I think you're on the right track in terms of looking for additional nutrition, and recognizing the scientific reality that, no matter how "well" we think we eat, our food doesn't contain the nutrient value it should (or used to).
I think you also have to decide if you want a meal replacement product or just something to boost your nutrient intake, replacing things like multi-vitamins and other supplements and meeting your main nutritional needs so that you can still eat "real" food but in lesser quantities and with reduced cravings.
I think there is some value to the philosophy of Shakeology, which is that it's a powder you mix in liquid, so theoretically it's more highly absorbable. They claim their products are non-GMO, which is also good. However, I looked at the nutrition panel for the chocolate product, and I'm concerned at the high calorie and fat content and the very low vitamin/mineral content in comparison. They are giving you somewhere between 30% and up to 100% of the Daily Value, BUT the DV is really out of date and considered insufficient for what our cells need to flourish. I also see nothing about patents awarded or applied for, no clinical studies, and no real science behind how they make their decisions. I see nothing about ingredient testing, certificates of analysis of raw ingredients, or where the products are actually manufactured (and by whom). I didn't see an FDA Good Manufacturing Practices certification, and a whole host of other things I'd be looking for. It looks like you just pick something off the website, and order, and hope for the best - you can read an FAQ sheet, but how do you decide what to take and how much? I also see that the product contains "fiber" but how can a person adjust that amount based on other issues, and is it a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber (my guess is "no" or they would have said so).
Plexus is touting that there are "no shakes" like that's a good thing. Why? In 99% of the cases, pills and capsules are not a good idea - there are one or two exceptions (which I can explain if you want - but it has to do what the capsule is made of and whether it's designed to just barely survive the digestive process so the product is still bioactive but not so hard to break down that you don't get full absorption and just waste your money). Plexus is sold through network marketing, which is fine in that there are fewer "middleman" levels and you have a relationship (ideally) with the seller. BUT, Plexus is not in the Direct Selling Association which is an invitation-only, watchdog group for network marketing companies. So I'd ask, WHY are they not a member? Only the top companies willing to undergo considerable scrutiny for over a year are admitted to the DSA. And again, I see no patents and no clinical data to support the claims.
Having a testimonial or 2 or 20 on a website is easy to do, and so is paying a physician to say "This product is great". So it proves nothing.
Looking at both websites, I'm also not seeing anything about the new discoveries in epigenetics and how that dictates what should be in our shakes and supplements. They talk about "immune system boosting" but have nothing to substantiate what they say. It sounds like it's more about advertising and less about food science and nutrition at the cellular level.
I'm also looking at your Hashimoto issue - I think you'd be amazed at what can be accomplished through true cellular nutrition. I have a thyroid deficiency (though not Hashimoto) but I've been to many conferences and seminars on the subject, and I've met quite a number of people with Hashimoto but also general fatigue and low energy. Weight loss isn't easy after childbirth, and it's not easy with a thyroid issue, but it's much easier with a product that's balanced, that's sold based on science, that provides a tight link with a trained consultant who can help you tailor your product usage for your tastes, needs and other health issues. I'd recommend something that is safe for children, cancer patients, nursing moms, diabetics, etc., which is based on optimal nutrient levels (not old RDIs and so forth), which has more testing and certification, which is manufactured in the US under higher-than-required standards for food, and which has more guarantees built into it as well as realistic expectations. That's what I did, and I am able to work out with women 20 years younger, I have no thyroid symptoms anymore such as fatigue and lethargy, my cholesterol is way down, and I'm doing so much more for prevention.
