There are a number of supplements that can be particularly beneficial as we look ahead to school starting in August, especially for young adults going away to college. It's a good idea to gather up a daily supplement care package for them to take with them to help "cover the bases".
These are a good place to start:
Multivitamins
A multivitamin can be a good idea especially for kids or young adults who might not have the best diet. I know my daughter does not eat as well as I wish she would, so I feel like a multivitamin helps to fill in the gaps. Of course, a multivitamin is not a replacement for a healthy diet, but it makes me feel better that at least she's getting the nutrients she needs. Bluebonnet has a nice easy to swallow one a day multivitamin that's gentle and food based. Since it's food-based it's not mega doses of anything, but rather just the amounts that are needed. We also have chewable vitamins or gummies for children or young adults who don't like to swallow pills.
Omega 3s
Omega 3s are what are known as essential fatty acids, meaning they're literally essential to the proper functioning of our bodies, especially for brain health. The main dietary source of omega 3 is eating fish, which most kids and young adults do not eat very much of. Supplementing with omega 3s can help with proper brain function, concentration, and even help with balancing mood. Omega 3s can't be manufactured in the body so they must be obtained through either diet or supplements. You know your kids, if they aren't eating fish, they're probably deficient in omega 3s, and one of the ways that manifests is by trouble concentrating, problems with focus, and even poor impulse control. Ensuring that your kids have a proper amount of omega 3 is a good idea just to make sure their bodies (and brains!) have what they need to be running properly.
Most omega 3 supplements are derived from fish, but we do have vegetarian sources available at the store as well. We have omega 3s in softgels, a good tasting refrigerated liquid by Barlean's, and a new gummy by Life Extension with good omega 3 potency. In general, chewables or gummies can sometimes have pretty low potencies especially when it comes to omega 3s, but we have some great ones to choose from.
Anxiety
Many young adults, and even kids since it's unfortunately happening younger and younger, have a lot of anxiety especially when looking forward to school starting. There are a number of supplements that can be really beneficial for helping young adults and kids to feel less stressed and anxious.
The amino acid theanine is one we especially recommend since it can not only help with reducing stress and anxiety but also aid in increasing focus. It can be used during the day to help with stress or before bed to help with sleep. Theanine does not make you feel tired, but it can help with improving sleep quality because it can make a person less anxious before bed.
Passionflower is a great supplement for anxiety for young adults and college students. Research at Mount Sinai found that daily use of passion flower was as effective as a prescription drug commonly used for generalized anxiety disorder.
Another supplement that we really love is Solgar's Stress and Anxiety relief. It's a one-a-day tablet that would be great for college students since it contains ashwagandha, which is great for helping with daily stress along with saffron, which is an antioxidant that is helpful for boosting mood.
For younger kids, we probably recommend sticking with theanine (an amino acid found in green tea that's been found to be safe for all ages), but for older young adults and college students, passion flower, ashwagandha, or saffron can be beneficial.
Immune Health
If you're sending your college student away to school, it's a good idea to send them with something for their immune system. Younger kids would benefit from taking something to boost the immune system once they start school as well since it's very common to get sick once all the kids are together and sharing their germs. For older young adults and college students the product Immuno Shield by Irwin Naturals is a great blend of natural immune boosters that can be used preventatively but also in higher doses if one starts to feel sick. For younger kids, we have elderberry syrup, which is a natural antiviral, and elderberry gummies which are a great (and good tasting) preventative that combine the antiviral elderberry extract with zinc, a mineral that's great for the immune system.
Other suggestions of things to think about are would be probiotics or digestive enzymes for stomach troubles if your kids have a sensitive stomach. Also magnesium can be for helpful for muscle aches, preventing headaches, and constipation
Stop in the store for more information or personalized recommendations, we’re at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.
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!
