Back to School Help for Stress and Anxiety

August means back to school (which personally is depressing to me, because when I went to school, school started in September, but I digress). I'm really hoping this year will be a little more normal than last year, which is actually the same thing I said last August I think.    

Still, any year can be a cause of anxiety and stress for kids of all ages, so if your child, teen, or college students are having a tough time looking ahead to the start of school, we do have some supplements that can help.

The one we would recommend above all others is theanine, an amino acid from green tea which is great for helping to reduce stress and anxiety without making you feel tired or spacey- in fact, it can even help with increasing focus and concentration. We have it available in capsules or great tasting gummies, and it’s something that we’ve had customers with kids of all ages have good results with.

Additionally, we’d recommend omega 3s for students of all ages to help with overall brain function and focus. Omegas 3s are called essential fatty acids because they must be obtained through either food or supplements, and most kids and teens realistically aren’t eating salmon multiple times a week. If you’re not getting Omega 3s through the foods you eat (primarily fatty fish), it’s likely you’re deficient. 

Research has linked low levels of Omega 3s with an increase in depression and attention problems. We even have vegetarian forms of Omega 3s since vegetarians are at an even higher risk of fatty acid deficiency. Stop in the store and we can help find the right supplement for you and the kids in your life.

Stop by and see us at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights so we can help you to find the supplement that’s right for you!

August is Back to School Month

August means back to school. I always think of September as the back to school month, since that’s what it was when I was little, but now most kids are going back be back in school by the third week of August if not sooner.

Hopefully this will be a more normal school year than last year, but even on the most normal of normal years, there can still be stress and anxiety for many about starting school. Theanine is a great supplement for stress and anxiety and is safe for both kids and adults. It’s an amino acid that’s found in green tea that can help kids to feel more calm and less worried. It can even be used before bed to help with sleep, not that it makes you tired, but it’s effective for sleep since it helps to encourage a calm state of mind. It’s especially helpful for school age children and teens since in addition to enhancing feelings of calm, it also can help with increasing focus (something most of us would benefit from). It’s available in gummies or capsules, and most children start with a 100mg dose, whereas most adults take 400mg.

See this article on our website for more information: Theanine for Reducing Stress and Increasing Focus

Preventing illness is always a concern once school starts again, since with so many kids packed in together, colds and other respiratory viruses are more likely. There are a number of great kid-friendly immune boosters we’d recommend, like our elderberry gummies by Zhou, which also contain a good dose of immune boosting zinc (plus they’re great tasting). A few other immune supplements that we recommend for kids are probiotics and vitamin D- we have both available in good tasting chewable supplements. Probiotics have shown in research to help with preventing respiratory infections in children, resulting in fewer missed school days, and vitamin D is a great all-around immune booster that’s great for everyone.

Here are a few helpful articles from our website with more information:

Preventative Immune Health

Keeping Kids Healthy this Winter

Manuka Honey Throat Lozenges for Cough and Sore Throat

Elderberry: A Potent Antiviral Against Colds and Flu

Finally, a few other supplements that can be helpful for kids are an omega 3 supplement and a multivitamin. Omega 3s are essential fatty acids that are crucial for brain function, and many kids are deficient because they have to be obtained through either diet or supplements, and most kids don’t eat a lot of fish. A great tasting, high potency supplement is Barlean’s Omega Swirl (for both kids or adults). We’ve found that most kid’s omega 3 chewables or gummies have very little actual omega 3 in them, so we recommend Barlean’s Omega Swirl liquid as an easy way to get the recommended amounts in just one teaspoon (it’s not at all oily or fishy, it tastes like lemon cream).

See our article Improving Children’s Concentration at School for more information.

Multivitamins are great for kids or adults that are picky eaters or people without the best diets, since they help to fill in nutrition gaps. A multivitamin is not a substitute for a healthy diet, but it’s a simple way to ensure you or your children are getting the nutrients you need every day for optimal health.

Please stop by the store this month so we can help you to find the supplements that are right for your individual needs.

