Category: Featured Posts

CF Nutrition Immune Boosting Tips

Post author By Gillian Griffith
Post date April 23, 2020
No Comments on CF Nutrition Immune Boosting Tips

With so many things being out of our control as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are naturally searching for things we can control. One of the items that comes in at the top of that list? Your immune system! From reducing stress and avoiding unhealthy habits to eating the right foods and practicing mindfulness, when it comes to boosting your immune system, there are plenty of things you can do to take your wellness into your own hands. Today, then, we’re breaking down five things you can focus on to strengthen your immune system and stay healthy in trying times. Read on for our top tips!

1. Destress

We’re living in unprecedented times, which makes this one a little (or a lot) easier said than done—but avoiding and decreasing stress is the number-one thing you can do when it comes to boosting your immune system. When our body activates its stress response, this suppresses our immune system and makes us more susceptible to colds, flus, and other illnesses—which, in the time of COVID-19, isn’t ideal. So, what options are there for decreasing or managing stress? We’ve got a few favorites:

Daily Yoga: Yoga isn’t just about gaining flexibility or getting your foot behind your head (whew!). Mindfulness and breath awareness are both foundational parts of any yoga practice. A number of clinical studies have found yoga has pretty profound effects on the body’s stress response. In fact, according to a 2018 study published in PubMed, people practicing yoga saw “significant reductions in stress and all psychological health measures” compared to the control group. We recommend working a short yoga practice into your day-to-day routine as you focus on boosting your immune system via stress reduction. As yoga studios and gyms remain closed in the face of COVID-19, there are plenty of online apps, studios, and Instagram accounts that offer virtual yoga classes. We love the Alo Moves App, but you can also check the social media accounts of any studios in your area to see what online offerings they currently have. Aim for 30-60 minutes each day. If you’re looking for long holds and slow, deep stretches, opt for a Yin class. If you’d prefer to sweat and build strength, opt for a vinyasa or “flow” class.

Daily Meditation: Ohhhhhhm. Meditation is one of our all-time favorite options for stress reduction. According to Harvard Health, there’s evidence to suggest meditation “can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain.” If you’re not a seasoned meditator, not to worry! You don’t have to be a pro to reap the benefits. It’s less about getting your mind to shut off entirely (which isn’t exactly possible) and is more about observing your thoughts without judging them.

While many brand-new meditators think their mind has to be free from thought for their meditation to be considered effective, that’s simply not the case. Your goal is to sit in a quiet place and allow thoughts to come and go, without holding on to them or getting dragged down the rabbit hole with them. (Think of it like sitting on the side of a road and watching cars pass. Rather than focusing on one single car, your job is simply to watch each car pass without worrying where it’s going to what car is coming along next!)

When it comes to boosting your immune system, we recommend starting your day with 15-30 minutes of quiet, seated meditation. Prepping your mind to be calm before you dig into work or daily household duties will help you start your day off on a mindful, aware foot, which ultimately sets the stage for reduced stress throughout the rest of the day.

2. Eat mindfully.

As you focus on boosting your immune system in the midst of COVID-19, getting solid nutrition should be at the tip-top of your to-do list. A huge portion of your immune system is in your gut (80%, in fact, according to Dr. Yufang Lin). When your gut is healthy and happy, you tend to be better poised to fight off any unwelcome visitors (like viruses, illnesses, and infections). Setting the stage for a strong immune response via proper nutrition, then, is absolutely crucial when it comes to boosting your immune system and staying healthy. A few immune-boosting foods we recommend include:

Citrus Fruits
Vegetables (especially spinach, broccoli, and dark leafy greens)
Whole grains
Healthy fats (like the kind you’ll find in fatty fish, olive oil, and nuts)
Ginger
Miso
Turmeric (which—drumroll please!—is the shining-star ingredient in CFprotein, our all natural plant protein drink designed to get you all of the powerhouse immune-boosting nutrients you need in one tasty, easy-to-consume smoothie.)

