As you all may have realised during the month of February, we have been focussing on Heart Health. As part of that we have started our Blood Pressure challenge, taking people’s blood pressure and seeing if natural remedies can help to reduce it. I first mentioned a few weeks ago in my article on natural ways to reduce blood pressure. One of the things that has become very clear to us over the last few weeks looking at people’s blood pressure, is the huge effect of stress and anxiety on the blood pressure readings. We all know about white coat syndrome – where the blood pressure goes up, due to anxiety about the doctors. Even here at the shop, we have had people’s readings shoot up after becoming worried about their blood pressure readings. Another lady’s blood pressure shot up ten points just because she had mentioned the fact that she was worried about her daughter!
So this week, I thought I would cover the natural remedies which can be helpful for anxiety, both in the short term, to potentially help with white coat syndrome and long term, for those who do get worried a lot.
For those whose blood pressure only zooms up at the thought of having it taken or going to the doctors a good product to try is Theanine. Theanine is sourced from Green Tea and is said to help improve your production of alpha brain waves – which are your calming, chilled out, meditative brain waves. One lady I knew, used to get incredibly anxious before having her blood pressure checked, even when it was me doing it. We found though, that if she took a Theanine capsule half an hour previously and kept her eyes closed and focussed on her breathing, whilst the reading was done, her blood pressure was significantly better – normal even! Whereas without these measures it always came back as high.
For those who are the worrying type, it is possible that your anxiety is having an impact on your blood pressure, so if your readings are high – and we can check that for you if you like – then taking something to reduce your anxiety and worry on a daily basis could be really helpful. In this situation we tend to suggest a product called Balance for Nerves. Balance for Nerves is a constant favourite of mine because I have had such great reports from people who have used it. It combines Theanine to calm the brain, with B vitamins, to support the nervous system and energy, plus passiflora and lemon balm two herbs which are often used to help with stress and anxiety. Balance for Nerves then seems to offer the full package for people who struggle with stress and anxiety. Many people who have used it have told us that they have felt the benefit of using this product after the first week of taking it. We have also seen improvements in blood pressure readings after two weeks with those people whose blood pressure seemed to be linked to their anxiety issues.
Blog
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
February is heart health month –
..so over the next few weeks we are going to be having a look at the ways in which natural medicine may help you achieve a healthy heart. Starting with high blood pressure.
IN THE DIET
Most people are aware that salt is linked to high blood pressure, so obviously you should try not to add it to your cooking or at the table. Also be aware that certain foods like bacon, ham, cheese and tuna in brine, will have a very high salt level, so try to limit their consumption too.
On top of this we would suggest that you want to limit your intake of caffeine, as this can raise the blood pressure. You may also want to make sure you are drinking enough water. Becoming dehydrated is another common cause of higher blood pressure.
HELP FROM SUPPLEMENTS
There are two supplements that are often used by people who are trying to reduce their blood pressure naturally. Both are actually made using concentrated amounts of really common foods!
BEETROOT: Beetroot is these days, often the first choice for people with high blood pressure. This is thanks to reports in the newspapers that people who were drinking a big glass of beetroot juice every day found that their blood pressure decreased dramatically within a few days!
The problem with this though is that beetroot juice is not to everyone’s taste. Plus if you do start drinking a full glass every day your wee tends to turn red – which can be disturbing! This is why Beetroot Capsules were brought out – to give people the benefit of beetroot, without having to take the juice everyday. We have had some great feedback on it, with one gentleman informing us that after using beetroot for two weeks his blood pressure was the best it had been for years!
GARLIC: The other favourite natural remedy for high blood pressure is Garlic! Again you do need a strong dose though and many people do not like the potential that they will smell of this most pungent food.
