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Fight back to stress

August 18, 2017

It’s no secret that stress is an ever-increasing element in British adults’ lives. Balancing busy work, social and home lives is making us Brits more stressed than ever. Sometimes when you are going through a particularly stressful time in your life, you forget about your health. So, we have rounded up our top tips and natural supplements to help put your health and wellbeing first in times of stress

Have a LOL

When it comes to relieving stress, having a laugh is one of the best remedies as it triggers healthy changes in our body. Whether you’re giggling with the girls or laughing out loud at your favourite TV show, your laughter can help boost your energy, stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation. Studies suggest that laughing releases the feel-good chemicals, endorphins, which make us happier and more relaxed.

Eat smart

You may already know that a poor diet can have a negative effect on your body, but did you know that it also has an impact on your brain health? When we experience stressful situations in our lives whether it be at work or at home, it is common for many of us to skip meals or reach for sugary, comfort food. However, banishing the naughty office snack draw and focussing on a balanced diet, will ensure you keep your health in check no matter what the situation. If you’re a self-confessed sweet tooth and are finding it hard to give up the sweet snacks, try our Equigluco. It is a specialist formula designed to support blood glucose regulation. It contains chromium and green coffee extract, which helps to balance insulin levels to help keep those afternoon sugar pangs at bay.

Sweat it out

If you feel like you can’t escape from your mounting worries, it might be worth lacing up and leaving the house for a 20-minute run? Going for a run releases endorphins and is a great way to switch off and clear your mind from stress. If you’re going through a particularly stressful time, just make sure you take care with the types and duration of exercise you choose. Intense exercise can sometimes raise your levels of stress hormones, making you more anxious, stressed and tired, so try to avoid endurance exercise or very high intensity exercise such as spinning classes. Good types of exercise to go for can include weight training, interval training with periods of rest, moderate intensity aerobic-type exercise such as short-distance jogging, and relaxing exercise such as yoga or Pilates. You can also take part in a team sport, such as netball or football, to enjoy working out while releasing endorphins as well as the social element.

Hello sunshine

A lack of sunlight can have a larger impact on your health than you may think! Little exposure to sunlight can cause deficiencies in vitamin D, which can play an important role in your mental health as the deficiency has been linked to low moods. Since the winter months are fast approaching, don’t let the lack of sunshine bring down your mood. Reach for our Once a Day Sunshine D to keep your vitamin D levels healthy when the sun isn’t shining!

B happy!

B vitamins play an important role in supporting our bodies during stressful times. They can help support your stress levels by regulating your mood and supporting your brain health. B vitamins also contain nutrients to reduce tiredness and fatigue, supporting your energy and concentration levels throughout the day. Foods that are high in B vitamins include the likes of leafy green vegetables, oily fish, bananas, fresh fruits and eggs. Some of the B vitamins are a little harder to absorb from your food, so it is advisable to include a supplement in your diet. Our Mega B Complex is a high potency formula designed to support a hectic lifestyle, providing a full spectrum of the B vitamins.

Get some Zzz’s

It’s no secret that a good night’s sleep is important for your health, as well as being a great stress reliever. With this being said, a good night’s sleep can be easier said than done and sometimes you have so much running through your mind that it can be hard to switch off in times of stress. Do what you can to go to bed early enough to get 7 or 8 hours sleep! Try to develop a wind-down routine before you hit the sheets to relax your mind, such as having a warm bath or meditating. Known as ‘nature’s tranquiliser’, magnesium is associated with calming and relaxing properties. Try taking our Synergistic Magnesium in the evening before bed to help relax your muscles, aid your sleep and help you cope better with stress!

Boost your energy level to get the most out of your day!

July 21, 2017

It’s no secret that many of us are living a hectic lifestyle, juggling family, friends and work commitments. Trying to find a work life balance, while trying to stay healthy and active can prove tricky and your energy levels can suffer. To help ease those feelings of tiredness and fatigue and give you a natural boost of energy, here are some diet and lifestyle tips that are easy to employ into your lifestyle….

Superfoods

It often hits the headlines, but ensuring your diet is packed full of nutritious, fresh foods is essential to give you that ‘get up and go’ feeling.

Spinach is an excellent source of iron, which is a key component of energy production in the body.
Salmon is not only a great source of omega 3, but it is also full of protein and vitamin B6, both of which help convert your food into energy.
Eggs are another great source as they contain a high amount of protein and essential amino acids, which help reduce fatigue.
Bananas are a great snack to have in-between meals or added in to your morning smoothie as a quick and easy form of energy.
Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that is higher in protein than rice, so try switching this up next time you cook a salad or stir-fry!

If you can introduce these foods into your weekly meals, you will be providing your body with the nutrients it requires for optimal energy. As well as adding the right foods to your diet, our Once a Day Energy B&C supplement contains nutrients that contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, giving you a natural daily boost.

A good night’s sleep

Sleep is crucial for your energy levels as it gives your body time to re-energise, re-charge and repair. For a good night’s sleep, try to stick to a regular bedtime routine as much as possible and avoid all stimulants, such as tea and coffee in the evening. Make sure your bedroom is a calming, relaxing space to help you feel ready to hit the sheets for a peaceful night’s sleep. Try to limit exposure to light in your bedroom too, as this can make it more challenging to fall asleep. So, turn your phone on silent and pop it in a drawer to avoid an interrupted sleep!

