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Relax Your Mind With GABA
Do you often feel worked up, irritable or sad for no good reason? Do you spend a lot of your time feeling stressed and worried? Not as interested in having fun? Have friends or family members expressed their concerns over your well-being? Though there could be any number of explanations for what you’re going through, one possibility is that your neurons aren't releasing neurotransmitters at optimal levels. Our brains may use as many as 100 different neurotransmitters, with GABA being one of the most important. What Are Neurotransmitters? Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that neurons (nerve cells) release to allow them to communicate with other neurons. The neurotransmitter most associated with calming effects in the brain is GABA (technically Gamma-AminoButyric Acid). Clinical research suggests taking GABA by mouth can help cope with stress, improve mood, and generally have calming effects. What Can GABA Do for You? In addition to rhyming with the feel-good 70s group ABBA, GABA has been found by clinical research to help reduce stress and produce groovy feelings. This neurotransmitter’s primary effect is believed to be holding back our nerve cells from excess firing. GABA also is fundamentally important for the healthy maturation of new nerve cells (neurogenesis) and for the overall development and maintenance of the brain. Also, GABA has mild relaxation properties that can support a balanced mood and restful sleep. Lower levels of this neurotransmitter in some brain regions has been linked to mood challenges, difficulties with self-control, and excessive worry. Gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid and neurotransmitter that regulates brain excitability by inhibiting excessive firing of neurons, resulting in a sense of calm. Supplementing with GABA can help flip the "off" switch on worrisome, ruminating thoughts by supporting the body’s natural mechanism for quieting the mind. Are You Low on GABA? If you’ve suffered emotional trauma or are under a great deal of stress, it's possible your GABA levels are less than optimal and contributing to your feeling anxious, unmotivated, uptight, or just plain sad. If you tend to predict the worst, are wracked with nervousness, have chronic muscle tension or other stress-related feelings, it might be worth taking steps to increase your brain GABA levels. If you’re one of the millions of Americans struggling with mood or sleep problems, the good news is that you do have a shot to get control of these feelings. Try these five steps to start living a happier life… 5 Ways to Calm Your Mind Using GABA Be Grateful One way to boost your mood and reduce anxiety is to write down five things you are grateful for every day. Research suggests that focusing on gratitude helps to calm your deep limbic areas and enhance the other judgment centers of the brain. When you focus on what you love, your brain works better, and you’ll have a chance to feel better. You'll likely notice a significant positive difference in your level of happiness over a pretty brief period. Do Yoga and Get a Massage Practicing yoga and getting massages can do more than improve your physical function. Clinical studies indicate that both are beneficial for improving mood and coping with stress. Massage can lower the stress hormone cortisol while increasing the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which work cooperatively with GABA. Yoga actually can increase brain GABA while improving anxious feelings and overall mood. Soothing Tunes Listening to soothing music can help relieve stress by triggering biochemical stress reducers in your brain. Due to an increase in dopamine levels, music can also improve mood, boost energy, and help with focus and concentration. When used properly, music is medicine. Stress Reducing Strategies When you’re under stress, your body cortisol and other messengers that push your brain to seek out rewards—cravings. For many of us, cravings are triggered by unpleasant emotions, including stress and anxiety, as well as being sleep deprived due to stress. Making sure to get enough sleep can reduce cravings and help you feel level-headed enough to deal with the cravings. Rather than giving in to your cravings, utilize stress management techniques—take a vigorous walk, do yoga, or relax in a hot bath. Meditation, diaphragmatic breathing, intense exercise, hypnosis and optimizing vitamin D levels are also great ways to improve self-control and make better judgment calls so that you truly control your brain. GABA Calming Support GABA Calming Support is a unique combination of clinically proven ingredients that help cope with restlessness, irritability and other challenges associated with occasional anxiety. This supplement provides GABA chemically identical to the GABA our nerve cells make. It also contains ingredients that help our nerve cells respond better to GABA. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about GABA Calming Support and 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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Latest Research: Can Curcumin Support Your Memory?
