Woodstock Vitamins isn’t just another supplement brand. We know that’s what everyone says. But honestly, if we’re not here to convince you that you need a million unnecessary supplements in your medicine cabinet right now, then why are we even here? What is it that we seek to solve, and why are we hell-bent on being the ones to solve it? Here’s the rundown on why Woodstock Vitamins exists and what it means for you and your health journey. 

The Elephant in the Room: The Supplement Industry Sorta Stinks

We can all agree that something is fishy about the supplement industry. Why are there thousands of supplements in the United States, and yet people are still sick, tired, and riddled with health issues? The answer is two-fold: companies want to profit off of you, and most supplements don’t actually work.

There are too many products, protocols, and marketing out there that people are just straight up confused. What should they be taking for their health concerns? And who can they trust? Brands are overpromising what their products do while underdelivering. Companies are choosing profit (and making lots of it!) off you and your confusion. The worst part is that it’s intentionally deceptive. At the end of the day, when your medicine cabinet is full of supplements, and nothing is moving the needle, guess who’s left carrying the bag? You. For many people, the supplement industry is the Wild West, and no one knows where the sheriff is. 

That’s why Woodstock is bringing something different to the table. You see, Dr. Neal Smoller, our founder, holistic pharmacist, and supplement strategist, is one of the most vocal critics of the supplement industry. After serving in a pharmacy setting for nearly two decades and selling some of the country’s most popular supplements, he peeked underneath the hood of the supplement industry, and he didn’t like what he saw.  

What he witnessed were brands who shrouded their mediocre formulations with hype, shiny packaging, inconsistent quality, and little transparency. He got tired of selling people supplements that did nothing for their long-lasting health and wanted to create his own brand, one that would actually transform people’s health and not just say that it does. 

When Dr. Neal created Woodstock Vitamins, he had three main goals:

• Bring supplements to a higher quality standard (more on this later)
• Create formulations based on actual science instead of trends
• To cut out what he calls the “BS” in supplements and give people foundational nutrients instead

That’s the meat and potatoes of why we’re here and what makes us different. But that’s not all.

Helping People Get Foundational Nutrients; Not Just “Nice to Haves”

There’s one more thing we’re obsessed with here at Woodstock, and that’s offering our customers the foundational nutrients they need for total body health. That means we don’t offer trendy, hard to pronounce supplements from far distant regions of the world because they’re “cool” and “trendy”. 

Instead, we actually want you to take fewer supplements, but the right supplements. Those with the essential nutrients that work in multiple systems of the body, like your nervous, digestive, immune, and cardiovascular systems. These few supplements are what we call The First5. They are the first, foundational nutrients you need to get your body to work at its peak. 

These five supplements, we argue, contain the nutrients you need before anything else. So instead of spinning your wheels buying supplements that don’t work and don’t move the needle on your health goals, we exist to provide you with the truly essential nutrients your body is asking for: 

• Protein
• Bone Support
• Multivitamins
• Probiotics
• Brain Support

With these five supplements in your health routine, you’re setting the foundation for years of long-lasting health. And that’s what we’re here to help you achieve: simpler supplements for longer-lasting wellness.

Holding Your Supplements to a Higher Standard

Building off of the earlier section, the supplement industry stinks. We know this. There are lots of poor formulations out there, using unsustainably-sourced ingredients, that negatively affect your health and hit you hard in the wallet. We wanted to hold supplements to a higher standard. One that focused on: 

• Science-backed formulations
• Sustainably-sourced ingredients
• Safe manufacturing
• Fair pricing
• Testing for purity and quality

That’s where the Supplement Quality Standard comes in. A rigorous set of standards created by Dr. Neal himself to ensure that every single supplement that comes out of Woodstock Vitamins is well-formulated, manufactured safely, fairly priced, and made with people, animals, and the planet in mind. We offer the standards that other supplement brands do not, so you can finally trust that what you’re putting into your body is going to do the job and be good for your wallet and the planet.

[SQS graphic]

We Don’t Sell Supplements — We Offer Solutions for a Long, Healthy Life

Dr. Neal didn’t create Woodstock Vitamins to trick you into wasting your money on another health trend. He made it so you could finally have high-quality supplements that fill the nutrient gaps your body needs to thrive. We do that by creating supplements that affect nearly every system in the body in a way that builds the foundation for total-body health. So when you shop around our site or read our blog articles, you can trust that we’re giving you science-backed, no B.S. health information and solutions that will actually help you reach your health goals this year and beyond. 

When it comes to supplements, less is more. That must sound strange coming from a supplement company, but hear us out on this. The truth is, most people don’t need more supplements — they need just the essentials. Instead, they’re buying the wrong supplements. Too many products, too much overlap, and no coherent goal in mind. We’re not here to make you feel bad about it, but we are here to help you straighten out your supplement stack and use fewer, better supplements instead of many useless ones. So, why should someone focus on the essentials? We’re so glad you asked. 

The Gap Most People are Filling Incorrectly

When people start supplementing, it’s usually because they heard some miracle supplement is good for them or will solve some problem that their doctor brought up at their last check-up. So they go to a vitamin shop, pharmacy, or someone’s supplement website and start looking for a cure-all. While the intention is good, the method isn’t. 

Even “healthy people seem to supplement the wrong way. Eating well can still leave some predictable nutritional gaps behind. And it’s not because their diet is bad, but because our modern food supply has left us with nutrient-poor meals, depleted soils, and lifestyle patterns that make nutritional gaps nearly universal. 
Something like 90% of Americans are deficient in an essential nutrient. And that holds true for foundational nutrients like omega-3s, probiotics, calcium, and micronutrients. It’s not an accident; it really is a product of a sedentary, nutrient-deplete lifestyle that follows most Americans. But what can we really do about it? The answer isn’t to take more and more supplements, but rather, to focus on the foundational ones.

What “Foundational” Actually Means

Foundational nutrients are essential vitamins, minerals, and elements that work on multiple body systems simultaneously to support total body health. These nutrients have the strongest scientific-basis and are strongly recommended by healthcare professionals across the spectrum. They also work to fill gaps that diet alone cannot. 

Foundational supplements are different than ones that “solve” a specific problem or make you feel good about using them. Foundational supplements work with body systems. Immune, cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, and everything in between. While there’s nothing wrong with supplementing for specific issues, why hyper-fixate on one health concern when you can target multiple at the same time and support total-body health? We think that’s a better and smarter way to supplement.

Why Most People Skip the Foundational Nutrients

Most people skip the unsexy calcium supplements. Why? Because they’re not exciting. They don’t promise a dramatic transformation overnight. You won’t become superhuman and avoid going to the doctor. They’re slow, steady, and methodical, and for many people, that’s just not as enticing. 

And the supplement industry is no help, either. The industry doesn’t push foundational nutrients because the margins aren’t as good as trendy supplements. They would much rather market a “cure-all” supplement from this one specific extract from a magical tree in the Amazon with an entire marketing team behind it, than to push a good well-formulated multivitamin. So most people don’t really hear about the unsexy, but important nutrients that come from foundational supplementation. That’s why we’re obsessed with talking about them here at Woodstock Vitamins. We think the essentials aren’t sexy, but they’re smart, and they really do make a difference in your health.

Less Is Truly More

When it comes to supplements, we’re not trying to sell you stuff you don’t need. We’re trying to help you get the foundational nutrients your body is begging for. The ones that truly unlock total body health from the inside out. If you already have omega-3s, protein, calcium, probiotics, and a multivitamin that you love in your supplement stack, awesome. But if you don’t have your bases covered, it could be time to finally get the essentials in before adding anything else. After all, you’re supplementing so you can feel your best and live better. So start with the foundations. 

Not sure which of our foundational supplements you need for your health goals? Take the quiz.

One of the best parts of getting your supplements at Woodstock Vitamins is knowing that what you’re taking for your health and wellness was formulated by a pharmacist. Dr. Neal Smoller, to be exact. He’s a holistic pharmacist and supplement strategist with over 20 years of experience in the pharmacy setting. But having a supplement formulated by a pharmacist isn’t the only definition of pharmacist-formulated. There are other factors that play a role in this important term. Here’s why having a pharmacist create your supplements is such an asset. 

What Pharmacist-Formulated Actually Means

In a nutshell, “pharmacist formulated” means a product that was developed or designed with input from a licensed pharmacist. In our case, that’s Dr. Neal. He used his 20+ years of running a pharmacy that prescribes medications to give him the knowledge of how ingredients, nutrients, and substances interact in the body to help create a great supplement.

Safety First

When it comes to supplements, not all of them are made safely or with high-quality ingredients. That’s where having a pharmacist formulate your supplements makes a big difference. We focus on the Supplement Quality Standard, a rigorous framework that focuses on supplement manufacturing safety, quality, fair pricing, and sustainable, ethical ingredients. This is what sets great supplements apart from cheap, ineffective duds. Pharmacists are trained in drug interactions and dosing to ensure supplements avoid harmful combinations or ineffective ingredients. A pharmacist prioritizes safety and quality, in contrast to supplements not made by health professionals.

Science Forward

Unlike other formulations, supplements formulated by Dr. Neal are based on science. Pharmacists obtain doctoral degrees, which often means they have learned how to read, analyze, and even write scientific papers. A pharmacist-formulated supplement is often made to address a specific need (e.g., sleep support, digestion, skin health) based on scientific research. This is a big contrast to other formulators who use misleading claims, marketing buzzwords, or hype.

Fair Pricing

While many supplement brands are thinking about how to keep their product as cheap to make as possible and padding their margins, pharmacists like Dr. Neal are thinking about fair pricing for their supplements. They’re concerned with the dose of their supplement and if their customers are going to think the capsule is a horse pill or not. They’re thinking about third-party testing their ingredients and the cost to make sure their supplements are safe. They’re thinking about ingredient interactions and what’s going to sit well in the stomachs of their customers. Pharmacist-formulated supplements come with that additional thoughtfulness around pricing, fairness, ethics, and what’s truly going to be valuable to their customers, not just what’s valuable to their bottom lines.

Important Considerations

While “pharmacist-formulated” is a sign that a supplement may be of interest, it doesn’t mean it’s FDA-approved. It is still widely used in marketing and can convey a range of quality, safety, and efficacy results. So be mindful of which pharmacist formulated your supplement and their methodology. At Woodstock Vitamins, we aim to bring you the highest quality essential nutrients, with ethically-sourced ingredients and manufactured safely. You can learn more about Dr. Neal and our Supplement Quality Standards here. 

This is it, friends!

2026 is the year that we all finally start getting enough sleep to truly thrive. That means treating ourselves to 8 hours (minimum) of deep, uninterrupted, dream-filled snoozing. 

It’s not impossible, we promise! In fact, if you’ve been paying attention, then you know we’ve already shared the low-down on sleeping like a log. Like these wellness practices to reset your circadian rhythm and Dr. Neal’s s-tier approach to making new habits stick. 

But even with all the natural, free tools available, we still need a boost sometimes. Or the opposite of a boost, actually — sometimes we need the help of supplements and herbs to wind down, turn off our brains, and get tf back to sleep. 

And no, melatonin and valerian aren’t the only science-backed options for naturally upgrading your sleep! Read on, fellow sleepyhead, to learn about 5 super underrated supplements for snooze support that’ll have you sawing logs in no time. 

In This Article:

• Our favorite kind of magnesium
• L-theanine for sleep support
• The role of B-12 on sleep
• Two underrated herbs for sleep

1. Magnesium Supplements for Deeper Sleep

Magnesium is first up on the list because, despite its growing popularity, most people still don’t seem to understand the importance of this mineral. 

As a naturally occurring nutrient, magnesium plays a multifaceted role in sleep regulation and overall health. It not only influences the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the centerpiece of the body’s stress response, but also the GABA receptors responsible for quieting the nervous system. 

Magnesium is also a cofactor in the synthesis of melatonin. We all know how important melatonin (in the body, not in supplement form) is for sleep. And if that wasn’t enough, your body actually requires magnesium for muscle relaxation to occur.

Without it, calcium buildup in muscles can lead to mineral imbalance. This can, in turn, lead to chronic muscle contraction, AKA tension, aches, and cramps. 

If constant aches aren’t enough to aggravate your symptoms of depression or anxiety, don’t worry. A magnesium deficiency will definitely do the trick. Thankfully, modern medical research is addressing this relationship between mental health and magnesium levels, with studies showing exciting results. 

Magnesium deficiency goes hand-in-hand with poorer sleep quality, so it should come as no surprise that boosting your magnesium intake can improve sleep quality — when done right. 

Chelated forms of magnesium have a higher absorption rate in the body, leaving less mineral residue in the gut and targeting deficiencies more efficiently. For sleep support, relaxation, and anxiety relief, look for magnesium chelates like magnesium malate, taurate, or glycinate. (Bonus points if you find a magnesium bisglycinate supplement, a form bound to not one but two amino acids.) 

Learn More: Understanding The Different Types of Magnesium Supplements

2. L-Theanine Sleep Benefits

Now, l-theanine, on the other hand, is about as popular as neem oil. The diehards understand its importance, but most folks don’t pick it up off the shelf. 

But this non-protein amino acid actually has a remarkable impact on sleep quality. This stems from its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and modulate neurotransmitters. Like magnesium, l-theanine interacts with GABA but also serotonin and dopamine as well. By raising the levels of the neurochemicals, l-theanine can promote relaxation without a sedative effect. 

And, as a result of l-theanine ingestion, we experience increased alpha brain waves, or the pattern of brain activity we associate with meditative states. 

On top of its ability to shift the brain into a more relaxed space, l-theanine can also help sharpen focus and cognitive functions. Which isn’t as important for this sleep-centered blog… But it is nice to know your days will improve alongside your nights if you boost your l-theanine levels. 

And it makes sense, then, that l-theanine also has observed anxiolytic properties. (That’s a fancy way of saying that it helps alleviate symptoms of anxiety.) Magnesium and l-theanine together make a TKO combo for people who suffer from anxious restlessness or anxiety-related sleep disturbances. 

But it doesn’t stop there! Even for non-anxious humans (of which we assume there are still at least a few, somewhere out there), l-theanine can be used to improve sleep latency and efficiency. (AKA, how fast you fall asleep and how deep your sleep is.)

To boil it all down (pun intended): This humble amino acid, found naturally in the leaves of green, black, and white tea, has no right to be so dang helpful for sleep and brain function. And yet it is. 

3. Sleep Better with B-12

Perhaps the most unlikely hero of all, B-12, makes number 3 on the list of underrated sleep supplements for a few key reasons. 

While it’s typically known for its energy-boosting properties, B-12 can also support proper cycles of resting and wakefulness. After all, snoozing and cruising are two sides to the same energy production coin. B-12 is integral in maintaining the balance between both states. 

Vitamin B-12 contributes to the synthesis of serotonin, therefore bettering sleep patterns, albeit indirectly. Because serotonin isn’t just the “happy hormone” we know it as — it also plays a crucial part in circadian rhythm maintenance by telling our brains when it’s time to be energetic and when it’s time to relax. 

Plus, B-12 is necessary for melatonin production. So ensuring adequate levels of the vitamin is a foundational step toward deeper sleep. 

Unfortunately, there’s a huge chunk of us soon-to-be snoozers who aren’t getting nearly enough Vitamin B-12 from our diets alone. Vegans and vegetarians are especially susceptible to B-12 deficiencies as the vitamin can only be synthesized by microorganisms. 

So B-12 supplements are on the rise as more and more modern folks struggle with fatigue during the day and restlessness at night. The complex nutrient can help with both, according to recent studies on B-12 supplementation.

One clinical trial, in particular, showed high-dose Vitamin B-12 supplements to have a therapeutic effect on circadian rhythm sleep disorders, while another has linked B vitamins to fewer nocturnal leg cramps. 

The field of research is continuing to expand and uncover the intricacies of how B-12 can impact sleep quality but its overall importance for whole-body wellness is a long-settled debate. 

4. Ashwagandha for Herbal Sleep Support

For a long while, the conversation on sleep support herbs started and ended with CBD and valerian. 

Which makes sense, because both plants have a demonstrated ability to knock us out. But there are scores — fields, even, if you will — of other medicinal herbs with potent relaxation properties. 

And thank goodness for that! While the efficacy of both herbs has been proven, each has drawbacks that are important to consider. What CBD lacks in accessibility it makes up for in expense, and valerian’s powerful effects can be a little too powerful.

Valerian-induced sedation and sleepiness can last up to 12 hours after consuming, making for a groggy morning if not timed properly. 

Ashwagandha, unlike its more popular counterparts, is pretty easy to get ahold of and even easier to enjoy. Plus, as a staple of traditional Ayurvedic herbal practices, this particular herb has been used by us humans for literally thousands of years.

Thankfully, modern medical research is finally catching up to what Ayurvedic practitioners have known for, like we said, literally thousands of years. Clinical trials have shown ashwagandha to have beneficial effects on everything from anxiety and energy levels to stress management and memory. 

With anxiolytic, adaptogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, ashwagandha is most commonly used as a nerve tonic to support overall well-being. In the sleep arena, this herb stands out for the additional neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects it provides while driving down cortisol levels. 

Need more? Alongside the reduced cortisol levels associated with ashwagandha supplementation comes a greater resiliency to stress, fewer insomniac nights, and better sleep efficiency.

5. Passionflower: Our Favorite Sleep Tincture

If you think you have a passion for flowers then there’s no way you haven’t heard of passionflower, right? 

As dorky as that joke was, we stand by the fact passionflower deserves more hype than it gets. A climbing vine native to the southeastern U.S., passionflower was used as a relaxant by indigenous people for centuries before being cultivated by European colonizers. 

By the 16th century, passionflower gardens grew widely and with a passionate fury. And yet, its story is similar to ashwagandha’s in that contemporary research has only recently come full circle to confirm its potency as a sleep aid. Scientific studies on the herb have shown it to have a beneficial impact on trouble falling asleep, sleep quality, and anxiety with no adverse effects reported. 

It’s even been explored — with positive results — as a treatment for headaches, depression, and epilepsy.

Additional research on passionflower is underway, but scientists currently believe that its relaxing and sedating effect is due in part to the plant’s ability to affect GABA levels in the brain, like magnesium and l-theanine. 

Passionflower is one of the crowning jewels in our proprietary tincture known as Zzzzz. Working side by side with other herbal relaxation powerhouses like milky oats, hops, and skullcap, our Zzzzz tincture always flies off the shelf this time of year when sleep is more important than ever. 

By providing a gentle, holistic alternative to OTC sedatives, passionflower can help target long-term, root causes of sleep issues while also helping you get back to sleep right now. What’s not to love? (Besides our soon-to-be-updated tincture labels, of course.)

Now Go Catch Some Data-Backed Zzzzz’s

Don’t get us wrong — the Zzzzz’s you catch don’t have to be from our particular tincture. As long as you’re trading your hard-earned cash for scientifically verified natural sleep aids from reputable sources, you’re clear in our book.

But if you need a personal Sandman, definitely give us a call.

Our Counterside Consults are open and our holistic supplement experts are standing by to help you through the sleepless nights. (Just make sure you wait to call us until the next morning because we’ll be out like lights thanks to our personal Zzzzz tincture stocks. Bet.)

We’ve already said our piece about New Year’s resolutions — how and why exactly we think they stink. But, if we’re being honest, there is one pact we think every wellness seeker should make with themselves this year. 

And that is: To stop wasting money on vitamins and supplements. 

Does that mean we think you should stop buying supplements altogether? Not quite. Although Dr. Neal is constantly encouraging folks to take fewer — hence why he makes a great holistic health advocate and a terrible supplement salesman. 

We just mean that, in the year of our lord 2026, there’s no reason for you or your friends to overspend on underwhelming supplements made with cheap, ineffective ingredients. 

Because the 14 mega corporations who own the vast majority of supplement brands might be clever with their million-dollar marketing schemes, but we can be cleverer! Or, at the very least, we can be more discerning of the skeevy sales tactics that inundate the natural health industry.

So before you new-year-new-you yourself into an overflowing supplement cabinet and an empty wallet, read through these 4 steps to buying supplements in 2026. Fresh from Dr. Neal’s boat-rocking, middle-path-walking desk. 

In This Article:

• Laying a foundation for supplementation
• Creating a supplement strategy
• Finding the right supplement brands
• Getting comfy with the supplement facts panel

1. Do the Foundational Work First

The easiest way to avoid wasting money on supplements is to simply not need them in the first place. Pretty straightforward, right?

We’re being a little reductive here, considering that even the healthiest American eaters can still suffer from deficiencies thanks to rapidly declining food quality. But the point stands — you’re less likely to go bankrupt on unnecessary supplements if you focus on the basics first.

The basics of health are, of course, the lifestyle domains that make up the foundation of your well-being. Diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and environmental changes.

Packaged in this simple, accessible concept we call the Wellness Pyramid, these mundane areas of everyday existence play a major role in your overall health and quality of life. If we ignore these basic building blocks, we can incur deficiencies, chronic inflammation, higher risk of disease, mental health difficulties, and more.

Because, as we oft say around these parts, you can out-supplement a Cheeto-based diet. Or, another one of our favorites, you can’t omega-3 your way through a sedentary lifestyle.

Start your supplementation journey a little closer to home by first clearing out the toxins, limiting beliefs, and unhelpful habits from your mental and physical spaces. Then focus on integrating more joy, gentle movement, nutritious food, and restorative rest into your life.

Summary

• Address health concerns and reduce disease risk through diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes before taking supplements

Learn More: The Wellness Pyramid — Your Roadmap to Holistic Health

2. Create a Strategy

It should go without saying… But we better not catch you buying vitamins and supplements willy-nilly in 2024!

Instead of buying based on hype, wield your hard-earned cash as an extension of your intelligence and buy supplements that make sense for your personal supplement strategy. Because supplements and vitamins, like their pharmaceutical counterparts, interact with your body, your other supplements, and your food in different ways.

And, if we buy into the hoopla around a particular vitamin or herb without doing our research, we can end up with overlapping nutrients, canceled-out compounds, and money down the drain.

Every supplement strategy is unique, but every good supplement strategy is rooted in science.

Start building your supplement strategy with the vitamins and nutrients that most people are deficient in, according to clinical research. The 5 most common nutrient deficiencies we can tackle first are also known as Dr. Neal’s First5.

Omega-3, probiotics, protein, bone support, and multivitamins.

After optimizing your intake of these 5 elements through diet and supplementation, check in with yourself before adding in more. You might just find, for example, that getting adequate amounts of probiotics and protein makes your gut issues and brain fog nonexistent.

No sea moss needed.

Keep moving forward by adding additional high-quality, data-backed supplements into your routine to target specific health concerns or conditions. Then, the next time you see a so-called miracle cure on TikTok, you can decide if and how it fits into your science-based supplement strategy.

Summary

• Boost intake of 5 most common nutrient deficiencies first
• Add additional, science-backed supplements to address specific health concerns

Learn More: Why You Need a Supplement Strategy — Plus 3 Steps to Get Started

3. Find Your Brands

It’s true that supplements and vitamins have never been more accessible than they are in 2026. But this is a blessing and a curse.

Why? Well, because slick branding and clever marketing speak reign supreme in the world of supplement sales. Which is due, in part, to the fact the wellness industry has even looser regulations than that of traditional pharmaceuticals.

Plus, the natural health market was already worth over 15.5 billion dollars in 2024.

There’s quite a lot of money to be made off unwitting consumers who turn to supplements in hopes of simply feeling better and healthier. Is it totally unfair that wellness seekers have to get an unaccredited degree in supplement speak just to avoid buying cheap crap?

It is.

But it’s also empowering to use your influence as a consumer to support ethical brands! 

While it might take a little longer than shopping directly from your Instagram ads, it pays in the long run to buy from companies that prioritize safety and efficacy, environmental sustainability, and transparency. Thankfully, most supplement companies with rigorous standards will be upfront about these values.

Because it can be quite expensive and laborious to have strict quality control from source to shelf, and it’s not legally required. So in 2026, look for the supplement brands that don’t take the easy outs.

They’ll be the ones using data-backed, bioavailable ingredients from sustainable and traceable sources. And if they’re really great, they’ll have actual humans you can talk to about your supplements just a phone call away. 

Summary

• Buy supplements from reputable brands that are GMP-certified and employ third-party testing
• Avoid supplement brands that source from unethical, unsustainable, or unknown origins

4. Get Comfortable with the Supplement Facts Panel

One of the most important things to understand before buying vitamins and supplements is that the front label is, like influencer campaigns and viral videos, part of a meticulous marketing scheme.

You might think that the front of a vitamin bottle is legally required to be based on reality, but that’s not really the case. If we want the cold hard facts about what a supplement is and does, we’ll have to venture to the dark side of the bottle. 

The Supplement Facts Panel. Or SFP, for short. 

The SFP can be an overwhelming place to be, what with those tiny fonts and 13-letter-long vitamin names. Who wants to clog up the Whole Foods aisle reading through every unpronounceable ingredient in their Women’s Daily Multi? Not us. 

But we, unlike the front label of vitamin bottles, are grounded in reality, and we know that there could be trickery afoot if there’s money to be made. 

So 2026 is going to be the year of overcoming our fear of the dreaded SFP and getting educated on vitamin forms — which ones work, which ones are crap, and which ones could actually be detrimental to our health.

Here are a few key things to look for on the SFP before buying:

• Pixie-Dusting: When a company fluffs up the ingredient list with minuscule amounts of nutrients to make the product seem more comprehensive.
• The Practically-Laxatives: When a company puts cheap, ineffective forms of a nutrient in their formula that passes through the digestive tract almost entirely unabsorbed.
• Serving Size Sleight of Hand: When a company makes a product seem like a great deal, until you realize you have to take 4 capsules per day and one bottle will last two weeks.

Summary

• Research the bioavailability and proper doses of nutrient forms before buying
• Remember that the front of a supplement label is marketing, not fact
• Learn to read the SFP to avoid being duped, even from reputable brands

Or, Call an Expert

Above all, we want you to have autonomy over your health. That starts with knowing what you’re putting into your body — be it supplements, food, or medications — and why.

But if you skimmed this blog and felt the panic start to creep in, let’s take a deep breath together. The world of supplements and whole-person health can be overwhelming and wrought with misinformation. Thankfully, you don’t have to navigate it alone!

If you want to ignore all that blabber about bioavailable nutrients and, instead, just ask Dr. Neal to translate the SFP of your favorite vitamin into English, we can do that too. Our supplement experts are always available via our always-free Counterside Consults.

Consumers often struggle to make informed decisions about supplements due to limited guidance, marketing noise, and inconsistent product quality. The First Five is a focused supplement framework developed by Dr. Neal Smoller, our founder and holistic pharmacist with over two decades of clinical experience.

These five nutrients were selected based on three evidence-based criteria:

1. They are difficult to obtain in adequate amounts from diet alone
2. They support multiple physiological systems
3. They are supported by extensive clinical research

This science-backed framework is designed to help you address nutritional gaps efficiently and avoid unnecessary supplementation.

In This Article:

• Common Challenges in Supplement Use
• The First Five Nutrients to Optimize

Common Challenges in Supplement Use

Most wellness seekers face at least one of the following roadblocks when trying to improve their health through supplements. They’re typically:

• Overwhelmed by too many choices and contradictory information
• Struggling with persistent symptoms like inflammation, sleep disruption, low energy, and digestive discomfort
• Or sick of wasting time and money on low-quality or unnecessary supplements

The First Five was designed to cut through this noise, reduce guesswork, and help you focus on what’s most essential.

How the First Five Help

Here’s a breakdown of the five essential nutrients, including their core benefits, optimal forms, and evidence-based dosing recommendations.

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Form: Alaskan fish oil
• Critical Components: EPA and DHA
• Recommended Dose: 2,000–3,000 mg daily

Omega-3s play a central role in regulating inflammation, supporting cognitive function, improving gut health, protecting the cardiovascular system, and more.

Modern diets are disproportionately high in omega-6 fats (pro-inflammatory) and low in omega-3s (anti-inflammatory), often leading to systemic inflammation. Most Americans consume omega-6 to omega-3 at a 20:1 ratio, but an ideal balance is closer to 4:1.

2. Probiotics

• Form: High-survivability blend
• Critical Components: Clinically validated strains
• Recommended Dose: 30 billion CFUs daily

Probiotics support gut health by restoring the balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system — an essential function for guts under constant threat from stress, medications, and poor diet.

A healthy microbiome also influences immune health, nutrient absorption, and even mental health conditions like depression. However, not all probiotics are effective! Strain selection and survivability are critical.

3. Bone Support (Calcium + Vitamin D3)

• Form: Calcium Hydroxyapatite and Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3)
• Critical Components: 1,000–1,200 mg calcium, 1,000–2,000 IU vitamin D3
• Recommended Dose: Daily

Vitamin D3 facilitates calcium absorption and supports immune health. Calcium hydroxyapatite — a highly bioavailable form or a form of the nutrient that is easily utilized by the body — strengthens the bone matrix and contributes to nerve function, muscle contraction, and blood clotting.

Together, these nutrients are essential for maintaining skeletal integrity and reducing the risk of fractures, especially as we age. 95% of Americans are not meeting daily requirements for vitamin D according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, and most are unable to get adequate calcium through diet alone.

4. Protein (Collagen Peptides)

• Form: Collagen Peptides
• Critical Components: Grass-fed, bovine source
• Recommended Dose: 20g daily

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, accounting for about 30% of the body’s total protein content. It is a structural protein, meaning it serves as a scaffold that supports the body’s connective tissues.

Collagen provides the protein and amino acid building blocks our bodies need to maintain muscle mass, support bone health, and promote skin integrity. While general protein supplements like whey or plant-based options can be helpful, collagen is uniquely suited for connective tissue repair and long-term structural support.

5. Multivitamins

• Form: Full-spectrum micronutrient formula
• Critical Components: Combination of vitamins and minerals
• Recommended Dose: Varies by individual need

Even with a balanced diet, it’s difficult to consistently meet micronutrient needs.

A high-quality multivitamin fills common nutritional gaps and supports metabolic health, cognitive function, and immune resilience. Look for multivitamin formulations with transparent labeling, active forms of nutrients (e.g., methylated B vitamins), and dosing appropriate to your health status and concerns.

Strategic Supplementation Starts Here

You may not need all five nutrients — it depends on your current lifestyle, diet, and health concerns. But most people will benefit from at least one or more of these essentials. The First Five are not intended to replace healthy habits, but to enhance and support them.

For personalized guidance on how to build your supplement foundation, schedule a free consultation with our expert team. We’ll help you identify nutrient gaps, assess lifestyle factors, and develop a sustainable plan tailored to your goals.

Optimize what matters most. Start with the First Five.

You’ve probably have heard a whole lot about superfoods at this point, but how super are they, really?

With all the marketing money and scientific jargon getting thrown around… It can be dang near impossible to tell fact from fiction. That’s why we’re here to cut through the clutter (as usual!) and give you some solid, simple info on superfoods. Plus, what they can do for your health. 

At its most basic, a superfood is simply a nutrient-rich food that’s particularly beneficial for your health and well-being. Doesn’t sound so complicated, right? 

Well, that part isn’t! Where it gets messy is determining exactly which superfoods will work best for your specific issues, as well as making sure you actually get what you’re paying for. 

Read on to learn what to look for, what to look out for, and why Vital Greens & Reds, in particular, is a top-tier option to boost your baseline nutrition. 

In This Article:

• First, the Simple Answer: Why Do I Need a Superfood Powder?
• Let’s Get Smart About Superfood Powders: Ingredients and Contaminants
• The Superfood Strategy: Getting the Most from Your Superfood Powder

First, the Simple Answer: Why Do I Need a Superfood Powder?

Here’s a quick review of why almost all of us would benefit from adding a superfood powder to our supplement routine. Because, despite the fact most of what you see on these superfood labels is marketing, our bodies do require a diverse range of micronutrients to thrive.

1. We’re Just Not Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies

Don’t get us wrong — it’s not personal! It’s a systemic issue: Most Americans don’t consume enough fruits and veggies.

According to the CDC, only 1 in 10 adults (so, like, 10%) are actually getting the recommended amounts of fresh fruits and veggies each day.

2. This Is a Serious Issue

Fruits, schmruits. Is it really that big of a deal if you eat fewer fruits and veggies than is recommended?

Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding yes. It is a big deal, because our bodies need micronutrients to complete the various processes and functions that keep us alive. Not getting enough nutrients from your food can lead to what Dr. Neal calls “diseases of deficiencies.”

3. Superfood Powders are Realistic Solutions

In an ideal world, we’d all have plenty of the following: Time to plan our meals, access to nutritious foods, and verified health education to help inform our choices.

But that’s not the world we live in, is it? While it’s always best to get your nutrients from whole foods, incorporating a superfood powder into your diet can be a convenient way to boost your intake of essential nutrients and support your overall health and wellness. 

With Vital Greens & Reds, you can easily increase your intake of key vitamins and minerals while also closing any gaps in nutrition that may be missing from your daily meals, despite your best efforts.

Let’s Get Smart About Superfood Powders

If you’ve still got questions, keep reading! Because we’re diving right into what makes a superfood a superfood. Plus, why so many options on the market are actually just second-rate food products, not superfoods.

The key lies in the ingredients, of course!

Superfood Powder Ingredients: How Does Vital Greens & Reds Stack Up?

Sure, there’s a superfood blend on every shelf these days — but the market is flooded with questionably-sourced, poorly-formulated, and downright ineffective options.

(Think we’re joking? Do some research on the ingredients in your favorite superfood powder, and then get back to us. If it’s up to our standards, we’ll happily eat crow.)

To ensure you’re getting the best support for your health, you need carefully crafted dosages of well-chosen, bioavailabile ingredients.

This is where our Vital Greens & Reds stands out from the crowd.

While most blends contain synthetic, isolated forms of vitamins that aren’t easily utilized by the body, ours uses real food. Dr. Neal’s expert formula is packed with actual fruits and veggies like blueberries, acerola cherries, beets, and spinach — meaning each dose offers a broad spectrum of (non-GMO!) micronutrients. 

Paired with gut-restoring probiotics, essential digestive enzymes, and antioxidants, Vital Greens & Reds hits all the bases for maintaining optimal nutrient levels for a whole, active life. And thanks to our strict third-party testing, our supplements are free of all impurities and thoroughly batch-tested for quality and potency. 

And that’s where another key difference shows up: contaminants.

Superfood Powder Contaminants: How Does Vital Greens & Reds Stack Up?

But wait, how could something marketed as a healthy option contain distinctly not-healthy things?!

Here’s the unfortunate truth: Supplements, especially veggie-based superfood powders, often contain several common contaminants like bacteria, heavy metals, and pesticides. 

Bacterial contamination, for example, can occur if the veggie powder has been harvested or stored improperly. At worst, this can lead to food-borne illnesses or allergic reactions — at best, it simply undermines any benefit you might otherwise get from your veggie blend. 

Same goes for heavy metals: lead and mercury can also be found in veggie superfoods because they often remain in the soil where they were grown even if they weren’t directly added to the product.

Pesticides and herbicides, too, can contaminate veggie superfoods supplement powders if not removed during processing — and nobody wants to be eating pesticides, right?

Re: These contaminants? It should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyways. Our Vital Greens & Reds superfood powder was formulated to not only offer maximum absorption, but also to deliver results safely.

We source our superfoods from organic growers and, yes, we do actually test for heavy metals like lead and arsenic! Every bottle through strict quality control processes to ensure safety and potency. How many other brands can say that, and back up the claim too?

The Superfood Strategy: Getting the Most from Your Superfood Powder

Here’s the part where we teach you how to avoid wasting money on well-branded bunk.

When it comes to strategy, as always, we like to start with the bottom of the Wellness Pyramid, where the lifestyle domains live. Because while adding a superfood to your daily routine won’t hurt, it’s not going to make a major impact on your health without the proper foundation to support it. Sound familiar?

Sure, Vital Greens & Reds is our go-to solution for maintaining baseline nutrition in a busy world, and hits all the bases for maintaining optimal nutrient levels for a whole, active life. But it’s not magic!

Like we say again and again, you can’t out-supplement a nutritionally bankrupt lifestyle. So what can you do to boost your superfood, at the same time that it’s boosting you?

1. Diet, Diet, Diet

And to be clear, we don’t mean ‘go on a diet’ — we mean ‘be thoughtful and consistent about what you eat.’ 

While a superfood blend may well fill all your micronutrient gaps, it’s up to you to handle the macronutrients. We won’t go full dietician here (there’s Counterside Consults for that!), but we’ll say this: fueling up consistently with wholesome, nutrient-dense foods is absolutely necessary for building your wellness foundation.

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

2. Discernment, Discernment, Discernment

Not all superfood blends are made the same. Like we said above, many of the options you see on the shelves just aren’t up to snuff. In fact, they’re usually banking on their multimillion dollar marketing campaigns to do most of the heavy lifting.

Whether they contain contaminants, their ingredients are processed within an inch of their lives, or they simply don’t include real foods — there’s lots of ways to drop the ball. So don’t buy superfood powders willy nilly, alright?

3. Dedication, Dedication, Dedication

Okay, so, you don’t really need to become a Vital Greens & Reds evangelist to get the benefits. (We won’t stop you though!)

When we say dedication, we really mean consistency. While this won’t be new to anyone following our content, we think it bears repeating — consistency works better than perfection, every single time. It is incredibly important to be discerning, do your own research, and choose the highest-quality options available, but most important of all is sticking with it. 

Even the most powerful superfood blend (like Vital Greens & Reds) will only work optimally if you give it a fair shot. And that means incorporating it into your routine in a sustainable way so you can stay the course and see results.

Recap: Supercharge Your Superfoods

If you’re looking to improve your health and feel better, but just can’t seem to eat enough fruit and vegetables, you’re not alone! That’s why the superfood market just keeps booming — on paper, they’re great sources of natural energy and micronutrients. 

When it comes to the day-to-day, though, many of these options get caught lacking. 

Not Vital Greens & Reds, though! We stand behind Dr. Neal’s unique superfood blend because it’s made with organic, third-party-tested ingredients and carefully formulated to give you the boost you need (and deserve!). With none of the filler or contaminants, obviously.

With our 100% plant-based formula, Vital Greens & Reds offers a jam-packed nutrient punch that’s suitable for everyone (including vegetarians and vegans) — with just one scoop a day. 

Magnesium supplements have been trending for some time now — and for good reason. This simple mineral is critical for a lot (like over 300) of complicated processes in the body! 

As long as you’re getting the right form of magnesium in your supplements, you can expect to experience benefits in your sleep and relaxation. And with sleep being so very important for the foundational wellness we’re curating in this new year, this little hack can pack a big punch. 

But wait, aren’t there things we can do to improve our sleep aside from shelling out our hard-earned cash?

There are, and we’re so glad you asked. 

If you know anything about our rebellious approach to improving whole-person wellness, then you know that we always start with the lifestyle domains. AKA, the free stuff. 

Read on to learn the 5 things you should STOP doing right now to improve your sleep. Then, once you’ve cut the cord on these 5 habits, you can add a chelated magnesium supplement to your routine without wasting money. 

In This Article:

• TL;DR: Better Sleep, Simplified
• Getting Strategic: 5 Things to Stop Doing if You Want Better Sleep

Sleep Simplified: What You Actually Need for Better Sleep 

If you’re looking for a TL;DR section, here it is. 

Because, despite the myriad of gadgets, gizmos, and gorgeous branding in the wellness world, there are only three things you really need to fall asleep and stay asleep. 

1. A Calm Mind. 

This first one probably seems pretty obvious, but in our fast-paced world that’s addicted to productivity, a calm mind can be hard to come by. While not every soothing practice or meditation technique will work for your unique brain, it’s crucial to find the ones that do. 

2. A Calm Body. 

The next step is to make sure your body follows in suit. We know now that the distinctly-Western myth of the mind-body dichotomy has been debunked, so let’s let science lead the way. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Calming your body starts with giving it the proper care it needs to naturally wind down in the evening.  

3. A Comfortable Environment. 

That 65-inch plasma TV in front of your bed? It might be totally negating all the hard work you’ve done to calm your mind and body. Hence why addressing environmental factors that can prevent you from winding down and getting deep sleep could just be the game-changer you’ve been looking for. 

With this in mind, we’re willing to bet that you already know the changes you need to make in order to cultivate these three things. You’re smart, and we like that about you. 

But, if you want the nitty-gritty strategy for creating a truly calm environment inside and outside, then don’t close this tab yet. Below are the 5 things Dr. Neal wants us all to stop doing so we can actually get better sleep. 

Getting Strategic: 5 Things to Stop Doing if You Want Better Sleep

Before you throw the remote for your bedroom TV at us, let’s take a brief moment to remember why exactly our sleep matters. (And why these 5 habits need to be cut, despite our white-knuckled grip on them.) 