3. Get plenty of sleep.

How many z’s you are (or aren’t) catching plays a pivotal role in how well poised your immune system is to fight off infections and viruses. Sleep is important for a healthy immune system in a number of ways. It acts as your body’s natural “restart” button—by shutting down at the end of the night, your immune system is able to get the well-deserved rest and crucial reboot it needs. Plus, when you’re short on sleep your body makes up for it by producing cortisol, a major stress hormone, to keep you awake. This takes a huge toll on your immune system. In fact, sleep is so important when it comes to boosting your immune system, that one 2015 clinical study found that participants who slept less than their counterparts were more likely to contract the common cold.

4. Avoid unhealthy habits.

Both nicotine and cigarette smoke itself suppress the immune system, which is why it’s so important to kick a smoking habit if you have one—especially in the midst of COVID-19. In addition to suppressing your immune system, smoking has a nasty habit of destroying antibodies in the blood, the soldiers that go to war for you when you need to fight off unwelcome visitors like infections or viruses. On top of all of that bad news? Smoking also destroys all-important antioxidants—like Vitamin C.

Smoking isn’t the only thing that adversely affects any attempts to boost your immune system, though—alcohol also plays a role in suppressing your body’s critical immune response. From reducing the number and function of important immune cells (like T cells) to interfering with the way microbes in your gut interact with your immune system, excessive drinking can take a serious toll on your overall health and your body’s ability to fight off viruses, colds, and infections. Moderate drinking (defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men) seems to be acceptable—but anything more than that could play a role in weakening your body’s immune response when it’s needed most.

5. Get moving.

It’s not exactly groundbreaking news that exercise is good for you—but, with gyms closed and workout meetups cancelled as we practice social distancing, staying sedentary can be tempting. So what’s the case to be made for getting off the couch and moving? Exercise may help flush bacteria out of your lungs and airways, which can help when it comes to fighting off illnesses. Physical exercise also reduces the release of stress hormones which, you probably know by now, can have a detrimental effect on your immune system. So how, exactly, do you get your move on when you’re not allowed to gather in groups or go to your favorite gym? We recommend a few things:

Keep an eye out for virtual classes gyms and yoga studios are offering, many of which are free via Instagram live.
Invest in at-home workout equipment, like resistance bands, exercise balls, and medicine balls.
Go for a walk! (A 2018 study found that 10 weeks of high-intensity interval walk training was associated with reduced disease activity and improved innate immune function.)
Get creative with ways you can get in physical activity around the house. Walk laundry to-and-from your laundry room in batches instead of all at once. Practice lunges and squats as you’re unloading the dishwasher. Take your stairs two at a time if you have healthy joints. Do sit-ups on commercial breaks. The options are endless—it’s all about keeping your eyes open for opportunities to move!

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Ready to start working doctor-trusted, patient-preferred premium clinical nutrition into your everyday diet as you focus on boosting your immune system? You can order CFpreop here or CFprotein here. And, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all. We’re always here and happy to help!

Prepare For Surgery with CF Nutrition’s CF(Preop)®

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date February 15, 2020
1 Comment on Prepare For Surgery with CF Nutrition’s CF(Preop)®

If you or your little one has a first-time surgery on the books and you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Surgery can be scary and stressful for those who’ve undergone anesthesia multiple times—let alone for those who have never had a procedure before and aren’t quite sure what to expect. At ClearFast, it’s always our mission to empower patients with the tools, resources, and premium clinical nutrition they need to take control of their surgery experience—which is why we’re diving into our CFpreop presurgery drink today and offering up three ways it’s helpful for first-time surgeries. Read on for our top tips!

1. It calms nerves.

While CFpreop can do everything from decrease your risk of developing a surgical infection to speed up your recovery time, one of its most important benefits is peace-of-mind. Entering surgery after a 12-hour fast can have your nerves at an all-time high, which is why safely nourishing during the fasting window with our anesthesiologist-developed presurgery drink is key for those undergoing a procedure for the first time. In fact, patients who drink CFpreop before surgery are often less anxious and describe themselves as up to 5 times more comfortable than their cohorts who underwent the old-school nothing-from-midnight method.

