supplements

Summer HABA (Health and Beauty Aids)

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Here are some of the recent samples that I received from the New Hope Network. The surprise flavor winner is this Kids Probiotic from Kyo-Dophilus. It’s a surprise because my kids generally like gummy vitamins far more than any other kind of chewable supplement, but this one is vanilla flavored and very good. In fact, every time my oldest took one he had to comment on how good it tasted, so I eventually had to try one, and he’s right, it’s really good! If you can imagine a small chewable tablet tasting like vanilla ice cream, then that’s pretty much what these are, but they are dairy free, gluten free, and soy free. They have 1 billion CFU and three different strains targeting regularity and immune health. If you are having trouble finding a probiotic your child will take, I’d give these a try. Suggested use if for kids 4 and up, but younger than that can take half a tablet crushed and mixed with food or juice.

Also for youngsters, this adorable face stick sunscreen is specially designed for babies. It is by Earth Mama, is SPF 40, and the active ingredient is zinc oxide so this is a healthy, mineral based sunscreen. For a reminder of which ingredients are good and which are sketchy, read the post here. It is a very clean formula with natural, moisturizing ingredients and absolutely no (potentially irritating) smell. Plus the packaging is really sweet and I have to admit I have a weakness for good packaging.

For the older-than-infants set, this sunscreen by Goddess Garden is for those with sensitive skin. It is SPF 30 and also has zinc oxide as its active ingredient. It is reef safe (so is the baby face one above), vegan, cruelty free, and water resistant. This rubs in much more easily than any other mineral sunscreen I’ve ever tried so I’m sold on it. It is labeled as ‘sheer’ and it really is! When I rub it on I can see a little bit of residual shine, but not the layer of actual sunscreen which I normally see with other brands.

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Sun Chlorella is apparently the only company that properly pulverizes their chlorella for optimum access to the nutrients. This is one mega-green-tasting supplement and I’m very used to taking green powders. I like it, it tastes exceptionally healthy, although I add a squeeze of lemon to it because it is just so very green tasting and the lemon gives it a lighter kick. They do make tablets too if you are not one to drink your greens. It is full of great nutrients, including B12 which as any vegetarian or vegan knows is nearly impossible to find in non-meat sources. They have 25% off their website for June, so if you want to check them out, now’s the month!

Curaleaf sent a CBD tincture that is flavored with lavender and sweet orange and is by far the tastiest CBD oil I’ve taken. As CBD always does, it helped me feel less anxious in situations which normally trigger my anxiety. They also sent a menthol lotion which came in handy the other morning after I woke up with a sore neck and shoulders. I used the CBD lotion and it worked quickly to soothe the pain away. These patches look interesting too.

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I haven’t had a chance to try this allergy supplement from Tango Advanced Nutrition because my sons and I seem to be getting off easy this year with allergy season. There are not a lot of herbal allergy supplements though so I thought I would share this one called AllerPhase in case you are looking for something to try. It has great reviews on amazon with 57% being 5 stars, so if you are suffering with allergies, this just might be your saving grace.

Thanks for reading and I hope you are enjoying the beginning of summer (here in the northern hemisphere anyway). I can’t believe we are coming up on solstice already in a couple of weeks and soon this entire year will be half over! When will they make a supplement to slow down time?

 

Natural Bloat Busters to Always Have on Hand (and You Probably Already Do)

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The discomfort of trying to sleep with a bloated stomach is terrible. It’s always evening and nighttime too when the bloat is at its worst, after all the meals have been eaten and certain foods throughout the day trigger our digestive systems to retaliate. Bloating is often caused by food intolerances, but can also be caused by other things such as eating too fast or too much. We often know what will bloat us~ dairy, beans, wheat, soy, or some other food or food group that we know we personally should avoid but sometimes we just can’t. It’s hard when food is such a communal activity and you don’t have a true allergy as an excuse to avoid certain foods, and sometimes it’s a favorite food and we just eat it anyway and hope for the best. There are some things that can be done in prep of those trigger foods though, and things that can be taken after eating the foods, or even later when the bloating is intense and maybe you don’t even know what triggered it.