We already know that sleep is foundational to our overall wellness. But when it comes to understanding the impact our sleep has on areas of life, has it really sunk in? Or are these concepts sitting on top of our brains like a wine glass on a Tempurpedic mattress? 

Better sleep leads to better stress management and digestion, according to clinical research, and we all need help with that in our modern culture. Plus, getting better sleep can, in turn, help give us the energy we need to do the other important things in our lifestyle domains. 

Like that consistent exercise routine we promised ourselves we’d start this year, or those incremental changes to our environment that we know will improve our experience of life. 

It’s almost like it’s all connected, right? 

So let’s focus on what’s within our control. That is, after all, the key to thriv-ival in 2025. 

1. Stop Watching TV in Bed

Per Dr. Neal’s top-tier advice, we used to just encourage folks to take their TVs out of the bedroom. And don’t get us wrong, this is still a crucial step! As the old adage goes, the bedroom should be for sleep and sex only.

The problem is that, these days, many folks are watching TV on other, more portable devices like laptops. So just to make sure we’re abundantly clear, we’re reframing this advice. Stop, as soon as humanly possible, watching TV on any device before you fall asleep.

Sure, a little binge-watching in the evening is fine. Just make sure your eyeballs get some screen-free time before you lay your head down to rest. Otherwise, you’re creating the perfect conditions for racing thoughts and elevated brain activity.

2. Stop Doom-Scrolling in Bed, Too

You had to know this one was coming next! It’s true that even our smallest screens, à la our cellphones, are guilty of blasting our eyes with brain-stimulating blue light. 

While the scientific evidence of this phenomenon was new and startling five years ago, it’s become old hat. Like, now even Buzzfeed writers are talking about how blue light from electronics can keep us up too late and disrupt our natural circadian rhythm. For goodness’ sake! 

But that doesn’t mean that breaking the habit has become easier. In fact, with the normalization of screens, it might be even harder. So give yourself a little time and a whole lot of compassion as you adjust your bedtime routine to be screen-free. 

3. Stop Eating Stimulating Foods At Night

Removing stimulating light from the evening hours is a great step toward a calm mind, but what of the calm body we mentioned above? 

It works in much the same way. The sweet treats you can tolerate, in moderation, during the daylight hours might be having a different effect on your body at night. We asked Dr. Neal for the no-nonsense answer on this, and here’s what we got: 

Stop eating and drinking stimulants — caffeine, alcohol, and heavy or sugary foods — at least 1-4 hours before bed. 

4. Stop Sleeping With Lights On

Turns out, nighttime light exposure of any kind can seriously impact multiple bodily systems — from glucose management to hormonal health and beyond. (Is it any wonder then that night shift workers are typically at a higher risk for metabolic and cardiac disorders?) 

The research on exactly why darkness is so crucial during our sleeping hours is still developing, but when it comes to how we’re impacted by it… The science is largely in agreement. In fact, even something as small as a singular night light has been shown to “acutely alter hormonal and metabolic responses in healthy participants.”

This isn’t meant to scare you, though, it’s meant to inspire you. By simply removing the light you’re exposed to while you’re sleeping, you can help calm your mind, body, and environment all at once. 

Start with a great sleep mask. Take it further with black-out curtains. Go nuts putting duct tape over that little green light on your smoke detector. The world is your pitch-black oyster. 

5. Stop Inhaling Allergens While You Sleep 

Thankfully, this small environmental change is pretty easy, too. If you want to give your sinuses a break while you sleep, all you need is a good mattress cover. 

(Assuming that you’re not sleeping with the windows open or trying to snooze next to a gaping hole in the wall.) 

Hypoallergenic mattress covers (and pillow covers!) can do wonders for your sleep quality, especially during high pollen and allergen seasons. The reason being, of course, that our mattresses are like carpet that we sleep on: They trap a lot of junk under the surface. 

And while we promised that this blog would be centered on things you can do for free, let us remind you that for the most part, it is! Sure, you might have to spend a small sum to get a good sleep mask and mattress cover. But these things, unlike most wellness trends, are worth the investment. 

You do spend about a third of your life sleeping, after all. 

Learn More: 5 Things to Do (Not Take) for Better Sleep

Recap: Better Sleep Starts Tonight 

Narrowing down this list to just 5 things to stop doing for better sleep was no small feat. 

In fact, there’s dozens — if not hundreds — of minor adjustments that you can make to your bedtime routine to improve sleep hygiene, duration, and quality. From mindfulness and breathwork exercises to non-toxic sheets and evening showers, there’s a lot that can be optimized. 

So the next time you get a bad night’s sleep, don’t panic! And definitely don’t start buying sleep support supplements all willy-nilly like. 

Instead, take a breath. Remember the 3 C’s and remember that we’re on your team. Click around on our blog for more holistic sleep tips, or schedule a Counterside Consult for free, personalized guidance. 

(As long as it’s well before bedtime!) 

If you’ve been paying attention to our content here, then you’re probably all revved up and ready to build a strong wellness framework — right?

Because this year is all about leaving the resolutions behind and starting a revolution instead. A revolution built on long-term, foundational wellness that actually makes a tangible difference in your well-being, that is.

And one of the key requirements for this kind of self-care revolution is, drum roll please, quality sleep! As you already know, sleep is a critical facet of the 5 lifestyle domains. Quality sleep is crucial for stress management, effective digestion, and energy cycles — because, big surprise, they all work together.

Right now, magnesium is sitting pretty at the top of the sleep supplements chart. So, in our typical rebellious fashion, we’d like to debunk a few myths. Because, if you listen to the hype, magnesium sounds a bit like magic — a panacea mineral that can help your sleep, relaxation, mental health and more. And it is!

BUT. There’s a catch.

Read on to learn which common magnesium pitfalls to avoid, how to get the most bang for your buck, our dosage recommendations, and more.

In This Article:

• What is Magnesium?
• Magnesium Forms & Why They Matter
• What’s the Best Form of Magnesium for Sleep & Stress, Then?
• Dr. Neal’s Top Recommendation: Easy Magnesium for Sleep

First: What is Magnesium?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, what exactly is magnesium, and why is it so important?

Magnesium is what’s known as an ‘essential mineral,’ that your body needs it for a whole variety of critical processes. In fact, magnesium plays a role in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, and affects everything from energy production and DNA synthesis to nerve function and muscle health. 

This humble mineral also impact blood glucose and blood pressure management, as well as contributing to the structural development of bones and bone density maintenance. So, while the dose may be small, magnesium is responsible for some really big things! 

Learn More: Magnesium Deep Dive: Doses, Deficiencies, and Dupes

Magnesium for Sleep, Stress, and Mental Health

Recent research also points to a connection between magnesium levels and mental health symptoms. How so? Well, people with depression and anxiety are also, more often than not, suffering from a magnesium deficiency. Thankfully, though, the relationship between magnesium and mental health symptoms appears to be a two-way street!

While total magnesium levels can be driven down by things like chronic stress and other lifestyle factors, clinical trials show that supplementing the mineral can have promising (and significant!) effects on a range of mental health experiences, particularly depression and anxiety. These studies also show that magnesium supplementation can even help address treatment-resistant depression, which affects up to 60% of people with clinical depression.

All that to say, basically, that we’re glad this mineral is getting its time in the spotlight. It really is great for sleep, stress, and so much more. So trend away, magnesium!

BUT even with a supplement as great as magnesium, it’s still possible to get duped.

Because, spoiler: Not all magnesium is created equally. If you’re looking for magnesium for sleep in particular, you’ll want to be equipped with the right knowledge before you shell out your hard-earned cash. But that’s why we’re here — to make sure you’re buying the ‘help’ and not the ‘hype’.

Learn More: Science-Backed Supplements for Depression: 3 to Know

Magnesium for Sleep: Mineral Forms & Why They Matter

Mineral supplementation is a little bit trickier than some of the other micronutrients our bodies crave. For example, as a mineral, magnesium itself doesn’t exist freely in nature — it must be stuck to something else in order to be chemically stable. That’s why you can’t buy a bottle of pure magnesium, but you can get something like magnesium oxide, magnesium malate, or magnesium citrate. 

When we talk about different ‘types’ of magnesium, then, we’re really referring to the ‘form’ of magnesium, such as ‘salt form’ or ‘chelate form’. So, while magnesium in its purest form is an undisputed powerhouse, how can you make sure you’re getting all the benefits? 

What a mineral is stuck to affects a number of its properties, but there are two in particular that we should worry about:

1. The amount of the mineral you get at one time (the amount per capsule, for example).
2. How much of that dose gets into the blood, and how much stays in the gut.

But how do you find the answers to these questions when the whole marketing machine is in motion against you? Thankfully, we’ve got all the info you need right here. 

Learn More: Understanding The Different Types of Magnesium Supplements

Why Does the Form of Magnesium Matter?

The most common forms of magnesium you’ll find include magnesium sulfate (like Epsom salts), magnesium citrate (another salt), and magnesium glycinate (a chelated version of the mineral). 

First off, any wellness expert worth their salt (pun intended) will recommend a chelated form of magnesium. Chelates have much better solubility than salt forms, meaning chelated magnesium can better penetrate the cell membrane, where it lends its mineral magic to proteins, enzymes, hormones, and the cells themselves. 

There’s lots of misinformation out there. Many sources will tell you that all forms of magnesium are “easily absorbed by the gut.” This is simply not true.

The truth is, salt forms of magnesium like magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate have very poor absorption. Only approximately 5% of magnesium from these sources make it into the blood, and 95% stays in the gut. 

“But what’s wrong with that?” you might say. “My gut could use some relaxation too!”

Well, sure. But probably not like this! Magnesium in the gut causes water to rush to the colon, resulting in faster, more watery bowel movements. So if you’re constipated, magnesium salt may well help you out. But if you’re looking for any of the other much-touted benefits… You’ll need to reach for a chelated option. 

When magnesium is bonded with a larger compound, like an amino acid, the absorption percentage skyrockets to 50% or more. (Which is about 10x more than magnesium oxide.) And not only does chelated magnesium offer way more absorption, but you get way more magnesium where you actually need it. 

It is important to note, though, that even the highest-quality forms of magnesium can cause GI side effects if you consume too much!

What’s the Best Form of Magnesium for Sleep & Stress, Then?

After all that, we can get right to the heart of it.

Can magnesium actually help your sleep? Our answer is a resounding “Yes! But…” 

Don’t get us wrong — if you’re sleepy, sleepless, or suffering from spasms, magnesium just might be the key to alleviating your symptoms naturally while also addressing root causes.

But, if you’re like most of us, and want the relaxing and restorative benefits of magnesium, rather than the GI side effects, you need to make sure to get the right form. That means chelated options like magnesium glycinate, taurate, malate, or — the best of the best — bisglycinate. 

And with all that hype-busting background info out of the way, we can finally offer Dr. Neal’s top recommendation: Our heavy hitter, Easy Magnesium.

Why Easy Mag? Well, it’s a chelated form of magnesium that’s bound to two glycinate amino acid molecules. With 125mg of elemental magnesium per capsule and some of the best absorption of all magnesium options, you can’t go wrong with adding this to your shelf.

Especially if you’re fighting stress, soreness, and sleeplessness. 

Magnesium for Sleep: When Done Right, It’s Worth the Hype

TLDR? Here’s a quick recap:

• Is magnesium awesome? Yes.
• Can it actually help with your sleep? Yes.
• Does it help with stress, fatigue, muscle spasms, and a whole host of other issues? Yes.
• Are all forms of magnesium created equal? NO!

You can help your sleep, your stress, your blood sugar, your bones, and much more with just magnesium, but you need to get the right form.

A chelated form like magnesium bisglycinate offers excellent absorption and ensures that the minerals get where they need to go, rather than just clogging up your gut.

So with the new year underway, magnesium is an easy option to add to your wellness foundation to improve your sleep and a whole host of other things. As long as you skip the salts and snake oil and reach for a high-quality, tested, and effective option like Easy Mag.

In today’s fast-paced world where deadlines loom, to-do lists are endless, and every moment is consumed by productivity, it’s no surprise that our wellness often takes a back seat. Between work, family, and the chaos of modern life, finding time to prioritize health optimization can feel near impossible.

But here’s the good news: You don’t need hours to carve out time to research each and every supplement you take.

Actually, what you need is a science-backed, sustainable supplement strategy. With the right strategic approach, even the busiest professionals can get the health benefits they need without the headaches. Read on for Dr. Neal‘s 3 simple steps to creating a supplement strategy that works for you — without adding more work to your plate.

In This Article:

• Why Do I Need a Supplement Strategy in the First Place?
• A Caveat: Lifestyle Factors Come First
• Dr. Neal’s 3 Steps to Creating a Supplement Strategy

Wait, Why Do I Need a Supplement Strategy in the First Place?

If you’ve strolled down a supplement aisle in the last few years then we don’t need to tell how overwhelming that experience can be. 

Every vitamin, nutrient, and so-called miracle compound has multiple options. Garbage powders with multimillion-dollar branding campaigns sit on the same shelves as clinically-verified supplements. Wellness influencers have folks in a tizzy over this new herb or that electrolyte mix nearly every week. 

Paired with the lack of meaningful regulations around supplement safety, and you have a recipe for the perfect, money-wasting disaster. All because you wanted to optimize your health!

The wellness industry is projected to reach a whopping $9 trillion by 2028. It’s an incredibly profitable arena to be in these days because, well, a lot of people feel like crap. 

But just because you don’t feel your best (yet!), doesn’t mean you have to be swindled by the snake oil salesmen. Once equipped with a personalized supplement strategy, you’ll become immune to the marketing speak that confuses thousands of well-intended wellness seekers every year. 

3 Steps to Creating a Personalized Supplement Strategy

Before diving into supplements, remember that no amount of supplements can replace the fundamentals. The foundation of your wellness starts with the basics: diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes.

AKA, the Wellness Pyramid.

Because it’s true that supplements, when taken strategically, can help fill the inevitable gaps in our nutrition. And bolster our health against the stressors and toxins of our modern lives.

But, as we always say, you can’t out-supplement a nutritionally bankrupt diet or totally sedentary lifestyle! Once you’re working on these areas, you’re ready for these 3 steps to strategic supplementation.

1. Define Your Why

Without a clear picture of what you’re hoping to accomplish with a particular supplement, you’re more susceptible to the well-branded bunk that over-promises and under-delivers.

Or, as Dr. Neal so eloquently intones, it’s easy to become a “hope-ium addict.”

The reason why you take a supplement shouldn’t be just “general health,” either. Your why should be set in stone long before you choose which brand to purchase from or what dose to take. Whether you’re looking to address a common nutrient deficiency — à la the First5 — or overcome a specific health concern, the core goals of your supplementation need to be defined.

2. Figure Out Your What

What is it that will actually help you reach your health goals? As in, what has been proven to be effective according to the verified research and scientific data we have available.

Thankfully, when it comes to addressing nutrient deficiencies, the first what of this process has been simplified with the First5. After decades of research and clinical experience, Dr. Neal determined the 5 most common nutrient deficiencies that are impacting the health and wellness of Americans every day.

Omega-3. Probiotics. Protein. Bone Support. Multivitamins.

The next set of whats to ask yourself stems from these essential nutrients. What brand, what dose, what timeline, etc. Because, unfortunately, it’s not as simple as picking up any omega-3 supplement you see in the store if you want to see real, lasting results.

3. Determine Your When

Speaking of timelines… Did you know that most supplements work by offering a cumulative effect to your body?

Even when a supplement is backed by science or selling like hotcakes, it will still take time to have a palpable result. So, instead of giving up after a month or adding in new supplements for more tangible results: BE PATIENT.

Before adding any new vitamin or nutrient into your supplement strategy, set clear and realistic expectations on the timeline. Define your when and take your supplement consistently during that timeframe.

Our recommendation? Pick a date 3-6 months from now, and check in with yourself when that day comes up. If you’re still not seeing results after 3-6 months of steady use, then you can freak out.

A Supplement Strategy That Works for You, Not the Other Way Around

Need help establishing a realistic timeline for your supplement? Curious about why 95% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D? Want to know which dose of omega-3 will actually boost your brain health?

All your questions and more are answered on this humble, health-centered blog. So click around a little! Or, for more personalized advice, give one of our supplement experts a call. Our Counterside Consults are always open and always free.

Wait — May isn’t over quite yet!

June is looming on the horizon and with it the promise of vacations and vitamin D boosts, but we’re still firmly in Women’s Health Month for another few days. While we’d need the whole year, at least, to really do the topic justice, we’re going to use the time we have to talk about herbs for women’s health. 

Didn’t we already talk about a few popular plants for ladies this month? We sure did, but you might have noticed that two big ones were missing from that blog. If you didn’t, don’t worry, we’re not maca-ing you for forgetting about these two heavy hitters: Maca root and cranberry. 

These particular herbs deserved their own post — there’s just too much pertinent information to share about them to cran it in somewhere else. 

And before you close this tab: We’ll check the plant puns here so you can read on, fellow supporters of women’s health, and learn more about using these two herbs properly unencumbered by our bad jokes.

In This Article

• How cranberry supplements can support UT health
• Maca root supplements and their benefits

Cranberry Supplements for Women: Are They Worth the Hype?

Fortunately for women all across the country, cranberry supplements and products have become widely accessible. Unfortunately for those same women… they now can’t buy an innocent bottle of cranberry juice without alerting all cashiers and passersby to the fact they might have a UTI. 

Cranberry has found its way to the supplement aisles of every major health foods store in the last year, labeled and sold as an herb for urinary tract health. This is all fine and good, but it’s important to remember that cranberry is also a plant and a food, so the lines can get blurry. 

Should you drink the juice? Every day? Or should you eat cranberries like they’re going out of style?

How do you compare and contrast the dozens of near-identical cranberry supplements lining the shelves? And what the heck is d-mannose?

There’s a lot of confusion around the role of the cranberry and how it can help stop a UTI in its tracts. (Sorry, we promised a pun-free experience, please disregard.) 

So let’s break it down! There are two important ingredients in cranberry that you need to know: proanthocyanidins and d-mannose.

Understanding Proanthocyanidins (PACs) in Cranberry Supplements

We perceive cranberries as red. The chemical compounds that contribute to the red color we see in cranberries are called proanthocyanidins, or PACs for short. 

PACs belong to the flavanol family and were first studied for their role as plant pigments. The PACs in cranberries are special, though, as they have a different structure than the ones we see in other colorful fruits. This difference in structure is likely what gives cranberry its anti-adhesion properties, which play a key role in its UTI support functions. 

By preventing the adhesion of gross bacteria in the urinary tract, the PACs in cranberry can help keep things like E. Coli from taking root on cell walls. 

Understanding D-Mannose in Cranberry Supplements

D-mannose, on the other hand, is a monosaccharide, or sugar, found in the cranberry plant. This cousin of glucose is found in many other fruits and even the human body, so there’s no need to be frightened by the S-word in this context.

While we typically associate sugar with detrimental health effects, d-mannose and its ability to support UTIs has been studied extensively in recent years. Turns out, it can not only help with acute infections, but also with recurrent or chronic UTIs, too.

How? D-mannose, like the PACs, prevents the adhesion of harmful bacteria to the surface of the urinary bladder.

Picking the Right Cranberry Supplements for UTIs

Knowing the names of these two compounds in cranberry makes choosing the right supplement, juice, fruit, or powder much more simple. It automatically eliminates most of the cranberry food, powder, and juice products available as these forms won’t have information on the PACs and d-mannose content in them. 

So we turn to supplements, and more specifically, the cranberry supplements that clearly list the doses of these two things. Like our formulation! 

Can you still eat cranberries and drink the juice to expand your palate and get more diverse nutrient sources? Absolutely! 

But if you’re suffering from acute or chronic UTIs, a comprehensive supplement with PACs and d-mannose that can flush out the icky stuff is the way to go. For major infections that need major doses, Dr. Neal recommends pure d-mannose powder down the hatch. 

Everything You Need to Know About Maca Root

Maca root, while relatively unheard of up until recent years, has now become the catch-all recommendation for everything women’s health (besides UTIs): hormones, menopause, fertility, etc. 

Like cranberry supplements, the marketing of maca root products has lead to a lot of misinformation in the natural health industry. Which is particularly unfortunate, given what a helpful and potent herb maca root is. 

Maca root is typically represented as a totally safe, totally natural option for uplifting everything from libido and fertility to heart and brain function. While the herb has been shown to act as a “toner of hormonal processes,” balancing hormones and relieving menopause symptoms, we have to be careful to not paint with broad strokes. 

Why? Because much like how every body is different, every phenotype of maca root is different, too. 

There are 10+ different phenotypes of the maca plant and the particular kind of phenotype you ingest will dictate the response your body has. Some phenotypes have strong male-hormone expression and some have stronger female-hormone expression. 

But what all the maca supplements you can find these days will have in common is a complete lack of information on the particular phenotype used in each formulation. 

Finding the Right Maca Root Supplement

It’s for that reason, and others, that herb-literate practitioners like Dr. Neal don’t recommend one particular maca root supplement for all people. (But for those who are dying to know, his favorite brand is Femmenessence.)

If you want to experience the benefits of this potent plant, you’ll have to play it safe. The dosage, phenotype, duration, and frequency of maca supplementation are all things that should be individualized for your specific needs with the help of a supplement expert or medical professional. 

So if you supplement cabinet is overflowing with various types of maca-matcha powders and miracle pills, it might be time to do some spring cleaning. 

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether you’re rushing to stock up on d-mannose powder or pondering the potential benefits of maca powder, our team of science-focused supplement strategists are here to help.

Because, though we do our best to condense complex ideas into scrollable blogs, women’s health is a complicated topic with no one-size-fits-all approach available. So let’s chat about what you — and your body, health, history, goals — need to thrive, from supplements to wellness practices and everything in between.

We firmly believe that men and women are equal in every arena. But is equal always a synonym for exactly the same?

No, it’s not!

There are many key differences between men and women, especially when we venture into the realm of health and wellness. One example that’s particularly pertinent during Bone Health Month: Modern women are at significantly higher risk for bone density loss and osteoporosis than men.

So, ladies, let’s give future archaeologists something to talk about! By bolstering skeletal health with wellness practices and data-backed supplements that slow the bone loss process, we can ensure our bones are studied by generations to come.

And, you know, enjoy the freedom of full, pain-free mobility while we’re still alive, too.

In This Article:

• A holistic approach to women’s bone health
• Wellness practices for women’s bone health
• Bone-building foods and exercises
• Supplements for women’s bone health

Why Does a Holistic Approach to Women’s Bone Health Matter?

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Wellness doesn’t work in a vacuum.

So why does a holistic, or whole-picture, approach to women’s bone health matter? Well, the human body is an incredibly complex organism, and to address any one part without acknowledging the whole is not only a disservice to the elegant machinery of our organs but an incredibly ineffective way to get to the root of the problem!

Thankfully, the wise-cracking wellness wunderkind, Dr. Neal, is always ready with a health-related truth-bomb. Like: Your bones are only as strong as the rest of your body, and vice-versa.

When everything is working in harmony, healthy bones can increase immunity, help avoid infection and injury, and reduce overall pain and inflammation. Sounds great! And it is, of course — but it’s easy to forget that the reverse is true.

A healthy skeleton in an unhealthy body can’t stay a healthy skeleton forever…

Of course, we would never imply your body is unhealthy — even the fact that you’re reading this blog means you’re a step or two ahead of most!

All we mean is that, as with all holistic health, it’s impossible to make real, meaningful steps toward wellness without looking at the whole picture.

So let’s set the skeletal scene: a beautiful, windswept vista filled with good nutritional choices, consistent weight-bearing exercise, wholesome lifestyle choices, and some science-backed supplements to fill the gaps. 

Well, we might be stretching our metaphors a bit here, but you get the picture! It takes more than just a calcium supplement (although we do recommend one) to stave off bone density loss and skeletal aging, and for real, sustainable results, we’ll need to address some foundational factors. 

Wellness Practices for Women’s Bone Health

Real Woodstock Vitamins fans will know where we’re going with this one — cue, the Wellness Pyramid!

We hope you’re not sick of hearing about Dr. Neal’s science-based framework for simplifying an incredibly complicated topic — personal health and wellness — because we’ll never get sick of talking about it. And not just because our immune systems are ultra strong from following the Wellness Pyramid path!

Dr. Neal’s Wellness Pyramid breaks down and prioritizes the factors you need to address for true holistic wellness. The biggest section of the pyramid, the foundation, is made up of the five lifestyle domains that majorly impact our wellness: diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and lifestyle changes.

These mundane areas of life can make or break our overall sense of health and well-being, so ignoring them is not an option when it comes to bone health.

But while the Wellness Pyramid is straightforward and simple by design, there are a few things to keep in mind when using it as a compass:

1. This holistic, or whole-picture, approach does not seek to replace modern medical care — it works in conjunction with it.
2. Your health is built upon the dozens, or hundreds, of day-to-day decisions you make, which means there are countless opportunities for reflection and improvement.
3. Even the most powerful supplements in the world can’t overcome debilitating lifestyle factors, hence why this section is smaller and comes after the lifestyle domains.

That said, let’s get into some specifics! Two of the lifestyle domains stand out for their ability to positively impact bone health when prioritized: diet and exercise.

Foods for Healthy Bones

While it’s increasingly difficult (okay, practically impossible) to fulfill your daily calcium requirement from diet only, that doesn’t mean you have carte blanche to skip the leafy greens.

Aside from the obvious — à la eating calcium-rich food is good for your bones — many of our recommended bone-building snacks also contain other nutrients that are beneficial not only for the bones but for other bodily systems as well.

• Dairy
• Leafy greens
• Fatty fish
• Beans and legumes
• Lean meats
• Citrus fruits
• Potassium-rich foods like tree fruits

Foods for Unhealthy Bones

• Excessive alcohol
• Excessive caffeine
• Sugary beverages
• High-sodium foods

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

Exercise Guidelines for Women’s Bone Health

Another truth bomb: There is no supplement in the world that can counteract a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise is absolutely essential for bone health and longevity, as it is for almost every other bodily system.

To maintain bone density and mobility throughout the aging process, women should focus on weight-bearing exercises that stress and strengthen skeletons and muscle-strengthening routines that support surrounding structures.

Before you run out to grab that new Peloton or Pilates membership, remember that all you really need for these bone-protecting exercises are just two things — your body and a little bit of time.

Weight-Bearing Exercises

• Walking
• Running and jogging
• Dancing
• Stair climbing

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises

• Yoga
• Bodyweight exercises like lunges, push-ups, squats

And no, you don’t need to go full bore on bodybuilding, either. Women should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week — which is 30 minutes of activity per day, 5 days a week.

Learn More: The Truth About Exercise: Ditch the Myths

Supplements for Women’s Bone Health

It’s after — and only after! — you’ve restructured your life to prioritize these diet and exercise changes that you can buy supplements without wasting your hard-earned cash. Supplements, after all, are meant to supplement a healthy lifestyle, not save you single-handedly from unhealthy habits.

(Although we really wish they did that. Like, really, really.)

Aside from our top-dog bone-boosting supplement, calcium hydroxyapatite, there are 3 other key nutrients that can help preserve the integrity of your bones when these deficiencies are addressed. Let’s meet them!

Learn More: Bone Health: Why We Always Recommend Calcium Hydroxyapatite

1. Vitamin D | As D3, or Cholecalciferol

Did you know vitamin D isn’t really a vitamin?

This fat-soluble compound is actually a hormone that affects our health from head to toe. In particular, its impact on women’s bone health can’t be understated, primarily due to its ability to boost calcium absorption, prevent falls and fractures, help maintain bone density, and more.

And if that’s not enough reason to start taking a Vitamin D supplement, here’s another: 95% of Americans are deficient!

Learn More: Vitamin D: Sunshine Supplement for Bones, Blood, and The Blues

2. Magnesium | In Chelated Mineral Forms, Like Magnesium Glycinate

This humble mineral is only needed in small quantities but does some big things in the body. As a cofactor of vitamin D synthesis, which in turn affects calcium utilization, adding magnesium is critical for getting the most out of your other bone support supplements.

Wellness seekers with adequate magnesium levels typically have higher bone mineral density. Plus, supplement use has been shown to have a positive effect on bone turnover (as well as about a million other body processes, including mental health.)

Learn More: Magnesium Deep Dive: Doses, Deficiencies, and Dupes

3. Collagen Peptides | A Protein Source Rich in Amino Acids

Collagen is often referred to as the “glue” that holds our bones together but as we age, our bodies produce less and less.

Thankfully, collagen supplements aren’t hard to come by these days! And a high-quality collagen peptides powder, while a little harder to find, can help slow this natural decline and improve bone mineral density which, in turn, reduces the risk of weak bones and joint pain.

As a truly holistic, or whole-body, tool collagen can support skin, muscle, and gut health as well. What’s not to love?

Learn More: Why Our Collagen Peptides is Vital

Bone Up or Bug Off: Women’s Bone Health Matters

Maybe one day they’ll invent a single, magical pill that will make our bones invincible. Probably not, but maybe!

In the meantime, we’ll stick to the tried and true methods that are backed by both science and common sense — wellness practices and clinically verified supplements. And if your bones need a little more boost, give us a call!

Our supplement experts and holistic health advocates are only ever a (free!) Counterside Consult away.

Gender and wellness can be pretty divisive topics. But you should know by now that we’re not ones to shy away from controversy, especially not during Women’s Health Month!

Our whole jam is breaking down complicated topics accurately, equitably, and with your best interests in mind. And when it comes to being in the world, the workplace, and the space station — we believe women and men are entirely equal.

When it comes to wellness, however, it’s important to remember that equal doesn’t always mean exactly the same.

While the vast majority of Dr. Neal’s holistic health advice is pretty dang genderless — the Wellness Pyramid, for example, is the same for everyone — there are some symptoms and concerns that are unique to the female experience. Like PMS, menopause, uterine health, etc.

But of all the many cures and capsules being sold to women for these health factors, which ones work? And which ones are bunk? Read on to learn about three herbal allies for women’s health that actually have the data to back up their hype and can, in fact, spice up your life.

In This Article:

• Lifestyle changes for women’s health
• 3 heavy hitter herbs for women’s health
• Plus 2 more bonus herbs

But First: The Wellness Pyramid for Women

Wait, can’t you just scroll past this section to the science-supported herbs we have listed below? You can, and we won’t stop you!

But we’d be remiss not to mention that herbs, like supplements, work best when they’re supplementing and supporting a generally healthy lifestyle. So before we hand over our hard-earned cash… We should make sure we’re getting the most bang for our buck by creating a strong foundation for health first.

Where do we start? With wellness practices in the mundane areas of life: Diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and environmental changes.

This section might look familiar to hardcore holistic health hotties! But it’s not by accident that the Wellness Pyramid shows up in so many of our blogs.

The foundational building blocks of long-term health just don’t change that often! Plus, sustainable wellness is about establishing supportive routines that organize our wellness efforts and push us out of ‘survive’ mode and into ‘thrive’ mode.

And we can’t do that without a simple framework for health that makes this messy topic manageable.

Learn More: Wellness Practices 101

3 Popular Herbs for Women’s Health

Speaking of making things manageable… We could rattle off a list of a dozen or more herbs we could recommend for women’s health.

But there’s already enough misinformation and marketing speak out there to keep you confused about which plants actually have an effect on women’s health.

So let’s keep it short, sweet, and to the point!

But remember: Not just any herb can make it onto our list.

These particular plants all have a long history of usage for holistic health and scientific backing via modern studies. Plus, they can help with multiple systems and symptoms, and they’re pretty accessible, too.

1. Chaste Tree Berry (AKA Vitex)

First up: Chaste tree! This shrub, known for its violet flowers and berries, has been used in traditional women’s wellness practices for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Many of our women-centered products contain extracts from this plant, and for good reason. Commonly used to support healthy and regular menstrual cycles, soothe PMS symptoms, and support and balance hormone production, this hardy fruit offers a wealth of health benefits. 

Both the fruits and leaves of the chaste tree are medicinal and contain flavonoids, iridoids, progestins, and essential oils.

This blend of beneficial compounds can help balance menstrual cycles and ease menstrual pain. All while also supporting a healthy endocrine system. Plus, the chaste tree has been used in a variety of cultures to help treat common women’s health concerns like menstrual pain, PMS, menopause, and more.

Chaste tree berries can also stimulate progesterone production and help normalize estrogen and progesterone levels, believe it or not!

And, in European herbalism and medicine, chaste tree extracts are used both to treat uterine fibroid cysts and to help boost breast milk supply for new mothers.

Keep in Mind:

While chaste tree has no known serious side effects, it can cause mild nausea, stomach issues, or rash. Chaste tree is not recommended while pregnant, or for patients who may have some specific hormone-related issues.

Please talk with your healthcare provider before beginning any herbal supplementation routine! Or set up a free Counterside Consult to get the inside scoop.

2. Black Cohosh

Black cohosh, while less popular than vitex or chaste berry, has also been used for hundreds of years. More than one Native American tribe turned to the flowering plant to relieve menstrual cramps and menopausal symptoms. (Think: like hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, and even sleep difficulties.)

These days, it’s known in many European countries as a well-established herbal remedy for the same issues and has been for over 40 years now.

In fact, clinical research has shown black cohosh to be more effective at preventing hot flashes than Prozac! And some studies showed as much as a 20% reduction in hot flashes and sleep disturbance symptoms (also known as vasomotor symptoms) among menopausal women while taking the herbal supplement. 

Some researchers have raised concerns about the phytoestrogens in black cohosh interacting with breast cancer treatment.

However, a recent study actually supported the opposite hypothesis. Their work demonstrated that black cohosh might actually help protect against the development of breast cancer.

Keep in Mind:

We do need to say, though, that more research is necessary to confirm these findings. Many researchers caution against using black cohosh for more than 6 months at a time due to the limited scope of the current studies.

And despite this seemingly overwhelmingly positive fanfare, it’s still important to discuss your herbal supplementation plans with your healthcare provider. Getting the right dose of black cohosh for your specific health needs is crucial for success with this herb. So talk with one of our experts via a free Counterside Consult before you buy!

3. Stinging Nettles

Nettles may seem an unlikely hero in this list since they’re not typically recommended for women’s health specifically, but they have a lot of benefits for women if you look a little closer.

Nettle has been used as a natural remedy for its healing properties for over 2000 years, and the chemical compounds in stinging nettle offer a wide variety of female-focused health benefits.

As one of the most nutrient-dense herbs available in America, stinging nettles contain micronutrients that many women are deficient in, like iron and folate.

Because of its astringent characteristics, nettle can also relieve unpleasant premenstrual symptoms such as cramping and bloating, as well as reduce blood flow during menstruation. And, at the same time, stinging nettles can ease the menopause transition, lowering the intensity of the hormonal shift in the body.

When acting as a coagulant, stinging nettle can also help prevent excessive bleeding, while increasing milk production and making breastfeeding more comfortable. 

Want even more reason to love this prickly little plant?

Nettles is also particularly helpful for women getting flattened by seasonal allergies this time of year, due to its anti-inflammatory and antihistamine (and antioxidant, anti-proliferative, analgesic, anti-infectious, hypotensive, antiulcer — you get the picture, this herb is a powerhouse!) properties.

Bonus Plants: 2 More Herbs for Women’s Health

Make friends with these 3 herbs and you’ll be well on your way to hormonal wellness! But without these 2 honorable mention herbs, your plant-based holistic health toolkit will be a little boring, and definitely missing something.

So let’s give a little love to the aptly named cramp bark and the herb it’s often paired with, red raspberry leaf.

Cramp Bark

While cramp bark is widely used for all types of muscular discomfort, it is also often used for women’s health specifically due to its ability to support healthy inflammatory responses and soothe uterine cramping and discomfort.

Traditionally used by midwives for both pregnancy and postpartum support in addition to soothing PMS symptoms, this handy herb might just end up being a woman’s best friend. 

Red Raspberry Leaf

Not to be confused with the plant’s delicious berries, red raspberry leaf has a long and storied track record of use in holistic treatment. Praised for its regulatory effect on hormones, particularly for women, red raspberry leaf is also known for its ability to support uterine health.

Other benefits: PMS symptom and nausea relief, boosted milk production in lactating patients, and induction of labor.

Essential Herbs for Women’s Health

As with all things wellness, women’s health can be a bit like the Wild West. That’s why we’re here, to help lead your wellness wagon to the promised land! Minus the pushy sales tactics or fabricated fakery that mask the murmurs of your internal compass.

Instead, we look to a small collection of powerful, long-established herbs and a handful of sustainable lifestyle adjustments (thanks, Wellness Pyramid) to guide our journeys. But if you want to skip straight to shopping, we don’t blame you!

Explore our collection of pharmacist-crafted, highly targeted herbal formulas for all-around menstrual support like Fem-Cycle and PMS Support. You’ll probably recognize the herbs from this list on the supplement facts panels, too.

And, as always, if you’ve got any questions, concerns, or ideas along the way, we’d love to hear from you — whether via a consult, review, comment, or chat. We do what we do for you, so let us know how we can do better!

It’s May! Which means it’s officially Women’s Health Month and we know the question on everyone’s minds.

That is: How can we encapsulate such a complex and complicated topic as women’s health into one short, albeit gloriously warm, month?

It gets even more intricate when we consider the fact that medical science is constantly evolving, as is the abundance of misinformation and marketing schemes that, unfortunately, come with the topic.

How can women live genuinely healthy lives in a world that’s always selling miracle cures and snake oil?

By going back to basics! Read on to learn about the most common nutritional deficiencies women are facing in America today. And how addressing them can unlock a new level of holistic health for all women.

In This Article:

• Viewing women’s health through nutrition
• 5 common nutritional deficiencies women face
• Benefits of addressing nutritional deficiencies for women’s health

Women’s Health: Why Take a Nutritient-Focused Approach?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of the nutrients missing from our modern diets, we’d be remiss not to mention why this kind of approach is crucial.

While the medical and health science field has expanded rapidly in recent years, it’s not without its faults. Even something as logic-oriented as science is mediated by ideology, and as a result, women’s health remains largely misunderstood.

Take the 2008 discovery on women’s sleep needs that’s only just now hitting the mainstream, for example.

For decades, the general recommendation for adults has been to get around 8 hours of sleep per night for optimal daily functioning. As researchers at Duke University revealed, it turns out that women need closer to 9-10 hours every night to feel their best.

Or the fact that we’ve only just realized that substances — like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and even some medications — affect women differently depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle.

The key takeaway: Many of our deeply ingrained ideas of what is healthy are based on men’s bodies, hormone cycles, and metabolic needs.

So instead of accepting what we hear at face value — be it about preemptive Botox, daily sleep guidelines, or a new diet trend — let’s do our own research. And let’s cut through the chaos by focusing on the things that every human needs to survive, let alone thrive.

Nutrients.

5 Nutrients for Women’s Health

There are five nutrients in particular that we’re all missing, men and women alike. And yes, that includes even the most self-righteous healthy eater you know!

Why? Because nutritional quality and consistency have taken a nosedive in recent years.

Dr. Neal categorized these nutrients into the First5 to make strategic supplementation simple despite the inundation of false information and clever marketing speak on the internet. Rather than working backward from sales-centered details to find out what’s true about supplements, we work forward from what we know to be true about the current nutritional status of Americans.

Besides the fact these five nutrients are missing from our diets, the First5 are vital because:

1. They impact the health and functioning of more than one bodily system.
2. They have mounds of clinical research to back up their benefits.

It might seem like pretty simple criteria, but of all the thousands of supplements available on the market, Dr. Neal only found five that meet these requirements.

1. Omega-3

Omega-3s are touted for their anti-inflammatory properties and the positive effects on brain, heart, joint, and mental health we see as a result. And… this is one nutrient-turned-supplement that does actually live up to the hype. 

Without enough omega-3 from our diets, we’re risking everything from dry, scaly skin and joint pain to worsened symptoms of depression and increased risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. On the flip side, getting higher doses of omega-3s comes with a whole host of benefits: Reduced risk for depression and cardiovascular disease, improved neurocognitive functioning and symptoms of autoimmune diseases, etc. 

For women, the benefits of omega-3 don’t stop there. Recent studies have shown the fatty acids to be beneficial for menstrual symptoms and menopause, as well as fertility and increased probability of conception. 

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplement Buying Guide: 3 Things to Look For

2. Probiotics

Probiotics have found their way to the top tier of trending supplements in recent years, too. Is this because roughly two-thirds of Americans report having one or more digestive issues? 

