Natural Weight Loss Supplements that Actually Work

With summer in full swing, many people have been asking about weight loss supplements, so I wanted to highlight a few of our most effective supplements and explain how they work.

First, let me say that even the best weight loss supplement will not do that much when not paired with a healthy diet and exercise. Exercise doesn’t have to mean an hour long aerobics class, but for weight loss to be effective, increasing your activity level is important.

Another problem with some weight loss supplements is that the amounts used in research to demonstrate their effectiveness are often more than what most people take, and with any supplement if you’re not taking the recommended dose, it often isn’t effective.

For example, the supplement garcinia cambogia does have good results for weight loss, but for it to really work, you need to make sure to take a high potency extract of the supplement at the proper amount. We’d recommend Jarrow’s garcinia cambogia, since it has the highest extract percentage per pill, but to work, it should be taken as six capsules a day- three in the morning and three in the afternoon. Not all weight loss supplements need to be taken as that many pills, but I just mention it because dosing is important. If you’re only taking a fraction of a recommended amount, you’re only going to be getting a fraction of the benefits.

Also, even the most powerful weight loss supplement isn’t going to work in a week. Weight loss takes time, and for there to be a lasting change, experts recommend that you aim for no more than one to two lbs a week. Crash diets and extreme weight loss are unsustainable long term (and can be a shock to your system).

There are many great supplements for weight loss, but I’ll list some of our favorites below:

Metobolic Activators

There is a unique supplement by Life Extention called AMPK Metobolic Activator that we’d especially recommend. It works by increasing the activity of an enzyme in our bodies called AMPK that regulates energy in the cells of the body. When our bodies need energy, this enzyme moves excess fats and sugars into our cells to be converted into energy. This AMPK enzyme tells our bodies when to start burning fat stores for energy.

The AMPK Activator contains two plant ingredients that have been found to activate our body’s own AMPK enzyme, which tells our bodies to start using its fat stores for energy, especially abdominal fat stores.

Another nice thing about this supplement is that it’s just one-a-day to be effective. 

Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia is also known as Citrimax, and its active ingredient, HCA, has been in numerous studies over the years for its benefits for weight loss. It works in part by inhibiting an enzyme that stores sugars and carbohydrates as fat, blocking the process of fat production. 

Instead of being converted into fat, sugar and carbohydrates are converted into glycogen, a fuel that is stored in the liver and muscles that is converted into energy. By raising the body’s levels of glycogen, it can also help with reducing appetite, since it tells the body that its fuel tanks are full. HCA (the active ingredient in garcinia cambogia) can also help to raise the body’s level of serotonin, which helps with boosting mood as well as reducing stress eating.

We’d say the best garcinia cambogia supplement is the one by Jarrow, and it should be taken three capsules, twice a day, thirty to sixty minutes before a meal for best results.  

Glucomannan

Unlike the two supplements mentioned above, glucomannan is not involved with raising metabolism or burning fat, which can actually be a good thing since it can be taken at any time, including in the evening. Glucomannan is a special type of fiber that increases many times its size in the stomach, helping you to feel more full and satisfied. Because of that, when taken before a meal (or whenever) the idea is that would eat less since the stomach is partially filled. It’s also nice since it can be taken in the evening to help to curb late night snacking.

Even better, glucomannan is be beneficial for high cholesterol and diabetes, since it can help to control blood sugar levels. Glucomannan is available in both powder and capsules, but if using capsules, make sure to take them with a full glass of water. 

L-Carnitine

Carnitine is an amino acid with many benefits particularly for cardiovascular health. While not specifically a weight loss supplement, carnitine can be helpful for weight loss since it’s involved with energy metabolism, and helps to transport fat from the foods we eat to be converted into energy. It can be helpful when you’re exercising since it can help to burn more fat during exercise and give the muscles more energy, reducing fatigue when exercising (which can be especially helpful for people who are just beginning to an exercise regimen).

