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Depression, Drugs, and Serotonin: How Do They Affect You?
Depression is becoming an epidemic. This severe mood disorder is affecting over 300 million Americans each year, according to the World Health Association. Depression is diagnosed when a person feels discouraged, sadness, hopeless, unmotivated, and uninterested with everyday life. To be considered a depressive episode these feelings must be present for two weeks and begin to interfere with activities such as spending time with friends and family. Substance Abuse and Depression It’s not uncommon for people with depression to self-medicate. Unfortunately, self-medication increases the risk of substance abuse. Substance abuse while seeming to be an effective temporary solution to relieve symptoms, often makes anxiety and depressive symptoms much worse over time. When intoxication occurs with depression, it can increase the frequency of negative thoughts and leads to self-destructive behavior, "brain imaging at Amen Clinics has clearly taught us how harmful drugs abuse is to brain function," says Dr. Daniel Amen. Ecstasy tends to be a drug of choice for people suffering from depression. This drug is the most attractive to them because it releases the “feel good” neurotransmitter, serotonin. Unfortunately, ecstasy depletes serotonin stores in the brain and studies show that it can make people more anxious, depressed, and obsessive over time. What is Serotonin? Serotonin plays an important role when it comes to depression. What is serotonin exactly? It is a neurotransmitter that produces naturally in our brains before birth and throughout life. It plays intimately important roles in the brain's biochemistry and is involved in maintaining healthy mood, self-confidence, a healthy appetite, and social engagement. Boost Serotonin with Dietary Intervention Instead of masking your depression symptoms with drugs and alcohol, you can help your mood by adding dietary changes, a serotonin supplement, and exercise to help. Dietary interventions should be geared toward naturally increasing serotonin, the neurotransmitter that is deficient in depression. The amino acid tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is used to produce serotonin. However, tryptophan is found in protein-rich foods. Protein blocks serotonin synthesis, so eating a protein-rich filled meal will cause serotonin levels to drop. If you are feeling depressed, try eating carbohydrate-rich foods like whole wheat pasta, bread, and pretzels actually increase L-tryptophan levels in the brain. Adding more healthy carbohydrates to your diet can have a significant impact on the production of serotonin. Also, adding more exercise is known to release feel-good brain chemicals that can help ease in depression. Depression isn't easy. The great news is that making new small lifestyle habit changes can have a big impact on getting your serotonin levels back on track and help create a positive state of mind.
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9 Easy Ways To Boost Your Focus
The Focus Struggle Are you easily distracted when driving? Do you struggle to pay attention to boring tasks? Do you generally have problems focusing, or know someone who does? If so, you are not alone! Can you believe that research shows that humans have an attention span of only 8 seconds? This is less than a goldfish which loses focus after about 9 seconds It seems like evolution may be going in the wrong direction. In 2000, the human attention span average was estimated at 12 seconds, which is not great; but losing a third of our attention span in fifteen years is alarming! 9 Easy Ways to Boost Your Focus In today’s fast-paced, demanding, multi-tasking world, you need to be able to focus and pay attention in order to be successful. The good news is that there are countless strategies you can use to become more focused and have better attention – start with these 9. 1. Good, healthy food is brain medicine. For people who struggle with attention and focus, a healthy fat, high fiber, quality protein, low glycemic diet can have a powerfully positive effect on brain function. The sugar-filled, pesticide-laden, high glycemic Standard American Diet (SAD) leads to increased distractibility, decreased energy, and illness. It is especially important to eat protein with each meal and snack which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and maintain focus. 2. Drink lots of water. Your brain is 80 percent water. Anything that dehydrates it, such as too much caffeine or alcohol, decreases your thinking and impairs your focus and judgment. Make sure you get plenty of water every day. To know you are drinking enough water for your brain, a good general rule is to consume half your weight in ounces per day unless there is significant obesity and then usually not more than 120 ounces a day. 3. Calm and focus your mind on mindful exercise. Yoga, tai chi, and other mindful exercises have been found to reduce anxiety and depression and increase focus. 