All About Curcumin and Why It's So Great

I wanted to write about curcumin again. It has become incredibly popular for helping with reducing pain and inflammation in the body- and rightly so- it really does work. New research is coming out all the time confirming its many benefits, which go far beyond just pain relief.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, has been said by many to be “the most anti-inflammatory herb on the planet”. It is difficult for the body to absorb, however, and in the past, people needed to consume mass amounts of the strongly pigmented yellow spice to be able to get enough of that beneficial extract, curcumin, to make a difference. I love eating turmeric (turmeric is the yellow spice used in many curries), but ground turmeric root is generally only 4% curcumin, so supplements are the best answer if you’re looking to get the benefits reported again and again in the scientific studies.

Even supplemental extracts of turmeric or curcumin can be difficult for the body to absorb, which is why there are very specific forms that we recommend. The company Solgar has a branded extract that they use which has been scientifically documented to be one hundred and eighty-five times better absorbed than standard curcumin extracts. If you’re interested, you can search go to our website for more information and the links to the study, or go to PubMed.gov, since I fully agree that it almost sounds too good to be true. 

We are all about science at Pass Health Foods. Sometimes I think people have the idea that natural products, vitamins, and herbs are a bunch of “hippie nonsense”, but in our store, the products we recommend are scientifically backed by research. There are times when conventional pharmaceuticals are necessary, but if you can find natural products that legitimately work, without the side effects of conventional medicines, it can be a wonderful thing.

So, back to curcumin: studies have shown again and again its benefit for pain relief, finding it equal to commercially available pain medications and NSAID drugs, but without the strain those medicines have on the liver. Ibuprofen and other drugs definitely do help with pain, but they are not meant to be taken over and over again on a daily basis. Curcumin is a great alternative, which rather than being hard on the liver, it can actually help with liver function.
In addition to pain relief, curcumin supplements have also been shown in research to have impressive results for reducing anxiety and depression, one study even found curcumin supplementation to be as effective as a prescription drug for depression, but without the side effects.

New research has also introduced curcumin as a possible aid to weight loss. One thirty day study followed people who were already on a diet and exercise regimen. They found an increased percentage of weight loss in the group who took curcumin, but even more than that was the reduction of body fat percentage for the people who took curcumin vs. the placebo group. Over thirty days the group who used diet and exercise alone had a .70% reduction in total body fat loss, but the group who used curcumin had an average of 8.43% reduction in body fat!

Curcumin supplementation has also been linked to a reduction in several types of cancers. In the past, the poor absorption of curcumin supplements was a problem for showing results in human studies, but now with newly formulated extracts like Solgar’s Full Spectrum Curcumin, which have significantly increased the body’s ability to absorb the nutrient, that is changing. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit cancer cells, prevent tumor formation, as well as slow cancer progression, and can be a helpful adjunct to traditional cancer therapies (though as with everything, be sure to inform your physician of any natural products you are taking, especially during cancer treatment).

So to sum up, while curcumin is best known for reducing joint pain and inflammation, it has many other scientifically documented benefits. Not all turmeric or curcumin supplements are equal in how well they are absorbed, so at this time, the only curcumin product we truly recommend is Solgar’s Full Spectrum Curcumin, for the simple reason that it has been shown to be so much better absorbed than any other. Since it’s a product we recommend so highly, we were able to work out a deal with the company to be able to offer 25% off on our Solgar curcumin on an everyday basis at Pass Health Foods. Stop by the store for more information, we’d love to help you further.
  

Two Fantastic Natural Mood Boosters

With the dark days of December upon us, I wanted to write about two supplements from Irwin Naturals that can really help with improving mood and easing the stress of the holidays.

The first is 5-HTP Extra. 5-HTP is a supplement that helps to boost serotonin in the brain (serotonin is the “feel good” neurotransmitter. Antidepressants like Prozac work in a similar way, which is why it’s important not to mix 5-HTP supplements with prescription antidepressants. Irwin’s 5-HTP Extra is nice because it combines 5-HTP with theanine, an amino acid that’s great for reducing anxiety as well as lemon balm and rhodiola, which work very well for reducing stress. 5-HTP extra is great for people suffering from depression along with stress and anxiety. My husband has used it and found it really helped with reducing stress and anxious thoughts. He was having a lot of stress and difficult things happening in his life (a death of a close family member and other issues), and thought it really helped; in fact, he didn’t realize how much it was helping until his bottle ran out. He said it helped him to feel much less “panicky about things”.