Before you eat, enzymes can be taken to help break down your food. A broad spectrum enzyme will cover all the bases, but if you have one particular food group that is your personal trigger, you can take an enzyme supplement that targets that specific food. Some examples are: for gluten and casein intolerances take these, this one for lactose intolerance, or for beans, this one can help.

You can also take herbs called bitters to help stimulate the body’s natural enzyme production. You should take both bitters and enzymes about 10 minutes before you eat. Enzymes can also be found in fresh produce, so having fresh fruit and/or vegetables at every meal will also help with digestion. You can also prepare your stomach for work by drinking a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar (with the mother) in a cup of water before eating. Doing so can also help ease heartburn issues for some people.

Right after a meal, you can eat about a nickle-size amount of fennel seeds to help digest your food, or mix some fennel essential oil into a base oil like sweet almond oil or sesame seed oil, and rub that on your stomach. (Five drops of essential oil in 1 tsp. of base oil.) Fennel is also the main ingredient in Gaia Herbs’ Gas and Bloating tea. Traditional Medicinals has a helpful tea too called Gas Relief. Having a soothing herbal tea on hand to sip after meals is a nice way to fight the discomfort of bloating.

Probiotics can make a huge difference in how well you digest your meals. Taking them regularly will help keep your microbiome in optimal shape, but taking them right after eating possible trigger foods is especially important. It’s a good idea to switch brands to get a wide spectrum of probiotic strains in your system, but if you find one that works really well for you, stick with it. My all time favorite is VSL-3 and I highly recommend it if you suffer from IBS, colitis, or have had multiple rounds of antibiotics in your lifetime. My kids like Rainbow Light’s probiotic gummies.

If those don’t work, you can use activated charcoal to make the bloating go away. This is not something to use all the time though, because it soaks up not only the bloating agents, but also the good nutrition, so only use it when you have tried other things first. It really does help one to get to sleep though if you have a bad case of the bloats keeping you up at night. Activated charcoal is also something you can use if you suspect food poisoning, so it really is a good supplement to have on hand at all times.

Some people get relief from food intolerance issues by drinking kombucha daily. This hasn’t been a magic bullet in my family like it has with some other people I know, although we do drink kombucha, we still need other digestive aides to tackle our multiple food issues here at times. We are much better than we used to be, but dairy, soy, and many other beans still cause problems. If your food intolerances are mild, adding kombucha to your days just might be all it takes to keep you bloat-free and pain free.

Digestive discomfort can be such a nuisance, so it’s nice to know there are things that can help ease the issue, especially when it’s disrupting sleep. Thanks for reading and please share with anyone who might need some tips on keeping away their ‘bloat baby’.

 

New Foods and Supps for Health

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The New Hope Blogger Box always has great gluten free goodies in it, and this month’s was no exception. I love granola and was thrilled to find Jessica’s Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Granola in the box because if there is anything better than granola, it’s granola with chocolate chips. This is a delicious treat for breakfast or an afternoon snack, with just right amount of sweetness. I ate it with unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt or milk with a half teaspoon of my anti-inflammatory digestive spice mix.

My oldest son was thrilled with these unique Tahini Bars from the company Mighty Sesame. These are gluten free and only 100 calories a bar, and make for a nutty tasting, not-too-sweet snack or even a dessert. These bars come in different flavors but we tried the Pistachio Halva Bar and it was a hit, especially with my son who has taken all but one in his lunch bag. (I managed to grab that one for myself!)

Swanson Health’s Vanilla Protein Powder is packed with 20 grams of vegan sourced protein and one serving of veggies. I used this in the smoothies I make every morning and it blended in nicely and tastes good. It has 120 calories per serving which is similar to the other vegan protein I regularly use, and zero sugars. One bag has 20 servings in it.