It is for this reason that we often suggest those looking for a good strong garlic supplement try Quest Kyolic 600. This is a concentrated aged garlic. The ageing process actually gets rid of a lot of the smell, so no worries about bad breath! Plus each tablet has 600mg of garlic – a great amount. There has been a lot of research done on Quest Kyolic, but I always tend to prefer customer feedback and I have to say, that is consistently good. So many people return to buy another pot each month, that I know it must be helping them – after all no one carries on buying something that isn’t helping, do they?
If you have high blood pressure and want some help:
We are running a blood pressure challenge – challenge us to help you reduce your blood pressure in two weeks! Is it possible? We want to find out!
Weight Loss Woes
DIETING DRAMAS
THE QUICK FIX
One thing that really upsets me, especially during the month of January, is the amount of ‘quick fix’, extreme and fad diet regimes that are promoted.
It is seemingly never ending – programs on TV, adverts, and social media all promoting the idea that we must lose some weight and we must do it quickly. Extreme exercise regimes and/or hugely restrictive diets may yield quick results. However, they are never sustainable and often the weight piles back on again, leaving you feeling more rotten than you did before!
The other problem is that all of these regimes promote the idea that weight loss is a simple matter of reducing calories in and increasing exercise. This is not always the case.
METABOLIC ISSUES
As I said last week, through our weight loss clinic we have discovered many different metabolic and emotional issues, which affect our clients ability to lose weight. If these are not taken into account, people will always struggle. In my opinion, understanding your possible metabolic issues and dealing with stress, anxiety and emotions will have a much greater effect long term on your ability and motivation to lose weight and keep it off.
UNDERACTIVE THYROID?
For example, we have discovered that there are many, many people out there struggling with a mildly under-active thyroid, which is responsible for poor weight loss, low motivation and low energy. If you suffer with a number of the following symptoms, this could be one of your issues as well:
Sensitive to cold;
- low mood;
- weight gain;
- dry skin;
- low energy;
- menstrual problems;
- muscle and joint pain;
- forgetfulness;
- falling hair;
- anxiety.
If this does sound like you, then it is possible that until this is dealt with, energy, motivation, mood and therefore weight loss are always going to be a struggle for you. On top of this, if you do get desperate enough to try an extreme regime, there is the possibility that your metabolism could slow down even further!
So what is the solution?
IF YOU DO NOT TAKE THYROID MEDICATION:
Try Higher Nature Thyroid Support Formula. This contains all the nutrients known to support better thyroid function. I have used this for a number of people in our weight loss clinic and each time been impressed with the improvements in mood, energy and weight loss that follow.
IF YOU DO TAKE THYROID MEDICATION ALREADY:
Your body may not be using it efficiently. We have discovered that your body has to convert your thyroid medication into its active form and that the mineral selenium is needed for this. Therefore we often suggest that people who do take thyroid medication try Natures Aid Selenium for a couple of months and again we have been impressed with the feedback we have received.
FOR MORE HELP
If you are unsure what metabolic issues you may have, we are happy to provide a free metabolic analysis. To do this, click the link below, download your questionnaire and send it back to us when you have completed it. This should help you understand how to take more control not just of your weight loss, but also of you energy, mood and motivation as well.
Detox and Cleansing
WHAT IS IT?
Many people talk about detox and cleansing but what should it actually mean. If we ignore all the celebrity endorsements and wild claims. If we also ignore fad and extreme diets – does detox and cleansing still have a role to play?
IT SHOULD…
The simple answer is yes. It helps to support the proper functioning of your body and your metabolism. It helps to clear toxins like alcohol, medications, tea and coffee and environmental toxins from your body. It should help to clear out a sluggish bowel.
It should make your feel better, help you lose weight and give you better skin.
It should be simple to follow with sensible dietary instructions and supportive supplements.
It should take around 5-10 days to do it properly, but that shouldn’t be a problem, because the diet will be sensible and easy to follow and the supplements supportive and strengthening rather than string and purging.
IT SHOULD NOT..
It should not involve extreme dieting or fasting – in fact your body needs good healthy food in order to detox properly, so a sensible diet is necessary to achieve the right result.