The other supplement I’d recommend is Irwin’s Sunny Mood. It’s a supplement I actually wrote about last December (‘tis the season, I guess), so see this article for more information on the specific ingredients in the supplement and how they work. My husband started taking Sunny Mood after trying the 5-HTP extra. Of the two, he prefers Sunny Mood. He really says he thinks him feel better and more positive. One might even say that it helps to encourage a “sunnier mood”. If you’re having a difficult time with the darker days of winter and need a mood boost, I’d really recommend giving Irwin Natural’s Sunny Mood a try. 

Both supplements are wonderful and effective. The main difference between the two is that the 5-HTP Extra helps to boost serotonin (similar to the ways that a number of different prescription antidepressants work). Sunny Mood is also effective for mild depression and really does help to encourage a more positive mood. 

Jarrow's New Theanine Gummies: For Relaxation on the Go

I wanted to mention a brand new product that we’ve found: Jarrow’s new Theanine Gummies. If you’ve been a subscriber of our newsletter for a while, you know that we are crazy about theanine at Pass Health Foods. It’s an amino acid found in small amounts in green tea that works very well for stress and anxiety, without making you tired. All of us at the store take it at one time or another. It’s great because while it can be taken on a regular basis for anxiety, it doesn’t need to be; it can be taken only a needed during a stressful time or before a stressful situation and still be effective. It's also great for sleep, since even though it doesn't make you feel tired, it helps to reduce anxious thoughts, which can lead to an easier time falling and staying asleep.

Our new Jarrow gummies are fantastic because first, they are delicious, so they’re easy for both kids and adults to take. Second, they’re wonderful for taking on the go since they don’t need to be taken with water- they’re perfect to keep in a purse or bag if needed. They’re also nice for people that have problems with swallowing or would just rather not be bothered with swallowing a pill and having to find a glass of water.

We are offering them for 20% off as an everyday deal, so they work out to be $18.99 a bottle. They’re also gelatin free, so they’re suitable for vegetarian diets, plus, they aren’t sticky gummies if that’s at all descriptive. I feel like some gummy vitamins stick to my teeth, but not so with these. I would absolutely recommend giving them a try. For more information on theanine, see our website here for an index of our many past articles on the benefits of theanine.
 

Take the Theanine Challenge for a Calm and Relaxed 2016

We love theanine at Pass Health Foods, and I’ve written about it numerous times in past newsletters.  It’s a fantastic supplement derived from green tea that helps to reduce stress and anxiety, without drowsiness or making you feel tired or foggy- quite the opposite in fact- it can also help to increase focus and concentration.

One thing I love about theanine is that it is effective when taken every day, but it also works if you only use it occasionally for times you feel especially stressed and anxious.  It also is helpful for boosting mood as well as a sleep aid.

We have been working with the company Jarrow to get a better deal that we could pass on to our customers on their (fantastic) theanine, and now we are able to offer it as an EDLP (every day low price) of $6 less than what we were previously selling their 200mg. supplement for.

Because of this, I wanted to mention theanine again, and to recommend to those who haven’t tried it yet, to do so.  I’d venture to say that nearly everyone would have a benefit from it.  All of us take it at the store at various times and love it.  It has so many benefits for stress and anxiety relief, and we have quite a few of our customers who say that it helps with reducing overall irritation and that it also helps them to feel more calm throughout the day.

A typical dose is 100-400mg, once or twice a day as needed.  Try it!  I very much think that you will not be disappointed.

Supplement Spotlight: Irwin Naturals Sunny Mood

December can be a month of wonder and joy, but for many it can also be a time of stress, sadness, and depression, due to a combination of the holidays and the darkening days of winter where it may feel like you hardly see the sun.

Because of this, I wanted to write about a fantastic supplement we have at the store that we love, it’s Sunny Mood by Irwin Naturals.  It is an amazing combination of herbs and supplements that help to boost mood, relieve depression and melancholia, and also help with stress and anxiety.  Sunny Mood even won an award for being one of the best supplements of 2015 by Better Nutrition Magazine.

It is a very unique blend; in fact I have never seen all of the ingredients in one formula before finding Sunny Mood.  I have heard of a number of our customers who feel they can see a difference as soon as the first week in taking it, with increasing benefits in the second and third week.