My oldest son agreed to be the guinea pig for a natural deodorant by Prep U Products. He is almost 15, bikes uphill 1.75 miles to school everyday, and has PE there every day as well. He then bikes home. He also has sensitive skin and we have been through at least five (or more) brands of natural deodorants to find one that works and doesn’t irritate his skin. This deodorant works for him. It is gentle enough not to irritate, and yet it actually works throughout the day despite his physical activities off and on all day long. This is a golden find.

Here’s a supplement to get you fully transitioned out of cold and flu season safely and healthfully. Nature’s Answer has combined elderberry extract with probiotics which specifically target the immune system to create a powerful immune support supplement. This has 32,000 mg elderberry (which is an herb traditionally used to boost the immune system) per serving as well as 10 billion cfu probiotics. This is a great supplement to have on hand through cold and flu system and it doesn’t even need to be refrigerated. The directions are to take two per day with food or water.

The supplement’s color is so pretty!

Two bars that deserve mentioning are Hemp Health’s Cookie Dough Hemp Bar and gt brands’ good Snacks! Chocolate Peanut Butter protein bar. The hemp bar uses hemp for the main protein source and is quite tasty with a surprisingly good nutrition profile, including a decent amount of iron. It also has 12 grams of protein per bar, 5 grams of fiber and 4 grams of sugar. They have several flavors and other hemp products as well. The good snacks’ chocolate and peanut butter bar is delicious with a nod towards Reese’s peanut butter cups, though not as sweet. These have 15 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of sugar. Both of the bars are gluten free, soy free, and vegan.

I’ve posted about Bellucci’s Olive Oil before, but in case you missed it, these olive oil packets are perfect for lunch bags, camping, or picnics. Now that spring is finally officially here (in the Northern hemisphere anyway) nothing sounds better than some outdoors noshing. With Bellucci you can actually trace your olive oil from the batch number to its roots so you know you have an authentic product, which is important because there is a surprising amount of oil out there masquerading as EVOO.

Thank you for reading and I hope you see something new to try. Happy Equinox!

Supplements and Beverage Featuring CBD

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CBD continues to take the natural products industry into new and uncharted territories, mostly because the legal status of CBD is still seen as somewhat precarious. If you are confused on CBD, you are in very good company. Despite the confusion, CBD’s fan base is growing substantially at an extremely fast rate as the benefits of CBD become more known, which are many, including help with anxiety, focus, acne, aches, serious pain, and more. As a reminder, CBD comes from hemp but does not have psychoactive components (like THC), so though your mood may change from getting anxiety relief from CBD, don’t expect a euphoric high (nor the munchies!) Here’re what came in the latest New Hope Blogger Box of samples.

Most CBD supplements so far have been oils which you take through a dropper or capsules. Plus +CBD Oil has come out with gummies that have 5 mg CBD per serving. They are tasty, not overly sweet, and the dosage is just one per day. They have several different lines of CBD products with different potencies, and many ways to take them such as balms, sprays, and capsules, so they are a nice place to start if you are brand new to CBD and want to give it a try. What I personally notice most when taking any CBD product, including these gummies, is a reduction in feelings of stress and anxiety. I notice it most when driving, as there are certain instances that normally cause those feelings of stress and anxiety to pop up (traffic, getting turned around, running late, turns with heights that seem roller coaster-ish). When I take CBD I feel calmer and more able to make sound decisions while behind the wheel, even when in a situation that would normally throw me off my game a bit. I know others really get relief from aches and pains with CBD~ more on that next.