Carnitine  works in part by increasing nitric oxide in the body, which helps heart health and cardiovascular function, and can help with increasing blood flow and cellular energy in the body-especially the muscles. 

Protein

Protein, and protein shakes do not help you lose weight. That being said, eating more protein can help you to feel more satisfied for longer, which can help with dieting. Protein also helps with muscle repair after exercise. Protein shakes are a simple, low-calorie way to increase the amount of protein in your diet and are available in milk-based whey protein or plant-based proteins suitable for people with dietary restrictions.

Please stop by the store so we can help you to find the supplement that’s right for you! We’re located at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.

Vitamin D and Coronavirus Research

Vitamin D is a supplement that is well known for being beneficial to the immune system, and some scientists have even speculated that part of the dramatic increase in cold and flu during the winter is as a result of lower vitamin D levels (since generally vitamin D is made in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight).

Interesting new research has come out concerning coronavirus and Vitamin D, linking lower vitamin D levels to increased mortality risk from Covid-19. One researcher on coronavirus and Vitamin D is quoted as saying, "Our analysis shows that it might be as high as cutting the mortality rate in half," in regards to vitamin D supplementation.

It’s also been reported that countries with higher death rates from Covid-19 had larger numbers of people with lower vitamin D levels, and also that the sickest patients often had low vitamin D levels.

The thinking for many years was that low vitamin D levels were only something to be concerned with in the winter or in northern latitudes, but newer research is finding vitamin D deficiency to be prevalent even in sunny locales.

In regards to dosages, for people who have been found to be severely deficient in vitamin D from a blood test, their doctors will often give a prescription of a 50,000 IU dose to be taken once a week, which equals out to a little over 7,000 IUs per day. We wouldn’t recommend anything that high without a doctor’s recommendation, so for most people we’d recommend a 2,000 IU daily dose. That’s also the amount that well known natural physician Dr. Andrew Weil recommends to be used daily.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so it will be best absorbed when taken with food.

Vitamin D is made in our bodies when our skin when exposed to sunlight, but sunscreen reduces that efficiency. Also, people with darker skin tones make less vitamin D from the sun, often leading to vitamin D deficiency. One study on vitamin D levels in African Americans found sub-optimal levels of vitamin D all year long due to reduced vitamin D production in the skin.

Vitamin D is an inexpensive supplement with many benefits, including benefits for bone health. We have a great selection of natural vitamin D supplements at the store in a variety of dosages, so stop by to find one that’s right for you! We will be open to the public from 10-4, Monday through Saturday, beginning June 1st, though we also offer curbside pickup as well, call us at 708-448-9114 if you would like to place an order.

We're Reopening on June 1st!

We are excited to announce that beginning June 1st, Pass Health Foods will be reopening to the public with extended modified hours- we will be open from 10-4 Monday through Saturday.

Face masks that cover the nose and mouth will be required to shop in the store, though we will also have inexpensive face masks for purchase. We will have a basket of individual $1 face masks outside of our door. If you do not have a face mask, please take one to put on before entering the store, and you can pay for it with your other purchases.

Maintaining social distancing while shopping is also very important, and we ask for everyone’s help in ensuring that everyone stays safe. This is a new experience for all of us, so we appreciate your patience in navigating these uncharted waters.

We will have hand sanitizer at our entrance and at both registers that we encourage everyone to use as they enter the store and during check out.

The health of our staff and customers is of our utmost importance, and we will be doing everything we can to ensure that everyone stays healthy and that our store is a safe place to be, including regular cleaning and sanitizing practices, plexiglass counter guards, and social distancing. Even with those measures, however, we do recommend that at-risk groups like the elderly or those with compromised immune systems continue to choose our curb side pickup option.

We will continue to offer curb side pickup for the foreseeable future, so to place an order for pick up, please call the store at 708-448-9114 or email us at passhealthfoods@gmail.com and we will bring your order our to your car when you arrive.