Another thing I like about Sunny Mood is that it is helpful for boosting mood and reducing anxiety and stress, but without you feeling out, sleepy or “drugged”.  I’ve even heard from customers that in addition to a better mood, they have found themselves feeling less annoyed and slower to irritation- which can be helpful if you’re anywhere near La Grange Road this month! 

We’re having Irwin Natural’s Sunny Mood on sale this December for 25% off, so I’d really recommend trying it this month, since just about everyone would benefit from a “sunnier mood” during this holiday season!

Holiday Wellness Survival Guide

The holidays are a wonderful time of joy, togetherness, and goodwill… but they can also be a time of stress, anxiety, digestive maladies, and weight gain. I put this Holiday Wellness Survival Guide together to hopefully cope with the latter so we can experience more of the former.

Stress and Anxiety

December usually heralds in party after party while we juggle work and family. While these get-togethers can be wonderful, they can also cause a great deal of stress and anxiety. L-Theanine is an amino acid derived from green tea that works very well to curb anxiety, without tiredness. Studies have shown that theanine stimulates alpha brain waves, which are associated with relaxation and mental clarity. Theanine can be taken daily or just on days when you know you’ll be going into a situation that can be stressful. Another supplement that many people find helpful for stress and anxiety is the herb valerian, which is known by many as “nature’s Valium”. Valerian is best known for its benefit as a sleep aid, but in lower doses, it is very effective at reducing anxiety, though unlike Xanax or valium it is completely non-addictive.

Digestion

The holidays are a time when we eat many foods that we ordinarily don’t, and that fact can bring on many digestive complaints like bloating, stomach upset, and gas. Digestive enzymes are very effective in treating digestive complaints at the cause instead of simply trying to mask a symptom of poor digestion.

 Our bodies naturally contain digestive enzymes, though the number of digestive enzymes naturally present in our bodies decrease as we age, increasing digestive problems. Digestive enzymes work by helping to naturally break down food in the stomach, so that food is digested more easily. How many times have you overeaten and then felt like there was a brick in your stomach? Digestive enzymes help with that problem. By helping food to digest properly, they can help keep problems like bloating, stomach upset, and gas away since food is more easily digested.

Avoiding Weight Gain

Weight loss, or wanting to avoid packing on holiday pounds is on many people’s minds this season. It’s easy to overeat and consume many more calories than we ordinarily would at holiday parties. A good suggestion is to avoid “grazing” at holiday buffets. When you take the time to fill up a plate and sit down to eat it can help you realize how much you’re eating instead of mindlessly eating calorie after calorie standing over the appetizer table. One supplement that can be especially beneficial to prevent holiday overeating is glucomannan.

Glucomannan is a type of fiber (available in easy to swallow capsules) that expands many times its size in a person’s stomach, helping them to feel more full. By taking glucomannan before a holiday party it can help you to feel more in control of your eating, since you won’t feel as hungry. Glucomannan is nice because it’s stimulant-free, so it can be taken at night and won’t keep you up when it’s time for sleep. 

Staying Healthy

As the weather gets colder, sickness becomes more and more prevalent- a lack of fresh air and being indoors is a big contributing factor. There has even been recent research that has suggests that much of the increase in illness during winter is as a result of vitamin D deficiency (our body manufactures vitamin D from skin exposure to sunlight). One recent study involving African-American postmenopausal women found a 60% reduced risk of colds and influenza for those taking 800 IU/d vitamin D3 and 90% reduced risk for those taking 2000 IU/d.

Elderberry syrup is another supplement which is great for the immune system- especially combating against viruses, specifically the flu. In one study, a clinical trial on patients displaying full-blown flu symptoms took place in Israel in the middle of a flu epidemic. Half were given the black elderberry extract and half a placebo. Within 48 hours 75% of patients who had been given elderberry had clearly improved and within 72 hours 90% were symptom-free. Only 16% of patients on placebos had shown any improvement after two days, and the rest took at least six days to recover. 

