Horizon Health Shop has partnered with DaVinci Labs of Vermont to offer some really exciting, well-established and NEW offerings from this excellent company.

One of our favorite formulas is their Behavior Balance, which is particularly helpful in supporting those with ADD, Autism and other brain oxidation complexes. Neuro DMG for brain support and Immuno DMG for immune challenges are also very effective products.

With over 135 products for humans and animals, Davinci offers its expertise in liposomal delivery systems, including its Liposomal Vitamin C product, and Micronized DHEA in a variety of strengths to accommodate proper dosing for men and women. DaVinci also recently introduced a wonderful liposomal DHEA Spray.

By Sheila Landis, Nutritional Therapist

Stress, excess caffeine, and busy schedules are often the most obvious scapegoats for a poor night’s sleep, tense muscles and high blood pressure. But what if a mineral deficiency is the cause of these commonly experienced symptoms?

The good news is simply including some key foods in your diet to replenish magnesium, the anti-stress nutrient, may be helpful.

The need for calcium in reference to bone health is widely publicized but its essential balancing partner, magnesium is equally important. Calcium functions to constrict muscle tissues in the body, while magnesium enables relaxation. Adding magnesium through food or supplementation could be a key to more restful sleep, better focus, fewer muscle cramps and maintaining healthy blood pressure.

Mineral deficiencies are prevalent in our time-crunched culture and eating is a grab and go event. Compounding the mineral deficiency challenges are farming practices that favor fertilizers over organic-mineral rich soils. While small amounts of nutrient deficient foods may be tolerated, a lifestyle of chronic stress, lack of sleep, medications and limited exercise may deplete the body of key minerals. If any of the symptoms below plague your daily routine, it might be time to expand your magnesium menu.

Symptoms associated with magnesium deficiency include:

• Constipation
• Depression
• Insulin Resistance
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Muscle Cramps
• Insomnia
• High Blood Pressure
• Migraine Headaches
• Numbness or Tingling in Extremities

The Food Solution

Eating foods rich in magnesium is a healthy, risk free way to replenish this precious health aid. Here is a shopping list that includes some of the foods highest in magnesium.

Almonds and Cashews

Raw or sprouted, these nuts contain some of the highest levels of magnesium from a food source. A serving size is considered a small handful, approximately 12 to 15 nuts or a ¼ cup. Avoid roasted salted nuts as they can go rancid when exposed to high heat during roasting. Consider replacing dairy-based milk with a quality almond milk to add more magnesium while still preserving calcium.

Dark Chocolate (ideally raw cacao)

For those who crave chocolate, you may be craving magnesium. Modest indulgences of dark chocolate with 70% or higher dark cacao is a healthy option. For an even cleaner option, add raw cacao powder to a protein shake for a “guilt-free” treat.

Leafy Greens

Swiss chard and spinach are among the highest in minerals and specifically magnesium. A great way to ensure a healthy dose daily is to add green drink to a morning routine. Whether juiced or blended, greens mixed with a few berries, some apple and a dash of lemon juice will infuse your day with sustained energy. A green powder is another easy way to get green nutrients into one’s diet.

Seeds

Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flax seeds and pine nuts are all excellent sources of a wide range of vitamins and minerals. They are a perfect afternoon go-to-snack in conjunction with a fresh piece of fruit.

Fish

Wild-caught fish packs a host of minerals and fatty acids in perfect balance with cofactors that allow assimilation of essential nutrients. Vitamin D and heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids naturally blend with minerals to provide a functional food that reduces inflammation. You should eat at least two servings a week of a high fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.

Sea Vegetables

These gifts from the sea are typically known for their iodine content, but also contain a rich source of minerals including magnesium, and potassium. Kelp flakes can be added to salads or steamed vegetables several days a week. Or cook a few extra vegetables the night before and wrap the leftovers in a Nori sheet for lunch.

Magnesium Supplements

Supplementation may be needed if you have a magnesium deficiency and to support healthy levels of magnesium in the body. A whole food source is the optimum choice as it contain synergistic nutrients that provide a high level of bioavalability.

This post is re-published with permission from Innate-Edu.

When it comes to vitamins, there are a few that we know are important for good health, and why—Calcium for bone support, Vitamin C for immune support—and many that we know we’re supposed to take, but we don’t know the reasons. B-Vitamins, especially B-complexes, are those vitamins that we know are good for us, but we don’t know why they’re so important to our body’s optimal function.

There are eight essential B-Vitamins that our bodies need, and these important nutrients help convert our food into fuel, allowing us to stay energized throughout the day. While all of the B-Vitamins work together for energy and metabolism, each has its own specific benefits—from promoting healthy skin and hair to preventing memory loss or migraines. While all of the B-Vitamins can be found in the foods we eat, it may be important to take a well-rounded B-complex to fill in any gaps in our diets and keep our bodies running at their best.

