Posts Tagged ‘energy boost’

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).

Very few things are more of a bummer than a summer cold.  While everyone else is playing in the pool, enjoying a warm, relaxing day at the beach, or boarding a plane for some exotic destination, you are sequestered at home, watching Dr. Phil reruns.

Yep.  Summer has given you the cold shoulder.

You retrace your steps.  In the wintertime, when the flu was spreading like wildfire, you were really methodical about getting enough rest, taking your antioxidants and vitamins to boost your energy level and ensure continued good health.  But then the clouds cleared, the sun shone brightly and you forgot all about your previous wellness regime.

Aside from staving off colds and other ailments, vitamins and antioxidants could help to lessen your risk of developing some kinds of cancers.  Having trouble with the summertime blues?  A recent study indicates that an increased daily dosage of Omega-3 fatty acids may help fight depression in adults and children.

What are you waiting for?  Click here to order up some healthy antioxidant supplements. Then go enjoy the rest of your summer!

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Check out Solanova’s health concerns page to learn more about healthy living.  And be sure to visit our product section to purchase additional antioxidant supplements.  Here’s to your health!

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 ).

We’ve all had days like these.  You’ve slept poorly all night only to finally catch some zzz’s in the wee hours of the morning, then you sleep right through your alarm and realize you’re going to be late for that very important meeting.  And you’re out of coffee.  And you can’t find your keys.  You pray that there is just enough time to stop at the cafe on the corner.  Then you head outside.   To discover that your car is not in the driveway.  In fact, it’s nowhere to be found.  It’s days like these where a rewind button would really come in handy.

Stress is everywhere.  Even if your car didn’t go missing, every day stress can be very hard on our bodies.  Stress is thought to adversely affect blood pressure levels, and can even lead to heart problems and other health complications.  Stress can make us moody, cranky, sleepy and unproductive.  It can compromise our immune systems, make us depressed, sluggish and irritable.

And the busier and more stressed out we are, the more likely we are to get sick.  Then we miss work and fall behind thus piling on even more stress in our lives.  Stress can proliferate and is often cyclical, weighing us down and making us feel like we’ll never catch up.

But we can fight back.  Healthy activities like exercise, yoga or meditation can help mitigate the stress in our lives and promote better sleep patterns.  What we eat can also play a part.  It is thought that certain foods like cereals, whole grains, fish, spinach and milk can help to keep the stress hormone, Cortisol, in check.  And there are also some natural supplements available that can soothe our moods, help anxiety levels and even encourage us to relax.  A little TLC can go a long way to enhance our moods and our overall health.

So stretch out in a hammock with the soft breeze blowing and count the clouds as they roll by.  And be kind to yourself.  It’s time to slow life down-just for a little while.

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To read more about stress and how it may affect your health, click here.  We have many nutritional supplements that can help manage  stress .  Relora® is a nutritional supplement made from natural botanicals that promotes relaxation, healthy sleeping patterns and can help curb stress-related overeating and subsequent weight gain.  Invest in a superior antioxidant to fortify your immune system, Omega-Gel®, which supports cardiovascular and circulatory health as well as enhancing immune system function.

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.”