Are you searching for a vegan protein powder made from 100% organic vegetables AND doesn’t contain soy? Do you want to enjoy a protein shake that’s healthy without compromising taste? If you work out and exercise regularly you are probably supplementing your protein consumption with a protein shake, which is a great way to give your body the fuel it needs after a good work out. And if you’re like me you have tried a variety of plant based protein powders claiming to be 100% vegan while having a great flavor only to find out that most of them taste awful. I have only came across two brands that deliver exactly what they advertise. I’ll review each of them and provide links to where you can purchase both.

Alpha Vegan Plant Based Protein

First I will review Alpha Vegan since this is the first one I discovered that was 100% plant based and also tasted great. Alpha Vegan claims to be a 100% plant based, soy free, vegan protein powder. It provides 21 grams of protein per serving and the least expensive tub comes with 2.2 lbs of powder. It also claims to be dairy free, non-gmo and easily digestible.

What’s Inside

Alpha Vegan Plant Based Protein contains pea protein, cranberry seed, chia seed, and sacha inchi seed. It is sweetened with stevia.

Flavors

Alpha Vegan plant based protein powder comes in two different flavors, chocolate and vanilla. I’ve only tried the vanilla flavor and it is delicious. I usually mix it with water and some hemp juice, rice milk, or almond milk.

Price

You can get 2.2 lbs of Alpha Vegan protein powder for $49.95 from here.

OWYN Plant Based Protein

OWYN Protein is a protein shake that I recently purchased from my local Sprout’s Foods Market store where they only carry the small bottles but after trying it I quickly looked into where I can buy a larger amount from. OWYN claims to be a vegan, soy free, dairy free, non gmo plant based protein that also contains probiotics, Omega-3s and BCAAs. The protein content in OWYN is 20 grams per serving, with 14 servings per tub.

What’s Inside

OWYN Plant Based Protein mix contains pea protein, pumpkin seed, chia, kale, broccoli, spinach, cane sugar, flaxseed, sea salt, monk fruit extract, and probiotics.

Flavors

OWYN plant based protein powder comes in four different flavors, strawberry banana, dark chocolate (coffee mix) and smooth vanilla. I’ve only tried the smooth vanilla flavor and it tastes great.

Price

You can purchase a small bottle at your local Sprouts for roughly $3.00. Alternatively you can purchase a tub from their website for $27.99. The tub is 1.1 lbs.

In Depth and Honest Review of the Joe Cross Juicer

Thinking about investing in a quality juicer? Make sure to read this first! A juicer is a machine that extracts the juice out of fruits, plants, and vegetables allowing you to get your daily dose of nutrients in just a cup of juice. There are many models and brands to choose from, each ranging in price from as low as $40 all the way up to $600. In this article I’ll be reviewing the Joe Cross Juicer manufactured by Breville and endorsed by the well known nutritionist Joe Cross.

Price

I bought the Bundle from Amazon that came with extra items and paid roughly $130 after taxes.
If you just want the

juicer itself

you can get it for $79.95, this is the least expensive model. Don’t the let the price fool you though, this is one machine that does exactly what it’s supposed to do. If you don’t mind shelling out a little more $$$ you can get the more expensive 1000-Watt model for just over $300. This model goes for $149.00 for just the juicer

What Comes Inside The Box With Your Joe Cross Juicer

If you buy the bundle like I did you will receive a total of 19 items.

– 2 60 oz pitchers (great for making a lot of juice and storing some for later)
– 4 vacuum cups (2 kids size and 2 normal)
– 2 reusable juice boxes
– 6 silicone ice pop molds
– 2 tumblers with straws
– 1 pack of 30 biodegradeable bags

Is The Joe Cross Juicer Noisy?

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing which juicer to buy is how loud it is. Great news! The Joe Cross Juicer is not overly noisy like some other juicers and blenders. It’s not quiet by any means but it’s no where near as loud as something like a blender.

Setting Up Your Joe Cross Juicer

So you got your juicer bundle and some fruits and vegetables. Now let’s set it up and get you juicing. Once you get all your parts out the box, make sure to give them a quick rinse. Here’s a quick video of me setting up my juicer.

Is Cleaning Your Joe Cross Juicer Easy

Another key factor to consider when buying a juicer is how long it takes to clean and how messy it is to use. The good folks over at Breville did an excellent job of tackling this challenge by making the Joe Cross Juicer easy to clean. I usually just take it apart, rinse it by hand first and then throw them in the dishwasher.
TIP: The more time that has passed since the last time you used your juicer, the harder it will be to clean.

Want to try a tasty fresh juice recipe that will also give your immune system a supercharge? Here’s an article I wrote detailing just that!

After reading about its powerful effects and benefits online and hearing my co worker gloat about his experience with CBD oil I decided to bite the bullet and see what all the hype was about. This is a review of a CBD Oil product manufactured and sold by CBD American Shaman.

American Shaman CBD Oil Review

What is CBD Oil?