4. Decades of research have shown that prayer, meditation, visualization, and self-hypnosis can calm stress; improve focus, mood, and memory; and enhance overall brain function. Taking 5 to 10 minutes twice a day to focus on your breathing, gratitude, a beautiful scene in nature, or scriptures is simple, yet can have a powerful effect on your life. 5. Used properly, music is medicine. Music can soothe, inspire, and help you focus. That is why Dr. Amen has teamed up with best-selling author and Grammy Award-winning composer, Barry Goldstein Music to compose pieces specifically designed to enhance mood, memory, energy, and focus. Other music to consider in order to improve focus is: “Just the Way You Are”: Bruno Mars Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448: Mozart “Silk Road”: Kitaro 6. Neurofeedback has been shown to help improve focus, impulse control, and memory along with other cognitive functions. It helps your brain function better by retraining certain brainwave patterns. You essentially get to play a video game using just your mind. While doing it, a computer continuously monitors your brain’s function and provides feedback. It is through repetition that the brain can retrain itself; therefore, a neurofeedback program will involve multiple sessions, but it’s worth it. 7. Boost your attention span with BrainMD’s Attention Support containing natural focus boosters. All its ingredients were picked for their clinically proven benefits to attention, concentration, calm, and overall self-control. Working through multiple action pathways in the brain, Attention Support’s nutrients and herbals help your distractible brain stay on track. 8. Give yourself regular breaks. Many people equate taking breaks with wasting time, but research demonstrates that taking breaks actually improves our focus and efficiency. Our cognitive control system can often begin to fail after a while of focusing on a task. By switching our attention to something else briefly – in other words, by taking a break – we can then return to our original task refreshed and focus on it once again. 9. Get rid of distractions when you prepare to focus – close your email, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Put your phone on airplane mode and turn off anything that blinks, dings, buzzes, or vibrates. Although multitasking may seem like the best way to get things done, research shows that even people practiced at multitasking don’t do it very well.
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A Daily MultiVitamin Is Only Half The Answer
Undoubtedly, you know that vitamins and minerals are good for your health. But do you really know what to make of the alphabet listed on your supplement bottle? Just what is the difference between vitamins and minerals and are they really necessary? Vitamins and minerals are equally essential for a healthy body. However, they differ in their chemical composition, biological function and nutritional requirements. They are considered micronutrients which means that they are needed by the body in small amounts. Yet failing to get even those small quantities virtually guarantees problems. Differences in Chemical Composition Vitamins are organic compounds, which means that they are obtained from living organisms: animals, plants or substances that were once alive, while minerals are inorganic. Minerals have a much simpler chemical composition compared to vitamins. While vitamins are obtained from plants and animals, your body gets minerals from soil and water. Categories of Vitamins and Minerals Derived from two words, vita meaning life and amine meaning containing nitrogen, vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the 8 B vitamins) are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion of your food or while a supplement you take dissolves. Your kidneys continuously regulate levels of water-soluble vitamins, moving excesses out of the body in your urine. Generally, the body does not store water-soluble vitamins so they need to be regularly replenished. However, contrary to popular belief, some water-soluble vitamins can stay in the body for long periods of time. You probably have several years’ supply of vitamin B12 in your liver. And even folic acid and vitamin C stores can last more than a couple of days. Conversely, fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) get dissolved and stored in the body’s fat cells. Because fat-soluble vitamins are stored in your body for long periods, toxic levels can build up. Minerals are divided into major minerals and trace minerals. Trace minerals are needed by the body in small quantities while major minerals are needed in large amounts. Nutritional