Solgar VM Prime For Women - Best Menopausal Multivitamin

Getting through the menopause is often a relief because for many women it's a difficult time, if not a nightmare. Hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, bone health and heart health, and disturbed sleep. Every woman experiences the menopause differently but most women greet its cessation with relief. However, that isn't usually the end, there's the aftercare to follow!

During the menopause physical changes will have taken place in a woman's body. For instance, the skin becomes thinner. The lack of oestrogen often means vaginal glands don't lubricate as well and this can cause discomfort during sex. As a result the idea of sex may be off-putting. Other concerns with falling oestrogen levels is the unfavourable changes in cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, which may lead to problems in those areas. As oestrogen levels drop, some women, particularly inactive ones, tend to lose bone mass and strength.

It is therefore important to consider taking a good, no, an excellent multivitamin which will provide many of the missing nutrients the changing body needs, one such as Solgar's VM Prime For Women.

The best multivitamin?
Solgar VM-Prime™ for Women is a unique among multivitamins, it's formulated especially for menopausal and post-menopausal women and it is rich in essential nutrients for healthy, strong bones. This multivitamin is helpful to control hot flushes and night sweats and promotes heart health. It's really quite complete and extraordinary in the quality of the ingredients it uses.

Solgar tells us that, "VM Prime For Women is an advanced multiple nutrient formula that is tailored to help address the specific needs of women going through the menopausal transition. Of particular concern to menopausal women is the management of symptoms, bone support and cardiovascular health."

The formulation includes calcium and magnesium, as citrates, which ensures ease of absorption, together with Vitamins D3 and K2. Recent research has highlighted the importance of Vitamin K2 which helps to promote the incorporation of calcium into the bone matrix.

Vitamin D3 helps the uptake of calcium from the digestive system and promotes the transportation of calcium into bones.

Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid help to lower homocysteine levels thereby supporting cardiovascular health as well as offering possible protection against neurodegenerative diseases.

VM Prime For Women also provides soy isoflavones to further support bone health as well as aiding to lessen menopausal concerns such as hot flushes. The addition of 400iu of Vitamin E further supports the management of menopausal symptoms.

Once menstruation ceases, a woman's need for iron diminishes; therefore this supplement is iron-free.

How do you take?
Take three tablets daily in divided doses.

What's in it?
Three tablets provide: Calcium 300mg, Magnesium 150mg, Vitamin C 400mg, Vitamin E 400iu, Citrus Bioflavonoid 250mg, Choline 50mg, Beta carotene 6mg, Pantothenic acid 80mg, Zinc 15mg, Thiamin 50mg, Vitamin B6 50mg, Lutein 45mcg, Soy Bean Germ Powder 60mg, Inositol 50mg, Vitamin B2 50mg, Niacin 50mg, Biotin 300mcg, Selenium 150mcg, Manganese 2mg, Copper 1500mcg, Vitamin B12 500mcg, Molybdenum 50mcg, Folic Acid 400mcg, Vitamin D3 1000iu, Boron 100mcg, Chromium 200mcg and Iodine 150mcg.

How well you cope with the menopause is dependent on so many factors, not least inherited ones, as well as your diet and tendency towards getting exercise. But in the area of natural supplementation you can do a lot by taking the right vitamins and Solgar's VM Prime For Women is certainly up there among them.

To buy this product click on the following link: Elixirhealth.co.uk. You can also view this product at our Solgar Health Store website.

If you wish to speak to a customer advisor, you can telephone us on 01208 814500 for further information. We're always there to help.

THE ALTERNATIVE ...NATURAL HAIR COLOURING - NATURTINT HAIR DYES

So, you’ve started to eat more organic food. You’ve swapped your regular washing powder for an eco-friendly version and you know your Echinacea from your cod liver oil. But what are you using to colour your hair every 4-6 weeks? Have you ever considered using a less chemical hair dye free from some of the harsh ingredients used in most mainstream and salon dyes?

NATURTINT is our chosen brand of hair colourings at Elixir and offers a permanent range of 30 shades, all of which are free from Ammonia, Resorcinol and Parabens. Ammonia and resorcinol are known potential skin irritants and products containing these ingredients have to carry the necessary warnings. The use of ammonia in hair colorants can also be very damaging to cuticle structure, leaving hair feeling dry and coarse. By removing these chemicals, Naturtint avoids scalp irritation and leaves hair feeling softer with a healthy shine. Active vegetable ingredients also offer protection for the scalp and help to hydrate the hair.

Of course a permanent colorant that is available in all shades from black to blonde, all of which cover 100% of grey, cannot be completely natural. Some chemicals such as PPD and peroxide simply have to be used in the formula of any permanent colorant and are often found in long-term semi-permanents too, so a skin test should be carried out 48 hours before the use of any hair dye. Instructions on how to carry out a skin test can be found in every box of Naturtint, plus video demonstrations are available at their website, www.naturesdream.co.uk.