Probably! And because contemporary clinical research has revealed the gut microbiome to be crucial in overall health. It should come as no surprise, but the benefits of data-backed probiotic strains (reduced symptoms of IBS and anxiety, positive changes in skin health and neurocognition, etc.) far outweigh the consequences associated with gut imbalance: 

• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cardiovascular risk factors, like hypertension, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease
• Onset and progression of depression
• Increased risk for cognitive dysfunction
• Symptoms of anxiety and other mental disorders
• Increase in cancer-promoting bacteria
• Contributing factors to the development of obesity
• Skin disorders like acne, dandruff, and skin cancer

However, it might be surprising to learn that the vaginal microbiome is of critical importance for women’s health as well! Made up of bacteria, fungi, and other microscopic life forms, maintaining a balanced vaginal microbiome is key for reducing the risk of cervical cancer and even regulating the immune system. 

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health?

3. Bone Support

When we say bone support, what we’re talking about is three ultra-important compounds that contribute to the health and longevity of your bones. 

Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium.

Our bones naturally degrade as we age, but we can slow this process and maintain mobility by avoiding these three nutrient deficiencies that expedite the bone loss process. And there’s more good news: You’ll likely be addressing more than one symptom or potential risk factor by boning up on these bone-support nutrients. 

• Risks of vitamin D deficiency: Increased symptoms of major depressive disorder and anxiety, osteopenia, osteomalacia, bone demineralization, muscle atrophy, and more.

• Risks of calcium deficiency: Reduced bone strength, several types of cancer, including in bone marrow, increased joint pain, pregnancy complications, and more.

• Risks of magnesium deficiency: Development and progression of osteoarthritis, chronic pain, depression, dementia, osteoporosis, increased risk of bone fracture, and more.

While everyone should care about their bone health, women should care twice as much. And twice as fast — women lose bone density at a faster rate and at an earlier age than their male counterparts. 

Learn More: Bone-Afide Bone Building Wellness Practices

4. Protein

And then there’s protein. As one of the core macronutrients that make up a healthy diet, the importance of protein isn’t lost on most people. 

Yet, even the 95th percentile of protein eaters aren’t hitting the upper limits of adequate intake. To translate: Most Americans are just barely getting enough protein day-to-day, and many of us aren’t even doing that. 

The amino acids we get from high-quality protein sources, like collagen peptides, are responsible for breaking down food, growing and repairing body tissue, providing energy, and much more.

Without them, we’re playing dice with things like major depressive disorder, insomnia, cognitive impairment, increased susceptibility to infectious disease, and muscle wasting. 

On the other hand, consistent protein intake is associated with lean mass and muscular endurance in women, as well as driving down the severity of menstrual pain. Sure, collagen is also linked to improved skin and hair health as well, but what matters most is that women are able to live active, fulfilling lives.

Right? 

Learn More: Choosing the Right Protein Supplement: 5 Questions to Ask

5. Multivitamins

At the other end of the spectrum, we have micronutrients. 

Small but mighty, the vitamins, minerals, and compounds that make up a multivitamin are imperative to overall health. But, despite what you may have heard, multivitamins aren’t magical one-a-day capsules that can replace food-based micronutrients. 

What actually happens when you take a multivitamin is you reduce your risk for diseases of deficiencies. Multivitamins can, indeed, bolster brain, nervous system, and immune wellness by filling the gaps in our diets and preventing deficiencies. But it’s these deficiencies that, when left unchecked, can develop into chronic or long-term diseases. 

Multivitamins are especially integral for women’s health as many have an increased risk of micronutrient deficiencies. Young women in particular have different bodily requirements for micronutrients, like iron and b12, during their childbearing years. 

Learn More: Multivitamins for Brain Health: 3 Things to Know Before Buying

Women’s Health Month is Just Getting Started

It would take years to cover all the intricacies of women’s health — in fact, it has taken years! And the science continues to develop and improve as we learn more about women’s bodies and unique health needs.

So stay tuned, okay? We have more women-centered topics coming up this month, and we’ll be the first to let you know of any truly groundbreaking studies on women’s health.

But if you’re itching for more information and just can’t wait until the next blog comes out, give us a call. Our supplement strategists and holistic health experts are only a phone call away — schedule your Counterside Consult today.

The last time we came on this blog to shake up the conversation around stress and stress management, we made a grievous error.

In our rush to share holistic strategies for dealing with the stress of the modern world, we made a blanket statement about March being the most depressing month of the year.

That was before we hit April.

March has its maladies, what with the constant oscillations between spring and winter that make it impossible to dress appropriately, but that’s nothing compared to the stone-cold reality we’re smacked with as the calendar changes. Suddenly, summer is on the horizon, but our perfectly toned beach bods and sanguine states of mind are nowhere in sight.

And the gap between who we are and who we’d like to be is just one aspect of our contemporary human experience that causes stress. Should we even discuss the fact all our flops and flaws are immortalized on the internet for eternity?

We shouldn’t — you’re likely all too aware of this already. Instead, what we should talk about is how to overcome some of the most common barriers to stress management practices.

Because we can share Dr. Neal’s science-backed strategies for managing stress til we’re blue in the face, but it’s not very helpful if the troll in your brain keeps you from actually practicing them.

In This Article:

• Deprogramming over-productivity
• Finding community for stress management
• Self-insulation and why it’s crucial

Overcoming the Barriers to Stress Management Practices

Stress doesn’t get as much buzz as it used to now that things like depression and anxiety are top of mind. (Pun intended)

But the silent killer we call stress is still affecting every one of us — disrupting sleep, impacting nutrient intake, exacerbating inflammation, and generally making our lives worse. We can’t flip the “unprecedented times” switch to off or stop worldwide inequality overnight, so what can we do?

We can work with what is within our control: ourselves!

With the help of Dr. Neal’s clinical psychologist friend, Dr. Lawrence Dresdale, we can start to acknowledge and work with the mental barriers our human brains have erected to protect us from the scariest thing in the world.

Change.

(Psst — prefer to listen? Get the good word on stress management practices straight from Dr. Neal and Dr. Dresdale in this podcast episode.)

1. Finding, Nay, Making the Time

Our world moves fast — really fast.

Things are changing all the time and because change is one of the most difficult things to grapple with as a human, we’ve cultivated a few coping mechanisms to keep up with the pace of our culture. Like over-productivity.

We stay busy, busier than ever actually, and it gives us a sense of control. We’re not being pulled by the tides of constant, stress-inducing efficiency and profitability — we’re steering the ship!

But here’s the hardest pill to swallow when it comes to making time for stress management practices: Whether you’re working 80 hours a week or sleeping 18 hours a day, you’re avoiding the hard work of confronting stress.

Because our culture values work to a detrimental degree, it might be harder to see the toll it takes on your mental well-being. That’s why one of the most common things Dr. Neal hears about wellness practices is, “I don’t have time for that.”

While it might not be manageable for many to reduce their workload — we are living through an economic crisis after all — it is for some. What holds us back from taking more time for stress management practices and self-care, besides material reality, is the preconceived notion that resting is lazy and bad but working is admirable and good.

The first step to creating time for and prioritizing stress management practices like meditation and breath work isn’t telling your boss to go eat rocks, though.

It’s to notice how these patterns show up for you and respond to them with self-compassion.

You’re working against two very persuasive and pervasive things: The brain’s fear of change and our culture’s obsession with work.

It’s hard to go against the grain, but making time for joy and mindfulness is a rebellious act.

Start By:

Noticing, and then taking action. Even something small, like committing to a 15-minute walking meditation a few times a week, can make a big difference.

Learn More: Stress Management Part 1: A Holistic Framework for Living with Stress

2. Finding, Nay, Making Community

Being a mindfulness rebel in a stress-addicted world can be a lonely endeavor. That’s why many people, even those rare birds with loads of free time, quit before they start.

Not only is it difficult to find like-minded folks with regular stress management practices, but you might even get some weird looks if you suggest the importance of self-care at the next office party.

Because, what we lack in community care and external support, we make up for with a false sense of urgency about our endless hours of work. There’s always something more pressing, more vital to do than caring for your mental well-being.

That means making community should be the next step in your stress-reduction journey.

We’re social creatures by default — hence the age-old adage, “Monkey see, monkey do.” Plus, contemporary longitudinal research has shown that our social spheres impact our perception of the world in significant ways.

A scientific review from 2022 examined the clinical findings of recent studies on how social interconnectedness affects mental well-being. The researchers found that feelings of loneliness were related to “adverse outcomes” like higher risks for depression and generalized anxiety disorder as well as lower levels of physical activity.

Start by:

Acknowledging that the act of making community will be unique to you and your circumstances. It could look like getting your spouse on board with you reducing your working hours, or it could be as simple as finding a weekly vinyasa yoga class to take.

The important thing to remember is we’re stronger together than we are alone — metaphorically and literally, as science now agrees.

Learn More: Holistic Mental Health: Wellness Practices for Depression, Anxiety, and More

3. Finding, Nay, Making Time for Solitude

Here’s where it gets even trickier.

We must cultivate a sense of community to combat feelings of loneliness and encourage regular practice of stress management techniques. Yet we can’t run to any of our typical outlets — especially not social media. Because we have to, at the same time, carve out space for reflection and rejuvenation away from the buzz of the physical and digital world.

Why? Well, part of the reason we’re dealing with so much stress is because we are plugged TF in.

Since the advent of the 24-hour news cycle in the 80s, our daily lives have been colored by constant exposure and desensitization to the horrors happening around the globe. Couple that with dopamine-dumping social media and normalized device addiction, and we have a perfect recipe for unceasing stress.

And who benefits from this? Is it the companies that, quite literally, turn a profit off your unwavering dedication to all things screens?

We only know one thing: It surely isn’t you! Research from all across the world has pointed to a concerning correlation between increased social media usage and increased risk for depression and other mental health symptoms.

And it’s not just social media — blue light exposure, the hallmark of online experiences, has been shown to increase stress hormones after just one hour.

So here we have yet another cultural connotation to examine and unweave if we want to experience a tangible reduction in stress.

Start By:

Letting yourself get bored. It’s not a crime! And it’s not a punishment, either. Boredom can actually be conducive in the sense that it may motivate and catalyze a desire for change.

Spend quality time with yourself — away from others and away from screens — to reconnect and remember what it means to be human, regardless of how eye-wateringly boring it may feel at first.

Learn More: Meditation vs Mindfulness — Common Misconceptions

For Fast-Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down

Did we rip that silly stress-related joke title straight from the interweb? Yes, we sure did, but it still stands.

We all need to slow down, take a breath, and prioritize the stress management practices that keep us from losing our minds. But this work, while simple, is anything but easy.

So if you need a partner in your slow-speed chase after a less stressful life, give us a call. You might have 99 problems, but not one of them is having no one to talk to — our holistic health experts and wellness strategists are always available via our always-free Counterside Consults.

Take that, Seasonal Affective Disorder! Another winter of gloom and slush has come to pass and we survived.

So big were our mid-January promises to move, romp, and bask in the sunshine as soon as spring came, but if you’re anything like us, your nose is doing more running this season than anything else.

Seasonal allergies are in full swing and we’ve already shared our top supplements for the sniffles in 2026 — catch up here if you missed it. But is there anything we can do to abate the sneezes and snot besides taking a metric ton of stinging nettles every day?

We’re so glad you asked because the answer is a resounding yes. Read on to learn the whole-picture approach Dr. Neal takes to combatting seasonal allergies through lifestyle changes. AKA how you can fortify your home and body against the pollen-packed winds of spring for free. Or at least mostly free.

In This Article:

• Why a whole-picture approach is crucial
• Changes in the home to alleviate seasonal allergies
• Wellness practices for seasonal allergies

A Holistic, or Whole-Picture, Approach to Seasonal Allergies

When it comes to defending your immune system from the toxins of the wider world, things can get overwhelming — and fast. There are microplastics in our bloodstreams, hormone disruptors in our water, and now, there’s pollen in our air, too.

But don’t batten down the hatches and swear off smelling the roses just yet!

While we can’t change the world into a place that supports genuine health and well-being overnight, we can work with the environments that are within our control. Like our homes and our bodies — which you probably already know if you’ve read Dr. Neal’s industry-insider perspective on how our external environs impact our health.

We take a similar approach to seasonal allergies as we do the pollutants of our milieu:

1. Stay Educated: And up-to-date on the toxic compounds you should avoid bringing into your home and putting in your body, but don’t get your information from TikTok alone.
2. Do Your Best: To support internal wellness so your body is strong and capable of processing the things we are exposed to in the world.
3. Try Not to Freak Out: Because we have to keep living our lives, and the stress of constantly monitoring your toxin exposure isn’t great for your health, either.

For seasonal allergies, understanding the role histamine plays is crucial for making educated decisions to alleviate allergy symptoms. Doing our best (and not freaking out!) looks like making intelligent choices in our homes and health routines that can drive down histamine levels and support a healthy immune response.

That’s how we avoid missing important parts of the whole picture and stop wasting money on band-aid-esque cures that only offer temporary relief from seasonal allergy symptoms. All in one fell swoop.

Learn More: Eyedrops for Seasonal Allergies: What to Know Before You Buy

Lifestyle Changes for Seasonal Allergies: Home is Where the Heart Is

Your home might protect you from social interactions and the rain, but its walls and windows aren’t impermeable. In fact, indoor air quality can sometimes be worse than that of the outdoors due to the amount of dust, debris, and dander that gets trapped in your darling abode. 

The obvious answer to this conundrum is to clean, but be careful how you’re cleaning your home. Using harsh chemical sprays that may affect your cognition or dish soaps that cause ruptures in your gut lining might be satisfying in the moment, but they’ll do more harm than good in the long run. 

Avoid any cleaning products that will add to the burden your body has to carry this spring if you want to experience true freedom from seasonal allergy symptoms. 

1. Start in the Bedroom

One of the most annoying ways seasonal allergies affect our day-to-day lives is by ruining our sleep schedules. Coughing, sneezing, and having difficulty breathing can keep us up at night, which can, in turn, weaken our immune systems. 

Reduce exposure to environmental allergens and toxins in your bedroom to reclaim your sleep and sense of well-being: 

• Add a hypoallergenic cover to your mattress to avoid breathing in the dead skin and allergens that get trapped in it night after night. 
• Sleep with your windows closed to minimize nighttime exposure to irritants.
• Change clothes and take a shower before you go to sleep to prevent daytime allergens from crawling into bed with you.

Learn More: Guide to Spring Ebook: Say Goodbye to Springtime Woes

2. Clean Up Your Act

Use non-toxic products to keep the surfaces in your home clean and dust-free during allergy season, but don’t start and stop at the counters. 

Address the other surfaces in your home that could be contributing to your body’s overreaction to irritants. Think: nooks, crannies, carpets, hard-to-reach crevices, windowsills, doorframes, pets, and pet-dominated areas. 

Think those last two are a joke? They’re not! Regularly brushing, bathing, and grooming your pet can help reduce the number of irritating airborne compounds in your home this spring. So put some spa days on the calendar for your furry friends, why don’t ya? They probably deserve it.

3. Improve Air Flow, It’s Lung Overdue

Getting the dog hair out of your air conditioner will make a world of difference when you’re stuck indoors on beautiful, high-pollen count days. You can also take it a step further, if your health and wellness budget allows it, by upgrading your in-home ventilation. 

Try adding a reputable, third-party-tested air filter in the rooms you spend the most time in to improve both air flow and ventilation. But if you’re one of the 12.1 million Americans spending more than 50% of your income on rent, then let’s talk cheap houseplants. 

A few, new leafy friends probably won’t reduce airborne allergens with the same efficiency and speed as a Bluetooth-compatible air-purifying space machine. However, some plants have a remarkable ability to filter out harmful compounds like mold spores. And if that pothos from the grocery store is good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for your apartment. 

Wellness Practices for Seasonal Allergies: The Body Keeps the Score

Let’s recap: Improving air quality, brushing your cats regularly, and making your bedroom into an allergen-free sanctuary will work wonders on your sneezes and sniffles. But of course, there’s still more that can be done before you jump to science-backed supplements for seasonal allergies!

Before we get into the wellness practices you can do to keep your immune system in tip-top shape, we have to look at one of the areas of our daily lives where our homes and bodies converge: stress management. 

1. De-Stress Your Mess

Don’t get us wrong, stress can wreak havoc on your quality of life all year long. It’s non-discriminatory in that way.

But particularly during peak allergy seasons, stress is like gasoline to your already burning fire of seasonal allergy symptoms and inflammation. And it’s not just because stress can disrupt your sleep, promote the growth of cancer cells, or impact your mental health.

Stress, according to recent clinical trials and research, has a direct influence on seasonal allergies. Like, literally: Perceived stress has been shown to be positively correlated with flare-ups of allergy symptoms.

If ever there was a time to limit stress-inducing media and beef up your mindfulness or meditation practices, it’s now.

Learn More: Stress Management Part 1: A Holistic Framework for Living with Stress

2. Drink Up, Baby

The relationship between moisture and seasonal allergies, however, isn’t so cut and dry.

While you want your home to be below 50% humidity during high-pollen seasons because allergens love to stick to moist surfaces, it’s the opposite for your body. Staying hydrated with high-quality, mineral-rich water can help keep your mucus membranes flushed, flourishing, and doing fine at their jobs.

Whereas a dehydrated respiratory system can be more susceptible to itching, irritation, and icky stuff. So resist the impulse to crack open a cold one this spring and, instead, go ham on the H2O.

Dr. Neal’s hydration equation goes like this: Take your body weight in pounds, cut it in half, and aim to drink that amount of water in ounces. Make sure to add an extra glass of water for every dehydrating activity you partake in too, like exercise or consuming caffeine.

3. Go Deeper

If you want to move stagnant mucus deep in the corners of your skull — and experience the bliss of relief that movement brings — you’ll have to kick your hydration up a notch. How?

With a netti pot.

This controversial device can cleanse and rehydrate the innermost passageways of our sinuses, clearing built-up junk and giving us a fresh start. When followed by yogic positions that also encourage the movement of trapped mucus, like downward dog, a regular neti pot routine could just save your life this spring.

But don’t forget: You need to have the proper temperature and salt-to-water ratio of the liquid you pour through your nose if you want to avoid agitating your sinuses further. There are like, a bazillion YouTube videos available on how to do a neti pot flush correctly, so don’t dive in blind!

Seasons Change, So Should You

To boil it all down: Seasonal allergies suck, but they don’t have to ruin all the fun this spring.

Once you’ve locked into your seasonally appropriate wellness practices and are living with the cycles of life rather than against them, you too can bloom.

Plus, you can circle back to our highly recommended supplements for seasonal allergies to help stop stubborn symptoms in their tracks. Or chat with one of our supplement strategists to find the formula that will work best for you and your sniffles specifically — our Counterside Consults are always open and always free.

We made it through yet another winter slog, but we’re not quite safely in summer yet… So you know what that means!

It’s allergy season.

If they haven’t already invaded your sinus canals, just know that the sniffles, sneezes, and slime are well on their way. With the longer days of spring comes an influx of pollen, allergens, and irritants in the air so there’s no better time to fortify your defenses than right now.

Except for yesterday, of course!

Get up to speed on 2026’s best supplements for seasonal allergies before the mucus takes over your brain, and learn a little about what seasonal allergies actually are below. All that and more awaits, fellow sniffles sufferer, straight from Dr. Neal‘s science-backed holistic toolbox.

In This Article:

• What are seasonal allergies?
• The First5 supplements for seasonal allergies
• Dr. Neal’s 2 favorite supplements for seasonal allergies

What are Seasonal Allergies?

Seasonal allergy symptoms come in a variety of flavors, each one uniquely uncomfortable and unappealing like:

• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose
• Coughing

These symptoms are the bane of many American’s existence — they threaten to ruin the spring season for around 60 million people in the U.S. alone.

Sometimes referred to as hay fever or allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies are caused by pollen, mold, and other pollutants that get kicked up into the air by the spring winds. When these irritants enter our delicate sinuses, our bodies go haywire.

The symptoms we experience are, essentially, the body’s overreaction to foreign particles sneaking in. Histamine, a compound found in tissues and stored in mast cells, is the main character in this dramatic response.

Dr. Neal likens this relationship between histamine and allergies to that of a balloon filled with glitter and a needle. When a particle like pollen invades the body, it pops the mast cell like a balloon and poof! Histamine is released and spreads, sticking like glitter to every nook and cranny.

Avoiding histamine exposure can reduce the burden your body has to carry this spring and tamper your immune system’s reaction to allergens.

But you can’t live in a battered-up, pollen-free home forever — one of these glorious days, you’re going to want to open up the windows and bask in the sunshine.

That’s where supplements come in. We humans are far from perfect creatures and we can’t be expected to not roll around in the grass or admire a flower every once in a while.

So instead of living in a bubble, we turn to data-backed supplements that can drive down histamine levels and soothe seasonal allergy symptoms.

Learn More: The Comprehensive Guide to Holistic Seasonal Allergy Treatment

The First5 Supplements for Seasonal Allergies

You should know by now that we don’t throw supplement suggestions around willy-nilly in these parts. In fact, Dr. Neal is constantly trying to get wellness seekers to take fewer supplements — it’s what makes him a great holistic health advocate and a terrible supplement salesman.

Instead of recommending every nutrient and herb under the sun, Dr. Neal highlights just 5 crucial compounds needed for optimal wellness called the First5.

The 5 nutrients on this highly exclusive list got their spots by meeting three points of key criteria:

• They’re missing from our diets, even the healthiest ones
• They have a huge impact on not one, but multiple body functions
• They have loads of scientific data to back up their benefits

The most strategic route to whole-body health is getting adequate levels of these 5 things — omega-3, probiotics, bone support compounds, protein, and multivitamins. But, for seasonal allergies in particular, two of the First5 supplements stand out.

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

Vitamin D Supplements for Seasonal Allergies

Do we talk about vitamin D and its importance all the time on this blog? Yes. Is it entirely warranted due to the fact vitamin D plays an integral role in overall health? Also yes. 

Vitamin D affects multiple bodily systems — it wouldn’t be part of the First5 if it didn’t! — influencing everything from cognition and mental well-being to bone strength and heart health. So it should come as no surprise that this humble nutrient also impacts your immune system and its ability to cope with allergens. 

Recent clinical research has shown a relationship between low vitamin D levels and allergic rhinitis, and that vitamin D may play a part in decreasing the severity of allergy symptoms by: 

• Affecting immune cells 
• Decreasing inflammation
• Improving lung function
• Supporting regulation of predisposing infections 

While the field of research around vitamin D is still expanding, there’s a good chance you’re not getting enough via your diet and lifestyle. In fact, 95% of Americans aren’t meeting recommended levels of vitamin D, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. 

So, if you’re struggling with seasonal allergy symptoms, odds are you need a little more of the sunshine supplement in your life.  

Learn More: Vitamin D: Sunshine Supplement for Bones, Blood, and The Blues

Probiotics for Seasonal Allergies

Thanks to advancements in medical science, we now know that our gut health, like vitamin D, also affects our overall health in a major way. Does the phrase gut-brain axis ring a bell? 

Leading-edge holistic wellness advocates are pushing to redub this complex bodily relationship as the gut-brain-immune axis as we learn more about the consequences of poor gut health on the immune system. 

Contrary to popular belief, over 70% of your immune system is located in the canals and caverns of your gut. This means that most of the cells responsible for defending against illness and balancing inflammation are working to support your entire body from their station in your intestines. 

Probiotics can help improve the health of your gut microbiome by flooding it with beneficial bacteria, which in turn helps to create a more viable space for these immune cells to function properly. 

The beneficial effects of probiotics on diseases related to immune system issues, like IBS, infant colic, and some forms of cancer, has been demonstrated in clinical settings. And same goes for the role probiotics play in addressing seasonal allergy symptoms — a meta-analysis that investigated 22 different trials has shown that probiotics can both:

• Significantly reduce nasal symptoms during peak allergy seasons
• Significantly improve immunological and quality of life parameters

Excuse our outdated internet slang but it must be said: Probiotics FTW. 

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health?

2 More Supplements for Seasonal Allergies and Symptoms

Once you’ve adopted a strategic supplement routine — á la the First5 — and are paying special attention to your vitamin D levels and probiotic intake, it’s time to turn it up a notch with supplements like Allergy Support and Bronchial Syrup for stubborn allergy symptoms.

But before you dive in, remember that part of your strategy should focus on how you take your supplements, not just which supplements you take. So:

1. Start Early: Ideally, you’ll start taking your seasonal allergy supplements before the pollen season begins.
2. Stay Consistent: Exposure to allergens is near-constant during peak seasons, and your supplementation should be, too.
3. Focus on Quality: Some natural antihistamines, like nettle and quercetin, can contain heavy metals or other contaminants that do more harm than good, so always buy from a reputable source with rigorous quality standards.

It’s not always easy, but you’ll get a lot further in your journey toward relief from seasonal allergy symptoms if you follow these guidelines. And really, who wants to feel like a stuffed-up zombie with a concrete brain all spring?

1. Allergy Support — Dr. Neal’s Formula for Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

When we’re looking for heavy-hitting, all-natural seasonal allergy support, we always turn to Allergy Support — for obvious reasons, and for some not-so-obvious ones, too.

Allergy Support is Dr. Neal’s science-based, clinically formulated blend for combatting seasonal allergies. By using meticulously tested and crafted natural ingredients, like nettle and bromelain, Allergy Support works to heal the root cause of symptoms while providing fast-acting relief, too.

Besides the fact it works as more than a band-aid, we love Allergy Support because it:

• Combines food-based nutrients and data-backed herbal ingredients
• Offers multifaceted support with bioflavonoids, antioxidants, and enzymes
• Supports recovery from seasonal and environmental allergies

But be warned — when the sun starts staying out longer, our Allergy Support bottles start flying off the shelves. As one of the supplements that sells out most quickly and most often, Allergy Support isn’t just our top choice, it’s everyone else’s too.

2. Bronchial Syrup — Cooling Blend for Coughs and Chest Congestion

While slightly less well-known than Allergy Support, Bronchial Syrup is far from being a sidekick. 

Formulated specifically for the cough and chest symptoms that make seasonal allergies such a huge pain, the Woodstock Vitamins team often refers to this herbal blend as our kitchen sink tincture. As in, we throw everything and the kitchen sink at your chest congestion and throat tickles. 

With a refined blend of both cooling and moisturizing herbs, Bronchial Syrup provides much-needed relief from lung and throat irritation due to seasonal and environmental allergies. Powerhouse compounds from plants like wild cherry bark, osha, and horehound do the heavy lifting while soothing herbs like slippery elm and licorice work to gently rehydrate your respiratory system. 

On top of that, Bronchial Syrup stands out from the crowd of OTC cough medications by: 

• Having 100% label transparency — what you see is what you get
• Delivering properly extracted herbs, free from solvents like hexane
• Providing the correct doses of all the herbs included 

Because you deserve a natural option for kicking that cough to the curb that’s, you know, actually natural.  

Easy, Peasy, Lemon-Sneezy

There’s a joke making the rounds on the internet that says seasonal allergies are just the Earth’s way of reminding us humans that we don’t really belong here.

We disagree.

Seasonal allergies are snot something to be taken lightly, what with the myriad of unpleasant symptoms they bring, but we can work with this aspect of being human instead of against it. How? By turning to scientifically verified supplements and wellness practices when the sniffles mucus want to give up entirely!

And if you need an expert to offer personalized guidance for surviving allergy season, well, you know where to find us. Our Counterside Consults are always open, always free, and always over the phone so there’s no risk of sneezing on a stranger.

March has become something of an unofficial Mental Health Month around these parts — have you noticed? 

We’re well aware of the fact that May is supposed to be the month when we all spend some time thinking about mental illness and mental health difficulties, but let’s be real. May has wildflowers and sunshine, gentle rains and buzzing bees, and the promise of family vacations on the horizon. 

The most important time to learn new coping strategies and self-care tools is, if you ask us, right now. In the final, gloomy dregs of winter, when the blackened snow slush in your boot or in the hood of your puffer coat threatens a full-blown meltdown in the middle of the street.

Now is when depression, anxiety, and stress reign supreme. 

Stress, while less of a buzzword currently, plays a major role in overall wellness and quality of life. It can affect our perception of the world, our physical health, and our experience of reality. 

We didn’t mention stress management in our recent blog on using the Wellness Pyramid to better your mental health… But not because it’s not important. It’s actually so important that it’s getting its own dang post, maybe even two.

So read on, stress survivors! You’ll learn how Dr. Neal and his clinical psychologist friends condense this massive, messy topic into manageable pieces for a mindful, meaningful life. 

In This Article:

• Understanding the history and effects of stress
• How stress affects physical health
• Using the Wellness Pyramid to deal with stress
• Stress management practices that actually work

Understanding Stress: Why Do We Experience Stress?

If you’re able to read this blog, then we’re willing to bet you’ve experienced stress firsthand already. But in case you’ve lived in a vacuum-sealed bubble all your life, stress is a “state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation,” according to the World Health Organization.  

Our experience of stress, like depression and anxiety, happens on a spectrum. 

It can show up as the constant, low-level stress of being overly productive. Or it can show up as acute points — with long-lasting ramifications — like the stress of losing a loved one or experiencing trauma. What unites these seemingly disparate units of stress is us humans. We all have stress and we all live through or with stress. 

Stress is an inherent part of being human because, for much of our evolution, it was the reason our species survived. The stress of finding food and not becoming food were key concerns for early humans. Hence, the stress responses in our bodies, like elevated heart rate and shortened breaths, were useful in those situations. 

While you can technically still get chased by a lion, tiger, or bear in our modern world, there aren’t many contemporary experiences that benefit from choppy breathing, digestive shutdown, or heightened blood pressure. 

Hence why stress has become one of the most fierce adversaries of holistic, or whole-person, wellness. 

How Stress Affects Our Physical Health

And no, it’s not all in your head.

Despite the prevailing stigmas surrounding mental health and long-held beliefs about how wellness works, your brain and your body are not separate. Nowhere else is this simple fact more apparent than in our body’s responses to what our brains perceive as stress. 

When we enter into a stressful situation, or a situation suddenly becomes stressful, a number of things start to happen under the surface of our skin. Remember the elevated heart rate and shortened breaths we mentioned? Those consequences of stress are joined by a few others: 

• Stimulated HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis 
• Activation of the sympathetic nervous system (AKA the fight-or-flight response) 
• Increased cortisol levels — up to 9x higher than the average
• Elevated blood pressure, which can cause hypertension over time
• High blood sugar levels, which can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Alterations of the gut-brain axis, which can lead to IBS and other GI diseases
• Impacted thyroid function and hormone signaling
• Promotion of cancer cells, cancer growth, and/or progression of cancer
• Changes in limbic brain structures, affecting cognitive abilities and mental health

Stress is, ultimately, not something to be trifled with. 

Whether you’re actively conscious of it or not, stress affects your physical and mental health. That’s why it plays such a huge role in overall well-being and why it has a firm place at the base of the Wellness Pyramid. 

Learn More: 4 Mental Health Myths Debunked: Understanding the American Mental Health Crisis

How Do We Deal with Stress? Like Actually Deal with It?

“We enter life very ill-prepared for its stressors and demands.”

-Dr. Lawrence Dresdale

But let’s get one thing clear: Stress isn’t actually the bad guy.

As seen in our brief review of the evolutionary function of stress, it’s actually quite important for our survival. It’s when stress becomes chronic that we experience its serious side effects in our bodies and lives. 

Stress so often becomes a routine feature of everyday life because we aren’t taught, at any point, how to handle it. Our education systems are centered on creating effective workers, not well-rounded, fulfilled adults.

And so when we reach adulthood we’re equipped with only the Pythagorean theorem and a few nascent coping mechanisms that can bloom into full-blown disorders if left unattended. 

We learn, on our own, to “deal” with stress through activities like drinking and doom-scrolling.

Or being overly productive, taking out our feelings on others, or withdrawing from social support — you take your pick based on which unhealed wounds are lingering from your childhood. 

The first step to managing stress, then, is to acknowledge how woefully empty our mental health toolboxes are. After doing that and offering ourselves a little compassion, the next step is to look at the whole picture of health and how stress fits in. 

Learn More: Stress Management Part 2: Overcoming Barriers to Regular Practice

Stress Management in the Wellness Pyramid

Wanna know the coolest part about the Wellness Pyramid?

It’s not that it breaks down something as complicated as genuine, long-term health into an accessible framework that can be easily integrated and adapted to fit any lifestyle. And it’s not that it’s backed by scientific research and clinical data. 

These are all pretty cool things for us health nerds, but the absolute coolest part is that each area of the 5 lifestyle domains influences and supports the others — like how exercise can improve your sleep.

Or how removing endocrine disruptors from your home via environmental changes can improve gut health and therefore nutrient absorption from your dietary choices. 

And when it comes to stress, the relationship is the same: 

• Improved nutrient intake lowers stress scores
• Exercise drives down stress levels, bolsters brain resilience 
• Daily sleep quality significantly affects mental health and mood
• 80% of endocrine-disrupting chemicals also disrupt the nervous system (so take them out of your home!)

But for some members of our stressed-out society, working with diet, exercise, sleep, and lifestyle changes might seem totally out of reach. 

If that’s you, then starting with stress management techniques might be helpful. Driving down levels of overwhelm can free up mental space and physical energy, which could make it easier to create sustainable change in the lifestyle domains. 

Learn More: Holistic Mental Health: Wellness Practices for Depression, Anxiety, and More

3 Stress Management Techniques We Stand By

Yep, we’re talking about the three dreaded M-words: Mindfulness, meditation, and mbreathwork.

But drop your preconceived notions about these popular terms at the door. Today, we’re looking at just the science behind these practices — if and how they can pull you out of a soul-sucking stress hole.

MEDITATION

In a 2014 meta-analysis that reviewed 47 trials with over 3,000 patients, findings showed that mindfulness meditation programs had moderate evidence to benefit anxiety, depression, and pain. There was also low evidence — but evidence still! — to improve stress and mental health. 

And that was 10 years ago. 

In 2020, another systematic review was conducted, comparing the results of several studies and chiming in to confirm that meditation reduced suicidal behavior — which is considered an abnormal response to stress.

Even further, another meta-analysis reviewed 19 trials to confirm that yoga and meditation both have positive results on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

With the help of special tools created to measure brain electrical activity, we now know that meditation does create tangible differences in the physical brain. Specifically, the activation was seen in the left-sided anterior, an area associated with positive effects.

So it should come as no surprise that, in this modern trial, participants practiced meditation and reported improved mood symptoms — plus better sleep and focus, too.

Say what you will about the self-proclaimed shamans charging $777 for their meditation courses, master classes, and mindful “containers,” but they’re onto something. 

Just remember that meditation only costs $000 and you can do it anywhere. You can even meditate while walking, stretching, or lying down if the traditional butt-on-a-mat method doesn’t work for you.

MINDFULNESS

Contrary to popular belief, mindfulness and meditation are not the same thing. 

The two terms are often grouped together, which leads skeptical folks to throw the baby out with the bathwater. But mindfulness can be integrated through a moment-to-moment approach, which might work better for the meditation-averse or those convinced they have no time to sit down and meditate. 

And there’s science to back up mindfulness too — best believe. 

In this particularly fascinating review of empirical data, researchers found a direct correlation between mindfulness practices and a number of psychological benefits. To the tune of: reduced symptoms and emotional reactivity alongside improved well-being and behavioral regulation.

Another review from 2020, which aimed to update the current understanding of how mindfulness-based stress reduction practices (MBSR) benefit workers, showed that using MBSR effectively reduced the experiences of anxiety, depression, and stress in healthcare professionals.

And it helps younger folks too! This unique pilot study revealed that MBSR practices, when integrated into schools, benefit students by facilitating significant improvements in self-reported regulation, stress, and school-specific interpersonal problems.

So maybe it’s finally time to crack open that dust-covered copy of The Power of Now that your hippie aunt gave you years ago, yeah?

Learn More: Meditation vs Mindfulness — Common Misconceptions

BREATHWORK

As a staple of Ayurvedic health practices, breathwork has been used as a powerful tool for self-regulation for thousands of years. And, thankfully, modern science is finally catching up! 

Called pranayama in the Ayurvedic tradition, integrated breathing patterns have been shown by contemporary clinical research to increase feelings of comfort, relaxation, and alertness while decreasing symptoms of anxiety, agitation, depression, and anger.

In this particular study, participants took less than 10 breaths per minute, a drastic reduction from our typical 20-a-minute average. 

The effects weren’t limited to the psychological realm in this research either.

The deliberate, controlled breathing techniques resulted in measurable changes in autonomic and central nervous system activity, and other EEG studies have shown an increase in alpha brain waves as an outcome of the practice. 

Which makes sense. Think back to the last time you got cut off in traffic and felt angry or agitated — what happened to your breath in that moment? We’d bet good money that, as a result of your emotional state, your breathing shortened and became more erratic.

With pranayama, we can reverse-engineer this relationship between the breath and our moods.

Need more proof? A 2023 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with 785 adult participants revealed, quite clearly, that breathwork practices are associated with lower levels of stress. 

Breathwork might be the best option for you if the stillness or presence of meditation and mindfulness makes you feel like your skin is crawling. By focusing on a specific breathing pattern, you can both occupy your brain and feel tangible, physical results in one fell swoop. 

Take a Breather

Our goal here is to share education and data-backed tools for living your best life, but if you need a moment to catch your breath after this stress management science symposium, we don’t blame you.

Take a beat to relax, reconnect with reality, and review your sources of stress. What can go? What practices will work for you, specifically?

And when you’re ready to move forward, give us a call. Our holistic health experts are on standby, ready to talk about your unique journey to a less stressful life via our Counterside Consults.

Did you miss the brain buzz of last week? We, in our typical, rebellious Woodstockian fashion, debunked some pretty controversial and deeply coveted myths about mental health. 

To the tune of: No, it’s not all in your head; yes, our culture contributes to mental health issues. Oh, and, your physical health is inextricably linked to your mental health because your brain and body are not, in fact, separate. 

That last one was an awfully difficult pill to swallow, even for us. If we accept the science behind the physical and mental health connection, then we have to take at least some responsibility for how we feel — depressive swings, anxiety spirals, and all. 

Because that means what we put in our bodies and how we treat our physical health has a direct, tangible result on our emotional experiences. And who wants to admit that? 

We didn’t mean to take away the nameless enigma you might, like us, have blamed for your mental health difficulties. Nor did we intend to negate the very real systematic factors that influence mental health. And we sure as heck don’t want to shame you for eating that McDouble for breakfast or staying up too late on TikTok.

Your brain is probably doing a good enough job of that already. 

We’d rather take a different approach, one that doesn’t involve beating yourself up. And that is, of course, to empower you with science-based holistic health education so you can take control of your mental health once and for all. 

This blog, if you scroll on, is filled with wellness practices that have been clinically proven to reduce symptoms of mental health issues (like depression and anxiety) and support mental well-being. So you, for exactly zero dollars and zero cents, can start improving your experience of life right here, right now. 

In This Article:

• How nutritional deficiencies contribute to mental health issues
• Exercise as a holistic mental health tool
• Sleep and its role in mental health symptoms

A Holistic, or Whole-Person, Approach to Mental Health Care

After 20+ years of working with folks from all walks of life as a holistic pharmacist, Dr. Neal has learned a few things about how we view the relationship between physical and mental health. 

Generally speaking, there are two groups of people with two very different schools of thought:  

1. There are those who believe mental health is all genetics — or else a lack of willpower — and that wellness practices in the realms of diet, sleep, exercise, etc., don’t affect our brains or emotions. 
2. And then there are those who already know that modern science has irrefutably proven the connection between physical/mental health and what to do about it, but they’re paralyzed by overwhelm. 

There probably aren’t many folks from the first group here, reading this blog, but if there are — might we refer you to this blog on the gut-brain axis? Or this one, on mental health myths? Or perhaps just the scores of clinical research on how physical health affects mental health that are waiting for you below?

We’re not saying that your mental illness will magically vanish if you do a push-up or drink a matcha latte. We are, however, saying that the story you’ve been told and sold about how mental health works is not entirely true. 

You can, in fact, do things to improve your emotional experience of life before or alongside pharmaceutical interventions. 

For the wellness-seekers who more closely identify with the second school of thought: You already know what to do. But how do we make change that’s sustainable, backed by science, and not soul-sucking? 

By breaking it down into the simplest possible categories so we can manage this massive, messy thing called mental health. 

Thankfully, Dr. Neal has already done a lot of the legwork for us. His holistic — or whole-person — structure for understanding and approaching long-term health is called the Wellness Pyramid, and it makes this complicated endeavor stupid simple. 

(Note we said stupid simple, not stupid easy. There’s a difference.)

The Wellness Pyramid for Holistic Mental Health Care

So let’s dive into the mundane — the places in our lives where we have agency to make change for the better. While decidedly not easy, these simple adjustments can, over time, transform your brain into a safe place to be. 

