Pharmacentre Limited > Blog > Other topics
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Creative Nature Goji Berries

I just love Goji berries. They are also known as wolfberries and have been used as a medicinal plant since ancient China. They are a good source of vitamins, including vitamins (A and C) essential minerals, and antioxidants such as zeaxanthin.

These berries also contain all 8 essential amino acids providing a surprising amount of protein as for fruit.

The carbohydrates in Goji berries are complex carbs. This means your blood sugar will raise slowly, reducing your risk of a sugar crash afterwards.
Their nutrition value as a low-calorie, low-sugar option makes them a perfect substitute to other dried fruits with higher sugar content. A one ounce serving of goji berries only has 23 calories and the Glycemic Index of Goji Berries is 29.

Goji berries have additional characteristics that help control blood sugar and appetite. They contain 21 percent fibre by weight. High fibre foods are filling and help to moderate blood sugar levels. The berries are a good source of chromium, a mineral that aids in blood sugar control. Chromium may also help to preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss. Muscle burns more calories than fat, promoting a more efficient metabolism, which makes it easier to prevent weight gain.

Goji berries are rich in several nutrients that help to convert food into energy rather than storing it as fat. Further, a balanced combination of essential minerals is necessary for efficient protein metabolism. In addition to calcium and chromium, Goji berries contain copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc.

Goji berries do not only help in a weight loss programme but they have many other health benefits, such as:

  • supporting immune system
  • supporting eye and skin health
  • promoting lean muscle
  • enhancing energy

Two amino acids (L-Arginine, L-Glutamine) and potassium in Goji berries help our bodies to produce more growth hormone, therefore, they can help to enhance libido and fertility.

These berries are good for overall wellbeing and you don’t need to force yourself to eat them because they are delicious!

Use them like raisins or fresh berries. Mix them into your breakfast cereal or yogurt, add them to trail mix, sprinkle over a salad or drink it as juice that can even be added to tea or smoothies.

Goji berries also taste great cooked, adding a savoury sweetness to hearty dishes. Plus, their vitamin C content also will help your body absorb the iron in your meals

Eating two or more servings of fruit daily is usually recommended for optimum health benefits, so add this berry in for a superfood boost to your 5 a day.

I prefer the Creative Nature Goji Berries as they are sulphite free and softer and tastier than other brands I have tried.

Written by Grazyna from our Putney store.

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Viridian 7 Day Sugar Detox

Say Goodbye to Sugar and Hello to Better Health, Better Sleep and Better Vitality

Sugar is addictive. There is no doubt about that. It comes in various disguises and it seems impossible to give up. it is human nature to respond positively to rewards. When you eat sugar your brain “rewards” you by producing Dopamine  – a chemical that is responsible for feeling pleasure. Good? You would think so, but in actual fact the body becomes less responsive to the dopamine and you therefore eat more sugar to get the reward feeling and this becomes a vicious cycle of highs and blood sugar crashes leaving you feeling absolutely rubbish. Sound familiar?

But we need sugar!

True. Sugar is digested and turned into glucose – one of the main fuel sources for the body. Again you would think that’s good but our body’s aren’t meant to cope with the quantities of sugar the average first world person consumes, and this is what happens:

Once your food is digested, the glucose is absorbed through the intestine, you produce insulin which acts as a transportation for the glucose to various parts of the body to be used as energy. The more simple the sugar, the faster this happens.

Once you’ve got enough energy in the cells, the leftover glucose is stored in the liver, muscles and fat cells to be used in between meals. Your body won’t waste energy and it has an endless storage supply in fat cells, so when you eat more sugars than you use, you grow more fat cells to store it.

Eventually your body develops an insulin resistance which is the pancreas producing less insulin. This leaves the body with too much glucose in the blood and nothing to transport, it and you’re left with a good chance of getting type 2 diabetes if you do not get the sugar consumption under control.

Sugar affects your immune system

Glucose is a food source for our cells but also for Candida yeast,  bacterias, and even cancer cells. This is not to say that the consumption of sugar causes these problems, only that it fuels them. Sugar is also seen to reduce the effectiveness of your immune system. A study done in the 1970’s found that eating simple sugars decreases the immune system’s effectiveness to kill bacteria and viruses it finds in the body.

Sugar affects our sleep.

Blood sugar levels that are too high or too low cause our sleep to be interrupted. Lack of a good night sleep then also causes problems with our blood sugar. Tiredness leads to the body dumping glucose into the blood stream, insulin having to transport it, and you get a cycle of cravings, mood highs and lows, and energy and exhaustion.