Requirements While all 13 vitamins are needed for the body, all minerals are not needed. Even though there are thousands of known minerals, only about 20 minerals are considered to be essential to your body. Some of the necessary minerals are calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, sodium, copper, selenium, fluoride, chromium, iron, sulphur, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus. Vitamins are easily destroyed by heat, light, exposure, chemical agents, and long storage. Therefore, extra attention is needed while preparing food or storing it. Minerals on the other hand, are not as vulnerable to heat, chemical reactions, or sunlight. However, mineral loss can occur when they bind to other substances. For example, when there is excess sodium in the body, calcium latches on and is excreted along with the excess sodium, thereby reducing the amount of calcium available in the body. Biological Role Vitamins help promote and regulate chemical reactions and processes in body cells. They produce red blood cells and help maintain nervous, skeletal, and immune systems. They also act as antioxidants which help in fighting disease. Minerals help in bone and tooth formation, blood coagulation, neural conductivity, muscle contraction, maintenance of normal heart rhythms, and assist in keeping acid-alkaline balance in your body. Health Benefits When you don’t get enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, you may become deficient. Vitamin and/or mineral deficiency can cause health problems and may increase your risk of heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. Getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals can help boost your immunity and maintain optimal health. In a world where foods are less nutrient-rich and environmental toxins are pervasive, we are often deficient in key vitamins and minerals that make our brains and bodies work well. Supplementing your diet with high quality, naturally derived nutrients can powerfully promote healing, support bodily functions and boost brain health. BrainMD’s NeuroVite Plus provides a vast range of vitamins and minerals in their most active forms, combined with three of Dr. Amen’s hand-selected proprietary high-nutrient blends. “NeuroVite Plus helps us mind the gap of any nutritional vulnerabilities we may have. I take it and recommend it to all my patients.” – Daniel G. Amen, MD
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The Essential Nutrient Your Body Can’t Make & How To Get It
Omega-3 fatty acids are absolutely essential to your overall health, we need them to build brain cells, but believe it or not, our bodies don’t manufacture these essential nutrients on their own. To receive omega-3s, we have to incorporate certain foods into our diets and additionally make up the lack of dietary intake with supplements. Optimize Brain Function First, a little more about why you need omega-3s. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are the two types of omega-3s found in fish oil. DHA is a vital component of cell membranes, especially in the brain and retina. It also ensures normal brain development in fetuses and infants, providing them with normal brain function throughout life. Without high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, the nerve cell membranes are less fluid and may cause nerve cells to react sluggishly and misfire. Omega-3s can also promote and support: Focus and attention Learning and memory Positive mood and well-being Heart Healthy Benefits Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically, EPA helps reduce inflammation through the body. When inflammation occurs in your body, it can damage blood vessels leading to heart disease and strokes. In addition to reducing inflammation omega-3 fatty acids are known to: decrease triglycerides contribute to lower blood pressure reduce blood clotting Brain Healthy Foods So now what to do about this essential need? To help increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids, try adding these foods into your diet daily for ultimate brain and heart health: Salmon Shrimp Spinach Cauliflower Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Flaxseeds Supplementing Your Diet While increasing the amount of these foods in your daily diet will help increase your omega-3 intake, the best way to ensure you are reaching your omega-3 goals in through nutritional supplements. Because the dietary sources for obtaining clean DHA and EPA—mostly cold-water, oily fish are increasingly limited and expensive, many experts recommend supplementing with omega-3s as the most convenient and effective means for achieving adequate omega-3 status. Omega-3 Power offers an excellent option for obtaining the DHA and EPA omega-3s your body needs to function at its best.
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Do You Have the Winter Blues?
