Beauty at any age

With hundreds of products in Oryana’s Wellness Department, coming up with a short list of products to help you feel your best at any age is no small feat. In considering this list, we looked at products that do double duty toward addressing problems we may experience as we age. The supplement recommendations given below address at least two of the following health issues: inflammation, pain, compromised immunity, sleep deprivation, and diminished brain health. These health challenges can diminish quality of life and lead to illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. (Disclaimer: this information is a resource only and should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes.)

Turmeric
Turmeric has been shown to alleviate symptoms associated with inflammation including arthritis, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. The list of benefits of turmeric is long: it is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant – it improves liver function, alleviates allergy symptoms, and may even prevent diabetes and cancer.  Most of the studies on this herb use turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin, the active ingredient in tumeric, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods. The primary benefit of tumeric is its powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

Tart Cherry Concentrate
Tart Cherry Concentrate (preferably in a liquid form) is amazing because it addresses multiple health concerns and tastes great too! A quality cherry concentrate helps control inflammation in the body, thus alleviating pain in people suffering from gout and arthritis. In addition, its high ORAC score (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity – measures antioxidant capacity of foods and supplements) and natural melatonin make it a powerful immune builder and sleep aid.

Fish Oil
Studies have shown that fish oil supplementation reduces inflammation throughout the body, builds the immune system, and helps facilitate brain health, improving memory and boosting mood.

Calcium and Magnesium
Taken in a citrate form, these nutrients help maintain bone and muscle health, preventing pain and osteoporosis. Your body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones. Your heart, muscles and nerves also need calcium to function properly. Magnesium can help manage sleep and prevent muscle deterioration as we age. It helps the body produce energy, making it essential for all cellular functions and processes.  Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle function, supports a healthy immune system and keeps bones strong.

Vitamin D3
The importance of D3 cannot be overstated. Studies reveal that 70-80% of Americans are deficient in this essential nutrient important for bone and brain health and necessary for proper immune functioning. Supplementation between 1000-5000 IU is usually recommended, and in northern Michigan, critical during the winter months when the lack of sun prevents our bodies from producing the vitamin naturally.

Beauty from the inside out

For years, modern culture has focused on products that promise younger looking skin. Cosmetic companies make billions of dollars off the fear of aging skin, with thousands of new anti-aging products launched every year. However, much of what works best in keeping skin young is what we put into our bodies and how we live our lives. Eating healthy, getting sufficient rest and exercise, taking anti-inflammatory supplements, and reducing environmental damage caused by the sun, smoke and pollution – help us look and feel more youthful. But the following supplements may not only help skin stay healthy, they help in numerous other ways as well.

Hyaluronic Acid
Hayaluronic Acid (HA) is a substance that is produced by the body until about the age of 40 when it dramatically slows in production. The depletion of this nutrient is one of the reasons we begin to see signs of aging as we approach our mid 40s. HA depletion causes our bodies to become stiffer and our skin to lose its ability to retain water. The HA molecule holds up to 1000 times its weight in water and when taken internally helps lubricate joints, eyes, and skin. It can also be taken externally to hydrate skin and diminish fine lines.

Collagen
Collagen is a natural protein component of the skin that acts as the main building block for skin cells and tissues. The body produces collagen, but this production is disrupted as part of the natural aging process. Women produce less collagen than men and this production decreases at a rate of 1% per year after the age of 30. This means that the average woman has lost almost half of the collagen from her skin by the age of 50. Consumers are reporting benefits from taking collagen supplements including greater elasticity and fewer wrinkles.

MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides) and Unrefined Oils
While once oils and fats were thought of as bad for our diet we know know that they are necessary and valuable to overall wellness. They are also essential for looking and feeling young. Cooking or supplementing with MCTs in the form of coconut or palm oil is vital to brain and heart health. Research shows it also benefits the skin making it look more youthful and radiant.

Biotin
Biotin is a B vitamin that supports your skin, nerves, digestive track and metabolism. Supplements are taken generally to increase hair and nail growth. However it may also help strengthen your skin.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C can help improve hair growth, fight dandruff, stop hair loss, and lead to thicker hair.  Research has found that Vitamin C helps protect the skin against sun damage and skin cancer. And it may actually reverse some of the discoloration and wrinkles associated with aging. Vitamin C can be taken both internally and externally and works by speeding up the skin’s natural repair systems.