As Dr. Dresdale, clinical psychologist and expert on the biological bases of psychological behavior, so sagely shared with Dr. Neal in this podcast episode: If you change the body, the mind will follow. 

Learn More: The Wellness Pyramid: Your Roadmap to Holistic Health

1. Understanding Diet’s Role in Mental Health

We’re starting with diet, a big hulking mass of a topic, but don’t worry. We’re not going to call all your favorite foods bad, or tell you that your only option is to go full paleo. 

And we’re not going to demonize fruit sugars or dive into the intricacies of FODMAP sensitives either. Instead, we’re just going to look at nutritional deficiencies and how they can affect mental health. 

Malnourishment might seem like a rare thing in America, but it’s way, way, wayyyyyyyyy more common than most people know. The term malnourishment refers to deficiencies or imbalances in an individual’s intake of nutrients, and it can happen to even those of us who eat regularly and relatively well. 

The numbers we see coming from national surveys, like this one by a facet of the CDC, are sobering: 

• 95% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D
• 84% of Americans are deficient in vitamin E
• 48% of Americans are deficient in magnesium
• 46% of Americans are deficient in vitamin C
• 15% of Americans are deficient in zinc

And that’s just a few of the big ones.

How Nutritional Deficiencies Affect Mental Health

Vitamin D deficiency has been, by several modern studies, linked to worsened or increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, as has zinc deficiency. Inadequate levels of magnesium can cause actual, physical neuronal damage that can manifest emotionally as depression, and there’s an inverse relationship between magnesium levels and ADHD.

Plus, prenatal vitamin D deficiency directly increases the likelihood of the child having ADHD, as well as schizophrenia.

Need we go on?

The food and nutrients you eat — or don’t eat — affect your mental health and, unfortunately, there’s no way around that. So if you’ve been struggling with mental health symptoms, it’s time to take a look at what you’re putting on your plate. Dr. Neal’s advice? It’s pretty simple:

• Eat more nutrient-dense foods
• Eat less highly processed foods

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

2. Exercise and Holistic Mental Health

Here we go again saying a push-up will cure your depression! Except that’s not really the case.

What is true about the role exercise plays in maintaining balanced mental health is that regular, moderate movement is absolutely crucial. Lack of exercise is not only a contributing factor in the development of many physical health diseases but also mental ones, it turns out.

A meta-analysis from 2022 showed, after analyzing 15 studies of nearly 200,000 patients with depression (in total), that physical activity had beneficial outcomes on depressive symptoms. But here’s the kicker — the benefit of movement on depression shows up even at levels lower than the recommended amount.

So you can alleviate symptoms of depression through exercise without the side effects associated with other interventions, and without having to become a marathon-running bodybuilder. Who would have thought?

When it comes to other mental health difficulties, like anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, and more, they still are no match for the powers of consistent movement.

In this study on bipolar disorder and exercise in particular, 8 out of 10 patients reported a 50% decrease in depressive symptoms. With — get this — 45% of patients with bipolar disorder “presenting criteria for full remission.”

Why? What? How is this possible? Because exercise is, at its core, a neuroprotective practice that benefits the entire body — brain included. So start soon and stick to it. Dr. Neal recommends, for an accessible and sustainable movement routine, 30 minutes of aerobic or body-based exercise, 5 days a week.

Learn More: The Truth About Exercise: Ditch the Myths

3. Sleep and Its Role in Managing Mental Health

Sleep, if you ask us, should be the baseline treatment for all psychiatric disorders and uncomfortable mental health experiences.

Depressed? Go to sleep. Anxious? Sleep more. Got ADHD? Snoozetime. Clinical research has illuminated the fact that people with ADHD, schizophrenia, OCD, anorexia, or PTSD can see major benefits in their moods when sleep quality and duration are prioritized.

And by major benefits, we mean major benefits.

Recent studies have shown that while sleep deprivation can aggravate symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and yes, even anorexia, we can Uno-reverse that two-way street. By treating insomnia in bipolar patients, for example, studies have shown that sleep improvements improve mood state and general functioning in turn.

Because sleep plays such a vital part in mental health, sleep deprivation can masquerade as common mental health disorders, like ADHD. To avoid getting mis- or overdiagnosed, it’s crucial to address any barriers to deep, restorative sleep you may have first.

But if you’re already struggling with racing thoughts, anxiety loops, insomnia, and other common symptoms of mental health difficulties, then getting good sleep can be difficult. To jumpstart your journey to better sleep, begin by:

• Taking the electronics and devices out of your bedroom
• Avoiding blue light from said electronics and devices at least 3 hours before bed
• Avoiding sugary, fatty, or caffeine-containing foods and drinks at least 3 hours before bed

Learn More: 5 Things to Do (Not Take) for Better Sleep

Where Do We Go From Here?

We wish we could tell you that eating more nutrient-dense food, exercising regularly, and sleeping well will have your brain in tip-top shape by tomorrow. We can’t, but we really wish we could.

While these natural, holistic wellness practices can and will improve mental health, they must be done consistently and correctly. There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline for this kind of work, and sometimes, quick answers are needed for individuals with mental health disorders to stay safe and stay alive.

If you’re in a position where slow, sustainable lifestyle changes aren’t enough to get you through 2024, speak with a licensed mental health professional to explore your additional options.

There’s not much we Americans agree on these days. Not politics, not healthcare, not even which sportball team is objectively the best. But if there’s one thing that seems to unite us all, besides our adoration of Dolly Parton, it’s mental health issues. 

The American mental health crisis has been at the forefront of wellness conversations for a few years now — starting even before the pandemic that knocked us all flat — with things reaching a fever pitch now that 1 in 5 Americans report having mental health issues. 

Why is this happening? Is it karma for the 2019 Cats remake? Are we so driven to be the top dogs of the wider world that it doesn’t matter if we’re #1 in depression, so long as we’re #1? 

Or could it be something as simple as this: We don’t really understand mental health. 

Dr. Neal, holistic pharmacist of 20+ years, talked about the messy, maddening topic that is mental health with practicing clinical psychologist, Dr. Lawrence Dresdale. What resulted from that conversation may shock your TV-programmed sensibilities, but it might also take a weight off your mind.  

So, if you have half a mind to get to the root of your mind-boggling thoughts and roller coaster emotions, read on to learn what a truly holistic approach to mental health looks like. 

In This Article:

• The spectrum of mental well-being
• Depersonalizing negative thoughts
• How the environment affects your mental health
• Debunking the mind-body dichotomy

Understanding Mental Illness and Mental Health Issues

Access to worldwide information has granted a lot of knowledge to modern humans. We know the average size of a baby moose and the weather on the other side of the globe; we know the minute intricacies of Reese Witherspoon’s breakfast. 

We know that many of us are suffering from uncomfortable or else debilitating mental health issues and that these issues are not always tied to external stressors or pain. Even the well-off, wealthy wonders of our society are struggling with depression, anxiety, and other mental health crises at what seems like an unprecedented rate. 

Emotional or mental health difficulties, despite what your boomer uncle may say, didn’t come out of the clear blue nowhere. It’s not a sign of the weakness of younger generations, and people of times past did struggle with depression. 

(We just called it stress back then — or hysteria, for the women — and shipped those folks off to a psychiatric center.) 

These days, there’s a giant community-care-shaped hole in our treatment plans for depression and anxiety. Without a container for and proper education on these difficulties, they spill out onto the only place where people can really share experiences: the internet. 

But bear in mind, not everything you read on the internet is true! So let’s address three of the most common misunderstandings surrounding modern health right here, right now. 

1. Mental Health Issues Affect Everyone

Mental health, like many nuanced things in our contemporary world, is not a black-and-white issue. While many people believe it’s an either-or situation (as in you either have a mental illness or you don’t), the spectrum of mental health experiences is just that.

A spectrum.

Sure, you might identify as a person with no mental health difficulties whatsoever, but we’re willing to bet good money that you have, at some point or another, experienced stress or anxiety. Why are we so confident in this wager?

Because these uncomfortable emotions are an inherent mechanism of the clump of cells we call the brain.

Your brain, like Dr. Neal’s and Dr. Dresdale’s, evolved to keep you alive. And survival, while important, is not the same thing as happiness.

Sometimes survival, according to that clump of cells, requires anticipating impending doom to feel some sense of preparedness, à la anxiety. Or self-isolating from the social group, which can be seen in some instances of depression.

Mental health struggles are kind in that they don’t discriminate. We all have brains, which means we can experience the full spectrum of emotions, even the unpleasant ones.

2. You Are Not Your Thoughts

If you, like all of us, have experienced some level of depression, anxiety, mania, trauma, or other mental health difficulties, then you might fall prey to another common misconception.

That is, the belief that your thoughts, because they come from your brain, are true. Or worse, that they’re you.

The aforementioned clump of cells that we call the brain gets a lot of attention because, as Dr. Dresdale so eloquently explains in this podcast episode, it translates our experiences into words. These words, or thoughts, seem very important because our brains think they’re very important.

So important, in fact, that we treat them as facts even when we know, logically, that they have no basis in reality. Thoughts like, “I’m a terrible person,” or “I’m the worst at X,” are good examples of this.

Having these thoughts does not mean you’re actually a terrible person, nor does it mean you have a bad brain or are mentally ill. It means you’re human. And sometimes the voice that emanates from your special clump of brain cells is not only unkind but just plain wrong.

3. It’s Not Your Fault

But where do these false truths we call thoughts come from, and why are they so rude sometimes? 

The American mental health crisis has risen as an inevitable response to what is the perfect breeding ground for depression and anxiety — our modern culture. There, we said it! We have created, in our baseball-loving country, an incubation state for cultivating seeds of stress into a full-bloom flourish. 

How?

By making every aspect of our day-to-day lives antithetical to mental and physical well-being. We eat nutritionally bankrupt food from the drive-thru on our way to work hours that benefit only the top of the food chain. We bury the stress of economic collapse under a mound of self-soothing behaviors like substance use and doom scrolling. 

Then, we leave it to ferment during our sleepless nights, only to shoo it away once more with dehydrating beverages to survive and to celebrate our long days sitting stationary in front of a screen. 

Pioneering and benefitting from this kind of culture are corporations that, in order to meet quarterly profit goals, require you to live this way regardless of the consequences. 

And then there are the other corporations who, in response to the consequences of an unhealthy culture, line their pockets with your hard-earned cash by selling cure-alls. While some supplements and such can, indeed, support optimal health, in this case, it’s like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. 

4. The Mind and Body Work Together

Last, but certainly not least, is this doozy of a myth that has so thoroughly invaded our society it has become synonymous with American culture. 

The mind-body dichotomy. 

Here in the West, we believe that what happens in the body has no bearing on mental health. Despite the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence that says exactly the contrary, we’re firm in our conviction that the brain is vacuum-sealed off from the rest of our organs and cells. 

That’s why the word holistic in the realm of mental health is often equated with hippie-dippie alternative medicine and anti-science rhetoric. What a holistic approach to mental well-being actually means, believe it or not, is that we look at the whole person. 

It means rejecting the antiquated belief that the brain and the body are disconnected, and, instead, seeing each person as a collection of interrelated organs that work together — brains, guts, and all. 

The false mind-body dichotomy is a pretty convenient belief to peddle if you’re one of the corporations profiting off the aforementioned processed food and productivity-centered culture! 

So let us be, if not the first or last then the sassiest to say: It’s not all in your head. Your mental and physical health are inextricably connected. No ifs, ands, or buts. 

Mental health issues can and do arise from physical health complications like nutritional deficiencies, chronic inflammation, poor sleep quality, endotoxins from our environment, or lack of exercise. 

And, because all parts contribute to the health of the whole, we can see improvements in mental well-being and quality of life by working with the things within our control. Like our diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and environment. 

Looking at the Whole Picture of Mental Health

Whether we rocked your worlds with these debunked myths or just confirmed a sneaking suspicion you already had about the reality of mental health, there’s something else we want you to know. 

You’re not alone. 

Our team of holistic health experts is available to discuss your journey to wellness for free via our Counterside Consults — anytime, any day. (Except for the days team members take off to better their mental health, of course.) 

Because we don’t want to just talk the talk of empowering individuals with science-based mental health education. We want to walk the walk of slow but sustainable, whole-being healing with you, too. 

So click around to learn more about things like the gut-brain connection or meditation and mindfulness, and join our newsletter list to be the first to read our upcoming topic on wellness practices for mental health.

It wouldn’t be 7:30AM on a random Wednesday in February if we didn’t wake up with racing thoughts about traffic, work, sustenance, chores, past situations, family patterns, future anxieties, and everything in between, now would it? 

An overly prolix sentiment, sure, but we stand by the fact that most of us contemporary humans suffer from what the experts call monkey brains. 

Which refers to the fact our thoughts can be a chaotic, overwhelming, overlapping cacophony of voices, each ringing out to be heard or else whizzing past us at the speed of light.

Our thoughts, unlike our outward presentations of self, lack discipline — they careen around, creating complexes, thought loops, emotional spirals, and neural pathways so deeply entrenched we call them personality traits. What’s a modern thinker to do? 

If you ask the internet, your options are medication or meditation. When it comes to the latter, though, something interesting happens: The internet and the professional medical community agree.

The meditation and mindfulness practices you hear excruciatingly self-righteous folks talk about do actually work for the woes of the modern human experience. 

But before you dive in headfirst, it’s important to sift fact from fiction in the realm of mindfulness marketing. Not every approach to meditation is the mind-blowing miracle cure it claims to be. Read on to learn from both Dr. Neal and his colleague Dr. Lawrence Dresdale, a clinical psychologist, to find lasting peace of mind. 

In This Article:

• Definitions of meditation and mindfulness
• Common meditation myths
• Common mindfulness misconceptions

Meditation vs Mindfulness — What’s the Difference? 

If you have access to the World Wide Web, there’s a 0% chance you haven’t heard of meditation and/or mindfulness. 

The terms aren’t well understood though, which becomes apparent when you see them being used interchangeably. As Dr. Dresdale would say — and did, in this podcast episode — mindfulness and meditation are different but interrelated. 

It might seem like semantics, but understanding the intricacies of these two practices is important if you want to actually benefit from one or both. Whether we admit to it or not, we all have preconceived notions about what meditation or mindfulness is; education combats these presumptions. 

Dr. Dresdale draws from the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn — an American professor often regarded as the father of modern mindfulness — in his definition of what a mindful experience is. 

It goes a little something like: Mindfulness is a quality of mind. This quality or state of mind arises through paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, non-judgmentally. (We highly recommend you feast your ears on the ultra-calming resonance that is Dr. Dresdale’s voice in this podcast episode and hear it in his own words.)

Meditation, on the other hand, is a training practice. 

In meditation, we are training or conditioning our brains to be able to hold attention on an object. That object can be a literal, physical object, or it can be your breath, a mantra, a sound, etc. Meditation counteracts the undisciplined nature of the brain by allowing us to develop the ability to concentrate.

But meditation and mindfulness play well together. 

When we make time to develop our concentration skills in meditation, it becomes easier to reach the quality of mind in which we are fully concentrated on the present moment. Not that moment, not the next one, just this one. 

Learn More: Raising Resilient Kids: 4 Holistic Wellness Practices for Children’s Health

Misconceptions About Meditation 

Framing meditation as a kind of training program or neural workout plan relieves a little of the pressure to be perfect at it, right? 

If you’ve been living in monkey brain mode, as most of us have for all our lives, then it makes sense that zen status feels difficult, strange, uncomfortable, or downright impossible at first. Which brings us to our first debunk of the two most widely-touted, wildly misplaced misconceptions about meditation: 

1. It Is Not About Clearing Your Mind 

For a long while, meditation has been portrayed in pop culture and profit-hungry wellness companies as a way of clearing your thoughts. Which sounds great — who wouldn’t want to be freed from the circus that is their internal monologue?

But that sets up unrealistic expectations, which can lead to frustration, and it’s not an accurate representation of the objective(s) of meditation. Meditation can, however, cultivate our focus and concentration capabilities. Then, with enough practice, our refined ability to concentrate can, eventually, lead us to that illustrious quiet place, the still mind. 

The road to the still mind is long, albeit paved with a myriad of fringe benefits, and at some point on the journey, your nose is going to itch. The itch — or a thought, noise, emotion, interruption — will grab your attention and it’s not your job to clear your mind of it. 

In fact, Dr. Dresdale recommends leaning into it. Focus on the itch, the numb leg, the discomfort, and draw that experience into your concentration training. When it passes, go back to your breath, mantra, or object. 

2. There is No Being “Good” or “Bad” at Meditation

If you had never played tennis before, would you beat yourself up for holding the racquet wrong? If it were your first day as a newborn on Earth, would you blame yourself for crapping your pants?

All this is to say that it’s okay to suck at new things! Meditation is a training practice because it takes training and practice to cultivate the skill of concentration.

And that it can be really scary to confront our innermost thoughts. So scary, in fact, that many people perceive themselves as failing at meditation if they can’t clear their minds or find everlasting peace the first or even 50th time they try.

But here’s the good news: Trying, or putting in an active effort, is what makes someone good at meditation. The people who are “good” at meditation are the ones who create time for it, sit down (or stand, walk, lay!), and try their best.

Struggling to contain your thoughts, losing track of your breathing, getting overwhelmed by emotions that come up, falling asleep — these are all things that can, and likely will, happen in a “good” meditation practice. If they do come up for you, it’s no big deal! Come back to your breath, try again tomorrow, and treat yourself compassionately.

Misconceptions About Meditation 

In essence, we can use meditation to train our brains to respond to external stimuli instead of reacting by cultivating our ability to concentrate despite discomfort. That’s a pretty neat feature of being human on its own, but when coupled with mindfulness, it takes on a new, even more potent nature.

But you don’t have to combine meditation and mindfulness if you don’t want to. And in fact, there are a couple more misconceptions about mindfulness that we’d also like to clear up:

1. Being Mindful ≠ Being Super Chill All the Time

We won’t pretend that you’re not already at least a little disillusioned by life — we respect you, reader, more than that.

You already know that not every moment is going to be pretty and peaceful, leaving you pleased as punch. So the next time you see someone claim that expressing emotions, having unchill thoughts, or being generally not zen isn’t mindful — don’t buy it.

Mindfulness, as stated, involves an awareness of the reality of the present moment and everything that entails. Nose itches, big feelings, sensory input, and all. And actually, papering over discomfort is a hallmark of what we could call mindless experiences.

Like substance use or doom scrolling.

Understanding this aspect of mindfulness is important, and not just because self-compassion is a huge component of being mindful. It’s crucial that, during your journey toward mindfulness, you remember that every moment is an opportunity to begin again.

The discomfort of that previous moment might not be present in this current one if we are willing to let go and try again here and now. So what if you were unchill a second ago, that moment is gone.

There’s a new one right here.

2. Mindfulness is Simple, Not Easy

Are the people who say, “Just be mindful,” as if it’s no big deal…kind of right? Yes and no.

Mindfulness is simple because all it requires from us is an awareness of all that there is. Which is, of course, only this present moment.

But simple and easy aren’t synonymous in this realm. Mindfulness is quite hard, especially in the digital age, because there’s a constant stream of wayward stimuli and willful thoughts pulling us out and away from the present moment.

Thankfully, getting a grasp on the difference between simple and easy in the case of mindfulness makes self-compassion more accessible. You’re doing a brave and difficult thing, after all! And, to make it simpler if not easier, it’s not actually your job to remove the obstacles to mindfulness in life.

Your only job, as Dr. Dresdale would wisely intone, is to train yourself to notice when your attention has wandered. That’s why meditation as training, while not required for mindfulness, can make the practice easier — yes, easier — with, well, practice.

TL;DR — It’s Mind Over Matter

Want more of the expert knowledge shared in this blog, straight from the horses — or, doctors’ — mouths? Spend a little time mindfully learning more about mindfulness with the original podcast episode featuring Dr. Neal and Dr. Lawrence Dresdale.

Or you know, click around a bit. It might not be the most meditative activity, but there are worse ways to spend your time than reading about the gut-brain connection or how to manage stress for better sleep. And if all else fails to satiate your appetite for meditation-related talk, give us a call via our free Counterside Consults for direct, personal guidance on your mindfulness journey.

Valentine’s 2024 has come and gone, folks! While we hope your heart didn’t take too much of a beating, we’re willing to bet it’s feeling a little blue. 

After all, how can this regular old Wednesday live up to the holiday hullabaloo? Whether you spent it lavishing a lover or saving face in your mom’s basement, this year’s V-Day is finally where it belongs: in the rearview. 

But you know what’s still here, ticking away ever-faithful to its ungrateful flesh sack overlord? That’s right — it’s your heart. 

National Heart Month isn’t quite over yet, and neither is our tirade on cardiovascular health. 

We covered the wellness practices that will keep your ticker in tip-top shape for Free.99. We lamented over the cerebral support supplements that have the keys to our hearts. What more could we possibly have to say about maintaining heart health holistically? 

Well, friends and fellow wellness seekers, it’s time to talk plants. Scroll on to learn from integrative icon, Dr. Neal, about which heartthrob herbs have the science to back up their traditional use as heart medicines. 

In This Article: 

• Being smart about herbal medicines
• Red yeast rice as a natural statin
• Our favorite Ayurvedic herb for heart health
• An unlikely heart hero

Before Taking Herbs: Put Some Respect on Their Names

There are few things as controversial as herbal medicines in the wellness world. Growing wild and wily as the subjects themselves, herbal myths have taken over the interweb like an invasive species. 

Without getting too deep in the weeds of Cartesian Dualism and the other sociocultural factors that have contributed to misinformation and misunderstandings about plant medicines, let’s take a look at the two most common misconceptions:

1. Herbal medicines are pseudoscience quackery and they don’t do anything at all. 
2. All plants are safe, magical, and good for everyone. 

Many herbal medicines have a subtle or else cumulative effect on the body and this is part of why they have a reputation for being both ineffective and totally safe.

Think of the cozy cup of chamomile tea your mother made you on sleepless nights as a child. It may not have knocked you flat like an Ambien will, but with the right conditions supporting its use, chamomile can gently push you out of the waking world.

The anti-science rhetoric that comes up in the former argument is enough to make any plant lover’s bloodroot boil, so let’s clear up this common misconception first.

Are Herbal Medicines Useless Bunk?

We’ll keep this bit short.

While plants may have been used by more primitive human cultures, their role in modern society is anything but. Scores of cutting-edge scientific research now exist to validate many — not all, but many — of the centuries-old herbal practices used for healing from illness and disease. In fact, some of the most common current-day medicines are derived from plant compounds.

Codeine, morphine, and other opioids, for example, come from the illustrious poppy flower.

So the next time you want to seem old-fashioned and ill-informed at a dinner party, try equating the use of plant-derived extracts and active compounds with something like homeopathy or astrology. 

Are Herbal Medicines Magic Cure-Alls?

The other side of the coin, while perhaps less embarrassing around pro-science people, can be equally as damaging. Why? Well, there’s an old, cross-cultural saying in herbal traditions that goes something like: What can cure, can kill. 

On the more extreme end of the spectrum, plants like hemlock can, via their alkaloid constituents, cause breathing muscles to fail resulting in death in as little as 15 minutes.

It’s also a near-identical twin to the wellness industry’s previously popular viral plant darling: Osha root. 

Then there’s something as simple and seemingly harmless as chamomile, which can cause vomiting in excess and miscarriage in expecting parents. Ginseng, which often finds its way into energy drinks, can have adverse interactions with blood-thinning medication, as can other common herbal ingredients like ginger, green tea, aloe, and more. 

If that wasn’t enough to make you do your research before taking a new herbal supplement, here’s another doozy. The industry regulations surrounding sourcing and manufacturing herbal products are even looser than those of the pharmaceutical industry.

So those lovely yellow turmeric capsules you bought for reducing inflammation? They could be glowing thanks to lead contamination. 

To boil it all down (tea pun intended): 

• Many herbs are backed by valid scientific data. 
• Not all herbs are safe for all people. 
• You should ALWAYS do your research before trying a new plant. 

And if you really don’t want to f around and find out, talk to your doctor about potential interactions between your medications and herbal medicines first. 

4 Herbs for Heart Health

Now that that anything-but-brief disclaimer is out of the way, let’s get to the heart of the matter.

1. Red Yeast Rice — A Natural Statin for Heart Health

• AKA: Red rice koji, anka, red fermented rice
• Common Uses: To lower blood cholesterol levels

If you’re nearing the age where heart health suddenly seems like the most important thing in the world, then you’ve likely heard talk of statins. 

Statins are a group of lipid-lowering medications that can help support healthy cholesterol levels in those who are at risk of heart disease. They also come with a laundry list of potential side effects — like muscle, liver, and kidney damage — which often leads worried hearts in search of a natural alternative. 

The leading option for natural statins is, believe it or not, a kind of fermented rice with a signature fuchsia tint: Red yeast rice. 

The active compound in red yeast rice that makes it a potent cholesterol aid is called monacolin K, which is “structurally identical” to a commonly prescribed statin, Lovastatin. 

This miracle of fermentation can, like its prescribed counterparts, lower blood cholesterol levels as demonstrated in clinical settings. But does that mean it’s a safer option for the pharmaceutical-averse? 

Not quite. Red yeast rice might be a great option for you, but keep in mind that its potent nature means that it can have all the same side effects as a traditional statin.  

Before Taking: 

• Talk to your doctor about potential interactions with medications
• Find out if you have a personal or family history of liver, kidney, or muscle complications
• Choose a brand with verified quality markers to avoid additional contaminants 

2. Hawthorne — A Common Herb for Cardiovascular Wellness

• AKA: Mayblossom, Maythorn
• Common Uses: Heart disease, digestion, kidney health

Known for their alluring red berries, Hawthorn bushes with their woody thorns are one plant that can definitely pierce your heart. Or at least your fingertips, if you aren’t careful. 

Hawthorn has been used as an herbal heart remedy for centuries, as early as the first century actually, and modern clinical research is catching up to the cause. By identifying the key constituents of the hawthorn plant — bioflavonoids and proanthocyanidins — we now have a better idea of why hawthorn does, in fact, heal the heart. 

A recent scientific review of hawthorn extracts has unveiled its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well, which may be why the plant can lower serum lipids and offer cardioprotective benefits. As if that weren’t reason enough to run to the nearest hawthorn tree, there have also been promising results coming from trials using hawthorn for class II congestive heart failure. 

Keep in mind, though, that high doses of hawthorn may cause headaches, sleepiness, digestive symptoms, and more. Because, like we done already said, what can cure can kill — or give you a killer headache. 

Before Taking:

• Talk to your doctor about potential interactions with vasodilating and other heart-related medications
• Choose a brand with verified quality markers to avoid additional contaminants 

3. Amla — An Ayurvedic Herb for Heart Health

• AKA: Indian gooseberry
• Common Uses: Liver tonic, digestion, inflammation

Native to Southern Asia, amla is a fibrous, nutrient-dense berry that’s especially rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, making it a well-rounded ally for supporting overall wellness. 

As a staple in Ayurvedic practices, amla has a particular notoriety for healing the heart which is well-earned. In recent research, the plant has been shown to have a list of beneficial heart effects so long it’d make your eyes glaze over if we typed it all out. So here are just a few of those benefits, in bullet points, to make it easier for us all: 

• Antioxidant: Something that inhibits oxidation
• Vasodilatory: Something that opens or dilates blood vessels
• Antiatherogenic: Something that helps prevent artery plaque build-up
• Hypolipidemic: Something that decreases lipids in the blood
• Anticoagulant: Something that thins the blood, reducing coagulation
• Antihypertensive: Something that lowers blood pressure

Need we say more?

Just don’t forget that amla can be harmful for some liver conditions and iffy for people with diabetes.

Before Taking:

• Talk to your doctor about potential interactions with medications
• Find out if you have a personal or family history of liver complications or diabetes
• Choose a brand with verified quality markers to avoid additional contaminants 

4. Garlic — A Culinary Herb for Heart Health

Last but certainly not least is perhaps the most unlikely hero herb for heart health of all: the humble garlic plant.

When it’s not making your chili decadent and your breath fragrant, garlic is working overtime to protect your heart health in a number of ways. A recent epidemiological study, for example, has revealed a correlation between eating the pungent plant and having a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease progression.

The soothing effect of garlic on your heart is due in part to its ability to lower serum lipids (read: cholesterol) and blood pressure levels while also inhibiting platelet aggregation and increasing antioxidant activity.

Garlic, in all its unsung glory, doesn’t have a whole lot of adverse side effects to watch out for, but some people are allergic to it. It can also increase the risk of bleeding for those on anticoagulant medication, so even though it seems like a common spice, treat it and eat it with respect.

Before Taking:

• Talk to your doctor about potential interactions with medications
• Find out if you have a personal or family history of liver complications or diabetes
• Choose a brand with verified quality markers to avoid additional contaminants 

And if this last suggestion left you with eye-watering breath and nowhere to turn, give us a call. Our heart herb experts are always available via our always-free Counterside Consults, and we can’t smell you through the phone!

If ever there was a day for indulging in sweets so sugary they’d stop your heart, it’s today. Another Valentine’s celebration is upon us, friends!

Whether you’re cursing Cupid or cozied up with a companion, what we have for you here is just what the love doctor ordered. That is, a blog on why you should swap those chocolates for some fresh fruit if you want to support the health of your original, A1 day 1 valentine: your heart. 

But wait, don’t use those sticky fingers to scroll away! The heart-healthy wellness practices we’re sharing today aren’t really meant to persuade you into quitting sweets cold turkey. 

They’re meant to bolster your holistic health toolbox so we, as Americans, can stop dying of preventable heart diseases. We took this smorgasbord of wellness practices straight from Dr. Neal’s industry-insider collection to share with you, in the hopes that together, we’ll share many more Valentine’s Days in the future. 

So read on, fellow wellness seeker — they’re only a heartbeat away. 

In This Article: 

• Why lifestyle matters for heart health
• Wellness Pyramid for preventing heart disease
• How diet affects heart health
• The role of sleep, exercise, and stress management

Understanding Heart Disease: Can it be Prevented or Reversed? 

Okay, let’s bypass the rest of those cardiovascular clichés and get right to the heart of the matter. What causes heart complications, like heart attacks, and is there anything we can do to prevent or reverse coronary complications? 

If you ask the internet, you’ll get mixed answers. 

Some so-called professionals claim that simple dietary changes can reverse heart disease, while other conservative sources warn that statin prescriptions are the only viable options. The truth, as per usual, lies somewhere in the middle. 

Wellness practices, like tailoring your diet to include more nutritious foods, can indeed reduce the risk of disease and slow the progression of chronic conditions. But let’s be clear: You can’t just reverse heart disease with food. 

So, How Does Lifestyle Play into Heart Disease Prevention Then?

Data-backed wellness practices, when done consistently and concertedly, can reverse heart disease in some unique cases, but only when used together and with great effort. Translation: Don’t focus so much on your diet that you forget the impact that other wellness practices, like stress management, have on your blood pressure. 

It’s easier to understand the relationship between disease and lifestyle when we reverse the timeline. So let’s take Dr. Neal’s heart attack example from this in-depth podcast episode: 

• End result: Heart attack. But what caused the heart attack?
• Heart attack: Cause by a blood clot that lodged into a vessel that feeds the heart. But what caused the clot?
• Blood clot: Caused by a hardening of the arteries that creates an inflammatory response. But what caused the hardening of the arteries? 
• Harden arteries: Caused by elevated cholesterol and triglyceride fat content. But what causes the high levels of cholesterol and triglyceride deposits? 

The last answer is, of course, nutritionally bankrupt food. But because the lifestyle domains in which we have wellness practices work in tandem with one another, there’s still part of the picture missing. 

Learn More: Healing Hearts: Top 4 Herbs for Cardiovascular Wellness

Why Wellness Practices Matter for Heart Health

Things like moderate exercise, restorative sleep, and stress management can all drive down triglyceride content, which, as we now know, is one of the first dominos to fall on the path to heart attacks. 

So wellness practices in all 5 lifestyle domains are not only the first thing you should focus on for improving heart health and preventing heart disease — they’re the most important thing, too. Even more important than supplements, these foundational practices can determine whether or not you experience a preventable heart event like a premature stroke. 

The Wellness Pyramid for Heart Health

But we’re not here to rain on your V-Day parade!

Consistency is key when it comes to wellness practices, but don’t forget that sustainability is crucial for consistency.

So you don’t have to New-Year-New-You yourself into a perfect, heart-healthy lifestyle that doesn’t work for you in the long run. Slowly implementing small, strategic changes that enhance your life — not burden it — is a completely acceptable route.

In fact, let’s start at the most important facet of the lifestyle domains for heart health. If you can only make changes in one place right now, this is it:

Lifestyle Changes

When it comes to the stuff we put in our bodies, some of it is fun — like that glass of wine with dinner — and some of it is less fun, like leafy greens and omega-rich fish.

Preventing heart disease in our modern era, unfortunately, means having a lot less fun stuff. If you want to live a long, healthy life you’ll have to address any lifestyle factors that directly degrade your heart, like smoking, drinking, and doing drugs.

If you’re here for a fun time, not a long time, then by all means, grab a pack of Marlboros! Just know that your to-the-grave brand loyalty is literal — smoking is directly connected to heart attacks and strokes.

As well as uppers, downers, binge drinking, and everything in between.

Diet

And no, you can’t Paleo your way through a binge drinking problem and expect to prevent disease.

But there are foods that — after you address your lifestyle changes — can influence your heart health for the better. Integrate more of these nutrient-rich, antioxidant foods and fewer of the over-processed junk to bolster cardiovascular function through diet:

Eat more:

• Colorful Fruits & Veggies: Look for reds, greens, and blues in the produce aisle for foods with antioxidant content.
• Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and the like are all high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• Fish: Up your intake of fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines for an even more potent dose of omega-3s.
• Healthy Oils: Cook your meals in fats like organic virgin olive oil for reduced risk of heart disease and improved cholesterol.

Eat less:

• Sucrose-Heavy Sweets: Swap sodas, packaged pastries, and other blood-sugar-spiking treats for options with healthier sweeteners, like coconut sugar.
• UPF: Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods, which can be industrially formulated for sweet or savory cravings.
• Red Meats: Can be enjoyed in moderation, but are high in heart-hindering cholesterol and saturated fats.
• Trans Fats: A la synthetic butter or vegetable oils like canola, which Dr. Neal calls, “the cigarettes of foods.”

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

Exercise

Remember how we mentioned that exercise can improve triglyceride levels just a few beats ago? That’s not the only way that regular movement protects the heart!

Regular physical activity can also mitigate other disease risk factors like blood pressure and good cholesterol — lowering the former and raising the latter. Does this mean you have to go full gym rat in 2024, beating up barbells and taking selfies to make your exes eat their hearts out? No, thankfully, it doesn’t.

Per Dr. Neal’s expert opinion and the scores of medical research that informed it, we should aim for a baseline 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times a week. That could be in the form of weight-bearing exercise, walking, yoga, swimming — whatever works for you and your unique life.

Learn More: The Truth About Exercise: Ditch the Myths

Stress Management

The good news is: Cutting back on drinking, eating more nutritious food, and getting regular exercise can all help improve your stress levels and mental well-being.

Because when it comes to the heart, we’re not just talking about the physical heart — we’re talking about the emotional heart, too. Stress, despite being seen as “all in your head” can have a direct effect on your physical health. It not only contributes to an increased rate of cardiovascular events and high blood pressure but can also trigger a heart attack or angina in some people.

Incorporating a stress-reduction practice might not seem as hard-hitting as eating a pound of berries every day, but the nascent science says it makes a difference. Some recent studies have shown that (totally free!) stress management disciplines like meditation and mindfulness can help attenuate heart disease risk factors, though more research is needed.

Sleep

But really, is there any better stress reducer than a good night’s sleep? We think not.

As the baseline treatment for a number of chronic conditions, mental and physical, sleep is a foundational lifestyle factor for a reason. High-quality sleep impacts the entirety of our bodies — from cognition and emotional regulation to digestion and, yes, of course, heart health.

While the occasional night of tossing and turning is normal and not necessarily damaging, a chronic lack of adequate sleep can lead to all sorts of consequences you’ll lose sleep over. Like an amplified risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Our favorite tricks for improving sleep quality are centered on the three C’s: a calm mind, a calm body, and a comfortable environment.

But Let’s Have a Heart to Heart

Wait. Why do we, after giving you the full low down on living a heart-healthy lifestyle, still want to have a heartfelt conversation about cardiovascular wellness with you?

Well, because every heart is unique! Just like the snowflakes many of us have been blessed with on this arctic tundra of a Valentine’s Day. So if you’re lonely on this journey towards optimal heart health and overall well-being, hold the phone!

Our holistic wellness experts have hearts of gold and heavily researched answers for any of your heart-related inquiries, all just a call away via Counterside Consult.

Living with a chronic illness can be a real pain in the neck — literally and metaphorically. 

Especially when the hallmarks of your long-term condition are literal, physical (and emotional!) pain, as is the case with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 

So while we’d normally put a silly meme here, 2026’s Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day is no laughing matter. And plus, there aren’t any funny gifs related to joint pain out there. Trust us, we checked. 

Instead, let’s cut to the chase. 

We asked Dr. Neal, holistic pharmacist and fierce advocate of science-based self-care, for his top wellness practices for RA. Because life with rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult, but with the right practices in your holistic wellness toolbox, a happier, less painful experience is possible. 

In This Article:

• Understanding rheumatoid arthritis
• Wellness practices for thriving with RA
• When to seek medical care for RA

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Most people are familiar with the term arthritis. We generally categorize this condition as an inevitable part of aging, placing it alongside liver spots and hearing loss. 

It’s no wonder, then, that retirees from either side of the political spectrum are increasingly supportive of federal marijuana legalization. (A joint effort for joint support, if you will.) 

But when you add the word “rheumatoid” in front of arthritis, it paints a different picture. 

In this context, the word rheumatoid clarifies that this kind of arthritis is marked by inflammation. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects the joints and, in some cases, the organs. The most common signs of RA are similar to those of traditional arthritis — like joint pain and stiffness — but the symptoms are caused by different things. 

In arthritis, the cartilage that protects the bones in our joints is worn down by normal, mechanical wear and tear. In RA, the tissue lining of our joints is actually attacked by the body’s immune system — which makes it an autoimmune disease. 

Especially because, over time, the inflammatory nature of this autoimmune disease can lead to erosion and deformity of the bones and joints. Plus, in their day-to-day experiences, people with RA often experience swelling, aching, tenderness, and as a result, fatigue. 

A quick Google search will tell you that there aren’t any “cures” for RA either, as it is considered a chronic disorder. But if you’re sick to the bone of being in pain — and willing to dig a little deeper than the surface-level consensus — there are ways to mitigate the driving forces of painful symptoms.

Which are, as you now know, autoimmunity and inflammation.

The Wellness Pyramid: A Framework for Holistic Rheumatoid Arthritis

If we’re looking to drive down inflammation and support a healthy, balanced immune system then we have to start with the building blocks of wellness.  

And yes, we have to focus on these mundane areas of life before we reach for a trending cure-all that claims to totally eradicate inflammation. Because, as we always say, you can’t out-supplement an unsupportive lifestyle no matter how much you spend.

So we begin by working with what we can control. AKA, the lifestyle domains that make the foundation of our health: diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and environmental or external changes. 

Diet

Food has the power to help or hinder our healing. So does this mean you have to adopt a particular diet or cut out all your favorite foods if you’ve been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis? Not necessarily. 

Recent studies have linked diets high in processed foods to increased inflammation and disease risk. And the inverse is true as well — diets rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean protein sources are associated with lower inflammation scores. 

But we recommend doing what every health-focused person should strive to do, which is eat more nutritious food and less processed food. Having an inflammation-based autoimmune disease just means that this goal may have a more profound impact on your quality of life than the average Joe. 

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

Exercise

Fueling your days with nutrient-dense foods is a great way to give your body a fighting chance against inflammation and autoimmunity. The next step? Use that newfound energy to get moving.

Which we don’t say lightly, because we know working with the day-to-day pain of rheumatoid arthritis is no small feat. But the science is (pretty much) unequivocal: exercise can help improve RA symptoms. In fact, a recent study has gained some street cred for showing that just 12 weeks of regular movement can noticeably reduce the disease activity of RA.

Before you hit the gym or push yourself past comfortable limits, though, remember that exercise doesn’t have to be barbells and cardio power hours. Gentle stretching, ambling walks, swimming, and doing fascial maneuvers are all perfectly acceptable ways to start your movement journey and experience the benefits of exercise for RA.

Learn More: The Truth About Exercise: Ditch the Myths

Sleep

For people with RA, reductions in sleep quality can not only increase disease activity and duration but, according to this Swedish study, also lower quality of life and worsen pain.

