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Take your vitamins, and save the rainforest!

By: Tuesday, August 30, 2016 Holistic Health, Nutrition, Wellness , , , Permalink 0

Nature's Way x Rainforest Alliance on The Organic Beauty Blog

As you may have picked up on by reading this blog, I am a huge fan of supplements.  In my own body and those of my clients, I have seen targeted supplementation lead to hormonal balance and a return of fertility, better skin and hair, a calmer mind and slimmer waistline, better sleep and more energy, and an overall greater feeling of vibrancy and well-being. I’ve seen enough empirical evidence to call “hogwash!” on all so-called experts that try to debunk the efficacy of dietary supplementation.  The fact remains, the right supplements can drastically transform your health! (Click here to read more on how and why)

So when a great supplement company like Nature’s Way ups the ante by donating 1% of all sales from this summer, up to $100,000, to the Rainforest Alliance, I had to spread the word.  Through August 31st, any purchase you make of Nature’s Way supplements, which you can find at most pharmacies and health food stores nationwide, will support a wonderful nonprofit that has been around for over 30 years, which works to conserve our planet’s forests and natural resources, and promote a vision of global sustainability.  Pretty sweet, right?

I’ve used several Nature’s Way supplements over the years, and love that they are high quality and affordable, which in this health food world of $40 bottles of multivitamins, says a lot.  They make it so easy to take your vitamins, and save the rainforest to boot!

Here are my top 5 favorite Nature’s Way supplements that have helped to transform my health and body:

Continue Reading…

Naturally Beat Those Winter Blues!

By: Saturday, February 2, 2013 Diet and Foods, Exercise, Healthy Eating, Healthy Home, Holistic Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Wellness , , , , Permalink 0

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Naturally Beat Those Winter Blues! | The Organic Beauty BlogWhether or not you actually suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), it is pretty tough to not get bummed when it’s freezing and grey outside for days on end.  Our social lives take a major hit, and we are much more likely to crave getting all bundled up and cozy at home than a night on the town.  It’s harder to motivate ourselves to get to the gym, and those cravings for comfort food just don’t let up. But fear not!  With just a few daily steps, you can naturally beat the winter blues, improve your mood and energy, and keep your system on track.

  • Catch some daylight!  Especially when the days are shorter and darker, it is that much more important to get exposure to daylight.  Ideally, this would be direct light outside, but, when it’s frigid and miserable outside, getting some daylight through a window does the trick too!  Leave your blinds open at night, so the morning light can wake you up and help regulate your production of melatonin, and thereby, your sleep cycle!  Keeping a regular sleep-wake cycle is vital to staving off wintertime depression. If your bedroom doesn’t get much natural light, then stand dreamily in front of your brightest window for a couple of minutes right when you wake up!  It’s a nice little morning ritual with wonderful health benefits.
  • Exercise!  I know it’s hard to get to the gym when it’s 0 degrees outside, but it’ll pay off in terms of your motivation and energy, which will help you tons in the long run.  If it’s super gross out, just work out at home!  Don’t let the weather be an excuse to skimp on exercise!  Find a dvd that you love, and sweat it out in the warmth and comfort of your living room.  Exercise is one of the best natural antidepressants out there!
  • Take some fish oil.  Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, are amazing for balancing mood and staving off depression.  Even if you eat fish regularly, supplement with 2-3 grams of high EPA fish oil every day.  My favorite is NOW Super EPA.. I take it every day!
  • Take vitamin D.  In the dark of winter, especially in the northern parts of this fair country, it is impossible to get enough vitamin D from sunlight.  The result is that we’re all running around completely deficient in this important nutrient!  Low levels of vitamin D can cause depression, lowered immunity, anxiety, higher stress levels, and a host of other unpleasant symptoms.  It is absolutely crucial to supplement with a high quality vitamin D during the winter months, and for many of us, year round!  Opt for at least 3000-4000 IU of sublingual vitamin D daily.  My favorite is Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion Forte.. Just two drops under your tongue in the morning and you’re good to go!
  • Load up on plant nutrients.  Plant foods are nature’s amazing natural mood-boosters, and it is super easy to eat your way to a fantastic mood even in the greyest of winters.  Whole grains like amaranth and quinoa are great for raising serotonin, which is your brain’s natural feel-good neurotransmitter.  Olive oil and other healthy fats like avocados and nuts are also wonderful natural antidepressants.  Green leafies like spinach and collards are loaded with folate, which along with other B vitamins, is vital for regulating mood.
  • Treat yourself!  Plan a fun winter getaway weekend, a spa day, a fun party, or even some nights at the theater, a concert, or the opera!  Having some exciting things to look forward to is a great way to boost your mood and break up the monotony of a long winter.

A Better Option than Airborne or Emergen-C?

