Natural Help for Spring Allergies

We all love spring, but along with the world coming to life, the beautiful buds and blooms beginning to open can cause allergy problems for many.

For people who have problems with spring allergies, it's actually an inflammatory immune response to the tiny grains of pollen that are being released by everything bursting into bloom. With seasonal allergies, your body actually sees that harmless pollen as a damaging invader, causing immune inflammation and the symptoms we all hate: itchy, watery eyes and a stuffed, runny nose. Your body is actually trying to protect you, it’s just a little misguided.

For many people, it's hard to tell the difference to figure out if its allergies or a cold, though unfortunately allergies usually last a lot longer than cold symptoms.

Most people turn to over the counter medications for allergies, but those medications often come with side effects and many people find their effectiveness can wane over time.

Thankfully, there are natural products that can really help with allergies, without the side effects of conventional medications. One great supplement for allergies is quercetin. Quercetin has become much more well known in the past couple years, since it's great for the immune system and has potent antiviral properties.

Quercetin is great for allergies since research has shown its ability to help modulate the immune system and calm down the body’s overactive response to seasonal allergens like pollen. It also reduces histamine levels naturally- histamine is the chemical in the body responsible for symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and more. Quercetin is especially effective since it inhibits numerous anti-allergenic and inflammatory processes in response to allergens, not just histamine.

The anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties of quercetin have been shown in numerous studies, finding that quercetin has a significant inhibitory effect on histamine release. One study found that quercetin affected histamine release by 95% to 97%! Quercetin has also been shown to benefit asthma and allergic asthma since it works in part to help relax swollen airways.

For allergies, a typical dose that most people see benefit from is 500mg of quercetin twice daily. We have capsules by Solaray in that dosage that are on sale at Pass Health Foods. Quercetin is a plant pigment found in citrus and other foods and has a great safety profile.

Another (delicious) remedy for allergies is local honey. We have many customers who’ve seen great results from eating small amounts of local honey each day, for both kids and adults. Our honey is sourced from local beekeeping families and we do have a limited quantity of honey harvested last spring  that we’ve been saving for allergy season. All of our local honey is great, but the spring harvested honey we especially recommend for allergies since the spring honey was made from the spring pollen from blooms in our area, the exact pollen that causes spring allergies.

Happy spring!

Masks No Longer Required at Pass Health Foods

What a time it’s been with Covid. Things really seem like they’re turning a corner lately, and we hope it stays that way. We just took down the plexiglass barriers by our registers that we put up nearly two years ago- it felt so odd at first with them gone.

Since the indoor mask mandate has been lifted and the Covid numbers have gone down so much, masks will no longer be required at Pass Health Foods for shoppers or staff. We have told our staff that they should make the decision that they feel comfortable with for themselves. We will respect our staff and customers individual decisions with what they feel comfortable with in regard to wearing a mask. I know some people can’t wait to be done with them, while others still feel safer wearing them, since we’ve worn them for so long. I think it’s going to take a while for everyone to get back to normal, and for things to really feel normal.

We appreciate each of our customers for continuing to support us through a trying two years. Additionally, we will continue to offer curb side pickup for customers who prefer it. Thanks again for your support, we wouldn’t be here without you.

Healthy Testosterone Levels in Men

When people hear about testosterone, most people think only of men’s sexual health, but in truth, testosterone affects nearly all aspects of men’s health, from muscle development, mood, focus, and even heart and bone health. After doing some research on men’s health, I’ve come to discover an interesting thing about testosterone, that there are two main kinds in the body- total testosterone levels and then what’s known as “free testosterone”. It seems that men’s overall levels of testosterone are less important than the amount of free testosterone in the body. It’s estimated that 98% of testosterone in men’s bodies is bound to proteins, making it unavailable to perform its necessary role in the body, but there are also levels of “free” or bioavaliable testosterone which are able to be used for the effects of we’re most familiar with- sexual health, vitality, endurance, energy and metabolic levels, and more.

With age, men’s levels of free testosterone decrease, often leading to symptoms like muscle weakness, bone loss, problems concentrating, low energy, and reduced sexual function. Even men with healthy overall levels of testosterone can have lower levels of free testosterone, which impacts health and vitality. Research has found that after age 30, men’s levels of testosterone drop by roughly 1% per year, but the drop in free (or useable) testosterone can decline faster- by 2% to 3% per year.