Myriad Wellness makes quite a few CBD products including ones for pets. (It’s my understanding that CBD can help pets with anxiety, aches, and pains just as with humans. People recommend it for many reasons, from nurturing rescue dogs to easing cancer pain.) They sent their muscle and tension stick in the New Hope Blogger Box which has 125 mg of CBD in it. Normally I don’t have a lot of muscle pain, but sometimes at night my legs will be a tad sore from over exertion or just a new exercise that day. The other night I was feeling that bit of soreness so I lathered on this CBD infused stick because the directions say to “apply liberally.’ I might have gone a bit overboard because this stick not only has CBD, it has menthol and camphor in it so the tension relieving action is a very active feeling, not a subtle ‘Hm, I-think-it-might-be-doing-something action’ at all. Once I put this on, I knew it was definitely working right away. It might have been overkill for the slight soreness I felt, but I know for sure I can recommend this product to the athletes I know. And by the way, I tried the regular strength which was plenty strong, but there is also an extra strength if you tend to get hard-core sore. 

Just as adaptogenic herbs are big in the functional food department, CBD can be now be found in drinks. Acme Naturals sent three of their Tree Below Zero sparkling juice beverages which have 25mg of hemp oil extract in them. So far I have tried the mandarin blood orange and it tastes kind of like a mimosa since it has an effervescent orange flavor. It is really good and apparently is even an award winner for both best tasting Hemp/CBD beverage and one of the 2018 Top 5 most innovative beverages. They also pride themselves on being FDA compliant and Health Canada certified, made with sustainability, no preservatives and no artificial ingredients. It’s a nice way to incorporate CBD into your life without adding more supplements.

There are more supplements and foods that I will share next week from the New Hope Blogger Box, but since these are all CBD infused products I wanted to give them space to themselves because CBD is both insanely popular and also still confusing to a lot of people. If you are having trouble finding CBD products in stores, look on Amazon or go directly to the website of the product in which you are interested. Most of the CBD websites are also shops.

Thank you for reading and please comment below what your experiences have been with CBD products. I’d love to hear!

 

Herbs for Constipation

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Ayurveda doesn’t shy way from talking about bodily functions. In fact, ask any Ayurvedic practitioner about elimination and chances are they will have a rather strong opinion and be able to give you a lengthy description on what it should like, how often it should be happening, and when it should be happening in relation to your meals. I’m not an Ayurvedic practitioner myself but one of my herbal teachers and mentors, Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, was steeped in Ayurvedic herbalism so I do remember long class discussions on the subject. As for the looks, think of an overripe banana~ brown, in-tact,  and buoyant. With timing, food should take about 18-24 hours to travel from one end of your digestive system (mouth) to the other. If the timing is shorter than that, you may not be getting all the nutrients out of your food. If it’s longer than that, you could be experiencing chronic toxic build-up. If you don’t know how long the process takes for you, eat something that you will recognize when it pops back out such as beets, which like to make quite the dramatic exit if you aren’t expecting the bright red color. (You’ve been forewarned.) Elimination should happen for every meal, so around three times a day is ideal.

One way to get things moving first thing in the morning is to drink a cup of lukewarm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This can also be done at other times of the day, on an empty stomach, but first thing in the morning works best. It’s a nice morning ritual for general cleansing as well.

For occasional issues with constipation, there are two common herbs used traditionally as stimulant laxatives: senna and cascara sagrada. Both should only be used occasionally, because as with any stimulant laxative, herbal or otherwise, they lose effectiveness over time as they train the intestines to rely on the outside stimulation. They do normally produce results within hours of ingesting, (pills, teas, or tinctures), but keep in mind, they are not fixing the root of the problem. Herbalism works best when focused on balancing out health issues at their root, so although these herbs can get you through a rough patch, it’s important to dig deeper into the problem and make adjustments there, so look into the foods you are eating, the amount of water you are drinking, the amount of exercise you might be getting, etc.