Memory, weight, and mood issues are national health concerns that continue to grow. The answer is not to see them as individual or separate problems, but rather as different outcomes of the same unhealthy lifestyle. When it comes to memory issues, there’s good news and bad news. The Bad News: Memory Issues Are Common Here are some alarming statistics: Someone is diagnosed with serious memory issues every 7 seconds. Per recent statistics, millions of people living in America will have extreme memory issues at some point in their lives. Tens of millions more will experience other forms of recall struggles or cognitive decline. People who have family members with severe memory challenges may have a higher risk for memory problems themselves. Those who have a parent or sibling with memory issues are 3.5 times more likely to develop similar symptoms. Some of the most common risk factors for memory problems include weight issues, heart problems, smoking, using drugs or alcohol, sleep irregularities, and low estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid levels. And, lest you think that only your memory is at stake, insulin resistance has been linked with weight issues as well, with a wide array of behavioral and mood challenges including panic attacks, restlessness, and severe attention issues. Long before symptoms develop, your brain may have already started deteriorating, years or even decades before you realize it! A UCLA study found that 95 percent of people with severe memory issues aren't diagnosed until they're in the moderate to severe stages of the disorder. Yet the brain of someone with extreme memory problems at age 59 likely started to show signs of deterioration by the time they turned 30. No matter your age, memory symptoms should be taken seriously. Developing noticeable memory decline in your forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, or even eighties is NOT normal. It’s a sign of impending trouble. The Good News: Memory Can Be Improved Despite the natural aging process, you have a choice in how fast your brain ages. Your behavior and habits can speed up or slow down the rate at which your brain declines with age. Being mentally and physically active, eating nutritious foods and avoiding unhealthy habits can help you maintain optimal brain health and ward off serious, long-term memory struggles. The best way to prevent memory loss or cognitive decline is to eliminate all the negative risk factors. And the good news is that most of them are either preventable or treatable! The Latest Research on Curcumin Even though there’s no known cure for severe memory loss at present, there are effective methods for treating the problem. Recent research has shown that curcumin has a potential role in prevention of neurodegeneration by boosting cell survival pathways. This is an exciting development and possible intervention for those dealing with extensive, long-term memory issues. Turmeric & the Brain: Benefits of Curcumin Turmeric is a curry spice that's been used in India for thousands of years because of its rich flavor and medicinal properties. Turmeric comes from the Curcuma longa plant. The dried root of the plant is ground into the yellow turmeric powder. Turmeric’s health benefits are numerous: it helps in the digestion of fat, maintains healthy blood sugar levels and benefits the brain. The most important ingredients in turmeric are called curcuminoids. The most active of which is called curcumin. It’s a substance associated with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin has been found to support working memory, calmness, and satisfaction in coping with mental strain. It also promotes cardiovascular health and lessens physical fatigue. Also, curcumin is attributed to increasing the brain hormone BDNF, which improves the function of neurons, encourages their growth, and strengthens and protects them. One of the key features of a brain affected by significant memory loss is the buildup of clumps of a protein called amyloid-beta. The latest studies on turmeric show that curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier and has the potential to help clear these plaques. Take Memory Problems Seriously While it’s true that memory issues are common with age, they’re not inevitable. In the presymptomatic stage, when memory problems are minor, help is likely to be most effective. If you’re struggling with your memory, even if it seems inconsequential, now is the time to wake up and take memory problems seriously. Being serious about brain health has no age limit, especially when a better brain can help improve your focus, mood, and memory. You can create a brain-healthy life by learning how to love and care for the most important part of your body…your brain. 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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How to Make Memory A Priority
Do you often forget where you left your car keys? Do you struggle to remember words, names, faces or numbers? Maybe you’re finding it more and more difficult to keep up with conversations…or you’ve forgotten important appointments…or you can’t make your favorite dish anymore because the recipe is too difficult to follow. If one or more of the above examples apply to you, a parent or grandparent, it’s time to consider making memory a priority with vitamins and other nutrients that your brain needs in order to make and retrieve memories. Your future and the future of your loved ones depends on it. In a fast-paced, high-stress society, many things can ruin your health and memory. Obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and eating a poor diet are all associated with an increased risk of catastrophic memory loss. With an ever-expanding elderly population in America, memory problems are posing serious emotional and financial challenges to our society. Top 5 Methods for Improving Your Memory 1. Avoid Toxins Smoking, alcohol and drug abuse all increase your risk for memory problems. Even one beer or glass of wine a day can damage your brain and make it toxic. Recent research demonstrates that smoking marijuana can negatively affect the hippocampus, the brain’s major memory center. 