Holiday Help: Stress, Depression, and More
We wanted to share a few articles from our website that might be helpful this month:
Help for Stress Free Holidays
This month’s focus is on having a happy, healthy, and stress-free December. The holidays are a time of togetherness and love, but it can also be a time of heightened stress, anxiety, and depression for many. There are a number of very effective natural products which can help each of us to make it through these weeks in more calm, positive state. Read more on our website.
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. We put this Holiday Wellness Survival Guide together to hopefully cope with the latter so we can experience more of the former. Read more on our website.
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Help for New Year's Resolutions
Many people make resolutions at the start of the year, one of the most common of which is to lose extra weight. First, let me say that there is no miracle pill (unfortunately!), but there are some natural products that can really help.
This is a great rundown the different weight loss ingredients out there, and how they work. Everybody’s different, so reading it might help you to find the weight loss aid that’s right for you.
Another goal many people have for the new year is to live a healthier, more natural lifestyle. If that’s the case for you, be sure to read our article on whole body cleanses in this month’s newsletter. Additionally, this article on natural household cleansers (and their chemical laden counterparts) may be a helpful read.
Finally, if your resolution is to try to have a more calm and stress free 2017 (wouldn’t that be great?), here are a few articles that might help:
Two Fantastic Natural Mood Boosters
We wish you the very best for this New Year. Be well.
Ashwaganda for stress, boosting testosterone, fertility, brain function, and more
Ashwaganda is an amazing herb that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It’s recently been gaining attention in the United States as a result of numerous very positive scientific studies. It’s wonderful when herbs that have been used for thousands of years are then confirmed by science! I’ve been collecting research studies on ashwaganda for some time now, so I’ll briefly post some of the findings below.
Ashwaganda for boosting testosterone and fertility
One study found that ashwaganda root extract increased testosterone and improved sperm counts in a group of men who had fertility problems. The men took ashwaganda supplements for 90 days and the results documented that their testosterone levels rose by seventeen percent and their sperm counts more than doubled.
Ashwaganda for strength and muscle growth
Healthy men who took ashwaganda supplements during a strength and weight training program had significant gains in strength when compared to those taking a placebo. The study gave 300mg of ashwaganda extract to men twice a day for eight weeks. At the end of the eight weeks, the participants who received ashwaganda showed significant increases in muscle mass in the arms and chest. In addition, the ashwaganda group has larger gains in their ability to do bench press and leg extension exercises, with less muscle damage. The men who took ashwaganda also had improved testosterone levels as well as a reduction in body fat.
Ashwaganda and cognitive function
Ashwaganda extract was found to be effective in boosting cognition in people with bipolar disorder. An eight week study gave participants 500mg of ashwaganda extract to participants (or a placebo) in addition to their regular medications. Significant improvements in auditory-verbal working memory, reaction time, and social cognition were seen in the ashwaganda group. Ashwaganda has also been shown to have positive effects on stress and sleep issues.
Ashwaganda and stress
In one study, ashwaganda extract was shown to be able to reduce the physical effects of mental stress. Researchers gave young, healthy men 1,000mg of ashwaganda extract daily. After two weeks, the participants were given tests to measure stress. Blood pressure readings and other measurements of stress-induced compounds were significantly lower in the ashwaganda group compared to the group of men who received the placebo.
Another placebo controlled study on ashwaganda and stress gave participants 300mg of ashwaganda extract twice daily. After two months, the ashwaganda group had significant reductions of stress on a variety of stress assessments. Cortisol levels (a stress hormone) were also greatly reduced.
Ashwaganda for neurodegenerative diseases
Ashwaganda has shown benefit for numerous neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Ashwaganda has been shown to slow (and may even stop or reverse) atrophy of the nerves and synaptic loss as well as having protective effects against further damage.
Ashwaganda- which type is best?
We recommend Jarrow Formula’s Ashwaganda because it uses a one of a kind extract known as KSM-66. This specialized ashwaganda extract is the highest concentration available and has been shown specifically to be more effective than standard ashwaganda extracts. The strength of the beneficial properties in ashwaganda can vary widely, which why it’s important to choose a branded extract like the one in Jarrow’s formula, so you know you’re taking the most effective product available, as well as one that is backed by scientific research.