There is an herbal combination called triphala that can be taken long-term to enhance intestinal health and kick constipation to the curb (as long as the root of the issue is also properly addressed.) Triphala is a combination of three herbs: Amla, Haritaki, and Bibhitaki. These three herbs each have special benefits for the three doshas, Pitta, Vata, and Kapha, therefore when they are all together they are considered tri-doshic, meaning good for all three doshas. (You can take a dosha quiz here to find your personal doshic profile.) This tri-doshic quality is one of the reasons it is one of the most well-known and popularly used Ayurvedic formulations of all time. In fact, it has been around for over 2,000 years and still going strong. This combination might take longer to work than the herbs above, but within 24 hours elimination should occur and you don’t need to worry about taking it for an extended amount of time. Although it’s a relatively safe formula for most people, Banyan Botanicals lists these cautions: “Contraindications can include diarrhea, dysentery, and if you are pregnant or nursing. There are no known drug interactions with the herbs that make up triphala.1, 6 Some studies do report findings that would advise caution in people taking blood-thinning medicines,7, 8 as triphala may affect platelet function. From an Ayurvedic perspective, if your stools are dry and hard, consider using haritaki in place of triphala.” (Banyan Botanicals)

When I worked at health food stores, the box of tea that was far and away the top seller was Smooth Move by Traditional Medicinals, which, as you might have guessed, is for constipation. It has senna plus other herbs that support the digestive system, and is only supposed to be for occasional use only. They have a couple of different flavors for the teas and also capsules.

As with many health issues, making sure you are drinking plenty of water, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and actively moving your body everyday will get you far on your path towards optimal health. Herbs offer another level of support in those health, body, and life goals.

Wishing you health, happiness, and at least one herbal ally in your life.

 

 

 

How to Make an Herbal Syrup

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Herbal syrups are a kid-friendly and throat-friendly way to take healing herbs. They don’t have to be doled out in medicinal spoonfuls either, you can add them to tea, pancakes, or cocktails just like any other syrup. Elderberry syrup is a classic immune booster for wintertime cough and cold season, but other herbs such as licorice, thyme, and sage make excellent upper respiratory syrups as well. Even Hippocrates himself had a recipe for bronchitis that included thyme: For Bronchitis, 2 cups water with 3 T thyme, steep 10 minutes then drink twice/day~ Hippocrates.

I made licorice syrup with cinnamon in this tutorial. Licorice has many uses, from respiratory to digestive to adaptogenic properties. It is also anti-viral, making it a great cold and flu fighter. Some people are a little frightened of licorice because when taken in excessively large doses, it can raise blood pressure. Licorice is one of the top ten herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) though, and it is included in many TCM herbal blends for a variety of issues, (though usually in smallish amounts.) If it has worked for thousands of years for a multitude of different issues for so many, I think most people are safe to take licorice for their throat, stomach, and cough complaints. That is of course up to you and your personal health advisers. Other herbs can be used instead of licorice, with the same instructions, and you can of course use sugar as the sweetener if you want. Honey and agave nectar have soothing, coating properties to aid healing, and in agave’s case, less of a glycemic impact.

Herbal Syrup:

›Materials: Dried herbal material such as licorice, elderberries, or thyme, water, honey or agave nectar, a pot, a clean glass jar.

›Combine the herbs and water in a pot in a ratio of 1:2. (Example, 1 cup herbs to 2 cups water)

›Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, 30-40 minutes until reduced by approximately half.

›Strain the herbal material, put the liquid back in the pot and add the same amount of sweetener, over low heat, for another 10 or so minutes. In other words, if you have 3/4 cup of liquid left after cooking and straining, then you add 3/4 cup of sweetener.

›Let it cool, then bottle and refrigerate for longest storage.

This video shows you how easy it is (please ignore my messy house and hair. This was done within some time constraints and really needs to be updated. Soon…..) :

I hope you and your loved ones are making it through the winter season without any illnesses. The snowcopalypse that shut down the Seattle area is finally easing a bit and I have even spotted some robins already, so spring must be on its way. Take care and please share with anyone looking for an herbal boost.

Cleansing for the New Year

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This is a repost of a blog I wrote around this time last year. Happy New Year everyone.