Are you still in hibernation mode? That's OK. Everyone knows it feels better to cuddle up now, watch a movie, and drink a warm, frothy beverage when it’s cold outside or during your chilly rainy season. Many of us are feeling lethargic, fatigued, moody and maybe just a little bit lazy. Also, those thick woolly sweaters can hide your errant holiday resolutions. Why is Your Bad Mood Not Going Away? Signs of low winter mood can include: Negative or guilty thoughts Mental fogginess Purposefully avoiding social interaction Overeating and emotionally eating Periods of starving and bingeing Difficulty with concentration and memory Because most people write off these signs and behaviors as “just being down,” they don’t take proper care of themselves; they don’t believe they need to do anything about it. What Causes The Need to Hibernate? A variety of things can alter or change your cold-weather mood, but there are a few distinct reasons why a change in climate can be responsible for – or the catalyst for – your shift into bad moods. Decrease in Serotonin Activity As the weather changes, and your ordinary schedule is thrown for a loop, your brain's serotonin activity can decrease. As the brain neurotransmitter that plays a majority role in mood, serotonin falloff often is correlated to an upsurge in negative mood. Fluctuations in Melatonin Activity This hormone provides your body with normal sleep cycles, and ebbs (and flows) can affect your mood. When sudden drops in this hormone occur, mood and sleep can get out of sync and contribute to mood swings. If your melatonin activity is out of balance, a melatonin supplement may help you feel more balanced and clear. Vitamin D Deficiency When you’re spending less time in the sun, which is true for most people during the winter weather, we make less vitamin D in the skin. Low vitamin D is linked to low mood and higher perceptions of stress and anxiousness. How Can You Get Rid of Your Winter Blues? There are plenty of ways you can naturally boost your mood or help to alleviate the negative signs and feelings that come with the winter blues. Many of the negative feelings of winter blues are believed to be tied to lack of sunshine and UV rays, which results in the skin producing less vitamin D. One popular, proactive remedy to offset the moody blues is a "bright-light therapy" lamp or light box, which for some people helps combat moodiness, jet lag, and mood swings. They simulate noontime sunshine without the UV rays that can cause skin cancers; and the therapy lamps have several different settings to help you avoid eyestrain. A more cost-effective alternative is to make sure you’re by a window with as much natural light as possible, for at least 30 minutes each day. Sweat to the Beat Try to maintain a healthy diet that fuels your more active lifestyle. Ramp up your will-power and adopt a moderate daily exercise routine. Also, be sure to stick to these healthy habits in order to maintain more even moods and a sense of mind-body balance. If you’re looking for a mood enhancing supplement, BrainMD’s Serotonin Mood Support and SAMe Mood & Movement 400 are both scientifically designed to support the brain mechanisms that promote positive mood and emotional balance during your hibernation months. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD. *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
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7 Ways to Boost Your Energy And Mental Focus
If you reach mindlessly for a cup of coffee or a sugar fix to get you through the day when energy or attention flags, consider eating something healthy instead, or trying a supplement that can naturally stoke your stamina, and improve your energy and focus. Unfortunately, the instant jolt that comes from a blood sugar spike is typically followed by an insulin surge -- leading to a quick drop in blood sugar — which leaves you feeling foggy and sluggish. Next time you're dragging, put down the coffee or energy drink, step away from the donuts, and pick up one of these foods or supplements as an alternative way to get a healthy, natural energy boost. 1. Almonds and Cashews These nuts are an amazing source of healthy fats, fiber and protein that help balance blood sugar levels. They are also packed with magnesium, a mineral that plays a key role in converting food into energy. Being low on magnesium can drain your energy. Also try organic nut butters that provide a great-tasting energy boost. Use all-natural nut butters that contain nothing but nuts so you can avoid added sugars. 2. Salmon and Other Fatty Fish It isn't called a "brain food" for nothing! Salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids which are nutrients that have been found to improve memory and boost energy. Additionally, this delicious fish is also loaded with protein, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B6, which are all instrumental in helping your body convert the food you eat into energy. 3. Kale and Darker Leafy Greens Kale is a superfood that provides you with the essential minerals of copper, potassium, iron and phosphorus. And like lean meats, kale contains the amino acid tyrosine, which helps give you a mental lift, as well as fiber to fill you up and help keep your blood sugar stable so you can avoid energy crashes. Like protein, fiber helps keep you full, as well as regulate your digestion and manage blood sugar. Spinach is loaded with iron – nearly twice as much as other leafy greens – which is essential in keeping your energy up. Eat a spinach salad for lunch (bonus for adding salmon or another lean protein) and you won't experience that p.m. energy slump. 4. Hummus and Tasty Legumes This Mediterranean dip has only a few simple ingredients (typically puréed garbanzo beans, sesame-based tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice) that all contribute nutrients for energy. The fiber and protein provided help stabilize blood sugar, take the edge off hunger, and boost energy. 5. Eggs as the Perfect Protein One of the few foods considered to be a "complete protein," eggs contain all nine essential amino acids that the body can't produce on its own. Additionally, eggs are full of the vitamins needed for the body to produce energy such as thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and B12, and B6. 6. Pumpkin Seeds and Other Seeds A handful of these tasty seeds contain more protein per ounce than almonds as well as more iron and magnesium than most nuts. Protein helps supply energy, and it keeps you fuller for longer because it's satiating, and helps manage your blood sugar. Protein-rich foods like seeds, eggs and nuts take slightly longer for you to digest, so you won’t be hungry or lethargic in 20 minutes. 7. Try a Natural Supplement We didn't mean to make you hungry, but getting adequate proteins to maintain focus and energy often requires lots of calories, which is why you might reach for a soda or cup of coffee for a fix. Amen Clinic's Focus and Energy naturally supports your body’s energy level with caffeine-free green tea, choline, and ginseng. These specially selected nutrients work through multiple mechanisms to support enhanced mental focus. Plus, Focus and Energy is safe, natural and non-habit-forming.