The average person in large cities has the following daily routine:

  • A bad night sleep leaves you slow to start, running late and grabbing a cup of coffee and chocolate muffin for breakfast – Sugar high.
  • You then have a sugar crash, so it’s a cup of tea and a biscuit to boost you, giving you another sugar high.
  • Another crash comes just in time for lunch, so you have meal deal with a chocolate bar and fruit smoothie (hidden sugars)
  • Another low in the late afternoon, so it’s another tea and biscuit
  • You get home feeling exhausted so you warm up a ready meal containing as much as 10 teaspoons of sugar.
  • Another sugar crash before bed and you’re on your way to another restless night sleep to do it all over again the next day.

Had enough?

We have too, so our product of the month is the new Viridian Sugar Detox Kit.

Start your Sugar detox

Once you decide to quite sugar. Viridian have developed a 7 day Sugar detox program supporting you with supplements and a 7 day plan to help you get over your sugar cravings for good!

The 7 Day Sugar Detox pack supplement contains Chromium, Cinnamon and Alpha Lipoic acid.

Chromium is an important mineral that contributes to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels. Cinnamon, also known as “sweet wood,” has been well studied clinically and has a long history of traditional use. Alpha lipoic acid is found in all cells and is in this formula as it has a balancing effect on blood sugar levels in the body.

You can also download the app, get free meal plans, recipes and even a shopping list to help you through program on their 7 day sugar detox website

It’s time for a better you, so give up refined sugars and have a healthier summer and future.

 

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Menopause tips from A.Vogel

The menopause gets rather a rough press in our society as we don’t usually value age and experience the way they do in less Westernised cultures.

There are many things you can do for your health to ensure that the menopause is embraced rather than dreaded. Why not try a few of the health tips below to help you through the menopause and into the next phase of your life.

Food and drink

There are some dietary changes you can make to help you through the menopause:

  • Drink at least 1.5 litres of still plain water daily
  • Cut out coffee and take a maximum of 2 cups of tea daily (why not try Bambu – a coffee alternative)
  • Make sure your bowels move regularly
  • Eat regularly as skipping meals will not help with trying to maintain a healthy weight
  • Reduce refined carbohydrates – white sugar, white bread, white pasta, white rice and things covered in heaps of syrup
  • Eat more phyto-oestrogenic foods such as broccoli, oats & soya
  • Eat more non-dairy, calcium containing foods such as brown rice, salmon and pumpkin seeds
Exercise
  • Walk for 20 minutes every other night – 10 minutes outbound and 10 minutes home. This helps trigger the production of happy chemicals called endorphins in your body
  • Get a mini trampoline (rebounder). You can use it in front of the television so that you don’t get bored
  • Get some mini weights and use them gently whilst watching the ‘soaps’
Sleep
  • Being able to sleep well is easier if your digestion is working properly, so observe the suggestions for eating and drinking above. If you habitually wake at about 3am, you may find that improving your digestion has a very good knock-on effect on your sleep pattern
  • Spend some time relaxing before you go to bed so that your mind stops buzzing
  • Write down things that are on your mind and a list of things you need to do the next day before you go to bed so that you do not have everything revolving round in your mind as you try to go to sleep
  • Avoid all caffeine, not just in the evening but during the day as well. Try to stay away from situations that will cause anxiety. Use calming herb teas such as lemon balm and chamomile to help relax your mind, or use a herbal remedy containing valerian, such as A. Vogel Dormeasan®Valerian-Hops drops to help you re-establish a good sleeping pattern.
 Stress
  • Take time out for yourself
  • Eat regularly, as skipping meals or eating on the run creates more stress
  • Avoid caffeine
  • Practice breathing techniques, or take up yoga or another gentle, meditative exercise that promotes deep relaxation
  • If you need further help, you might like to consider using a herbal remedy such as A.Vogel Stress Relief Daytime
Low Mood/Tearfulness
  • Exercise is very good for both body and mind as it releases natural chemicals in the body that make us feel happy.
  • Write it down – it is best not to bottle your feelings up. Talk to those around you but if you find this difficult, even writing your problems down in a journal can help release your feelings. Better out than in as they say.
  • While drinking in moderation is acceptable, it is best to try and avoid alcohol. Water is the best drink to hydrate the brain!
  • Change things in your surroundings. The brain can easily form repetitive patterns making it hard to change your emotions, so try doing something new when you feel low and you might surprise yourself and others. They do call it the change after all.

If you are looking for a herbal remedy for low mood, you might wish to consider A. Vogel Hyperiforce® St. John’s Wort tablets. This can however not be take if on any other medication.

Soy isoflavones for before, during & after the menopause

A.Vogel Menosan® Menopause Support can provide support to the body through all stages of the Menopause but is especially useful when broad range of symptoms such as hot flushes, irritability, tiredness, pains and aches, vaginal dryness etc kick in.

