Alpha Lipoic Acid

If you are finding yourself feeling a little more anxious than normal lately, know that you are NOT alone. It is completely okay to feel that way. It is human nature to feel a little off when things around us change - and they are changing quickly! Rest assured humans can adapt to change very well. Comfortably getting through these times will help keep your body and mind in shape. How does stress work? When we undergo stress, our bodies' sympathetic nervous system is activated. The sympathetic nervous system activates our ‘fight or flight’ mode, which can take a toll on our bodies when it is activated for long periods of time. When we are in the stressed-out sympathetic mode for too long, it can make us feel not so great. Opposite to the sympathetic nervous system is our parasympathetic nervous system. This system is also known as our ‘rest and digest’ system. Bringing ourselves out of a sympathetic state and into a parasympathetic state allows us to relax and calm down our bodies and our minds. If you are feeling more uneasy than usual lately, here are some neat ways to help bring your body into a more relaxed state. Breathing techniques There are some really cool breathing techniques you can use if you are ever feeling overwhelmed. My favourite deep breathing technique is called box breathing. This technique will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and leave you feeling a little more ‘zen’. Carrying this exercise out for even 1-2 minutes a day has been found to be beneficial and calming to the nervous system. Box Breathing Find a nice quiet space where you can sit or lay down comfortably for a few minutes. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose for a count of four. Focus on breathing deep into your belly. Hold the breath for a count of four. Exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Hold for a count of 4 before starting again. Meditation There is never a better time to start meditating. Meditation is something you get better at with practice, so if you are new to it, start slow and build up. Even 5 minutes a day can reduce overall stress and anxiety. If you need help getting started, check out some of the many apps that can help guide you through meditating: CALM Insight Timer Head Space You can also head over to YouTube and find lots of guided meditations. Mindfulness Mindfulness is the act of being completely present in the moment. Social media and especially the news can really take us to a place of negativity if we let ourselves get absorbed in it, which can be easy to do. Try turning off media and tuning into what really matters. This can help us avoid distractions and tune into things that are more uplifting. To make your days indoors feel more positive and relaxing, try doing some of these tips: Continue to connect with loved ones. Pick up the phone or Skype family and friends. Play some of your favourite tunes and dance in your kitchen. Take a warm, relaxing bath. Curl up with a good book and sip on a calming magnesium drink. Although we may feel disconnected in many ways right now, it is important to take this time to touch base and reconnect with yourself. Staying grounded and in the present can help us get through difficult times. Keeping in tune with what is really important is key, and part of that is staying healthy, both mind and body. Take care out there. With love, Amy Wilson