Also, while we’ve been closed, we’ve been trying to make improvements to the store, so this terrible time isn’t a complete waste- we have switched all the lighting in the store to environmentally friendly LED lights and are working on installing new flooring. This is not how we anticipated out 25th Anniversary Year to go, but we are very grateful to have such wonderful customers who continue to support us during this crazy time.

Regarding face masks, we do have a supply of surgical masks available at the store if you need to purchase a mask. Additionally, we have ordered masks for our personal use from a woman on a website called Etsy and have been very pleased with them. They have straps that go behind the head which I believe are more comfortable that those that go behind the ears. We aren’t in any way affiliated with her store, I just wanted to share a link to the ones we ordered since they are well made and fit better than others I’ve tried (here’s the link to the masks).

Scientifically Researched Antiviral Supplements

These past couple months have been a time that none of us could have imagined. As we look ahead to the coming weeks and months, where our governments are looking into easing quarantine restrictions, we can feel uncertain. Dealing with a virus like this is something none of us have dealt with in our lifetimes, and it can be very frightening.

Recommendations on how to stay healthy remain the same: take care to wash hands regularly, don’t touch your face, and keep distance between other people. Something else that I believe can be beneficial are immune boosting supplements. Let me be clear, there are no natural products that are a miracle “cure” for coronavirus, but there are several supplements that have been scientifically researched to help with boosting immune system functioning, as well as supplements that can be helpful against viruses.

One of our favorites continues to be elderberry, also known as sambucus. Elderberry syrup has shown in scientific research to help with fighting off viruses. Much of the early research on elderberry was done on the flu virus, with positive results, though new studies have found it to be effective on a wide variety of viral illnesses (though as of yet there have been no studies on elderberry and coronavirus). It works in part by helping to prevent viral replication so we can fight off viruses easier. Research has found it to be helpful preventatively, but also in reducing the duration and severity of a variety of viral illnesses. Elderberry is nice since it’s safe for both children and adults.

I also wanted to mention another, lesser known supplement that may be helpful against viruses, a supplement derived from coconut oil known as monolaurin. ABC News recently recommended monolaurin in an article titled, Coronavirus: Experts say these supplements, foods may help keep immune system humming.

Another article was published by two physician researchers at the end of January recommending monolaurin as a possible antiviral treatment against the novel coronavirus (you can read the abstract here). The doctors wrote about the potent antiviral properties of monolaurin, as well as its mechanism that appeared to help to break down a virus’s outside “envelope” which then prevented the virus from being able to replicate. Another study the article cited mentioned research on a virus similar in structure to the coronavirus, and how monolaurin was able to inhibit that virus’s maturation and replication.

Monolaurin was also mentioned as a potent antiviral in yet another scientific article published in the journal Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, which mentioned its antiviral activity. Like the scientific article mentioned above, it also attributed monolaurin’s antiviral action to its ability to help with disintegrating the outside membrane of a virus, and by doing so, stopping that virus from replicating.

Again, I want to say that as of now, there is no cure for coronavirus, either natural or pharmaceutical. In the absence of a vaccine, the only thing we can do to stay healthy is to reduce our exposure and to do everything we can to make sure our bodies and immune systems are functioning properly. I would also say that preventative use of supplements like monolaurin or elderberry, that have shown benefit against viruses, are also a good idea.

Quarantine and social distancing are only meant to “flatten the curve”, to help our medical providers across the country to be able to keep cases at a manageable level for hospitals. It is likely that many of us will come in contact with the virus before a vaccine is readily available, so I’d say that supplements like monolaurin are worth using in this uncertain time, with the hopes that they might help us to fight off any infections easier or with less severe symptoms.

I hope everyone reading this is staying healthy. At this time, our store, Pass Health Foods in Palos Heights is still open for phone orders and advice Monday through Saturday from 10-2. We take orders over the phone and then will bring them out to your car when you get there. You can call the store at 708-448-9114. This is a scary time, but I know we’ll get through it.

Supporting Small Businesses in Palos Heights

Just as we’re continuing as best as we can during this uncertain time (see this post on our website for our modified hours and curb side pickup), there are many other small businesses that we’d recommend that are continuing to offer curb side or modified hours or services.