2. Memory Boosting Food The Standard American Diet (SAD) is filled with foods that increase your risk for a variety of medical problems. It’s also associated with a smaller hippocampus, one of the major memory structures in the brain. Instead of eating foods saturated with refined carbohydrates and sugar, choose lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of produce. Aim for a diet that’s 70 percent plant-based foods and 30 percent high-quality protein, with healthy fat mixed in. 3. Drink Your Vitamins Rather than taking handfuls of capsules from stacks of vitamin bottles, get a big dose of memory-boosting power from Bright Minds Memory Powder. This robust formula of 34 nutrients the brain needs is a highly concentrated, memory-targeting daily supplement system. With carefully crafted and clinically proven ingredients, Bright Minds Memory Powder is a tasty, citrus-flavored drink mix that can be added to water, juice or even a fruit smoothie. The potent mix of vitamins, minerals, conditionally essential nutrients, and related plant nutrients in Bright Minds Memory Powder can: Enhance Blood Delivery - The better the brain’s circulation, the more oxygen and nutrients it can receive to support memory all through life. Ginkgo, resveratrol, lutein, zeaxanthin, CoQ10, as well as vitamins and minerals in this powder, promote healthy blood flow to the brain. Boost Energy - The brain weighs just 2-3 pounds, yet it uses at least 20 percent of all the body’s energy. PS (PhosphatidylSerine), acetylcarnitine, B vitamins, magnesium, chromium, alpha-lipoic acid, CoQ10 and other nutraceuticals in this formula provide the building blocks for energizing memory processes. Promote Brain Connectivity - The brain’s trillions of nerve cell connections (called synapses) rely on PS for their electrical activity. The numerous antioxidants in Bright Minds help protect these synapses against damage. Additionally, methylfolate, methyl-vitamin B12, choline, and other methyl support nutrients in the formula support synapse maintenance and protect the brain against damage from homocysteine buildup. Improve Neurotransmitter Support - Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that travel across synapses in the brain and knit together the tens of billions of nerve cells. Huperzine A, acetylcarnitine and choline promote the pathways that rely on acetylcholine, a key memory transmitter. PS, Vitamin D3, all the B vitamins, magnesium and other minerals support the production, release, and synapse actions of multiple neurotransmitter systems across the brain. 4. Keep Your Brain Clean The brain has a special waste management system to help eliminate toxins that build up during the day, possibly including the amyloid plaques thought to be responsible for serious memory loss. It's believed that during the day, your brain is so busy managing your life that this cleaning system is pretty much turned off. Without sufficient healthy sleep, the cleaning crew doesn’t have enough time to do their job and trash builds up, contributing to brain fog and memory problems. This makes getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night absolutely vital. 5. Jog Your Memory Literally. Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain, and helps keep your memory sharp. Exercise delivers extra oxygen to the brain and can also stimulate the growth of new cells and blood vessels in the brain. At BrainMD, we're 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 it a priority to fortify your brain with the dozens of nutrients that can help strengthen, and even restore, some of the memories you've lost. To learn more about the brain-healthy supplements that can help boost your memory, please visit our online store at BrainMD.
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When Memories Fade: My Grandmother's Story
The Beginnings At first, it seemed harmless. Years ago, my grandmother started repeating conversations and asking questions multiple times. My grandma had always been a little absentminded. So my family and I thought these were just normal senior moments of forgetfulness. We shrugged it off as just a part of getting older. We all assumed that would be the extent of it, but as time wore on things definitely got worse. Realization I finally allowed myself to accept that my grandmother was having a bigger problem when she asked me over to her house for dinner, and when I showed up, she looked completely surprised. She had no idea why I was there. Moments like this would happen, but she was still functioning fine on her own. Then one day we received a call, she had been at the store and had a fall. The doctor’s determined she had fainted from dehydration. She had forgotten to drink water all day. As a result of her fall she had broken her back and hit her head pretty hard, so regardless of her mental state, she couldn’t live on her own anymore. The Really Hard Part When she moved into an assisted living, I visited her frequently, and things weren’t too different. But soon the visits became emotionally draining. It was difficult to see her depressed and frustrated from her own confusion. It was hard for me. Then I started getting random phone calls from her. She would ask me why I hadn’t picked her up, saying things like she was at the movies by herself and I never came to get her. Eventually, that confusion turned to anger. Anger because she couldn’t remember or understand what was going on. She would lash out at me, and say hurtful things. She would threaten me with self-harm. She even became physically aggressive during some of these moments of confusion. One day we got another call, she had taken a plant from someone’s room and was, “going to a wedding.” When trying to walk out the front door of the facility, the staff tried to stop her, and she began hitting them. The idea of her made-up event and accidental theft would have been comical if it weren’t so tragic… She was moved to a psychiatric facility for a while after that. Eventually, my grandma progressed further into her memories, so far gone that the anger subsided. Over the course of several months, she began not recognizing me during my visits. Sometimes she would remember, but the other times she thought I was my sister, or my mother, or her own sister. She would tell us stories from decades ago as if they had just happened. She would inform us that my grandfather or her parents were coming to visit, or taking her on a trip, though they had long since passed. It wasn’t long after that point that we lost her. What I Wish I Knew To watch a once vibrant and nurturing woman lose her shine and need professional care, was one of the most painful parts of losing her. Had I known more in the early days of her repetitive questioning and forgetful moments, I would have done so much more for her. I would have given her important nutrients to nourish and support her brain, and I would have made sure she took them every day. Instead of just visiting or running errands, I also would have worked harder to keep her mentally and physically active. I would have played brain strengthening games with her, encouraged her to read and join a book club, and found ways to get her to socialize. If I had it to do over again, I would have tried anything and everything. The Point So, my purpose in telling this story: To encourage anyone who can relate to this, to please educate yourself. Read books like Dr. Amen’s “Memory Rescue,” participate in communities that educate and support you on brain health, and start doing whatever you can to keep the ones you love from fading.
