Supplement tips – Top Five

fishy foodCassandra Barns, nutritionist, Nutri Centre gives her top five supplements for the new season.

The Omega-3

EPA and DHA are two omega-3 fatty acids with specific health benefits that are also great for glossy hair, strong nails and supple skin. In foods, they are found mainly in oily fish and fish livers, with small amounts of DHA found in seaweeds such as nori. However the typical western diet often contains too much omega 6 in relation to omega 3, and we need a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 for optimal health.

Health benefits:

•    Omega 3 fats can also help burn body fat.
•    Brain health, memory, learning and concentration.
•    Eye health. DHA is also concentrated in the retina of the eye and has an essential role in its function.
•    Heart health.
•    Pregnancy and the developing child.
•    Controlling inflammation and pain.

For vegetarians try Vega’s Vegamega-3,  from Nutri Centre.   It contains high amounts of  DHA and EPA from a non-fish source.

         Featured products
Wileys Finest Orange Burst Orange Liquid Wileys 250ml £15.99
Vegamega-3 (vegetarian Omega 3) Vega 30 capsules £14.95
Wileys Finest Easy Swallow Minis Wileys 60 softgels £9.99
Omega 3 for Kids Berry Bursts Lambert’s 100 capsules £11.45
*5 per cent discount with this code: HSoul1at www.superfooduk.com*

 

2. The Multivitamin and Mineral supplement

A high proportion of the UK population is falling short of the government’s RDA of vitamins & minerals.  A multivitamin supplement is an obvious  choice. This is principally because these products contain multiple nutrients, which can help to fill in the gaps in our diet and may benefit our health in many ways.
And remember that the RDA levels are just minimum requirements, not optimal amounts. So it’s worth taking a good quality  multivitamin to fill those gaps and act as a good ‘insurance policy’.
For normal energy production, we need to take in sufficient levels of several B vitamins, vitamin C, and the minerals iron, iodine, magnesium, calcium, copper and manganese. And for the immune system, we need to get enough of vitamins A, C and D, B6, B12 and folic acid, as well as copper, zinc, iron and selenium.

Source of Life Chewable Multi-Vits and Minerals  Whole Food Concentrates, 90, £22.65.
Terranova’s Full Spectrum  Multi-vitamin Complex, 100 veg capsules, £24.75

Featured products
Chewable Multi-Vits and Minerals Whole Food Concentrates Source of Life 90 £22.65
Full Spectrum Multi-vitamin Complex Terranova 100 veg caps £24.75
*5 per cent discount with this code: HSoul1at www.superfooduk.com*

3. Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 is your anti-ageing secret weapon, both inside and out.  The antioxidants within CoQ10 can withstand and help reverse skin damage, preserving the collagen and elastin within your skin cells to make you appear younger.  CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance, present in every cell in our body, which is vital for energy production. Although the body makes its own CoQ10, levels have been found to decrease from the age of 20 onwards!
CoQ10 also supports brain health and helps protect against age-related memory decline as well as quenching free radicals that damage cells and age the skin; a very powerful antioxidant, decreasing the ageing process in our cells, arteries, hearts, gums and brains.

Featured products
CoQ10 30mg Complex Terranova 100 veg caps £22.75

*5 per cent discount with this code: HSoul1

at www.superfooduk.com

 

4. The Probiotic

Probiotics are supplements of ‘friendly bacteria’ such as lactobacillus acidophilus that aim to support the populations of healthy microorganisms in our digestive tract. Probiotics are best known for encouraging good digestion, keeping you regular and helping with problems such as bloating.

The benefits

•    Boosts the immune system, because 70 to 80 per cent of the body’s immune cells are in the walls of the digestive tract.
•    Joint health – through their link to the immune system, the good bacteria may help prevent the autoimmune reactions that can inflame our joints, and generally control inflammation in the body.
•    Oral health – by helping to control the populations of ‘bad’ bacteria that can cause dental caries (tooth decay).
•     Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is filtered out of the blood by the liver and enters the digestive tract in the bile. Although some of the cholesterol is reabsorbed, some of it is excreted, and it is thought that the healthy gut bacteria have a role in ensuring this happens. A successful clinical trial has been carried out using the probiotic strain lactobacillus plantarumfor helping to lower cholesterol.
•    Low mood and anxiety. Many nerve cells (neurons) line the walls of the digestive tract; so many in fact that the gut is sometimes referred to as our ‘second brain’, so our feelings can affect our digestion and vice-versa.

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Featured products
Lepicol Plus Digestive Enzymes Lepicol 180g powder £13.49
Probiotic Plus Total Immune and Energy Support ProVen 14 sachets £8.95
*5 per cent discount with this code: HSoul1at www.superfooduk.com

 

Magnesium

Some 40 per cent of females and 36 per cent of males take in less than the EAR (Estimated Average Requirement) of magnesium.
It has many roles in the body:

•    It is necessary for over 300 enzyme reactions, including those that generate energy from the food that we eat, and those that produce DNA and RNA for normal cell growth and reproduction.
•    It is also necessary for allowing our muscles to relax, as it blocks the flow of calcium into the muscle cells (a process that causes muscle to contract).
•    About half the magnesium in our body is stored in our bones, and it plays a role in bone strength.
•    Magnesium is also necessary for normal function of the nervous system, and normal psychological function.

Because of all these different roles, deficiency in magnesium has been linked to many symptoms and conditions. These include cramping or twitching of the muscles, fatigue, insomnia, lack of appetite, confusion and poor memory. Low levels of magnesium are also associated with conditions such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis and diabetes, migraines, PMS and even depression.

For ease of us try the Magnesium Oil Original Spray below.

Featured products
Magnesium Oil Joint Spray Better You 100ml £12.49
Magnesium Oil Sports Spray Better You 100ml £12.49
Magnesium Soak Better You 500ml £19.99
*5 per cent discount with this code: HSoul1at www.superfooduk.com

 

 

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