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Serotonin, Are You Getting Enough?
Brighten your mood and sidestep negative thoughts with serotonin and nutrients that can help promote calmness, satiation, and a more positive attitude. The human brain naturally produces a soothing neurotransmitter called serotonin, from before your birth and throughout your life. Serotonin plays many important roles in the brain’s biochemistry, and it’s intimately involved in sleeping, maintaining an upbeat mood, self-confidence, even supporting healthy appetite and social engagement. Are You Making Enough Serotonin Naturally? Here’s the thing, though: All-too many people don’t produce enough of this healthy property to experience the calming, positive effects. Plus, a deficiency may potentially affect depression and mood swings. Since serotonin also interacts in your intestinal tract, too-little of this chemical is closely associated with changes in gut health, body temperature and appetite. 8 Signs of Serotonin Deficiency Poor cognitive functioning Carbohydrate cravings and binge eating Constipation and digestive disorders Sleep problems and insomnia Feeling overwhelmed and unhappy Headaches Ringing in the ears Anger and irritability People who struggle with their moods often have very low levels of serotonin, says Daniel G. Amen, MD. Yet, serotonin can be increased in the brain (and body) by eating the proper foods and/or supplementing your diet. Interestingly, he says certain nutrients can help metabolize and help utilize serotonin most efficiently. Some of these nutrients include magnesium, zinc, folic acid, fish oils, vitamins C and B6. Always ask your doctor about supplementing, especially if you have a chronic condition and take medication every day. Also, it is possible (though rare) to have too much serotonin, but that usually occurs when people mix over-the-counter supplements with prescription drugs. Be sure to communicate with your health practitioner. Balancing your serotonin levels may help minimize emotional overeating and sleeplessness. Our effective Serotonin Mood Support can also help brighten your mood and possibly fight off cravings, bad moods and daily anxiety.
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Can You Be Born With a Bad Memory?
Is Bad Memory Due to Genetics? Can it be Fixed? No one quite knows how memory works, and although researchers are getting closer to figuring it out, there is conclusive evidence that you can be born with a poor memory – but you can also fix it. Some evidence in adults shows that hormonal birth control, for one thing, can negatively affect memory retention. The good news is that the effects are not permanent and only affect temporarily while they are taking hormones. How Can You Be Born with a Poor Memory? A recent research study published in the journal of Neurology shows a strong correlation between birth weight and the number of weeks in gestation, and memory and attention problems as an adult. After studying adults who were born prematurely, studies indicate that those with the lower birth weight still score lower on their attention and visual memory tests when compared with those born full term. Although the study didn’t conclusively pinpoint what exactly happens in the womb during those crucial weeks, research indicates the longer a baby is in the womb, the better for his or her brain. Some studies show that this could be because of the development and maturity of the hippocampus, part of the brain that is essential for developing contextual memories. When the structure of the brain itself was studied, Amen Clinic’s SPECT brain imaging showed that the maturity of the hippocampus at birth and memory function as an adult were associated. Those born prematurely appear to have significantly smaller hippocampus’ than full-term babies, and this may explain why specialists find weaker memories in preemies later in life. How Can You Improve Your Memory Now? Poor memory can also be caused by a variety of things, not just hormones or being born prematurely. The most common sources of poor memory tend to be from very preventable conditions: Stress Lack of sleep Traumatic brain injuries By developing routines that can help to alleviate these issues, and using natural supplements to increase blood flow and circulation, your memory can improve over time. BrainMD Health’s Brain and Memory Power Boost was developed for exactly those reasons. With seven powerful brain boosters – including Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Ginkgo Biloba Extract, and Vinpocetine – Ginkgo Biloba and Vinpocetine work synergistically to increase blood flow to the brain, promoting increased circulation. Huperzine A, a medicinal herb, improves the function of acetylcholine, a brain neurotransmitter that plays a central role in memory. The Amen Clinics are committed to promoting, optimizing, and supporting brain health naturally. Your memory is what allows you to treasure and revisit the most special moments in your life. Make sure you fortify your brain with the nutrients and supplements that can strengthen and restore it.
