Diet and Exercise Reduce Pain in Osteoarthritis
From the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2011 Annual Meeting: Abstract 722. Presented November 6, 2011.
November 7, 2011 (Chicago, Illinois) — Intensive diet and exercise can slash the amount of pain in older adults with osteoarthritis of the knees and improve function and walking speed, according to a study from researchers at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The 18-month Intensive Diet and Exercise for Arthritis (IDEA) trial was designed to evaluate the impact of intensive weight loss with or without exercise on disease progression. The results presented here at the American College of Rheumatology 2011 Annual Meeting are the first from the trial, and focus on pain and function only.
Investigators randomized 454 overweight and obese individuals (72% women), with a mean body mass index of 33.6 kg/m2 and an average age of 65.6 years, to 1 of 3 groups: intensive diet designed to achieve weight loss of 10% or more; moderate exercise only (two 15-minute walks and 20 minutes of weight training 3 times a week); or both. Participants met weekly for the first 6 months, and biweekly thereafter. Eighty-eight percent of participants completed the 18-month study.
At the end of the study, participants in the diet-only group lost an average of 9.5% of their baseline weight, and those in the exercise-only group lost an average of 2.2%. The combined diet/exercise group, however, lost an average of 11.4%. None of the participants regressed to baseline levels, even after 18 months.
Although all groups reported less pain at 6 months, the difference between groups was not significant. However, at 18 months, the combined diet/exercise group experienced a 51% reduction in pain, compared with 27% and 28% in the diet-only and exercise-only groups, respectively (P < .0004), said lead author Stephen P. Messier, PhD, director of the J.B. Snow Biomechanics Laboratory at Wake Forest University. Forty percent of those in the combined group rated their pain at 0 or 1 at 18 months, he said, compared with 20% in the exercise-only and diet-only groups.
In addition, participants in the diet/exercise group improved their functional status by 47%, compared with 30% in the diet-only group and 26% in the exercise-only group. The combination group also increased walking speed by 12%, compared with 10% and 6% in the diet-only and exercise-only groups, respectively (P = .004).
“Clearly, our cohort has reversed the trend of declining mobility that is seen in older adults,” Dr. Messier said. In fact, the combination group had a faster walking speed than healthy middle-aged women aged 40 to 62, and one equivalent to that of healthy middle-aged men, he said.
Eric L. Matteson, MD, chair of the Department of Rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said that the most intriguing finding of the trial is that even patients who did not exercise experienced less pain.
“Both exercise and diet are a great way to improve pain and function,” he said, “but what was really unique in this study was the observation that patients who lost weight had less pain associated with just the weight loss, not even any exercise.” This could be the result of a lower load on the joints, he said, and might enable patients to postpone joint replacement surgery.
It is also possible that patients will be able to reduce the amount of pain medication they take if they lose weight, noted Dr. Messier, something his group hopes to show with additional analysis. “We are hoping from a public health standpoint that medication use goes down,” he said, “and we expect it will.”
The take-home message, he said, is that “clinicians can tell their patients that they will see marked improvement [in pain and function] in 6 months or less.” The fact that significant differences did not appear between the groups until 18 months, however, “underscores the need for long-term studies to detect clinically and statistically meaningful results.”
Dr. Messier and Dr. Matteson have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Eat Your Greens, Change Your Genes
You might not be stuck with the genes your parents gave you. New research fromMcMaster and McGill universities found that consumption of fruit and raw vegetables modified a gene called 9p21, the strongest marker for heart disease.
The study involved more than 27,000 subjects from five ethnicities—European, South Asian, Chinese, Latin American and Arab—and the affect that their diets had on the effect of the 9p21 gene. The results suggest that individuals with the high-risk genotype who consumed a prudent diet, composed mainly of raw vegetables, fruits and berries, had a similar risk of heart attack to those with the low-risk genotype.
“We know that 9p21 genetic variants increase the risk of heart disease for those that carry it,” said Jamie Engert, joint principal investigator of the study and researcher in cardiovascular diseases at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and associate member in the Department of Human Genetics at McGill University. “But it was a surprise to find that a healthy diet could significantly weaken its effect.”