Made from fermented soya beans
Support for all stages of the menopause
Also contains magnesium and hibiscus

Eileen does Menopause Monday’s for A. Vogel, with a weekly blog and video. Click HERE to find out more her blog.

In this A.Vogel video, Eileen explains why good liver function is so important during the menopause and she recommends what you can do to support your liver.

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What’s your number?

Blood Pressure
What is it?

When your heart beats, it pumps blood around your body to give it energy and oxygen. As the blood moves, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels. The strength of this pushing is your blood pressure. If the pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries (and your heart) and this may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Blood pressure readings have two numbers, for example 140 over 90. The top number is the systolic pressure– this is the highest pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood around your body. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure – this is the lowest pressure when your heart relaxes in between beats.

What’s Normal?

Ideally, we should all have a blood pressure below 120/80. This is the ideal level for good health and lower risk of heart disease or stroke.

What’s too high? (Hypertenstion)
  • if your top number is 140 or more – then you may have hypertension, regardless of your bottom number.
  • if your bottom number is 90 or more – then you may have hypertension, regardless your top number.
What’s too low? (Hypotension)
  • if your top number is 90 or less – then you may have hypotension, regardless of your bottom number.
  • if your bottom number is 60 or less – then you may have hypotension, regardless of your top number.
  • Hypotension is uncommon and usually harmless
Hypertension Symptoms

High blood pressure usually has no obvious symptoms and many people have it without knowing.

The only way to know is to have your blood pressure measured. It is estimated that more than 5 million people don’t know they have high blood pressure in the UK- that’s why it’s called the silent killer.

In some rare cases, where a person has very high blood pressure, they can experience symptoms, including:

• a persistent headache
• blurred or double vision
• nosebleeds
• shortness of breath

Hypertension Health Risks

High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. This can cause them to become weaker or damaged.

The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of serious health problems in the future, including:

Damage to your heart – it can cause you to have a heart attack and heart failure.

Damage to your brain – it can cause strokes. It has also been closely linked to some forms of dementia.

Damage to your kidneys

Damage to your limbs – it can cause peripheral arterial disease, which can affect your legs.

If you have other health conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, this increases your risk of health problems even more. It is then even more important to lower your high blood pressure.

High risk groups include the over 55s, people of African Caribbean descent, and people of South Asian origin who are more prone to other vascular conditions.

How to get high blood pressure under control:

Firstly – know your numbers! As symptoms are rare, you won’t know if your blood pressure is high unless you check!

  • Eat less salt – use salt substitues such as herbamare
  • More fruit and veg which contain essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium which help control blood pressure. Coconut water is also a great source of potassium.
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Drink Less alcohol
  • Keep active
  • Reduce stimulants caffeine tea and coffee
  • Garlic supplements
  • Omega-3 rich fish oil supplements
  • Hawthorne extract supplements
  • Antioxidants supplements, including Resveratrol, Co-Enzyme Q10
  • Beetroot juice
  • Pomegranate juice

 

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A.Vogel Bronchosan Pine Cough Syrup

Dipti in Muswell loves A.Vogel Bronchosan Pine Cough Syrup. She says: “Really effective, I was suffering from a stubborn cough for days that would just not shift. I literally have tried everything in the shop and so far this is the one product that has calmed my cough down. I highly recommend it to anyone with a cough or just to have in the cupboard for the winter months.”

Cough syrups help to ease the irritation in the respiratory tract. They are sometimes required after a cold or flu, or following other infections of the respiratory tract. Bronchosan Pine Cough Syrup is made from freshly harvested pine (spruce) shoots, and as conventional cough syrups may contain synthetic ingredients or cause drowsiness, some prefer to use a cough syrup containing herbal or natural ingredients which are not associated with these concerns.

 

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Pacifica Soy Candles

We love Pacifica Soy French Lilac Candles. They are handmade with vegetable soya wax and 100% cotton lead-free wicks and essential and natural oils. Perfumed in a traditional French style, this fresh scent conjures spring with a blend of Lilac, Magnolia Leaves, Heliotrope, Ylang Ylang, Hyacinth and subtle notes of Nectarine. All Pacifica Candles are 100% vegan. Soy wax is also cleaner burning – no toxins, carcinogens or pollutants which means it’s less likely to trigger allergies. They are also longer lasting – soy wax burns cooler which means that you can enjoy your soy wax candle for generally 30-50% longer than a paraffin candle. So If you’re looking for a Christmas gift, this may be it…even if it is for yourself.

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Zen Sophie Diffuser

Yogini in Edgware loves the Zen Sophie Diffuser. She bought it as a present for family and everyone loved it. The Sophie Diffusers are individually crafted ceramic diffusers using ultrasonic technology to diffuse water and essential oils, into a plume of fine mist and coloured light that can be selected to change softly, stay on a selected colour or be switched off to transform any room.

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