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Memory Month: Supplement Success Stories
The New Year has finally arrived and now is the time to get serious about your health goals. Regardless of which resolutions you made, protecting your brain should be at the top of the list. Optimizing brain function and performance is absolutely essential for starting off the New Year on the right foot…and for maintaining healthy habits throughout the year. If you’ve been struggling with cognitive decline, brain fog or poor recall, now is the perfect time to get help since January is Memory Month at BrainMD. With the recent release of Dr. Daniel Amen’s book Memory Rescue and the launch of the new memory-targeted daily supplement system Bright Minds Memory Powder, BrainMD is committed to helping you boost your memory and keep it sharp all year long. Using the most rigorous criteria for selecting the highest quality nutrients, BrainMD offers a line of brain-directed, clinical strength supplements that can help to improve, preserve and boost your memory. We’ve had countless success stories over the years…here are just a few of the individuals whose lives have been vastly improved by our memory products. Memory Supplement Success Stories Brain & Body Power MAX “Awesome product. I purchased this vitamin pack for my mother. She is in her late fifties and has been struggling with her brain function for the last several years. I have been doing tons of research to find some way of helping her. Between this supplement and other dietary changes, she is now doing so much better. I would recommend this product for anybody. I am getting my mom back.” – Joshua Brain & Body Power MAX provides your brain and body with amino acids, vitamins, minerals, botanical extracts and neuro-nutrients at advanced levels. This all-in-one supplement system makes it easy to stay healthy on the go with portable packets for your purse or pocket. Brain & Memory Power Boost “I am a 55-year-old elementary school teacher so I have to stay sharp dealing with kids. I noticed that sometimes I would forget very basic things. For example, one day while I was writing on the whiteboard, I completely forgot how to spell the word “what.” After laughing at myself and asking the kids for help, I continued with my lesson. However, I was becoming more aware of these awkward and embarrassing moments. So, I started taking Brain & Memory Power Boost every day, I thought, why not try them. After a few weeks, I noticed a complete change. I felt like my mind was clearer and I could memorize things a lot easier. It doesn’t make you smarter but it definitely makes your memory feel much clearer, and sharper.” – Karen Brain & Memory Power Boost promotes brain metabolism, supports neurons and defends against free radical damage to the brain. It can help power up mental sharpness and cognition so you can think fast on your feet again. Neuro-PS “I have had challenges with my memory. I have seen improvement after taking Neuro-PS. Neuro-PS helps me to think more clearly and allows me to stay focused at work instead of losing track every few minutes of what I was doing.” – Debbie Neuro-PS provides phosphatidylserine (PS), a nutrient concentrated in the brain and clinically proven to improve mental focus. In double-blind clinical research trials, PS enhanced recall of names, faces, words, and numbers, and improved verbal fluency. PS is better documented for these benefits than any other nutrient. Omega-3 Power “With a new improved memory, I have a renewed desire to learn; enjoying studying vocabulary and grammar, finance, psychology and Spanish without experiencing brain strain. At 73 I have never felt better, or been more mentally alert and physically productive.” – Jerry The omega-3 fatty acids in Omega-3 Power are essential for your brain cells to make the trillions of connections that enable peak cognitive, mood, and behavioral performance. Additionally, Omega-3 Power enhances recall and overall mental balance. Since your memory is what allows you to treasure and revisit the most special moments in your life, be sure to fortify your brain with the nutrients that can strengthen and restore it. 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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Vanilla Tahini Protein Shake Recipe
How To Shake Up Your Protein Routine Honor Harvey, Amen Clinics Corporate Chef, suggests: “I love love to put a big fat tablespoon of Tahini in with the vanilla protein (Chocolate is good too...add a little extra cacao for a deeper chocolate and added brain boosters). Tahini shakes are all over Instagram for Israeli/Middle Eastern foodies. And they taste great! Plus, sesame seeds are excellent for brain health!” Vanilla Tahini Protein Shake Recipe: 1 Heaping scoop of OMNI Vanilla Protein Powder 1 Heaping Tablespoon of Tahini 2 Cups Almond Milk Ice Pinch of Salt (Optional) Strawberries Blend in blender until smooth. Enjoy!