“Our research suggests there may be an important interplay between genes and diet in cardiovascular disease,” said the study’s lead author Ron Do, who conducted this research as part of his PhD at McGill and is now based at the Center for Human Genetics Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Future research is necessary to understand the mechanism of this interaction, which will shed light on the underlying metabolic processes that the 9p21 gene is involved in.”
The results of the study are published in the current issue of PLoS Medicine.
Another Reason Tomatoes Are Good For You
Did you know? . . .
A substance found in cooked or processed tomatoes blocks artery-clogging LDL, or bad, cholesterol.
This appears to reduce the harmful oxidation of fats in the blood to almost zero within eight weeks, potentially reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
This conclusion was presented to a meeting of the British Cardiovascular Society in June, 2009.
Despite Overweight Status, Dieters Don’t Count Calories
REPORT FINDS PEOPLE BELIEVE CALORIE COUNTING IS TOO DIFFICULT
A study found that although 43% of Americans are trying to lose weight and a further 26% are trying to maintain their weight, only 9% keep track of calories consumed on a daily basis.
Past research suggests that people who pay attention to how many calories they eat lose more weight than those who do not.
The study found that 30% cited calorie counting as being too difficult and only 5% consistently try to balance the calories they consume with the calories they expend.
Only 9% could accurately estimate the correct calorie intake for their height, weight and level of physical activity.
87% listed TASTE as a main consideration for food purchases; while 79% pointed to price as a key consideration (an increase of 6% over last year).
A substantial 43% reported their physical activity level as sedentary, an increase from 37% a year ago.
This study was released by International Food Information Council (IFIC), and the full report is available online now at http://bit.ly/lRmjI6 without cost.
Poor childhood diet linked to low IQ, suggests study
Poor childhood diet linked to low IQ, suggests study
A diet high in fats, sugars, and processed foods in early childhood may result in lower IQ scores, while a diet rich in healthy foods packed with vitamins and nutrients may work in reverse, suggests new research.
The study, published in BMJ’s Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, reports a “weak but novel” association between dietary patterns in early childhood, and general intelligence assessed at eight and a half years of age.
The results of the study suggest that the eating habits in early childhood – particularly up until the age of three – may play a role in shaping the development of the brain, and thus affect behaviour, learning performance and IQ in later life.
“In this population of contemporary British children, a poor diet, associated with increased intake of processed foods, fat and sugar, in early childhood may be associated with lower IQ at the age of 8.5 years. In addition, a concurrent healthy diet may be associated with higher IQ,” said the researchers, led by Dr Kate Northstone from the Department of Social Medicine at the University of Bristol, UK.
The importance of healthy diets
Commenting on the new study, Barbara Gallani director of food safety and science at the UK’s Food and Drink Federation told FoodNavigator that it would not be surprising if a healthy, balanced diet is important in IQ development, “just like it is generally for children’s health and growth.”
She added that it is important for everyone, not just children, to eat a wide variety of foods, noting that it is possible eat a healthy diet and still include some ‘treat’ foods.
Gallani said that food manufacturers are leading the way when it comes to providing clear labelling on foods, as well as changing recipes to make old favourites healthier, which “makes it even easier for parents to choose a balanced diet that’s right for their families.”
An intelligent diet
Northstone and her colleagues noted that previous research investigating possible associations between nutrition and IQ in children have tended to focus on the use of dietary supplements or on intakes of specific nutrients.
For example, several studies have examined the effects of vitamin supplementation on IQ in children, with mixed results.
However, the authors said that studies investigating the long-term effects of nutrition on intelligence are sparse and conflicting. “In particular …there appears to be little known about the effects of the diet in early childhood on general intelligence later in life,” they said.
“We do not eat foods in isolation, rather consuming combinations of foods in meals and snacks,” explained the authors.
“Assessing dietary patterns as opposed to individual foods or nutrients allows to us take into account these intercorrelations, which may otherwise be overlooked,” they said.
