Supplement Spotlight: Back to School Supplements

This month’s spotlight is on back to school supplements.  I feel like September used to be the back to school month, but now it seems that everyone is starting in August (I really can’t believe that we’re nearing the end of summer).

Multivitamins

A daily multivitamin is not a substitute for a healthy diet, but rather it’s an insurance policy of sorts for filling out nutrients that may be missing from a person’s diet on a regular basis.  Multivitamins for children are especially important since most kids aren’t known for having the most healthy or varied diets.   Daily multivitamin use in children has even been associated with an increase in IQ and academic performance.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3s are incredibly important for school aged children (and everyone).  Omega 3 fatty acids play a large role in brain function, focus, and concentration.  The body cannot manufacture omega 3 fatty acids, they must be obtained through diet.  If your child is not eating fatty fish on a regular basis, it is likely they are deficient.  The company Barleans has a delicious tasting fish oil liquid that is not fishy tasting at all, in fact, my daughter would drink the whole bottle at a sitting if I’d let her.  I really can’t recommend omega 3s for kids enough.  In fact, I’ve had a number of customers report an impressive change in their children’s behavior and concentration at school after beginning supplementation.

L-Theanine

Stress and anxiety are a real problem for many school age children.  L-theanine, an amino acid derived from green tea, is a natural and effective supplement that is helpful for children and adults of all ages to reduce stress and anxiety as well as improve focus and concentration.  Theanine works by promoting alpha brain waves, the type of brain waves that produce a calm, relaxed state.  Unlike many herbs or supplements for stress it will not make you tired.  We have theanine in chewable tablets or capsules, as well as a chewable formula made for young children called Relax-a-Saurus by KAL’s Dinosaur brand.

Product Spotlight: Nature's Plus Super II

I wanted to highlight a really fantastic supplement this month, Nature’s Plus Ultra II Multivitamin.  It’s a high potency formula which is high in B vitamins, so much so it is equivalent to taking a separate B complex supplement, but in one pill.   It also has a number of whole food concentrates and can make a significant difference in energy levels.   Ultra II also is sustained release, which means that it is absorbed over a period of time instead of all at once, which helps the body to take in more of the vitamins and minerals. 

A varied, healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables is the best way to obtain nutrients, though for most people, getting the required nutrient amounts daily can be challenging if not impossible.  A multivitamin is helpful since it “covers the bases”.   Multivitamins should be taken with food, since some vitamins like A, D, and E are fat soluble, and needs fat in the stomach to be absorbed properly.

Healthy Q & A: Gum Disease

Q:

I’ve been diagnosed with the beginning stages of gum disease.  I wanted to know if there was anything supplement wise that could help.

A:

There are a number of things that can help.  CoQ10 is the first I’d recommend.  It’s a potent antioxidant best known for its benefits to heart health, but research has shown it to be beneficial to gingivitis and periodontal disease.   CoQ10 can help to strengthen gums and may help to prevent gums from receding.  Research has found that people with periodontal disease have low levels of CoQ10 in their gums, and that supplementing with CoQ10 (by pill or by rubbing on the gums) may enhance healing and tissue repair.  One placebo controlled study found that applying CoQ10 topically to the gums reduced gum loss and the depth of dental pockets after three weeks.

Oral probiotics can also be helpful, by increasing the balance of good bacteria in the mouth, they can help to reduce the amount of bad bacteria which contributes to gum and periodontal disease.  Nature’s Plus has one that’s particularly nice, it contains CoQ10 as well as probiotics strains which are especially targeted for oral health.

A high potency multivitamin would also be a good idea, since it would contain a number of vitamins which are beneficial for healing and reducing inflammation like Vitamin A, C, E, and folic acid.

Tea tree mouthwash can also be beneficial for people with gum disease.  Tea tree oil contains natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties which can help to heal gum infections and fight bad breath.   We also have tea tree treated dental floss which is a wonderful product to use with gum and periodontal disease since it brings the antibacterial tea tree oil around the gumline and between teeth.