Posts Tagged ‘B-Complex’

Apr
9
2010

How to Improve Your Childs Concentration

Categories: Kids Health, Parents, Stress

Nordic Naturals DHA for: Brain Development, Focus and Concentration. Teenagers, Adults and Pregnant woman can use this excellent high quality source of DHA.

I get many emails from parents who are concerned about their childrens lack of focus.  Below are the tips that you can use to help improve your childs concentration.  Hope you enjoy the read!

Concentration problems are extremely common these days, but there are many things we can do to help them along the way.  First we will discuss the safe supplements you can give them: 1. A good quality fish oil 2.A B-Complex. 3. A good multivitamin. This is simple but a good start. 

 
1. Fish Oil: They can take either liquid or capsules.  Also if your family is vegetarian or allergic to fish they can use Flax oil instead, but Fish Oil is the best choice because it is more concentrated in Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s).  Just a reminder that there are two EFA’s: EPA and DHA.  EPA is good for inflammation, skin conditions such as eczema, heart and joints.  DHA is what children need for concentration, focus, and development of a healthy brain. 
 
Good Brands: Nordic Naturals, Nutra Sea or Norweigian Gold Fish oils.
 
2. B-Complex.  Royal Jelly comes in softgels and it is rich in B vitamins, Amino Acids, and it is great for the immune system.  I took Royal Jelly all throughout University and I never had to have coffee.  It provided me with stamina, focus, and concentration instead of false energy which is typically what students use to get through the day.  It also helps you with stress. Royal Jelly is more expensive than a plain B Complex, but it has the added benefits for the immune system.  If cost is a concern a B-Complex is a great start.  B-Complex comes in capsules, tablets, as well as liquid.  Liquid is not the best taste, but it is possible hide the taste in a shake or juice.  Capsules are the easiest to swallow and are definately convenient.
 
Good Brands For Royal Jelly: Honeslty, Royal Jelly by Alive Brand is fantastic.  I take this one still everyday.  I never travel without it.
 
Good Brands for B Complex: Alive, or Sisu are great choices.
 
NOTE: for dosages and specifics it is best to go over this in the store.  Dosages depend on the size of the child, not necessarily the age.  I am always at the Oakridge Mall Alive Health Centre in Vancouver BC.  If this is no where near you we have lots of stores in BC, Alberta and Ontario.  If this is not close to you feel free to call the Oakridge location @ 604 263 3235 and we can do mail orders.
3. Lastly, a multi vitamin would be a great addition.  Depending on your childs size you can give them an adult one.  If they are a smaller frame, not putting on weight, then definately give them a teenager multi. 

Extra Tips

  • Extra Vitamin D is also safe, helpful, and it is very inexpensive.  This is fabulous for mood (happiness).  
  • I know this is obvious, but make sure they are drinking water.  Sometimes a lack of focus is as simple as dehydration.  
  • In terms of diet, make sure they are not getting too many sweets and sugar, try to balance this.  Pop is the worst which you probably already know.  Sugar can make kids tire so fast.  They drop like a rock. 
  • If your child has a hard time concentrating after lunch they may need to adjust their diet, eat smaller meals, but more frequently throughout the day to balance their blood sugar.  
  • Lastly, but probably MOST IMPORTANTLY, keep them active!  Even if you feel your child is not into sports, expose them to lifestyle activities, like hiking, skiing, or swimming.  Also, encourage them to play and get outside.  When they learn to sit inside all day on the weekends and after school it is hard to break the habit.  When there is time for play, they can complete their homework faster, but of the same quality and their concentration increases dramatically.

Our kids are our future, let’s help them be the best they can be.  As always, we look forward to helping you in the stores at which ever location is nearsest you!  See you soon!

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Jan
12
2010

Guest on the Beat 94.5 Kid Carson Show: Dr Tasreen Alibhai, N.D.

Categories: Speakers in Vancouver, Supplements, Weight Loss

This morning on The Beat 94.5, the Kid Carson Show had a wonderful guest, Dr Tasreen Alibhai, N.D.  She is

Dr. Tasreen Alabhai N.D. guest on The Beat shares some easy steps to change your life in a big way.

a well known Naturopathic Doctor in the Vancouver area and she was on the morning show to discuss the small changes we can make that will make a big difference.  Part of the problem with New Year resolutions is we make them too large and we become overwhelmed and often times we cannot follow through. 

This is what Dr. Tasreen Alibhai, N.D. had to say about:

  • Key Nutrients, supplements
  • A suggestion for a detox
  • Easy exercise
  • Smoking
  • Getting rid of Belly Fat
  • The importance of Routine
  • Lastly, her most important tip!

If you have never taken any supplement before and you have no idea where to start these were her suggestions, (Note she was not brand specific, because Naturopaths will often have their own lines, if you are not ready to see a Naturopath yet I put a few different brands.  They are excellent quality.