It should not involve anything which is purging – this is unnecessary and very unpleasant. The supplements should facilitate a bowel cleanse without any urgent toilet visits.
It should not claim to give you results in 48 hours or less, because this is genuinely not possible. Your body needs at least 5 days to cleanse and detox properly.
TO HELP…
We have a number of articles on Detox and cleansing and a number of supportive supplements. Have a look and you will see that there are a number of different ways to detox and cleanse you body, largely depending on what you want to achieve…
Beat that Bloated Stomach
BLOATED STOMACH? WINDY?
BEAT THE BLOAT…
Last week we started looking at simple detox regimes to clear out the bowel and liver. One of the questions I am often asked is whether detox regimes actually work or are they just celebrity hype. My answer is always that the regimes which are often in the paper are usually extreme and unnecessary. Anything offering quick weight loss and an extreme diet is never going to be sustainable, nor are the results going to last.
However, done correctly, with the right support and for the right reasons detox and cleansing can be extremely beneficial.
Many people suffer with a bloated stomach for example. They may wake with a flat stomach which then grows throughout the day. For others that bloated stomach may never go away. This bloating may also be accompanied by low energy – feeling tired all the time. It is also often linked with bowel issues and maybe even recurrent thrush problems. A ‘Beat the Bloat’ detox may be just the thing to sort this out.
Beat the Bloat detox is designed to kill off the unfriendly, fermentative bacteria in your gut – the ones that are linked with causing bloating, bowel problems and thrush. It will also boost up the numbers of good bacteria, which should help to keep things healthy long term.
This is achieved with the following methods:
IN THE DIET:
We suggest cutting out all sugars for two weeks, including fruit and fruit juices. The reason for this is because the sugars feed the fermentation process which is usually behind all that bloating. Sugar also feeds the unfriendly bacteria that are linked with thrush. Cutting it out therefore will help to starve the bad bacteria out!
TO KILL THE BADDIES:
We often suggest a course of citricidal – a liquid extract from the grapefruit seed. Citricidal is said to have natural anti bacterial and anti fungal activity. Certainly the feedback we have had indicates that whilst this supplement may not taste the best (it is horrid in my opinion) it certainly seems to help a number of people with their bloated stomach and bowel issues.
TO BOOST THE GOODIES:
My favourite product to try and boost the number of good bacteria in the gut is Higher Narures ProBio Daily. I have personally used this product and found that it made a tremendous difference both to my bloating and my bowel habits! I will say that for the first few days I used it, I actually felt more bloated and unsettled, but after that first few days my bloating disappeared completely, leaving me feeling so much more comfortable.
I have used this Beat the Bloat detox on a number of people over the years, including one lady with terrible thrush, IBS and bloating. She cut the sugars out of her diet and took the citricidal and ProBio daily for two weeks and at the end reported that everything had settled down beautifully. She carried on using the ProBio every day and was able to maintain the benefits she had achieved.
Dogs and Fireworks
REMEMBER REMEMBER THE 5th OF NOVEMBER …
Remember, remember the 5th of November – Fireworks are on their way. My daughter loves fireworks – always has – so I am usually aware that fireworks night is around the corner. This year though, I am even more aware than normal – because I have just got a dog. He is young and he is skittish (gorgeous, but totally bonkers) so how he is going to react when the bangs and crashes start is a bit of a worry.
WHAT ABOUT MY POOR DOGGY?
Luckily, I am aware of a number of natural remedies that we have used over the years to help other dogs cope with the stress of fireworks. So, I thought this week I would share with you the things that have helped other pooches over the years – just in case your dog is likely to be scared/jumpy/ too.
Dogs share a lot of characteristics with us – they also respond very similarly to natural remedies. So for years now, we have used remedies to help dogs, which we would use for humans with the same problems. There are two products which we have used time and again over the years to help with stress, excitement and terror in dogs. These are Natures Aid Passiflora, Lemon Balm and Avena Sativa tablets and Jan De Vries Emergency Essence.
