THE ALTERNATIVE TO......VARICOSE VEINS

Do you suffer from:

- Tired, heavy, aching feet?
- Leg cramps?
- Swollen ankles?

Did you know that many of these unpleasant symptoms are due to stagnant circulation, and tend to happen when you are stuck in a sedentary job, or you’re forced to stand for long periods of time. It is worse if you are pregnant, overweight, or have genetically weak veins. It also has a nasty habit of getting worse as you get older – and if you are constipated!

The veins should be able to propel blood back up the body with the help of the pumping action of your calf muscles, but when this doesn’t happen, the blood in the leg veins increases and the veins eventually start to bulge. Blood stagnates in the legs, and you start to feel achy and swollen. Eventually the veins will become permanently distended and varicose.

Varicose veins are not exactly attractive to the eye, and their lack of aesthetics is rivaled by the discomfort they cause. If not treated, they inevitably get worse.

Conventional treatments tend to start with support stockings – not very glamorous and certainly not comfortable, especially in summer – and work their way up to surgery to either remove or collapse the veins. However, surgery is not a long term solution, as the increased pressure on the remaining veins can eventually cause them to become varicose as well.

At Elixir we have had excellent results with a herbal remedy called
Venaforce Horse Chestnut tablets – a traditional herbal medicinal product used for the relief of symptoms associated with varicose veins, such as tired, heavy legs, pain, cramps and swelling. So long as you are not pregnant, breast-feeding or allergic to peanuts or soya it is a good alternative to try if you are considering taking more drastic action to get your legs on the move again.

If you would like further help and advice, pop in and see us at Elixir Health Foods! and hopefully we’ll get your legs back into shorts again!

By Randi Henderson

A little word on Quest L Plantarum for IBS

Well, that one got you going, didn't it? If the amount of L Plantarum that has flown off our shelves over the last month is anything to go by, there cannot be a person alive who still suffers with IBS - we've dealt with all of them!

Seriously, there's obviously an awful lot of people who struggle with IBS and we've had fantastic feed-back from many of those who decided to give L Plantarum a try. I have had customers telling me they felt improvements beginning the very first day they started taking the supplement, and one lady was thrilled to report that she now had a waist for the first time in years - the bloating had disguised it so much, she always looked like she was in the second trimester of pregnancy!

So if you haven't plucked up the courage to try L Plantarum yet for yourself, give it a whirl. With the massive response we have had, there is no doubt that it is worth every penny.

To buy this product, click on the following link Quest L Plantarum. If you wish to speak to a customer adviser, you can telephone us on 01208 814500 for further information.

Randi

THE ALTERNATIVE TO...STRUGGLING WITH STRESS

You may not realise it, but many physical and emotional symptoms are due to underlying stress. Symptoms can vary from muscle tension, tiredness, irritability, IBS, sexual problems, ulcers or simply constantly falling prey to whatever bugs are going - the list goes on! Yet whilst the causes of stress can be very obvious, they can't always be easily removed. The good news however, is that you can support your body to help it deal more efficiently with stressful conditions.

WHAT NOT TO DO...

Don't fall into the trap of reaching for the coffee pot, the chocolate bar, the wine bottle or whatever TV programme is easiest on the brain. You will only starve your body of the nutrients that would make it more able to deal with the stress! Apart from focusing on a healthy diet, try to make sure you get enough sleep and sufficient fresh air to allow you to cope with the increased demands being made on you.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD...

In times of stress, certain nutrients are used up in larger quantities than usual, so improving your diet and supplementing with these nutrients will make you feel better. Nature helpfully provides many herbs to relax and revitalise the nervous system. They benefit from having no addictive qualities or unwanted side effects, working gently with your body to restore your balance.

At Elixir Health Foods we have found a perfect mix of nutrients in one formula, appropriately called Balance for Nerves. This is a unique blend of herbs, vitamins, amino acids and magnesium to support the adrenal glands and the nervous system. It contains Theanine which is a unique amino acid almost exclusively found in green tea and a particular type of mushroom. Thought to cross the blood-brain barrier and shown to have a positive effect, directly stimulating the production of alpha brain waves, Theanine creates a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to that achieved through meditation. For people who are so stressed that they are unable to properly relax or enjoy the everyday pleasures of life, Theanine could be the beginning of a new lease of life.