Some men who have experienced significant drops in testosterone levels have tried hormone replacement therapy, though those synthetic hormones carry a variety of health risks. Many men, however, have had success with using natural products which unlike hormone replacement therapy can actually help their bodies to produce higher levels of testosterone naturally.

There is also newer supplement research on natural ingredients that have been found to not only increase overall testosterone, but more importantly, to improve the levels of free testosterone in the body.

Increasing free testosterone levels can benefit men of all ages, even men in their middle ages and younger. There is a new product by Life Extention called Testosterone Elite that has a blend of natural ingredients that has been specifically shown in research to increase levels of free testosterone, even in younger men. In a double blind, placebo controlled study, that unique herbal blend was able to increase free testosterone by 48%, bringing levels back to optimal, youthful ranges, which also corresponded to a reduction in depressive symptoms and an increase in strength.

Men’s testosterone levels can vary, though many men’s experiences with aging: lower energy and vitality, increases in weight (especially around the midsection), and others can be significantly affected by dropping hormone levels. Using natural products can encourage the body to enhance its own hormone levels vs. using hormone replacements, and can be a safer alternative to feel a bit more vitality.

The product I mentioned above, called Testosterone Elite, has been in clinical trials showing its ability to increase free testosterone levels in eight weeks in a one-a-day supplement. Supplement research and dosages are important, because you want to be using the same amounts shown to be effective in the studies; otherwise you’re wasting your time. Stop by Pass Health Foods for more information and so we can help you further. Aging is not a bad thing, but we don’t necessarily have to feel our age, particularly when it comes to the negative effects of aging.

In addition to natural products, exercise, particularly weight training, can make a big difference in men’s health and healthy hormone levels. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to feel the benefits, and starting slow with simple free weights can be beneficial. Exercising with weights also helps with bone strength and reducing bone loss, and it’s something simple that can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Product Updates

We have some great new products in the store if you haven’t noticed them. Our new one-a-day food based multivitamins from Bluebonnet are one of our favorites. They have a 40+ Women’s one-a-day capsule that we really recommend since our other 40 or 50+ women’s multis are either in a larger tablet or the serving size is more than one a day. We also have a regular women’s one-a-day from Bluebonnet. They difference between them is that the regular women’s has 100% of the daily value of iron, where the 40+ does not. Women only need iron if they’re menstruating, so that can help you to choose between the two varieties.

Our Kal Magnesium Glycinate products are still out of stock because they’re being reformulated and they don’t have a timeline for when they’ll be back in stock, which is frustrating. We’ve brought in a few new magnesium products as a replacement in the meantime- one by NOW Foods which I really like that’s a combination of magnesium citrate, glycinate, and malate (all well absorbing forms) in a softgel that’s only $14.99 for a month’s supply. We also have a new magnesium by Nutrigold in well absorbing capsules that are bound to amino acids from rice to help with absorption (all of our Nutrigold products are 25% off every day).

We also have some changes to our probiotics- we’ve decided to discontinue our Renew Life probiotics (they’re on sale for 50% off while supplies last). We’ve had Renew Life as a brand for many years, it was started by Brenda Watson, a natural health expert, back in 1997 but a few years ago the company was bought by Clorox. We decided to discontinue the line because we just didn’t trust they were keeping the same standards for probiotics, and we have a number of other probiotics that we would recommend that we think are equivalent if not better.

In other probiotic news, we have been out of stock of Florajen 3, a probiotic we’ve carried for many years, for a long time now. We’re unsure about the future of the company since we’ve been trying to get a hold of them for months to place orders without a response. If they have products available in the future we will order them, but for now there are other refrigerated products we can recommend that are more potent, with a higher amount of strains, for less money. Next time you’re in the store please ask us for a recommendation for probiotics, since we have some really nice ones that you may not be familiar with.

Organic Staff Wine Picks

I wanted to mention a few of our current favorite wines at Pass Health Foods!

Carolyn’s Pick:

Organic Merlot by Stellar Organics

I love merlot, and this South African variety is especially delicious. I feel like it has an additional depth and a bit of smokiness that isn’t usually present in other merlots I’ve had. It’s also vegan, sulfite-free, and is certified fair trade.