The new cross sectional study, based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), examined the links between dietary patterns through early and mid-childhood (3 to 8.5 years) and IQ assessed at 8.5 years of age.
Study details
The researchers measured dietary patterns using principal-components analysis (PCA), which provide overall summaries of dietary intake. The diet data, measured at the ages of 3, 4, 7 and 8.5 was then examined for any associations between diet and IQ in nearly 4,000 children.
Three consistent dietary patterns were found from PCA at each time point: a ‘processed’, ‘traditional’ and ‘health conscious’ pattern.
The ‘processed’ pattern was illustrated by foods containing high fat and sugar content and by higher intakes of processed and convenience foods. The ‘traditional’ pattern was associated with consumption of generally home cooked meat, poultry, potato and vegetables, whilst the ‘health-conscious’ pattern was predominantly made up from high intakes of salads, fruit, vegetables, fish, pasta and rice.
“On minimal adjustment, all dietary pattern scores were associated with IQ with the exception of the ‘traditional’ pattern,” said the authors.
Before adjustment for confounding factors (such as parental influence, social and economic status, and other environmental factors) the researchers observed that the ‘processed’ food pattern was negatively associated with IQ at all ages, while the ‘health-conscious’ pattern at all ages were positively associated with IQ.
However, after adjustment for a wide variety of potential confounding factors, they reported that many associations between IQ and dietary pattern were lost, and those that remained (‘processed’ pattern at three years and ‘health-conscious’ patterns at 8.5 years) “were markedly attenuated”, according to the authors.
For the remaining relationships (after full adjustment) the ‘processed’ food pattern at 3 years was found to be such that a one point increase in the PCA score resulted in an almost two-point decrease in IQ at 8.5 years. Whilst the ‘health-conscious’ pattern was associated with an increased in IQ of 1.20 points per one point increase in PCA pattern score.
Interpretation
Northstone and colleagues said that the results of the study suggest a more “long-term effect of diet on the child’s ability to ‘learn’,” they noted that this could be in part be explained by favourable growth of the brain in early childhood – They noted that it is known that the brain grows at its fastest rate during the first 3 years of life.
“Studies have shown that head growth during this time is associated with cognitive outcome, and it is possible that good nutrition during this early period may encourage optimal brain growth,” said the authors.
However, they added that given the levels of attenuation seen in the effect sizes when adjusted for confounding factors, “we cannot exclude the possibility of residual confounding.”
Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1136/jech.2010.111955
“Are dietary patterns in childhood associated with IQ at 8 years of age? A population-based cohort study”
K. Northstone, C. Joinson, P. Emmett, A. Ness, T. Paus
Lifestyle Changes That Can Save Your Life
LIFESTYLE CHANGES TREAT SPECTRUM OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
Researchers report that a number of therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLCs) have the generally unrecognized ability to treat schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, stress, cognitive decline, age-related memory loss, other mental and emotional problems – and even help prevent strokes and the common cold – sometimes as effectively as drug therapy (with fewer complications) or psychotherapy. 
The complete TLC list includes:
- exercise (boosts cognitive performance and reduces memory loss);
- a diet rich in fruits, vegetables & fish (improves cognitive function and reduces affective and schizophrenic symptoms);
- spending time in nature (promotes cognitive function and well-being);
- maintaining good, social relationships (reduces many risks, from colds to strokes to mental illness);
- pursuing recreation & fun (reduces defensiveness and fosters social skills);
- relaxing & stress management (treats numerous anxiety, insomnia and panic disorders);
- meditating (boosts empathy, emotional stability, cognitive function and brain size);
- being religiously or spiritually involved (can reduce anxiety, depression and substance abuse); and providing a service to others (promotes mental and physical health and may extend lifespan).
This study was released February 17, 2011 by American Psychologist but will not appear in the journal until a future issue. It is available at http://bit.ly/hvlDlc.
Skip the Breakfast, Save the Calories?