First, I’d like to mention our friends at Revival Yoga. Their studios are closed, but they are posting free yoga and fitness videos (of all types and for all ages) every day on their facebook page. We love them and would really recommend checking them out, especially since they are doing this just to be wonderful, and aren’t making any money from doing it. Here is a link directly to their video page.
 
Treadfit in Palos Heights is also offering free short strengthening fitness videos on their facebook page here.  Like us and Revival, they’re also a female owned business, and the people there are very nice.
 
Also, Running for Kicks in Palos Heights is open for curb side pickup of orders. They are extremely knowledgeable and amazing, so if you need any new shoes for running, walking, or exercise, we’d really recommend giving them a call at 708-448-9200 or 708-421-9200.
 
Lots of delicious restaurants are open in Palos for curb side pickup:

Tuay Thai, an amazing Thai restaurant in our mall is open for curb side pickup, and their phone number is 708-923-6467.

Prime Choice Market is open for curb side pickup or delivery. You can call them at 708-388-5918.

Harvest Room is also still open for open for curb side pickup, and are even offering “Family Style Meals”. You can call them at 708-671-8905.

The Breadsmith is also open in Palos Heights for curb side pickup, and are offering gluten free baked goods for pickup on Wednesdays. You can call them at 708-923-0755.

Highlander House is an amazing Polish restaurant open for curb side pickup; their phone number is 708-924-3688.

Lucano's Pizza & Catering is also open for pickup or delivery. They can be reached at 708-361-3330.

Jullianni’s Pizza is open every day from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. for online, pick-up, and deliveries. You can call them at 708-361-4222.
 
This is not an exhaustive list of businesses still open, just a few of our favorites. Supporting small businesses during this difficult time is really important, and we are so grateful for our customers. This is an unprecedented time, and we appreciate your support. Supporting small businesses now helps to ensure that they will still be around when things get back to normal.

Call us during our modified hours of 10-2 Monday through Saturday if you have any supplement questions or to place an order at 708-448-9114. We’re located at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.

Curb Side Pickup & Delivery Available

We have extended our hours for Curb Side Pickup- we will be at the store from 10-2 for Curb Side Pickup Mondays through Saturdays.

To place an order, you can call the store at any time and leave a message, email the store with an order, or else call from 10-2 when we’re at the store. Our email address is passhealthfoods@gmail.com and our phone number is 708-448-9114. When placing an order through email or leaving a message on our answering machine, please be sure to leave your name and a call back number so we can confirm your order and alert you to any out of stock issues and to help you to find the right products for your specific needs.

We will only be taking credit card payments over the phone after your order has been confirmed. We will not be taking cash or checks at this time, and we apologize for that inconvenience.

We would especially recommend emailing your order and if at all possible.  When placing an order through email or leaving a message on our answering machine, please be sure to leave your name and a call back number so we can confirm your order and alert you to any out of stock issues and to help you to find the right products for your specific needs.

We do have an online catalog of some of our top products on our website (some prices may be slightly different than those posted). View our searchable catalog here (it's better viewed on a desktop computer vs. a phone): https://www.passhealthfoods.com/productcatalog

We have a good selection of immune products in stock and especially recommend elderberry syrup. See the article on our website: Elderberry- A Potent Antiviral. Elderberry syrup has shown in research to help with fighting off viruses. It works in part by helping to prevent viral replication so we can fight off viruses easier. Research has found it to be helpful preventatively, but also in reducing the duration and severity of viral illnesses. 

Please call us at the store for supplement advice or if you have any questions.

DELIVERY

We are also going to be offering delivery for people living near the health food store. Our Local Delivery Boundaries surrounding the store are:

NORTH: 103rd Street

SOUTH: 135th Street

EAST: Cicero Avenue

WEST: LaGrange Road

See this page on our website for more information on delivery boundaries and a map: https://www.passhealthfoods.com/localdelivery

For deliveries, there is a $5 delivery fee, and orders will be delivered on Friday. To place an order for delivery this Friday afternoon, it must be placed before noon on Thursday, March 26th. Delivery orders will be left on the doorstep without person to person contact. We will take payment ahead of time over the phone with a credit card. We will, unfortunately, be unable to bring orders inside or upstairs to people living on upper stories of condominiums or apartment buildings.