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Benefits and Uses of SAMe Supplements
SAMe Supplements Promote Good Mood Brain Chemistry At BrainMD, we see your brain as a sophisticated supercomputer with both hardware and software. For peak efficiency, the machinery (including cells, connections, chemicals, energy, blood flow, and waste processing) needs to work effectively. When your brain hardware or “machinery” doesn’t work quite as smoothly, your health practitioner may suggest therapeutic and biological interventions, including exercise, supplements, medication, neurofeedback, sleep apnea evaluations and treatment, hyperbaric oxygen, and more. Whenever feasible, we recommend the most natural ways to heal and support the brain, such as supplements and lifestyle interventions – nutrition plans and workout prescriptions, for example. While we still use medications when needed, and believe they save lives when used appropriately, we believe that treatment providers should first do no harm, and use the least toxic treatments. (Note: People who suffer from bipolar disorder should generally avoid SAMe since it may provoke mood swings.) What is SAMe? S-AdenosylMethionine (SAMe) can be made naturally in the body or synthetically as a supplement. It powers over 200 enzymes necessary for healthy cell growth, maturation, and specialization. In the brain, SAMe is required for nerve cells to make energy, maintain connectivity, and generate mood-related neurotransmitters. And your body utilizes SAMe for pain relief, depression, liver disease, and other conditions. People who don't make enough SAMe naturally may be helped by taking SAMe as a supplement. Widely studied for the treatment of osteoarthritis – you may have even seen a bottle of SAMe at your grandmother’s house first. But SAMe is not just for joints. In fact, over 40 clinical studies have suggested SAMe can potentially help some people battle heart disease, migraines, Parkinson’s disease, depression, PMS and other conditions. Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which provides scientific evidence ratings for natural supplements, reports that SAMe is effective for treating depression, and may help slow the aging process. SAMe Supplement Benefits: May Also Help PMS, Fibromyalgia, Dementia, and Pain This nutrient has been available by prescription in Europe for many years as an antidepressant and has been available over the counter in the U.S. since the early 90s as a mood lifter and as a supplement for nervous system disorders. SAMe is involved with the production of several other brain neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. Maintaining adequate levels of these foundational neurotransmitters is essential in supporting feelings of well-being. Recent controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of SAMe in promoting a happy, balanced mood. NIH double-blind research conducted at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrated that SAMe is beneficial as an additive to those resistant to FDA-approved antidepressants. People taking SAMe in addition to regular antidepressants experienced double response rate and remission rate compared with placebos. One major problem with compliance of prescribed antidepressants is the number of unpleasant side effects, including the 70 percent of patients who experience sexual dysfunction. (This negatively affects adherence to their medication regimen.) Clinical trials have found that SAMe can decrease sexual dysfunction. Everyone can use a little help sometimes. If you are looking for a safe, natural supplement that can support brain health and joint function all while promoting a positive mood, try the natural route first.