Natures Aid Passiflora, Lemon Balm and Avena Sativa may be helpful
NATURAL REMEDIES MAY HELP…
The Natures Aid Passiflora, Lemon Balm and Avena Sativa tablets, unsurprisingly contains the three ingredients named on the packet (passiflora, lemon balm and Avena Sativa). These three ingredients have been used for years by herbalists trying to help people struggling with stress and anxiety. They have also been used by a vast number of dog owners in Morecambe who have come to ask what might be helpful for their hounds. The feedback from the humans who use them and from many of the dog owners who have tried them, has been consistently good over the years. We have actually never been tempted to change our suggestion of remedy for fireworks because so many dog owners have sworn to us that taken in advance, this remedy seems to calm their pet down and help them to cope with the noise of that night better.
PLAN AHEAD…
I will say though that generally it is a good idea to try and start your dog on them as soon as possible. The effects of these type of remedies tend to be accumulative – the longer they are taken, the better the results.
ON THE NIGHT…
It is for this reason that we also tend to suggest using the Jan De Vries Emergency Essence – a remedy, as the name suggests, to be used in emergency situations. This product can be helpful ‘in the moment’. It is often used for people who have just had a shock to help them calm down a bit – and again the effects are the same in dogs.
I am going to be stocking up with both products – something to calm my little lad down a bit, so he deals with the (let’s face it several nights of) fireworks better and something to have on hand, should it all seem to be getting a bit much on the nights themselves.
Infection gone – but Nasty Mucus remaining?
Need to clear Mucus?
In today’s blog we are going to be having a look at ways to help people shift stubborn mucus problems. We see so many people who have taken antibiotics for their chest infection or sinus problems, but are still left with a lot of congestion or catarrh. So what can natural medicine do to help…
When my mum had a rotten cold, with really bunged up sinuses, causing her headaches, I suggested that she try something called Serrapeptase.
(Serrapeptase – maybe helpful for mucus congestion.)
Now Serrapeptase is something we have sold for a number of years, but it is not something that many people have actually heard of. Serrapeptase is actually an enzyme, which was originally made by silk worms! When scientists were studying these amazing creatures, they found that the enzymes they produce to help them get out of their cocoon had properties which may be useful to humans. So they found a way to synthesise this enzyme and discovered that amount its potential benefits, it could help to break down inflammatory tissue and mucus.
Silkworms made Serrapeptase – which may breakdown mucus
This meant that it could be useful for a number of common complaints including sinusitis, catarrh, deep seated coughs and even asthmatic issues. In the years since this discovery we have used Serrapeptase a lot for people with long term or deep seated mucus problems and have had some great reports back.
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK ON SERRAPEPTASE
One gentleman in particular stands out for me, he had been suffering with catarrh and sinus problems for a number of years and nothing had really seemed to help. We suggested that he try the Serrapeptase really as a last resort to see if it had any effect. He came back after only two weeks absolutely delighted and convinced that the Serrapeptase had actually started to relive his condition. He was breathing more easily and wasn’t struggling with daily headaches as a result of his congestion.
Serrapeptase helped my mum with her sinus congestion
This is why when my mum was suffering in the same way with her cold, I suggested that she try some Serrapeptase – and because she was suffering she actually did as she was told! I am happy to report that she believed the Serrapeptase helped her catarrh and sinus. She has often struggled in the past to shake sinus problems after a nasty cold and one time was still struggling several weeks after her cold had cleared up. This time however, she was back on her feet – with a clear nose – after 7 days, which was brilliant.
FEELING CHESTY??
For those who have been left with congestion on the chest, rather than in the sinuses, it could be worth trying an additional product called Vogels Brochoforce, alongside the serrapeptase.
This is because the Bronchoforce is designed to help ease a cough and lift the catarrh off the chest.