Another supplement that is especially effective on viruses is a mushroom complex called AHCC. AHCC is a common supplement to be taken by cancer patients, for its anti-tumor benefits, but is beneficial in combating the flu as well. AHCC is commonly prescribed in Asia for immune health. Both human and animal studies have shown AHCC’s ability to enhance the activity of natural killer cells (NK cells). Those NK cells are the first defense for the body’s immune system and are able to launch a rapid attack against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses while the other parts of the immune system are still mobilizing. A quick immune response to bacteria and viruses can often make the difference between getting sick or staying well.
 
The last supplement I’d recommend that’s a favorite of ours for immune health is Irwin Naturals Immuno Shield, which is a very well put together combination of several different herbs, probiotics, and more to help boost the immune system. It can be taken in low doses as a preventative measure, or in higher concentrations if you do get sick. We’ve found it really does help to get you better faster.

Healthy Q & A: Help for Insomnia

Q: I've been having such a awful time sleeping lately. I can't get to sleep at night, which makes me exhausted in the morning and tired all day long. When it comes time to go to bed though, I can't seem to sleep though!  I'm getting to my wits end. Any ideas?

A:  Insomnia is terrible, and can lead to the never ending cycle you’ve described. The sleeplessness you’re experiencing is most likely caused by stress, which can make it difficult to sleep at night, even when you've felt tired all day. Nearly 50% of Americans deal with insomnia from one time or another. There are a number of natural supplements which can help, however, thankfully.

The first I'd recommend is valerian, an herb with natural sedative properties. I like valerian because it can actually help you to feel tired while helping to reduce stress and anxiety. One study found that valerian reduced the time it took participants to fall asleep by half. It's also non-habit forming and should not give you a "hangover" like prescription sleep aids can. I would take it when you have a full six hours to sleep however. Nature's Plus has a wonderful extended release valerian, which works well, particularly for people who wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep.

Hops and passionflower are two other herbs that work synergistically with valerian.
Passionflower is wonderfully relaxing, and hops has tranquilizing properties. Many people find that it helps with reducing "racing thoughts" at bedtime. All three herbs work well together. NOW Foods has a product I love called Sleep (imaginative name, right?) which I've used for occasional sleeplessness with great results.

Another idea is the amino acid theanine. Theanine is different in that it does not make you tired (so it can be taken during the day as well), but it does work very effectively for reducing anxiety. Theanine has had impressive results in research studies for improving sleep quality and reducing fatigue the following day. Theanine is also safe for children to take for occasional insomnia and stress. The brand Kal has a great chewable supplement for kids called Relax A Saurus.

Finally, I’d recommend trying to get some exercise during the day, though not too close to bedtime. Exercise can help with mood and stress, and give you an extra boost of energy. It seems counterintuitive when you feel so tired during the day, but increasing your activity to 30 minutes of exercise most days a week can help you to have both more energy during the day and to sleep better at night.

Healthy Q & A: Sleep Aids

Q: I’ve had an awful time sleeping lately.  I’ve been under a lot of stress recently and can’t seem to wind down at night.  I’m exhausted, but I can’t stop thinking about things.  I’d rather not take a prescription, but I really need to sleep!  Any advice?

A: Stress is horrible, since it saps your energy during the day, but can leave you awake and restless at night.  Thankfully, there are a number of supplements which can help, without side effects or being habit forming like many prescription sleep aids.  The first thing I’d recommend is theanine, an amino acid derived from green tea which is fantastic for stress and anxiety.  While theanine doesn’t make you feel tired, it works very well to reduce anxiety and help you to feel more calm.  Research done on theanine and sleep found that people who took it before bed experienced better sleep quality.  It works by encouraging alpha brainwaves, the brainwaves associated with a calm, relaxed state.  Theanine is also very effective for stress and anxiety during the day.

There are also a number of herbs which can be helpful as sleep aids.  Valerian is an herb that works very well to help with relaxation after a busy day.  Most people report that taking valerian before bed actually helps them to “feel tired”.  For that reason, valerian is usually best reserved for taking before bed, since valerian may make you feel too sleepy if taken during the day.  Passionflower, hops, and kava are other herbs which work very well to help to relieve stress and anxious thoughts so you can sleep.

Come by the store and we’d be happy to help you find the product that’s right for you.  Sleepless nights are no fun, though thankfully we have a number of supplements which work very effectively to help achieve a proper night’s sleep.