It’s normal to feel tired once in a while, but exhaustion shouldn’t be a part of your everyday routine. If you’re in a constant state of low energy where even the simplest of tasks seem like a challenge, there could be more going on under the surface. There are a number of factors that contribute to low energy. Some are more serious, like chronic health conditions including diabetes, hypothyroidism or congestive heart failure. Others are more lifestyle related, such as deficiencies, diet, stress, or poor quality sleep. So let’s talk about low energy, and what could be causing it: Nutrient Deficiencies When it comes to nutrient deficiencies, B12 and iron are the common culprits linked to low energy. Iron plays an important role in forming red blood cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to the cells throughout your body. Without enough iron, your body struggles to get enough oxygen to your brain, tissues, and muscles leaving you feeling exhausted. Low iron or iron-deficiency anemia is most common in women. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can also cause low energy plus poor concentration and tingling in the hands and feet. B12 is found primarily in animal products including dairy, eggs and meats, so generally vegetarians and vegans are at a higher risk of deficiency. Stomach acid plays a major role in the absorption of vitamin B12, so older adults and those taking medications that affect stomach acid production can also be at higher risk of being low in B12. Poor Diet The foods you eat can have a massive impact on your energy levels. Take sugar for example, if you’re eating sugary foods, you blood sugar spikes, and you feel alert and energetic. Eventually, your blood sugar will drop again, and when that happens your energy levels drop with it. Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels is key to steady energy throughout the day. That means ditching sugary foods, and refined and processed foods that digest quickly, for slower digesting whole foods. Try adding high fiber fruits and vegetables, beans, complex carbohydrates and good quality fats and proteins. Too Much Stress When you experience stress your adrenal glands produce cortisol (your main stress hormone) to send you into fight or flight mode. This is a good thing in cases where there’s a threat that you need to escape from, or protect yourself from. But in reality, a lot of our day to day stressors don’t fall into that category. Fight or flight response sends blood to your extremities, so you can run faster or fight harder. What you can’t do however, is digest your food effectively, or sleep soundly when you’re in this state. Constant exposure to stress can lend to adrenal exhaustion, resulting in a higher cortisol release to lower levels of stress that otherwise wouldn’t trigger such a response. Too much cortisol in your body can affect your ability to sleep and leave you feeling mentally and physically exhausted. Lack of Quality Sleep Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, yet don’t even come close to that on a regular basis. A lack of sleep leaves you feeling irritable, moody and definitely low in energy. But sleeps not just a numbers game, the quality of your rest matter too. Getting uninterrupted sleep is ideal, but at minimum spending time in more restorative deep sleep cycles can help your body to feel more rested. Sleeping in complete darkness, cooler temperatures and a comfortable space with zero distractions can help to improve your sleep environment for better quality rest. If any of those causes sound like they could be contributing to your low energy, there’s good news. You can eat healthier, manage your stress and improve your sleep. The bad news however, is that sometimes making those healthy changes takes energy. So, it can all seem a little bit impossible when you’re already lacking energy right now. But that’s where superfoods really shine. Superfood Support for Low Energy Superfoods are nutrient dense foods that can help your body find balance. In cases of low energy maca root is a really great option. It comes from Peru, and was historically used to give energy to the Incans before battle. Today you can find it in powder form ready to throw into smoothies, soups or sauces. Maca root is an adaptogenic herb, which means it can help your body to adapt to stress. It’s rich in nutrients, like B vitamins and vitamin C (both of which your adrenals need for dealing with stress) and minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron (an important mineral for energy). Maca is also a rich source of antioxidants and phytonutrients, and even plant based protein. When you’re using maca, a gelatinized variety is more digestible. The more digestible the product, the easier it is for your body to absorb the nutrients and benefits of the root. Aside from its nutritional profile, maca helps to relieve anxiety and depression to support energy and mood balance. It also supports the endocrine system to help balance both female and male hormones improving fertility and boosting sexual libido. Using maca is a simple and healthy way to start feeling more energetic, so you can start making the changes you need to make for better long lasting energy every day.

You have literally trillions of bacteria living in your gut, but you know what? When it comes to the gut microbiome, more is more. Bacteria are essential to your gut health, period. They help break up and digest food, maintain overall gut health and support the immune system, too. The more good bacteria hanging out in your intestines, the less room there is for harmful bacteria that can cause discomfort. What are probiotics and why are they important? That’s where probiotics come in: they’re food or supplements that contain the types of bacteria you want on your team! Some of the most common ones are called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, but there are many different species and strains of probiotics, with different effects on human health. Some of the more well-researched benefits of taking probiotics include: Improving mild gut disorder symptoms Relieving gas and bloating Promoting balance in the gut microbiome Aiding the growth of beneficial bacteria after using antibiotics What are prebiotics and what do they do? Yes, you read right: there are prebiotics too. And what a difference does one letter make! Prebiotics are types of fibre that our body isn't able to digest. Instead, they serve as fuel for probiotic bacteria. They boast health benefits such as balancing blood sugar levels and aiding in the absorption of bone-strengthening minerals. Chicory root, garlic, leafy greens, legumes and bananas are all great dietary sources of prebiotics. Probiotics + prebiotics = ? Have you done the mental math yet? If so, you may have noticed that it’s a great idea to take probiotics and prebiotics together! Supplements that combine both are known as synbiotics. Combined, probiotics and prebiotics encourage the growth and survival of the probiotic bacteria you’re taking in. This maximizes the health benefits you would receive from taking probiotics or prebiotics alone. Other than the gut health benefits provided by probiotics discussed earlier, taking a synbiotic supplement can help with: Immunity: a balanced gut microbiome is an important element in ensuring your immunity is in working order, helping condition the immune system to different types of bacteria. Synbiotics seem to also help reduce intestinal and overall inflammation, according to a few animal studies. Heart health: Synbiotics may have an effect on how our body metabolizes fats, with potential benefits in controlling cholesterol levels. Making sure to include probiotic and prebiotic foods in your diet is a great way to keep your gut microbiome happy and balanced. If you need a helping hand (or millions of tiny ones!), consider a synbiotic supplement, like Organika’s Probiotic + Prebiotic powder, for an easy daily boost to your gut health! For a probiotic that can help you out with bacteria-caused infections, check out our new Probiotic + Cranberry!