The good news is that all these positive changes you make in the diet and exercise arenas can, in turn, have a positive impact on your sleep quality, too.

Because these simple facets of life affect us and each other in big ways, and nothing in the body happens inside a vacuum. So, to further support your holistic — or whole-body, whole-being — approach to RA self-care put some snoozing time on your schedule. And deepen your sleeping experience by taking electronic devices out of your bedroom and dozing with light-blocking sleep masks.

Learn More: 5 Things to Do (Not Take) for Better Sleep

Lifestyle (or Environmental) Changes

If donning an eye mask and taking the TV out of your room doesn’t scratch the self-care itch, don’t worry. While we can’t control everything in our external environments, we can make choices that reduce the burden our bodies have to carry.

That could look like lowering the number of endocrine disruptors you bring in your home — in the form of cleaning and hygiene products — or tackling in-home allergens with hypoallergenic furniture and mattress covers. Or it could even be as simple as getting enough water!

But if you want to bring in the big guns for combatting external inflammatory agents, then it’s time to take a look at your wind-down habits.

Smoking, drinking, and taking drugs are all things that can increase inflammation and exacerbate symptoms of inflammation-based diseases. So, without belittling the difficulties of overcoming addiction, might we gently suggest working with a licensed professional to forge new ways of relaxing?

Your health, and your chances of putting your rheumatoid arthritis in remission, depend on it.

Stress Management

Speaking of stress! This silent but deadly human condition makes basically every part of life more difficult and unpleasant — inflammation and autoimmunity included. 

Left unchecked, chronic stress can have a tangible impact on both physiological and emotional health. For people with RA, however, the risk that stress poses is even more severe. Intense stress can send the immune system into overdrive, ramping up autoimmunity symptoms and even playing a role in disease onset.

When it messes with the immune system as it does, stress can also increase inflammation, paving the way for a stressful cycle of disregulation that impedes healing. This is why having a consistent stress management practice is crucial for folks with RA.

That relaxing, restorative practice can come in many different forms. Whether you chose home-based options like meditation or work with a mental health care professional, stress management should be a top priority.

When to Seek Medical Care for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis requires a medical professional for diagnosis, so chances are, you’re already chatting with your doctor.

But your rheumatologist doesn’t have to be the only soldier in your line of defense. Many patients with RA have self-reported success with additional care from chiropractors, acupuncturists, and other body-based professionals. When paired with the data-backed medications from your doctor, these holistic options can provide the additional oomph you need to truly thrive with RA.

And don’t forget your supplement strategists, too!

Only a phone call away, our team of nutrient nerds can provide direct, personalized advice for optimizing your supplements to reduce inflammation and balance immunity. After all, rheumatoid arthritis can affect your entire life, so you deserve an approach that integrates your whole experience into the healing process.

Is it just us, or is 2024 already flying by? New Year’s passed in a blink, and now looming on the horizon is Hallmark’s most profitable holiday of the year… Valentine’s Day. 

So there seems to be no better moment to discuss the health of another enigmatic ideal that ticks away relentlessly, just like time. That is, of course, your heart! 

February marks the beginning of both American Heart Month and the stressful, two-week period before V-Day that has every coupled-up person in a gift-buying tizzy. While we don’t want to add too much to your shopping list, we have our hearts set on sharing the best supplements for your ticker according to recent research. 

Because that fist-sized organ beating in your chest is pretty important! But there’s a lot of misinformation and marketing buzz surrounding holistic heart health. 

Let’s get to the heart of the matter, then! Scroll on to meet the three supplements that are nearest and dearest to Dr. Neal’s heart for their data-backed cardiovascular benefits. 

In This Article: 

• Omega-3 for heart health
• CoQ10 for antioxidant protection
• Our favorite option: Homocysteine Support

1. Omega-3 Supplements for Heart Health

• Form: Fish oil high in EPA + DHA
• Dose: 1,000–3,000mg per day
• Specifications: Find ethically sourced supplements tested for heavy metals

First on this heart-healthy supplements list is the all-around vitality booster known as omega-3, which should come as no surprise to regular readers. Omega-3 is at the top of Dr. Neal’s Vital5 and a frequently featured self-care supplement because it’s supported by clinical research and affects multiple body systems. 

That, and the fact most of us aren’t getting enough omega-3s from our diets. 

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplements: Are They Worth the Hype?

The crowning trio of omega-3 fatty acids — ALA, EPA, and DHA — have been linked to a number of cardiovascular benefits, with most of the positive results coming from high doses of the latter two. 

Often recommended to treat hypertension, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to bolster heart health by lowering triglyceride fat content and blood pressure. Proper omega-3 intake can even reduce the risk of sudden death in people with coronary heart disease!

But what does proper omega-3 intake look like? 

If you ask The American Heart Association, regular folks should be getting at least two hearty servings of fish per week, while those with known coronary heart disease should aim for at least one per day. This is great news for fish aficionados! Not so great for those of us who either can’t stomach or can’t afford that much seafood in a week. 

Should you still try to up your weekly intake of fresh-cooked fishy meals? Definitely! Our best chance at absorption comes from whole foods, but there’s a catch. 

Finding the Best Omega-3 Supplements for Heart Health

Farmed and fresh-caught fish both pose a risk. They, like us, are swimming with the gross stuff we’ve dumped in the Earth’s waters. Think: Heavy metals, microplastics, and other toxins.

So if you’re not up for a twice-weekly can of sardines or want to avoid absorbing damaging toxins, boost your daily omega-3 intake with an ethically sourced, rigorously tested fish oil supplement. 

Look for omega-3 supplements that have high doses of EPA and DHA — close to 1,000mg per capsule — and low TOTOX scores to hit Dr. Neal’s science-based daily target of 3,000mg without wasting your health or money. 

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplement Buying Guide: 3 Things to Look For

2. CoQ10 for Antioxidant Protection

• Form: Ubiquinone or ubiquinol
• Dose: 30-300 mg per day
• Specifications: Take with fat-containing meal for best absorption

A lesser-known hero for heart health, Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 to its friends, has started gaining popularity in the holistic wellness scene. 

CoQ10 is an endogenous antioxidant. AKA, a compound produced by and for the body that exists in each and every one of our cells. It plays an important part in the conversion of food to energy, though the largest concentration of these enzymes is in the heart. 

Our heart health naturally declines as we age — isn’t that a fun part of being human? — and part of that degradation process involves a reduction in CoQ10 levels. This fall could be inconsequential, science is still unsure, but what we do know through clinical research is that lowered CoQ10 levels are associated with a higher risk for heart failure. 

(As well as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, fibromyalgia, mitochondrial diseases, and more. Yikes!) 

But if we’re going to age, at least we’re aging during a time of advanced medical science! That’s how we know that oxidative stress, which is combatted by CoQ10’s antioxidant function, is a driving force of more than one cardiovascular disease. 

And that prolonged supplementation of CoQ10 not only reduces oxidative damage, but also decreases vascular hypertension, increases nitric oxide levels for vasodilation, and lowers mortality from cardiovascular causes. 

Plus, clinical trials have shown that CoQ10 supplements are, like Valentine’s Day chocolates, “safe and well-tolerated,” when taken appropriately and in the right form. 

Finding the Best CoQ10 Supplements for Heart Health

In the body, CoQ10 is continually converted and re-converted from an oxidized version of the compound to a reduced one. Both are considered active (or activated) forms of CoQ10, and the best supplements will offer one or the other for maximum bioavailability.

The two unpronounceable words to look out for are ubiquinol, the reduced version of CoQ10, and ubiquinone, the oxidized option.

3. B Vitamins for Homocysteine Balance

• Form: Homocysteine Support
• Dose: 1 capsule per day
• Specifications: Safe for those with methylation difficulties

B vitamins are touted for their brain, energy, and sleep benefits, but did you know they can give your achy-breaky heart a little TLC, too? 

Certain B vitamins — like folate, B12, and B6 — can break down an amino acid called homocysteine. Homocysteine occurs naturally in the body, but too much of the compound can lead to blood vessel and artery damage. High levels of homocysteine have been associated with hypertension, stroke, and coronary heart disease, too — which aren’t things you’d want to flirt with. 

Hence why Dr. Neal formulated the proprietary, homocysteine-balancing supplement we’re giving heart-eyes right now: Homocysteine Support!

Studies show that reducing overall homocysteine levels by just 25% can help lower your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Each acid-resistant capsule in our Homocysteine Support formula contains a potent dose of the B vitamins associated with breaking down homocysteine and maintaining homeostasis for the heart. Like folate, in its most active and easily absorbed form, f-MTHF. 

When supported by vitamin B6 and B12, as it is in Homocysteine Support, folate has the power to not only reduce homocysteine levels and in turn ease the burden on our hearts, but also reduce the overall risk for stroke. Low levels of plasma B6 have also been shown to have a negative effect on cardiovascular outcomes, as is the case with B12 as well. 

And that’s not even mentioning the blood pressure benefits of riboflavin, another B vitamin featured in Homocysteine Support.

Finding the Best Homocysteine Supplements for Heart Health

Don’t get us wrong — you don’t have to take our homocysteine-focused b vitamin supplement for heart health. It’s just that, finding a B vitamin blend with only the activated and/or methylated forms of the micronutrients you need at a reasonable price is… Well, it’s no romantic walk in the park.

But you can always use our Homocysteine Support supplement as a reference point in your holistic heart health hunting! For driving down homocysteine in particular, look for the B vitamin supplements that contain these forms of these vitamins:

• Vitamin B2: As riboflavin 5′-phosphate, a more readily available form of B2
• Vitamin B6: As pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, the most biologically active version of B6
• Vitamin B9: As Quatrefolic, a patented form of bioavailable folate
• Vitamin B12: As methylcobalamin, the activated form used to treat nutritional diseases

But If Your Heart’s Not In It, Give Us a Call

Sorting through the cacophony of pseudo-science and sales tactics that surround supplements can take some time, but don’t lose heart! Now that you’re equipped with a veritable bouquet of heart health supplements to choose from, you can work towards improved cardiovascular function whenever your heart desires.

And it doesn’t have to be a Lonely Hearts Club, either. Our heart health experts are waiting by the phone — just like your soon-to-be Valentine, we hope! — ready to answer your supplement-related queries via Counterside Consult.

Have you heard the news? There’s a certain supplement in the spotlight right now, thanks to recently released research straight from the COSMOS. 

Okay, so, it wasn’t beamed down to us from the heavens. COSMOS, which stands for COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study, is a large-scale clinical trial exploring the potential benefits of both cocoa extracts and multivitamins on memory and cognition. 

The data of a smaller study within the COSMOS framework has yielded surprising results regarding the effects of multivitamins on brain health. But of course, we weren’t too surprised to learn that multis can slow brain aging and improve cognitive function.

Dr. Neal has been ranting and raving about multivitamins for years now, after all.

What was surprising was the influx of articles about this study from NBC, The New York Times, and everyone in between. Turns out, we Americans are pretty concerned with maintaining optimal brain health well into our twilight years!

But before you rush to grab that Women’s One-A-Day off the nearest natural foods store shelf, there are a few things you should know about the results of this study and what it means to take multivitamins properly. For that info and more, scroll on, fellow wellness seeker. 

In This Article: 

• The COSMOS study and how multivitamins can affect brain health
• Why multivitamins are vital
• Three things to know about buying multivitamins

How Can Multivitamins Help Brain Health? 

Here’s the short answer: Multivitamins can bolster brain health by filling dietary gaps and ensuring optimal micronutrient levels. 

By doing so, multivitamins can help prevent deficiencies that can, if left unchecked, develop into diseases. Because, well, we can’t really consider ourselves healthy people if we’re suffering from one or more micronutrient deficiencies that will eventually bloom into a full-blown disease. 

They may be small, but their influence on health is huge — astronomical, even. 

This COSMOS trial reaffirms a long-held understanding of micronutrients and what exactly they do in the body. In it, 573 participants aged 60 and up were split into two groups.

One took a multivitamin daily for two years, and the others took a placebo. As it turns out, the unlucky schmucks in the latter group missed out on the significant improvements in memory and cognitive function that the people taking multivitamins experienced. 

So, by addressing deficiencies caused by a lack of proper micronutrient intake via diet, multivitamins were able to not only support but actually improve brain health in these random boomers. 

That’s (Part of) Why Multivitamins Are Vital

This study by COSMOS is important for many reasons. For example, it’s comforting to be reminded that multivitamins can help us fight back against some of the more terrifying aspects of aging — like memory loss and cognitive decline. 

On the other hand, though, it’s also kind of… not that important. Studies have shown, for decades now, that multivitamins are crucial for overall health in the modern age. This new study, while interesting, isn’t groundbreaking, it’s redundant. 

To be fair, the internet is so rife with misinformation about food, supplements, and wellness that most people don’t know what it actually means to be healthy these days. Hence the shell-shocked response to the idea that getting the micronutrients your body needs has a positive effect on your health. 

But before we segue into an industry rant, let’s take a deeper look at what it is that makes multivitamins vital and more specifically, part of the First5. Because, in case you need reminding, they were a member of Dr. Neal’s quintessential supplement quintet long before this COSMOS study hoopla. 

To make the First5 list — which may one day be a First6, 7, or 10 list — a supplement has to hit all 3 of the following marks.

First5 Criteria:

• It must be backed by mounds of clinical data and research
• It must be critical for more than one body system 
• It must be something the average person is severely lacking

That last one is the kicker. Most of us, for one reason or another, aren’t getting enough micronutrients from the food we eat. Whether it’s due to a lack of access to nutritious food and food education or leaky gut and digestive issues that prevent absorption, we are all on the struggle bus. 

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

Getting a Multivitamin That Actually Works

You know what, though? Forget our haterade about the COSMOS study commotion. If it amplifies the message Dr. Neal has been sharing for years, then it benefits us all. 

That message is, of course, that everyone needs a multivitamin. If that’s the case — that everyone and their mothers need a multivitamin — it makes sense that there are 75,000+ different multivitamin products out there. Right? 

Wrong. 

There are only about 2,000 helpful ingredients that those 75,000 different products could be using, max. Which leads to a lot of overlap. And it means that most of the differentiating factors you see in these different products are marketing speak, not quality markers. 

We should, as modern humans, be able to pick up any multivitamin from the shelf and rest assured that it’s helping us reach our targets for micronutrients. We should, but we can’t. 

Instead, if we want to take multivitamins for brain health without wasting time or money, we have to transform from an average consumer to a savvy shopper. We can do so by getting educated about the three things that make a multivitamin worth the price tag: Form, Dose, and Strategy. 

1. Multivitamin Forms: Why They’re Crucial for Brain Health Optimization

Over the last 20+ years, our holistic-pharmacist-turned-Woodstock-Vitamins-founder, Dr. Neal, has compared and contrasted thousands of multivitamins, scouring the digital aisles for top-rated and underground favorites to scrutinize their supplement facts panels.

And honestly, he has NOT been impressed. 

Most multivitamins use ineffective, cheap, isolated forms of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in their formulas. In an effort to seem comprehensive, they jam-pack ingredient lists with sprinklings of micronutrients in forms that are, at best, completely ignored by your body. 

So don’t fall for fancy branding and highfalutin marketing speak like “whole food” when you’re shopping for a multivitamin. Instead, do your research. 

Look at the specific forms of vitamins and minerals included in a particular multivitamin supplement and get out your reading glasses if you have to. It’s imperative to make sure that every single active ingredient included is one that, according to actual science, can be absorbed and utilized by your body. 

2. Multivitamin Doses for Brain Health — How to Avoid Wasting Money

But there’s more trickery afoot than just the cheap ingredients — remember that sneaky ingredient sprinkling we mentioned? 

Multivitamin manufacturers will often pull this sleight of hand when marketing their products to you. They put what Dr. Neal calls fairy dust doses of vitamins and minerals in their products to swindle folks into thinking they’re getting what their brains and bodies need. 

The reality is that taking these infinitesimally small doses of micronutrients does nothing to improve your health. In fact, when you factor in the stress caused by wasting money on these kinds of multivitamin supplements, they might actually do more harm than good. 

So while you can microdose your mushrooms all you want (if you’re in Colorado), you shouldn’t microdose your multivitamins. 

It was this unethical aspect of multivitamin marketing that was the straw that broke Dr. Neal’s science-loving back, pushing him to create his own formulation. (But don’t fact-check us on that.)

Thus, Coenzyme Multi, a multivitamin that contains not only the proper, biologically active forms of micronutrients but also the correct, data-backed doses of each god-loving ingredient, was created.

And that you can fact-check us on.

3. Strategy: What to Do Before Taking a Multivitamin for Brain Health

More bad news: There’s no single multivitamin that can save your life. Not even the best of the best multivitamins around — cough, cough, Coenzyme Multi. 

That’s because, as much as we wish the opposite, multivitamins aren’t one-a-day space food that can keep our bodies in optimal health for productivity 100% of the time. The marketing might imply this, but it simply isn’t true. 

What is true is that multivitamins can help improve our health — especially brain health, as we now know — when they’re building on a strong foundation of wellness. Translation: you can’t take a multivitamin while maintaining your all-cheeto diet and expect to be in good health. That’s not how it works.

So before you snatch up your own bottle of Coenzyme Multi — take a keen look at the mundane areas of your hopefully healthy life. What, in the domains of diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes, can you improve first?

Focus on bolstering your brain through movement, rest, nutrition, and environmental changes before you buy a supplement. Your brain and your wallet will thank you.

Learn More: The Wellness Pyramid: Your Roadmap to Holistic Health

It’s a No-Brainer, Right?

Are you racking your brain for a lifestyle-based wellness practice that will save you cash and benefit your noggin? Do you have half a mind to start taking a multivitamin for your brain health, but want to learn more about bioactive micronutrient forms?

Well, then, give us a call! As always, our certified-egghead, holistic brain health experts are available to talk about your particular cerebral curiosities via Counterside Consult — yes, for free.

If you haven’t caught wind of the magnesium hype yet, then you must be living under a rock. And a particularly mineral-deficient rock, at that! 

Magnesium supplements, powders, lotions, and potions have risen in popularity in recent years. Slathered-up proponents of the nutrient claim muscle relaxation, decreased anxiety, improved sleep, and more as inevitable side effects of magnesium supplementation. 

But, because you know we have to ask, where does the science stand? Have we been taking this humble mineral for granite? 

To get crystal clear on magnesium, we turned to Dr. Neal. He might not be a geologist, but the down-to-earth Woodstock Vitamins founder and holistic health expert still rocked our world with his data-backed deep dive into the mineral. 

So keep coal and carry on scrolling to learn everything you need to know about magnesium. 

In This Article

• What is magnesium and why should we care
• Improving magnesium levels through diet
• What can magnesium supplements actually help with
• Which form of magnesium is best to supplement

What is Magnesium? 

Despite its minute presence, magnesium wields significant influence over your physical and emotional well-being. Epitomizing the phrase “dynamite comes in small packages,” the micronutrient operates as a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. 

As an essential mineral, the presence of magnesium is required for a number of critical processes — involving everything from DNA synthesis and energy production to nerve function and muscle health. Not to mention blood glucose and blood pressure management, both of which magnesium levels will impact. 

Its sway over your health extends even to the skeletal system, contributing to the structural development of bones and bone density maintenance. So while you only need it in small amounts, magnesium is responsible for some really big things. 

But didn’t we say it impacts your emotional well-being, too? 

We sure did.

Magnesium deficiency pops up in people with depression and anxiety at an alarming rate, but thankfully, the relationship between the mineral and mental health symptoms is a two-way street. 

While chronic stress can drive down total mag levels, recent clinical trials have shown that supplementing the mineral can have promising effects on — if not rapid recovery from — a range of mental health experiences, depression and anxiety being the most notable. 

Even treatment-resistant depression, which affects 60% of people with clinical depression, is meeting its match in magnesium supplementation.

Can I Improve Magnesium Levels Through Diet?

So, without enough mag from our diet, we’re not only risking exacerbated symptoms of depression and anxiety but also other uncomfy things like muscle cramps and fatigue in the short term. The long-term damage of magnesium deficiency is no walk in the park either, as it can increase our risk of diabetes and heart disease with severe deficiencies leading to seizures.

But wait, here’s the kicker: According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), about 50% of adults in the US don’t get the recommended daily amount of magnesium from dietary sources.

Our starting point, then, is magnesium-rich foods. Before you dive headfirst into the magnesium supplement section below, try eating more of these nutrient-dense foods with relatively high mag levels.

Food Sources of Magnesium

• Leafy green vegetables
  • Spinach = 157 mg, cooked
  • Kale = 47 mg per cup, cooked
• Nuts and seeds
  • Almonds = 80 mg per ounce 
  • Cashews = 74 mg per ounce
  • Pumpkin = 168 mg per ounce
• Beans and legumes
  • Black beans = 120 mg, cooked 
  • Kidney beans = 70 mg, cooked
• Fish
  • Halibut = 90 mg per 3 ounces
  • Salmon = 26 mg per 3 ounces

This list might seem incomplete compared to what you’ll find on Google, but we left off two common answers for two simple reasons. 

First, is fortified grains.

Often touted as an excellent source of mag and other artificially added nutrients, fortified grains lack the critical micronutrients that are found alongside these nutrients in natural sources.

Thanks to the heavy processing of fortified grains, only 16% of the natural magnesium found in whole wheat remains in the flour, and the magnesium added to bolster the nutrient density is typically isolated and synthetic. 

The other food group missing from this list is dairy products, which do contain high levels of magnesium naturally. Unfortunately, they also contain a lot of calcium, which can block magnesium absorption. 

Translation? Your best bets for increasing magnesium levels through diet while boosting your overall health are leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and the other healthy foods in the list above. 

What Can Magnesium Supplements Actually Help With? 

Even with that handy list, though, we can still fall short of our recommended magnesium levels. 

Whether it’s due to fluctuating eating habits, increasingly less nutritious foods, or even leaky gut, there are plenty of distinctly human shortcomings that make magnesium supplementation crucial. So while you should still up your intake of spinach and legumes, you don’t have to eat your greens with fingers crossed. 

Magnesium supplements litter the aisles of just about every health foods store in the country — they’re accessible, typically affordable, and can be really helpful for deficiency-related symptoms if taken appropriately. 

What are those symptoms, you may ask? The most notable ones include: 

• Chronic fatigue or low energy levels: Magnesium plays a role in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the main source of energy for the body’s cells.

• Muscle cramps or spasms: Magnesium helps regulate muscle contractions, so if you experience frequent cramps or spasms, it could be a sign that you are not getting enough of this mineral.

• Headaches: Magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters that play a role in the development of certain types of headaches.

• Depression or anxiety: Magnesium has been shown to have an antidepressant effect, and low levels of this mineral have been linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety.

• Poor appetite: Magnesium is involved in the absorption of nutrients, so if you have a poor appetite or difficulty absorbing nutrients, it could be related to magnesium deficiency.

• Inflammation: Magnesium has anti-inflammatory properties, and low levels of this mineral have been linked to an increased risk of chronic inflammation and related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

• Insomnia: Magnesium helps regulate sleep patterns, so if you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, it could be a sign that you are not getting enough of this mineral.

Which Magnesium Supplement Should I Take? 

If you’re sleepy, sleepless, or suffering from spasms, magnesium might just be the key to alleviating your symptoms naturally while also addressing root causes. 

But it all depends on what kind of magnesium you take because not all forms of the mineral stack up against all issues. The most common forms of magnesium you’ll find include magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), magnesium citrate (another salt), and magnesium glycinate (a chelated version of the mineral). 

Most wellness experts will recommend chelated forms of magnesium if they know their stuff because chelates have better solubility than salt forms. This means chelated magnesium can more easily penetrate cell membranes where it interacts with proteins, enzymes, hormones, and cells to aid in their functioning.

In general, salt forms like magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate have very poor absorption.  Like, VERY poor. About 5% of magnesium from mg oxide can get into the blood, and 95% of it stays in the gut.

Dr. Neal Smoller

Every once in a while, though, you might want a form of magnesium that sits around in your gut. You could be constipated, in which case a salt form like mag oxide works just fine for getting the bowels moving. 

Most of us, however, want to experience the relaxing and restorative benefits of magnesium, so we want as much of the mineral hitting our bloodstreams as possible. So we turn to chelates, like magnesium glycinate, taurate, malate, or — if we want the absolute best — bisglycinate. 

Magnesium bisglycinate is a chelated mag that is bound to not just one, but two glycinate amino acid molecules. With two bonded amino acids, this particular form of magnesium attracts way less water and absorbs way more efficiently. 

Learn More: Understanding The Different Types of Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium the Mineral Marvel

Did you have a sneaking suspicion, at the beginning of this blog, that we were the slathered-up proponents of all things magnesium? Well then, let it be confirmed: We’re maniacs about maintaining healthy mag levels.

So whether you’re new to the magnesium bandwagon or are a long-time rider of the mineral train, give us a call! Our supplement experts and magnesium masters are always available (via our free Counterside Consults) to talk about the intricacies of your mag journey. From supplement forms and deficiency symptoms to medication interactions — we can explore it all, together.

It’s always new you this and new you that! These days, it seems like no one wants to admit that, for many, all January 3rd means is it’s the third day of the NYE hangover. 

While we hope you’re not one of the unfortunate ones still nursing the aches and battling the fatigue of a missed night of sleep — if you are, you’re not alone. 

For all the many benefits of deep sleep, there seem to be just as many benefits of throwing an entire night away. It’s fun, for example. 

But things don’t even have to be fun to convince us modern Americans to shirk our sleeping duties. In fact, people in the U.S. are continuously getting less and less sleep — hence the wide variety of knock-out snooze supplements and miracle sleep pills on the market. 

Truth is, we kind of suck at sleeping. And not just this time of year, either. Believe it or not, the perseverations on productivity, light pollution, constant noise, and endless stress we know to be hallmarks of the Industrial Age don’t lend themselves well to a restful night. 

So keep your eyes open, if you can, while you scroll through this blog. Chances are, you need these 5 wellness practices from Dr. Neal to recover from New Year’s and restore natural sleeping patterns. 

In This Article: 

• Resetting your circadian rhythm naturally
• The importance of reducing light exposure
• Creating a sleep-conducive environment
• Daytime habits to boost nightly sleep quality

1. Take a Hike

Put down your Merrells! That’s just an illustrative and (kinda) funny title for this first tip.

While exercise can help improve your quality of sleep (more on that below), what we really mean is get out of town. Hit the road. Pack up your sh*t and go camping. 

Seriously. One of the fastest and simplest ways to completely reset your circadian rhythm is to get out of the house and camp in nature for a few nights. Picture it: The morning sunlight hitting your skin when you unzip your tent, just as the sunset did when you tucked in for the night. This concentrated, consecutive exposure to the daily sun cycle works as a reset button for your body. 

Why? Well, when you’re out in nature following the predetermined rhythms of waking and sleeping, your brain gets a chance to actually figure out what time is bedtime. Instead of being tricked into living a perpetual noon by the blue, glowing light of the many screens in your face. 

Because it’s not really that we contemporary humans suck at sleeping. It’s that we built a world that is entirely antithetical to getting a good night’s sleep. 

And since we can’t eradicate global tensions or reduce noise/light pollution overnight, the next best bet is to escape, even if only for a few days. 

2. Ditch the Gadgets

But if you can’t get out of town, you can at least transform your home into a lush sanctuary for Luddites! 

It shouldn’t be a surprise that our next tip is to remove the technology from your bedroom, what with our previous rant on the digital age of flashing lights and traffic sounds and all. If you’re shuddering at the thought, though, we don’t blame you. 

Screentime — and all the glorious dopamine-spiking information it offers us on a never-ending tap — is super addictive. And like most things that hook our feeble human brains, it can be really detrimental to the habits we need to maintain for genuine well-being, like regular sleep. 

Mistimed exposure to blue lights from screens has not only been linked to increased anxiety (which can definitely keep you up at night) but also lowered sleep quality due to suppressed melatonin production.

So go and take the TV — and cell phone, laptop, tablet, smart watches, etc. — out of your bedroom. Right now. Or, if you must, enlist a good friend to come and pry them from your sweaty palms every evening.

This includes all the gadgets and gizmos that you bought under the pretense of purchasing a quick fix for sleep issues. Because, while tracking your sleep behavior throughout the night is interesting, these devices are nothing more than highly profitable band-aids to slap on the crater-sized wound left by our societal structure that prevents deep sleep.

3. Sayonara Synthetic Stars

And when we say take the devices out of your room, we don’t mean put your phone on silent and leave it face down on the dresser.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t count. The human brain is so susceptible to the EMF radiation emitted from cell phones that it registers the waves even without the typical visual or auditory cues of an incoming text. So yes, even those “quietly delivered” late-night messages from your sleepless friends are being picked up by your brain.

But let’s go back to light because its influence on sleep quality is pretty nuts.

Preindustrial humans lived without synthetic lights for millennia, save for a few gentle fires and soft candlelight at the end there. As our bodies evolved, they adapted to the light of nature — a la the sun and moon — quite keenly because it was integral to our survival in primitive times.

Subsequently, even the smallest pinpricks of light in your bedroom can have negative effects on your sleep and overall wellness. This is especially important for menstruating people to understand, as menstruation cycles are somewhat linked to lunar phases. Or at least we think they were before we messed everything up with false stars.

While your modern eyes see the battery of light of your smoke detector, your primal brain sees a small, green moon in the distance. As a result, nightlights wreak havoc on hormone levels (for men and women), causing a cascade of symptoms related to endocrine imbalance. Women who work the night shift, for example, have a higher risk for breast and ovarian carcinoma.

4. Clean Up Your Act

So your bedroom should be like a gen z’s outlook on the future: dark. But not only that, it should be clean, too. And pretty cold.

Clinical research (and experiential evidence — ask your mom) has shown that a disorganized, uncomfortable space creates stress in the brain that can impede deep sleep. Pair your messy room with a cold-blooded housemate who keeps the thermostat at a balmy 80 degrees year-round, and you’ve got a recipe for a really crappy night’s sleep.

The optimal space for sleeping is one that feels clean, cozy, and cool — think about 60-70 degrees.

And if you want to throw a one-two punch at your insomnia, adopt a consistent bedtime routine that establishes your clean, cozy, and cool space. That might look like a short, calming yoga flow after cleaning up your piles of half-dirty laundry or like a warm bath followed by light reading. Do what works for you.

Spending 10-15 minutes in this ritual each night can help offset some of the stress and light exposure of the day, and you’d be surprised how quickly your brain becomes accustomed to it. Recent research has even shown bedtime routines to have positive effects on children, ranging from earlier sleep times and reduced awakenings to longer sleep duration.

5. Fix Your Days, Fix Your Nights

If you think about it, the whole day is kind of just one long bedtime ritual, each moment bringing us closer and closer to the bliss of being under the blankets.

Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but the restful folks in the back would give a cheer at that if they’d heard it over their own snores. Because they, and modern clinical science, know that how you spend your day affects how you spend your nights.

Translation: If you’re not hitting the recommended targets for the lifestyle factors that influence wellness, it’s likely your sleep will be impacted, too. These factors, as seasoned readers will know well by now, are not sexy, but they are important.

They are diet, exercise, stress management, and environmental changes.

We’ve already beaten the environmental changes point to a pulp (remember all the adjustments you’re making to your bedroom per tips 1, 2, and 3?), so it’s time to take a deeper look at the others, optimizing each section as we go to improve sleep.

Diet’s Role on Sleep

We hate to say it, but we can’t deny the science — what you eat does, indeed, mess with your sleep. Not only that but the relationship between your diet and sleep is maintained via a two-way street.

High nutrient intake is linked to better sleep and higher consumption of processed foods is linked to worse sleep. Poor sleep is, in turn, linked to lowered nutrient absorption, too. So if you thought you could out-sleep your nutritionally bankrupt diet or out-eat your sleepless lifestyle, think again.

The Impact of Stress on Sleep

Despite how much our dualistic culture would like you to believe so, the mental stress you feel isn’t just all in your head. Emotional and external stress infiltrates the body, flipping on survival switches that aren’t really that helpful when the stress is your boss and not a wild animal chasing you.

By activating the HPA (or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, perceived stress creates a tangible, physiological effect on the body. Because when the HPA axis is dysregulated by stress, our sleeping and waking cycles go haywire.

Exercise and Sleep Connection

Did you know that people who get 30 minutes of physical activity tend to sleep an average of 15 minutes longer than those who don’t? It might seem like a minor payoff, but the fact this interaction between sleep and exercise has been captured by a clinical study is pretty neat.

Especially when you see the other studies that corroborate the findings — like this metareview on how regular exercise improves both sleep quality and duration. And no, you don’t have to be a bodybuilder to get the sleep-enhancing benefits of regular movement!

Hit the Hay, Holistic Health Seeker

As with all things whole-body health, your journey toward optimal sleep hygiene and quality will be unique to you. Take what works from these tips, and leave what doesn’t.

But if you need a veritable Sand Man to guide you towards dreamier pastures with personalized, direct advice for holistic wellness, give us a ring. As long as it’s before bedtime (EST), our Counterside Consults will be free and open, which means our holistic health experts are just a phone call away.

Well, folks, we made it through the candy holiday and the pie holiday in one piece! Last up on the 2023 docket is the candy, pie, and cookies holiday we like to call Christmas. 

Is it any wonder digestive supplements and detox teas fly off the shelves during this festive time of year? From enzymes to probiotics, gut health has been top of mind as we stuff our gourds with delicious eats. 

But alongside the data-backed GI supplements (like digestive enzymes), we see a lot of debunked B.S. (like detox teas) getting hype, too. In the spotlight today is one member of the latter group, a controversial practice that has steadily gained popularity since 2012. 

Intermittent fasting. 

Is it really the hope-inducing, weight-management miracle cure it’s touted to be? Or is it a hoax? We took our nuanced inquiries to Dr. Neal, holistic health genius and notorious loudmouth, for the inside scoop on this diet trend. 

Scroll on for the truth about intermittent fasting: what it is, why some people love it, and why Dr. Neal never recommends it. 

In This Article:

• What is intermittent fasting?
• Why is intermittent fasting controversial?
• The risks of intermittent fasting
• What to do instead of intermittent fasting

What is Intermittent Fasting? 

Intermittent fasting is a diet that says, “The best way to lose weight is to just not eat sometimes.” 

Dr. Neal Smoller

While intermittent fasting (IF) has only recently popped off, humans have actually revered the practice of abstaining from food and drink for centuries. 

But rather than using fasting to overcome illness, induce prophetic visions, or prepare for religious rites, modern humans have started using intermittent fasting to lose weight. Besides perspective and end goal, the core differences between ancient people’s fasting habits and contemporary IF are the duration and execution. 

In practice, intermittent fasting refers to the prolonging of the natural fasting period throughout the day. 

And yes, we do have a naturally occurring fasting session that happens every day — it’s the 8 hours that we’re (hopefully) in deep sleep. Intermittent fasting extends this period of food-less time by a few hours on each end. Most people who practice intermittent fasting pick an eating window and stick to it, only ingesting food from 7 AM to 7 PM, for example. 

Unlike the Atkins Keto diet, this particular fad is about when you eat, not what you eat. 

The hype around IF has risen to a fever pitch in recent years as more people struggle to maintain a healthy weight and a happy gut microbiome. 

Intermittent fasting, according to its proponents, allows individuals to experience the advantages of fasting (like weight, inflammation, and disease risk reduction), without the body getting wise to our tricks. By following an eating schedule that breaks the extended fasting period for a few hours, the body is unable to adapt to the fasting and slow metabolism. 

Why is Intermittent Fasting Controversial? 

Fasting – not intermittent fasting – has been shown to improve markers of disease like weight, blood sugar, oxidizing compounds, and more. The data around fasting, though, is mostly in animals. I take this with a grain of calorie-restricted salt, because animal results may be VERY different from human results. In animals, for example, the Keto diet worsens cholesterol.

Dr. Neal Smoller

Before we dive into the truth about intermittent fasting, let’s get one thing clear: If it works for you, keep it up. 

While Dr. Neal doesn’t recommend IF to anyone who is interested in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and energy production, that doesn’t mean it has no benefits whatsoever. In fact, one aspect of intermittent fasting that aligns with Dr. Neal’s whole-body approach to digestion is not eating right before bed. 

As long as you have the go-ahead from a medical professional or nutrition specialist, you can skip the rest of this blog and get back to doing what feels right for your body specifically.

That being said, if you’re trying to lose weight, support your metabolism, increase nutrient intake, or just generally get healthier, intermittent fasting might not be the way to go. 

Our beef with this diet trend can be organized into four distinct categories: 

1. It Doesn’t Account for Food Type or Quality

Some fans of intermittent fasting say you should, generally, “eat healthier” when practicing IF, but the guidelines around what is considered healthy are vague at best. Education is extremely important when it comes to nutrition, so we can’t overlook this obvious oversight. If your food lacks nutrients, then eating less of it less frequently might be doing more damage to your body than the alternative. 

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

2. It Doesn’t Address the Body’s Ability to Rapidly Adapt

While intermittent fasting can fool your body into thinking you’re starving, this isn’t actually a positive thing to experience regularly. Some studies have shown an increase in the stress hormone, cortisol, as a result of fasting. This cortisol would be really handy if we were actually starving and needed motivation to hunt down food, but that’s not the case with IF.

3. It’s Based on Restriction, Not Nutrition

Anyone who’s attempted the Paleo diet can attest to the difficulties of restricted eating. As a result of these physical and emotional difficulties, humans often ricochet to the other extreme — binging or overeating — as a way to soothe themselves after the turmoil of fasting.

Dr. Neal recommends taking everything in moderation, including moderation, to implement change that’s simple and sustainable, not torturous and temporary. 

4. It Ignores the Importance of Blood-Glucose Levels

Last but certainly not least: Intermittent fasting wreaks havoc on blood sugar.

This is extraordinarily important to understand because in order to actually feel our best and live our healthiest lives, we have to give our blood sugar our full attention. Optimal blood sugar levels are maintained through small, frequent meals that are balanced with all three macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs), making it the exact opposite approach to intermittent fasting. 

What to Do Instead of Intermittent Fasting? 

To boil it all down: Intermittent fasting isn’t going to kill you (probably), but it isn’t going to make you a superhuman, either. And it might have some seriously negative side effects, depending on your unique physiology. 

Can’t the same be said for almost all diets and eating trends? Yes, definitely. 

But if we sift through the misinformation and marketing tactics that inundate the online wellness sphere, there is scientific evidence that supports one particular way of eating. That is, of course, eating to fuel your fire. 

Eating to fuel your fire addresses all four of our issues with intermittent fasting in one fell swoop. 

By eating small, nutrient-dense meals that contain proteins, fats, and carbs frequently, we can maintain healthy blood sugar levels without sending the body into a shock response. And then, with our blood sugar taken care of, we get to experience all the benefits of balanced blood-glucose levels. 

Like proper brain functioning, mitigated stress response, lowered symptoms of depression, boosted cardiovascular health, and more. 

Having frequent healthy snacks and filling meals can help us stay satiated, too, therefore side-stepping the risk of binging and hunger-related stress responses. 

Is Dr. Neal really saying you should eat more frequently to support weight management and overall health? Yes, he is, because the clinical data says the same thing. 

And so does his occasional cohost on the podcast, Mark DeCicco, who lost over 200 pounds using the eat to fuel your fire approach. Don’t believe us? Deep-dive the calories episode right here. 

IF It Works, Great — IF Not, That’s Okay 

Intermittent fasting is a trend that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. But that’s okay! Now that you’re equipped with a scientific framework for food habits and blood sugar maintenance, you can make choices that make sense for you, personally.

Need a little more guidance on your eating hours and fasting window? Let’s chat! Our Counterside Consults are always free and always open for direct, personalized advice on all things wellness.

Have you noticed a subtle theme to our recent blog posts? 

In preparation for the adventurous eats of the holiday season, we’ve been knee-deep in tummy trouble topics. Chewing on everything from digestive enzyme myths to probiotic strain research, the Woodstock Vitamins blog has been a veritable smorgasbord of gut health information. 

But we’re going a little off-menu today because, well, we have to eat crow. 

After publishing our recent review of Dr. Neal’s top three digestive support supplements, we realized there was one more nutrient that should have made the cut. 

This supplement has become the apple of the wellness industry’s eye, being touted for its data-backed benefits on hair, skin, and nails. And yet, the most remarkable of its effects gets about as much love as the green bean casserole at Christmastime. 

Collagen peptides. 

So if you’re hungry for insider info on why collagen supplements are the best thing for gut health since sliced bread, read on! Dr. Neal has spilled the beans — sharing his expert knowledge on how collagen peptides can support digestive health, repair intestinal damage, soothe gut inflammation, and more down below. 

