WINTER BLUES & SNIFFLE SEASON
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, EVERYONE IS FEELING THE LACK OF SUNSHINE AND OR SNEEZING LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE.
If you think you struggle with SAD, you're probably right!
There's so much you can do to take care of yourself at this time of year! If you struggle with SAD you are not alone. The lack of sunlight has a profound impact on many people, up to 1.6 million UK residents struggle with the darker months.
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Light therapy has been shown to benefit SAD symptoms hugely and we have daylight lamps available to help you get your daily light dose. Look for one giving you a 10,000 lux dose and use it for 20 minutes first thing in the morning. There are some great sunrise alarm clocks out there and studies show that even waking up naturally and gently with light rather than sound can have a positive impact on SAD symptoms.
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St John's Wort is also great for symptoms of low mood (check medications for interactions before taking) and it's definitely worth getting your vitamin D levels checked, too.
We can give you a link for an at-home vitamin D test if your GP can't help you.
MUSHROOMS & BETA GLUCANS
There is a huge amount of buzz around medicinal mushrooms in the natural health world at the moment and with very good cause!
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Every mushroom contains multiple bioactive compounds, the most well known of which, beta glucans, have a profound impact on our physiology. Especially our immune function.
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Cordyceps (cordyceps sinensis) are particularly known as immune stimulators but reshi, shitake (lentinula edodes), maitake (grifola frondosa), chaga (inonotus obliquus), lions' mane (aka hericeum erinaceus), and many others have incredible benefits too.
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We stock a range of great supplements and superfood powders with both single-source mushrooms and complexes available. We can also source many more brands than we have on the shelf (the ever-present issue of limited shelf space in a small shop!). We have supplements in both capsules and powders from Mushrooms for Life, Kiki Health, Healthstrong, Green Origins, Hifas da Terra and Naturya. We even have awesome mushroom coffee from Cheerful Buddha.
Come and have a look at our info sheet to see which one you want to try out!
IMMUNE SUPPORT FOR THE WINTER MONTHS
For the seasonal colds, flu and infections, make sure you're getting enough fresh fruit and veg for your vitamin C, supplement at the first sign of a sniffle too.
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​You can also use beta glucan rich medicinal mushrooms, zinc, vitamin A, garlic, turmeric, ginger, manuka honey, echinacea, elderberry, olive leaf and, of course, vitamin D to support your immunity over winter.
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You can get your vitamin C from all your fresh fruits and vegetables. Vitamin A is in your eggs, carrots, sweet potatoes, and all your dark leafy greens. You can find your zinc in oysters (if you can stomach them! We're all averse here!), dairy, legumes, nuts and seeds (particularly pumpkin seeds) and wholegrains like quinoa. Even your white button or chestnut mushrooms from the supermarket will have a great source of immune-boosting beta glucans.
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​Our blog has a great homemade lemonade and more tips for protecting your immunity and helping with recovery. We really can't emphasise enough how much of an impact rest will have on your recovery from infections!
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Pop in for a chat to see what will suit you best!