If you still struggle to get a solid night’s sleep, it could be because your body is lacking in magnesium. Magnesium is another vital nutrient for converting food to energy – it can help relax the muscles, help relieve symptoms of stress and aid sleep. Our Synergistic Magnesium Capsules taken in the evening, or before bed, will provide your body with healthy magnesium levels to assist in better sleeping patterns.

Get moving

When you’re feeling fatigued, exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing, but believe it or not this is actually essential in keeping your energy levels up. It is recommended that you should try and fit 30 minutes of exercise in each day. Keep in mind that your workout does not always have to be a visit to the gym, especially if you’re struggling with time. Walk and talk with friends, get off the bus early or take the kids to the park after school. Playing some games with your kids will not only give you your daily dose of exercise, but it will also give you some quality bonding time. If you struggle to find that extra bit of energy to complete your daily workout, adding a Coenzyme Qu10 supplement to your diet could help. Coenzyme Qu10 plays a vital role in helping your body convert food to energy. Miranda Kerr has sworn by Qu10 supplements for many years now, crediting this, along with her health-conscious lifestyle to not having one single sick day in her entire career! Give yourself some oomph with our Ubiquinol Q10 supplement in order to help enhance your energy levels.

The importance of B vitamins

B vitamins also play an important role in converting your food into energy for your body to function at its best. Most B vitamins are found quite easily in fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, meat and fish. Vitamin B12 is one of the vital nutrients our bodies need for energy, yet deficiency among us is quite common. Part of the reason may be because it is found largely in animal foods, so vegetarians and vegans, in particular, may lack this vitamin and secondly, some people do not absorb it very well from their food. To keep your levels topped up try our Vitamin B12 supplement, which can help with your energy metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Ditch the sugar

Oh yes, we know it can be a tricky one, but sugar really can be the enemy! You may want to think twice about reaching for a sugary snack to give you a ‘pick me up.’ Sugar gives you an immediate boost of energy because it converts to glucose very quickly. The body then needs to remove this glucose, which causes our blood sugar levels to drop, giving us an energy dip and leaving us feeling even more fatigued than before the snack!

Try switching up your nibbles. Blueberries and raspberries are sweet and delicious, yet low in natural sugars and packed full of nutrients. If you struggle to reign in your sweet tooth there are plenty of healthier options available now, such as cakes that are made from naturally sweet vegetables and fruit and free from refined sugar. With this being said, sugar is highly addictive, so if you need a little help ditching the sweet treats, our Equigluco can help. It is a specialist formula designed to support blood glucose regulation and contains chromium and green coffee extract, which helps to balance insulin levels to help keep those afternoon sugar cravings at bay.

Eat Yourself to Sleep

March 1, 2017

7 ways to eat yourself to sleep

Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl none of us want to be tossing and turning during the night, attempting to ‘count sheep’ in the hope of finally drifting off. To help you get enough shut-eye try eating your way to a peaceful sleep.

1. Help float away your worries with fish

Try to eat oily fish twice a week or snack on chia seeds, as fatty acids are great ‘brain’ food and can help to fight mood swings, so your feeling more rested by bedtime. 18% of our brain is made up of Omega-3s, however, we don’t produce this fatty acid in the body, so we have to find sources from the food we eat. To help make sure you’re getting your daily dose try our Super Omega 3-6-9.

2. Prepare yourself for bed with protein

Make sure you have enough protein during the day. High-protein foods are meats, fish, beans and lentils, seeds and nuts (choose unsalted and raw rather than roasted). Protein foods provide the amino acid tryptophan, which convert to the hormones serotonin and melatonin, which are needed for a good sleep. Too much high-protein food in the last few hours before bed however, can be hard to digest – especially red meat and nuts.

3. Move over lack of sleep with magnesium

Include plenty of magnesium-rich foods in your diet such as; buckwheat, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, fish and leafy green vegetables. Magnesium is known as ‘nature’s tranquiliser’ and is needed to relax our muscles. It is also vital for the function of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that helps your brain “switch off” and relax. You can also try taking a supplement, such as our Synergistic Magnesium.

4. Cheese off…

Avoid large meals and too much hard-to-digest food, such as cheese, red meat and fried food for three to four hours before going to bed. This can help deter the likes of heartburn flaring up as soon as your head hits the pillow.

5. Skip the caffeine

Caffeine can stay in the body for up to 12 hours so if you do have sleep problems, avoid tea or coffee from about 12 noon onwards. If you still want a hot beverage try the calming chamomile tea instead.

6. Avoid a large evening tipple

Too much alcohol can disrupt sleep: although it may make us fall asleep quickly, sleep is usually poor quality and we can wake up after a few hours and find it hard getting back to sleep again. Every person will have different tolerance levels, but try sticking to no more than one glass of wine or a beer to encourage optimal sleep. Your head may also thank you for this in the morning!

7. Good carbs for good night’s sleep

Slow-releasing carbohydrates help to keep the levels of sugar (glucose) in your blood stable, providing your body with sustained energy. You may not think you need much energy while you’re asleep, but your brain and body still need glucose to keep working. If your glucose levels fall too low this can cause the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which can wake you up. To avoid this, try having some slow-releasing carbohydrates in the evening, opt for a serving of brown rice or a slice of rye bread with your evening meal.