In This Article:

• What is collagen?
• Can collagen support gut health?
• 5 ways to use collagen for gut health

What is Collagen?

You probably already know that protein is one of the core building blocks of your body, but were you aware roughly 1/3rd of that protein is collagen?

Collagen protein molecules are made up of essential amino acids, or organic compounds that humans need to function properly. While our bodies naturally use the fibrous structure of collagen to build connective tissue in cartilage, bones, and skin, we can’t actually create all the amino acids we need to thrive. 

That, plus, we produce less and less collagen as our flesh sacks start to age, hence the sagging skin and sore joints. As a result, we have to eat a healthy diet, rich in collagen and amino acids — no ifs, ands, or buts. 

Foods like organ meats, skin-on chicken, bone broth, and some fish are excellent sources of collagen, but (okay there’s one but), most of us aren’t getting enough of these nutrient-dense foods in our everyday diets. 

Learn More: 3 Digestion Support Supplements for Surviving the Holiday Season

Can Collagen Supplements Help Gut Health?

It makes sense, then, that collagen supplements have become wildly popular amongst wellness fanatics and fitness buffs alike. 

Collagen peptides powders are typically sourced from the connective tissue of meat sources and are revered for their positive effects on skin, hair, and nails. But (oops, there’s another one) one of the amino acids in collagen — glycine — is also a major component of the gut lining. 

In fact, a huge portion of your gut lining is made from collagen. 

So the next time you spot an airbrushed influencer holding a jug of perfectly branded peptides, remember to look beneath the surface to see the protein for what it really is: A scientifically verified and holistic, or whole-body, supplement that goes beyond the skin to affect multiple bodily systems, including the gut. 

After all, it’s one of Dr. Neal’s Vital5 nutrients for a reason!

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

5 Ways Collagen Can Boost Gut Health

Whether you’re upping your sardine intake or taking an ethically sourced collagen supplement, you can expect to experience a number of gut health benefits alongside your radiant skin and shiny hair. 

Just make sure you’re getting enough collagen consistently and for long enough to allow your body to begin these 5 repair and rebuild processes. 

1. Intestinal Barrier Strengthening

If you ask us, one of the most exciting advantages of this unique protein is its ability to strengthen your intestinal barriers. In Layman’s terms, we’re talking leaky gut. 

Leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, is a phrase used to refer to the process of degradation that can occur in the walls that line your internal organs. These barriers are typically only one cell thick, and things like stress, inflammatory foods, caffeine, and alcohol can bust through those walls like the Kool-Aid man no problem. 

When food particles and toxins leak from these ruptures or holes in the gut, they enter the bloodstream and tissues to wreak havoc. 

Thankfully the amino acids in collagen, like the poor set designer on those Kool-Aid commercials, can help rebuild and fortify the lining of our gastrointestinal tract. One of the key amino acids in collagen, glutamine, is especially crucial to maintaining the impermeability of intestinal cells according to recent research. 

Learn More: How Protein Supplements Are Processed (Within an Inch of Their Lives)

2. Amino Acids Soothe Gut Inflammation

Glutamine isn’t alone in its ability to help heal the gut, either. Glycine, the other, previously mentioned micronutrient in collagen, also exerts anti-inflammatory effects despite not being an essential amino acid. 

Plus, its amenable amino amigo, lysine, can contribute to the reduction of gut inflammation and is being studied as a treatment option for people with Crohn’s Disease and IBS. And if that wasn’t enough for you, the threonine amino acid found in collagen also combats inflammation. Who would have thought?

Recent studies have found that an inflamed gut may actually increase the amount of threonine required for regular GI functions, too. So for folks suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases or inflammation-related symptoms like loose bowel movements, amino acids are shaping up to be a viable option for relief. 

Learn More: The Gut-Brain Connection: 3 Holistic Tips for Optimal Health

3. Enhances Nutrient Absorption 

One of the lesser-known side effects of lowered gut inflammation and strengthened intestinal barriers is enhanced nutrient absorption. 

Which might not seem as cool and sexy as inflammation reduction, but it’s still pretty important. Especially if you’re buying your own groceries in 2024 — no one wants a bite to go to waste. 

Working to repair our leaky guts, then, is critical if we want the good stuff from our food to actually be absorbed by our bodies. Otherwise, they escape through the damaged gut lining and our $400 Whole Foods trip goes right down the drain. 

By patching in the holes found in the intestinal barrier, feeding gut flora, and increasing impermeability, the amino acids found in collagen can, basically, help you get the most bang for your buck. 

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

4. Supports a Healthy Gut Microbiome

Did we really say that this protein powder can feed the microorganisms living in the canals and caverns of your digestive tract? Yes, we did, because it can.

Intestinal microbes and amino acid proteins have a tight relationship. The latter provides nutrition for the former, and as a result, we have fueled up gut bacteria and general digestive homeostasis. 

But an imbalance in amino acid intake can lead to an imbalance in the gut flora, which is often a root cause of GI diseases like IBD and IBS. And, at the same time, it can decrease nutrient absorption, as the microorganisms help facilitate the process of assimilation in the gut. 

Upping your amino acid intake through collagen-rich foods and sustainably sourced supplements can support the mutual relationship between the creatures of your GI microbiome and these proteins. So well, in fact, that recent studies have shown collagen to have an anti-obesity effect on the gut microbiome, too.

Learn More: Best Probiotics for Gut Health — 4 Strains Backed by Science

5. Improves Digestion

So let’s recap! Collagen can not only help repair and prevent leaky gut, but also reduce intestinal inflammation, boost nutrient absorption, and protect the health of your gut microbiome. 

Is it any wonder that increasing your collagen intake can improve your overall digestion, then? 

As this protein moves through the rivers and valleys of your gastrointestinal tract, it works to break down other proteins and carbs, on top of the previously mentioned beneficial functions. That’s why collagen is a truly holistic, or whole-being, tool: By targeting the root cause of gut discomfort like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, it acts as more than just a band-aid for the symptoms.

And yet, it’s still great for symptom relief, too. So don’t walk to your nearest collagen dealer — run.

Collagen for Gut Health — Made Simple

Actually, wait! Before you speed on over to Natural Grocers to grab the biggest jug of collagen peptides you can find, make sure you know what quality markers to look for. Not all collagen supplements are ethically sourced, sustainably made, and rigorously tested for heavy metals.

Ours is, of course, but that’s beside the point.

Want to learn more? Click around to explore our growing collection of collagen-related wellness topics or hop on a free Counterside Consult to have all your peptide inquiries answered by one of our supplement experts. No weird bird gifs included.

If you’re even mildly interested in health — and not living under a rock — then there’s a good chance you’ve already heard the phrase gut-brain connection. 

It’s become a bit of a buzzword in the wellness spheres and beyond, wielded to justify everything from straight apple cider vinegar shots to intermittent fasting. Especially this time of year, when the food and family time that hallmark the holidays have us hyper-focused on our guts and mental health. 

But does this connection between the gut and brain actually impact our everyday lives? They say go with your gut, yet sifting through the science and sidestepping the misinformation… Is enough to make anyone’s stomach churn. 

So we took our humble inquiry to Dr. Neal, our resident wellness wizard and holistic, or whole-body, health expert. Read on for the straightforward scoop about how the two-way street between your brain and gut influences your life. 

And our holiday gift to you! Three wellness practices and three supplements to boost the health of your gut-brain axis. 

In This Article:

• What is the gut-brain connection
• Why a holistic approach to the gut-brain axis is crucial
• 3 simple practices for gut and brain health
• 3 supplements for gut and brain health

What is the Gut-Brain Connection? 

The gut-brain connection: It’s why you get butterflies in your stomach before asking for more ketchup and why the mental anguish of heartbreak can feel like a sucker punch. 

Is it really that simple? Yes and no. 

Yes, because the brain communicates with the whole body via the nervous system, and the footpath between the brain and your GI tract is especially well-traveled. Connected directly by the vagus nerve, your brain and gut send more messages to each other than two preteens with unlimited texting.

In fact, more nerve cells and neurons, or brain cells, live in your stomach than anywhere else in the body. There are about 100 million neurons in your brain and over 500 million in your gut. Plus, a huge chunk of the neurotransmitters we consider to be the turnkeys of mental health, like serotonin and GABA, are produced in the gut.

Hence the new nickname for the stomach: the second brain. 

And no, it’s not that simple, because us Westerners have been taught to view the body as a series of isolated mechanisms working independently on their individual jobs. 

The belief in the mind-body dichotomy is waning as research continues to disprove the theory, thankfully. But it’s still difficult to remember that your gut (and what you put in it) influences your mind and experience of life. And vice versa!

That’s why integrating a simple, holistic understanding of the gut and brain connection is crucial for genuine, long-term health.

A Holistic Approach to the Gut-Brain Connection

In this context, a holistic approach simply means that we use a scientific framework to view all the parts of our bodies and lives as interconnected.

Because, of course, the gut-brain axis is emblematic of the whole: Nothing in the body happens inside a vacuum.

In your daily life, this interconnectedness can be seen in how a bad night’s sleep can affect your mental clarity or how a good workout can turn your whole life around. In the two-way street of the gut-brain axis, it shows up in a number of ways that impact your experience of life. Here are just 10 simple, science-based examples:

• Thinking of food or eating can trigger the release of digestive juices in the stomach
• Gut irritation can send distress signals to the brain via the vagus nerve resulting in mood changes
• Patients with depression have an altered gut microbiome
• Consistent meditation practice can positively influence gut health
• People with IBS or Crohn’s have reduced vagal tone and vagal nerve function
• Gut issues early in life can result in long-term stress regulation difficulties
• Mindfulness practices can improve both cognitive impairment and gut health
• Eating probiotic foods can help to alleviate symptoms of depression and boost mood
• Disruptions in circadian rhythm — or sleep schedule/quality — increase leaky gut
• Alterations in the gut microbiome can influence stress-related behaviors

So you really do get nauseous before a big presentation, and no, it’s not all in your head.

3 Wellness Tips to Improve the Health of Your Gut-Brain Axis

The best thing — or 5 things — you can focus on to improve the health of your gut and brain axis live at the bottom of Dr. Neal’s Wellness Pyramid. They’re the unsexy, yet completely non-negotiable, parts of life that create a strong foundation for health.

Diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes. 

All 5 of these focal points influence and impact both your gut and brain health — because everything works together, remember? 

But before you overcommit to revamping your whole life, try these three simple practices to target your gut and brain health. The positive effects of consistent self-care will reverberate out through the other areas of your wellness and you might even find yourself more motivated to make other, bigger changes. 

1. Up Your Nutrient Intake

Is it any surprise that a varied, nutrient-dense diet is pivotal to gut and brain health? 

You don’t have to go full paleo though — start by swapping pre-packaged foods for fresh, local eats when and where you can. Enjoy meals and snacks balanced with all three macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) to give your body the fuel it needs to hit movement goals, get great sleep, and regulate your mood. 

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

2. Vagal Nerve and Mindfulness Exercises 

You’re not being chased through the wilderness by a rabid tiger, so why is your nervous system acting like you are? 

Target your mental health directly — or reverse engineer optimal gut health — by doing mindfulness exercises that pull your body out of fight or flight regularly. Because no one can effectively digest their food or live their best life in a state of constant stress. 

You can focus specifically on the vagal nerve and nervous system with practices like humming, singing, and breathing, or opt for the good, old-fashioned, sitting-on-a-mat meditation. 

3. Eating with Awareness

Tie these two wellness practices together with the best of both worlds, mindful eating!

Eating with awareness might sound like a highfalutin idea, but in practice, it’s pretty simple: Turn your screens off, sit your butt in a chair, and chew each forkful to an applesauce consistency.  No more scarfing down beige bites on the way to work — we said it was simple, not easy. 

Try attaching a mindfulness practice to your eating routine. Doing so will not only calm your nervous system and promote proper digestion but also structure your awareness exercises to make long-term change less complicated. 

3 Supplements to Target the Gut-Brain Connection 

Supplements, if done right, can fill nutrient gaps and help us reach wellness goals when we’re less than perfect with our eating and self-care habits. 

But the if done right part is critical. 

Doing supplements right means taking the right forms and doses of the right nutrients from the right brands. So while we recommend the three supplements below to strengthen gut and brain health, make sure you do your research!

Only buy from ethical suppliers with transparent practices and, of course, consult your go-to medical practitioner or supplement expert before diving in. 

Learn More: Multivitamins for Brain Health: 3 Things to Know Before Buying

1. Probiotics, Obviously

Probiotics are one of Dr. Neal’s First5 — or the five nutrients almost everyone needs and almost everyone benefits from. 

By flooding the canals and caverns of your digestive tract with beneficial bacteria, high-quality probiotic supplements can improve digestion and symptoms of inflammatory diseases like chronic diarrhea, IBS, and more. And, because the gut and brain are connected as we now know, they can in turn have a positive effect on mood and mental health. 

Look for supplements that have the first and last names of the probiotic strains included, and make sure they’re one of the top four strains for gut health. 

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health?

2. Alaskan Omega-3 

Another First5, omega-3 fatty acids have gained much-deserved popularity in recent years thanks to their heart and brain health benefits. 

But did you know this humble nutrient can also modulate the gut microbiome? Omega-3 can help maintain intestinal walls, lower inflammation, and soothe chronic diseases in the gut according to recent research. 

It’s no wonder, then, that omega-3 is also being explored as a holistic option for alleviating symptoms of mental health issues. Just make sure you’re getting an omega-3 supplement that is ethically sourced and manufactured to prevent rancidity. 

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplements: Are They Worth the Hype?

3. Vitamin D 

With so many brain-boosting and gut-healing supplements to choose from, Vitamin D might seem like an odd pick for #3 on this list. 

However, the importance of Vitamin D for gut and brain health becomes immediately clear once you know that it plays a major role in preventing and treating leaky gut. By maintaining GI barrier integrity, Vitamin D can help combat chronic inflammation — a common cause of mental health issues and IBS — and the subsequent immune responses that wreak havoc on our health. 

And that’s not even mentioning the bone-building and immune system benefits of the vitamin, either. Vitamin D is also a First5, so its impact on multiple bodily systems is a given. 

Learn More: Vitamin D: Sunshine Supplement for Bones, Blood, and The Blues

You’ve Got Guts, Kid

The next time you’re confronted with all the hype and hoopla about the gut-brain connection, just remember that this axis of health is more than a catchy phrase. It’s a fundamental component of our physical and emotional wellness.

So whatever small, positive steps you’re able to take, be it savoring a nutrient-dense meal, supplementing with probiotics, or slipping in a quick meditation session, will have a big impact overall.

And if you want more personalized, direct guidance on wellness practices and supplements for your gut and brain connection specifically, give us a ring! Our Counterside Consults are always open, always free, and we promise not to get on any of your nerves. Except your vagus nerve.

If ever there were a poster child for bad eating habits, it would be the modern American. 

We take our plastic-wrapped foods to-go, swallowing quick eats while driving to work without so much as a third chew. Is it any wonder that the vast majority of us here in the land of the free report stomach issues and digestive woes? 

We mean no shade — we’re guilty of indulging in the fast pace of contemporary cuisine here and there, too. Even Dr. Neal is a self-proclaimed M&M addict!

Thankfully, we also have more access to medical technology, health education, and dietary support than ever before, too. For those moments when our munching is less than perfect, we turn to supplements for help digesting and integrating nutrients.

Like digestive enzymes.

Scroll on to get the inside scoop on these increasingly popular GI supplements — if and how they work, when to take them, and which digestive enzymes are best.

In This Article:

• How digestive enzymes work in the body
• Who should take digestive enzymes
• What kind of digestive enzymes are best
• Choosing the right brand of digestive enzymes

1. What Are Digestive Enzymes?

Let’s break it down. Pun intended.

Digestive enzymes are specialized proteins that our bodies naturally produce to help digest, or break down, macronutrients.

Macronutrients (carbs, fat, and protein) arrive in our stomachs in big chunks — really big chunks if you’re not chewing properly. At different points in the gastrointestinal tract, your organs and cells will secrete digestive enzymes to chop up these macronutrients into smaller, more absorbable pieces.

The role of digestive enzymes in the body is to, essentially, speed up the chemical reactions of assimilating food in the gut, liver, pancreas, and even the mouth via saliva. In doing so, these humble proteins make sure that the nutrients in our food actually reach our bloodstream.

So yeah, they’re pretty freaking important.

2. Do Digestive Enzyme Supplements Actually Work?

Digestive enzyme compounds don’t just exist in the canals and caverns of our human GI tracts.

They’re found in other animals and fungi too — and even in plants like mangos, papaya, and avocados. Once extracted from plant, animal, or fungal sources, these proteins can be put into convenient little capsules. And voila, you have a digestive enzyme supplement!

While corner-cutting manufacturers have given digestive enzymes a bad rap in some circles, the science still stands behind strategic supplementation of high-quality options.

Here’s a small slice of the recent research that has linked digestive enzyme supplementation to improved symptoms of GI issues:

• Enzyme supplementation can play a pivotal role in malabsorption and digestive disorders
• Digestive enzyme complexes prove helpful for common GI complaints like abdominal pain
• Enzymes and probiotics work synergistically to drive down indigestion, abdominal pain, flatulence
• Low-dose enzyme complexes offer relief from bloating, loss of apatite, diarrhea, and more

The beneficial effects of digestive enzymes don’t start and stop in the gut; they can influence how people eat and live, too. Though the field of research is still expanding, digestive enzyme supplementation is being explored as a viable option for gluten sensitivities to mitigate symptoms of exposure.

And here’s where it gets really interesting. Scientists are also seeing enzyme supplementation lead to measurable improvements in the emotional regulation of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder — probably thanks to the illustrious gut-brain connection.

Learn More: The Gut-Brain Connection: 3 Holistic Tips for Optimal Health

3. Should I Take Digestive Enzymes?

In spite of the overwhelming evidence that supports taking digestive enzymes, the public is undecided — or at least divided — on these supplements. And for good reason, too.

Digestive enzymes act as a band-aid for underlying gut issues. By replacing the proteins our bodies should naturally produce, enzyme supplements can keep our digestion movin’ and groovin’, but they don’t address the root causes of GI distress.

Translation: Digestive enzyme supplements are really helpful, even crucial, for some people and a huge waste of money for others.

There is no evidence that shows taking digestive enzymes will give a normal, healthy person super-human digestion or maximize nutrient uptake.

Dr. Neal Smoller

So how do you figure out if you, personally, should take enzymes or not? By taking a good look in the (bathroom) mirror, of course.

If you regularly experience symptoms of malabsorption like bloating, gas, cramping, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss, or vomiting, then it’s likely your body isn’t producing enough digestive enzymes on its own.

Congrats! This means you make a great candidate for digestive enzyme supplementation.

But these recurrent symptoms point to a major issue: Malnutrition.

Digestive enzymes can help prevent the effects of malnutrition from spreading to your brain and nervous system, but remember they’re more aid than cure. These supplements won’t address the lack of naturally produced enzymes, which could be caused by a thyroid issue, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, or even pancreatic cancer.

To boil it all down:

• DO take digestive enzymes if you experience discomfort after eating
• DON’T waste money on enzymes to “optimize” healthy digestion
• DO talk to a medical professional about your digestive issues to locate root causes

Learn More: 3 Digestion Support Supplements for Surviving the Holiday Season

4. What Kind of Digestive Enzymes Should I Take?

There’s another thing you should know before you go ham on the digestive enzyme supplements. Not all enzymatic proteins help with digesting all foods!

In fact, each specific enzyme has a highly specialized job. Lipase, for example, shines at breaking down lipids whereas bromelain does its best work on proteins. This information is crucial for successful supplementation — if you already went ham on the ham, you don’t want a lipase-only supplement.

To determine which enzymes your body needs, you first need to figure out which foods your body is struggling to digest. Start by keeping a symptom tracker on your phone or in a journal so the patterns between your munchies and maladies can become clear.

From there, you can use the nifty chart above to determine which enzymes will offer you the most relief from your GI discomfort. Check for those ingredients on the Supplement Facts Panel of your digestive enzymes and boom! You’re already 5 steps ahead of the average, willy-nilly supplement taker.

Generally speaking, though, most of us want a comprehensive blend of enzyme proteins in our supplement.

Because, if we’re eating well, then we’re getting a combination of fats, proteins, and carbs all the time. By choosing an enzyme formula that supports the digestion of all these macronutrients, we can rest assured that every bite will get broken down.

Learn More: Why You Need a Supplement Strategy — Plus 3 Steps to Get Started

5. Which Digestive Enzymes are Best?

So now you know what ingredients to look for, but what about the brand of digestive enzyme supplements? Are they all the same? Does it matter who you buy from?

It matters, but only if you prefer to avoid wasting your time and money on cheap, ineffective supplements. 

If you don’t want your hard-earned cash to line the pockets of charlatans who profit off the lack of regulations in the supplement industry, you’ll have to be a savvy shopper. In this context, that means buying based on dose, potency, and survivability.

Dose

The dose side of things is pretty easy to manage. By using your newfound knowledge of enzyme proteins, you can quickly confirm if a particular supplement has the forms you need to get an effective dose.

If you’re a snack-a-saurus eating way too many carbs, don’t fool yourself by getting a protein-heavy digestive enzyme. If you are lactose intolerant, it doesn’t make much sense to get a comprehensive enzyme that has a low dose of lactase.

Dr. Neal Smoller

Potency

Avoid digestive enzymes that only list the weight of each protein. This is a Supplement Facts Panel sleight-of-hand that unethical manufacturers will use to make money off uneducated consumers.

Instead, go for supplements that list the activity level of the enzyme proteins. The activity level is used to measure the potency or strength of the enzyme — the weight is used to measure the fluff.

Survivability

If you’ve found good stuff without the fluff, that’s great! But make sure the digestive enzyme supplement you choose is formulated to last.

Most prescription enzymes are wrapped in enteric coating to protect the lifespan of the proteins. Over-the-counter enzymes? Not so much.

Enzymes without enteric coating will continue to lose potency as the proteins degrade in their unprotected shell. Look for enteric-coated digestive enzyme supplements without phthalates or parabens if you want the best for your body and your wallet.

Learn More: 4 Steps to Buying the Right Supplements in 2024

Enlightened Enzyme Supplementation

You can break open that digestive enzyme supplement with confidence, now that we’ve broken down the maestros of breaking down food into bite-sized pieces.

And maybe even do a little break dancing, once you’re freed from the nerve-wracking symptoms of poor digestion!

But if you need a holistic health pro to help guide your long-term journey toward gastrointestinal wellness, give us a call. Our Counterside Consults are always free, and we probably won’t make you break up with your favorite foods.

While the pace of our modern world reaches unforeseen speeds, Thanksgiving still draws ever nearer, offering us a little moment of rest and restoration on the horizon. 

During this feast-filled season, it’s important to remember that like a well-prepared holiday meal, your supplement routine also deserves a thoughtful strategy. After all, with just one day to express all your gratitude for the year, you wouldn’t just dive headfirst into the cranberry sauce, right? 

No! Your carefully curated plate will contain a proportionate blend of meats, treats, and delectable eats to maximize the gorging experience. Your supplement strategy should be equally meticulous, varied, and strategic. 

But with the smorgasbord of marketing tactics and misinformed hype surrounding supplements, a calculated approach isn’t as easy as pumpkin pie. 

Thankfully, we have Dr. Neal — holistic pharmacist and supplement savant — to talk turkey about the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs to truly thrive. And here’s a spoiler alert: The answer isn’t just taking more supplements. 

In fact, Dr. Neal wants you to take fewer supplements! It’s what makes him a great health advocate and a terrible supplement salesman. Read on to learn how and why to form a supplement strategy that works for your wellness and your wallet. 

In This Article: 

• 3 reasons modern shoppers need a supplement strategy
• Lifestyle factors to optimize first
• 3 steps for launching your supplement strategy

3 Reasons You Need a Supplement Strategy ASAP 

If there’s one thing we’re not thankful for this year, it’s the overwhelming digital clutter that makes learning about and achieving holistic health nearly impossible. 

But don’t get us wrong, we’re not Luddites. In fact, we have “contemporary science and medical technology advancements” at the top of our gratitude lists! 

Our beef is with the lack of meaningful regulations in both the holistic and allopathic health spheres.

The wellness industry alone was worth 15.5 billion dollars in 2024 — pair that financial incentive with virtually nonexistent industry standards, and you’ve got a recipe for highly profitable snake oil. 

Well-branded bunk sits on the same shelves as scientifically verified supplements that can actually help address nutritional gaps and support whole-body wellness. So modern consumers and wellness seekers have to be extraordinarily discerning when it comes to choosing supplements if they want to avoid: 

• Wasting money
• Damaging their health
• Hurting the planet

An evidence-based supplement strategy can combat these potential negatives in a few key ways: 

1. By doing your own research, you can sidestep the industry’s attempt to profit off your confusion. In turn, you’ll avoid wasting money and your desire to feel healthier will no longer be a sales point, but a strength. 
2. On top of protecting your wallet, supplement research and strategy can help you protect your health by weeding out the low-quality supplements that can actually do more harm — with harmful additives, rancid ingredients, and heavy metals content — than good. 
3. Instead of getting swept up in unsustainable supplement trends and so-called miracle pills, you can preserve the integrity of your body and the planet by choosing clinically backed, ethically sourced supplements, vitamins, and herbs.  

Gone are the days of buying supplements based on your neighbor’s recommendation or yesterday’s trending TikTok. After all, if you haven’t got your health, then you haven’t got anything.

Learn More: 4 Steps to Buying the Right Supplements in 2026

A Caveat: Lifestyle Factors Come Before Supplementation

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of launching a successful supplement strategy, we’d be remiss not to mention our guiding principle and framework for whole-person health. 

The Wellness Pyramid. 

Formulated by Dr. Neal after 20+ years of educating the public on holistic, or whole-being, wellness, this handy little visualization tool makes this complicated topic simple. Simple doesn’t mean easy in this context, but it does mean uncomplicated, straightforward, and transparent. 

The foundation of your wellness — and the Wellness Pyramid, of course — is built with the most mundane, unsexy, and yet extraordinarily important aspects of life. That is: diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes.  

If we want to actually experience the benefits of supplementation, we have to get these ducks in a row first. You can’t out-supplement a nutritionally bankrupt diet or totally sedentary lifestyle, as we always say! 

So if you’re looking for a fool-proof, data-backed way to improve your health and prevent disease start with holistic nutrition, deep sleep, consistent movement, stress reduction, and lifestyle adaptations. It’s only once you’ve optimized those areas of your life that you’ll truly get the advantages of supplements. 

Learn More: The Wellness Pyramid: Your Roadmap to Holistic Health

3 Steps for Creating Your Supplement Strategy 

Now that you’ve spent, presumably, a few weeks or months getting the 5 lifestyle domains ironed out and are ready to tackle strategic supplementation — welcome back! 

Supplements, when done right, can help fill the inevitable gaps in our nutrition and bolster our health against the stressors of our modern lives. Without them, we’d be eating a whole lot of sea creatures to meet the recommended daily omega-3 intake, and who wants to live in a world like that? 

The key point in that last paragraph is the when done right part, because, as we’ve just learned, not all supplements are created equal. And, more importantly, not all supplements are right for all people, of all walks of life. 

In order to create a supplement strategy that won’t break the bank or break down your health, start with these three simple steps: 

1. Find Your “Why” 

And no, your “why” isn’t just “general health.” 

The reason why you take a supplement should be set in stone long before you choose which brand to buy from or how long to take it. (Those steps come later.) Whether it’s to address a common nutrient deficiency — à la the First5 — or to conquer a particular health concern, the core goals of your supplementation process need to be defined. 

Without a clear picture of what you’re hoping to accomplish, it’s easy to fall prey to panacea pills that over-promise and under-deliver. Or, as Dr. Neal says, it’s easy to become a hope-ium addict. 

Instead, start with explicit goals and areas of focus. 

For Example:

If you struggle with brain fog and focus issues, your goal would be to improve neurological health and cognition. You’d start with the 5 lifestyle domains that impact your brain health in serious ways and improve the quality of your diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and environmental factors. 

Then, you’d address the most likely deficiencies affecting your brain health: omega-3, protein, multivitamins/minerals, and probiotics. From there, you can offer your brain an additional boost with natural nootropics like lion’s mane, NAC, or adrenal support supplements. 

Learn More: No More Resolutions: Set a Vision for the New Year

2. Figure Out Your “What”

What’s up? What’s cooking?

The what part of your journey will involve a lot of questions and personal veins of inquiry. It’s in this stage of the supplement strategy journey that you start figuring out what’s what and what’s worthless. That is, what brands are worth buying from, what forms of vitamins and minerals are most bioavailable, and what supplements should be prioritized. 

Because, unfortunately, it’s not enough to just buy the first vitamin D you see at the grocery store if your doctor tells you you’re low in it. If you want vitamins that are what they say they are, you’ll need to research the sources, forms, and science of each specific, branded supplement. 

For Example: 

If you’re planning to purchase an omega-3 supplement or one-a-day multivitamin to support your brain health and alleviate brain fog, there are several “what’s” you’ll need to delineate before handing over your cold hard cash. 

From what (hopefully ethical and sustainable) source is the omega-3 fish oil derived? What forms of B vitamins are included in the multi? What health conditions of yours (like the MTFHR gene, maybe?) could be affecting your ability to absorb or convert these nutrients? 

Learn More: Multivitamins for Brain Health: 3 Things to Know Before Buying

3. Define Your “When”

Supplements, for all their unsung glory, aren’t band-aids or instant fixes. 

In fact, most supplements work by offering a cumulative effect to the body — one that is often subtle, and always a little slow. Before adding any supplement, new or old, to your strategic routine, it’s critical to set very clear, very realistic expectations on the timeline. 

Just because a particular supplement is backed by science, touted by professionals, or selling like hotcakes doesn’t mean it won’t take time to have a palpable effect. Instead of giving up after a month or adding in a new supplement because you aren’t seeing tangible results — be patient. 

Pick a date 3 months or 6 months from when you started a supplement. Define your “when” and if you don’t see results at the end of that data-backed timeframe, then you can freak out. 

For Example: 

After setting your goals, completing research on health conditions, and becoming an expert in bioavailability, you’re finally ready to actually purchase your omega-3 supplement. But how long should you take it? Is it a forever kind of thing? 

Call a supplement strategist — like one of our experts — to establish a timeline that makes sense based on your unique set of life circumstances! The best way to launch your supplement strategy is with the help of an experienced pro who has, essentially, four white horses for the journey. 

Want to ring us up right now? As you wish. 

Which is longer — your Thanksgiving grocery list or the nights you’ve spent awake, anxiously awaiting the digestive repercussions of unfettered feasting? 

If it’s the latter, don’t worry, because you’re not alone! In fact, roughly 2 out of every 3 Americans struggle with some kind of stomach issue, which means this time of year is equal parts merry-making and gut-churning. 

For wellness-seekers with stomach discomfort or digestive imbalance, the obvious answer is probiotic supplements. But how much can probiotics really help with gut health? Are all probiotics created equally? Why are there so many different strains, and with such strange names? 

We brought these inquiries to our go-to gut health expert, Dr. Neal, for the inside scoop on probiotic supplements. Scroll on, fellow tummy ache survivor, to learn which probiotic strains are best for gut health according to the latest scientific research. 

In This Article: 

• The importance of choosing specific strains
• How to avoid useless probiotic supplements
• 4 best strains for gut health

Why Choose Specific Probiotic Strains? 

If you’ve missed our recent probiotic-related topics, then you might be a little shocked to learn that the nooks and crannies of your GI tract are filled to the brim with microorganisms like yeasts and bacteria. 

It’s one of the weirder parts of being human, especially when you know how drastically the health of these tiny creatures can affect your overall well-being. 

Once you get over the strangeness of hosting millions of creepy crawlies in your stomach, probiotic supplements and foods don’t seem so odd. It actually makes sense that probiotics can support our gut health by filling our internal organs with loads of good bacteria — the more CFUs the merrier, right? 

Wrong. 

Well, it’s kind of right. 

We do want more CFUs of clinically verified, highly beneficial probiotic strains, but we don’t want just any strain from any source. So the real issue with these kinds of health products lies in the fact that the natural wellness industry is like the Wild West. 

Lazy standards and even lazier regulations are the hallmarks of the supplement sphere. As a result, health-conscious consumers have to be extraordinarily discerning when it comes to buying vitamins — especially probiotics. 

Even a well-branded probiotic can, upon further examination, turn out to be nothing more than highly profitable bunk. 

Unethical supplement manufacturers can pull the wool over our probiotic-seeking eyes in a few key ways: 

• By using cheap, ineffective strains without any scientific backing 
• By sharing unclear information about which exact strains are included in their formulas
• Or by creating beefed-up formulas that lose almost all potency during the production and shipping   process

But it is possible to avoid wasting money on a probiotic supplement that’s more placebo than panacea! To do so, your two central focuses should be on the precise strain names and the number of live CFUs, or the potency of the capsules when they reach you. 

Before coughing over your cold, hard cash, do your research. Make sure you can identify the probiotic strains by first AND last name, and check those strains against the research you’ve done for your specific health concern. 

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health?

Potency Pro-Tip Don’t buy probiotic supplements that require refrigeration unless you can verify a chain of cold storage from the supplier and all the way through the manufacturing, shipping, supplying, and selling process.

Otherwise, there’s a good chance your probiotic supplement has had some warm days in the box truck or the back of the grocery store.

4 Best Probiotic Strains for Gut Health

Probiotics have gained popularity recently because of the myriad of benefits they can offer the average person. From immune system support to UTI prevention, probiotics impact not one but multiple bodily functions. 

But not every strain helps every little thing! 

We’re shining a spotlight on these 4 probiotic strains because they have been shown to support GI health specifically by the latest scientific data. But a functional GI tract can, in turn, bolster the immune system, mental well-being, and brain health. So almost everyone will benefit from these 4 strains, but you might want to add on other, well-researched strains if you’re targeting a different body system. 

1. Lactobacillus Acidophilus La-14

First created in 1900, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, or L. acidophilus for short (ish), is a species of bacteria with some of the most comprehensive scientific backing around. This species and its positive effect on things like lactose intolerance, cancer prevention, digestion, and immune system regulation have been studied for over 100 years — believe it or not! 

A few key benefits of L. acidophilus strains: 

• Improves gastrointestinal diseases
• Anti-diarrhea effects
• Reduces gut inflammation
• Supports proper digestion and assimilation

La-14 is a proprietary formulation of a Lactobacillus Acidophilus strain that comes with a whole host of secondary perks due to its ability to survive throughout the GI tract. Like protecting and toning the liver, which can support functional digestion of fats, and improving the health of the vaginal microbiome. 

Learn More: Why You Need a Supplement Strategy — Plus 3 Steps to Get Started

2. Bifidobacterium Longum Bl-05

Bifidobacterium Longum snuck into modern history just one year before L. acidophilus — in 1899, this bacterial species was isolated from the feces of infants. While its origins might make you shudder, the data-backed benefits of this particular species are more than enough justification. 

Considered by many to be the ultimate gut-healing powerhouse of all probiotic strains, B. longum has been linked to: 

• Balanced gut microbiota
• Improved symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis 
• Strengthened gut lining and intestinal barrier function
• Increased protection against infection

B. longum probiotic strains can help break down foods and absorb nutrients, so these positive effects of supplementation should come as no surprise. The trademarked form of B. longum known as Bl-05 is often used in leading-edge probiotic supplements because of its excellent tolerance of low pH environments and bile salts. 

This unique feature allows the Bl-05 bacteria to survive longer in the GI tract and, therefore, spend more time fighting inflammation. 

Learn More: The Gut-Brain Connection: 3 Holistic Tips for Optimal Health

3. Lactobacillus Plantarum Lp-115

Not to be confused with its cousin, L. acidophilus, Lactobacillus Plantarum is a lactic acid bacteria found in traditionally fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt. As a fermentation aid, L. plantarum stands out for being one of the hardiest strains of probiotics as it can withstand a wide variety of temperatures, unlike other species. 

Thanks in part to its high rate of survival and bioavailability, L. plantarum delivers positive effects on overall well-being and: 

• General gut health
• Obesity and diabetes
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Intestinal barrier fortification
• Colon cancer prevention and treatment

Some key features of Lactobacillus Plantarum Lp-115 that make L-115, specifically, an ideal option for supplementation are its resistance to acid and bile and its ability to adhere to intestinal surfaces. These attributes drive proper absorption and may be why L-115 has shown such promising results on the gut-immune health axis. 

Learn More: 3 Digestion Support Supplements for Surviving the Holiday Season

4. Bifidobacterium Lactis HN019

Last, but certainly not least, is the research-dense gut support strain, Bifidobacterium Lactis HN019. Most often praised for its demonstrated ability to improve gut motility, B. Lactis is often found in common foods like cheese, buttermilk, and yogurt. 

Gut motility, if you’re unfamiliar with the term, refers to the movement of food compounds through the GI tract — from mouth to colon. This digestive process plays an integral role in overall gut health and nutrient assimilation, so it should come as no surprise that the patented strain from this species, Bifidobacterium Lactis HN019, is widely used for gut motility. 

A few other advantages of using B. Lactis HN019 in particular are: 

• A healthy gut lining
• Reduced diarrhea
• Proper bowel function
• Improved symptoms of upper and lower gastrointestinal issues
• Modulated immune system response
• Treatment support for oral health disorders

You’re a Probiotics Professional Now, Pal

The adventurous eats of Thanksgiving don’t pose a threat to those stocked up with the 4 strains that have the biggest impact on gut health! Start your strategic probiotic supplement schedule today to start building up the beneficial bacteria in your GI tract and find relief from common digestive issues.

And if you want to nerd out about these 4 probiotic strains and their unique benefits for gut health, give us a call. Our supplement experts are available for direct guidance all day, (almost) every day via Counterside Consult.

Just don’t call us on Turkey Day, please — we’ll be busy gorging.

If you haven’t already been graced with a blanket of snow, let us be the first to tell you! Holiday season is officially here. 

And with it, the myriad of unique stressors that family time, feasts, and unfettered socialization have to offer! Which means — if we’re hoping to survive this year’s inundation of Christmas music and Hallmark movies — now is the time to work on boosting three key areas of health. 

Mental well-being, digestion, and immune system functioning. 

Because nothing can squelch your appetite for holiday fun like a bout of anxiety or anxiety-producing bathroom breaks. (Besides COVID, that is.)

Stay healthy during this holiday season with wellness strategies from our favorite holistic health advocate, Dr. Neal. His top tips are waiting for you below like an early present under the tree. From immune-strengthening lifestyle tips and mindfulness practices to supplements for digestion, there’s a little something for everyone — even the grinches. 

In This Article:

• Foundational health via the Wellness Pyramid
• Mindfulness for the holiday season
• Supplement tips for ultimate winter wellness

The Wellness Pyramid for Holiday Health and Well-Being

There’s a lot up in the air during the holidays, and not just the snow or your travel plans. When the department stores start playing Mariah Carey, our commitments to healthy eating, regular exercise, and decent sleep schedules go right out the window. 

But don’t blame yourself! 

Being removed from our daily routines can be majorly disruptive to health habits and wellness practices. Who wants to do their fascial maneuvers at the airport or take their fish oil with Thanksgiving dinner? Not us. 

And, by the same token, overcommitting to unsustainable routines during the holiday season is exhausting at best. Is there a way, then, to enjoy the holidays with a modified approach to health? One that allows room for fun and celebration without throwing the baby out with the eggnog? 

Yes, yes there is. 

Dr. Neal formulated the Wellness Pyramid after 20+ years of guiding folks to their own, unique states of whole-body health. It’s a structure or framework for optimal wellness that, by design, can be adapted to fit the needs of each individual. 

So we can take this handy blueprint for whole-person health and use it to inform our decisions during the holidays in order to enjoy our celebrations without sacrificing long-term wellness. 

The Foundational Tier | Lifestyle Domain Tips for Holiday Health 

1. Diet 

If you missed our recent deep dive into holistic nutrition, then you’re probably worried we’re going to tell you to cut out soy or go full paleo before Thanksgiving. While you might find black-and-white answers lacking all possible nuance on other so-called health channels, that is definitely not going to be the case here. 

We’re humans, and we need human solutions to our human problems. 

So when it comes to changing your diet this holiday season, just simply don’t! Don’t spend your merry days restricting your eating or counting calories. Instead, concentrate on diversifying your eating so you can improve your nutrient intake during this food-oriented time of year. 

Translation? Eat as much pie as you want, but eat all your mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and Brussels sprouts, too.  

Learn More: Mastering Holistic Nutrition: Dr. Neal’s Top 5 Diet Guidelines

2. Sleep 

Don’t get us wrong — we love late-night board games and early-morning walks just as much as the next person who’s at their parents’ house for the holidays. But should you sacrifice your much-needed slumber in order to enjoy these things? 