SMALLER BREAKFASTS AID WEIGHT LOSS
People commonly believe that skipping breakfast results in greater calorie consumption later in the day and increased weight gain. However, a study has found that eating smaller breakfasts – or even skipping breakfast altogether – results in an overall reduction in daily calories and improved weight loss.
Researchers conducted a 14-day evaluation of breakfast calories and how overall caloric intake was affected each day. They found that those skipping breakfast did not fully compensate for the loss of breakfast calories by increased consumption during the rest of the day; and on days of smaller breakfasts, the overall calorie intake that day was less, resulting in weight loss.
The study team concluded that, “overweight and obese subjects should consider the reduction of breakfast calories as a simple option to improve their daily energy balance.” The study was released January 17, 2011 but will not be published until a future issue of Nutrition Journal. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/f0xiYY without fee.
Intensive Lifestyle Interventions & Obesity
LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS EFFECTIVE FOR OVERWEIGHT
An intensive intervention among obese and overweight persons was proven effective in cutting weight and improving cardiometabolic risks. Overweight is linked to greater risks of diabetes and high blood pressure. Obese and overweight individuals were divided into two groups. One group walked briskly 60 minutes a day, five days a week for a year; the other entered the same program at the six-month mark. Both groups spent the entire year on a weight-loss diet, involving liquid and prepackaged meal replacements. After six months, the exercise-and-diet group had lost a substantial 24 pounds while the diet-only group lost a still substantial 18 pounds.
At year-end, the weight loss was similar for each group: 27 and 22 pounds.
Both groups showed significant improvement in cardiometabolic factors: waist circumference, abdominal fat, liver fat, blood pressure, and insulin resistance.
Researchers concluded intensive intervention dramatically reduces overweight risks, such as diabetes and heart disease. The study was released October 9 in San Diego at the Obesity Society’s 28th Annual Scientific Meeting. It will be published in the October 27, 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association and is available online now at http://bit.ly/bSgGph without charge.
The Latest News on Diet Induced Obesity & Leukemia
DIET-INDUCED OBESITY ACCELERATES LEUKEMIA
A study has found that obesity resulting from diet accelerates – and theoretically, at least, may even trigger – the progression of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Obesity has long been associated with an increased incidence of many cancers, including leukemia; but it has not been clear whether the higher risk was caused by obesity or by some other risk such as lifestyle or genetics.
Researchers suggest that obesity may trigger leukemia and that “some hormone or factor in overweight individuals, perhaps produced by the fat tissue itself, may signal leukemia cells to grow and divide.” Not all obesity is caused by diet; weight gain can also be caused by genetics, aging, pregnancy, lack of sleep, some medicines and certain health conditions. This study is important due to the prevalence of obesity in society.
Also, leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer at a time when childhood obesity is at an all-time high.
This just-released study will be published in the October 5, 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Prevention Research. It is now available online at http://bit.ly/cIvDkG.
Detox AFTER Dieting?
Environmental pollutants trapped in fat cells could be released back into circulation when people shed a lot of weight.
A study found strong correlation between weight loss and blood levels of six persistent organic pollutants.
There is no proof that weight loss leads directly to the release of pollutants from fat cells into the blood but the evidence of the study is consistent with that mechanism, reported the researchers.
The study was published in the September 7, 2010 issue of the Journal of Obesity.
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Vitamins & Kids Behavior
Link between vitamins, kids’ behavior explored
A bad diet may lead to bad health for many inner-city kids. And it may also lead to bad behavior.
That’s the conclusion of some public health experts who are advocating for vitamins and other nutritional supplements to curb youth violence and to increase learning. The controversial idea is getting a fresh hearing in Baltimore, where advocates for the disadvantaged are considering testing it on city kids.
If it’s proven that a tablet a day can tick up test scores and dial down violence, it could be a cheaper and easier means of improving a lot of young lives than costly and labor-intensive treatments, according to the Abell Foundation, which wants to determine whether a Baltimore study would be worthwhile.
“We wanted to see what the scientific view was at this point in time,” said Robert C. Embry Jr., foundation president. “It seemed like there was something there worth exploring.”