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4 Tips to Become the Best Version of You This Year
Jingle bells, jingle bells – wait a minute. Hold your reindeer, there. If you are not feeling quite in the holiday swing of things yet, just do it. Let out one giant “Humbug!” and get it out of the way… Ah, now, that feels better! It is the time of year to look back, take stock and rewrite your negative stories. Set goals for the new year that center around gratitude, strength, and mindfulness. Try these four expert techniques to get in touch with your healthier, calmer self, the best version of you this year. We can help you slow down your busy brain, create healthier relationships, and ultimately bring your life back under control, all of which increase the likelihood for glad tidings of comfort and joy. 4 Ways to Make the Season Merry and Bright 1. Boost Your Immunity Naturally No one feels happy and bright when they are sniffling over the Christmas cookies! While no single food will magically fend off the flu, some nutrients can help protect your body from billions of germs and bacteria. Here are specific nutrients and foods that researchers may suggest to enhance your immune system: Omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseed oil, nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel Zinc-rich foods found in chickpeas and some legumes, oysters, crab, lean meats and poultry Selenium-rich foods found in barley, broccoli, sardines, tuna, Brazil nuts Vitamin E-rich foods found in seeds, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts 2. Slate Time to Tune Up Getting 30 minutes of daily physical activity can strengthen many defenses of the immune system, kick-start your stamina and keep anxious thoughts at bay. Since consistent exercise is a natural anti-depressant, it can help deflect some of those daily and seasonal anxieties. “Exercise gets antibodies and white blood cells moving through the body faster, so they may detect illnesses sooner,” says Daniel Amen, M.D. “Additionally, an increase in blood circulation [from exercise] may also trigger the release of hormones that ‘warn immune cells of intruding pathogens,’” which may help sidestep sickness while enhancing your mood. 3. Take Your Vitamin D, for Goodness Sake Vitamin D plays a number of pivotal roles in promoting weight loss, good moods and immunity. Unfortunately, nearly one-third of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient, says Dr. Amen. Very few foods contain much vitamin D, so your best bet is to take a supplement containing Vitamin D. NeuroVite Plus combines more than 50 nutrients, including vitamin D and plant extracts in their most active forms, to provide whole body-mind nutrition. 4. Train Your Brain to Bring Joy to the World Every time you have an unkind thought or a stress-out thought, your brain releases negative chemicals that make your body feel bad, says Dr. Amen. Every time you have a happy thought, or a kind thought, your brain releases chemicals that make your body feel good. Whenever you're happy, imagine that your brain is releasing bubbles with smiling faces, he suggests. And pass them on to the next person who may be mumbling “Humbug” right about now. Being vital and feeling hearty around the holidays improves your mood and boosts your stamina. (Go chop that firewood already.) To celebrate additional glad tidings, try more of these “good mood” nutrients.
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Meet Dr. Parris Kidd, Chief Science Officer
Under today’s intense pressures, we must actively work to conserve and improve our mental functions. The fast-growing body of neuroscience research proves that the human brain is always working to improve itself, and that literally by changing your brain you can change your life. At BrainMD, we’ve dedicated our careers to helping people feel better by creating the highest quality nutritional products for optimizing and balancing brain health. BrainMD's supplement products are developed from the published knowledge base of successful clinical trials and other scientific research on the safety and effectiveness of specific nutrients and herbals. Additionally, BrainMD’s product development team has over 75 years of combined experience in developing dietary supplements that work. Heading up that team with Dr. Amen is BrainMD’s Chief Science Officer and Director of Quality Control, the renowned Dr. Parris Kidd. Revolutionary Dietary Supplements for the Brain Dr. Kidd has developed a diverse array of dietary supplements over his career, and since 1994 has specialized in developing dietary supplements for the brain. A native of Jamaica, Dr. Kidd has been active in integrative medicine for over 30 years. Dr. Kidd earned a B.Sc. with First Class Honors in Zoology at the University of the West Indies, then a Ph.D in cell and developmental biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Subsequently he pursued an academic career that included teaching developmental biology at Berkeley, doing research and teaching at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, and research at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center (UCSF). [caption id="attachment_4669" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Left to right: Laura Nunes, Tana Amen, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Parris Kidd[/caption] In 1983, having developed a strong interest in “alternative medicine,” Dr. Kidd began a collaboration with Dr. Stephen Levine (another Berkeley PhD) that resulted in the 500-page book Antioxidant Adaptation — Its Role in Free Radical Pathology. While developing a thriving consulting practice, beginning in 1994, Dr. Kidd reoriented his focus to specializing in brain nutrients. He was the scientist on the team that brought PS (PhosphatidylSerine) into North America in 1994 and helped launch PS in Europe and Asia. His support also helped popularize GPC (Glycero-Phospho-Choline) beginning in 1997, and Krill Omega-3 Phospholipids in 2003. Throughout his career, he has developed numerous dietary supplement products, has published extensively on the science behind supplements, and has done hundreds of radio and video features. Highly respected for his integrity and exemplary contributions to building the scientific knowledge base of nutritional medicine, Dr. Kidd’s continued dedication to the quality and effectiveness of supplemental products lead him to BrainMD. He has championed a quality mindset within the company to ensure the best, most effective products reach our customers. “Dr. Kidd’s passion for science and for people’s health reflects in his work every day. His heart is driven by a desire to help people live healthier, happier lives; his decisions are driven by the science – what has been shown to make a difference. He, along with Dr. Amen, has a never ending need to help people and to do right by them. It is inspiring to work with someone like that.” – BrainMD Our Products are Created for People Just Like You You are important to us and we consider our BrainMD customers part of our family. We want you to be confident with and satisfied by every aspect of doing business with us — from our products and customer service to our one year money back guarantee. When you feel better and your family is healthier, we know we have done our job well.
