Posts Tagged ‘cells’

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It’s the time of year for holiday festivities, indulging in lots of yummy treats that are usually taboo, and enjoying the first snowfall.  But it’s also the time of year where the elements can be very hard your body’s largest organ, your skin.

Dry, cold, and windy weather can make our skin incredibly dry and not very pretty.  Because there’s nothing we can do about the changing seasons, we’d better come up with a dry skin strategy.

Keeping your body moisturized is the first thing to do.  When cold weather sets in, drinking cold water might not be uppermost in your mind.  A nice, large café latte sounds more enticing right?  That may be, but water is still incredibly important, especially if you’re downing those lattes (or hot toddy’s for that matter).  Try keeping a water pitcher on the counter, instead of in the fridge, that way at least the water you need to drink won’t be quite as chilly.

There are also foods that can help soothe dry, cracked skin.  Foods like low-fat yogurt, which is full of vitamin A and acidophilus, helps keep digestion normal and that can enhance your overall health and will reflect in your, improved, healthier looking skin too.  Blackberries, strawberries and blueberries are also excellent for your skin due to their high antioxidant content, which helps protect cells against free radical damage. And let’s not forget our friends omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like nuts, flax seeds and salmon, for example.  Omega-3 fatty acids help to maintain healthy cell membranes that can aid the skin in holding moisture.  Essential fatty acids, or EFA’s also mitigate inflammation in the body.

So grab a good moisturizer, your water bottle and make sure to integrate plenty of healthy foods into your diet this winter.  With a little effort, you can kick dry, scaly skin to the curb and welcome in a kinder, gentler, winter.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Would you like to learn more about antioxidant protection? Read more here about antioxidant support and foods rich in antioxidants. We are having a huge sale on all our Coenzyme Q10 supplements and products that offer unsurpassed antioxidant support. Also try our Omega-3 supplement Omega-gel, and our luxurious moisturizer Derma Q-Gel day creme with Ubiquinol.

If you’ve been feeling blue and aren’t particularly keen to take a pill to feel better, there may be some natural alternatives that can work to help mitigate depression in both adults and children.

In a review of 3 studies investigating the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of patients with depression – unipolar, bipolar, and childhood – supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) was found to have beneficial effects. In one study which involved 20 patients with unipolar recurrent major depression, significant improvements were found after 3 weeks of daily supplementation with EPA (in addition to antidepressant drug therapy) as compared to a placebo. In another study, involving 12 bipolar depression outpatients with depressive symptoms, supplementation with 1.5 to 2.0 g/d EPA for up to 6 months was found to reduce Hamilton depression scores by at least 50% in 8 of the 10 subjects who completed at least 1 month of follow-up. In the third study, involving 28 children between the ages of 6 and 12 with “childhood major depression,” omega-3 fatty acids were found to have significant benefits, according to ANOVA. The authors conclude, “Omega-3 fatty acids were shown to be more effective than placebo for depression in both adults and children in small controlled studies and in an open study of bipolar depression.”

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So kick those blues to the curb with Solanova’s Omega-Gel ®.  Our supplement contains two of the safest forms of omega-3 (oil of Sardine and Anchovy) and contains vitamin E and other antioxidants, all in our patented, highly absorbable softgel capsules! Want to start becoming healthier and feeling better?  Check out all our natural vitamins and supplements at solanova.com .

Want to read more about antioxidant support?  Check out Solanova’s health information.  We’re here to help you realize your health potential!

Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/38324

“Omega-3 fatty acids in depression: a review of three studies,” Osher Y, Belmaker RH, CNS Neurosci Ther, 2009 Summer; 15(2): 128-33. (Address: Ministry of Health Beer Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. E-mail: yamy@bgu.ac.il ).

Maybe it’s because the weather is sweltering and there is no relief in sight.  Or maybe it’s because you just got downsized from your job or that your “stay-cation” consists of a blow up kiddie pool and a six-pack in the front yard.  Whatever the reason, summer blues can be particularly frustrating because this is the time of year everyone is supposed to feel happy, relaxed and free.  So what’s wrong?

This is not always an easy question to answer.

Sometimes mild depression or “the blues” can be mitigated by an enhanced diet.  Foods rich in omega-3’s, vitamin B12 and folic acid can boost your mood and also help with any weight-related mild depression or anxiety.  And be sure to keep up with an exercise regime, or if you’ve let one slide, reinvent yourself with some physical activity that is also social, i.e. salsa dancing, a yoga class, or even a biking/hiking club.  Oftentimes sharing activities with those who are likeminded can help you feel better and more connected.

There has been some compelling research lately that suggests that omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can contribute to depression in some individuals.  In one study done with cardiovascular disease patients, it was found that as levels of omega-3’s dropped off, depression seemed to rise.  Ensuring the body is replete with proper omega-3 levels can possibly help prevent some cancers and cardiovascular disease and is now thought to ease depression.

So keep active, eat properly to keep blood sugar at a healthy level, and make sure you take some time for yourself as well as for your friends and family.  Hopefully you’ll see those summer blues melt away, like strawberry ice cream on a hot day.

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Check out our health library for more information about antioxidants and your health. Purchase our superior antioxidant formulas MultiSential Plus and Omega-Gel and you’ll be on the road to Wellville in no time.

Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/35116“Low levels of docosahexaenoic acid identified in acute coronary syndrome patients with depression,” Parker GB, Heruc GA, et al, Psychiatry Res, 2006 Feb 22; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Black Dog Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia).