2. It’s especially helpful for children.

Outside of nerves and fear, one of the most difficult things for children undergoing a procedure is often the nothing-from-midnight fast. Because our presurgery drink was developed by an anesthesiologist specifically to address the nuances of nourishing before surgery without disrupting your doctor’s instructions to fast, it’s the perfect option for little ones who have trouble skipping their morning juice box or breakfast. Available in white grape, watermelon, and strawberry flavors, our presurgery drink is especially tasty when chilled and, because it’s chock-full of complex carbs and medical-grade nutrients, it helps kids feel full and satisfied before surgery.

3. It reduces your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting.

If you’ve never undergone anesthesia before, you don’t know just how your body will react to it, which is why it’s important to take steps to ensure your body is in the strongest, safest state possible to be administered anesthesia. According to an article published in Continuing Education in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain, one in three patients suffer from post-op nausea and vomiting (or PONV)—something that can delay your recovery and extend your hospital stay. The key causes of PONV are two-fold: First, prolonged fasting (from the typical nothing-from-midnight fast) causes an unnecessary build-up of stomach acid, and these stomach acids are one major cause of feeling sick when you wake up from surgery. Second, the anesthesia drugs themselves, taken on an empty stomach, can cause patients to get sick after surgery.

Our anesthesiologist-developed presurgery drink, then, was specifically formulated to address this issue. Drinking CFpreop before your procedure ensures your stomach isn’t producing all of those nasty stomach acids that make you sick when you’re administered the anesthesia, helping to reduce your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting (and getting you out of the hospital faster!).

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Overall, if you’re looking for a smart, simple, science-based solution for a smoother first-time surgery and easier recovery, and quicker hospital discharge, CFpreop is here for you! You can order your bottles of CFpreop here, and, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all. We’re always here and happy to help!

Featured Posts Preparing for Surgery Wellness + Medical Tips

Pre-Surgery Plan for Success

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date December 16, 2019
No Comments on Pre-Surgery Plan for Success

Surgery can be a major stressor on your body, but you can combat the effects of that stress (and speed up your recovery) by ensuring you’re strong, nourished, and healthy before you head into your procedure. To help you on your road to a seamless recovery, we’re breaking down five simple ways to get healthy for surgery. Read on for our top tips!

Shift your mindset and treat yourself to wellness.

Rather than thinking of getting healthy as a daunting, diet-laden task, shift your mindset and think of it as a treat (hear us out). Getting healthy doesn’t (and shouldn’t) be all crash-dieting and early-morning trips to the gym. Instead, make getting healthy for surgery exciting and fun by embarking on wellness experiences you’ll actually look forward to. Think about things like salt-room meditation sessions, athletic massages, getting extra rest, or treating yourself to soothing wellness products like the essential oils and organic lip balms you’ll find in the ClearFast Healing Boxes.

Look for existing opportunities to exercise.

If you’re someone who loathes traditional workouts, it might seem like a major chore to get healthy for surgery, but there are plenty of opportunities to burn a few extra calories hiding in your everyday routine that don’t require a gym membership. Park further from stores so you’re encouraged to walk a bit more; take the stairs instead of the elevator; bike to work instead of hopping in your car if it’s feasible; walk to pick your child up from school instead of driving. The options are endless. The key is simply to take a look at your everyday routine and see what opportunities there are to move more!

Get plenty of protein (the good kind).

Rather than getting all of your protein from animal sources, which are often high in fat and hard to digest, opt for clean plant protein sources as you work to get healthy for surgery. One seriously simple way to consume clean protein on a daily basis? CFprotein®, our clean plant protein drink that was specifically formulated to drink in the days and weeks leading up to your surgery, helping you enter anesthesia stronger and recover from surgery faster. (Want to know more about how our clean plant protein drink compares to animal protein? Check out our post on 4 Reasons You Should be Drinking a Plant-Based Protein Drink.)

