What should NOT be in your protein shake?

Every God given day is another day to learn...and I continue on a journey to regain wellness in my life. In the past 24 hours I have learned about protein shakes, and prostrate cancer.
First, let me share a link to an article about protein shakes.

I have made AB's Figure 8 products a part of my weight loss plan. Particularly, the Colon Cleanse, Figure 8 Go Easy! Vanilla protein powder, Fiber Booster, and the On The Go! Protein shakes when life is hectic and I don't have time to put a lunch together. In addition, I am making life changes in my eating habits.
Because of my success in losing 40 lbs., others are interested in how I have done so. My morning usually begins with a protein shake, made from the vanilla powder, which contains no artificial sweeteners, coloring/dyes.
I do want to be sure you all are aware that not all protein shakes are alike. My chiropractor tested many brands in the market place, Slimfast, GNC, etc., and he only found two brands that did not contain heavy metals (Consumer Reports had an article documenting findings of arsenic, lead and cadmium in protein powders). My chiropractor sells a brand called "Dream Protein", a whey based powder, which he sells for substantially more than the retail price of AB Figure 8 Go Easy! for the same size container. In a side by side comparison, our son Kyle and I both agreed that the Figure 8 Go Easy! tasted much better. When I mentioned our palatability test to my doc, he said usually when protein powders taste good there are lots of artificial sweeteners, etc. added. Not Arbonne! Our protein powder includes Stevia, a natural plant-based sweetener.
If you read the link to the article above, great! You can skip this part if you like. To recap, here are some things to be wary of when selecting a protein powder. Let me rephrase that, here are some things the AB Figure 8 Go Easy! protein powders/shakes do not have...
NO soy proteins - in an article by Dr. John Lee, "A recent study of women with vasomotor symptoms at the Mayo Clinic showed no benefits from soy protein isolates, which have high levels of phytoestrogens....Soy phytoestrogens do have the estrogenic effect of stimulating the growth of breast cancer cells in tissue cultures. Several studies presented at a recent soy symposium showed that soy protein isolates stimulate the growth of normal breast cells much the way that natural estrogens do, and of course this would add to breast cancer risk if progesterone is not present or low.
NO whey proteins - which isn't beneficial for anyone who is lactose intolerant; also whey can tax the liver, and a well functioning liver is critical in order for our bodies to detoxify from "the plastics, pesticides, chemical fragrances, toxin-laden cosmetics and lotions, prescription and over-the-counter drugs and alcohol." A consultant shared at a training session, how good friends lost their son, who died of kidney failure - he drank many whey based protein shakes. Aside from that...whey is an animal by-product. Unless you can be sure that the whey used in the powder is from cows that are pasture fed and deemed organic, what might there be in the whey protein? Remember, than an animal is what it eats.
NO amino acids - from the above article, I quote, "As Dr. Russell Blaylock likes to point out, individual amino acids behave very differently in the body than whole proteins, and in excess, some can be toxic to the brain. Dr. Blaylock singles out soy protein isolates, frequently found in protein powders, as being especially villainous when it comes to tweaking the brain."
Doesn't that last statement scare you the least bit? To think that such protein powders are even being sold, where the effects could be mind altering, is absolutely crazy! (no pun intended)
Watch the fructose levels! Often protein shakes are pumped with fructose to be made to taste good, which is natural, but there can be a lot of it. In our Go Easy Protein Shakes, the amount of sugar in and of itself is still considered to be, in general, a low amount of sugar -  around the same amount of sugar that is in an apple. Additionally, the level of sugar is very competitive when compared to competitor products and in most cases is equal to or lower than competitor products. Finally, it should be noted that nearly all competitors use sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners to sweeten their products; none of which AB uses.

In Arbonne's protein shakes you will also NOT find:

• artificial flavors and colors
• stabilizers and preservatives
• artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, corn syrup and hydrogenated oils 

If you desire to lose weight and make a diet change, whole foods are always the best route. Dr. Blaylock recommends a sprouted whole grain toast with nut butter (I've tried a couple of those that my fitness trainer nephew offered - but personally did not find nut butters very palatable), eggs and fruit for breakfast. Personally, I don't have time to cook in the morning. Kyle makes his own oatmeal (I am so blessed), and Abby is happy with oatmeal (if she votes oatmeal I have it as well), toast with PBJ, or Cheerios. I find it much faster to whip a protein shake up in the Ninja blender, pour it in a "to go" cup and head out the door to work. The protein shakes also are satisfying, however, when I start my day with oatmeal I am hungry by 10:30 a.m.
After everything I have read about protein shakes/drinks I am so glad the scientists at AB chose to extract proteins from peas, cranberries and rice. As I continue to study research papers on prostrate cancer, diabetes and more - I am continually impressed that I find the supplements, minerals, vitamins and herbs recommended by doctors for various ailments, included in AB's health and nutrition line. Thank you Dr. Peter Matravers and all your wonderful staff!