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How to Make Good on New Year's Resolutions
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery Have you been setting New Year's Resolutions year after year without ever taking the first step to accomplishing it? Or have you, at least, attempted only to fall short soon after and give up? Life is full of things that can consume your time and prevent you from fulfilling your plans. If you find it difficult to make and keep goals, you’re not alone. Research has shown that while almost half of Americans set New Year’s resolutions, only 8% of them are successful at achieving them. So why even set New Year's Resolutions if the odds are against you reaching them? Without clearly defined objectives, it’s impossible to be successful in life. When you know what you want, you are more likely to change your behaviors to get it. Setting goals and working hard to achieve them provides a sense of accomplishment. When you have a purpose and mission, life comes into focus and your energy is spent on healthy pursuits. 7 Proven Strategies To Achieve Your New Year's Resolutions 1. Set Realistic Goals Goal-setting isn’t having a vague idea of something you’d like to obtain at some undetermined point in the future. The time to be intentional is now. Write down your resolutions in a calendar and then review them every day to make progress toward completing them. Making realistic goals that you can focus on daily will make a significant difference in your outlook on life. 2. Find a Fitness Friend One of the best ways to achieve fitness goals is to exercise with a partner or in a group. Besides making a workout more fun and interactive, having a buddy to keep you accountable on days when you feel like slacking off can be a huge help. Plus, you’ll be less likely to hit the snooze button when your fitness friend is counting on you to join them at the gym or for a morning jog. 3. Get Nutritional Support If one of your resolutions is to sharpen mental focus and boost your energy, getting nutritional support is a must. For starters, try taking a good multi-vitamin with vitamin B6, D, and magnesium. Then add other supplements to boost mood, focus, or memory. Properly fueling your brain and body can also help support your daily performance and help you accomplish all your goals. 4. Prioritize Your Goals If working on all your goals at once becomes overwhelming, set up a hierarchy. Select a few things you absolutely must accomplish, several things you want to complete and many things that would be nice to finish by the end of the year. Not only will this pyramid structure allow you to focus your time and energy on the essentials, it will also help to reduce the debilitating pressure of trying to juggle so many objectives at one time. 5. Ready to Get Sweaty? The most common resolutions involve diet and exercise. Maintaining a consistent fitness plan can be a challenge in today’s busy world. To increase your chances of reaching your New Year’s goals, set yourself up for mind-body success. Get motivated and ramp up your workout routines by attending a group hike, bike class, or Pilates sessions 2-3 times a week for one month. Above all, find physical activities that you enjoy…exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. 6. One-page Miracle (OPM) What all successful people have in common is a sense of personal responsibility and clear-cut objectives. An OPM will help you make better choices, which will enable you to achieve more in life. Write down the specific goals you have for each major area of your life. Then ask yourself every day, “Is my behavior getting me what I want?” This simple but profound activity can aid the process of turning your thoughts into reality. Click here for tips on how to create your own OPM. 7. Treat Yourself It’s important to celebrate your wins. When establishing your exercise goals, write down the reward you’ll get once you attain that goal. But simplify your goals in the process and create markers of accomplishment. For example, instead of saying you’ll celebrate when you lose 20 lbs., which could take months, set goals like consistently working out 3x a week. Then celebrate at the end of the week or two weeks. These wins will keep you motivated. Ideas to celebrate: treat yourself to a massage or a movie night. Set yourself up for success in the New Year by implementing some, or all, of these strategies and supporting your brain and body with dietary supplements. 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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The Ultimate Holiday Survival Guide: How to Reduce Stress
The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you feeling more overwhelmed and frazzled than merry and cheerful? Not sure how to reduce stress? You’re not alone. A survey by Consumer Reports revealed that 90 percent of Americans find at least one thing stressful about the holiday season. Ironically, most people will experience more stress and worry during the holidays than at any other time of the year. Many factors contribute to that stress, such as: monitoring the kids full-time, needing to accomplish more in shorter days, trying to stay active during the colder months, and allocating money for gifts, groceries, charities, concerts, and travel. So with everything going on, how is it possible to reduce stress, and experience a joyful, calm holiday? The first thing to be mindful of is that the holidays tend to be filled with unrealistic expectations and unforeseen pressures that can cause mood and sleep issues. Unaddressed, these forces have the power to steal your joy, ruin your health and trigger unproductive behaviors, which can absolutely ruin your holiday. We understand these mixed emotions and are here to help. Below are our top recommendations for reducing stress this holiday season. 