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Take Care of Your Health During the Holidays

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Metro MediSpa health for the holidaysFor many of us, Halloween and Thanksgiving are gateway holidays for Christmas. Holidays bring with them stressful aspects for many people. This stress takes center stage, and crucial elements for good health such as proper diet sometimes take a back seat. The holiday season also means exposure to ailments such as the flu and colds are prevalent. This period is emotionally challenging for some people which makes it difficult to remain healthy.
We at Metro MediSpa want to share a few tips that will help you maintain your health during the holidays.

Stay Hydrated

Remember to stay hydrated. When people are dealing with busy schedules, they often forget to stop and drink water. Staying hydrated helps the body fight germs. Be sure to pack a bottle of Protandim supplements. These supplements help your cells ward off disease-causing pathogens.

Wash Your Hands

During the holidays it is easy to transfer disease-causing germs by touching infected surfaces.. Door handles, counter surfaces, and money are all items that cross our paths during our daily routine. All these can also be places to pick up germs. Frequently washing your hands can prevent the spread of those germs. Pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your purse or pocket and use it regularly.

Avoid Eating Too Many Treats

Most people associate the holiday season with eating. This increase of intake plus the high-calorie foods served leads to additional pounds that are not easy to lose. Eat healthy meals before attending parties, so your appetite is reduced. And after the holidays when you wish to shed some unwanted pounds be sure to get yourself a pack of VitaBoost XL. This multi-vitamin supplement will help you maintain energy levels on a low-calorie diet. It also nourishes the body with required nutrients.

Get Adequate Sleep

Late night parties and increased alcohol consumption can disrupt normal sleeping patterns. Make sure you balance fun and sleep as they are vital for maintaining good health during the holidays. If you are having trouble falling asleep, get a pack of DreamSpa: Sleep Formula. This excellent supplement will help you sleep well. You can also try out Stress Stop. This supplement helps with fatigue, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Be sure to check out Metro MediSpa for more tips on how you can maintain your health during the holidays and into the New Year.  Metro MediSpa carries a supply of great supplements to keep you at your best.  Contact Metro MediSpa at 888-637-7228 or 910-599-9925 for more information.

Vinpocetine Can Improve Memory and Mental Energy

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Metro MediSpa vinpocetineVinpocetine is a derivative of a well-known drug, vincamine, which is made from the periwinkle plant. This drug was initially discovered in the late twentieth century by the Hungarian scientist Csaba Szantay. The drug is sold as a dietary supplement in the USA. It is sold in Europe under the trade name, Cavinton.

How It Works

This drug is known for its potent effects on memory enhancement. The drug improves the blood flow in the brain thereby enhancing the flow of blood to individual neurons. This increase helps the amount of energy produced by the brain cells, a molecule known as ATP. The improved blood flow also helps the brain to use glucose and oxygen more efficiently.

What It Means

This response means that vinpocetine enhances the cognitive ability of the brain.  By helping the mind receive adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients, the brain can process impulses optimally leading to an increase in mental energy.  Many people using vinpocetine claim increased short term memory function and the slowing of symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  This slowing has allowed patients to maintain normal activities for a longer period of time.

Vinpocetine has also been seen to improve circulatory problems in other circumstances. These include memory disorders, stroke, headaches, aphasia, apraxia, motor problems and Cerebro-vestibular problems which lead balance issues. Moreover, the drug has also been seen to improve sensorineural hearing impairments.

Evidence

The Gedeon Richter company in Hungary has funded several vinpocetine studies. In one series having close to nine hundred participants, a marked improvement was noted in sixty-two percent of patients with brain disorders ranging from stroke to cerebral insufficiency. In an individual study, some of the patients were asked to memorize ten words. Before taking vinpocetine the patients were able to memorize an average of six words.  After taking the supplement for one month, the average increased to ten words.  More double blind studies need to be conducted in order to determine the exact nature of the benefits of this supplement.

Precaution

This drug causes side effects in less than one percent of patients using it orally. These side effects include weakness, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), and hypotension (low blood pressure).

Dietary supplements can interfere with prescription drugs either by diminishing or enhancing their effects.  Before taking any supplements it is recommended that patients have a discussion with their doctor.

For more information on the benefits of vinpocetine contact Metro MediSpa at 888-637-7228.