Unsure about colour choice? Scared of a colour disaster? You can easily check how the colour you have chosen develops on your own hair type and that you are happy with that shade by carrying out a quick and easy strand. Here are our top tips for making an informed colour choice:

• All 30 shades within the Naturtint range are given a code, usually consisting of a number and then a letter, e.g. 1N. The number represents a scale of how light or dark a colour is, with 1 being the darkest and 10 the lightest. The letter afterwards tells you what kind of tones and colour you can expect, for example G stands for ‘Golden’ and M for ‘Mahogany’.
• You can go as dark as you like with Naturtint but you can only lighten by one or two shades. Most people generally suit shades one or two darker or lighter than their natural shade, as this complements the skin tone.
• If you are colouring your hair to cover grey, but want to add a brighter tone such as a mahogany or copper, mix this shade with a ‘Natural’ one first to ensure the grey hairs are covered effectively.
• If your hair naturally throws up warm or brassy red tones when you colour it, try mixing in an ash tone, to counteract these unwanted golden hues.
• If in doubt, ask for expert advice! The team behind Naturtint have a fantastic helpline with a hairdresser on hand to answer any colour queries or ingredient questions you may have.

A small number of people will still find that they are allergic to even a less chemical permanent colour, if they have developed an allergy to the ingredient paraphenylenediamine (PPD) because this chemical (which can have a number of different names), has to be included in some form in every permanent hair dye. Recent coverage of PPD reactions in the media serve as a warning to all about the importance of a skin test but you should always be vigilant when using hair colours if you have such an allergy, as alternatives to PPD (for example Toluene-2, 5-Diamino Sulphate) can be just as potentially allergy-inducing, if not worse. Keep in mind that if something sounds too good to be true then the likelihood is just that, so contact the manufacturers for clarification about the ingredients.

The Naturtint range does have an alternative available for those sadly sensitive to permanent dyes – Naturtint REFLEX Non-Permanent colorants which are not only free from PPD, but Peroxide, Ammonia, Resorcinol and Parabens too. This gentle range of temporary colours is available in six shades that cover the early signs of grey hair and will wash out by about 4-6 washes.

To buy this product, click on the following link Naturtint Hair Colours. If you wish to speak to a customer adviser, you an telephone us on 01208 814500 for further information.

A VOGEL SORE THROAT SPRAY - WITH ECHINACEA AND SAGE

I don't get ill very often (famous last words) and when I was at secondary school I collected 100% Attendance badges like they were going out of fashion. And when I had kids of my own, of course, they weren't allowed to bunk off school unless it was life and death. The self-proclaimed family motto was always "to the death" - you can take a day off when you die, you keep going, you never give up.

My favourite sore throat product!

My father kept chickens and part of his secret for keeping them healthy and hale was to 'douche' them. He'd put little drops of water into their nostrils and make them sneeze. All sorts of germs and bad stuff came out. And he applied the same health regime to his eight children, including daily doses of cod liver oil and malt. We'd have to line up and take it from the spoon. To this day, I can't abide cod liver oil!

However, maybe that's why I never come down with much serious stuff, very often.

But sore throats - Argh! The first signs of illness for me usually begins with a sore throat. However, I've a secret weapon which really does nip it in the bud - A Vogel's Sore throat Spray works like a gem. It's by far the best sore throat product I know, on the market and I've tried nearly all of them.

So, if your throat feels like a piece of sandpaper - there's no harm in giving it a try.

And here's the blurb from A Vogel:

Echinaforce® Sore Throat spray contains fresh extracts of Echinacea and sage

Sore throat remedies often come in useful when one is afflicted by the common cold or flu. A.Vogel’s Sore Throat spray is made from the well known herbal remedy Echinaforce® combined with Sage tincture and is a herbal remedy used to relieve sore throat symptoms.

Benefits and features of Echinaforce® Sore Throat spray:

• Herbal remedy for sore throats
• Contains echinacea and sage
• Fresh herb extract
• Convenient to use

Although any of the remedies in the range of Echinaforce® Echinacea drops or tablets can be used to treat sore throats, this remedy has a specially designed nozzle and spray pump, designed to deliver echinacea and sage extracts to the painful and irritated parts at the back of the throat. It is convenient to use and does not require water to take.

Echinaforce® Sore Throat spray is part of the Echinaforce® range of herbal remedies for colds and flu. It contains extracts of freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea herb and root, and sage leaves (Salvia officinalis).

The benefit of using freshly harvested plant material to make our herbal remedies has been demonstrated in research – extracts of echinacea produced from fresh plants contain almost 3 times more active substances compared to those prepared from equivalent amounts of dried herb.*

Echinaforce® Sore Throat spray

A traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve sore throats associated with coughs, colds and flu, exclusively based upon long-standing use as a traditional remedy. Always read the leaflet.

To buy this product, click on the following link A Vogel Sore Throat Spray. If you wish to speak to a customer adviser, you an telephone us on 01208 814500 for further information.

ALOE VERA COLON CLEANSE - A VOGEL MILK THISTLE COMPLEX - DETOX PRODUCTS

To detox or not - benefits or balderdash?