Participate in challenges

Calling all competitive spirits! One exciting way to get healthy for surgery is to participate in challenges. Whether it’s a yoga studio’s 30-day challenge or a challenge you set for yourself to get at least 4,000 steps in each day, challenges are great motivators and add a fun-factor to things we might otherwise dread.

Eat Clean

We saved the most effective for last. There’s no better way to get healthy for surgery than to feed your body the nourishment it needs in the weeks leading up to your procedure, ultimately giving it a strong, solid foundation to recover as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Get plenty of fiber through things like nuts, berries, avocados, whole grains, and vegetables; swap out the red meat in your recipes for lean meat (like turkey meat); and drink plenty of water and healing fluids like CFpreop® along the way.

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Now that you’re nourished, exercised, and healthy for that upcoming procedure, it’s time to order your CFpreop® and CFprotein® for a seamless stay and enhanced recovery. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!

Featured Posts Healing Tips Preparing for Surgery

Pre Surgery Planning & Information

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date November 21, 2019
No Comments on Pre Surgery Planning & Information

An overnight hospital stay isn’t exactly something you look forward to—but it can be made a little bit easier by packing the right things. From the everyday essentials to the comforts of home, today we’re breaking down everything you should pack when prepping for a hospital stay.

The Essentials: Your Medical Information

Start by gathering all of the essential medical information and ID cards you’ll need. This includes things like:

ID cards
Insurance cards (PRO TIP: If you’re someone’s dependent, make sure you know the plan holder’s DOB and social security number.)
Address Book or phone entry with your emergency contact numbers
A list of medications with dosages
Any relevant health records

If you’re a print person, place hard copies of everything in the list above in a physical folder. If you’re all about digital ease, create a single file you can access from your phone that contains digital copies of everything. Either way, you want to keep everything in one single, safe place for a streamlined, stress-free process. (The last thing you want to have to think about during an overnight hospital stay is where your list of medications is or what in the world happened to your insurance card.)

The Comforts of Home: The Things You Need to Relax

The easiest way to make your overnight hospital stay as painless as possible? Bring along the comforts of home. Ask yourself what it is that makes you most relaxed at home (listening to music, doing a crossword, watching your favorite show, listening to an audio book, reading)—and then bring along the items you need to make that happen. This includes things like:

Laptop or tablet
Chargers
Headphones
Extra blankets
Pillows
Magazines
Books

The Little Things That Make a Big Difference: Must-Haves for a Happy Hospital Stay

From chapstick to your favorite water bottle, there are a number of seemingly small things that can make a major difference in your comfort level during an overnight hospital stay. A few of our favorites include:

Chapstick
Comfortable socks
Earplugs
Healthy snacks
CF PreOp

Ready to start packing? Download our complete overnight hospital stay packing list here.

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Aside from a great packing list, the best overnight hospital stays benefit from a tailored presurgery nutrition plan. Learn all about what to eat before you head into the hospital, then order your CF PreOp and CF Protein for a seamless stay and enhanced recovery. And don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!

Featured Posts Pediatrics Preparing for Surgery

Surgery Tips for Moms: 3 Things Every Mom Should Plan For Before Her Procedure

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date November 7, 2019
No Comments on Surgery Tips for Moms: 3 Things Every Mom Should Plan For Before Her Procedure

No one loves the idea of having surgery—but, for moms, the stress surrounding surgery can run deeper than it does for most. When you’re the backbone of your family and responsible for keeping schedules in tact and kiddos on track, having a procedure can put a serious wrench in your daily duties. Today, then, we’ve rounded up the three major things every mom should plan for before surgery. Read on for our top surgery tips for moms.

How will this disrupt my schedule?