  1. Good quality Multivitamin.  This is your foundation and it will help you with your energy levels, and your exercise program. If you want a one a day try Alive Super One Plus, or if you need a smaller pill try Platinum Multivitamins.
  2. Good quality fish oil with no toxins, they should have IFOS testing.  Alive Wild Salmon Fish Oil with the small fish i.e. sardines is excellent, if you need a higher concentration of EPA and DHA the omega 3 essential fatty acids then you can try Renew Lifes Fish Oils, or Nutrasea.
  3. B-Complex will help you combat stress.  B vitamins are good for so many functions in the body and a good one to try is the Alive B-Complex 100.  There is also a B-50 available in capsule if you have trouble swallowing.  Lastly, Prairie Naturals has an excellenet B-Complex in liquid form.

Next she talked about DETOXING:

She suggested to try letting your organs naturally detoxify themselves.  How do you do this?  This is where you need to truly cutt out sugar, cutt out coffee, fatty foods, alcohol etc.  This gives your body a rest particularily your liver.  This is common sense, but of course you need to eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in dark colours.  She also recommended that you eat veges that are root veges, such as: yams.  Also it is great to consume onions and garlic.  Lastly, rather than drinking juice, coffee and caffinated teas, try having water with lemon.  It is recommended to have the water at room temperature.

Exercise you can handle:

Most of us cannot fit in an intense exercise and if we can we can never stick to it unless we were born to do it and absolutely love it.  Therefore, like many other Doctors and Naturopaths, include moderate exercise of 30 minutes a day.  A brisk walk even counts and it is something that everyone can afford.  Also little lifestyle changes that can make a big difference: park further away from the door, walk to places if possible, take the stairs etc.  All of these things can really add up.

Quitting Smoking?

If you are trying to quit, you need all the help you can get.  Her two suggestions were: load up on antioxidants to help you detox, secondly, you can use the herb Avena Sativa to help reduce nicotene cravings.  She does note that with herbs you should always check with a health care professional to make sure you can take it.

Belly Fat?

Are you doing everything you can to loose stubborn belly fat?  This is nothing new and we have been helping customers with this at Alive Health Centre, Morning Sun and Supplements Plus for years and there has been lots of success.  However there are still people who do not know about the correlation between stress and belly fat.  Everytime we get stressed, Cortisol is a hormone that releases and when we have too much circulating around in our system, belly fat gets produced.  We have a great supplement called Relora that balances Cortisol and reduces your belly fat.  People often combine Relora with CLA which is Conjugated, Linoleic Acid and this is a natural fat burner. 

Her last two important tips were stressing how important routine is for your body and drinking water.  Most of us walk around dehydrated and our bodies are 60 to 70% water.  Also routine gets your body in balance.  When you sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time Melatonin releases properly.  This hormone is not only what allows you to sleep but it also replenishes your body.

As always thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you at Alive Health Centre, Supplements Plus, and Morning Sun to help you reach your health potential!  Make 2010 your best year yet!

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Jan
3
2010

Part 1: Conquer Stubborn Acne With Lifestyle Awareness

Categories: Skin Care

Beat Stubborn Acne

One of the most common concerns from our customers across the board is acne. It is often thought that teenagers are victoms of acne, when in fact adult onset acne is becoming more and more common.  This is partly due to our hectic lifestyles; there is no time to eat properly, relax and be fully aware of how we are treating ourselves.  It is the most frustrating thing when people sail through their teenage years and then hit their 20′s, 30′s or even 40′s waking up with little surprises known as the dreaded pimple.  Acne is not just a nuisance because it does not look attractive, but it is also painful in some cases.  Once acne is out of control it can lead to depression.  Remember that acne is a way for your body to tell you that something is wrong. 

Acne may be telling you that either your body is:

  1. Under stress.
  2. Going through some hormonal changes: teenage years, pregnancy, or menopause/PMS.
  3. Producing excessive sebum.
  4. Inflammed usually from the foods we consume.
  5. Not getting the right nutrition, i.e. too much coffee, too much deep fried foods.
  6. Under oxidative stress.

