Journal

We are all guilty of over indulging at certain times of year, over eating, drinking too much or consuming too much sugar.

However, as you get older you may find that it is taking longer to bounce back and you may become intolerant to certain types of foods and alcohol.

If you suffer from headaches and migraines you may be reaching for painkillers such as Ibuprofen which, although an effective anti-inflammatory, has long term side effects including increasing cardiovascular risks and damaging the protective lining of the gut. Ibuprofen is only effective for up to 6 hours, so you may need to take repeated doses!

Did you know that Turmeric with the correct range and strength of 7 curcuminoids, has multiple anti-inflammatory benefits, works just as well as Ibuprofen or aspirin and actually improves gut health.

Scientific research (ref see below) has demonstrated that curcuminoinds, the active compounds in turmeric, are effective at removing both the cause and symptoms of a hangover.

Curcuminoids are potent antioxidants. Alcohol consumption can cause oxidative stress that damages your cells, so an effective antioxidant is vital before, during and after a heavy night.

So the perfect natural solution for hangovers should be taken before you go out and again when you wake up:

Natruflex Turmeric: We recommend that you take Natruflex Turmeric 1-2 capsules BEFORE you go out and when required during the next day. 

Gut Love: Containing, 21 probiotics and 2 organic prebiotics. take 1 capsule daily to settle the digestion and improve the excretion of toxins for a minimum of 14 days.

Marine Magnesium: Take 1 capsule at night to restore healthy nerve and muscle function for a minimum of 7 days.

Vitamin D3: Take 2 capsule daily for at least 30 days

How can Metabolic Gold help?

Metabolic Gold contains Bergamot fruit extract and Artichoke leaf extract. It is the perfect blend of naturally sourced, high strength ingredients that work together synergistically to help reduce sugar levels, improve insulin resistance, balance cholesterol, reduce fat around the waistline and reduce fatty liver.

In a recent trial of 60 patients who were overweight and had high cholesterol, subjects were treated with a combination of bergamot extract and artichoke leaf extract for 2 months and compared to a group that received a placebo for the same amount of time. The results showed a significant decrease in total and LDL cholesterol as well as a significant reduction in waist circumference.

When combined with lifestyle efforts focusing on diet, exercise, sleep and stress, the combination of bergamot fruit and artichoke leaf extracts can provide significant health benefits.

We recommend this supplement is taken for at least 3-4 months at a dose of one capsule twice a day with or after food.

PUBLISHED RESEARCH:

Dinkova-Kostova A. Relation of structure of curcumin analogs to their potencies as inducers of Phase 2 detoxification enzymes. Carcinogenesis. 1999;20(5):911-914.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35070194/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35668500/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30395947/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36370961/

It turns out that we really are ‘the sum total of our experiences.’ Had I known then the impact of many of my decisions, I may have made changes earlier, but it turns out that we must live life to truly understand it.  

I was definitely living life. Perceived invincibility provided me with the tunnel vision which enabled me to dash from one task to another, ticking off one more achievement, adventure and accolade.

Of course you can’t sustain this symphonic level of intensity without topping up the tank with quick access fuel, mine came in the form of sugar- packets of delicious sweets and finely baked biscuits.

I also gradually began to neglect my regular exercise regimen in exchange for a membership in the weekend warrior club. Gut irritation and a little extra weight accumulated, but, as far as I was concerned, I felt normal for a 40-something professional.

‘That’ evening, the one that irreversibly shook up my life, Thursday 3 December, I found myself staring eternity squarely in the face. I had returned home from work with my two girls. It had been a stressful day capped by a suitably heated, hard-hitting quarrel that left me trembling. 

 I did not generally consider my life stressful, and yet I knew that I ran at a pretty high-octane pace. But that was OK, because, despite warnings from others, I was, or believed I was, bulletproof.  

I wore my intensity like a shiny badge of honour. On that evening, however, the engine said ‘no more’; you can’t drive even the most brilliantly engineered sports cars at 5000 RPM indefinitely. 

 It took my mum, who spotted me bent over, clutching my chest, rubbing my arms on FaceTime and my daughter's subsequent fear-filled plea to get help for me to make the medical call. Reluctantly, in a haze of pain, I did make the call. In minutes an ambulance was there. 