Is anyone else ready to put away the dairy and desserts and cleanse for the New Year? I personally love a good cleanse, though I’m partial to the low-suffering kind. I know people who think it’s not a real cleanse unless you take in nothing but fresh juice and water, but that never made sense to me. Our bodies like balance, and balance by extremes is not really balance at all at the human level. Just look at how bad yo-yo dieting is for people or how hard it is on the body when there are huge weight fluctuations. Gentle detox is a way to cleanse while giving the body support to adjust, instead of shocking the body and then reeling from its effects. Of course, there is a time and place for everything and if you know what you are doing and have the right support, then by all means juice away your days. If you prefer a cleansing reboot that doesn’t leave your blood sugar levels bouncing and your mood-o-meter permanently set to hangry, keep reading for some options.

Adding powdered greens to your daily routine is one way to activate detox mechanisms in your body. While cleansing you should be drinking extra glasses of water anyway, so adding a scoop or packet to one of your glasses or bottles of water is a great way to get extra goodness. It is worth noting that some green mixes, like Paradise Herbs, are formulated for energy~

while others, like the Food Science one below, are formulated more specifically for cleansing. Greens in general, whether in a powder or in a whole fresh or cooked form, are cleansing though so an energy greens mix will still work towards detoxing your system. Both these mixes came in my New Hope Blogger Box and they are tasty as well as healthy blends, but there are of course other reputable greens out there. Just be sure to read ingredients lists thoroughly.

Adding a cup or two of detoxifying herbal tea a day is another easy way to help your body cleanse. There are plenty of blends out there, such as detox teas by Yogi and Traditional Medicinals that are as easy as boiling water. Flora makes a tea concentrate that you just pour a bit out and add hot water to. They promote their cleanse every year on Facebook so you can actually join a group of others using their product to get tips and expand your knowledge a bit into the world of detox. (Plus if you join in you just might get a coupon I believe.) They do have a dry blend as well.

If you want to do something a little more involved than greens and teas, making up a batch of kitchari is what one of my herbal teachers drilled into us as the most healing, cleansing, tri-doshic thing you could do. Kitchari is a meal from the tradition of Ayurveda that is made up of mung beans and basmati rice (brown or white depending on your preference), spices, and ghee. You can eat it once a day to support a general cleanse, or you can eat kitchari three times a day and nothing else but herbal teas for 6 days straight for a more intense detox. As with all things herbal, kitchari is a traditional dish that you can find a thousand variations for so this recipe can be modified as you like. What follows is how my herbal teacher told us to make it and it has never failed me. It’s a calming meal, easy on the digestive system, and healing.

Kitchari Recipe:

1 C mung beans

1 C brown basmati rice (my herbal teacher actually used white basmati rice, so your choice really)

1 tbsp. ghee (vegans can use coconut oil)

1 tsp. each turmeric, cumin, and coriander

After soaking the mung beans overnight (or at least 6 hours), cook them in 4 C of water until they are thoroughly soft, about half an hour.

Cook rice according to its instructions, depending on white or brown, then mix together with beans.

Warm the ghee in a sauce or sauté pan and add the spices, cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes or so.

Mix the spices and ghee with the rice and beans and you are finished. Eat as often as you like.

I’ve never been big on resolutions, but I do like the spirit of renewal that January sweeps in. A gentle cleanse sets a nice tone for the year~ a reminder to think better, feel better, act better, and be better. Best wishes for health, fulfillment, beauty, and peace to everyone for the New Year. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

 

Survey Incentive

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Hello! This is just a brief post letting you know about a survey you can take involving the natural foods/products industry. The first 250 people to take it will get a $10 Amazon gift card, so if you want to do it, act fast! Here’s the link:  bit.ly/2rsd9WO Stay warm and stay well! 