Balance for Nerves also contains Lemon balm and Passion flower to nourish the nerves and pacify the mind and body. B vitamins replenish the adrenals and reinforce the effect of the herbs and amino acids, and magnesium is great for relaxing tense muscles. This is the perfect combination to help stay relaxed during the day without fear of drowsiness, and to promote restful sleep at night.

If you feel you are in need of a chill-pill but want to take the gentle approach with no side effects, come and see what we can do for you at Elixir.

By Randi Henderson

THE ALTERNATIVE TO ...… IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME - QUEST L PLANTARUM

How do you treat a problem that has not just one, or two or even three different symptoms, but a whole myriad of them? When the symptoms range from constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, cramping, excessive flatulence and general abdominal pain you may soon find your medicine cupboard resembles a chemist shop.

Fortunately there is now a single supplement which deals with all the symptoms of IBS, and it is actually a specific strain of bacteria called Lactobacillus plantarum - otherwise known as L Plantarum In fact, L Plantarum is the only probiotic that has been shown in research to alleviate the symptoms of IBS.

At Elixir we have had excellent results with this particular supplement, and no wonder as one study found that 95% of patients receiving L Plantarum over a four week period showed significant improvements in all IBS related symptoms including bloating, constipation and diarrhea - and the majority found it worked within four days.

L Plantarum has been shown to adhere to the intestinal wall, forming a physical barrier against harmful bacteria and at the same time increasing the production of fuel for intestinal cells. In fact, L Plantarum helps to maintain a healthy heart, can help lowering cholesterol levels and helps boost your immune system at the gut level. However, for IBS sufferers it has been found to be so specifically helpful that in most cases using just this one supplement has resulted in great improvement in their condition. At the same time it is very safe, even during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and may be taken long term for as long as required.

We have therefore found that L Plantarum is the single most effective supplement you can use for IBS, which can at times be debilitating to say the least. Life doesn't have to be a pain in the backside!

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

By Randi Henderson

Elixir on Facebook!

Well, if trying to keep a blog up-to-date isn't enough mischief for Jason to get up to, he's now launched a Facebook Page! On our Facebook Page, friends, family and customers alike can join our community and share news and goings-ons in the Elixir world and, of course, their own. We'll try to stick to health matters but fresh anecdotes and points of interest are always welcomed.

At the moment, I'd like interesting recipes to add to the blog, especially all time favourites - dug from the caverns of childhood or present day stuff you can't live without! I know there's plenty out there (yes, I'll even part with my third-generation secret fudge recipe Sam Ravelle - a little bit of what you fancy is good for you!)...

So get scribbling people! Our Facebook Page can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elixir-Health-Foods/51988572538#

Solgar PM PhytoGen Complex - Amazing feedback

In February 2008, Elixir undertook a promotion in the local advertiser on a little known herb for the menopause, Solgar's PM PhytoGen Complex.

We have done many promotions over the years but nothing prepared us for the colossal interest and demand for the product in the last three weeks! Increased sales are always a good thing but we were also astonished at the unprecedented feedback from women (and chaps!) who have returned, in such a short time, to tell us how good the product is working, and to repeat their purchase. "Brillant," is all we could say! Happy customers is what it's all about...

Well done PM PhytoGen Complex!

The Menopause and Sea Buckthorn Oil

Menopausal women may benefit from the effects of Sea Buckthorn Oil, according to a study from Finland.

Supplementing with Sea Buckthorn Oil, which is extracted from the berry of the sea buckthorn plant, is believed to help maintain natural lubrication during the menopause and help with vaginal dryness due to its soothing action on mucous membranes, such as those of the vaginal tract.

Vaginal dryness is something around half of all women suffer from and is caused by the drop in oestrogen levels when a woman hits the menopause. Acid levels also begin to decline, leaving women open to invading microorganisms, which can cause yeast infections and urinary tract infections.

The results of the first three months of the study also showed positive effects of Sea Buckthorn Oil on typical symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome, including dry mouth, dry eyes, fatigue, joint pain, pale finger, and atopic skin.

Source: Pharma Nord