See this link for a product catalog of our top products.

Further Reduction in Store Hours

Out of an abundance of caution, we are further reducing our hours at Pass Health Foods.

We will be closing at 2pm today, we will be open tomorrow, Friday, March 20th, from 10-2, and then will be closed on Saturday, March 21st.

We will reopen on Monday for “parking lot pickup” from 10-2. To place an order, you can call the store at any time and leave a message, email the store with an order, or else call from 10-2 when we’re at the store. Our email address is passhealthfoods@gmail.com and our phone number is 708-448-9114. We hope to continue offering parking lot pickup after Monday, but with this being a fluid situation things may change. Please check our facebook page for updates on store hours: 

https://www.facebook.com/passhealthfoods/  

Our facebook page is public, so you should be able to see it even without a facebook account. We will also be updating our answering machine, so calling the store to confirm out hours is a good idea.

We wish everyone continued health as we navigate through this unprecedented situation and we appreciate your support, it means the world to us.

For placing phone orders on Monday and afterward, we do have a product catalog on our website of most of our popular supplements. Some of the prices may be slightly different from those posted. See our catalog here: https://www.passhealthfoods.com/productcatalog

Worries as Coronavirus Spreads

Last month I wrote an article on coronavirus and natural things we can do to enhance our immune systems (which is always good advice). The situation has been changing day to day and growing more serious, which can make things can seem very frightening. News of quarantines and restrictions and bare grocery shelves just make us more nervous.

Still, it’s important to stay calm and to keep things in proper perspective. Even though the amounts of cases are growing, what we’re seeing in America is meant to be preventative, to stop the possible spread, and to offer us further protection. Schools, businesses, and organizations are being very serious about things, which is great since it helps to keep us safe. Doing everything we can to reduce the spread of this virus is very important.

The things we can do to protect ourselves remain the same: wash your hands thoroughly, use hand sanitizer when unable to wash hands (see our hand sanitizer recipe on our website), and do what you can to boost your own immune system. In our last article I mentioned the top supplements we recommend for the immune system- elderberry, beta glucan, and Immuno Shield, but I’ve written extensively on different immune supplements in the past, so rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll link a few of those articles below so you can read more in depth if desired.

Hand sanitizer can be extremely helpful when out and about, but at the time I’m writing this, hand sanitizer is all but sold out anywhere I’ve looked. I’ve called every distributor and company I know of to get some, but have been largely unsuccessful. We did find a new hand sanitizer brand that is being made that is getting ready to be shipped. It’s an extremely high-quality hand sanitizer that is American made, certified organic, and eco-certified. It contains the alcohol content recommended by the CDC and contains no synthetic ingredients and is further enhanced by the addition of antimicrobial essential oils.

We also have a hand sanitizer recipe on our website (linked here) that contains the CDC recommended amounts of alcohol to be able to kill viruses. Be careful about DIY hand sanitizer recipes, because many do not contain enough alcohol to be truly effective to kill bacteria and viruses. Most stores seem to be out of isopropyl alcohol, but we have a lead on tracking some down and are working on getting some to have in the store as well as aloe vera gel (part of the recipe) that should be coming in soon. We will keep you updated. We also have a DIY Sanitizing Wipe recipe on our website using bleach that can sanitize surfaces (since disinfecting wipes are also nearly impossible to find anymore).

Making a household disinfecting spray with bleach is also very effective, and is simple to make- use one tablespoon of bleach to 4 cups of water (or one teaspoon mixed with 1 1/3 cups of water) in a spray bottle or to use with a clean towel and bucket. Wiping down all surfaces and frequently touched items like phones, computers, remotes, doorknobs, etc. is a good idea.

