain microbes even produce essential nutrients your body needs, like Vitamin B12, Folate, and Vitamin K.7,8

Metabolism Support: Your microbiome plays a role in metabolism, which helps you manage your weight so you can move more, do more, and thrive more each day!

Immune System Support: Around 70% of immune cells live in your gut, and evidence suggests prebiotics and probiotics support the body’s immune system response.

Weed. Seed. Feed. Flourish.

With TriPlex.

Consider a garden. To help it flourish you need to reduce the weeds, plant seeds, and feed those seeds to help them thrive. The same is true when it comes to the health of your gut microbiome. Just like a garden, when you help weed, seed, and feed your microbiome with TriPlex, better health blossoms from within, which helps you reach your weight loss^ goals.*

Weed

The first step toward a healthier, happier gut is to help weed out unwanted microbes and substances so there’s more space for beneficial microbes to thrive.*

Bio Cleanse™ uses an innovative combination of Magnesium and Citrus Bioflavonoids to support regularity and help weed out unwanted substances from your digestive system. And ProBio 5® helps keep intestinal yeast in balance.*

Seed

The next step is to seed your gut with beneficial microbes, like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum.*

Beyond helping to weed out unwanted intestinal yeast, ProBio 5’s dual-action formula also seeds your gut with five beneficial strains of healthy probiotics. VitalBiome™ also helps to seed your gut with additional beneficial microbes from eight clinically studied probiotic strains, including two psychobiotic strains that support your mood.10*

Feed

The final step is to feed beneficial microbes with prebiotics they need to flourish. Prebiotics are nutrients that are selectively utilized by beneficial microorganisms in our bodies. These are usually fibers but can include other types of carbohydrates and phytonutrients like polyphenols. Your body doesn’t digest this fiber, but the bacteria in your gut absolutely loves it! Slim Microbiome Activating and Slim Hunger Control feature different types of fiber to offer targeted results for gut health and weight loss^.*

Slim Microbiome Activating features Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) – a clinically demonstrated prebiotic that feeds your beneficial gut bacteria, so they can continue supporting your health. In a highly advanced in vitro study created to mimic the human gastrointestinal system, Slim Microbiome Activating increased gut-friendly microbes, Lactobacillus up to 365 times and Bifidobacterium up to 290 times–contributing to overall health!*◊

Slim is also clinically demonstrated to help you lose weight^. You can also hone in on your weight loss^ goals by choosing Slim Hunger Control. This specifically formulated drink mix features Polydextrose prebiotic fiber to help you feel full longer and reduce your desire to overeat. It’s a healthy way to train your body to make smart decisions that can lead to a slimmer you.*

Prebiotics vs. Probiotics: What’s the Difference?

Thrive with TriPlex. Lose Weight^, Too.*

Caring for your gut is easier with TriPlex! TriPlex includes Bio Cleanse, ProBio 5, and your choice of Slim – all in one simple gut health system. And, it’s clinically demonstrated to help you lose weight^. In an independent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, human clinical study, TriPlex users lost an average of 7.21 pounds in eight weeks!*∔

More Support for Your Weight Loss^ Goals

Thriving health starts from within, but Plexus doesn’t stop there. We know reaching your weight loss^ goals is easier when you have the products and support you need. Our Weight Management products complement your daily Gut Health routine by helping you boost your metabolism, nourish your body with the right nutrients, and reduce unwanted carbs and sugars.*

Boost

As you age, your body’s natural metabolism begins to slow down. MetaBurn boosts your metabolic rate to help you burn more calories and fat^ from your waist, thighs, and hips.*

Rev Your Metabolism

Nourish

With junk food everywhere you turn, on-the-go nutrition can be hard to find. Lean shakes nourish your body with a healthy option that won’t leave you overfed, yet undernourished.

Lean is a delicious, convenient meal replacement shake packed with protein and essential vitamins and minerals. Lean also features prebiotic fiber and digestive enzymes to promote healthy digestion, is available in Whey and Plant-Based protein options, and comes in two delicious flavors: Creamy Vanilla, and Milk Chocolate. With Lean, you’ll always have a satisfying meal or snack within reach, which helps you stick your healthy eating plan. And, each time you nourish yourself with a delicious Lean shake, you’re also helping others through our Nourish One® Initiative. Every purchased serving of Lean triggers a monetary donation to our partner, Feeding America® – the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.**

Balance

Don’t let carbs and sugars set you back! Balance provides glycemic support by helping to neutralize some of the negative effects of carbs and sugars in your diet.*

Whole-Health Approach = Optimal Results

When you’re working hard to lose weight^, you want to see results. Not only results on the scale, but also in the way you feel every day and how you look in your clothes. Weeding, Seeding, and Feeding your gut supports health from within so you can thrive. Then, build upon that foundation and combine your Gut Health routine with our Weight Management products that keep you nourished, balanced, and energized.*

With a whole-health approach, you’ll shed pounds^ and feel better than ever before. Supporting your gut health for a balanced gut is the key to achieving your weight management^ goals. That means you can thrive as you move more and do more of the things you love every day.*

References/Sources:

1. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-how-gut-health-affects-whole-body

2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-bacteria-and-weight#section2

3. https://nutritionreview.org/2014/08/are-gut-bacteria-in-control-influencing-which-foods-you-choose-to-eat/

4. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/gut-bacteria-may-be-controlling-your-appetite-180957389/

5. Sandle, G. I. “Salt and water absorption in the human colon: a modern appraisal.” Gut 43.2 (1998): 294-299.

6. Dimidi, Eirini, et al. “Mechanisms of action of probiotics and the gastrointestinal microbiota on gut motility and constipation.” Advances in Nutrition 8.3 (2017): 484-494.

7. Li, Haixing, et al. “Production of gamma-aminobutyric acid by Lactobacillus brevis NCL912 using fed-batch fermentation.” Microbial Cell Factories 9.1 (2010): 85.

8. Strandwitz, Philip. “Neurotransmitter modulation by the gut microbiota.” Brain research 1693 (2018): 128-133.

9. Messaoudi, Michaël, et al. “Beneficial psychological effects of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in healthy human volunteers.” Gut microbes 2.4 (2011): 256-261.

Disclaimers:

**Every bag of Plexus Lean sold contributes a donation equivalent to 14 meals to Feeding America®, providing at least 1.5 million meals annually. $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.

^When combined with a reduced-calorie weight loss diet plan. Individual results will vary.

◊The results of an in vitro human gut simulator study suggest that Slim’s formula may have several beneficial effects. Further research, including research conducted in humans, is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

∔Participants in an independent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, human clinical study who used Slim twice a day and Bio Cleanse and ProBio 5 lost an average of 7.21 pounds in 8 weeks, while the placebo group only lost an average of 0.19 pounds.