When it comes to surgery tips for moms, preparing for a disrupted schedule is at the top of our list. Think through your daily schedule and take note of how your surgery might affect things. This includes the weeks leading up to surgery (consider your pre-op appointments and how that might affect the schedule you have laid out for those days), the surgery day itself, and your recovery time. Walk through your days and the things you’re responsible for every day (driving kids to school, getting to work, etc.). Make a list of which tasks you won’t be able to complete on which days, and then enlist the help of a spouse, family member, or friend to take over things for you. If your kids are old enough, talk to them about your upcoming procedure and prepare them for how it may affect their day-to-day schedule as well.

Are there measures I can take to speed up my recovery?

This one is a biggie—particularly if you and your family are the active and involved type, or if you have a demanding job (outside of the already-demanding job of being a mom, of course). No mom wants to be stuck in bed with a to-do list that’s piling up. Luckily, the way medical professionals have prepped patients for surgery has changed in recent years. Rather than scheduling a ride home from the hospital, fasting from midnight, and calling that proper surgery prep—modern medical research now points to the fact that presurgery nutrition has everything to do with how well (and how fast) you recover.

When it comes to surgery tips for moms, we recommend supplementing a healthy diet in the weeks leading up to surgery with CF Protein, a plant-based protein drink designed to get you strong and healthy before your procedure. Then, for the hours leading up to your procedure, talk to your doctor about replacing the from-midnight fast with a liquid fast using CF PreOp. CF PreOp was developed by an anesthesiologist and is chock-full of healing minerals, nutrients, and complex carbs specifically formulated to reduce your risk of surgical complications, reduce your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting, and speed up your recovery.

What will our everyday life look like as I recover?

As a mom, it’s completely natural to want to get back on your feet—and back to keeping your household in order—as quickly as possible, but pushing too hard before you’re fully healed can lead to further complications and, in the worst instances, a need for a second surgery. In order to ensure healthy healing, make sure you follow your doctor’s release instructions carefully and closely—and prepare your household and those around you for your recovery. Here are a few of our favorite surgery tips for moms planning for a smooth recovery:

Prepare your household if you’re having an orthopedic procedure. Create a healing area that’s free from trip hazards. Make sure everything you’ll need is within arm’s reach. Take hard-to-reach items out of top cupboards and place them on easy-to-reach counters.

Talk to your kids about what your recovery will look like and how they can help make things easy on you (increased chores and pitching in, quiet time as you sleep, etc.).

Arrange for someone you can lean on. Talk to a spouse, partner, or a family member who can trust to take over your responsibilities (car rides, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.) as you recover. Be sure you give them lists, calendar invites, emergency contacts, and anything else they might need to help ensure things run smooth as you recover.

Get meals taken care of ahead of time. Meal prep and grocery shop as much as you can ahead of time to alleviate your responsibilities as you recover. Make large batches of soups and/or casseroles you can freeze for easy dinners, stock the house with more groceries than normal (so you don’t have to make unexpected trips to the store), and—when all else fails— don’t be afraid to enlist the help of a grocery- or meal-delivery service.

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Ready to start your surgery experience off right, moms? Order your ClearFast PreOp here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all.

Preparing For Major Surgery with CF(Preop)®

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date October 17, 2019
No Comments on Preparing For Major Surgery with CF(Preop)®

When it comes to major surgeries, it’s natural to want to bury your head in the sand and avoid the thought of your upcoming procedure at all costs. After all, for so many years we’ve been led to believe that surgery is completely out of our control—so why waste time worrying about it? But, the truth is you’re far more in control of the outcome of your procedure than you may realize. Today, then, we’re talking about why this is the case and breaking down four major surgeries that benefit greatly from proper preparation with clean presurgery nutrition.

How can I increase my chances of a safe surgery and healthy recovery?