See the articles below if you would like additional information on different immune supplements to help your immune system to be working the best it possibly can:

AHCC: An Amazing Immune Booster: AHCC works by activating and enhancing the functioning of immune cells in the body

Elderberry- A Potent Antiviral: Elderberry syrup has shown in research to help with fighting off viruses. It works in part by helping to prevent viral replication so we can fight off viruses easier. Research has found it to be helpful preventatively, but also in reducing the duration and severity of viral illnesses.

Irwin Naturals Immuno Shield: A potent immune-enhancing blend that can be used both preventatively or in higher amounts for acute illness. It’s a favorite among our customers

Immune Supplements for Children

Quercetin: A supplement that is a natural anti-histamine and also is a natural antiviral

Manuka Honey Throat Lozenges for Cough and Sore Throat: Manuka honey is healing and strongly anti-microbial  

Additionally, the news on this new virus can cause a lot of anxiety for all of us. First, I’d say to lay off the internet and constant news sources. I’m not advocating burying your head in the sand, but in 2020 we can have “information overload”. We do not need to see news stories on coronavirus every 5 minutes, that’s not helping, it’s just adding to panic about what’s happening. Put down your phone, turn off the TV, go take a walk in this nice spring weather or enjoy a new book or magazine. We all need to stay calm since freaking out is not going to make things better.

For those suffering from a lot of anxiety, there are supplements that can help with reducing stress and anxiety. Theanine is a favorite of ours that we all use at the store regularly for anxiety that works really well.

Be well. Stay safe. We will get through this.

Stop by our store at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights if you need anything. We are committed to sanitizing the store throughout the day and have a large bottle of hand sanitizer for our customers to use right by the entrance to the store. We are here to help.

Below is the hand sanitizer we should be getting in next week. Call or stop in the store if you would like us to reserve you some at 708-448-9114.

Other articles on our website that may be helpful:

DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipe

DIY Disinfecting Wipes Recipe

Natural Coronavirus Prevention

Everyone is very worried about the coronavirus, and while it is scary, we need to keep our concerns in the proper perspective. Watching the news is very frightening, and our hearts do go out to those in China where things seem to be the worst.

For people in the United States, however, the odds of contracting the disease are truly almost zero. You are much more likely to win the lottery and be struck by lightning. Thankfully, due to increased awareness and CDC precautions, we are even further protected.

Who knows what the future holds, but the precautions against the coronavirus are the same as what we need to do for combating the more common flu and respiratory infections- wash your hands frequently (and thoroughly- for at least 20 seconds), use hand sanitizer when unable to wash hands, and try to not touch your face with unwashed hands (especially the eyes, nose, and mouth). Also, trying to eat a healthier diet can help- both excess sugar and alcohol have been shown to depress the immune system.

In addition to lifestyle changes, there are several, well-researched supplements that can help with boosting the immune system, since a healthy immune system is the way to stay healthy. Every day we come into contact with bacteria and viruses that our immune systems work to fight off. Usually, they win the battle, but when they can’t mount an effective counter-attack is when we fall ill. Thankfully, there are natural supplements that can help our own body’s immune system to work better and be more effective against bacteria and viruses, of all kinds.

The first supplement we’d recommend is elderberry, also known by its scientific name, sambucus. Elderberry syrup is a potent, natural antiviral agent that has shown impressive results against a variety of respiratory infections. Scientists believe that part of the way elderberry works is by actually deactivating viruses like the flu, preventing them from replicating, which helps the body to be able to fight them off easier while also stimulating the immune response.

Elderberry is effective as a preventative measure against illness, but can also reduce the severity of symptoms of viral illnesses. Research has found that elderberry is able to reduce the symptoms of upper respiratory infection regardless of the cause, which is helpful since it can be extremely difficult to pinpoint a specific viral strain just by symptoms since even the “common cold” can make a person feel pretty awful.