5 of the Best Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress Burn Some Calories Instead of wasting the holidays watching TV or playing video games, get the whole family outside for safe exercises (and please be careful with brain injuring sports, i.e., football, hockey, or soccer). Try going for long brisk walks or try a dancing class. Exercise increases blood flow to all parts of the body, including the brain. It’s recommended to get 30 to 45 minutes of exercise daily. Feast Well Many people experience weight gain during the holidays. Portion sizes certainly contribute to waistline struggles. Eating foods saturated with fat and sugar can also pack on the pounds. When sitting down to a holiday feast, select foods that are high in protein, healthy fats and fiber. Eating a healthy meal before arriving is one way to maintain a healthy diet at family gatherings and holiday parties. Fill the Gap Due to the Standard American Diet (SAD), many people aren’t receiving proper nutrition from the foods they eat. To fill in the nutritional gap during the holidays, it’s essential to take the brain and mood-boosting supplements. Having a brain-directed supplement support plan will help you navigate the holidays more calmly and with better energy so that you can keep the seasons bright. Here are 3 of BrainMD Health’s top holiday survival supplements: Everyday Stress Relief promotes calm without drowsiness, maintains a positive mood, and manages healthy stress hormone levels. Omega-3 Power is essential for our brain cells to make the trillions of connections that enable peak cognitive, mood, and behavioral performance. Serotonin Mood Support facilitates sustained and deep sleep, maintains healthy mood and self-confidence, and even supports a healthy appetite. Show Gratitude Did you know that practicing gratitude actually makes your brain work better? Research has demonstrated that people who express gratitude on a regular basis are healthier, more optimistic, make more progress toward their goals, have a greater sense of well-being, and are more helpful to others. Write down three things that you’re grateful for every day. Then experience the joy that gratitude can bring. Stay Well Rested To keep up with the increased demands of the hectic holiday season, many people sacrifice quality sleep. Lack of sleep often leads to illness, which makes it that much harder to accomplish everything on your to-do list. To ensure that you have the energy you need to get the most out of the holiday season, it’s recommended that you get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is a sure fire way to reduce stress, feel more energized, and focus on the positive during the holiday season. BrainMD Health’s supplements have a 100% satisfaction, money-back guarantee. You have nothing to lose except for stress and worry. 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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How to Keep Calm This Holiday Season
The holidays. That time of year that we both cherish and dread. Parties, travel, gifting, family, these can be both magical, and the reason many people experience increased stress and worry during the holidays. So how do you keep calm when the kids start fighting in the backseat or you get a flat tire on the way to your parent’s house? How do you keep from getting totally overwhelmed at the thought of driving great distances to be stuck in a room with those family members that know just how to drive you mad? Though we tend to look for help everywhere else, the solution to many of our problems can be found between our ears. The ability to manage stress and adapt to new situations starts in the brain. Proper neurotransmitter balance is essential to brain health. The better our transmitters operate in harmony with each other, the closer we are to having optimal mental function. Having a balanced brain is especially important during the holidays when things seldom go according to plan and stress levels can threaten to reach critical mass making it hard to keep calm. 3 Tips for How to Keep Calm & Achieve Emotional Balance During the Holidays 1. Home Field Advantage To avoid the stress of holiday travel, offer to host the family gathering at your house this year. This strategy is particularly helpful if you’re constantly torn between visiting different sets of relatives. Even though hosting adds additional responsibilities, the celebration will be held on home turf, with your rules. Plus, when everybody else heads for home, you’ll already be home. 2. Manage Expectations If you know from past encounters that Aunt Karen starts telling crass jokes after her second drink or that Uncle Greg likes to engage in heated political debates at the dinner table, be prepared to handle those situations before arriving at a holiday get-together. Resist the urge to participate in discussions that can offend or create family strife. Always look for a way to redirect negative tirades or inappropriate conversations. If that doesn’t work, isolate the individual from the rest of the group by suggesting an activity that will allow others to leave the situation. A walk, a board game, a movie, or even asking for help clearing some of the mess can give you and others an outlet to “escape” the situation. 3. Mood Balancing Nutrition The traditional holiday meal, though offering some healthy selections, is frequently accompanied with many nutritional pitfalls (i.e., stuffing, pumpkin pie and eggnog). To fill in the nutritional gap during the holidays, it’s essential to take mood-boosting supplements. NeuroLink BrainMD’s NeuroLink supports a diverse array of such key transmitters as adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate.* NeuroLink provides an exclusive blend of nutrients that can help you maintain a positive mood, keep your focus, and deal with stressful challenges by helping your neurotransmitters stay in balance.* NeuroLink is available in capsule and powder form and has a 100% money-back guarantee. You have nothing to lose except for stress. 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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Learn How to Stress Less During the Holidays
