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December 23, 2004
IN THIS ISSUE
- Popular holiday season supplements
- Health in the news
- Happy 78th birthday to long-time pen pal, John Forest
- Christmas “Favorite Pets” feature * Kat’s & Co-op’s holiday wishes ^..^
GOOD HEALTH FOR THE HOLIDAYS
It’s that time of year again. Short days. Not enough sunshine. Cold. Too many relatives. Too many helpings of the wrong foods. Oh yeah, and all that annoying “Jingle Bells” stuff too.
A SEASON FOR HOLIDAY BLUES
For some, the holidays represent stress, while for others, far from loved ones, the holidays bring on a touch of the blues.
If this is the case for you, take a deep breath and think about helping your body cope by boosting serotonin levels with one of the following supplements:
SAM-e -- SAM-e is a naturally occurring molecule that is distributed throughout your body. It increases serotonin levels, which become low when you are sad or depressed.
5-HTP –- 5-HTP readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases central nervous system synthesis of serotonin. An added benefit may be appetite management, since low serotonin levels can lead to pesky food cravings.
Fish Oil –- Omega three fatty acids in fish oil also raise serotonin levels. Did you know that countries consuming the most fish have the overall healthiest moods? Gotta love that fish oil, eh?
Anyway, articles abound on the web about surviving the “holiday blues”. Here is one from the Mayo Clinic that offers 12 tips for coping with holiday stress:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=MH00030
JOINT COMFORT FOR THE WINTER MONTHS
As early as 400 BC the connection between cold, damp conditions and pain was made by Hippocrates, yet science has yielded few definitive conclusions why this happens. However, there is no question that humans with joint pain feel worse in the winter months.
In cool, damp climates, the muscles and joints are a little more irritable and prone to spasm. Even the very feeling of being cold can cause tension leading to aggravation of pain. In addition, the barometric pressure seems to take its toll on those who have had surgery or a joint injury.
The first thing to do is to keep active. The temptation in cold weather is to hibernate and stay indoors as much as possible. Instead, keep up your exercise routine.
Second, try adding joint-healthy supplements to your regime (none of the nasty side-effects of those now ill-reputed pharmaceuticals in the news of late!).
Our Joint Complex, with glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM, is one of our most popular products when it comes to joint comfort. Lots of hissing if we were to run out of this product, guaranteed!
We also offer Glucosamine Sulfate and MSM separately for those members who are vegetarians choosing not to take chondroitin. They save a bunch too, since chondroitin is the most expensive ingredient in our Joint Complex.
Another vegetarian alternative for joint comfort is our Arthro-3, with its anti-inflammatory combination of ayurvedic herbs boswellia and curcumin, along with MSM.
Fast factoids: Did you know that bio-availability for boswellia is enhanced when taken with glucosamine, fish oil, evening primrose oil, vitamin C, or even alpha lipoic acid?
Similarly, for curcumin, bioavailability is enhanced when taken with milk thistle, licorice, artichoke, or various flavonoids?
PROTECT YOUR TUMMY FROM TOO MANY HOLIDAY TREATS
Cookies, eggnog, pies, ham, mashed potatoes, candy canes, whip cream, good grief, humans can really go over the top at this time of year.
Heartburn, bloating, gas, belching, and indigestion can really ruin the fun. But did you know you can protect yourself before you start serving from the holiday buffet?
Digestive enzymes are proteins specially tailored to break down foods into nutrients that your body can then readily digest. The human body produces some 22 different digestive enzymes. Unfortunately, you don’t produce enough of them to effectively break down all the food you may be eating.
Our Pancreatic Enzymes supplement is an effective ally in breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates for more effective digestion and nutrient absorption.
DON’T FORGET THE FIBER!
Dietary fiber is not digested in your stomach or your intestine, but it is hugely beneficial to your health. Not only will it make you feel full (helpful for waist watchers), but it can support easier, er, elimination.
Fiber Fit is a Co-op favorite with both soluble and insoluble fiber from heart-healthy sources like apple pectin, oat bran and psyllium (seed husk).
By the way, did you know that you should be getting over 20 grams of fiber per day? For men under 50, the daily recommendation is a whopping 38 grams, with women under 50 at 25 grams.
Men over 50, who supposedly eat less, should be getting at least 30 grams, with women over 50 getting at least 21 grams.
Do the math and figure out how much fiber you’re getting in your holiday meals. You may want to supplement while you’re cheating on your diet!
Last but not least, don’t forget to take a walk (or two or three) to boost your mood, stretch your muscles and joints, and burn off those unwanted extra calories. Just tell your nosey relatives that “Guido sent you out!”
And, if you have friends who are bummed out regarding all the bad news about big, brand-name pain and joint medicines, tell them about natural alternatives (that will also save them money) from your favorite kat’s Co-op! You will make your friend(s) happy and you’ll make this kat purr!
Go to: Tell-A-Friend
HEALTH IN THE NEWS
- Fish oil supplements not contaminated:
http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/living/10462307.htm - Vitamin E in seeds kills cancer cells:
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/508844/?sc=mwtn
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FEISTY SEPTUAGENARIAN, JOHN FOREST!
His mails often start with “Woof, woof, big kat” followed by a new request. In the early days, the woofing was all about Pay Pal stuff. Then it was months of begging for this hard-to-pronounce and quite-pricey thing called phosphatidylserine, which, as Neuro PS, we got around to introducing successfully.
I chatted recently with John when he was pitching an idea for yet another new product. He’s always investigating things.
In any event, John let me know that he turned 78 on December 13th! Well, Happy Birthday, John!
Not exactly a bashful fellow, I got to hear all about John’s life on his land “way out in the woods” in northeast Oklahoma. John shared that he is in “better health” now than he was twenty or thirty years ago, due simply to “natural medicine.”
John bragged about his four kids, about losing weight with a honey and vinegar concoction, kicking his diabetes, growing a private crop of stevia, shopping at the Dollar Store, tending his cherry and English walnut trees, buying soybeans in 25 pound sacks, and skinny dipping in a pond on his property.
I heard about his beloved, deceased wife, who was a “big redhead,” but no size match for John’s 6’4” frame. And, I heard about John’s rat terrier, who thinks it’s better to be off chasing critters than napping by the hearth (hmmm, that’s a really tough choice for a kat!).
After chatting, I decided I like my woofing pen pal, John Forest, even better than ever. So please join me during this holiday season in congratulating John for reaching 78 in such fine form!
May he be stirring things up for another seventy years! ^..^
If you would like to send birthday wishes to John Forest, please do so at: john26@gbronline.com!
FAVORITE PETS IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
We’ve got cats this time -- in a Santa hat, in a bowl, and with a teddy bear. Oh, yeah, and a puppy too.
Curious?! Check out our latest Favorite Pets pictures:
Ahem, we need more pictures from all of you to continue our Favorite Pets feature! Go ahead, ask your kids or grandkids to send in their favorite shots. ^..^
HOLIDAY WISHES
We have so much to be grateful for, not the least of which is our collective health at the Co-op (and from the sound of most of the email that we get, the same goes for our far-flung members).
However, we all have friends and family who are not so fortunate. May our Co-op membership say prayers for and share blessings with those less fortunate.
And, from all of us, our very warmest wishes to all of you for a very happy, healthy, blessed, and safe holiday season! ^..^
Still purringly yours,
Guido
Guido Housemouser (The Enforcer) ^..^
Chief Kat and Community Manager
Our Health Co-op
931 Village Blvd, Suite 905-480
West Palm Beach FL 33409
Making Health Affordable Together