The Health Benefits of Turmeric

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Metro MediSpa turmeric supplementsTurmeric is a spice that is used quite extensively in different cuisines around the world, and research is showing that it may have the potential to help the body in numerous ways.  It’s always nice when science backs up what some cultures have known for centuries, as it gives it some added clout that it actually works. Here are some of the health benefits of turmeric.

1. Helps to Prevent Cancer

Perhaps the most convincing reason to start incorporating turmeric into your life is the way it helps the body fend off cancer formation and growth. It has been shown to help with a number of different cancers, stopping the spread throughout the body and the growth of the tumor in question.

To get this benefit you can simply start consuming more turmeric, or you can use a turmeric supplement if it doesn’t seem likely that you will cook more with it.

2. Eases Arthritis Symptoms

If you suffer from arthritis pain you may want to consider adding more turmeric to your daily diet, as it has been shown to help ease the pain associated from arthritis thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

3. Soothes Upset Stomach

Turmeric has long been used as a quick and effective cure for an upset stomach. This is one of those benefits that has been known for generations, but only recently has science come along to back it up.

Because turmeric acts as an anti-inflammatory, it helps to keep stomach acid from getting out of control, and has been shown to soothe heartburn as well as general stomach upset.

4. Helps Prevent Prostate Cancer

We’ve already discussed how turmeric is helpful with cancer in general, but there is very promising research showing that it can go a long way in the fight against prostate cancer.  Since prostate cancer will affect many men, it’s perhaps one of the most convincing reasons to get more turmeric in your life.

5. Helps the Heart Stay Healthy

Your heart is vital to your everyday health and longevity, and it’s important to keep it functioning at the best of its abilities. Turmeric can help in several ways, including preventing strokes and heart attacks.

6. It’s a Natural Fat Burner

One of the more widely known benefits of turmeric is its ability to help the body burn fat. That’s why it’s being recommended more and more as a dietary aid when trying to lose weight.

The best part of adding more turmeric to your diet in order to lose fat is that it helps to flavor most any dish, and it’s all natural so you won’t have to turn to dangerous fat loss pills or crash diets.

7. Helps in Preventing Alzheimer’s

It’s amazing to think that and herb or spice can have an effect on the function of your brain, but research has shown that debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer’s can be prevented and treated with turmeric.

In order to get these benefits you’ll need to take turmeric supplements, as it is unlikely that you’d get enough curcumin (the active ingredient found in turmeric) through dietary means alone. Consult with your doctor for the best dosage for your needs, and before starting any herbal supplementation.

8. Treats Depression

Curcumin, the antioxidant that makes turmeric so fascinating as a spice, has been shown to work very similar to an antidepressant.  This is good news for those looking to treat their depression using natural methods as well as those that simply want the best possible mental health.

9. Helps to Lower Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a precursor to several heart conditions, which is why it’s so important to keep it at healthy levels. There are several ways to help get your cholesterol levels down, but adding a simple spice to your cooking can go a long way.

10. Helps the Skin

Turmeric can help the skin in many ways, from reducing redness to fighting the signs of aging. These skin treatments involve using turmeric powder topically rather than ingesting it.

The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric are well documented.  Incorporating turmeric into one’s diet might be a bit challenging.  Ukon Turmeric Supplement is a great way to get the benefits of turmeric into your healthy routine.  For more information on this supplement, contact Metro MediSpa at 888-637-7228.

4 Nutritional Supplements for Healthy Skin

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Your skin is the largest organ in and on your body.  Like other organs in the body, the health of the skin is dependent on optimal “care and feeding”. So, it makes sense that how well we take care of ourselves on the inside will ultimately have an impact on our outward appearance.

Nutritional supplements play a role in healthy-looking skin in 4 ways: Certain vitamins & minerals support skin health. Phytonutrients help protect the skin from UV-induced damage. Omega-3s lubricate the skin from within plus provide additional UV protection. Probiotics maintain the bacterial balance of the skin, keeping it blemish-free.

Vitamins & Minerals Support Skin Health

As we age, our bodies produce less collagen and elastin. These proteins are associated with healthy, youthful-looking skin so maintaining their production is an integral part of an anti-aging program. Taking a high-quality multi-nutrient formula provides your body with essential vitamins and minerals to enhance health & wellness while supporting great-looking skin.

Key nutrients that support these dermal proteins include the carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, the B-complex, copper, selenium and zinc. While these micronutrients are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, most of us do not consume the recommended 5-9 servings a day of these nutritious foods.