Do you ever feel sad or irritable for no reason? What about feeling anxious or worried? Unfocused? All these can be linked to brain neurotransmitters being out of whack. Your mental state is affected greatly by your brain chemistry. When your brain transmitters are balanced, you can think more clearly, feel happier, and experience greater well-being. Some people have a sunny outlook on life, but others struggle to remain positive and even-tempered from day to day. Proper neurotransmitter balance is essential for living a brain healthy life. The better our transmitters operate in balance with each other, the closer we are to having optimal mental function. Having a balanced brain is especially important during the holidays when plans often go awry, and stress levels are pushed to the boiling point. 3 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress 1. Soothing Tunes Remaining in a blissful state of mind is easier to accomplish when you have a happy tune running through your head. Listen to brain-enhancing music specifically composed to enhance mood, gratitude, energy, focus, motivation, and inspiration. 2. Walk It Off If you need a break from a movie marathon or if you just want to work off that extra slice of turkey or ham, taking a walk can be beneficial for you both physically and mentally. Walking can help you clear your mind, decrease anxiety, improve your mood and burn some calories all at the same time. 3. Mood Enhancing Nutrition Due to the Standard American Diet (SAD), many people aren’t receiving proper nutrition from the foods they eat. The traditional holiday meal, though offering some healthy selections, is frequently accompanied by many nutritional pitfalls (i.e., stuffing, pumpkin pie and eggnog). To fill in the nutritional gap during the holidays, it’s essential to take brain and mood-boosting supplements, such as: 5-HTP In the brain, 5-HTP is readily converted to serotonin to help maintain mental and emotional well-being, reduce feelings of anxiety, and promote calm and relaxation. B6 As one of the B complex vitamins, B6 is a metabolic aid that maintains healthy nerve function. Taking B6 during the winter season can be a boon to your health since it helps support the body’s antioxidant defense enzyme network. GABA This amino acid regulates the excitability of nerve circuits in the brain and is considered the brain’s main “calming” neurotransmitter. Taking GABA during the holidays can be a huge help, especially when trying to find a parking spot at the mall or standing in line to purchase gifts or food for the holiday meal. Taurine Taurine, an amino acid that helps stabilize our nerve cell electrical activity, is known as a mood booster. Taking taurine can help to keep the seasons bright. Tyrosine Tyrosine is required for the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Having sufficient tyrosine in the brain promotes mental clarity in dealing with stress, which always comes in handy when attending family get-togethers. The great news is that you can save a lot of money by getting all these nutrients in one supplement. BrainMD’s NeuroLink supports a diverse array of such key transmitters as adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate. NeuroLink provides an exclusive blend of nutrients that can help you maintain a positive mood, keep your focus, and deal with stressful challenges by helping your neurotransmitters stay in balance. NeuroLink has a 100% money-back guarantee. You have nothing to lose except for stress and worry. 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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5 of the Best Ways to Keep Kids Healthy During the Holidays
Of the many responsibilities parents have during the holiday season, making sure their kids are safe and healthy is among the most important. But with the demands of holiday shopping, wrapping gifts, making travel plans, preparing the big holiday meals, and putting up decorations, it’s easy to overlook some of the basics, like making sure your kids are getting proper nutrition. Unfortunately, the holidays are a time of the year where maintaining a healthy diet can be extremely challenging. Holiday feasts often come with a variety of unhealthy menu selections, especially desserts, which are loaded with fat and sugar. Since sugar weakens the immune system (which increases the chances of getting sick) be sure to closely monitor your children’s sugar intake. Getting proper physical exercise is usually a challenge when it starts getting colder outside. Winter months also have reduced hours of sunlight, so maintaining optimal vitamin D levels is crucial in staving off sickness. With longer lines and shorter days, another area of life that can suffer from the busyness of the seasons is sleep. With so many things to consider during this hectic time of the year, here are some practical ways to keep your kids healthy during the winter months. 5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Healthy for the Holidays Eat from the Rainbow This does NOT mean Skittles or jelly beans. It means teaching your children to eat healthy fruits and vegetables in assorted colors, such as blueberries, spinach, pomegranates, yellow squash, and red bell peppers, at every meal. Challenge your kids to eat meals that consist of every color of the rainbow… And don’t forget to set the example! Disguise Healthy Snacks Even the pickiest kids are more likely to try new foods when they’re disguised as boats, cars, butterflies, or cows. Learn how you can make a healthy penguin snack. Get Nutritional Support Studies have shown that an alarmingly high percentage of children eat less than the minimum daily allowance of many essential nutrients and that modern foods don’t meet children’s needs for those nutrients. Adding an expertly designed multivitamin/mineral supplement to your kids’ diet can help provide the nutritional support they need. BrainMD’s Kids’ NeuroVite Chewables were designed to bridge any nutritional gaps and take the guesswork out of which multivitamin to use for your kids. Our science-based formulation provides generous amounts of nutrients to support the brain’s maturation over the long term. Children LOVE the taste of the orange-flavored penguin chewables which are free from sugar, dairy, gluten, wheat, eggs, and artificial colorings or flavorings. Bundle Up It’s common for kids to forget to put on a jacket or hat when rushing outside for a fun activity. Ensure that your kids stay warm by dressing them in layers. Also, monitor their time to make sure they don’t stay outside too long or after dark when temperatures can rapidly plummet. Indoor Activities Instead of sitting around the TV all day, get up and do a fun activity inside your house. There are many ways to get the blood flowing without facing the elements or contracting pneumonia. Examples of indoor activities are musical chairs, scavenger hunts or hula hoop contests. Managing everyday stress and balancing your life will allow you to fully enjoy the seasons and focus on what matters most…your friends and family. Implementing these strategies can help keep you and your kids happy and healthy during the holidays. For a complete list of Dr. Amen’s brain healthy supplements, visit the online store at BrainMD.
