For those situations where you find yourself suddenly anxious or stressed, or maybe you feel like your mood is just that bit lower than you would expect, then L-Theanine is maybe just what you need to pick you up enough to get you back on track. L-Theanine is an amino acid that works in the brain to increase chemicals that help calm and relax our mood. One of my favourites, Green Tea is a source of L-Theanine but we also have Good Health Rapid Calm an effervescent tablet that makes a tasty lemon drink containing L-Theanine, Magnesium and Vitamin D. Good Health Rapid Calm is a great product to use if you are looking for something to have on hand for those situations when you may need it, like before and exam. It has been shown to start working 15 minutes after taking it. At Highfield Mall Pharmacy we have been recommending for some years now, Go Health Stress Remedy with L-Theanine to our customers who have been going through a difficult time or are feeling under pressure. These capsules are easy to take and can be taken with most medications. We have had a lot of positive feed back from our customers who have taken Go Health Stress Remedy.

Magnesium is one of the 24 essential vitamins and minerals our body needs to function as it should. Magnesium is an enzyme co-factor, essential for several of our body’s metabolic processes. This mineral helps to regulate blood pressure, blood sugars and is necessary for RNA, DNA and protein synthesis, our building blocks to life.

Although Magnesium is readily available through our food sources it is thought that almost half of the adult population in the modern western world may not reach their daily recommended intake (RDI) of magnesium. The RDI for adult males is 420mg and females 320mg and slightly higher for pregnant women.

One of the symptoms of low magnesium is poor quality sleep, including restless sleep and difficulty sleeping. Often those with low magnesium can feel a little more anxious during the day with difficulty winding down at night for sleep.

How can we increase our magnesium intake? You can try increasing the magnesium rich foods in your diet such as nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds), beans, carrots, broccoli, apples, bananas, leafy green vegetables, or you can supplement your diet with one of the magnesium supplements we have instore. Our experienced staff can guide you to the best magnesium formulation and strength for your requirements. We stock Nutralife Magnesium Sleep+ which will be available soon with a sleep program that supports you to increase your dietary intake of magnesium and encourages you to develop positive habits around sleep and your bedtime routine. Nutralife also have a Magnesium Stress Ease which combines magnesium with herbs to help bring calm to your day. A great option for stress free days in the lead up to Christmas. The Nutralife Magnesium products are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Magnesium supplementation is also suitable for children. A product such as Go Kids Calm & Sleep support Magnesium plus, may be helpful for that child who struggles to wind down at night and go off to bed. This product combines Magnesium with Vitamin D3, Chamomile, and Tart Cherry in a chewable tablet.

Vitamin D3 is often referred to as the “Sunshine Vitamin”. Vitamin D3 is produced in our skin in response to sunlight. Now that we are all very conscious of the damage sun can do to our skin we are covering up, wearing sun blocking agents on our skin and staying indoors more than ever, our Vitamin D levels are decreasing. This can lead not only to more brittle bones but also a feeling of low mood.

There is nothing like a bit of sunshine pick you up. You can get Vitamin D3 levels checked by a blood test through your GP and they can prescribe you a supplement if required or we have available instore Vitamin D3 supplements, “Sunshine in a Bottle” such as me today VitD3 that can be taken as a daily supplement.

Co-enzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that is produced in our body and used by our cells for growth and maintenance. CoQ10 is an energy source to our body’s cells. Often due to some health conditions such as Heart Disease, Parkinsons or medications like the Statins taken to lower cholesterol or from everyday stress, we can lack energy and strength. CoQ10 is an energy source to our body that can help pick us up so we can keep going and get those ‘to do’ tasks completed. GO Healthy Co-Q10 is a one-a-day supplement to support Heart Health and energy production. GO Healthy Co-Q10 also contains a daily dose of Vitamin D3, making this product great if you need to lift your energy levels and feel on top of your game without having the effect of taking something that may act as a stimulant, such as coffee, where you then can find it difficult to relax or sleep at night.

Everyone has a tough day once in a while but when those tough days become tough weeks and you just aren’t coming back out on top again you may need some help and support. We encourage you to talk to someone and if you feel comfortable talking to us, we are here for you. You can talk with a family member, a friend, your GP or the help line on 1737. No problem is too big or too small and asking for help is the first step you can take forward to live your best life your way.