What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a microscopic algae that grows naturally in fresh alkaline lakes, tropical springs, and salt water. It is on every continent but its highest concentrations can be found in Mexico, Central Africa and East Africa. It has a rich blue-green colour. Spirulina is very rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and antioxidants. Traditionally, it was used as a food source by the Aztecs but since its rediscovery in 1960’s, it has become a widely popular dietary supplement due to its high vitamin, mineral, and protein concentrations.

Spirulina is an excellent source of protein with good absorbability. Approximately 60 percent of dry weight of spirulina is protein. It also contains B Vitamins, Vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and the essential fatty acid – gamma linolenic acid, which has been known to help reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Spirulina also has ten times more beta-carotene than carrots and thirty times more phytonutrient content than blueberries.

There are a variety of health benefits associated with Spirulina such as boosting the immune system and energy levels, improving digestion, building endurance, cleansing the body, controlling appetite, optimizing cardiovascular function, supporting the liver, and reducing inflammation.

Since Spirulina is such a potent source of vitamins and nutrients, it is considered a superfood and has thus gained much popularity as a dietary supplement. You can consume it as capsules, powder, tablets, or flakes. Spirulina has a strong taste so if taken as powder, it is best to add the powder into fresh juice or mix it into smoothies.

Add this superfood to your morning smoothie, enjoy its vibrant blue green colour and give yourself an energy boost!

Note: People with hyperparathyroidism, serious seafood or seaweed allergies, kidney disease, or phenylketonuria should consult their physician before taking any Spirulina supplements.

Wellness Naturopathic Centre, North Vancouver, BC

http://www.wellnessnaturopathic.com

The information on this website is for education purposes only. It does not substitute for proper assessment and treatment by a licensed health care provider.

Concentration and Memory Improved with B Vitamins

B vitamins are necessary for proper brain functioning and they also help improve concentration and memory. There are different studies relating the role of B vitamin to brain health. In a recent study, British researchers from Oxford University showed that high doses of selected B vitamins (namely folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12) can significantly slow down the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people suffering from mild mental decline. The double blind controlled trial followed 168 volunteers aged 70 or over with mild memory problems. Half the participants took B vitamin supplements for two years, while the other half took placebos. The results were astonishing, the brains of those taking vitamin B tablets shrank at a rate of 0.76 per cent a year, while those taking placebo experienced brain shrinkage at a rate of 1.08 per cent a year. It was concluded that B vitamin supplementation helped lower the concentration of brain damaging homocysteine levels.

If you want to give your brain a boost, make sure your diet is high in B vitamins. B vitamins are found in foods such as beans, oats, spinach, brown rice, eggs, turkey, avocados, potatoes, lentils and whole grains. Even a simple step such as switching from white rice to brown rice can considerably enhance your vitamin B intake.

Always consult your naturopathic doctor before initiating a new regimen.

Wellness Naturopathic Centre, North Vancouver, BC

http://www.wellnessnaturopathic.com

The information on this website is for education purposes only. It does not substitute for proper assessment and treatment by a licensed health care provider.

 

B Vitamins Help with Stress, Mood and Sleep

B-vitamins are water-soluble vitamins that play an important role in immune and nervous system function, cell growth and metabolism, energy production, mental health and stress management. Since water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, the excess being excreted in the urine, they can be quickly depleted from the body and must be replenished regularly. B vitamins are a group of eight individual vitamins, often referred to as the B-complex vitamins, including B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid), and vitamin B12.

B-complex vitamins are essential for mental and emotional wellbeing because of their significant role in regulating the nervous system and affecting mood. The brain operates by millions of neurons (brain cells) communicating with each other. Neurons communicate with each other through neurotransmitters. Among these neurotransmitters, the neurotransmitter “serotonin” plays a complex role in the way you eat, sleep, behave, and has a great influence on your overall sense of well being.

Serotonin is sometimes referred to as the “happiness hormone”. It helps to regulate mood, anxiety, relieve depression and promote healthy sleep patterns. When the level of serotonin in the brain is changed, a person’s behavior is also altered. A normal level of serotonin promotes feelings of happiness, but sometimes during periods of stress, the body uses higher levels of serotonin to compensate for being overwhelmed. Accordingly, the levels of serotonin begin to drop causing irritability, depression, anxiety and sleep problems. By facilitating the function and manufacture serotonin, B vitamins help fight stress, insomnia, depression, nervous disorders and migraines among other conditions.

Melatonin is another neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal clock that plays a critical role in the time you fall asleep and the time you wake up. It is sometimes referred to as the “darkness hormone” because when it is dark, melatonin production is increased, and in the morning the production of melatonin drops considerably. Since B vitamins enhance the production of melatonin, they facilitate healthy sleep patterns.

When the body is exposed to long periods of stress, B vitamins become depleted. This can manifest as anxiety, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, headaches, sleeplessness and inability to concentrate. This is why it is important to replenish the body with B vitamins especially during stressful times. Since B vitamins tend to work together synergistically, it is best to take a well balanced vitamin B complex formula to maximize benefits.

Always consult your naturopathic doctor before initiating a new regimen.

Wellness Naturopathic Centre, North Vancouver, BC

http://www.wellnessnaturopathic.com

The information on this website is for education purposes only. It does not substitute for proper assessment and treatment by a licensed health care provider.