Another potent natural supplement I’d recommend is a patented extract derived from mushrooms known as AHCC. Unlike elderberry, which works specifically on the viruses causing an illness, AHCC works by affecting the immune system directly. AHCC helps to boost our own body’s immune response. Studies have found that AHCC can boost the effectiveness of our own immune system in a variety of ways, including increasing the activity of our body’s NK, or “natural killer” cells, that identify and destroy viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells in the body, as well as immune cells in our the respiratory tract that work to fend off foreign invaders as they enter the body.

Immune blends, like one of our favorites called Immuno Shield by Irwin Naturals can also be very helpful in boosting immune functioning. Immuno Shield combines a variety of well-researched immune-boosting supplements in one pill, including echinacea, olive leaf, oregano oil, and more. It’s probably the most popular immune supplement for our customers since its effective both preventatively and if you do get sick to help you to feel better faster.

Something else that may be beneficial is manuka honey lozenges. Manuka honey is a specific type of honey that is strongly antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial. Much of the research on manuka honey used orally has been on its ability to inhibit bacterial growth, like strep throat, though new research is confirming manuka honey’s benefits against viruses as well. We have a great manuka honey lozenge I would really recommend by YS Bee Farms that combines beneficial manuka honey with another bee product, propolis, that is also strongly antimicrobial and also helps with healing, so it’s great for sore throats.

Finally, let me say to please not panic about this new virus. Yes, the news is scary, but I do believe sensational news media is getting people more frightened than necessary. At the time I’m writing this there have been less than 100 confirmed cases in America of the coronavirus. In 2018 the US population was measured to be over 327 million. The odds of contracting coronavirus using those numbers is statistically zero. If you’re traveling overseas, wearing a mask at the airport or on a flight doesn’t seem a bad idea if you’re worried. We’ve had some customers ask, so we did bring in a small supply of disposable face masks for people who are traveling, but we would really say that they are generally unnecessary in most cases.

Should we be taking precautions?  Absolutely. That’s because the precautions to prevent against coronavirus are the same as those to prevent you from getting the flu or other respiratory viruses, which are significantly more likely. Wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer when needed, take some immune boosters, and make sure you’re getting enough rest and feeding your body with good foods. All of those things will help you to stay healthy from whatever bugs that cross our path.

Stop by our store in Palos Heights for more information at 7228 W. College Drive. We have kind, knowledgeable employees who can help you to choose the right supplements for your individual needs.

Theanine for Reducing Stress and Increasing Focus

Theanine is a supplement that has been one of our very favorites for many years, and while there are a number of different supplements for anxiety and stress that we’d recommend, theanine is unique and has additional benefits not found in other supplements.

Theanine, or L-Theanine as it’s sometimes called, is an amino acid found in small amounts naturally in green tea. Taken in supplement form, theanine is very effective for stress and anxiety, but without drowsiness; that’s part of what makes theanine special since many supplements for relaxation, stress, or anxiety can make a person feel tired. In fact, theanine can actually help with increasing focus.

Theanine is also fast acting, with effects usually being felt within a half hour to 45 minutes. It is safe for daily use, but can also be used only occasionally when needed. Theanine works by affecting neurotransmitters involved with regulating mood and emotions as well as concentration and alertness. Interestingly, research has also found that theanine can even have anti-inflammatory effects on brain cells and may even help to protect brain cells against age related degradation.

Scientists have found that when people take the amino acid theanine, the supplement helps to encourage and enhance alpha brain waves, which are associated with a state of “wakeful relaxation”, helping a person to feel calm and alert, while at the same time reducing beta brain waves, which are associated with scattered thoughts, nervousness, and hyperactivity.

Even though theanine does not cause tiredness, it has also been found to help with sleep- most likely due to its anti-anxiety effects. It is a supplement that is safe for all ages, and we have gummies that are great for kids (or adults) as well as easy to swallow capsules. We have theanine as one of our “Every Day Sales” by the brand Jarrow since it’s a product we recommend so much. It’s a supplement that most of us at Pass Health Foods have used regularly for many years, so we can definitely attest to its effectiveness.