Grape Seed Extract

You’re probably used to hearing people in the wellness world rave about antioxidants, and you probably know they are good for you. But do you know exactly the role they play in our health? It’s actually quite impressive… so let me get a little bit science-y here… What do antioxidants do? Antioxidants are tiny molecules that act as a defense mechanism in our body in many different ways. However, one of the most important roles that antioxidants have is to fight free radicals. Free radicals are other tiny compounds that can promote premature aging and that can damage our health in the long run if they get out of control. So a great way to understand this is by picturing antioxidants like the superheroes 🦸‍♂️ in the story that want to keep everything in peace and in harmony; and the free radicals are the bad guys that start a riot that can lead into a war if they’re not stopped at the right time. These free radicals, our "bad guys," are found in many places, such as: pollution, chemicals in cleaning and personal care products, pesticides, cigarette smoke, excess cardio workouts, tap water, processed foods and fast foods, just to mention a few. As you can see, we are always surrounded by them no matter what we do. They’re literally inevitable! Therefore, they’re constantly being formed in our body. That’s exactly why antioxidants play such an important role in our life and our health. Where do antioxidants come from? Now that you know this, you can see how important it is to keep up with our body’s increased demand for these tiny antioxidants. And a great way to do so is to get them from whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, and also some animal products. You’ve probably heard the term “superfoods”; they are foods that are considered antioxidant powerhouses, such as blueberries, lemons, dragon fruit, ginseng, kale, açaí and carrots, just to mention a few! But let’s be honest, not everyone eats superfoods or the rainbow (mixed fruits and veggies) 🌈 every day. In fact, sometimes we don’t even come close to eating enough veggies, am I right? In this case, we need an extra boost from our supplements. Which antioxidants are the best? There are different types of antioxidants with different roles aside from fighting free radicals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and selenium, among others. However, you’ve probably heard about Vitamin C more than a thousand times, and for good reason. You see, Vitamin C has positioned itself at the TOP of the antioxidant family thanks to its multiple health benefits. These benefits include: Boosting the immune system; Maintaining a healthy looking skin (especially when mixed with collagen!); Promoting cardiovascular health; Decreasing oxidative stress caused by too many free radicals; Delaying signs of premature aging; Preventing iron deficiency. No wonder it is so popular, huh? So now you know why it is so important for your health to keep free radicals in check by making sure you give your body the right amount of antioxidants! To make it easier on you, Organika has created a vitamin C line to support all kinds of lifestyles. From classic vitamin C capsules to on-the-go Instant-C effervescent tablets, plus a couple of powder options that can be added to your fave drink anytime: vitamin C powder and Superfood C+!

The fertility health of both men and women can be greatly enhanced by supplementing with micronutrients. If becoming pregnant is on your current or future radar, know there are many options when it comes to improving and maintaining the health of your oocytes (eggs) and the quality of your sperm. It is equally important to balance hormones and reduce stress levels to ensure a healthy pregnancy for both you and your partner. Below are just a few of the many ways you can supplement to optimize fertility. N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) NAC is by far one of my favourite nutrients. NAC is a compound that turns to glutathione in the body. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant and has a positive effect all around the body including the liver, lungs, brains and even your eyes. When it comes to conditions that may contribute to fertility issues such as PCOS, NAC has been shown to increase fertility potential in IVF patients.1 The quality of our eggs is greatly affected by our antioxidant status and since NAC converts to glutathione, it can provide protective antioxidant properties to your egg reserve. When it comes to NAC and men’s health, supplementing with NAC for as little as three months can greatly improve with mobility, health and even increase the sperm count.2 Zinc Zinc is often associated with keeping our immune system strong. When it comes to fertility in both men and women, zinc plays a key role in the health of the eggs and sperm. Our body does not store zinc, so we constantly need to be consuming it in our diets. Zinc deficiencies can not only affect the development of oocytes but the quality as well.3 Zinc plays an important role in balancing hormones such as testosterone.4 This hormone plays a vital role in men’s fertility. Furthermore, the mineral zinc aids in the proper development of sperm and plays a role in proper fertilization.4 Coenzyme Q10 Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10 plays a huge role in energy production and protects us from oxidative stress. This supplement is largely studied for its role in fertility boosting. It has an effect on the quality of eggs in women’s health.5 In men, it may enhance fertility measures by improving mobility and quality of sperm.6 Maca Balancing your hormones may increase your ability to become pregnant. Taking an adaptogen will help your body manage stress and keep you in balance. There are so many wonderful adaptogens such as schisandra, ginseng and especially Maca. Maca is by far one of my favourite adaptogens as it is great for increasing energy and some research has suggested it can increase a low libido.7 Maca can easily be added to your smoothie to give you a daily boost. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out which nutrients are suitable for you and your partner to optimize fertility. References: Badawy A, State O, Abdelgawad S. N-Acetyl cysteine and clomiphene citrate for induction of ovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome: a cross-over trial. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. 2007 Jan 1;86(2):218-22. Jannatifar R, Parivar K, Roodbari NH, Nasr-Esfahani MH. Effects of N-acetyl-cysteine supplementation on sperm quality, chromatin integrity and level of oxidative stress in infertile men. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 2019 Dec;17(1):1-9. Tian X, Diaz FJ. Acute dietary zinc deficiency before conception compromises oocyte epigenetic programming and disrupts embryonic development. Developmental biology. 2013 Apr 1;376(1):51-61. Fallah A, Mohammad-Hasani A, Colagar AH. Zinc is an essential element for male fertility: a review of Zn roles in men’s health, germination, sperm quality, and fertilization. Journal of reproduction & infertility. 2018 Apr;19(2):69. Xu Y, Nisenblat V, Lu C, Li R, Qiao J, Zhen X, Wang S. Pretreatment with coenzyme Q10 improves ovarian response and embryo quality in low-prognosis young women with decreased ovarian reserve: a randomized controlled trial. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 2018 Dec 1;16(1):29. Safarinejad MR, Safarinejad S, Shafiei N, Safarinejad S. Effects of the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) on semen parameters in men with idiopathic infertility: a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study. The Journal of urology. 2012 Aug;188(2):526-31. Block W. Maca Lifts Libido’s Veil: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have undesirable side effects that maca can alleviate. Life Enhancement magazine. 2010 March; retrieved from http://206.220.200.3/magazine/article/2225-maca-lifts-libidos-veil.

