Start the New Year Right with a Whole Body Cleanse

January is the start of a fresh new year, and as such is a fantastic time for a whole body cleanse!  Every day our bodies are bombarded by toxins from our environment, cleaning products, medications, and the foods we eat.  Doing a whole body cleanse once or twice a year is a great way to keep your body in tip top shape.

Whole body cleansing kits like those we sell at the store are a combination of supplements which help to aid in detoxification of all the body’s main detoxification pathways, supporting the liver (the body’s main cleansing organ), as well as cleaning out the colon.

Many people find enhanced energy and immunity after a whole body cleanse.  It’s also a good way to begin a diet and exercise program, since being bogged down to toxins can hamper weight loss efforts.

One we especially recommend at Pass Health Foods is Nature’s Plus Complete Body Cleanse- a kit of three different products (all in vegetarian capsules, thankfully).  It’s a certified organic formula that’s both gluten free and vegetarian that includes an herbal cleansing formula, a fiber formula, and then a nighttime colon cleansing formula.  It is taken only in the morning and evening, and while it does increase bowel movements, it is gentle and will not lead to “colon cleansing emergencies” (something I know many people are worried about).

It’s definitely one to try, and is a great way to start 2016!

A Pass Favorite: Andalou Naturals Skincare Lines

We have a new line of facial products that I wanted to feature by Andalou Naturals.  What makes these different is that they are research-based products that use potent antioxidants and fruit stem cells to aid in cellular repair as well as significantly improving skin appearance and texture.

While many people will use different skin products from different companies, I wanted to mention the benefits of using a complete line targeted to your skin type.  The Andalou Naturals Skincare Lines I’ll mention below have each been in independently tested in a clinical testing which found over an 80% improvement in skin after using each of the skincare lines for 6 weeks.  Each of the Andalou Naturals products are made to improve and complement each other, so using them in a layered fashion can make an impressive difference in your skin, since their products enhance the effectiveness of each other.

There are four different complete color coded lines that we have available:

PURPLE for Aging and Dry Skin

The (Purple) Age Defying Line uses the antioxidant power of resveratrol and CoQ10 to increase cellular renewal and reduction in wrinkle depth. After 6 weeks, research found that participants experienced an 87% increase in skin elasticity.

ORANGE for Normal and Combination Skin

The (Orange) Brightening Line uses Vitamin C, Turmeric, and Sea Buckthorn to help to reduce hyper pigmentation from sun damage and acne scars and evens out skin tone. After 6 weeks, research found that participants experienced an 86% overall enhancement in skin tone and luminosity.

BLUE for Acne Prone and Oily Skin

The (Blue) Clarifying Line combined the calming and purifying ingredients of Willow Bark, Kombucha, and Cucumber to clear skin. After 6 weeks, research found that participants experienced an 83% overall improvement in their skin.

PINK for Sensitive and Reactive Skin

The (Pink) 1000 Roses Line is made specifically for people with extremely sensitive skin.  It’s formulated with rose stem cells and damask roses to soothe skin and increase skin’s resilience.  After 6 weeks, participants with easily irritated skin experienced zero irritation. 

 

A Natural, Herbal Version of Tamiflu for Flu Recovery?

Q: It seems everyone is getting sick around me, so I was wondering if there was anything that was really effective against the flu virus.

A: We wrote last month about a number of natural immune boosters which are very effective for preventative immunity (you can read the article here). There is a combination of supplements however that have been shown in recent research to be as effective as the prescription antiviral Tamiflu against the flu virus.

The study gave 473 patients who exhibited flu symptoms elderberry extract and echinacea or Tamiflu within the first 48 hours of the beginning of the illness. The recovery rates from the combination of elderberry and echinacea were the same as Tamiflu  (the elderberry and echinacea group actually had slightly better recovery rates when compared to the prescription Tamiflu), but without side effects- the researchers reported that patients taking oseltamivir (Tamiflu) were more likely to experience gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and vomiting than the supplement group.

I would definitely recommend keeping elderberry extract and echinacea in the house this winter. For elderberry extract we recommend Sambucus elderberry syrup by Nature’s Answer since it is the exact formulation used in several other trials against the flu virus, with impressive results. Elderberry syrup can be taken preventatively against viruses or taken in higher doses if you do actually get sick.

For echinacea, we recommend the standardized echinacea extract by Nature's Way. It's a great, high potency extract.

Elderberry can be taken preventatively against illness, but it’s best to save the echinacea until you feel the beginnings of sickness, since research has shown that that is when it is most effective. If you've been sick for a while, supplementing with elderberry alone is the best course of action, due to its potent antiviral compounds. 

Here are a few other articles from our site which you may find helpful:
 

A Pass Favorite: Irwin Naturals ImmunoShield

Zinc Lozenges: Clinically Proven to Boost the Immune System

Health Q & A: Keeping Kids Healthy this Winter

Our Favorite Immune Boosting Supplements

Zollipops: Xylitol Lollipops for Kid's Oral Health

Zollipops are new xylitol lollipops we’ve just gotten in and they’re amazing! Xylitol helps to prevent tooth decay, and Zollipops have also been shown to help restore a healthy oral pH, which helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Zollipops are great tasting and are a fantastic treat for kids after a meal, since they actually help to prevent cavities!

Zollipops certainly aren’t a replacement for proper brushing, but they’re a great thing to have on the go, and are a wonderful alternative for sugar laden candies! A little bit of xylitol is wonderful for oral health, but Zollipops should be limited to three a day for children. 
  
I don’t know if you’re a Shark Tank fan, but Zollipops was featured recently on their Kid-Preneurs Edition- Zollipops was conceived by a nine year old girl who dreamed of a lollipop that was actually good for your teeth, and from that, Zollipops was born.

Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein

We’re having a huge sale on Garden of Life this month for our store’s anniversary- 40% off their entire line!  Because of the sale I wanted to mention one of their products I’ve been using and absolutely love, their Organic Plant Protein.

I have dairy free diet, so over the years, I have tried a LOT of different plant based protein powders.  I have to say, that Garden of Life’s Organic Plant Protein is the very best one I’ve tasted.  Many plant proteins can be gritty or a little odd tasting, but not so with this one.  It’s creamy and delicious, and is even liked by picky eaters.  The vanilla is my favorite, since it literally tastes like cake.

I would very much recommend taking advantage of the sale and giving Garden of Life’s Organic Plant Protein a try this month.  

Supplement Spotlight: Jarrow's Greek Yogurtein

We have a new protein powder by Jarrow called Greek Yogurtein.  I wanted to write about it since it’s such a unique protein supplement.  It combines fast digesting whey protein with slow digesting micellar casein proteins for sustained energy and muscle building.

Whey protein is great after exercise since it gives an immediate (but short lived) boost to protein synthesis.  Casein (another milk protein) is slower to digest and be used by the body, which leads to a prolonged increase in amino acids and also reduces protein breakdown.  The micellar form of casein protein (which is the form in Jarrow’s Greek Yogurtein) has been shown in research to prevent muscle breakdown.  The micellar form of casein is also of significantly higher quality than conventional casein protein.

Since whey protein increases protein synthesis and casein protein reduces protein breakdown, they make a fantastic pairing for muscle health and growth.  All of us would benefit from building some extra muscle, since increasing muscle raises metabolism, helps to prevent osteoporosis, improves blood sugar control, and improves sleep.

The micellar casein protein in Jarrow’s Greek Yogurtein is also slowly digested, which means it stays in the stomach longer, which in turn helps a person to feel full and satisfied with less calories.

During the month of March, we’ll have Jarrow’s Greek Yogurtein on sale for 25% off.