Gina’s Pick:

Organic Cabernet Franc by Domaine Bousquet Gaia

I love full bodied, dry reds, so this Cabernet Franc is my favorite. It has big, juicy flavors of ripe red berries, with smooth oak and spicy pepper notes. It’s the perfect wine for a cold Winter night! It’s a unique wine from Argentina that’s related to Cabernet Sauvignon that I’d definitely recommend trying!

Liz’s Pick:

Organic Malbec by Domaine Bousquet Virgen

I am a red wine drinker and this is a nice wine for any occasion. It’s smooth and hearty! I enjoy it with appetizers, dinner, or just a glass by itself. This organic malbec is sulfite-free, which I love- it’s an an all-around delicious choice!

Abby’s Pick:

Organic Moscato Spumante Dolce by La Cantina Pizzolato

I’m more of a bubbly, sweet, fruity wine drinker and this is my favorite moscato! Not only is it delicious, but it makes a great gift or wine to bring to gatherings (it has a gorgeous bottle)! At our wine tasting last month it was the most popular wine that people sampled!

Also this month, we’ve brought in a few sweeter wines after having customers ask. We’ve brought in a new organic reisling by Schlink Haus that’s a bit sweeter than the dry reisling we have by Art of Earth, and a new sweet white blend by Stellar Organics, as well as a unique, sweet German red called Dornfelder. I’d never heard of Dornfelder grapes before, but after doing some research it seems they’re the second most commonly grown grape in Germany. It’s a nice, fruity, easy drinking wine. Most red wines are served at room temperature, though Dornfelder is often recommended to be served slightly chilled.

We have a great assortment of organic wines at the store, so stop by this month to see our selection, we have something for everyone! We’re at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights!

See our entire catalog of organic and natural wine and beer (including pricing) here.

Note: If you’re on a mobile phone, click on the small “+” in the upper right-hand corner to see the different sections of the catalog.

Cellular Health: Why It Matters & How to Enhance Cellular Energy

This month I wanted to write about a little known supplement with very impressive benefits called PQQ, which is related to the better known nutrient CoQ10 which is most commonly used for its benefits for heart health and cardiovascular function. 

Both of these nutrients help each of the individual cells in our bodies, specifically the energy producing mitochondria in our cells. Now most people don’t spend very much time thinking about the cells in our body, any more than we do the atoms of the chair we may be sitting in, but the importance of our cells, and especially the mitochondria- known as the powerhouse of the cell- impacts every system in the body, particularly the heart and brain.

CoQ10 is a vitamin-like nutrient that is manufactured in the body, but that production decreases with age and is also decreased by certain medications, statin drugs in particular. CoQ10 helps to give energy to the cells to run properly. Without sufficient CoQ10, our cells can be starved for energy. 

CoQ10 is best known as a heart health supplement, and that’s because our heart cells have the most mitochondria per cell, since our heart requires so much constant energy to do its tireless job of keeping us alive. CoQ10 and mitochondria are important for all cells however, especially for proper functioning of brain cells.

I’ve written so far about CoQ10, which we can think of as food for our mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of the cell. PQQ, which stands for pyrroloquinoline quinine, is another nutrient that’s incredibly important for the health of our cells. Like CoQ10, PQQ helps to support the mitochondria in our cells, but it’s a unique supplement in its ability to help to signal the body to create new mitochondria. PQQ can also help the body to clear out defective mitochondria in our cells- damaged, defective mitochondria must be removed from cells and replaced with properly functioning mitochondria for cells to perform as they should. 

The process of removing damaged and defective mitochondria in our cells is called mitophagy. The proper functioning of this process is important for every organ in our body, but research is showing how crucial it is for brain function, specifically degenerative disorders of the brain like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Let me be clear, PQQ is not a cure for degenerative disorders, but the science is pointing to benefits for those conditions, especially preventatively. Mitochondrial function is crucial for brain health, since the brain uses roughly 20% of the energy our body required each day.

Mitochondrial production is impaired in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and research has suggested that mitophagy- the process of removing damaged mitochondria from cells- is also not functioning correctly in people suffering from those disorders. Since PQQ can enhance the recycling of defective mitochondria and the creation of new, healthy mitochondria, it may be beneficial for those degenerative disorders, especially preventatively.