By: Monday, January 28, 2013 Diet and Foods, Holistic Health, Nutrition, Wellness , , , , Permalink 8

A Better Option than Airborne or Emergen-C? | The Organic Beauty BlogI’ll admit, a big part of my flu season regimen is loading up on some extra vitamins (for the rest of my regimen, see How To Naturally Prevent the Flu).  When I get home, particularly after having been on the subway or another crowded germ-fest, the number two thing I do (after washing my hands with hot, soapy water) is to pop an effervescent immune-boosting vitamin.  It definitely does the trick (I rarely get sick), but this precaution comes with a fair amount of guilt on my end.  The drugstore standbys, Airborne and Emergen-C, come with their fair share of sub-par ingredients that I usually avoid.  So I’ve decided to take on a side by side comparison of these guys, as well as few other readily available and slightly harder to come by brands.  I was actually surprised to find that those drugstore standbys are the weaker of the 5 brands I found!  So without further ado, behold…

The Effervescent Immunity-Boost Showdown!

Scoring based on the following factors, which are each worth a maximum of 5 points:  

  1. Comprehensive vitamin and mineral content (CVM)

  2. Immune-boosting herbal additions (H)

  3. Quality of ingredients (Q)

  4. Calorie and sugar content (CS)

  5. Value (V)

Continue Reading…

Do Vitamins and Supplements Really Work?

By: Monday, July 23, 2012 Diet and Foods, Holistic Health, Lifestyle , , , , Permalink 0

I get asked all the time if vitamins are actually all they’re hyped up to be. Do they really work? Are they worth the money? Which vitamins are really necessary?

There have been a lot of recent studies claiming that taking vitamins has little to no effect on one’s health, but the fact is that not all vitamins are created equally. Research has shown over and over again that potent, high quality formulations of certain vitamins, minerals, herbs, and antioxidants play a huge role in maintaining optimum health and longevity, disease prevention, and treating various ailments.

That said, it’s important to note that vitamins and supplements are not a miracle, cure-all panacea that allow you to neglect healthy diet and exercise. Supplements are really designed to fill in the gaps left in our diets. The most potent and effective means of delivering nutrients into your system are through whole foods. Very few, if any, supplements will ever offer the same benefits as eating a variety of brightly colored vegetables and fruit, and whole grains. But unfortunately, some vitamins are nearly impossible to get enough of, even if you have a super healthy diet. Vitamin D, for example, is a vitamin nearly everyone in the northern parts of the world is deficient in. It is simply impossible to get enough vitamin D3 from sunshine when you live anywhere that has a winter. To derive enough of this vital nutrient from the sun, you would need 15 minutes of direct sunlight (sans sunblock) on large swaths of your skin every single day. Even in warmer climates, that just isn’t possible for a lot of people. Other nutrients aren’t possible to derive from specific diets. Vegetarians do not get sufficient amounts of vitamins B6 and B12, so supplementing with a high quality B Complex is vital. Omega-3′s are another nutrient that are very difficult to safely derive enough of in a standard Western diet, and it’s health benefits are so numerous that supplementation is definitely recommended for many people. There are also many herbs that just aren’t available (or palatable) for consumption as food — therefore taking them in supplement form is the most efficient and convenient means of delivering their amazing and varied benefits to your body.

Are supplements worth the money? It’s safe to say you’re probably wasting your money if you’re using vitamins as your only consistent sources of healthy nutrients while maintaining a sub-par, Standard American Diet. Anyone that tells you that you can keep eating cheeseburgers and ice cream and still be slim and healthy by taking some special amazing supplement is taking you for a ride! But if you’re using supplements to fill in the gaps in a healthy diet, you’re doing your body a huge favor.

What supplements should I be taking? Everybody has different supplementation needs, depending on gender, age, health concerns and goals. That said, there are definitely a few supplements that everyone can benefit from. See my Basic Supplement Guide for a list of universally recommended supplements for optimum health. For more specific recommendations, always consult a holistic healthcare practitioner. There are specific combinations of supplements that can help with everything from painful or irregular periods, weight loss and headaches or pain, to cancer prevention, all kinds of gastrointestinal issues like constipation or irritable bowel syndrome, heart health, cholesterol, and thyroid imbalance. Pretty much any health concern can be addressed and improved with the proper supplementation, in addition to… you guessed it!… healthy diet and exercise.

Are all vitamins safe? It is absolutely vital to ensure that the vitamins you are taking are high quality and in the right dosages for your body. Certain supplements, taken in improper dosage, have actually found to be detrimental to health and have been linked to higher risk of mortality and disease. Always research your vitamin brands to make sure they are using pure formulations derived from healthy sources. Brands I trust are NOW, Rainbow Light, Biotics, New Chapter, Vitanica, and Solgar. Check out the Organic Beauty Store for some fabulous supplements used by myself and my clients.