The eight essential B-Vitamins are:

• Thiamine (B1): Thiamine is important for getting cellular energy from the foods we eat, as well as breaking down simple carbohydrates. It also plays an important role in our body’s ability to make new cells, because it’s required for the synthesis of RNA and DNA. The best food sources of Thiamine are lentils, whole grains and kale.
• Riboflavin (B2): This B-Vitamin works as an antioxidant, and may help prevent early aging and the development of heart disease. It is also a basic building block for normal growth and development (and the vitamin responsible for Mountain Dew-colored pee when you take your vitamins!). Riboflavin is found in almonds, milk and eggs.
• Niacin (B3): Niacin supports over 200 chemical reactions in the body including cellular energy production and fatty acid synthesis, as well as helping boost HDL (good cholesterol). It’s most readily available in red meat, peanuts and lentils.
• Pantothenic Acid (B5): Pantothenic Acid helps support fatty acid synthesis, as well as being responsible for the production of sex- and stress-related hormones. While it’s found in just about every food group, the best sources of Pantothenic Acid are organ means, egg yolks and avocados.
• Pyridoxine (B6): Along with fellow B-Vitamins 12 and 9, B6 helps regulate levels of the amino acid homocysteine (associated with heart disease). Pyridoxine is a major player in mood and sleep patterns because it helps the body produce serotonin, melatonin and norepinephrine, a stress hormone. Vitamin B6 is fairly abundant in the diet, and can be found in cooked spinach, bananas and fish.
• Biotin (B7): Because of its association with healthy hair, skin and nails, this B vitamin also goes by “the beauty vitamin.” It may help people with diabetes control high blood glucose levels, too. This B vitamin is especially important during pregnancy because it’s vital for normal growth of the baby. B7 is commonly found in Brewer’s Yeast, cheese and barley.
• Folic Acid (B9): Also known as vitamin B9, folic acid is needed for DNA synthesis, the formation of red blood cells and for the metabolism of amino acids. Folic acid is most commonly known for its role in fetal health and development, as it is critical for the formation of a baby’s spinal cord and nervous system. This important developmental process occurs during the initial weeks of pregnancy, and so adequate folic acid intake is especially important for all women of child-bearing age. Folate is most abundant in dark leafy greens, asparagus and beets.
• Cyanocobalamin (B12): Vitamin B12plays a critical role in the pathways of the body that produce cellular energy. It is also needed for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation and for healthy nervous system function. Individuals who follow vegan or vegetarian diets may benefit from a B12 supplement since B12 is predominantly found in foods of animal origin such as chicken, beef, fish, milk and eggs.

If you’re not getting enough B-Vitamins in your diet, you can also take a B-Vitamin supplement, known as a B Complex. Most B Complexes provide therapeutic doses of all eight B-Vitamins, as well as other vitamins and coenzymes that help make them more bioavailable. Some of our favorite B complexes are:

• Innate Response B Complex: Derived from 100% whole food, B Complex provides a balanced ratio of B vitamins in their most bioavailable food form. B Complex is specially crafted to provide a balanced spectrum of all the essential B vitamins and their inherent co-factors as found in food. Try the Innate Response Coenzyme B Complex for an even more well-rounded formula.
• Genestra Active B Complex: Comprehensive vitamin B complex formulation that includes a wide range of essential B vitamins in the body’s most preferred active forms, which are optimal for nutrient needs.
• Metabolic Maintenance Phosphorylated B-Complex: This highly bioavailable blend contains the phosphorylated forms of B2 and B6, as well as the methylated forms of B12 and Folate. Developed according to the recommendations of doctors most familiar with 5-MTHF, this comprehensive product eliminates the need for additional B-vitamin supplements.
• ProtoGenX Max B: Max B is an advanced, balanced B-complex formula that features a blend of B vitamins and complementary nutrients. It also contains highly active “living” B vitamins in their end-chain forms from natural sources.

Antioxidants. Free radicals. Oxidation. Cell damage. Anyone who’s paid attention to health news in the past few years has been bombarded with these terms, and seen the explosion of products that contain antioxidants, from skin creams to smoothies. Antioxidants have been touted as miracle molecules that prevent a multitude of diseases, from cancer to heart disease to aging. But what are they, and how can you get more of them?

When your body is exposed to toxins, such those that are found in tobacco, alcohol,  and polluted air and water, your cells oxidize and release molecules that are known as free radicals. Free radicals are atoms that have unpaired electrons, and this drive to get a matching electron causes a chain reaction in the rest of your cells that can lead to permanent damage, including aging and diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

It’d be impossible (not to mention pretty miserable) to try to avoid smoke, alcohol, pollutants and other toxins for your entire life; luckily we also have these little molecules known as antioxidants, called such because they limit the damage (oxidation) caused by free radicals in your cells. Some antioxidants are created by your body, but most come from the foods you eat, such as colorful fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains.

If your diet is lacking or you need an extra boost, you can also add antioxidant supplements to your regimen. Here are some of our favorite antioxidant products:

• Readisorb Also known as the “Master Antioxidant,” Glutathione plays a critical role in helping your body detoxify and protect itself against oxidative stress. This easily absorbed liquid contains more than 400 mg of Glutathione per serving.
• Innate Response Resveratrol Reds: Resveratrol Reds is a potent antioxidant formula blended with synergistic whole food fruits and vegetables to fill gaps in the diet. Many research studies show that the benefits of resveratrol nutritionally support the overall health for the cardiovascular system by promoting healthy arteries and helps to maintain a healthy metabolism.
• Pharmax Endogenous Antioxidants & Cofactors: This powerful blend of N-Acetyl Cysteine (precursor to Glutathione) and other endogenous antioxidants helps support detoxification and combat cellular oxidation.
• Metabolic Maintenance Deluxe Scavenger: Optimum doses of essential antioxidants are combined in one formula to create this powerful daily supplement.
• ARNOX Advantage: This great-tasting Nitric Oxide booster is also full of antioxidants, to help support cardiovascular health.
• Genestra Selenium + E: This synergistic blend of two important antioxidants—selenium and Vitamin E—helps maximize the prevention of cellular damage.