Phytonutrients Prevent UV Damage

Phytonutrients, also referred to as phytochemicals (“phyto” meaning “plant”), are the chemical compounds that give fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, teas, legumes and spices their color.

In addition to their color effects, phytonutrients provide plants with a protective barrier against harmful UV radiation, viruses, bacteria, insects and parasites. The mechanisms of action for many of these plant chemicals include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. When we consume these plant compounds, the health benefits are conferred to us.

The phytonutrient found in dark green and yellow vegetables is called lutein. This nutrient is deposited in the layers of the dermis and protects the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Given that photo-damage is the #1 cause of aging, protecting the skin from damaging UV rays is an integral part of an anti-aging skin care program.

Omega-3s Lubricate & Protect

With aging, we often notice that our skin is dryer due to a combination of factors including less oil production and less hydration. Supplementing with an Omega-3 supplement like flax seed oil or fish oil helps to lubricate the skin internally.

Flax seed oil is a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid (EFA). EFAs perform a number of vital functions in the body, but are particularly important at the cellular level because they are a fundamental component of the membranes of all cells. An adequate supply of EFAs in the diet is essential for healthy-looking skin because skin cells turn over very rapidly.

Both flax seed oil and fish oil are widely recognized for quelling silent inflammation. However, more recent studies have shown that fish oil plays a protective effect against UV light and may protect against skin cancer. You can enhance the effects of topical sunscreen by taking a fish oil capsule each day.

Probiotics Balance Skin Bacteria

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that reside throughout the digestive tract and play a role in digestive health and immune system function.

These beneficial bacteria also normally reside on the skin. Due to the harsh conditions, only a limited number of bacterial species live on the skin. These hardy bugs play a role in the skin’s immune response by inhibiting or killing bad microorganisms. Beneficial bacteria also protect skin barrier function.

As you can see, nutritional supplements play a key role in healthy functioning of the skin. While supplements can’t replace a healthy diet (featuring fruits, vegetables, lean meats and unsaturated fats), their use can cover gaps in the diet. When combined with professional skin care products, this bi-directional approach ensures that you will have healthy skin for years to come.  At Metro MediSpa, we can help you select the nutritional supplements that are right for your body’s needs and requirements.

Using CoQ10 to aid in weight loss

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Coq10, also known as ubiquinone or coenzyme Q, is an enzyme produced naturally in the human body, found in every cell and tissue. Virtually every cell of the human body contains CoQ10.

It is involved a number of biological functions including helping to produce energy, neutralizing free radicals, and keeping cells both inside the body and in the skin healthy.

Deficiency is poorly understood, but it may be caused by synthesis problems in the body rather than an insufficiency in the diet. Low blood levels have been reported in people with heart failure, cardiomyopathy, gingivitis(inflammation of the gums), morbid obesity, hypertension, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, AIDS, and in some people on kidney dialysis.

Research even shows that an insufficient amount of CoQ10 is a contributing factor in some cases of obesity. Recent tests have found a CoQ10 deficiency in some of the obese subjects. When these subjects with low CoQ10 levels were given CoQ10 supplements, they were found to have an easier time losing some of the extra pounds.

Increasing Vitamin D Levels May Cause Less Weight Gain

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A new study published in June 2012 reports that higher vitamin D levels may minimize weight gain in women. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys indicates that approximately 25 percent of the population is at risk of vitamin D insufficiency and 8 percent is at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Research published in the Journal of the National Medical Association shows that 65 percent of an urban population was vitamin D deficient.

Researchers set out to determine the role vitamin D plays in weight management, as vitamin D levels are lower in obese individuals. The investigators evaluated 4,659 women age 65 and older. The scientists measured serum vitamin D levels and weight at the beginning of the study and followed the subjects for 4.5 years to assess weight changes.

Researchers showed that among the women that gained five percent of body weight or greater during the follow-up period, those with higher vitamin D levels gained only 16.4 pounds compared to 18.5 pounds in women with low vitamin D levels. Of the subjects that gained weight during the study and increased their vitamin D during the study, showed less weight gain between visits.

The study authors concluded, “Higher Vitamin D levels are associated with lower weight gains, suggesting low vitamin D status may predispose to fat accumulation.”

Reference:
Leblanc ES, et al. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012 Jun 25. [Epub ahead of print.]