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.
Healthy Q & A: Natural Ways to Reduce Stress
Q: My husband has been under a lot of stress lately with uncertainty about his job and some family problems. I’m worried about him and wonder if there’s anything you would recommend for him to help.
A: Stress is an unfortunate part of most American’s lives.Stress isn’t always a bad thing, it can help us to make a deadline or perform better on a test. It’s when stress becomes constant that it becomes damaging. There are many natural supplements that are very effective at helping to manage stress and reduce its damaging effects.
Theanine is an amino acid derived from green tea that works very well to combat stress and anxiety without drowsiness. Studies have shown that Theanine helps to encourage alpha brain patterns (the brain wave patterns that are associated with relaxed wakefulness). Theanine also helps with concentration, something that people under a lot of stress often have trouble with.
Another great choice for people dealing with excessive amounts of stress is the herb valerian. Valerian is often taken as a sleep aid, but has been found at lower doses to be beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety. In one recent study, scientist compared the effectiveness of taking 81mg of valerian to 6.5mg of diazepam (Valium) or a placebo. They found that both the valerian and Valium, but not the placebo, offered a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and stress. I certainly wouldn’t recommend taking a daily Valium for stress, but it’s pretty amazing that a low dose of the natural herb valerian has a similar effect.
Siberian ginseng, also known as eleuthero, is another herb that is beneficial with reducing stress. Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen, which means it helps the body to adapt to stress. Prolonged stress often is accompanied by fatigue and a depressed immune system, and Siberian ginseng helps to treat both of those problems. Some people find that taking ginseng too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep, so I’d recommend taking it in the morning and afternoon rather than at night.
Regular exercise has also been found to reduce stress, giving an outlet to pent up frustrations and helping the body and mind to relax. Exercise has been proven to help reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol along with reducing the risk of heart disease and many other debilitating conditions. It can be difficult to start an exercise program especially if you’ve never really exercised before, but even small steps in becoming more active can make a big difference in reducing stress and increasing health.
Another thing I’d recommend is to make an effort to be outside more. According to Dr. Mardie Townsend, an associate professor in the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University in Melbourne, researchers are establishing credible grounds for “green prescriptions”, where doctors prescribe contact with nature for various conditions. Townsend says, “People with access to nearby natural settings have been found to be healthier overall than other individuals, and are more satisfied with life in general.” We have the wonderful resource of Lake Katherine available to us in Palos Heights, as well as a myriad of forest preserve trails, all of which can help us reconnect with nature and reduce stress.
Abraham Lincoln said, “I have found that most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” I believe the same to be true about stress- often we are as stressed as we decide to be. That isn’t to say that stress is unavoidable, but we can often choose how we respond to the day to day stresses we encounter. Simply asking oneself, “Do I really need to be getting upset over this?” or even coming to the point where we can acknowledge and accept a stressful situation without feeling compelled to try to fix it or change it can make a big difference. Sometimes talking to someone like a pastor or psychologist can help too. Stress is a large part of most of our lives, but it is damaging to health when it becomes a constant in our lives, so it’s important that we take steps to reduce the amount of stress we’re bogged down with. Good luck and be well!
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: Supplements for Depression
Q: I have a friend who has had depression for a while. I feel bad for her, but it almost seems like there’s nothing I can do. I wondered if you knew of anything natural I could suggest to her that might help.
A: Depression is a problem that affects 14.8 million Americans, so your friend is certainly not alone. Sadly many people don’t want to talk about or seek help for depression because they think somehow there is something wrong with them or they are embarrassed by having a problem. People often think (or are given the advice) that they just need to “snap out of it”, but often recovering from depression is not that simple. There are countless prescription drugs that are marketed for depression, and sometimes a prescription may be necessary, but before turning to pharmaceuticals for treatment it would be smart to try some of the many natural treatments for depression. It’s always wise to try to fix a problem naturally before turning to prescription drugs and the side effects that frequently come with them.