We tend to associate spring with cleaning; as if the winter created stagnation and some sort of mess. For many people, the need to clean up the outside also means they want to "clean up" the inside. But is a juice cleanse or boxed detox really what your body needs? I find that with my years of experience in health and wellness, so many individuals associate spring with a need for a cleanse. There are trends on social media, and in your health food stores pushing detoxes. It can be products, supplements, or the latest eating trends. There are so many options on the market to assist with spring cleaning, it might be difficult to know where to begin or what works best for you. Spring cleaning can mean so much more than a two-week cleanse. It can also be mental/emotional, as well as physical. There are a lot of ways that you can ‘spring clean’ in a gentler fashion that will allow you to take these new habits and incorporate them into your daily life. Here are four ways to gently regenerate and cleanse your physical body: 1. Sweat! Our skin is our largest organ, and sweating is one of the best ways our body eliminates waste products. Sweating is a great way to eliminate environmental toxins, heavy metals, and BPAs! Scientists are able to measure these compounds from human sweat, showing that this is by far one of the more superior ways to rid unwanted toxins from our body. So, find yourself a sauna and/or work up a sweat. Get your system moving and get cleaning; all the while enjoying the added benefits of exercise and relaxing saunas! 2. Try herbal teas. Adding a gentle tea to your daily routine, such as nettle or dandelion tea, can be a great way to get a gentle cleanse. Our liver is one of the most important organs for detoxing and eliminating waste! It is constantly active and working nonstop to keep harmful chemicals from entering your blood stream. The liver can benefit from supporting herbs such as dandelion, nettle, and milk thistle as they work to improve the liver’s ability to breakdown toxins by getting your liver in top shape! These herbs are easily accessible, and you can readily find a variety of herbal tea formulas in your local health food store. 3. Buy yourself a dry body brush. These are affordable and do wonders for your skin! They help to stimulate your lymphatic system, which is a major body network that is responsible for ridding your body of unwanted toxins and waste. Dry brushing is something you can do daily. Start from the bottom of your feet and work your way up to your chest. Apply light pressure, and always use a circular motion upwards. Finding videos on how to properly dry brush is easily accessible on YouTube. 4. Eat more fiber and hydrate! Fiber from fruits and vegetables will get one of your VERY important detox systems moving well. You guessed it: your bowels. If you do not have a daily bowel movement, your cleaning system may be a little sluggish. Along with eating adequate amounts of fruits and veggies, you can try adding one or two tablespoons of ground flax to your breakfast, lunch or dinner. Remember: it is always important to drink enough water to help flush everything out. You need to be well hydrated in order for your bowels to function properly. Drinking enough good, clean water, along with adequate amounts of healthy fiber, will help aid in removing waste from your body. So before you go reaching for those expensive weight loss teas, juice cleanses, or boxed detoxes, try adding a few of these tricks to your daily routine to see if it helps!