Supplements and Substitutes for New Year’s Resolutions

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That time of year is approaching where we review our habits and try to replace the ones that no longer serve us with better options. The New Hope Blogger Box had some products that will start the year off right with the intentions of better and healthier. One easy way to improve daily nutrition is to drink some powdered super foods each day. These greens from Natural Factors are fermented, organic, non-GMO, gluten free, and contain medicinal mushrooms as well as 6 grams of protein. Adding one serving of greens in the form of powdered super foods really packs a nutritious punch and could be a great habit to add in to the upcoming new year’s routines. I’ve been mixing this with water and it tastes good and…. green. Although it is very tasty to me  this way, you can always add it to juice or to smoothies or a smoothie bowl as well.

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This immune supporting supplement from Redd Remedies features medicinal mushrooms too, which doesn’t surprise me a bit. I have a feeling medicinal mushrooms are going to start being ubiquitous in 2019 as their benefits become more well known, and supporting the immune system is one of their specialties. Immune Everyday also has the adaptogen, Ashwagandha, in it, as well as vitamin C to keep the immune system working optimally.

Probiotics are generally thought of as for gastrointestinal health, but the link between gut health and brain health has long been known and the gut is even called the ‘second brain’ in many circles. This probiotic supplement from Klaire Labs has kept that brain-gut link central in the formulation of these powdered packets. I suggest you read more about how this probiotic supports positive moods on their website, but here’s a snippet to spark your curiosity: “Target gb-X is a probiotic supplement specifically designed to support positive mood by influencing the gut-brain axis through the microbiome. It is powered by Ecologic BARRIER, a 5B CFU blend of 9 probiotic strains, that has been clinically shown to decrease overall cognitive reactivity to sad mood, rumination, negative thoughts, and aggressive thoughts.”~ from Klair Labs website.

Thinking of taming an overly enthusiastic sweet tooth in the new year? These syrups from NuNaturals are sugar free and net carb free and come in a variety of flavors. Besides being low glycemic, they are also gluten free, vegan, and non GMO, so they actually suit just about any diet, but might be an especially good find for those following a keto diet. Please share with any keto-devotees and they will surely be very grateful for a bit of sweetness in the new year.

For those wanting to reduce their soda consumption, Tohi has some tasty alternatives. These juice drinks are packed with antioxidants, have no artificial ingredients, and are invigorating without caffeine. The (only!) five ingredients on their ingredient list is as refreshing as the taste, and if you need a reminder of why antioxidants are so important, it’s because they help fight signs of aging as well as the internal wear and tear that can lead to disease. in short, antioxidants support healthy aging, healthy beauty, and a healthy immune system.

And if you missed last week’s post, it has even more supplements that can set up New Year’s resolutions for success. Here are a few of the items targeting brain health, skin health, and anxiety, but check out the whole post for more.

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I hope your season is filled with joy, peace, and health for you and your loved ones. If you haven’t already, please subscribe for a weekly wellness blog post, and as always, sharing is caring. Happy Holidays!

Health and Beauty Stocking Stuffers

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The New Hope Blogger Box of samples came just in time for the holidays, with plenty of little gift ideas to enhance health and beauty. These might just be something  you want on hand for your New Year’s resolutions as well, but I like the idea of gifting things that are healthy luxuries to make life better in some way.

CBD oil is still growing in popularity and if you are not quite sure if it’s going to get you high or not, it will not. (You can read more about CBD oil here.) It will instead do a lot of helpful things such as ease anxiety, help with aches, pains, insomnia, and more. I was actually already thinking of gifting some to people who have expressed interest in it but haven’t gotten any themselves (it’s still a tad hard to find) but you can find it at Charlotte’s Web, and as you can see below, they make other hemp products as well.

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This next grouping is ideal for anyone who lives in the modern world and has to use their brain at all (in other words, all of us) but especially students who really put in the hours studying and stressing, because really, being a student is hard work.