Embry passed the latest data on the issue to the Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, where a team will be assembled in the fall to consider the scientific studies and the outlines of a possible study, perhaps in city schools.
Some Baltimore schools, like many others in urban school systems, suffer with low test scores and chronic violence — though the number is down from previous years, there were more than 11,000 suspensions last school year for fighting and other offenses. A city schools spokeswoman had no comment about a possible study because officials had not been approached about participating or seen the Abell report. But Edie House-Foster said she recognized the link between proper nutrition and learning and said the sometimes poor eating habits of students were being addressed in the cafeteria and classroom.
As for supplements, Abell reports that there is a lot of suspect research, some funded by the $60 billion supplements industry. But there also are many encouraging studies that seem to show in prisons and school systems that the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids can help curb bad behavior and improve mood and learning.
Critics say the issue is complex and suggest consistent and better meals would be a more appropriate answer than supplements that may not have an effect or may make some children sick. And even scientists involved in credible supplement research say that more study is needed to show the overall effects on behavior and learning.
In previous studies, other elements could have influenced results. For example, government research has shown that hunger can influence academic performance, so it may be hard to separate supplements’ effect when regular meals are also provided. And without baseline information on deficiencies in each child, the specific effects of supplementation also are hard to measure.
But the Abell report points out that the cost of youth violence and aggression reached $156 billion in 2006, and Embry said possible solutions need examining.
The foundation report found promising studies published in the last decade in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the British Journal of Psychiatry, Aggressive Behavior and the American Journal of Psychiatry.
In previous studies, other elements could have influenced results. For example, government research has shown that hunger can influence academic performance, so it may be hard to separate supplements’ effect when regular meals are also provided. And without baseline information on deficiencies in each child, the specific effects of supplementation also are hard to measure.
But the Abell report points out that the cost of youth violence and aggression reached $156 billion in 2006, and Embry said possible solutions need examining.
The foundation report found promising studies published in the last decade in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the British Journal of Psychiatry, Aggressive Behavior and the American Journal of Psychiatry.
So, many researchers began studying the connection between omega-3s, vitamins and other nutrients and brain performance. He said there are four areas of study: violence, hyperactivity, academic performance and mood disorders.
He said the studies have shown the strongest link to mood disorders and depression, and he believes omega-3 supplements may work just as well as anti-depressants. Studies have shown promise in areas but are less conclusive, he said.
“But from my estimation, there’s no harm in trying supplements,” he said. “You’re not going to hurt anything by ensuring added nutrition for the brain, and this could be a really cost effective policy.”
No doubt, many children in Baltimore lack proper nutrition, which officials at the Health Department and schools have been seeking to tackle through a number of programs.
Health department officials point to a 2007 survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that: three-quarters of city high schoolers ate less than the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, 22 percent did not eat fruit and half did not eat a green salad in the week before the survey, more than a third drank a soda a day and about a quarter were slightly or very overweight. Many of the city results were below national averages.
In city schools, spokeswoman House-Foster said “nutrition and learning go hand in hand,” and officials have been looking at improving the cafeteria menus by adding more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and vegetarian options. There also are other programs such as a city farm where kids can learn about healthy foods.
“It’s been on our agenda,” she said. “Each year we try and ratchet it up one more step. Each year we want to do more to help the kids and families understand the link between good nutrition and learning.”
Ethics and clinical experts in Baltimore suggested in the Abell report that any study of these kids be done when they were young and the benefits could be greatest but that the benefits and risks such as nausea and conflicts with current medication be fully explained to participants. They also suggested convening a panel to discuss the issues and design an ideal study. Abell has asked Hopkins’ Bloomberg school to do this, but officials there declined to comment because they will not begin forming the panel until fall.
If the logistics of a proper scientific study are worked out, and safety issues are measured for individual students, at least one local school operator said she’d be interested in participating. Muriel Berkeley, president of the Baltimore Curriculum Project, a nonprofit that runs four city charter schools, has witnessed food make a difference in student behavior.