The sweat is dripping down the front of you.  Your breathing is labored and you think your legs just might turn to Jell-O at any moment.  But you push yourself, not only because you’re going to look great for that school reunion (It’s been too many years to contemplate) but also because you really care about your heart.  You want it to work as well as it possibly can and for as long as it possibly can.  Because, as the song goes, you’ve got a lot of living to do!  And you won’t be shortchanged.  No way!

But where to start?  Creating a heart health baseline is always a good idea.  Get your cholesterol, blood pressure and other common medical tests done regularly.  This will let you know what you need to work on and can help forecast if you are at risk for heart disease.  Once you know what you need to do, you can start working to improve your health right away.

Of course we have to talk about our old friend, exercise.  Yes, it’s unavoidable.  But the results can be amazing!  There has been research conducted stating that people who participate in 30 minutes of cardio at least 3 or 4 times a week can decrease their risk for heart disease, some cancers, dementia and have the potential for living years longer than their couch potato peers.  Another added bonus to regular exercise is that it makes you feel and look great and can even curb depression.  Not too shabby for half an hour on the treadmill!

Think Omega-3’s.  Eating foods and taking supplements rich in Omega-3’s is great for your heart!  Fish, flax seed, cantaloupe, spinach, walnuts and broccoli are some excellent sources.  Supplements are also handy and easy to take if you don’t happen to have a bushel of broccoli in your briefcase.

Don’t wait.  Take care of your heart now so it can take good care of you down the road.

See you on the Stairmaster!

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Want to learn more about heart healthy habits?  Read all about heart health here.  Two highly absorbable, natural supplements  that work to ensure good heart health include Omega-Gel®, which supports cardiovascular health and immune system function, and Q-Gel® CoQ10, which helps to strengthen the heart muscle while guarding against free radical damage.

So get off the couch, grab your gym bag and commit to being healthier today!

You know that big, scary, powerful, orange fireball in the sky?  No? You mean you’ve been hiding from it for the last, say, twenty years?  Much like eggs and the cholesterol battle, our poor, neglected sun has been getting a bad rap lately.  That’s not to say you should go old school, break out the bathing suit and slather yourself with baby oil, but it turns out that a little- i.e. 15 minutes-of unprotected sun exposure 3 times a week can be good for you.  Yes, good for you.

There’s a good reason we have a sun smiling down on us (and who could afford the heating bill otherwise?).  We are running a vitamin D deficit; some studies show that overall we get 50% less vitamin D absorption than we need for a healthy lifestyle.  Vitamin D is best known for aiding calcium absorption and building strong bones but is now thought to also help thwart certain types of cancer, heart disease and other chronic health conditions.  Taking a quality supplement can help with our shortage of this crucial vitamin.  And the sun wants to help us out too.  Vitamin D is so vital to our health that our bodies manufacture it automatically, but only after our skin has been exposed to ample sunlight.

So toss off that oversized hat and leave the sun block at home-for a few minutes anyway.  It’s time to catch some rays, literally.  And be sure to take your vitamins too.  After all, they’re good for you and will help you have a happy and healthy summer.

Enjoy!

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Want to read more about vitamin D and calcium?  Check out our health library for more information.  Besides a healthy serving of sunshine, we offer several nutritional supplements that can aid vitamin D absorption and supplementation.  Liqui-Calcium is a high-powered amalgam of six essential sources of calcium which includes vitamin D and other minerals.  And our renown multi vitamin, MultiSential Plus, boasts a complete blend of vitamins and minerals including 600 IU’s of vitamin D.

Exercise, it turns out, makes your cells happy.

When you walk, jump rope, run, lift weights or whatever it is you choose for exercise, the mitochondria (energy sparks in your cells) actually increase. And that energy boost you feel after a period of consistent exercise demonstrates the adaptation your cells have made. Anytime you have that sense of “I’m feeling fitter” it’s because your cells are adapting to the work you’ve been asking of your body.

I’ve had really good results with an audio treadmill workout routine called iTrain (iTrain.com). You download the workout onto your iPod and basically have a professional trainer at your side coaching you through your workout. “Breathe deeply,” the trainer will say. “Relax your facial muscles. You got to shock your body to change your body.” Behind that trainer speak what she’s really saying is “Make your cells happy. Give them oxygen. Calm them. And condition them so they’ll condition you.”

Nutrition, less surprisingly, also makes your cells happy. Nutrient-rich foods–protein, fats, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and more–help keep your cells happy. Cells fueled with the nutrients they need can grow, replicate, repair and operate. Feed your cells well and they’ll thank you for it.

So the next time your hear someone say “Exercise,” “Eat Right,” “Drink More Water,” know that what they’re really saying is “Make your cells happy.”

When communication is your business you know the rules: start with the big concept and gradually move into the small. For this first blog entry, however, I’d like to break the rule and start small, very small, cell small. A large cell is no bigger than the diameter of a strand of your hair. A small cell is one tenth the diameter of a strand of hair.

Cells are small because cells are smart and highly evolved organisms. They know that to be healthy and thrive, they need to have lots more surface area than volume so that they can optimize their ability to take in life-essential nutrients. It helps to think of a cell as a tiny house with lots of doors and windows. But when the doors and windows (a.k.a. membranes) get stiff or stuck, or the house gets filled with toxic stuff, the health of cells is jeopardized.

Two nutrients that significantly enhance cellular health are CoQ10 and Omega3 fatty acids. CoQ10 gives cells energy and CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from free radical damage. Omega 3 fatty acids make cell membranes more flexible so they can more easily take in the nutrients they need.

One of the best ways to take the health of your body seriously is to not think about your body at all. Instead, think about your body’s 10 trillion cells. And each time you eat something ask yourself, “What’s this doing to or for my cells? Am I making them healthier or less healthy?”