No, probably not. 

Sleep is important for emotional health and mental well-being, as well as about a bazillion other processes related to your physical health. From digesting food to repairing muscles, sleep is crucial for whole-picture wellness year-round. 

Try: Scheduling activities for after dawn and before dusk. Bonus points if you skip that last glass of wine before bed and avoid circadian rhythm disruptors like blue lights from screens. 

Learn More: Sleep Better: B.S. Free Guide to Holistic Sleep Support

3. Exercise

It might not be possible for you to maintain your 2-hour, high-intensity workout schedule while you’re traveling or celebrating the holidays at home.

And you know what? That is totally okay!

Not only has modern research shown that the optimal amount of exercise is somewhere closer to 30 minutes a day, but your gym will still be there waiting for you when Christmas is over. For the next few weeks, just focus on getting half an hour of movement per day to support your immune system, digestion, and mental health. 

That could look like doing some gentle stretching in the morning, taking a walk with your family (or away from them!), or having a 30-minute dance party with your favorite siblings. 

Learn More: The Truth About Exercise: Ditch the Myths

4. Stress Management 

Prioritizing your diet, sleep, and exercise during the holiday season is one of the best things you can do for your ability to handle stress and combat burnout.

(Don’t believe us? Try skipping a meal or staying up late and see how calm you feel during one of your uncle’s political diatribes.) 

But for many people, just hitting these basics isn’t enough to alleviate the stress of the holiday season. If that’s the case, we recommend making an active effort towards some kind of mindfulness practice. 

Before you cringe and close this tab, though, remember that scientific research has linked mindfulness practices to better stress management, reduced anxiety, and improved depression in clinical settings!

Plus, if sitting on a mat for 5 minutes of silent meditation isn’t your jam, there are other ways to incorporate mindfulness into your life. Do what works for you, whether that’s walking meditation, moment-to-moment mindfulness, or focused breathing.

Learn More: No More Resolutions: Set a Vision for the New Year

5. Lifestyle Changes 

When we refer to lifestyle changes in this Wellness Pyramid context, we’re talking about the changes we make to things outside of ourselves — environmental adaptations, if you will. 

During the rest of the year, those changes typically look like going alcohol-free or taking the TV out of your bedroom. During the holidays, however, our options for boosting immunity via lifestyle changes are pretty limited, especially if we’re visiting other people’s homes. 

So, for the 2025 holiday season, the top lifestyle change we recommend to protect your health and the health of your family members is: Wear. A. Mask. 

You hate to hear it, we hate to say it, but there is still a pandemic happening, folks. At the very least, if you find yourself in trains, planes, or automobiles this holiday season, don your mask while in transit. 

Learn More: Environment: How It Impacts Your Health and What to Do About It

The Middle Tier | Strategic Supplementation for Holiday Health

Keeping the 5 lifestyle domains at the center of your awareness will help protect your sleep and digestion, and in turn, support your mental health and immunity as well. 

Supplements, on the other hand, can bridge the inevitable gaps in our wellness practices during the holiday season. And the rest of the year, too, if they’re done right!

Doing supplements right usually means conducting our own research and buying from quality sources but there are a few tips we have from Dr. Neal for successful supplementation during the holiday season specifically:

1. Don’t Skip Your Daily Supplements 

While you might make compromises on your diet or date-night schedule this season, don’t be wishy-washy with your wellness products. Instead, avoid getting lost in the shuffle of gift-buying and ice-skating by using your daily supplement regimen to anchor your sense of self. 

Don’t have a day-to-day supplement strategy for preventing nutritional deficiencies and maintaining optimal health? We recommend starting with the First5. AKA, the 5 nutrients almost all of us need, but aren’t getting. 

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

2. Add Digestion Support Supplements to Your Regimen 

Tummy troubles can keep us up at night and stuck to the porcelain throne when we’d rather be out enjoying the season. If you have a sensitive stomach — and some adventurous eats on the horizon — incorporate digestion support supplements into your routine. 

Our number go-to supplement for gut health and digestive wellness is, of course, probiotics. But there are a few very close runner-ups that can aid in breaking down food and assimilating nutrients, too! Like Betaine HCL, digestive enzymes, and collagen peptides. 

Learn More: 4 Digestion Support Supplements for Surviving the Holiday Season

3. Support Sleep and Stress Management with Herbs and Minerals 

If it’s not your stomach keeping you awake, it could be the stress of making small talk with distant relatives or going back to your home town. This time of year, it’s critical to bolster your sleep hygiene and mindfulness practices with supportive herbs and supplements. 

Our favorite herbs for relaxing the muscles, promoting deep sleep, and restoring balance to the nervous system are valerian and CBD. But don’t forget essential minerals that build the foundation for healthy stress management and restorative sleep, like magnesium! 

Learn More: Sleep Supplements: 5 Lesser-Known Sleep Aids

The Top Tier | Professional Medical Care for Holiday Health

Our most sincere holiday wish for you is that you don’t need to seek professional medical attention to cope with your annoying family members or recover from the cold they passed onto you. 

But if you do need direct support for holiday health — from managing stress with supplements to maintaining immunity through wellness practices — give us a call. Our holistic health experts are ready and standing by with personalized guidance every day but Christmas. 

We talk a lot about the importance of a varied, nutrient-dense diet here in this corner of the holistic wellness world. 

But if we’re being totally honest — and we always are — comfort food will forever have a pizza of our hearts. It’s butter we acknowledge it now and taco about it rather than pretend otherwise. 

So we offered holistic health advocate and self-proclaimed big-mouth, Dr. Neal, a penne for his thoughts on the matter. What do we modern humans in this precarious pickle do? Especially with a feast festival looming!

Do we forsake our favorite treats or forgo all food research in favor of delicious ignorance? 

Turns out, it’s a little of both and a little of neither. Instead of going full paleo or calling the latest food science fake news, we walk the middle path — taking everything in moderation, including moderation. 

So for those delightfully human moments that call for gorging on delectable, deep-fried eats, we turn to supplements. Scroll on, fellow foodie, to get the low down on 3 popular supplements for digestive health so you can have your cake and eat it, too. 

In This Article: 

• Probiotics for proactive gut health
• Enzymes for breaking down foods 
• HCL for digestion support

1. Probiotics: Protecting Your Gut Health Year-Round

Thanksgiving is so close, we can practically smell the platters of sweet pies and savory bites being set on the table. As we gear up for this day of sumptuous eating, there’s no better time for starting a probiotic regimen than right now. 

Except for yesterday, that is!

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health?

Probiotics — AKA strains of bacteria that support the natural flora of your digestive tract — are a core facet of overall gut health. These little capsules filled with billions of beneficial microorganisms are so important, in fact, they’re part of the First5 for a few key reasons: 

1. They’re crucial for the healthy functioning of multiple bodily systems. 
2. They have some of the best science and data available supporting supplementation. 
3. Almost none of us are getting enough through our diets. 

Plus, our guts are exposed to a myriad of external stressors every day — inflammatory foods, emotional distress, environmental toxins, etc. Probiotic supplements, when done right, can soothe a dysregulated gut and support healthy digestive functioning. 

So really, we should have started taking our probiotics a long time ago, but today is the second-best day to launch a new supplement strategy.

If you’re nervous about reintroducing uncommon foods or trying new things this Thanksgiving, try a complete probiotic supplement to strengthen your digestive tract in advance.  

2. Digestive Enzymes for Digestion Support

If you’re googling digestive enzymes in a pre-Thanksgiving panic, you’ll probably see a wide range of options and conflicting information. Some sites and suppliers call them all bunk. Others claim that enzymes are miracle cure-alls for gut health, zapping heartburn and eliminating flatulence in one fell swoop. 

Here’s the truth: Digestive enzymes exist in your body already. They, like their supplement counterparts, can help your gut break down some proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

By properly assimilating these macronutrients, enzymes can help alleviate common gut issues related to improper digestion. 

Like malabsorption or lactose intolerance. 

But enzyme supplements are distinctly not a panacea — they’re best when taken at specific times with clear, data-backed expectations in mind. 

“Digestive enzyme supplements are replacing things our body doesn’t make enough of. They are not fixing any underlying problems; digestive enzymes are a temporary addition for digestion of the current meal or snack.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

When taken with a meal, a high-quality and naturally derived enzyme supplement can help your gut dissolve food and absorb nutrients properly. So, if your contribution to the Thanksgiving spread is a family-size pack of digestive enzymes, make sure you’ve done your research. 

Look for an enzyme supplement that comes from natural sources like bromelain from pineapple or papain from papaya — or opt for a comprehensive blend of food-based enzymes to target as many proteins, carbs, and lipids as possible.  

Learn More: Digestive Enzymes Demystified: 5 Things to Know Before Taking

3. HCL Supplements: Support Healthy Stomach Acid Levels

We all know that high levels of stomach acids can cause a whole host of unpleasant symptoms, like heartburn and acid reflux. But did you know that low stomach acid can be equally detrimental to your overall gut health? 

HCL supplementation has been rising in popularity for this very reason. 

Autoimmune diseases, chronic stress, drinking, and nutritionally bankrupt eating habits can all contribute to low acid levels. (Who among us isn’t guilty of at least one of those things?!) In turn, the subsequent decline in stomach acid production can end up causing nutrient loss, digestive issues like diarrhea, exacerbated food sensitivities, and more. 

Hence, our supplement superhero, HCL. 

HCL is the fun little acronym we use in the supplement world to refer to hydrochloric acid. You might also see it on vitamin labels as betaine or betaine HCL — the capsuled version of our naturally produced hydrochloric acid. 

When taken strategically to combat low stomach acid, HCL supplements can support the gut’s natural digestion processes and boost nutrient absorption. They have a similar end result to enzymes, but a totally different function. 

You can jumpstart your digestion with HCL supplements but don’t forget that these humble capsules are powerful tools. Find a competent healthcare professional before supplementing and invite them to your family’s Thanksgiving celebration.

Learn More: Staying Healthy During the Holidays: Holistic Wellness Guide

Can’t Stomach It? Call Us

We know — this was nacho typical blog on holistic nutrition and digestion supplements. We didn’t tell you to ban grains from your house or take a shot of straight apple cider vinegar every day.

What can we say? Food is one of the berry best parts of being human. (And the science behind ACV is…not grape.)

Eat well today and on Thanksgiving, knowing you’ve got industry-insider info on digestion support supplements under your belt. And if you can’t stomach the thought of diving into your meal without more direct guidance, give us a call.

You can chat all things gut health with one of our supplement experts via Counterside Consult any time — always free and always pun-free.

Gather around girls, ghosts, and ghouls! Today we’re venturing to the dark side of the wellness world to celebrate the spookiest week of the year. 

Because, if you ask us… There’s nothing scarier than the costumes we see cheap vitamins and bunk supplements skulking around in! 

If our exposé on how environmental toxins affect your health wasn’t enough to make you sleep with one eye open, this post surely will be. From the wretched origins of your favorite vitamins to the horrifying truth about herbal supplements, we’re pulling all the marketing machinations from their crypts and into the light.  

Thankfully we have the medical myth-buster and notorious loudmouth, Dr. Neal, to offer expert advice for navigating (and surviving!) the treacherous terrain of supplement sales tactics. 

Grab a trusted safety blanket and read on!

In This Article: 

• Meet the mega-corporations that own your favorite supplement brands
• Learn what the organic label on vitamins really means
• Herbal supplements: safe or not?

The Illusion of Free Choice 

Did you already know that strolling down the supplement aisle of your local health foods store was akin to walking through a haunted house of mirrors? 

If not, don’t blame yourself. Most of us modern consumers are fooled by the myriad of names, logos, brand colors, and mission statements into thinking that there are scads of supplement companies to choose from.

The frightening reality of the matter is that just 14 mega corporations own all the hundreds of vitamin brands you see on the shelf. It’s true. Corporations like Nestle and Clorox, dressed up as Pure Encapsulations and Rainbow Light Vitamins, are the villainous faces unmasked by us meddling kids. 

The supplement industry was valued at roughly 163.9 billion just last year. So it should come as no surprise that these profit-driven global syndicates want a piece of the pie. For health and wellness seekers, though, that means the shopping process isn’t so sweet. 

Choosing a pure, potent supplement isn’t about picking the brands with green labels any more.

To find the vitamins and nutrients that are what they say they are, consumers need to deep-dive the ethics of their chosen companies. (Preferably before handing over their hard-earned cash.)

The Organic Standards Graveyard 

Shining out like a beacon, the USDA Organic Seal has become something like a lighthouse for health-conscious folks across the country. Since the late 90’s, savvy consumers have sought brands that carry this illustrious label, under the presumption that organic means…organic. 

Unfortunately, that’s not really the case. 

The NOSB, or National Organic Standards Board, which was created to oversee the regulations hasn’t actually reduced the number of synthetic chemicals permitted in so-called organic foods and supplements — they’ve increased it. 

“More than 250 non-organic substances are now allowed in organic foods, up from 77 in 2002.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

And we have the corporations that moonlight as board members for the NOSB to thank for that!

Companies like Whole Foods Market and General Mills have used their voting rights to push for more chemicals — and even herbicides — to be allowed in organic foods and products in order to protect their financial investments in the supplement industry. 

Strict manufacturing standards and safety regulations result in higher testing and production costs and, subsequently, lower profits. Translation: It’s cheaper and easier to cut corners. 

So don’t be fooled by this clever disguise! Instead, scrutinize organic products as carefully as you would non-organic.

In some cases, buying a supplement from a small, trusted brand might be safer than buying one with the organic seal and a million-dollar marketing plan. 

The Herbal Anti-Heroes 

Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of the natural health industry’s dark underbelly is that, in it, a highly profitable, highly polarizing dichotomy has been created. 

Natural vs. synthetic, traditional vs. modern, herbal vs. pharmaceutical, us vs. them, hero vs. villain. It’s a prolific and profitable sales tactic known as oppositional marketing or oppositional brand loyalty. 

In essence: If we’re the kind of people inclined to choose natural products, we must hate all forms of modern, non-traditional medicine. If we’re the kind of people who prefer allopathic medicine, we must forsake all forms of herbal or holistic healing interventions. 

No nuance allowed. 

So herbs are, depending on which side you fall on, seen as either miracle cure-alls with no negative side effects or useless, overhyped hippie junk. The truth, gang, lies somewhere in between these contrasting beliefs. 

Let’s break it down into fun-sized bites:

1. YES, herbal compounds have been used as food and medicine throughout the history of human civilization. If you’re alive today, it’s because your ancestors ate plants, drank teas, and prepared extracts of herbal compounds to recover from illnesses. 
2. NO, not every so-called superfood herb is what it seems to be. Modern research is still struggling to validate the historical claims of many herbs. The necessary funding and interest in the scientific community are lacking. 
3. YES, there are herbs and herbal extracts with benefits that have been scientifically proven through rigorous testing and clinical research. It’s not all bunk and to claim such is to teeter into anti-science territory. 
4. NO, herbal products and supplements aren’t inherently healthier than non-herbal products or synthetic vitamins. Some have contraindications with medications while others can be addictive. All plants, like humans, are only as “healthy” as the environments around them. Even herbal allies like ashwagandha and ginkgo can contain horrifying amounts of heavy metals from the toxic soils in which they grow. 

Our main issue with herbal supplements is not a matter of their efficacy or importance. It’s that most supplement companies don’t test the raw materials they receive from suppliers. This means that herbal products, like other supplements and vitamins, can be dyed, duped, or disguised by any number of masked manufacturing practices. 

The turmeric capsules you bought for their lovely, vibrant color, for example? They might be shining gold due to malachite yellow, a coppery dye additive that’s also a banned substance. 

So heavy metals can leech into your herbal products from soil, solvents during extraction, and dyes or additives during production. By the time it reaches your eager hands, your herbal supplement might be more trick than treat. 

Seeing Through the Nefariousness of “Natural” Products

Okay, so maybe this blog won’t keep you up at night like Friday the 13th or Hereditary will. But the lack of choice, education, and regulations in the supplement sphere is pretty scary, no?

That’s why our whole jam here at Woodstock Vitamins is facing our fears head-on — looking behind the curtain of slick branding to reveal the phonies for what they are.

Because you shouldn’t have to traverse this haunted house of health products alone! Explore our other myth-busting manifestos or hop on a free Counterside Consult for direct guidance. Our supplement strategists and holistic wellness experts promise not to tease you if you jump or squeal at the marketing tactics that go bump in the night.

Okay, so, maybe you eat a few too many cookies and a few too few veggies on a regular basis. As long as you pop a multivitamin every day, you should be fine, right? 

Wrong. 

Multivitamins aren’t really the one-a-day space food that they’re made out to be. For all our advancements in the technological age, the science behind these supplements is actually pretty obsolete. 

And yet, multivitamins are still a crucial component of an intelligent supplement strategy. So how do we tailor our expectations to be based on the clinical data of reality, without getting caught up in marketing schemes for these so-called superfood panaceas? 

Any time we need to get to the deepest stratum of truth about a supplement, we turn to Dr. Neal, notorious wellness wizard and holistic health advocate of 20+ years.  

Read on, fellow wellness seeker, to learn about a food-first approach to micronutrients and how to buy the best multivitamin to fill the gaps in our still-human diets.

In This Article: 

• Improving your diet before supplementing multivitamins 
• How to choose the best multivitamin supplement
• What to avoid when buying a multivitamin
• What to look for when choosing your multi  

Food First: Supplementing Multivitamins Won’t Make You Healthier

Before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight. You don’t have to give up your cookies. 

Why? Because a food-first mentality isn’t the same thing as a fad diet or fanatical fasting. Rather, it’s a shift in mindset away from what we’ve been taught by the sales tactics of the supplement industry. 

It can be boiled down as such: You can’t out-supplement a nutritionally bankrupt diet. 

It’s true — regardless of what you’ve heard from health influencers, no amount of vitamins, supplements, oils, or potions can make up for a diet that lacks a diverse range of nutritious foods. 

That’s why Dr. Neal created the Wellness Pyramid after 20 years of explaining: yes supplements are great, but no they aren’t the key to immortality. The Wellness Pyramid simplifies this really complex thing — holistic, or whole-being, health — into a compact graphic that illustrates this principle. 

We start, then, at the bottom of the pyramid, laying the groundwork for genuine, long-term health. The 5 foundational domains are diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes. 

Most applicable in the realm of multivitamins is diet. 

Walking the Middle Path of Nutrition

But you don’t have to go full paleo or cut out your favorite treats. You can if you want, but most of us…don’t really want to do that. 

So, instead, we walk the middle path, making manageable changes and taking everything in moderation — including moderation. That looks something like: 

• Eating more whole, fresh foods and fewer processed foods.
• Getting 1-2 cups of fruits and veggies (each!) per day.
• Balancing meals with all 3 macronutrients (healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein).
• Eating small, frequent meals and having snacks every few hours to maintain healthy energy levels, blood sugar, metabolism, and brain functioning.

Not so bad, right? Once you’ve optimized your diet — and done some work in the other 4 foundational domains, too — you can take multivitamins confidently, knowing you’re not wasting money on well-branded bunk. 

How to Choose the Right Multivitamin Supplement

Except… Creating a multivitamin supplement strategy that actually works isn’t as simple as fixing your diet first. 

While that is the non-negotiable first step, once you cross that hurdle, the next stumbling block involves finding a multivitamin with the appropriate forms and doses of critical nutrients. This part should be easy, but thanks to the loose regulations and even looser standards of the wellness industry, it’s not. 

So before you shell out your hard-earned cash, check out Dr. Neal’s insider tips for buying the best multivitamin supplement available. 

Multivitamin Buying — The Don’ts:

Don’t Buy Demographic-Specific Multivitamins 

We’ve all seen them — multivitamins for women, multivitamins for men, multivitamins for children, seniors, vegans, dog owners, hair models, skydivers, the list goes on. 

At first blush, it might seem like a great idea to buy a multivitamin with specific nutrients for your specific demographic or health concern. You’re not crazy for thinking that. 

The issue lies in the fact that most of the supposedly targeted nutrients included are only added to give the illusion of a powerful formula. These kinds of gimmicky vitamins almost never include the proper forms and doses of the compounds listed, and they come from bottom-of-the-barrel sources. 

Learn More: Multivitamins for Women, Men, Seniors, & Teens | Dr. Neal

Don’t Just Buy the Multivitamin with the Most Ingredients 

You should avoid multivitamins that brag about ungodly numbers of different nutrients for essentially the same reasons you should avoid demographically branded multis. 

More doesn’t always equal better; there’s a limit to what you can fit in a capsule. 

And we should know, what with our proprietary supplement formulations and all! Typically, when you see a multivitamin with a supplement facts panel as long as your receipt, you’ll only be getting minuscule amounts of the nutrients listed. 

Like, 1-5mg. Seriously. 

It’s not just that these supplements contain low doses and are therefore less effective — they’re useless without the proper, clinically studied doses of the nutrients contained. 

Learn More: 3 Spooky Supplement Marketing Tactics Unmasked

Multivitamin Buying — The Do’s:

Do Your Research on Nutrient Forms Before Buying

Most people think that getting any form of a vitamin is better than getting no form of the vitamin. That’s not really the case. 

Take calcium, as one simple, yet emblematic example. We always recommend calcium hydroxyapatite because it’s the same form of calcium that’s found right there in our bones. This makes it super bioavailable and easy to absorb. 

Other, cheaper forms of calcium are more difficult to absorb. But the real concern lies in the fact that unabsorbed calcium in your gut can cause major tummy issues. 

Even the most comprehensive-seeming supplements, when examined a little closer, can be seen cutting corners to save on manufacturing costs. 

They’ll use folic acid instead of tetrahydrofolate. They’ll use pyridoxine instead of P5P. None of the B vitamins are in their methylated state. Minerals are in their most basic form as if they were scraped off a rock and put right into the capsule.

Dr. Neal Smoller

So when choosing a multivitamin, look for the supplements that use the most bioavailable form of each nutrient — no ifs, ands, or buts. 

Do Examine the Doses Included 

Yep, we’re circling back to multivitamin doses again because the importance of it cannot be stressed enough. 

When it comes to dosage, manufacturers are banking on the fact that you haven’t done your research and don’t know how much of each nutrient your body needs. They’re counting on you to see multivitamins as cure-alls, despite the fact the formulas have way less of each active ingredient than a stand-alone supplement would have. 

The doses are so low, we call them “Fairy Dusted” doses. They just sprinkled a little ingredient in there so they can make the claim on the label. 

Dr. Neal Smoller

To be a savvy shopper of multivitamin supplements, you have two choices:

1. Investigate the clinical data and scientific findings on the proper doses of each and every vitamin, nutrient, herbal compound, antioxidant, etc., included. 
2. Buy your supplements from a reputable manufacturer that prioritizes efficacy and evidence-based formulations at equitable retail prices. 

A Multi-Pronged Attack on Multivitamin Marketing Schemes 

Multivitamins, when done right, can be the boost your body needs to support your healthy diet and reach optimal health. 

When done wrong, they’re a bad investment at best and a dangerous gamble with low-quality ingredients at worst. 

But you don’t have to worry about getting swindled by skeevy marketing tactics of supplement suppliers anymore, right!? Equipped with Dr. Neal’s integral do’s and don’ts for buying multis, you’re a veritable multivitamin maestro. 

And if you need a copilot to help navigate the world of futuristic superfood space supplements, just give us a call. Chat with one of our supplement strategists for free via Counterside Consult anytime, anywhere. 

Picture this: It’s 2AM, you’re exhausted, and every time you start to slip off to sleep, that little tickle in your throat drags you back into the waking world just in time to…COUGH!

That’s right, friends, cold and flu season is officially underway. 

With the drop in temperatures comes a drop in immune system functioning — which means sniffles, sneezes, and snot-nosed mouth-breathing will soon follow. But before you reach for the DayQuil and Redbull, we’re here to tell you there’s another way. 

While it might not be as cool as a caffeine and acetaminophen cocktail, a holistic cold care plan can keep you from getting sick as a dog, instead of just masking the symptoms.

And, when done right, this approach can keep you from getting sick in the first place. 

Get back to enjoying the cozy weather and mindblowing foliage this season has to offer — sniffle-free and sleeping through the night. Read on, wellness seeker, to learn the nitty gritty of preventing illness and strategically implementing cold remedies from Dr. Neal and his 20+ years of clinical experience.

In This Article:

• Cold prevention tips to keep from getting sick
• Supplements for cold symptoms
• Clear congestion with supplements
• Best herbs for cough

Cold Prevention: A Holistic Approach to Not Getting Sick

“Is Dr. Neal really saying he’s discovered how to prevent the common cold?”

Well, yes, kinda! While we can’t fully eradicate the virus with these simple yet powerful tools, we can use Dr. Neal’s strategic approach to minimize our chances of getting sick. The fundamentals of holistic preventative care are reducing exposure and having a solid foundation for overall health. 

Reducing Exposure Looks Like: 

• Washing your hands
• Not hanging out with sick people
• Wearing a mask in public (particularly in confined spaces)

Other helpful tricks include staying away from children — who, bless their hearts, are virulent carriers of cold and flu germs — getting enough rest, and upping your fluid intake. 

Now, this may sound too good to be true, and it is true that even the most careful prevention practices aren’t infallible, but these tips will go a long way in keeping that cold at bay. 

Prevention is most effective when it works in conjunction with strong overall health, though — it’s not a magic pill. So if you’re sleeping 3-4 hours a night and subsisting solely off Taco Bell and gas station sushi (no judgment, we’ve all been there!), then even the Boy in the Bubble’s prevention plan won’t be enough. 

Prevent Colds with a Strong Foundation of Wellness

It’s not just poor sleep and plastic food, though. Lack of exercise, chronic stress, and exposure to environmental toxins can all make us more susceptible to illness. 

Building a strong foundation for your health, then, begins in the mundane: diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and (everyone’s favorite) lifestyle changes. A truly holistic approach to cold prevention has to factor in all 5 of these domains — don’t waste your time with anything less. 

Learn More: The Wellness Pyramid: Your Roadmap to Holistic Health

Because — and here’s a secret the wellness industry doesn’t want you to know — the only real way to boost your immune health and ward off colds is to optimize these 5 crucial areas of your life. Don’t believe all the Vitamin C hype, almost nobody is actually deficient.

While certain deficiencies, like Vitamin A, can increase your chances of getting sick, it’s significantly more efficient to target the nutritionally bankrupt diet that results in those deficiencies than to supplement them directly.

Pro Tip: If you feel like you’re rocking all five domains and still really want to take a supplement for immune health, try out probiotics! Not antibiotics, which won’t actually help you with a cold.

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health?

Holistic Cold Remedies for Getting Better, Faster

It usually starts with a scratchy throat, a runny nose, or sinus buildup behind the eyes — uh oh, here comes the cold!

Even with all of Dr. Neal’s tips under your belt, prevention tricks aren’t 100% effective 100% of the time. So what do we do when the viral bugs make it through all our staunchly prepared defenses?

Timing is crucial when it comes to holistic cold treatment: Dr. Neal always says the first 24-48 hours are the make-or-break period for catching these symptoms early and determining how badly you get sick, if at all.

So where do you start if time’s running out?!

Well, first — scroll back up to the Wellness Pyramid. Nothing will zap that cold faster than rest, fluids, proper nutrition, good sleep, and stress management. If you’ve got all those checked off the list, though, there are a couple more things that can tip the scales in your favor.

Best Cold Remedy for the First 24 Hours

On days one and two of feeling the symptoms creeping in, your best bet is zinc lozenges.

These lozenges work by targeting the viral molecules accumulating in the back of your throat: by coating them consistently with zinc, we can force them out of the throat and down into the much more resilient gut.

Slowly dissolve one lozenge six times a day, making sure to go 15 minutes without food or drink afterward to give it the best chance to work. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that an oral zinc supplement does not offer the same benefits — the topical application is key to dislodging the cold bugs.

If the zinc does the trick, great! You’re welcome 🙂

If not — time to move on to the big guns.

Herbal Remedies for Colds in the First 72 Hours

First up: Echinacea.

Yeah, yeah, we’ve seen the studies that say echinacea won’t help with a cold — we just don’t agree.

While it’s true that most products miss the mark, choosing a carefully formulated high-dose echinacea like Quick Defense and taking two capsules five times a day starting within 72 hours of your first symptoms can rapidly reduce inflammation caused by the virus, as well as the symptoms themselves.

While we’re at it, we’ll also bring out one of the most ancient treatments of all — warm tea! The fluids help you stay hydrated and flush all that gunk out of your system, while the heat helps alleviate swelling in the upper respiratory tract.

Some of Dr. Neal’s favorite teas for a sick day are:

• White Tea
• Lemongrass
• Ginger
• Elderflower
• Elderberry

Add a little raw ginger and honey to any of these for an extra zing, and you’re well on your way to kicking the cold to the curb.

Supplements for Cold Symptoms

As our immune system kicks into overdrive to fight off the infection, the rest of the body gets to feel really crappy for its efforts. Which means it’s time for symptom management. The cold symptoms we all complain about are generally coughing, sore throat, fever and aches, and congestion.

If we’re able to tackle even one or two of these, the cold gets just that much easier to manage.

Herbs for Sinus Congestion

Clearing congestion can be a real pain in the nose but it doesn’t need to be. 

Although traditional decongestants such as Sudafed can be effective, they work by constricting blood vessels all over the body which can result in elevated blood pressure and heart rate. Because we’re holistic rebels here at Woodstock Vitamins, we prefer to skip the vasoconstrictors in favor of clinically-backed, all-natural herbal formulas, like Sinus Blaster. 

Learn More: Breathe Easy with Sinus Blaster: Herbal Sinus Relief Solution

Formulated to clear congestion via plant-based aromatics, Sinus Blaster works directly on the sinuses while leaving all your other blood vessels alone. And because the herbal constituents work in tandem with the body’s processes, this non-drowsy tincture offers genuine, long-term relief instead of a band-aid for the symptoms. 

Be warned — it does have a powerful taste, but what good medicine doesn’t? 

Combine With: Natural decongestant spays like Xlear; wellness practices like neti pot nasal rinses and sleeping with a humidifier. 

Herbs for Cough and Chest Congestion

The cough reflex is an invaluable component of the body’s ability to clear infection by keeping the lungs free of mucus and fluid… But sometimes, we just need to shut it off for a while. 

Our first plan of attack is always Bronchial Syrup: loaded with powerhouse decongestant herbs like slippery elm, wild cherry bark, and horehound, Dr. Neal designed this formula specifically to target chest and lung symptoms, including coughs and upper respiratory tract congestion. 

The proprietary blend of cooling and moisturizing herbal extracts in our Bronchial Syrup coats your innards, calming inflammation so you can stop hacking and get back to sleep. But make sure to pump up your fluid intake and keep that humidifier running for best results. 

Combine With: Consistent hydration; wellness practices like sleeping with your head and neck elevated. 

Home Remedies for Fever and Aches

We’re earthy-crunchy to the core, but as far as fevers and aches go, there really isn’t anything more effective than a correctly dosed and administered protocol of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. 

When taken according to your doctor’s or pharmacist’s instructions, the dose will be low enough and the duration short enough that there is little to no risk of long-term concerns.  But take these OTC options with food and avoid aspirin if you can. Asprin acts as a blood thinner and can increase the risk of Reye’s syndrome, especially in children with a viral infection.

And, if your heart is completely set on natural options, both yarrow and willow bark herbal supplements will work to reduce fever and achiness. 

Natural Cold Remedies are Pretty Sick

Nobody is completely immune to the scourge of the common cold. But with Dr. Neal’s clinical experience and down-to-earth wellness wisdom at your side, it’s quite a bit less fearsome, right?

By fine-tuning your overall health, following Dr. Neal’s fundamentals of prevention, and nipping symptoms in the bud with focused treatment, you’ll be sturdier than ever come cold season. An ounce of prevention goes a long way, and an ounce of Sinus Blaster goes even further! 

Want more cold remedies for your sniffle season toolkit? Shimmy on over to a free Counterside Consult to chat with Dr. Neal about your mucus in detail. 

They say if you can’t laugh at yourself, life just isn’t much fun.

And you know what? We think the wellness industry could learn a thing or two about that! 

We’ve been known to throw a few jabs at its expense — calling out snake oil salesmen, keeping it real about skeevy marketing tactics, et cetera. But it’s not because we want to burn down the natural health world. We just want to raise the bar a bit. 

And really, the lack of meaningful regulations in the industry is pretty laughable! Not to mention the myriad of myths surrounding supplements, à la last week’s blog on probiotic misconceptions. 

But before we get stitches in our sides, let’s cut through the funny business — there are some serious health benefits at stake. So, with Dr. Neal’s 20+ years of clinical experience leading the way, we’re diving back into the world of probiotics. 

Read on, wellness seeker, to transform your probiotic pursuit from a wild goose chase into a strategic, research-guided mission that saves you time and money. 

In This Article:

• When you should take probiotic supplements
• What kind of probiotic supplements to take
• What probiotic strains are best for gut health
• How many billion CFUs to look for

Should I Take Probiotic Supplements?

Speaking of jokes — the one we hear the most around these parts is, “My gut is great, I don’t need a probiotic!”

First of all, it’s not nice to brag. And second of all, if you’re living in the modern world, your gut is in an endless battle against environmental toxins, external stressors, and inflammatory agents. 

“Because of our ever-changing food quality, varied diets, stress levels, medications, and supplements, our gut is constantly under attack.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

This isn’t meant to freak you out though — just to help us all recognize the challenges our bodies are facing every day. The scariest part is that we’ve normalized a lot of gut-related things that are definitely not normal. 

Ignoring the warning signs emanating from your tummy is a dangerous game to play considering how much the gut influences our overall health and well-being. 

Despite what you might have learned in school, your GI tract isn’t just responsible for digesting Twinkies and turning that fluff into energy. Its role expands far beyond the limits of the abdomen. 

In the canals and caverns of your gut live hundreds of millions of neurons — the cells that send and receive electrical signals in your brain. These neurons are connected to your brain via the nervous system, the backbone of which is the vagus nerve. 

When your stomach is in distress, those SOS signals get sent straight up to your brain, where they’re interpreted as anxiety, stress, and depression.

Your gut health is inextricably linked to your overall quality of life because nothing in the body exists in a vacuum.  

Plus, your gut lining is one of your most important defenses against disease and infection, because a big chunk of your immune system is found in or around there, too. 

You should probably up your probiotic intake if:

• You don’t eat perfectly 100% of the time
• You have chronic gut issues like constipation, gas, or diarrhea 
• You have an inflammatory gut disease
• You currently have or frequently get UTIs
• You have or are going to be taking antibiotics 
• You want to bolster your immune system, GI tract, and/or mental health
• You are exposed to the routine toxins and stressors of the modern world

Should I Tell My Doctor I’m Taking Probiotic Supplements?

Yes, definitely.

These guidelines are generalized and they don’t account for the possibility that your stomach issues are connected to a larger issue. 

The underlying cause of your tummy troubles might be addressed by probiotics — by healing your gut barrier, for example — or it might be masked. Symptoms aren’t a whole lot of fun, but they are important messages from your body. 

So chat with your doctor, healthcare specialist, or one of our experts if you start taking a probiotic supplement. 

What Kind of Probiotic Supplements Should I Take? 

Moral of the story: If there’s one bandwagon to jump on, it’s the daily probiotic supplement train. 

Probiotic supplements and their widespread benefits have gained popularity, but like many vitamin-related conversations, the nuance is lacking. Clever phrasing and even cleverer marketing have led the general public to believe that all probiotics — whether from kombucha or a supplement — can change your life. 

But that’s not really the case. 

The truth is there are some strains of probiotic bacteria that have been shown to have a positive effect on bodily systems by recent research. And there are some that don’t do anything at all. 

So when you’re shopping for probiotic supplements, don’t equate more CFUs with better results. Unethical manufacturers and vitamin drop-shippers aren’t above dumping cheap, useless strains in their formulas to bolster the product’s image. 

Specific probiotic strains have specific benefits. 

Do your research — and not just a quick Google search, please — to figure out which particular cultures are proven to help with your particular issue. And then, when you find supplements that contain those probiotic strains, be exacting. 

“Look for probiotics that have a first, middle, and last name, like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Only by using specific strains in our probiotic can we know if we are matching our problem to the right solution.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

Which Probiotic Strains are Best for Gut Health? 

There are tons of reasons for wanting to improve your gut health. Putting your newfound knowledge of how the gut interacts with your immune system and mental health is just one, but it is a big one. 

To optimize your GI tract and get all the benefits of a happier gut, look for the probiotic supplements with the four strains below. 

The latest research has shown that these bad boys are a major boon for your belly: 

• Bifidobacterium Lactis HN019
• Lactobacillus Acidophilus La-14
• Lactobacillus Plantarum Lp-115
• Bifidobacterium Longum Bl-05

Learn More: Best Probiotics for Gut Health — 4 Strains Backed by Science

Probiotic Supplement Dosing: How Many Strains and CFUs Do I Need?

To recap: We don’t buy probiotic supplements that contain ineffective strains. Pretty easy! 

But there’s another marketing tactic to be wary of, too. The billions and billions of CFUs scheme that is, in fact, a scheme. 

In America, we tend to think that more always equals better. With probiotic supplements, more can actually be way, way worse. As Dr. Neal always says, capsules aren’t clown cars — you can only fit so much inside of them. More strains typically translate to fewer CFUs or smaller doses. 

Generally, we want as many active, colony-forming units in our probiotic supplements as possible — around 30 billion is great. 

But as long as those strains are backed by clinical research and not just tossed in for fun, we should be good with however many billion, right? Right…kind of. 

When choosing a probiotic supplement, make sure the product’s labeled dosage is guaranteed through the expiration date. Otherwise, the “billions and billions of CFUs” advertised is nothing more than a record of how many active cultures were present at the time of manufacture. 

Probiotic supplements can lose potency — AKA active CFUs — quickly due to improper shipping and storage conditions so this is a pretty common sales tactic. 

Pro-Tips for Choosing the Best Probiotic Supplements 

“Remember, everything that we read — the label, the website, the flyer — is marketing. The only source of relative truth is on that Supplement Facts Panel.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

Now that you’ve got the brains for strains, your probiotic pursuit is perfectly primed for palpable results. Take your scrutiny a step further by only supporting supplement companies with rigorous standards and a commitment to sustainability.

After all, the health of your body and our world depends on it!

Crack open a cold one, fellow wellness seeker! A cold kombucha, that is. 

Today, we’re uncovering the facts about a health trend bandwagon that over a million people have jumped on — probiotics. 

Like most ultra-popular vitamins, probiotic supplements are shrouded in myths, misconceptions, and marketing tactics. While it shouldn’t be our job, as consumers, to don our detective hats and put a magnifying glass to these microorganisms, we have no choice.  

And we have the lack of industry regulations in the natural health world to thank for making the probiotic landscape one that’s riddled with misleading clues and deceptive disguises. 

(Turns out the FDA isn’t the Dr. Watson to our Sherlock.) 

So, in pursuit of the truth, we turned to our founder and very own supplement sleuth, Dr. Neal. The holistic pharmacist and wellness wisecracker has spent 20+ years of clinical experience investigating supplements and interrogating charlatans. 

Now, with Dr. Neal’s insight, we can deftly navigate the labyrinth of claims and counterclaims, separate fact from fiction, and reveal what truly matters when it comes to probiotics. 

In This Article:

• Probiotic foods vs. probiotic supplements
• CFUs: Do you need billions?
• Probiotic potency
• Should you refrigerate your probiotics?

Are Probiotic Foods Better than Probiotic Supplements?

If you know anything about us wellness rebels here at Woodstock Vitamins, it’s that we always take a food-first approach. Because, unfortunately, even the highest quality supplements can’t outweigh a Cheeto-based diet. 

To avoid wasting money on supplements, then, we start at the foundation of the Wellness Pyramid, strategically optimizing the 5 lifestyle domains before anything else. 

(For the newbies — that’s diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes.) 

So it might be surprising to hear us say that, when it comes to probiotics, you should start supplementing ASAP. Like, right now. 

Do not pass go, do not collect 200 different kinds of kimchi. 

While probiotic bacteria are found in cultured foods like kefir and yogurt, or fermented foods like sauerkraut and some pickles, the amount of beneficial bacteria included usually isn’t worth the price tag. Recent research has shown that the dosages of probiotics from food sources are too low to offer the benefits found in clinical trials. 

Does that mean you shouldn’t diversify your diet and support your gut microbiome with probiotic foods? No way!

Probiotic foods can still provide crucial micronutrients that your body needs to function, and the fiber your stomach needs to thrive. Just don’t rely on food as your only source of probiotics as even the healthiest will lack the levels needed to reap the benefits. 