Supplements really do work, and, in combination with the correct diet and exercise for your body, can mean a stronger, more youthful, and healthier you!

—-

Natasha Uspensky, CHHC, AADP

Contact me to schedule a free initial consult to discuss your health goals and find the right diet and supplementation for you. Or come visit me at NU Health & Wellness for more info!

Basic Supplement Guide

By: Monday, July 23, 2012 Diet and Foods, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0
By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Basic Supplement Guide | The Organic Beauty BlogFollowing up on my article, Do Vitamins Really Work?, I thought would share some of my most highly recommended supplements. Bear in mind that it is always best to consult with a holistic healthcare practitioner to determine the exact combination and dosage of supplements for your body and health concerns.

The Basic 5 Supplements for Everyone:

1.  WHOLE FOODS MULTIVITAMIN: A good, high quality food-based multivitamin is a must for everyone, regardless of how healthy your diet is. Plain and simply, it just fills in the gaps in your diet and ensures you are getting at least the minimum daily requirements of various nutrients (though the minimums are just that… there is no substitute for getting all your potent vitamins, minerals and nutrients through a healthy diet!). Recommended: My favorite multis are Vitamin Code by Garden of Life.  I take their Women’s Multi, and recommend their Men’s Multi and Prenatal to clients. Their multis are all whole food formulations, available in a more thorough 3-pills a day, which is necessary to make sure you’re getting enough goodness!

2.  FISH OIL: More and more research is showing that Omega-3 Fatty Acids are absolutely vital for overall health, weight management, prevention of heart disease, managing stress, and decreasing inflammation (among many other benefits), and unless you’re eating sardines, anchovies, and wild salmon several times a week, you’re just not getting enough. Recommended Daily Dose: The ratio of EPA to DHA that is best for you is dependent on your specific health goals, but regardless, a minimum of 1 gram of fish oil (though 2 grams is better) is recommended for everyone. My favorites are NOW Foods Super EPA and NOW Foods Ultra Omega-3.

3.  VITAMIN D3: This nutrient is one that we are all deficient in, as it is simply impossible to synthesize sufficient vitamin D anywhere but in the warmest and sunniest of climates. Getting enough vitamin D3 is imperative for preventing over 100 different diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. It has also been linked to preventing depression, improving mood and stress response, and achieving ideal weight. Recommended Daily Dose: a minimum of 2,000 I.U., or more, depending on specific health concerns. I recommend Biotics Bio-D-Mulsion Forte, which has liquid formulation that guarantees the most efficient delivery into the bloodstream, and has 2,000 in just one drop under the tongue!

4.  PROBIOTICS: Daily probiotic supplements can help keep our digestive and immune systems functioning at their best, aid in absorption of other nutrients, and even help with weight loss and mood stabilization (again, in combination with a healthy diet!). Shoot for a high number of live cultures like acidophilus and bifidus. Recommended: I like NOW Probiotic 10-25 Billion, and find that it works best for most of my clients.

5.  VITAMIN C: Especially for those of us living in urban environments, or those who work in hospitals or with kids (or just have kids), getting enough vitamin C is the first line of defense against colds and infections, and also helps your body fight anything else it’s dealing with. Getting enough vitamin C is also vital for preventing heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, maintaining adrenal health, which can help with fatigue and stress. Recommended Daily Dose: 500 mg 3-4 times a day, depending on your specific health concerns.

5 Great Supplements for Women

1.  VITEX: Vitex, or chaste tree berry, is an incredible supplement for balancing hormones, regulating the menstrual cycle and easing symptoms like heavy flow and PMS. It is also a great supplement for fertility.

2.  EVENING PRIMROSE OIL: Another great supplement for PMS symptoms, particularly cramps, breast tenderness, and breakouts.

3.  CALCIUM/MAGNESIUM/ZINC: This combination is a vital supplement for women, to promote bone health, controlling blood sugar, heart health, and stress management. Make sure to take them together to avoid side effects and maximize results

4.  DIM: DIM, di-indole-methane, is a cruciferous vegetable complex that significantly lowers risk of breast cancer (and other cancers as well), and can help detoxify the system after years of taking oral contraception (which increases risk of cervical cancer, infertility, and severe hormonal imbalance).

5.  CRANBERRY EXTRACT: This is a wonderful supplement to promote urinary tract health, kill harmful germs in your system, and prevent cancer.

It’s important to reiterate that taking supplements is no substitute for healthy diet. Eating a diet made up primarily of brightly colored vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and legumes, healthy fats, and limited animal protein (mostly cold-water fish and eggs) is the BEST way to get all the energizing, life-extending, and disease-fighting nutrients you need.