Category: Health Concerns

5 Tips to Beat the Winter Blues

December 3rd, 2010 by Paula Gallagher

The days are really short. I wake up before the sun and by the time 5pm rolls around, it is dark again. Many people experience sadness, melancholy or winter blues because they do not get enough sunlight. Some people experience SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, a mood disorder in which people with normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter.

There are many different treatments for classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder, including light therapy with sunlight or bright lights, antidepressant medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy, ionized-air administration, and carefully-timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin.

However, today I am just going to give you five fun tips to pick up your mood. Continue reading “5 Tips to Beat the Winter Blues”

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Support Your Immune System: L-Lysine

December 2nd, 2010 by Paula Gallagher

A healthy, balanced immune system is one that is able to quickly and effectively fight off infection and at the same time not overreact to irritations such as allergens or even your own body. Having the necessary nutrient reserves and avoiding foods and chemicals that suppress the immune system will support continued good health. Factors such as chronic stress, repeated use of antibiotics, environmental pollutants, and poor dietary and lifestyle habits greatly damage the immune system. As a result, healing capacity and the ability to defend against infection becomes weaker. Incorporating key nutrition elements will help to strengthen the body’s defenses.

One of those is  L-lysine. L-lysine is an essential amino acid that cannot be produced by the body. Lysine helps strengthen the immune system by adjusting body chemistry so it is less hospitable to foreign organisms and supports the body’s acid/alkaline balance. Its most common application is related to the herpes virus. Herpes viruses are dependent on the amino acid arginine for replication. Lysine counter-balances arginine (found in nuts, seeds, and meats), making it harder for herpes and other viruses to replicate. Lysine has been shown to prevent outbreaks and reduce the duration and severity of individual herpes outbreaks and other viral infections.

For more information, contact Village Green Apothecary at 1-800-869-9159

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10 Facts About Folic Acid

November 30th, 2010 by Paula Gallagher

Folic acid is a B vitamin that can help reduce the risk of neural tube defects by as much as 70% if taken before conception. Folate and folic acid are different terms for the same B vitamin. Folate is found naturally in foods and folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin found in multivitamins and supplements.

So why is folic acid important?

Here are 10 facts from New York State’s Department of Health:

1. Each year, about 130 babies who are born in New York State have neural tube defects (NTD). Nationwide, there are 4,000 NTD-affected pregnancies each year. NTDs are disorders of the development of the brain and spinal cord. The most common NTD is spina bifida, or opening of the spine. The most serious NTD is anencephaly, failure of the brain to develop.

2. Up to 70% of NTDs can be prevented if all women who can become pregnant consume 0.4 mg/day of folic acid at least a month prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy. Continue reading “10 Facts About Folic Acid”

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Upper Respiratory Infections and Vitamin C

November 29th, 2010 by Paula Gallagher

Having just gotten over an upper respiratory infection (URI), this interview with Naama Constantini, MD, DFM, FACSM, Dip. Sport Med. (CASM), by Kirk Hamilton came at a great time. Dr. Constantini discusses the role that the antioxidant vitamin C plays in swimmers with URIs.

Kirk Hamilton: Can you please share with us your educational background and current position?

Naama Constantini: I am a physician and a family and sport medicine specialist. I am the director of the “Hadassah Optimal” Sports Medicine Center, Orthopedic Department, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. I was the chair of the Medical Committee of the Israeli Olympic Committee for
over 10 years and currently the physician of the Israeli Swimming Association. In addition, I am an active Master competitive swimmer, and a former swimming coach.

KH: What got you interested in studying the role of vitamin C in upper respiratory infections (URI) in adolescent swimmers? Continue reading “Upper Respiratory Infections and Vitamin C”

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Interesting Fact About Pumpkin Pies!

November 24th, 2010 by Paula Gallagher

A study published in Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality (Williams and Wilkins, 1975) showed that the smell of pumpkin pie aroused men.

“Maybe the odors acted to reduce anxiety,” said Dr. Alan Hirsch, director of Chicago’s Smell and Taste Treatment Center. “By reducing anxiety, it acted to reduce inhibitions.”

Something to think about when you are passing the pumpkin pie!

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  • Paula Gallagher
    Paula Gallagher
    Paula is a highly qualified and experienced nutrition counselor on the staff at Village Green.
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