Pride masking the danger, I couldn’t help, but feel that all this commotion was quite unnecessary. The seasoned paramedics quickly assessed my traumatised frame, blood pressure surging through my veins like a blocked firehose. They looked me straight in the eyes, piercing my vanity, and said, “We are taking you to hospital. Now.” 

‘That’ evening marked the beginning of a myriad of changes.  Naturally, and most significantly was that of my health, but also, running neatly alongside, compelling me, almost without choice, was my desire to capture the goodness in life around me. 

Being in hospital forced me to slow down and rest, my senses sharpened and my eyes opened to the subtleties in the world around me, to things I had not previously noticed before. 

I became acutely aware of nuances in conversation, of the sacrifices of those around me and of the delicacy of relationships. I was also painfully cognizant, in increasing measure, of the compounding effects of the bad choices I had made for my body- sugar addiction, stress, exercise withdrawal and sleep deprivation.

Buckminster Fuller once said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” So, that is what I did (and am doing), engineering a new, more tantalising model for life. 

My diet, for instance, has been transformed. The once glutinous intake has been replaced with cleaner foods, nutrition straight from the earth and, perhaps more importantly, I expunged sweets. 

Implored by the immediacy of the situation, I also instilled radical changes to my work routine and introduced regular, gentler exercises in the great outdoors. The list goes on, but I feel that, if indeed we are ‘the sum total of our experiences,’ I have been gifted a lifeline with which to significantly alter the outcome of my time here on earth. And, I must say, my heart feels good, very good indeed.

NOTE FROM THE NAKED PHARMACY

Jeff Schmidt is the Author/illustrator of the bestselling book: 

 HEART ATTACK- Finding hope, joy and inspiration through adversity. 

The number of vegans has been growing rapidly over recent years and the concept of vegetarianism is not new dating back as early as 500 BC, first mentioned by Pythagoras.

In Great Britain, the number of vegans is estimated to have quadrupled between 2014 and 2019. 

Famous vegans

Novak Djokovic, Venus and Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Mike Tyson, Martina Navratilova, David Haye are great examples that veganism offers one the potential to not only be healthy, but also for elite athletes to thrive.

Some key nutrients vegans should be aware of

Although there are health benefits to a vegan lifestyle, it is also important to recognise that, as with any diet, if not appropriately planned then it is easy to become nutritionally deficient as there are certain nutrients that are not available from plants.

Below are some of the 2 key nutrients that vegans need to be aware of to avoid deficiencies or imbalances.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient, which does not originate in plants, but from bacteria. 

In fact, B12 supplements are (for the most part) also given to farm animals, meaning even those on non-vegan diets are supplementing, but indirectly.

Symptoms of B12 deficiency may include:

• A pale yellow tinge to your skin
• A sore and red tongue (glossitis)
• Mouth ulcers
• Pins and needles (paraesthesia)
• Disturbed vision
• Irritability
• Unexplained sadness 
• A decline in your mental abilities, such as memory, understanding and judgement 

Due to B12 not being readily present in a vegan diet it’s recommended to supplement this, especially for strict vegans. 

Two tablets daily of our Saffrosun Calm offers 100% of the Nutritional Reference Value (NRV).

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin”, and although it is possible to obtain this through certain plant foods such as mushrooms, in general it is not broadly consumed on a vegan diet.

In fact, the NHS advises that "everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter” [Source [9]].

Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency may include:

• Fatigue
• Not sleeping well
• Bone pain or achiness
• Feelings of sadness
• Hair loss
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Getting sick more easily

Again, it is good practice to use a supplement to ensure you are getting the recommend intake of Vitamin D, particularly in colder seasons with having less sun exposure. One capsule of our Vitamin D3 contains 100% NRV.

Probiotics

Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria, and studies suggest that taking probiotics are linked to a range of health benefits. These include benefits for gut function, immune function, respiratory tract infections, and duration of illness. 

Although vegans generally consume a diet rich in fibre, which is a key gut nutrient and it is possible to acquire probiotics from plant-based sources such as fermented foods (e.g. sourdough bread and tempeh), vegans don’t consume the most common probiotic rich foods such as yogurt and kefir.

Our Gut Love supplement contains 21 probiotics and prebiotics, and 19 billion good bacteria to support overall gut health including one probiotic which originates from soil. 

The Naked Pharmacy Supplements

All of The Naked Pharmacy’s own brand of supplements are entirely vegan and contain natural ingredients, meaning higher absorption and bioavailability than synthetic supplements.