As a third grade teacher years ago, she said, she and other teachers discovered one bright little boy was behaving badly after eating sugar. They spoke to his mother, modified his diet, and the problems disappeared. When they reappeared one day, they noted the date — it was Halloween.
“That’s just one anecdote, and not scientific, but it showed me that it makes a difference,” she said of proper nutrition. “When the kids are eating well, they come to school healthy and ready to learn.”
At one of Berkeley’s schools, Hampstead Hill Academy, officials have introduced nutrition classes where students learn what to eat for good health and how to prepare it. They also help grow healthy food in a school garden. Such classes are ramping up at her other schools, too.But until each Baltimore City student can be taught about proper nutrition and is motivated to eat well, supplements may be a solution, she said.
“I’d absolutely like to hear about it,” she said.
Abell’s full report can be found at http://www.abell.org.
Drink Water Before Meals for Weight Loss
A study found that drinking two cups of water before meals enhances weight loss for those on a diet. Dieters who drank two eight-ounce cups of water before each of their three meals every day lost an average of 4.5 pounds more within 12 weeks than those who did not increase their normal water intake.
On a calorie-reduced diet, the group that took water ahead of meals lost 14.5 pounds on average while those who didn’t drink water before meals lost 11 pounds on average. According to the researchers, the reason that drinking water before mealtime works is simply because water has zero calories and yet, gives the sensation of feeling partly full even before you start eating, resulting in fewer calories consumed during the meal.
The study author warns that excess water intake is dangerous and can result in death. Health groups such as the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine advise that thirst should be one’s guide to water consumption. This study was presented on August 24, 2010 at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.
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The “excess water intake” discussed as dangerous and resulting in death mentioned in the last paragraph is probably referring to a condition called Hyponatremia – which occurs when too much water disrupts the sodium/electrolyte balance. This condition often occurs at “fun runs” or during events in which people exert themselves and drink too much water, diluting their natural electrolyte balance.
You can still drink water and avoid this condition by consuming salt and supplementing minerals. For a water soluble mineral that does not impart any taste, color, aroma, try NutraMin Pure. You can have delicious alkaline, mineral water anytime by just adding NutraMin Pure to your water, or other favorite beverage. Learn more by clicking here: NutraMin Pure.
How to Avoid Dementia
A new study has determined the individual percentages by which a variety of lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of dementia and suggests that these interventions – in the absence of a new treatment for the mind-robbing disease – are likely to have the greatest impact on reducing dementia levels in the future.
The study assessed previously identified risk factors such as depression, diet, alcohol consumption, educational level and vascular factors, which include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Results found that three changes together – eliminating depression, diabetes and increasing fruit & vegetable consumption – reduced dementia risk by a full 21%.
- Depression alone accounted for a 10% risk.
- Higher education was linked to an 18% lower risk.
- Genetic tendency towards dementia accounts for 7% of cases.
This study was released August 5, 2010 and will be published in a future issue of the British Medical Journal. The journal already has made the full-text version of this important study available to the public, online at http://bit.ly/c3p7KL.
Holiday Survival Tips
This statement rings from stores, appears in our mail and seems to permeate all of November & December. Instead of experiencing “happy holidays,” many are likely to be feeling holiday blues for different reasons.
- Holidays can be a reminder of loss-a relationship, a family, a marriage, a loved one.
- Many feel overwhelmed by the stress of family dynamics at a time when everything you see and hear tells you to be happy at family gatherings.
- Economic uncertainty and unemployment leave many feeling blue and stressed about how to manage.
- The shopping, cooking, baking, gift giving marathon can leave people feeling drained and incapable of relaxing.
- This time of year can be a time of self-evaluation and reflection about the past but also creates anxiety about the future.
- Some feel excluded and lonely if they do not partake in the holidays or have no family.
- Reduced day light during shorter winter days can contribute to feeling sluggish, tired and short on energy.
- A myriad of stressors can produce feelings of sadness, loneliness, gloom, hopelessness, fatigue, etc. If you were already feeling blue before this time of year, these feelings may only intensify.