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Kid's NeuroVite Supplements
By definition, vitamins and essential minerals are substances that are essential for normal health and functioning. Without them we develop deficiency symptoms that can be serious. Since they cannot be made by the body in sufficient quantities, they must be taken in from the environment – typically through food. Thanks to the dramatic amount of growth and development they are experiencing, children are especially in need of generous allowances of vitamins and minerals, which are critical for healthy growth, activity, learning, and behavior. Without question, the best possible source of vitamins and minerals for kids is high-quality, organic, locally-grown, unprocessed food. However, for most time-crunched families, eating home-cooked, well-balanced meals made from these ingredients 100% of the time just isn’t possible. Additionally, it is possible for genetic variation to raise an individual's requirements for a vitamin or mineral to way higher than they can obtain even from a perfect diet. Many Children Eat Less Than a Minimum Daily Allowance of Nutrients Alarming studies show that a high percentage of children in North America and other developed countries eat less than the minimum daily allowance of many essential nutrients. Additional studies indicate that modern foods don't meet children's needs for these nutrients. Adding an expertly designed multivitamin/mineral supplement to their diet helps to fill any nutritional gaps. Many clinical research studies have established that supplementing children's diets with multiple vitamins and essential minerals supports their brain and body development. So now that you know the importance of giving your child a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement, you are still faced with trying to figure out which one to buy: There are a lot of multiples out there – if you’ve ever walked down the vitamin aisle of your local health food store, pharmacy, or grocery store, you know how many choices there are. That’s why Dr. Amen and his BrainMD team developed Kids’ NeuroVite – to take the guess work out of what multiple vitamin-mineral supplement to use for your kids. This science-based formulation provides generous amounts of well-utilized nutrients for: making energy (magnesium, the B vitamins) supporting the brain's maturation (methylfolate, methylB12, choline) improving immunity (vitamin C, zinc, selenium) supporting vision (lutein, zeaxanthin) "Get kids started with the support they need. Kids’ NeuroVite was developed for my own children and grandchildren. It can help yours, too." – Daniel G. Amen, MD The BrainMD team scoured the clinical research to document which nutrients are best proven for kids over the long term. We didn't take any shortcuts when selecting the ingredients for our Kids’ NeuroVite. A broad spectrum of nutrients for healthy minds and active bodies was chosen while paying close attention to purity, optimal absorption, and utilization. You know what you WON’T find in Kids’ NeuroVite? Ingredients that you might find in other kids’ multivitamin/mineral supplements that: May be unsafe, such as cyanocobalamin (cyanide with vitamin B12) Are poorly absorbed, such as magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, other oxides Are poorly utilized once absorbed, such as folic acid, beta-carotene (poorly converted to vitamin A), and vitamin D2 Are simply unnecessary, such as titanium dioxide, artificial colorants, and sugar Your child will LOVE the taste of the orange-flavored penguin chewables which are free from sugar, dairy, gluten, wheat, eggs, and artificial colorings or flavorings. Give BrainMD’s Kids’ NeuroVite a try- risk free! We offer a 1-year, money back guarantee on your first bottle of any supplement. And you will have peace of mind knowing that you are providing your child with high-quality "nutritional health insurance," adds Dr. Amen.
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