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We all suffer from stress and anxiety at times, and I do mean ALL of us. I’ve done some research into everything I write about here, and anxiety in all forms is far more rampant that I had any idea of originally. I can confidently say that if you feel like you are alone dealing with some form of anxiety, you are far from alone and there are things you can take that help. There are also things you can do, like exercise and meditate, but herbs and a couple of other natural supplements are quite good at taking anxiety down to where you are functioning better. Anxie-T by the company, Life Seasons, combines well-known anti-anxiety herbs with L-theanine and GABA, all of which help ease anxiety through different paths. (L-theanine is an amino acid I also wrote about here, and GABA is a neurotransmitter I wrote about here.) And just a reminder that the CBD oil above, and any good quality CBD oil, also helps with anxiety too. There really are a lot of things out there in the natural world that can help!

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Anxie-T by Life Seasons
Genius Juice by the herbal company, Wishgarden Herbs, is a combination of herbs that provide clarity and focus along with what they call “clean energy” which seems to mean energy which is high quality and not ultimately draining resources which leaves one tired. In other words, these energy boosters do not rob the future to energize the present. The adaptogens in the blend are certainly known to build true energy and bring sharpness to thinking powers as well as provide stamina and long-term mental health. As I mentioned before, perfect for students but also, who doesn’t need a brain boost every once in a while?!

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Genius Juice by Wishgarden Herbs
If you have not heard of Rescue Remedy, then get ready to add a new product to your first aid kit. I think I can safely say this is the most widely used flower essence product ever, with people using it regularly for stress and anxiety for themselves and their pets, as well as for traumatic events. It is one of the rare supplements out there that is specifically known to help a person mentally, emotionally, and physically during times of trauma. Its original form is a liquid which you add to water or take directly on the tongue, but now you can find it in pastilles, or lozenges as below, and more. What better thing to have in your mouth while taking a test or waiting for an interview or for a doctor’s appointment or any other time you are especially stressed out? It’s great for after a stressful event too (such as a trauma like a car accident, a broken bone, a romantic break-up, etc) which is why it’s a great thing to keep in a first aid kit.

Rescue Remedy Plus
With B5 and B12

For those that love all things beauty-enhancing or those that might be struggling with skin issues of any sort, here are a couple of skin focused treats.

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PURENEW Professional Skin Clear Advanced Skin Care is a mouthful to say, and it’s a mouthful of supplements too! Each packet has 6 capsules of skin-food super nutrition such as antioxidants, collagen, fish oil, and more. This product is from a company called Catalo with whom I’m not familiar, but this seems to be a well-thought out product and if your New Year’s Resolution involves caring more for you skin, this will certainly start you off in the right direction.

PURENEW Skin Clear
Supplements inside

The Marine Collagen is from Nordic Naturals which is a leader in healthy oils for all ages, stages, and even for pets. Collagen helps not only skin thrive, but also supports bone and joint health as well. This collagen is sourced from cod and enhanced with vitamin C, also crucial for skin health and antioxidant protection. If you are starting to notice fine lines, wrinkles, and skin losing it’s firmness, collagen can help with all those issues and is a lot less expensive than botox.

Nordic Naturals
Marine Collagen

For those that like to be active here are a couple of things that can support that lifestyle. Country Archer has certified gluten-free, hormone free, and antibiotic free Turkey Jerky. Jerky is one of the few ways to take lean protein along wherever you go, and finding a lean and clean version like this one is even rarer.

Country Archer Turkey Jerky
High protein

Also in support of an active lifestyle, though like with stress and brain help really we can all use an energy boost every once in while, these energy tablets from PepPods are packed with nutrients and a bit of caffeine to give energy with nutritional support for stamina so again, it’s not robbing the future to energize the present. These energy tablets are gluten and sugar free, vegetarian, and gmo free.

And lastly, some Numi tea for the conscious consumer tea lovers in your life who want to support a fair trade company which takes giving back very seriously. They have organic herbal, green, white, and black teas, so a sampler is a great way to try them all.

Numi Teas
Organic, Fair Trade

Whatever you choose to do this holiday season, I hope it involves health, happiness, friends, family, and lots of joy. Peace and health to all!