If you’re not living in a cave or the jungle then chances are you’ve heard of CBD oil as it has soared in popularity in the last few years. CBD oil, which is not to be confused with hemp oil, is a naturally occurring chemical in the marijuana plant and is known for healing inflammation, reducing anxiety, relieving muscle and joint soreness, and promoting sleep. The main difference between hemp oil and CBD oil are the part of the plant where they are extracted from and how they are used. Hemp oil is extracted from hemp seeds while CBD oil is extracted from the flowers and leaves. Hemp oil is a natural moisturizer therefore it’s most commonly used topically as a lotion. It is also a popular substition for cooking oils such as olive oil. The uses of CBD oil range from topically as a muscle and join pain reducer to internally as a remedy for inflammation and anxiety. It may also be used to promote a good nights sleep. In the sports world CBD is widely used as a muscle cream to sooth soreness. CBD oil has also been used in cancer patients for reducing nausea and increasing appetite. The medicinal use of CBD is still in its early stages and people are discovering new uses as it gains more traction. One thing key factor that is attracting more people to use it is that it is a non psychoactive so you won’t get high yet it yields some of the same positive benefits as it’s close relative THC.

Price

You can get a bottle of the standard Water Soluble solution for $59.99 or you can opt to go for the extra strength Water Soluble which contains
higher amounts of CBD for $89.99. They are a little on the high end as far as price goes but they do offer a 5 day sample for 15 bucks. If you are current or former military there’s a 5% discount. Do a quick search on Amazon and you will find many CBD products for half the price but none of them in the form of a Water Soluble and there’s been a huge concern that none of those products on Amazon actually even contain any CBD (there’s no doubt that American Shaman’s product contain CBD, they even posted their lab reports for the public to view here. American Shaman also gives you the option of adding a very small amount of THC to your mixture (I believe it’s .02%) which is something I haven’t seen from any other manufacturers.

Ingredients

Purified water by reverse osmosis, natural & artificial flavoring, concentrated cannabinoid & terpene rich hemp oil, saponin extract, citric acid.

My Experience With American Shaman CBD Oil

I purchased American Shaman CBD’s proprietary Water Soluble product which comes in a 30mL dropper bottle and packs 10 mg of CBD per 1 full dose (1 full dropper = 1 full dose) making the entire bottle 300 mg. CBD American Shaman claims that consuming the cannabidiol (CBD) in this form results in 10 times more bio-availability than consuming the oil which causes the effects to set in quicker and last longer.

The instructions say to take it twice a day, half a dropper in the morning and half a dropper at night. I started with the $15 sample bottle of Pina Colada flavored water soluble, pouring half a dropper into 8 oz of water in the morning and repeating before bed. I’m not huge fan of the Pina Colada flavor, I believe the natural flavor of the CBD overpowers any added flavor (like the Pina Colada) so it doesn’t mix very well. After finishing the sample bottle I restocked but this time opted to go for the unflavored version which to me was easier to drink.

How CBD Oil Reduces Anxiety

I don’t suffer from anxiety as much as I used to since I found ways to cope with it naturally through some simple diet and lifestyle changes but it only took around twenty minutes for me to start feeling more relaxed after taking my first dose of the CBD and the relaxation tends to come in waves through out the day. I also believe it increases my focus and strengthens my sense of clarity. I come up with more creative ideas and I’m more sociable when I take CBD. Ultimately, I can confidently say that I believe the CBD would help reduce anxiety in people who do suffer from it.

Does CBD Oil Reduce Inflammation and Help with Muscle Recovery?

You might be thinking about using CBD to help with muscle and joint pain relief and to reduce inflammation. This was one of the benefits that really piqued my interest. I lift weights at least three days a week so I really wanted to see if it would help with muscle recovery. The first thing I noticed is that my workouts became a lot more controlled and I wasn’t as nearly as sore the day after. I was also recovering from a few minor injuries when I first started supplementing including a shoulder impingement and the CBD relieved 90% of the pain and discomfort I had, especially during a work out. At the time of writing this I no longer have any muscle or joint paint and my work outs have been more explosive than ever.

Does CBD Oil Promote A Good Nights Rest?

You might be one of the millions of people who don’t get a good night’s rest often enough and are leaning towards using CBD to help promote sleep. I don’t have a problem sleeping so my sleeping patterns didn’t change but what I can say is I am noticeably more refreshed and focused when I wake up in the morning. One caveat from taking CBD before bed is that I end up having to wake up two or three times throughout the night to pee. Other than that I truly believe CBD can be a fantastic solution for those who suffer from insomnia.

Some Tips and Tricks

CBD Oil can yield some incredible effects when taken by itself consistently but what I’ve noticed is that when you use it in conjunction with other supplements such as this stack of magnesium, calcium, and zinc you’ll see faster and better results. The reason these two supplements pair so well is because magnesium has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote focus, and the other two minerals (calcium and zinc) promote bone and muscle health. I also recommend not taking more than 10 mg before a high intensity work out — if you do take more than that keep the workout light because the CBD causes your body to produce more sweat which can cause you to become dehydrated quickly. Lastly, cut out any fast food and junk food as much as you can while taking it as they will only water down the effects of the CBD.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a proven and all natural solution for pain relief, anxiety relief and sleep promotion then CBD oil is an excellent choice. Be mindful that it will not solve all your problems by itself but when you use it in conjunction with better lifestyle and diet decisions you will see a huge improvement in your condition whether it’s muscle recovery, anxiety, or insomnia.

I also sampled a CBD infused muscle and joint pain relief cream to see how it would help me recover after lifting weights and training which I’ve written a review for here.