It does this using a number of herbs combined together. These herbs include Ivy, which has anti spasmodic effects – helping to ease a cough – making it productive, but stopping it from going on and on. It also contains Licorice and thyme, which have soothing and mucus eliminating effects. I have to say that Bronchoforce is one of my favourite cough remedies – I have used it myself with great effect a number of times. It is also suitable for diabetics, as it has no sugar in it, also for this reason it keeps really well – so if you don’t use the whole bottle, it will be ready to help you should another cough strike you down!
To celebrate the winter season we have discounted our chesty cough package and our bunged up sinus package to beat even more lingering mucous this year.
Can You Get A Bikini Body In 2 Weeks?
Running our own weight loss program has taught us a lot about fat. There are a myriad of issues that affect weight gain and loss (click here for our free questionnaire to see what your issues might be). The internet is full of quick fixes but are any of them real, safe or effective?
Is there any situation in which someone can actually achieve a bikini body in as little as 2 weeks?
Technically, yes.
Many remedies promising a super swift result are sold alongside a ‘colon cleanse’. This sounds very detoxifying, though the action is much more purgative than that. A colon cleanse is basically a laxative. Putting a laxative alongside a ‘weight loss’ product guarantees immediate weight loss, though I’m sorry to say it ladies, you don’t burn the fat off: you poo it out!
This is not necessarily a bad thing. If you are constipated then regaining proper bowel function will have numerous health benefits, including…..a flatter tummy! I have personally seen a lady lose 8Ib in one week leading up to her holiday, just by improving the health of her bowel and encouraging it to release what it had been holding. If you think you may be constipated have a look at this article before reaching for the laxatives. Laxatives are a short term fix and using them long term can cause problems.
So, if you are constipated the bikini body may be in reach (or at least a flatter belly), but is there hope for those whose bowels are regular? Yes! Solid waste is not the only thing that bloats the belly, gas can do it too. Can the problem be resolved? Yes! Can it be done in 2 weeks? Yes! Unless the problem is extreme, 2 weeks is usually the amount of time it takes to see results.
But how do you know if your middle weight is fat or if it’s all just hot air?
Gas bellies tend to fluctuate. They are flat in the morning and grow bigger throughout the day. Eating usually triggers it, the main culprits being bread and carbs, causing the button on your jeans to strain and leaving you feel bloated afterwards. It has the look of a ‘pregnant belly’ being round, frontal and stretched. It should also feel hard when pressed.
If this sounds like you, then you can celebrate the fact that dropping a dress size may be much easier than you thought. The gas is generally caused by too many unfriendly bacteria living in your gut that ferment after eating causing the swollen belly look. Remedies like Citricidal are powerful antimicrobials that kill the unfriendly bacteria. If the problem is really bad look to Yeast Cleanse which is a combination of ingredients specifically formulated for problems such as this. The important thing to remember is that killing off the bacteria is not enough. It’s a little bit like weeding your garden: if you don’t plant something else the weeds will only grow back. Replace them with friendly bacteria which will take up space along the gut wall and make it much harder for the bad ones to return. This step is really important because without it, the unfriendly bacteria can return in as little as a week or two. If you really want to blast your system, putting in a prebiotic feeds these friendly bacteria and acts like a fertilizer, letting them multiply much quicker. Some of our favourite choices are Probio Daily to replace good bacteria and Molkosan Vitality to feed them. At this point it is worth mentioning that unfriendly bacteria feed on sugar, including the sugars in fruit, fruit juices, wines and beers. Cutting these things out for a couple of weeks helps ensure that you get the swiftest results.
If you would like to try everything, take a look at our Beat Bloating Package which includes dietary guidelines to follow over the course of the two weeks.
If you don’t think that you are constipated and your tummy isn’t bloated then unfortunately the quick fixes on the market are unlikely to make a huge difference to your physique. But don’t despair! Weight loss can be easier than you think. Try this to see if we can help you.
Solgar 7 – natural help for joint pain?