Also, research has suggested that in people with macular degeneration may have problems with defective mitochondria in eye cells, which reduce the ability of cells in eyes to work properly. Abnormal mitochondrial function is also frequently found in people with glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

So to summarize, CoQ10 and PQQ are very important nutrients that are particularly important for heart, brain, and eye health. They help our cells to have enough energy to work properly and help to give organs like our heart, brain, and eyes the energy they need to do their jobs. PQQ is a great addition to CoQ10, because it’s able to recycle and encourage our body to replace damaged and defective the energy producing mitochondria in our cells with new mitochondria. They really work synergistically.

We don’t give much thought to our cellular health, but our organs are made up of those cells, and the health of our cells translates to the health and functioning of our organs, which is what controls the health and proper functioning of our bodies!

We have a great product that contains both CoQ10 and PQQ by Natural Factors. It’s a one a day formula that we’ve put on every-day-sale for 25% off. We definitely recommend it! Stop by and see us at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.

I know that was a bit dry, so if you’ve read this far, you’ve earned a couple of mitochondria memes:

Help for a Happy and Fit New Year!

Happy New Year! I wanted to briefly write about ways for this year to help with the common goals about being happy and fit!

I feel like we're all under so much stress, so supplements like theanine (an amino acid from green tea that helps to reduce stress and anxiety without tiredness) and Solgar’s Stress & Anxiety Relief (a favorite our ours that combines the recommended amounts of ashwagandha and saffron in one pill to help with anxiety and mood). I’ve written about both before, so I’ll link articles below if you’d like to read more about them:

Theanine for Reducing Stress and Increasing Focus

A Great New Supplement for Stress & Anxiety

Whenever the New Year rolls around, many people make resolutions to get in shape. There’s no magic wand, sadly, but there are some supplements that can help. Also, instead of thinking about weight loss, it can be helpful to reframe your thinking into focusing on being more active and eating healthier. Small changes can make a real difference, without making yourself crazy. See our articles below for more information on a few different supplements and ideas that can help with maintaining a healthy weight:

Change Your Thinking About New Year's Resolutions

Natural Weight Loss Supplements that Actually Work

From all of us at Pass Health Foods, we wish you a wonderful 2022!

Event Cancellation & Masks

Due to new vaccination requirements in Cook County for certain activities, we have chosen to cancel our wine tasting that had been planned for Friday, January 7th.

We also wanted to reiterate our mask policy at the store, that everyone shopping at the store will need to wear a mask in accordance with state and local laws. We had relaxed our stance a bit in the past, usually wanting to avoid confrontations with customers not wearing masks, but with increased Covid positivity rates we will be going back to asking each person to please wear a mask while shopping in the store. We have masks available if needed.

Additionally, we will continue to offer curbside pickup for customers who prefer it, just give us a call at the store at 708-448-9114 and we will help you with collecting your order and then will bring it out to your car when you arrive.

We really appreciate your help with this and for supporting us! ❤️

Quercetin for Immune Health

I wanted to briefly write about quercetin, a plant compound found in small amounts in many fruits and vegetables. Quercetin is a potent antioxidant and in the past has been a supplement frequently taken for allergies to reduce histamine levels. Interestingly, quercetin also has potent antiviral benefits, which is why it has recently become quite a popular supplement.

Quercetin is not a new or experimental supplement. It has been used for many years and has an excellent safety profile.

Research has shown that quercetin helps to prevent viruses from being able to enter and infect cells as well as slowing viral replication, and has been studied with a number of different serious viruses with good results (it was even researched with the Ebola virus back in 2016). Even though Covid is what’s foremost on everyone’s radar at the moment, it is not the only respiratory virus going around this year. I know several different people who were quite sick this year, but had negative Covid PCR tests; I only mention that because just like any other year, there are a host of viruses going around this winter, not just Covid, so doing what we can to stay healthy is always a good idea.

Dr. Paul E. Marik, MD, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia spoke about quercetin, saying "If you have something that is potentially beneficial, safe, and cheap, what do you have to lose?"

One of the reasons that quercetin may be beneficial against Covid and other viruses is that it may help to reduce viral load, making illness easier for the body to fight off. Our bodies are constantly fighting off invading viruses that we come in contact with as we go about our daily lives. If our body’s immune system is able to fight off those attacks, we stay healthy; it’s when the body is overwhelmed by those invading viruses that we fall ill. Research has shown that quercetin is able to help prevent viruses from replicating and infecting cells, and those benefits have been shown in both in vitro and in vivo studies for a variety of viruses including the common cold. Let me be clear, quercetin is not a magical cure for anything, but I do believe it can help our immune systems to work better to fight off whatever viruses we may come across.