Deciding to seek professional help is always a good idea, since sometimes just talking to someone who is removed from the situation can help a person to see things in a more positive light. So to your friend and anyone else who is reading this and suffers from depression, let me say emphatically that there is nothing wrong with you, but rather you have a problem that needs to and is able to be fixed.
The first thing I would recommend for depression is fish oil. Everyone should be taking omega 3 fish oil, which has been shown in countless studies to have benefits in nearly all facets of health from heart health to lowering cholesterol to reducing inflammation and finally to its use in brain function. The omega 3s in fish oil are a main building block in having proper brain chemistry. Without enough omega 3s, neurotransmitters in the brain can’t work as efficiently, and when your brain isn’t working right, you can feel depressed or anxious. Omega 3s are not manufactured in the body and must be obtained from supplements and diet, though unfortunately the diet of most Americans isn’t very high in heart healthy fish or nuts and seeds that contain omega 3s. One recent study found that higher intakes of omega 3 oils and oily fish reduced the number of occasions that participants experienced depressive symptoms.
Our brains are made up of omega 3 fats, so it only makes sense that supplementing with fish oils would help the brain to run better.
The second building block to proper brain function are B vitamins. A common reason for mild
depression is an imbalance of neorotransmitters in the brain which can act as mood enhancers by helping to transmit signals between brain cells. Prescription antidepression medications like Prozac or other SSRIs focus on the neurotransmitter serotonin and work to make that neurotransmitter stay longer in the body. Supplementing with a high potency B complex can have similar results in the brain by converting amino acids into serotonin as well as helping to synthesize other feel good neurotransmitters. Danish and Dutch studies in recent years have backed up this idea by showing that people who suffer from depression are often deficient in one or more B vitamins. Each of the B vitamins work a little differently to do different things in the body and brain, but its recommended to take a complete B complex rather than just one specific B vitamin because they work best when taken together.
Fish oils and B vitamins are the building blocks to have a sturdy foundation of brain health.
There are several other supplements that work very well to help with combating depression and anxiety that can be taken in addition to those foundational supplements. 5-HTP is an amino acid that is a serotonin precursor meaning a supplement that turns into serotonin in the body. SSRI class antidepressants like Prozac block the uptake of serotonin in the body so in stays along longer, but it doesn’t actually increase the amount of serotonin (the feel good neurotransmitter) in the body, so if your body isn’t making enough serotonin in the first place, drugs like Prozac won’t help as much. One way to look at it is an analogy of a sink. With 5-HTP you aren’t plugging up the sink, you’re just adding more to it. One six week study found that participants who took 300mg daily of 5-HTP had the same depression relief as
those who took prescription antidepressants but with fewer side effects. 5-HTP works very well, but it’s important to not mix it with Prozac or other antidepressants known as SSRIs.
Another favorite supplement that I would recommend for depression and anxiety is an amino acid L-theanine which is derived from green tea. Theanine works by helping to increase the amount of GABA, another neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety without drowsiness. Theanine has actually been shown by researchers to help increase alpha brain wave patterns which are connected to being in an alert, relaxed state. It’s a great supplement to take when you’ll be going into a situation that you know is going to make you stressed and anxious.
There are many other supplements that are helpful in treating depression, and I’ve only mentioned a few. Each of us are different and our brains work differently, so sometimes it can take time to find the supplement that is right for you. Because of this it’s helpful to speak to someone who is knowledgeable about different natural supplements. One nice thing about natural treatments for depression is that unlike pharmaceuticals they can be stopped at any time without causing withdrawal symptoms. I hope some of this information can help your friend. There is no reason to suffer depression in silence without seeking treatment.
Depression affects millions of Americans and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Good
luck!