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Are You Taking the Right Supplements?
Many have wondered which is the better source of nutrients: food or supplements. As a rule, it’s typically better to get your vitamins naturally from foods. But there are always exceptions to the rule, such as with vitamin D (read below). Since the verdict isn’t so clear-cut, it’s important to consider several key points in the food vs. supplements debate. The first matter is quality. Not all supplements are created equal. Aside from sourcing and formulations, there’s a whole side argument over natural versus synthetic supplements. Also, many supplements have fillers, which reduce their effectiveness and may even be harmful to your health. In response to this, many people purchase premium supplements, but when tested, even some whole food products have revealed lead contamination. And then there’s the issue of absorption. The digestive system must extract the nutrients you need from food and supplements, but the body’s absorption of vitamins can be affected by several factors, including competition of digestion and the addition of other supplements. With so many elements to consider in the discussion over food vs. supplements, let’s see how a handful of common vitamins perform head-to-head with food: Food v Supplements: A Head-to-Head Comparison Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 contains the mineral cobalt which is necessary for proper red blood cell formation. B12 is naturally found in animal products but typically isn’t found in plant foods. Since 10-30 percent of older people don’t properly digest vitamin B12, it’s recommended that anyone older than 50 take a B12 supplement daily. For Vitamin B12, the winner is supplements. Calcium When you consider the word calcium, the first thing that pops into your mind is probably milk (specifically) or dairy (generally). While those are excellent sources of calcium, the mineral can also be found in leafy greens, tofu, and almonds. The positive effects of calcium are well known: the mineral strengthens bones and prevents fractures. As the most abundant mineral in the entire body, the safest way to ingest calcium is through food. Additionally, older women who get too much calcium from supplements have an increased risk of kidney stones and strokes. For calcium, the winner is food. Vitamin D Vitamin D can be found in many foods, such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. Vitamin D may protect against high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and cancer. Although foods and supplements are both great sources of vitamin D, controlled sun exposure (just 10 minutes) is the quickest and best way to get your daily amount of vitamin D. For Vitamin D, the winner is both. It’s a tie. Iron Approximately 7 percent of the American population is iron deficient. Iron can be found in a wide range of foods, such as seafood, coconut milk, lean beef, mushrooms, spinach, and beans. Iron is essential to the production of red blood cells. Since the nutrient is found in many plant and animal sources, taking supplements isn’t necessary so long as you eat an iron-rich diet. For iron, the winner is food. Turmeric Turmeric is a dried powder used as a spice in cooking. Turmeric’s health benefits are numerous. It helps in the digestion of fat, maintains healthy blood sugar levels and contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory. A daily serving of turmeric is 1 ½ teaspoons of dried powder. And turmeric is just 3% curcuminoids, compared to Longvida curmins standardized to 23%. So it’s recommended to take the supplement. For turmeric, the winner is supplements. In Conclusion: By only eating foods, there will always be a gap in nutrition. That’s why they’re called supplements because they supplement your diet with the nutrients you might be missing by fueling your body with food alone. Some doctors have claimed that you don’t need to take supplements. However, targeted supplements can make a significant difference in your overall health. The best argument for taking supplements daily comes from Dr. Mark Hyman, who says that if people, “eat wild, fresh, organic, local, non-genetically modified food grown in virgin mineral- and nutrient-rich soils that has not been transported across vast distances and stored for months before being eaten…and work and live outside, breathe only fresh unpolluted air, drink only pure, clean water, sleep nine hours a night, move their bodies every day, and are free from chronic stressors and exposure to environmental toxins,” …then they might not need supplements. Bottom line, it’s recommended to take the most bioavailable supplements that are concentrated, naturally derived, and made with integrity. For all of the above, check out the full line of clinical strength, brain directed supplements at BrainMD. 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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