Interestingly, it’s been found that vitamin C increases the effectiveness of quercetin and vice versa, so it's a smart idea to take those two supplements together.

It’s a supplement with good science behind it, and something that has been shown to be safe to take and has been used for many years, so I’d recommend adding it to your supplement regimen this winter along with Vitamin D, Zinc, and Vitamin C.

Vitamin D is a vitamin that’s made in our skin in response to sunlight, but most people are not getting much sun on their skin in the cold weather, which is why our vitamin D levels are usually a lot lower in the winter. Research on Covid patients has found that people who had the lowest levels of vitamin D levels had much more severe illness, which no one wants, so supplementing is a simple way to keep yourself healthy (it’s a tiny, inexpensive pill). Vitamin D is also helpful for bones and calcium absorption, so it’s always a favorite supplement of ours.

Zinc is a mineral that’s also great for the immune system, and most people aren’t getting nearly enough zinc in their diets. Zinc has been shown in research to have a protective effect against respiratory viruses but it also appears to have a regulating effect on the immune system, helping to prevent inflammation and also helping the body’s response to the Coronavirus and other viruses.

Vitamin C helps to enhance immune cell functioning, and we especially recommend the Ester-C form since it has been shown to stay active in the body longer that regular vitamin C. It’s also a non-acidic form of vitamin C that’s gentle on the stomach. The majority of people who had severe Covid symptoms, including critically ill patients, were low in vitamin C. Vitamin C is easily obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables, but unfortunately most American diets are not getting the recommended amounts of fresh product every day, so supplements can be helpful.

Keep in mind, we are not physicians, but each of these supplements has been used for many years to help with immune health, which is even more important this year.

Staying Healthy in 2022

Staying healthy is something we always think about, but the past few weeks I'd say have everyone a little worried since for many of us the number of people we personally know who have gotten sick is definitely increasing, including people who have been vaccinated. We aren't physicians, but from the research available, we definitely feel like everyone should be taking vitamin D, zinc, vitamin C (in the Ester C form), quercetin, and maybe melatonin. Those are all supplements that have been used and recommended for immune and respiratory health for years, and we'd say it's especially important to keep up on that supplement regimen now.

Vitamin D is a vitamin that’s made in our skin in response to sunlight, but most people are not getting much sun on their skin in the cold weather, which is why our vitamin D levels are usually a lot lower in the winter. Research on Covid patients has found that people who had the lowest levels of vitamin D levels had much more severe illness, which no one wants, so supplementing is a simple way to keep yourself healthy (it’s a tiny, inexpensive pill). Vitamin D is also helpful for bones and calcium absorption, so it’s always a favorite supplement of ours.

Zinc is a mineral that’s also great for the immune system, and most people aren’t getting nearly enough zinc in their diets. Zinc has been shown in research to have a protective effect against respiratory viruses but it also appears to have a regulating effect on the immune system, helping to prevent inflammation and also helping the body’s response to the Coronavirus.

Vitamin C helps to enhance immune cell functioning, and the Ester-C form has been shown to stay active in the body longer than regular vitamin C. It’s also a non-acidic form of vitamin C that’s gentle on the stomach.

Quercetin is a plant compound found in many fruits and vegetables. It’s often used for allergies, but it also has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body and has been shown to be beneficial against viruses. Part of why it works so well is that it’s been shown to can calm down the body’s overactive inflammatory response to viruses as well as helping to prevent viruses from replicating in the body.

Melatonin is usually known as a sleep supplement, but research has shown that melatonin can help with regulating the immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects. One recent large-scale study found that melatonin significantly reduced the risk of death in Covid patients that had been intubated and has also been recommended as a supplement to reduce the severity of Covid symptoms. For immune health we’d suggest using a time-release form before bed and also starting with a lower dose like 2-3 milligrams a day (sometimes if a person starts taking a higher dose without using melatonin previously, they can have sleep disturbances or strange dreams). Here’s a great study on melatonin and Covid-19.

Things are a bit crazy at the moment, but I think we all need to remember that this won't last forever; we just need to get through it.