Over the last couple of weeks I have been looking at the natural remedies available for those wanting help with joint pain and stiffness. I am continuing with that theme this week, with a look at a product which was launched only a year ago, but which we have had some fantastic feedback on. That product is simply called – 7
7 is a combination of seven different natural ingredients, all of which have been reported to np e helpful in joint health. They include turmeric and ginger, which are often used as natural anti inflammatories, other natural anti inflammatory and pain relieving nutrients, plus vitamin C and collagen. Vitamin C and Collagen have been used to try and help support joint maintenance and repair damage to cartilage. This means that this product could help both in relieving pain and inflammation as well as helping with joint repair and maintenance.
7 also claims that some people say that they have noticed benefits from using it in as little as seven days!
To be honest, when it was launched, with all these claims, I was highly sceptical – it sounded too good to be true. But over the last year, I have been convinced that for those who are looking for something different to help with their joint pain and stiffness, 7 could well be worth a try. This is because some of the reports we have had back from customers who have used it have been amazing.
One lady in particular sticks out in my mind. She was so done we had been seeing for a number of months, she had used things like glucosamine and the celadrin I wrote about last week and although she had seen some benefits, she was still struggling with a problem in her shoulder. The damage and inflammation in her shoulder meant that it was extremely painful for her to love her arm – she had very little movement and had not been able to wash her own hair for months as she could not lift her arm up that far. She decided that she wanted to try the 7 when it was launched, to see if it would give her any of the benefits they were advertising. When she came back in three weeks after taking the 7, it was to buy a second pot and give us a delighted demonstration of how much better her pain was. She showed us that she was now able to lift her arm and told us that she had actually washed her own hair the previous evening! These kind of reports – including a lady who came in and danced around the shop because her back pain was so much better – are what has given me quite a bit of faith in 7. Therefore I would say that anyone who is struggling with joint pain and stiffness, if you have not had any help from the other more well known products available – it could well be worth giving 7 a go!
Celadrin – natural help for joints
I said I would be writing a series of articles on natural joint care products, which I started last week by going through the actions and options with glucosamine and MSM. This week I am going to continue with the theme, by starting to look at some of the best natural anti inflammatories available.
Many people come in looking for natural ways to ease their joint pain and inflammation, often because they cannot take many of the normal anti inflammatory drugs due to stomach problems. We have a couple of products that we reach for in this case. One of them is a product called Celadrin
Celadrin has been around for a few years now and has sold consistently well for us in that time, with many people coming back again and again to buy it and tell us how good they have found it. Just after celadrin was first launched, a lady came in to the shop having read about it in a newspaper and said that she wanted to try it for her dog! He was an elderly dog,who was struggling with arthritis and she was hoping it would help give him a bit better quality of life, so he could better enjoy his walks around Heysham Head. We told her that as it was a new product at the time, we didn’t know how well it would actually work, but she was willing to give it a go and bought a bottle. Two weeks after this a gentleman came in and asked if he could buy some celadrin. We asked him where he had heard about it and he told us that he regularly saw that dog out on Heysham head and had seen improvement in its movement over the last few weeks! As a result he had asked the lady owner what she had been giving the dog and she had told him all about celadrin!
Sales of celadrin have continued to build up through word of mouth since then, with many people swearing by it, or coming to get it because their friend has told them to try it. Celadrin is a combination of esterified oils, which have been reported to have a natural anti inflammatory and joint lubricating action, so we often suggest that people with crunching knees or hips try it. We tend to find that if it is going to help, it will do so in the first bottle, so it is not something you have to take for months before you would see any possible benefits. The suggested starting dose is 525mg taken three times a day, then cutting down to two a day for maintenance. The one thing I would say is important though, if you want to try Celadrin, is to make sure that you are getting the oil filled capsules. There are dry forms of celadrin available, in fact we did used to sell them, but the reported results were nowhere near as good, so we now stick to the oil based product.