As always, we read around, ask around, then make our own minds up. Personally, I do, detox that is. We clean ourselves on the outside but rarely consider the condition of our  inside. Quite frankly I rarely meet people who can constantly maintain "good diets" or people who don't let themselves go a little, and more than usual around festive times.  "Good diets" anyway is a can of worms. To a vegetarian those who eat 'meat' will always be endangering their health (and probably vice versa); and once you go down that road, you encounter so many dietary types, it beggars belief. And unless you grow or farm your own everything, it's so hard to find most food groups which are fresh and nutritious, whether it's fruit, vegetables or meat. It's laughable when government health departments declare a 'good diet' will see you through.



Over-indulgence at festive times

 Lifestyle choice, of course, varies:  Some smoke or we come into contact with smokers; drink alcohol; eat junk food regularly; knock back the tea or coffee and fizzy drinks; work with ill people or groups of people with randomly good health (school kids, patients, etc.,); work in jobs where chemicals are used (hairdressers, industry, etc.,); have sedentary occupations; or simply are required to take conventional drugs to maintain our health.

The upshot of many lifestyles lead to skin problems, catarrh, coughs colds and flu, wind and bloating and tiredness, headaches, bad breath, heavy periods for women and so on. Consequently, while hopefully we don't get all the above symptoms all together or some most of the time, the fact of the matter is, we all have days when we could do with a clean out on the inside.

They say obesity is increasing in every country of the world, with America and the UK leading the field. At Elixir Health Foods, irritable bowel and constipation are two of the major health problems showing massive increase. So, if you're in those two categories of being over-weight or suffering from IBS, or simply being human and over-indulge from time to time, there is a good deal of benefit to be gained by detoxing, (Yes, it's always sensible to consider your lifestyle choices as well, and looking carefully at your diet.)

One way to go

Basically, there's only one way to go - DOWN! The bowel! While the liver and kidneys deal with most of the junk that we encounter in daily life, the bowel needs to be working every day. Allegedly the Chinese have a saying: "Death begins in the colon." As dramatic as it sounds, from a health point of view there's a lot of sense in the expression. As the main exit route from the body, if the bowels are clogged up all sorts of health issues can occur. Think about it: if your bowels aren't working, it's not just that your other organs aren't going to work so effectively, but what happens to all those toxins building up in the body, instead of passing through?

If the large intestine is filled with rotting fecal matter (basically 'crap') - instead of nutrients from your food being absorbed into the blood stream and benefiting you, all those toxins get taken in instead, making you feel yucky! Skin problems, IBS, heartburn, mouth problems, catarrhal congestion, tiredness, metal mouth syndrome, the list goes on!

What to do about it?
Assuming there are no serious health issues behind anyone's health condition and it's just a question of wanting to clean up the inside, it's always smart to begin with a bowel cleanse and go on to support the liver and kidneys.

There are many useful products to begin a bowel cleanse, but here's a really good one - Colon Cleanse Tablets.

                                                                                   

Aloe Vera Colon Cleanse Tablets



Aloe Vera & Other herbs

This product is a best seller for us in-store and online, and it's not hard to see why. They are easy to carry around and convenient to take. Another good feature is the good-bacteria in them.

If you take any product for cleansing the bowels or dealing with constipation it's a brilliant idea to take a good probiotic or digestive aid.

Probiotics

The bowels depend upon good bacteria. These good bugs work with the existing friendly bacteria. They stop the growth of  harmful microbes, which really benefits your digestion and absorption of food. They also help build your immune system, by assisting the body in making vitamins. So always consider taking a good probiotic. Often they will stop wind and bloating just by taking a course of these.

A Vogel Milk Thistle Complex

This product is a combination of Milk Thistle, Artichoke, Dandelion, Peppermint and Boldo. The seeds of Milk Thistle are combined with four other important herbs, such as Dandelion, Artichoke, Peppermint and dried Boldo leaves.

Combination of Milk Thistle
and other useful herbs

You would use Milk Thistle Complex to cleanse your liver and improve the way it metabolises both toxins and fats. The liver, likened to the 'sewage' plant of the body, helps to clear waste away. Another job it does is break down fats, which is very important in helping to maintain weight. So Milk Thistle offers liver protection and liver cell regeneration. The other ingredients do good things as well such as Cynara (artichoke), which helps the liver break down fats, thereby assisting in keeping cholesterol levels balanced. Dandelion nourishes the liver and helps improve the way bile (which breaks down the fats) is produced and transported.



Great kidney tonic





A Vogel Solidago Complex

 As Alison Cullen, Nutritionist at the herbal company Bioforce says, "Solidago will help cleanse and support your kidneys, helping them deal with toxins and keep your fluid balanced properly. After a course of Solidago Complex you may well fee more energetic and notice that your eyes are less puffy and any tendency towards fluid retention has diminished." Remember to drink more water while using this product just to help the kidneys do their job more effectively.

To Buy any of the above products click here or on any of the link below. If you wish to speak to a customer advisor, you an telephone us on 01208 814500 for further information. We're always there to help

- Bowel Health Products.
- Probiotics or Digestive Aids.
- A Vogel Milk Thistle Complex.
- A Vogel Solidago Complex.