Whether you’re going in for a hip replacement or a hysterectomy, preparing for major surgeries with proper presurgery nutrition makes all of the difference in the world when it comes to how fast (and how well) your body recovers. Modern medical research points to the fact that fasting from midnight is an outdated, non-evidence-based practice that should instead be replaced with instructions to fast with a clear, complex-carb rich presurgery drink. Doing so decreases your risk of surgical site infection, decreases your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting, and increases your chance of a swift, strong recovery. Below, we break down four major surgeries that can be made less stressful and more successful by preparing with CF Protein and ClearFast PreOp.

Hip Replacement

Just around 330,000 hip replacements are performed in the U.S. each year. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove any parts of your hip that are damaged and replace them with artificial joints to help improve your mobility and function. Getting strong in the weeks leading up to your hip replacement procedure is key—especially as it comes to how well your body is able to recover. We recommend incorporating CF Protein—a clean, plant-based protein drink specifically formulated to help strengthen your body before surgery—into your presurgery nutrition plan in the weeks leading up to your procedure. Then, replace the old-school “nothing from midnight” fast with a fluid fast with ClearFast PreOp in the window leading up to your hip replacement. Just be sure to finish your final bottle of ClearFast two hours before your procedure is scheduled.

Why we love ClearFast for hip replacement:

The Vitamin A in ClearFast PreOp helps with healthy tissue function—and drinking ClearFast before your hip replacement greatly reduces your risk of developing an infection at the surgical site, so you can get back to life as quickly as possible.

Knee Replacement

The U.S. sees 720,000 knee replacements annually, making it one of the most common major surgeries. During a knee replacement procedure (also known as arthroplasty), your surgeon will remove damaged bone and cartilage from around your knee area and replace it with an artificial joint. Preparing for your knee replacement with CF Protein in the weeks leading up to your procedure will help ensure your body is nourished and strong before going under anesthesia—while drinking ClearFast PreOp in the hours leading up to your procedure will reduce your risk of infection and PONV.

Why we love ClearFast for knee replacements

Surgical site infection is one of the most common risks associated with arthroplasty. Preparing for surgery with a clean, complex-carb-rich PreOp drink has been proven to greatly reduce a patient’s risk of developing a surgical site infection.

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is a procedure that removes a woman’s uterus (and sometimes fallopian tubes and ovaries as well). From cancer to fibroids, there are a number of reasons a woman may need to undergo a hysterectomy—each year, about 500,000 hysterectomies are performed in the U.S. We recommend anyone undergoing a hysterectomy ask their doctor about incorporating CF Protein and ClearFast PreOp into their presurgery plan for an improved surgical outcome, enhanced recovery, and reduced overall stress.

Why we love ClearFast for hysterectomies:

The complex carbs in ClearFast PreOp make for an enhanced recovery upon waking from anesthesia—allowing hysterectomy patients to get out of the hospital and home sooner. Plus, because ClearFast is all-natural, gluten-free, free of colored dyes, and free from simple sugars and fat, it’s the perfect clean presurgery nutrition option for patients who are particularly focused on health and wellness, as many hysterectomy patients are.

Heart Bypass

When it comes to major surgeries, a heart bypass—or a coronary bypass—is near the top of the list, with about 395,000 of these procedures performed annually in the U.S. The point of a heart bypass is to redirect blood flow around a blocked artery in your heart to improve overall blood flow to your heart muscle. This is often accomplished by taking a healthy, unblocked blood vessel from your chest, leg, or arm and using that to redirect blood flow in the heart.

Why we love ClearFast for heart bypass surgeries:

While risks associated with heart bypass are low, your risk of complications can be greater if you’re in poor health. Drinking CF Protein in the weeks leading up to your procedure and implementing a healthy presurgery nutrition plan help to ensure you’re in the strongest state possible as you enter anesthesia, which ultimately increases your chances of a smoother recovery. Plus, drinking ClearFast PreOp in the hours leading up to your coronary bypass procedure greatly reduces your risk of surgical site infection.

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Ready to start your surgery experience off right? Order your ClearFast PreOp here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all.

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