Steps you can take to deal with your Acne:

  1. There is no other way to say this; eat a cleaner diet.  Essentially we are what we eat.  If you drink 3 cups of coffee per day, start to cutt it down to perhaps one a day.  Regular coffee is acidic and makes your body inflammed.  Acne is a sign that your body is inflammed.  Also, if you eat at the food court or fast food 5 days a week, cut it down to 2 days per week, the rest of the days get yourself in a routine of making your own lunch.  If you make a salad make your own dressing!  Store bought dressings are not the best for you.  Suggestion would be to use extra virgin olive oil, or flax oil, or Nutrasea Fish oil and mix in some balsamic.  Then just crack in some pepper and you are finished!  If you are too busy to make sure that you consume the right amount of vitamins and minerals take a multivitamin, a greens + supplement and a tasty protein shake.
  2. Reduce your stress in a way that works for you.  Remember to breath while you are at work.  Take a walk everyday even if it is for just 10 minutes.  It is very important to get away from your cell phone, computer, car, T.V and even music.  It is important to hear your own thoughts and smell the air outside.  Another way to relax is to stretch every day.  I try to make sure a get a little stretch in during my break at work.  Stretching as well as exercise releases endorphines, which leads to a good mood.  Remember to take care of yourself first and foremost even if you are a nurse, doctor, or mother for example.  You are the most important and the only way to help others is to make sure you are in tip top shape.  Also, there are many supplements you can take to help you manage your stress such as: B-Complex, Holy Basal, Rhodiola, Royal Jelly, a good multi vitamin etc.
  3. Don’t do too much with your skin.  Don’t touch it all the time.  Use a mild cleanser, sometimes people use something as simple as a bar of vitamin E soap.  Don’t get too fancy with creams.  Keep your regime simple. SebaMed is gentle for sensitive skin.  Viva and Derma E are excellent skin care lines with no chemicals.
  4. Lastly, if you are noticing that acne is only a problem during your period, and you know that it must be hormonal you can try safe and natural supplements to restore your hormones back into balance.  Lorna Vanderhaeghe has a fantastic product called Estrosense, there is also a product by Derma Med called Troubled Skin that has a little bit of the important Omega 6 oils that help balance hormones such as Evening Primrose, and borage oil.   

This is the end of part 1.  Stay tuned for part 2 on how to conquer acne.  Remember that while acne can be complicated and that everyone can have acne for many different reasons, these are basic lifestyle changes that will not harm you and will not only help you with acne, but it will make you healthier in other areas as well.  You have nothing to loose by trying to make simple changes.  Remember that we are all in this together!  We only have one body and one set of everything: eyes, ears, nose, heart etc so we might as well look after what we have.  As always we look forward to helping you at Alive Health Centre, Supplements Plus  and Morning Sun. 

Happy New Year!

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Oct
23
2009

Hair Loss Solutions

Categories: Hair Loss

Both men and women experience hair loss for many different reasons. It can be from a lack of nutrients, hormonal changes, stress or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Of course it can be from a combination of the items listed as well. There are safe and natural ways we can fix the problem of hair loss.

Hair LossFirst of all diet and physical activity is the place to start. Take a look at what your typical day looks like. Are you starting out with a healthy breakfast? Furthermore are you making sure you wake up in time to even have your breakfast? Almost 50% of people in North America skip their breakfast. Not only is this contributing to hair loss, it also creates problems for your metabolism and achieving weight loss. Your body will go into starvation mode and want to hold onto your body fat. A healthy breakfast would consist of the following choices: whole grain cereal, sprouted grain toast, green tea, eggs, oatmeal, or better yet a smoothie. A smoothie is one of the better choices because you can get a good quality isolate protein (PVL brand), greens such as chlorella and spirulina (Progressive, or Sequal Brand), soluble and insoluble fibre (Fibre Smart Renew Life Brand), B vitamins (B-Complex Alive or Prairie Naturals Brand) and your omega oils (3-6-9 Udo’s Brand) all at one time!

Your scalp lives in protein, therefore having protein at every meal is essential for healthy hair as well as your muscles. Keep in mind that there are sources other than having red meat at ever meal, for example Vega is a natural vegetarian source. This superior clean product uses pea, hemp, brown rice and other vegan sources. Also you can get your protein from, a whey protein, lean chicken breast or even your legumes.

Next we will move onto stress. Most of us are dealing with stresses, some positive and some negative. Regardless of what kind, your body can feel it and ultimately show it through hair loss and other more serious conditions or diseases. So first and foremost try to eliminate negative stress where ever you can and then supplement your diet with a B-Complex. Above the liquid B-Complex was suggested by Prairie Naturals. For those of you who are not fond of liquids, Alive has an excellent B-Complex that comes in either capsule, or tablet.

The other deficiency that is apparent with people who experience hair loss is silica. Alive has excellent silica that is in capsule form. When I was in University I experienced a lot of hair loss and the silica was a huge part of my daily supplement intake. I took two capsules after my breakfast and two capsules after my dinner. I did this for 4 months. Now I take two after my breakfast and one after my dinner.

Lastly, how long until you will see results? Remember supplements are not magic pills, they definitely help you but they take time and it is different for each individual. They also depend on your diet and exercise. On average people see a difference in about three months. This gives you time to see the new hair growth. You will see that the new hair grows in is thicker and that the amount of hair strands will increase.

Remember, if you have any further questions you can always come into the Oakridge Alive where myself or other Alive associates can give you more information to suite your individual needs.

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