Basic Holiday Survival Tips & Product Recommendations
We would like to share a few key “Holiday Survival Tips” that have helped many people make it through “the happiest time of year” and suggest several products for those who need a little help this holiday season. Take the biggest step first: resolve to help yourself.
1. Don’t sacrifice sleep. Visiting friends, baking cookies and shopping are no longer fun if you are worn out and ready to collapse. Fatigue can also darken your mood.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Z-Caps: If getting to sleep is troublesome, try (1-2) Z-Caps at least one hour before bedtime.
To learn more about Z-Caps, click on the Z-Caps bottle to the left.
Myo-Nerve: If you need even deeper sleep to calm a busy mind or address pain support, try Myo-Nerve one hour before bedtime. Myo-Nerve is our latest innovation for neuromuscular relaxation. Just add 1 scoop or less to a small serving of natural applesauce or yogurt one hour before bedtime.
Click on Myo-Nerve (to the right) for more information.
2. Set your boundaries. A person who struggles with personal boundaries often gets stressed and hangs on to anger and frustration, making them more likely to experience holiday blues.
3. Exercise. Don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution to start or resume your exercise program. Your body’s ability fight the blues is strengthened by the natural chemistry that occurs when your body moves regularly. So write yourself a reminder to enjoy a brisk walk, take stairs, ride your bike or make use of your gym membership now.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
ProSport & ProSport MAX: To maximize your exercise benefits, enhance your hydration. ProSport and ProSport MAX are the choice of elite and amateur athletes who rely on the antioxidant power these drinks deliver.
ProSport MAX offers 2075 ORAC units/serving — the antioxidant equivalent of 4-7 servings of fresh fruit or berries.
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At only $2 – $2.50/serving, ProSport & ProSport MAX offer so much more than designer coffee or mass market energy drinks.
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ProSport MAX delivers 4200 ORAC units/serving – the antioxidant equivalent of 10-14 servings of fresh fruit or berries.
Try either drink powder in a delicious smoothie for quick energy or “nutrition on the run.”
4. Monitor Caffeine & Alcohol Intake. Caffeine can give you a quick high but a jolting crash once it wears off, leaving you feeling worse than before you drank that high calorie, triple strength, ultra-sized Italian-sounding coffee bar drink. Alcohol is a depressant and can intensify seasonal blues. Bring your own healthy alternative to parties if you think there may not be a non-alcoholic option.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION:
PowerThru: If you’re feeling low on energy, boost your body’s own cellular energy production with our botancial, EGCG Green tea formulation that contains time tested natural ingredients. Try PowerThru in the morning or at lunchtime for smooth alertness without the jolt & crash.
Click on the PowerThru bottle for more information.
5. Savor the treats in moderation. At home, you’re in charge. Choose to prepare healthy, balanced meals that in turn, keep you feeling more emotionally and physically balanced. If you know that it may be difficult to stick with your regimen away from home, eat lightly before you leave home so that you can savor treats in moderation and spend more time in conversation.
6. Lighten the load. Yours and others. Volunteer at the food bank, at a soup kitchen, for children or people in need. Don’t underestimate the power of helping others.
7. Keep track and be reasonable. Make lists to stay on top of a reasonable number of tasks, gifts, events to attend and money to spend. Staying in control is empowering and a critical step in maintaining healthy emotional balance.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
InSight Natural: For natural mental health support and a positive, proactive attitude, try our cocoa flavonoid-based formulation that has been dispensed by physicians to thousands of patients.
For more information on InSight Natural, click on the product photo to the left.
InSight HT: When high tension and stress require an extra strength mood/relaxation product, try InSight HT to help you manage stress better. Unlike other natural “mood” products, both InSight HT and InSight Natural offer noticeable benefits.
To read more about InSight HT, including stress management tips, click on the InSight HT bottle to the left.
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If you would like to share your tips for enjoying the season, we invite you to post your comments or questions. The Advantig Blog is a moderated blog, so please expect approved comments and answers to questions to post within 24-48 hours.