That’s why probiotics are one of Dr. Neal’s First5, after all.

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

How Many Billion CFUs Do You Really Need in a Probiotic?

One of the first things you’ll notice about the myriad of options for probiotic supplements is that they all claim to have billions upon billions of CFUs. 

Which seems like a good thing, right? When it comes to our health, we always want more, more, more of the stuff that’s going to make our bodies happier. So a billion or two beneficial bacterial cells swimming around in our guts seems pretty great on the surface. 

But with probiotics, bigger isn’t always better. 

Learn More: Be Proactive: How Can Probiotics Improve Your Health? 

A high-quality probiotic supplement will still have a relatively huge dose of active CFUs, but it’s the amount of certain, specific strains we should be looking at. 

Billions of random, cheap, ineffective probiotic strains make their way into supplements all the time. And innocent consumers purchase them, thinking the extra 5 billion in this supplement makes it a better option than that supplement over there. 

It’s a clever marketing tactic, not an actual selling point. 

So before you fork over your cold hard cash for a probiotic supplement, do your research. Cut through the noise by figuring out which strains have been clinically proven to help with the issue you’re addressing, and then ignore the billions of phonies vying for your purchase. 

Learn More: Probiotics Done Right: 3 Tips for Buying the Right Probiotic Supplement

Are Probiotics Potent Through the Expiration Date?

Now you know that billions aren’t better and probiotic foods are close but no cigar. Congrats! You’re two steps ahead of the average consumer and two steps closer to finding the best probiotics supplement. 

But here’s another hurdle: Most probiotics are decreasing in potency every day that they sit in your supplement cabinet. 

So not only do you have to find the probiotic with the right dose of the right strains — but also you have to find the one with a potency guarantee. 

And no, reading the label isn’t enough to ascertain whether or not you’ve found a probiotic supplement that won’t lose effectiveness while you’re still taking it. For that, you’ll have to find a super transparent manufacturer.  

Why? Because the billions and billions of beneficial strains listed in the supplement facts were there at the time of manufacture, which could have been days, weeks, months, or even years ago. 

While this isn’t quite a straight-up marketing myth, it is a salesy sleight of hand.

Skeevy supplement manufacturers can be somewhat honest by saying they mixed in a billion CFUs of this strain and a billion of that strain, without having to explain that by the time it reaches your doorstep, only millions remain. 

Throw in conditions of the real world — like temperature fluctuations, improper storage, and shipping mishaps — and you’re likely only getting about 1/4th of those millions, according to third-party analyses. 

Learn More: Supplement Expiration Dates: To Toss or Not to Toss

Do You Have to Keep Probiotic Supplements Refrigerated? 

Speaking of adequate storage and shipping conditions: No, you don’t have to refrigerate all probiotic supplements. 

Shocking, we know. 

This misconception has been circulating the health forums for a while now, and at one point, it was based in reality. It used to be that probiotics had to be in cold storage because the microorganisms would die if exposed to too much heat or light. 

Nowadays, the science of shelf-life has improved, and thank goodness for that. In times past, probiotics needed to be cultured, manufactured, shipped, and stored at the proper temperature to maintain what’s called the “cold chain.” 

Maintaining the cold chain in a profit-first industry known for cutting corners was, as you’d expect, a nightmare. 

Don’t get us wrong though — some probiotic supplements still require refrigeration, and it’s super important to know if yours does or not. 

Because if it does require cold storage, it’s probably a waste of money. 

You see, for most vitamin retailers, the first time their probiotics are put in a fridge is when they reach the store. Supplement distributors typically outsource their formulas and products, so verifying the cold chain is nearly impossible. 

Thankfully, the workaround for this issue is pretty dang easy. Save yourself the time and stress of figuring out if your supplement was kept chilly enough by simply opting for a shelf-stable probiotic formula instead.

The Jury’s Out on Probiotic Supplements

TL;DR: Don’t buy probiotics based on the billions of CFUs, buy them based on the number of clinically-verified strains included. Avoid the supplements that require refrigeration and/or can’t offer a potency guarantee.

And listen, rookie. If you need a pro to join you on the probiotic beat, give us a call. You can chat with one of our supplement detectives or even the big man himself, Dr. Neal, for free via Counterside Consult.

Yep, you read that title right!

If the 5 omega-3 supplement myths we already debunked didn’t make a splash, the following 5 surely will. 

But why is it that omega-3 supplements are surrounded by murky waters of misinformation in the first place? We took this humble inquiry to Woodstock Vitamins’ big fish and notorious boat rocker, Dr. Neal. 

Turns out, the main reason supplements have been in hot water lately is that the wellness industry is as lawless as the sea itself. In fact, the regulations surrounding vitamins and such are so loose, maritime law seems like a major step up. 

As omega-3 supplements and their myriad benefits continue to rise in popularity, so too will the myths, marketing tactics, and mediocre formulas. Our journey isn’t over! 

Hoist the sails and secure your life vest, fellow wellness seeker. We’re diving back in. 

In This Article: 

• 5 common myths about omega-3 supplements
• Omega-3 supplements and rancidity
• Should you take an omega-3-6-9 supplement?

Myth 1: Krill is a Good Source of Omega-3

Krill are little tiny creatures swimming in the ocean, minding their business, getting eaten by whales and living their #bestlives.

Then, one day in America, fish oil and Omega-3 supplements blow up, and now they’re harvested as a “superior” source of Omega-3.

Dr. Neal Smoller

We wrapped up the first blog in this two-part myth-busting series with a doozy of a debunk: Flaxseed is not a good source of omega-3. 

Fortunately for krill and unfortunately for krill-lovers, the tides are turning on this supplement, too. Krill does contain the essential omega-3 fatty acids that have been in the spotlight for heart, brain, and skin benefits, but…not nearly enough. 

You already should know the daily dose of omega-3 that has been clinically verified as beneficial is 3,000mg — 2,000mg minimum — because we’ve gone on and on and on about it. 

Krill supplements typically come in at a whopping 100mg of EPA and DHA per capsule. And who wants to take THIRTY capsules just to hit that target dose?

At best, krill supplements are a waste of money. At worst, they’re rancid, loaded with toxins, and actively detrimental to your health. 

All fish-based omega-3 supplements have toxin and rancidity risk factors, and krill is no exception. These tiny denizens of the deep are exposed to and absorb the pollutants we’ve dumped in the sea, and they degrade really quickly. 

As a result, krill oil products can be inundated with heavy metals and microplastics and are likely to turn rancid faster than, say, an Alaskan fish oil. 

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplement Buying Guide: 3 Things to Look For

Myth 2: Rancidity isn’t a Big Deal 

Okay, so krill oils are decidedly not krillin’ it, but they’re not alone in their grossness either. 

Fish oils from any and all aquatic sources can go bad, and they can actually go bad very easily. It’s true — despite all the modern processing technology we have rancidity is still a huge deal.  

By the time cheap omega-3 supplements reach your doorstep or grocery cart, they’ve likely been sitting in a warehouse for months. And it’s equally unlikely that the cheaper formula has been crafted specifically for a longer shelf life. 

Learn More: Something Fishy | Dr. Neal’s Monthly Rant

If your omega-3 supplement turns rancid, the anti-inflammatory health benefits aren’t only negated, but directly inverted. Once sour, your fish oil will have a pro-inflammatory effect on your body. 

Plus, recent animal studies have shown that exposure to rancid, or over oxidized, fish oil may cause organ damage and carcinogenesis, or the initiation of cancer formations. 

The main takeaway? Skimping on your omega-3 supplement will end up costing your body and wallet a lot more in the long run. Instead, look for a fresh, regularly tested omega-3 supplement with an ultra-low TOTOX value. 

Myth 3: Enteric Coating is Crucial 

Enteric coating was the wellness industry’s answer to continued issues with rancidity. The only problem is that enteric coating doesn’t really lower your chances of getting a rancid fish oil supplement, it just masks the signs. 

Typically, a rancid omega-3 supplement will smell and taste exactly like you’d expect — rotten fish. But that foul fragrance we’ve come to rely on as a marker for rancidity can be completely obscured by our good old friend enteric coating. 

“Enteric coating isn’t the sophisticated technology its made out to be — really, it’s a parlor trick to hide a major quality problem.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

Enteric coating isn’t all bad though. Unfortunately for black-and-white thinkers, the conversation is rather nuanced. 

We use enteric-coated capsules in our carefully formulated Alaskan omega-3 supplement, for example, but not because it will help with the fish burps. (Another myth!) 

The benefit here is that an enteric-coated fish oil capsule will survive longer in the digestive system, releasing the nutrients into your small intestine after it’s passed through your GI tract. 

The main takeaway? Never buy an omega-3 supplement solely for the enteric coating. If enteric coating is the main draw of the product you’re looking at, it’s likely being used to mask the smell and taste of rancidity. 

For cold-pressed omega-3 supplements with verified supply chains and rigorous testing, enteric coating is just the bioavailability cherry on top.

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplement Buying Guide: 3 Things to Look For

Myth 4: You Should Take an Omega-3-6-9 Supplement

When it comes to omega-3 supplements, isn’t more always better? 

Well, yes and no. More EPA and DHA per dose is a good thing, more numbers in the product title is not.

Omega-3-6-9 products have gained a bit of traction in the wellness world because, at first blush, they seem like a comprehensive option. In reality, these 3-in-1 omega supplements don’t do any of their three jobs very well:

• Omega-3:  Typically, an omega-3-6-9 product won’t have enough omega-3 to yield any benefit whatsoever. (Remember those clinically-studied doses we’ve talked about a bazillion times?) 

• Omega-6: Unless you’re supplementing omega-6 for menopause or skin health, you don’t need to take more of this pro-inflammatory fatty acid. In fact, most of us Americans are already getting waaaayyyy too much omega-6 from the processed foods in our diets. 

• Omega-9: This omega fatty acid is non-essential, plain and simple. The seed and nut oils found in a healthy diet are more than enough to bridge the omega-9 nutrient gap you might — but likely don’t — have. 

So that omega-3-6-9 supplement that seems like a good deal? It’s actually overpriced, over-hyped bunk. 

Myth 5: EPA- and DHA-Only Supplements Are Healthier

Yes, EPA and DHA are the shining stars of the omega-3 supplement show. They’re the fatty acids that have been linked to a whole host of benefits like: 

• Boosted cognitive performance
• Decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Rebalanced immune function
• Improved depression symptoms
• Enhanced skin health

But it’s not a two-man band. Your omega-3 supplement strategy will work best if you’re getting a balance of all three essential fatty acids. 

ALA, EPA, and DHA. 

ALA has risen and fallen from public favor in a roller-coaster ride of acronyms and conflicting opinions. It went like this: We believed that our bodies had the ability to convert ALA into the highly beneficial forms EPA and DHA. 

Plant-based omega-3 supplements — notorious for being high in ALA and not much else — got really popular as a result. The two other fatty acids fell to the wayside, despite the continued waves of research in support of EPA and DHA supplementations. 

Then we found out that, actually, our bodies don’t synthesize APA into EPA and DHA very well. In fact, the conversion rate is so low it barely makes a ripple. 

So EPA and DHA stepped into the limelight, and ALA was shunted backstage. 

While we agree that emphasizing EPA and DHA is the way to go — who are we to disagree with the science? — there’s still a place for ALA in our hearts. The human body can’t produce ALA on its own so it must be absorbed through food sources or supplements. 

Boiled down: Focus on getting enough EPA and DHA from your omega-3 supplement, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Make sure you’re eating enough fish and flaxseed to get the ALA your body needs, too. 

E-Fish-ient Omega-3 Supplementation

Omega-3 supplements are one of the few viral vitamins that we think deserve all the hype. (Obviously — they’re one of the Vital5!)

The benefits are proven, our diets are lacking it, and the only thing standing in the way of successful supplementation is misinformation.

But not anymore!

Go forth, wellness seeker, and start your omega-3 journey equipped with the truth about these common myths. If you need a co-captain, you can sail on over to our Counterside Consults for free, personalized health guidance from our experts.

“Seasonal allergies” is a bit of a misnomer, isn’t it? Real sinus sufferers know that the battle against sniffles, sneezes, and wheezes is actually a year-round endeavor.

But here’s the good news: If you’re sick of having a head full of bricks, a natural approach could be your key to fast-acting, long-term healing from sinus issues. 

It’s true! We asked holistic pharmacist and Wellness Wizard, Dr. Neal, and it turns out you don’t have to spend the rest of your life relying on chemical-laden sinus products that leave you feeling like a slightly less congested zombie. 

Addressing the root cause of your sinus congestion — from airborne toxins to underlying infections — with a combination of natural formulas and lifestyle changes can, well, change your life. 

Read on, sneezy one, to learn about the natural remedies and wellness practices available that can provide long-lasting relief without the harsh side effects of traditional products. 

In This Article:

• Top 3 natural remedies for sinus support
• Herbs for sinus issues and congestion
• Our 3 favorite wellness practices for sinus issues

Top 3 Natural Remedies for Sinus Issues and Alleviating Congestion 

Choosing just three of our favorite natural products from our vast repertoire of meticulously chosen supplements was no easy feat. These top contenders made the cut for a few key reasons:

• They address the root causes of sinus issues instead of covering up symptoms like a band-aid.
• They offer fast-acting relief without the icky side effects of over-the-counter antihistamines.
• They support long-term healing from recurring sinus issues by strengthening the immune system.

1. Sinus Blaster — Herbal Tincture

Forget the news — if you want to know how fast cold and flu season is coming up, check to see if our Sinus Blaster formula is still in stock. 

When it’s starting to seem like balled-up tissues are the fashion accessory of choice, you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be sold out of this tincture faster than you can sneeze. 

The Sinus Blaster liquid formula is our propriety blend of clinically-backed herbs and aromatic foods with cooling, soothing, and decongesting compounds. Horehound, one of the formula’s heavy-hitters and a member of the mint family, mellows out coughs and thins mucus secretion.

This bitter plant is supported by more famous herbs for sinus support like:

• Horseradish root
• Echinacea root
• Fresh spilanthes herb
• Elderberry
• Garlic bulb
• Cayenne fruit
• Peppermint oil
• Olive leaf
• Licorice root
• Goldenseal root
• Wild cherry bark
• Osha root
• Onion
• Andrographic hern
• Yarrow

Learn More: Breathe Easy with Sinus Blaster: Herbal Sinus Relief Solution

2. Allergy Support — Anti-Inflammatory Capsules 

If tinctures really aren’t your jam, don’t panic. 

While Allergy Support contains a different blend of herbs and active food compounds, you can still naturally tone down the inflammation in your sinuses with these flavorless capsules. 

Stinging nettles, a plant ally widely loved for its diuretic properties that support the elimination of excess fluid in the body, is the star of the Allergy Support show. (Bye-bye, inopportune runny noses!)

That prickly herb is supported by an Oscar-worthy ensemble of ingredients: 

• Quercetin, a flavonoid found in plants with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that’s loved for its antihistamine effect. 
• Bromelain, an anti-inflammatory enzyme found in pineapple, helps to drive down swelling in the nasal passages.
• Rutin, a flavonoid found in foods (like citrus!), can strengthen sinus tissue and reduce the severity of initial reactions.
• Dihydroquercetin, another antioxidant compound that can reduce allergy and sinus symptoms by stabilizing mast cells.

Learn More: Allergy Support: The Ultimate Solution for Seasonal Allergies

3. Xlear — Xylitol Nasal Spray

Nasal sprays — the secret plight of every stuffy-nose owner.

This non-Woodstock Vitamins product makes the top of the list because of its all-star ingredients, none of which are steroids. This is great news for sufferers of sinus issues, as the overuse of steroid-based nasal sprays can lead to the thinning of nasal tissue and frequent nosebleeds.

And yet nothing quite offers the same sense of relief as blasting your sinuses clear in two big sniffs.

Thankfully, Xlear Sinus Care Spray (or Xlear Max for severe congestion) gives us the best of both worlds by offering lightening quick relief without damaging our delicate nasal tissue.

Xylitol prevents mucus from sticking to internal surfaces and works in tandem with saline and aloe vera to hydrate irritated sinus canals.

And yes, it can help clear your congestion headache! We know you were dying to ask.

Learn More: Conquer the Common Cold Naturally: Holistic Tips for Cold Season

Top 3 Wellness Practices for Sinus Issues and Allergy Symptoms

Here’s where healing from sinus issues holistically gets a little tricky: You can’t out-supplement a symptom-inducing lifestyle.

Don’t get us wrong — the 3 supplements you learned about above are your best option for natural relief from sinus issues and allergies, but they can’t counteract, for example, dehydration. So when we’re trying to address or heal from a particular health concern, we always start at the bottom of the Wellness Pyramid.

Learn More: The Wellness Pyramid: Your Roadmap to Holistic Health

Wellness practices live, primarily, in the bottom tier with the five lifestyle domains — diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes.

There are scads of wellness practices you could implement in these areas to improve immune system functioning and drive down congestion-related inflammation, but we’re just talking about sinuses here.

Our three favorite wellness practices to boost sinus health and clear congestion specifically are:

1. Use a neti pot to clear, cleanse, and hydrate the deep reaches of your sinus passages.
2. Sleep with a humidifier to keep your nasal canals from drying out overnight.
3. Stay hydrated throughout the day, every day, to support your body’s natural clearing and flushing functions.

Sinus Woes, Be Gone!

If you take anything from this blog, it should be: Keep your sinuses (and your whole body!) hydrated and take natural supplements for sinus issues to find relief and long-term healing.

But before you embark on any kind of health journey, you should chat with an expert. So, hop on a free Counterside Consult for direct, personalized guidance on your path to sinus decongestion from our team of supplement savants!

So. You had one too many hot dogs at the end-of-summer barbecue and now your tummy hurts. 

While we do hope you’re not currently stuck on your aunt’s toilet as you’re reading this, we hope most of all that you know you’re not alone. 

In fact, nearly 70 million people in America struggle with digestive issues — that’s roughly 20% of the population — so you’re in good company!

And with over-processed foods lining the grocery aisles and the stress of the daily grind turning our stomachs into knots, is it any wonder good gut health is hard to come by these days? 

That’s why Dr. Neal — holistic practitioner of 20+ years and well-known wellness loudmouth — has emphasized the importance of the gastrointestinal tract in his health frameworks. 

Central to this quest for a happy gut are the microbial powerhouses we call probiotics. These supplements have gained popularity in recent years for their role in maintaining digestive balance, but how much do we really know about probiotics outside of TikTok? 

Read on, fellow tummy ache survivor, to uncover the truth about probiotics for GI health — and how they’re really helpful for so much more than that. 

In This Article 

• How a probiotic supplement can support holistic health
• Probiotics for general gut health and inflammatory diseases
• Probiotic supplements for immune support
• How a probiotic supplement can influence the gut-brain connection
• Probiotics for urinary tract health

How Do Probiotics Support Holistic Health? 

If you didn’t know it already, your insides are crawling with live bacteria (and yeasts) that live cozy little lives in your organs. 

But before you get the heebie-jeebies — not all bacteria are bad. 

In fact, the bacteria in your gut work overtime for your overall health, helping you digest foods, synthesize vitamins, get the nutrients you need, and keep “bad” bacteria in check. When you have the right balance of good and bad gut bacteria floating around, that’s the elusive “optimal gut health” state you’ve heard about in movies. 

Learn More: The Four Pillars of Great Gut Health | Dr. Neal Smoller

You can think of probiotics, then, as the “good” bacteria your stomach needs to stay healthy. 

While we always recommend a food-first approach to getting the nutrients (and bacteria) your body requires, it’s not so straightforward when it comes to probiotics. Most of us are getting very little beneficial, bioavailable probiotics from our diets. 

(Sorry kombucha lovers, but it’s true.)

That’s why Dr. Neal made probiotics part of his Vital5 — the quintessential quintet of nutrients we need to thrive but don’t quite get enough of in the modern age.

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

A probiotic supplement can help you get good germs in your gullet, but they really shine when implemented alongside gut-friendly wellness practices and eating habits. 

What Makes a Probiotic Supplement a Holistic Option?

The word holistic is a bit like the word bacteria —  we contemporary, science-fearing humans have a lot of strange ideas about what it means. We often mix up holistic with terms like homeopathic, and it paints a pretty confusing picture. 

A holistic approach to health is, simply, one that looks at the whole body or the whole being for root causes and long-term healing. We don’t just slap temporary band-aids on chronic symptoms around these parts — we dig deep. 

Probiotics are considered holistic because, while they’re (rightfully) touted for their gut health benefits, they actually affect multiple bodily systems and our overall quality of life. 

Don’t believe us? Keep reading. 

Probiotics for General Gut Health 

“Some people see a clear need for probiotics because their guts are a hot mess.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

Before we dive into the specifics of how probiotics can benefit everything from the immune system to inflammatory diseases, let’s get one thing straight. 

Even if you don’t have obvious symptoms of a gut issue, you probably still need probiotic support. 

Why? 

Because, as Dr. Neal so subtly phrases it, our guts are constantly under attack. An endless stream of stressors, toxins, and medications pairs with rapidly declining food quality and inconsistent nutrient intake to create a perfect, gut-degrading storm. 

As a result, our bodies fight a never-ending battle, striving to maintain homeostasis in an environment that’s directly antithetical to health and well-being. 

Issues like widespread gut dysfunction and malnutrition are so pervasive that they’re almost impossible to see. Warning signs of bad gut health tend to be normalized and laughed off, and a lot of people don’t deal with their tummy troubles until it’s seriously impacting their lives. 

So, to boil it all down, take a probiotic if you: 

• Have occasional stomach issues
• Have a chronic stomach condition
• Want to optimize your gut health
• Live in the modern world

And skip probiotics if you: 

• Have perfect gut health, flawless eating habits, and zero exposure to stress or disruptive environmental factors

Learn More: 3 Tips for Buying the Right Probiotic Supplement

Taking a Probiotic Supplement for Your Immune System

Plus, as we’ve alluded, the benefits of probiotics go far beyond the tummy 

Nothing in the body exists or functions independently, so it should come as no surprise that, actually, 70-80% of your immune system is located in your gut. Functionally, that means that the cells responsible for helping your body fight sickness and balance inflammation — the core roles of the immune system — are doing their job from within your GI tract. 

So while you might say, “I take probiotics for gut health,” there is no real separation between gut health and immune health. 

Taking probiotics can support both the GI and the immune system’s adaptive functions by creating a viable home for those immune cells in the gut microbiome. It’s a two-for-one, folks — what’s not love?

Probiotics for Support with Inflammatory Diseases 

Ever wonder why so many gut-based issues are discovered to be symptoms of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases? Well, that inextricable link between our immune systems and our gut microbiomes has its downsides, too. 

The microscopic life inside your gut can impact both your immune system’s ability to function and to discriminate between the self and foreign invaders. Understanding this context is the first step to understanding how poor gut health can play a role in autoimmunity and inflammatory disease development. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom! As we now know, we can target the immune system and gut microbiome in one fell swoop with a comprehensive blend of probiotic strains. 

Some of the most common symptoms of inflammatory gut diseases that probiotics can help combat are: 

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Antibiotic-induced diarrhea

Learn More: Probiotics Unmasked: Dispelling 4 Common Misconceptions About Probiotics

How a Probiotic Supplement Influences the Gut-Brain Connection 

Yep, it’s true! Your gut health can even influence your nervous system, and subsequently, your mental health.

Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that’s been nicknamed the “happy chemical”, has been at the forefront of conversations on mental illness for a hot minute now. But how many of us knew that serotonin is produced in the gut before we heard it from Dr. Neal?

That major gap in public health education gets elucidated every time we discuss mental health and the gut-brain connection.

Scads of recent research links poor gut health, or gut dysbiosis, to anxiety and depression and the field of study continues to grow.

Turns out, instead of probiotics being a two-for-one, they’re really a five-or-six-for-one type of data-backed supplement.

Probiotics for Urinary Support 

Scratch that.

Probiotics can also help support proper urinary functioning and health, so we’re getting pretty close to just calling these microbial strains a panacea.

When the good bacteria encapsulated in your probiotic supplement is introduced to to your gut microbiome, it roves about your intestines leaving a trail of positive effects in its wake. When properly formulated, these beneficial strains can survive long enough to reach your urinary tract system and improve the microbiome there, too.

Translation? UTIs have met their match.

Being Proactive with Probiotics

TL;DR — Probiotics are totally worth the gut-health hype they get, but don’t pigeonhole them! The benefits of a comprehensive probiotic show up in the whole body, not just the stomach.

By the same token, if you’re currently struggling with tummy troubles, a probiotic supplement that contains highly studied strains might be what gets you back to the family barbeque. Chat with an expert first to avoid wasting time and money — our Counterside Consults are always open and always free.

Did you know that fish-based omega-3 supplements can help you see underwater? Or that their heart-healthy benefits are enough to prevent cardiac arrest with no other lifestyle changes? 

Or how about this one: Too much of an omega-3 supplement can make you develop scales and gills like the aquatic creatures from which it’s sourced.

None of that is true, obviously. But isn’t it alarmingly easy to publish misinformation on the web without a second thought? 

In the murky waters of the online wellness world, flashy sales tactics and red herrings reign supreme. Supplement enthusiasts are lured in with promises of total transformation for just $29.99, and there’s nary a life vest or buoy in sight. 

It’s enough to make even the most health-forward person surrender to the tide!

Thankfully, we have holistic health expert and supplement strategist Dr. Neal to help us fish or cut bait when it comes to omega-3 supplements. (You know, the wellness shark who’s known for rocking the boat and pulling the mask off malevolent marketing schemes.)

So, drop your anchor and read on, sailor! You’ll come out of these waters with 5 newly debunked myths about omega-3 supplements. 

In This Article: 

• 5 common omega-3 myths debunked
• The optimal daily dose of omega-3
• How to find the best omega-3 supplements available

Myth 1: Omega-3 Supplements Don’t Work

This first myth is a doozy to debunk. 

You’re most likely to hear, “Omega-3 supplements don’t work,” from a conventional doctor, but it’s not their fault. Supplements aren’t nearly as regulated as the pharmaceutical industry, and as a result, a lot of baloney science and crappy products reach the mainstream. 

Healthcare professionals, then, are at the forefront of the battle against wellness misinformation. And subsequently, the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. 

Fret not. Regardless of what you’ve heard or who you’ve heard it from, omega-3 supplements and their benefits are backed by some of the best modern research available:

• Higher cognitive performance
• Boosted neurocognitive functioning
• Positive effects on the gut microbiota
• Better emotional processing in ADHD patients
• Improved symptoms of inflammatory skin disorders (acne, psoriasis, etc.)
• Positive changes in symptoms of autoimmune diseases
• Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplements: Are They Worth the Hype?

Myth 2: You Can Get All The Omega-3 You Need From Your Diet

If you’ve been hanging around the Woodstock wellness world for a little while, you’ll know that we’re diet-first, supplements-second kind of folks. 

Why?

After 20+ years of clinical experience, holistic pharmacist Dr. Neal developed the Wellness Pyramid as a blueprint for optimal health. The bottom tier of this pyramid — AKA, the crucial foundation upon which you can actually build optimal health — is made up of the 5 lifestyle domains. 

Diet, sleep, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes. 

So you should always start your wellness journey there, in the mundanity of the lifestyle domains, optimizing your sleep, eats, and so on. But there’s a reason the second tier — strategic supplementation — exists. 

Omega-3 is a vital nutrient that affects multiple bodily systems, but getting enough of it from your diet is dang near impossible.

Even the healthiest, most fish-forward eating habits won’t yield enough of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 to both counteract our intake of pro-inflammatory compounds and give us those benefits so highly touted by science. 

Does that mean you should give up on eating foods rich in omega-3 entirely? Absolutely not! Your body needs a diverse range of nutrient sources to thrive. 

Does it mean that you should start taking an omega-3 supplement to complement your dietary intake and ensure you hit the recommended daily dose? Yes. Yes, it does. 

Myth 3: You Should Take 1,000mg of Omega-3 Daily 

Here’s a two-for-one debunking extravaganza for you: Low-dose omega-3 supplements are not effective, and 1,000mg of omega-3 has not been shown to offer benefits in clinical trials.

As much as we hate to say that any supplement is total bunk or a waste of money, we will when we need to, and right now, we need to.

Low-dose omega-3 supplements, while cheaper upfront cost more in the long run when you realize how much you need to take every day. 

The doses of omega-3 compounds ALA, EPA, and DHA that have been shown to have the incredible heart, brain, skin, and inflammation benefits you’re looking for are closer to 3,000mg per day. 

Dr. Neal’s recommendation? Try to hit at least 2,000mg of omega-3 compounds APA, ELA, and DHA daily. Otherwise, you’ll be left with a false sense of accomplishment and your cold hard cash lining the pockets of a supplement snake oil salesman. 

Sure, you can still take your 300mg omega-3 supplement if you want, just know you’ll be taking a lot of those capsules to reach the recommended daily intake that will actually make a difference. 

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplement Buying Guide: 3 Things to Look For

Myth 4: 1,000mg on the Label Means You Get 1,000mg Per Dose

If you fell for this myth, don’t beat yourself up. You just made the simple mistake of thinking you could believe the well-branded claims on a supplement label without further research.

We’ve all been there!

Supplement labels, unfortunately, are neither fish nor fowl. Even though the bottle says there’s 1,000mg of omega-3 per dose, that doesn’t mean you’re actually getting 1,000mg of pure omega-3. 

Unethical supplement manufacturers have an ocean’s worth of sneaky tricks and almost-illegal tactics for making their products seem almost magical. That’s why our whole deal here at Woodstock Vitamins is being ultra-transparent to turn the tides. 

So, when choosing an omega-3 supplement, look for the ones that clearly delineate how much of what kind of omega-3 compounds are included.

1,000mg of omega-3 ALA, for example, isn’t worth the price tag.

On the other hand, a comprehensive formula that amounts to roughly 1,000mg of ALA, EPA, and DHA combined is pretty perfect.

(Just don’t forget to look for fishy additives and unnecessary filler ingredients before buying a new omega-3 supplement, too.)

Myth 5: Flaxseed is a Good Source of Omega-3 

This one is going to hurt for our vegan friends…

Flaxseed has gained popularity recently for being a so-called great source of beneficial omega-3s, but here’s the deal: it’s not. 

It is, however, a great source of fiber! Flaxseed can also support joint and cardiovascular health, so the humble seed is not without its merit. It’s just doesn’t really make a great omega-3 supplement. 

You see, flaxseed, like the cheap omega-3 supplements used as an example above, only contains the omega-3 compound ALA. It’s got none of the really good stuff — EPA and DHA — that can offer the myriad of benefits studied in recent years. 

Flaxseed oil, unlike fish oils, also contains phytoestrogens, a naturally occurring estrogen in the form of plant compounds called lignans. 

Lignans act like and function as estrogen in the body, which is great in some cases and not so great in others. Considering that quite a few people are struggling with estrogen dominance — whether they’re aware of it yet or not — it seems wise to eat phytoestrogens in moderation and monitor your intake. 

And, of course, get a different omega-3 supplement. Our favorite option for plant-based friends is this bioenergetic formula by Whole Earth & Sea: Marine DHA.

Learn More: Debunking 5 MORE Omega-3 Supplement Myths

Omega-3 Supplementation Done Right

TL;DR: If you want to reel in the benefits of omega-3s — skip the flaxseed supplements, scrutinize your vitamin labels, focus on the science-backed doses, and ignore the skeptics.

Not too bad, right? It’s just like shooting fish in a barrel!

But, if you want direct, personalized guidance from an omega-3 expert, sail on over to our Counterside Consults. Always free, and always pun-free.

There are a lot of preconceived notions about us Americans out there — we love baseball, hot dogs, and the 4th of July. We’re individualistic workaholics with a penchant for fast food and controlling our own destinies.

And, of course, we’re protein-crazed carnivores, gobbling up excessive amounts of red meat like it’s going out of style.

Look a little closer at that last stereotype and you’ll realize that…it’s not really true. Most Americans are barely hitting the threshold of daily protein requirements and older generations in the U.S. aren’t even doing that.

Time to step up your game, grandma!

Why? Well, if you want your brain and bod to function properly, then getting enough protein — from your food and/or supplements — is crucial. Hence why holistic health hero and wellness wisecracker, Dr. Neal, included it in his highly acclaimed First5.

But don’t just buy the biggest jug of protein powder with the biggest bodybuilder on it!

Unless you, unlike most Americans, are cool with wasting time and money. Read on to learn 5 questions to ask before buying a protein supplement to avoid being swindled by slick sales tactics and meddlesome misinformation.

In This Article:

• What kind of protein powder is right for you
• What form of protein supplement is best
• How much protein you need per day
• How many servings of a protein supplement to take
• Protein yield formula to avoid getting ripped off

1. What Kind of Protein Supplement is Best for Me?

First step: Figure out what it is that you need from a protein supplement. That will determine which of these two paths you’ll take.

Protein Supplements

Protein supplements in the form of powders, bars, and even cookies deliver a concentrated dose of protein compounds and amino acids. They’re designed to provide an extra boost of protein to support things like muscle growth and repair and cognitive functioning.

Meal Replacement Shakes

Yes, there is a difference!

Meal replacement shakes offer a complete meal in a convenient, drinkable form. Packed with additional food compounds (and often vitamins, too) these shakes are a quick and convenient option for when you’re in a hurry or looking to cut calories.

Which is best?

Both protein supplements and meal replacement shakes have their roles to play, depending on your needs and goals.

In an ideal world, you’d get the bulk of your nutrients in the most beneficial and bioavailable form — directly from food sources. But we don’t really live in an ideal world, do we? The best option ultimately depends on personal preferences, dietary restrictions, and fitness goals, then. 

Are you just looking to fill in some gaps? A protein supplement is the way to go. If you need protein and calories in the quickest, easiest medium, then you may want a meal replacement shake.

2. Which Form of Protein Do I Need?

And then there’s the age-old dichotomy: Plant versus animal protein sources.

On the veggie side, we have:

• Rice
• Bean
• Pea
• Hemp

On the meat side, we have:

• Collagen
• Egg white
• Casein
• Whey

Which is best?

Sorry Ron Swanson, but the answer is decidedly not black-and-white! The truth is, there’s no real winner here. Or they’re both winners, depending on how you look at it.

Both animal and plant-based protein supplements have their benefits and their drawbacks. Each can provide scoops of beneficial, digestible protein compounds (when sourced from a reputable manufacturer) and… Both are highly processed and come with a laundry list of potential contaminants.

So really, it’s up to you and your personal preferences. Whichever team you bat for, just make sure you’re getting a minimally processed, high-quality version of your preferred protein.

Our Recommendations:

• Top Choice Overall: Collagen Peptides
• Best Plant-Based Option: Complete Plant Protein
• For Whey Lovers: Vital Whey

Learn More: How Protein Supplements Are Processed (Within an Inch of Their Lives)

3. How Much Protein Do I Need Per Day?

There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about how much protein you need per day. Despite what you may have read, though, there’s no one-size-fits-all number for daily protein intake.

In fact, protein requirements are highly individualized.

After 20 years of clinical practice, working with folks from all walks of life, Dr. Neal created this simple formula for determining your personalized daily dose of protein:

• Your Weight in Pounds / 2.2 = Your Weight in Kilograms

Boom! That’s it.

Your weight in kilograms is the magic number of protein grams you should be aiming for each day.

But before you start scooping, don’t forget to factor in how much you’re already getting from your diet — there is a small chance you get enough protein from foods and don’t actually need a protein supplement.

4. How Many Servings of This Protein Supplement Do I Need?

Don’t put away your calculators just yet! We’ve got a little more mathing to do. 

Before you hit “Add to Cart”, you should know the protein yield of the supplement you’re choosing. Protein yield, in case you missed this handy blog on the subject, refers to the actual amount of protein you’re getting per serving.

(And knowing how many servings you need to take to hit your protein target will keep you from wasting money on cheap supplements that cost more in the long run. Handy, right?)

As Dr. Neal always says, the lower the yield number, the more fluff you’ll be getting in each scoop.

• Protein Yield = Amount of Protein in a Serving / Size of a Serving

Here’s an example from the Woodstock Vitamins collection: Our collagen peptides protein supplement offers 18g of protein per 20g serving. The protein yield, then, sits nicely at about 90%.

Learn More: Protein Supplements: Are You Getting Ripped Off?

5. Is This Protein Supplement Overpriced?

And if you really want to make sure you’re not getting ripped off, we have one last calculation: Cost per gram.

Ideally, you’ll be paying about 10 cents or less per serving of your protein supplement. Anything more than that is either a little pricey or a total rip-off.

• Cost Per Gram = Cost of the protein supplement / Grams of protein in the supplement

Let’s continue with our collagen peptides example, since we’re always proud to walk the walk, too. Our 30-day supply of minimally processed, rigorously tested collagen peptides comes with 300g of protein in total.

Calculate that out at the current price, and the cost per gram of our collagen is $.0783.

Pro-Tips for Protein

Now that you know how to shop strategically and avoid getting swindled, go and make our country proud! By being one of the few Americans hitting their daily protein intake target, that is.

Just don’t forget that you can’t out-supplement malnutrition — you still need to eat diverse, nutrient-dense foods, too.

And if you’re an overachiever like us, you can keep these three protein pro-tips in your back pocket to really get the most bang for your buck and your body:

1. Check the ingredients for stuff like unnecessary fillers, undigestible vitamins, and endocrine-disrupting colorings or flavorings.
2. Avoid contaminants like heavy metals and synthetic hormones by buying from an ultra-transparent manufacturer with meticulous standards for product testing.
3. Consult a pro like one of our supplement experts (shoutout to our free Counterside Consults) for direct guidance on your protein journey.

Trying to avoid your medical practitioner? Don’t bother with apples, it’s 30 minutes a day that keeps the doctor away! 

That’s right friends — today, we’re talking about the golden rule of holistic exercise. While half an hour of movement per day might not keep the doctor away forever, it will help keep your bod in fighting shape for the long run.

As the inundation of fitness-related digital clutter on the web will tell you, exercise is a major component of holistic health and wellness. Before you can get the benefits of regular movement, though, you’ll need to go a few rounds with the overabundance of exercise information available…

But don’t throw in the towel! You’ve got the holistic health heavy-hitter, Dr. Neal, in the ring with you, serving sucker punches to the exercise myths and cutting through the chaos.

So, grab your water bottle and get ready to square off.

In This Article:

• How exercise impacts the body
• What you definitely DON’T need to exercise
• The three things you DO need for a holistic exercise regimen

Why Does Exercise Matter in a Holistic Approach to Health?

When we talk about fitness, most of us are picturing sculpted physiques and perfectly Instagrammable moments, but exercise isn’t just about fitting into your favorite pair of jeans.

It’s actually a critical building block for the foundation of your health that can affect multiple body systems and your overall quality of life. (That’s why it’s one of the 5 ultra-important lifestyle domains that make up the bottom tier of the Wellness Pyramid.)

It should come as no surprise, then, that exercise has been linked to, like, a bazillion different health benefits:

• Improved sleep
• Reduction in chronic inflammation
• Longer lifespans and delayed onset of disease
• Strengthened emotional resilience and stress management
• Positive effects on gut microbiota and digestion
• Lowered risk of heart attack
• Management of mental health conditions
• Improved immune system regulation

See how the widespread effects of regular, moderate exercise go way beyond physical appearance? That’s because nothing in the body happens inside a vacuum — all systems interact with and impact one another.

So exercise isn’t crucial because the marketing machines of the wellness world have told you this Pilates routine or that Peloton payment plan will make your dreams come true.

Exercise, or movement, is crucial because your entire body needs it to truly thrive.

But while you’re moving and grooving, don’t forget that the lines of communication and interaction in your body aren’t one-way streets. That means that, unfortunately, you can’t out-exercise a nutritionally bankrupt diet or sleepless lifestyle.

So don’t pull any punches. Keep the other 4 areas of the bottom tier in mind — diet, sleep, stress management, and lifestyle changes — to make your battle for ultimate health truly holistic.

No, You Don’t Need Expensive Equipment

We know. It’s hard to believe that, in our world of flashy advertisements, high-tech equipment, and pricey gym memberships, you don’t actually need all the bells and whistles to effectively exercise. 

Exercise is a natural and intuitive process that can be accomplished with the most incredible piece of equipment you already possess: your own body. 

Don’t get us wrong though, that doesn’t mean you can’t go to spin class with your friends or join a rock-climbing club. It just means you don’t have to wait until you find the perfect trainer, CrossFit program, or workout buddy to start getting regular movement.

In fact, as long as you’ve got one of these flesh sacks, you can start today. Right now, even!

The Key Ingredients for a Sustainable Exercise Plan

There are only two other things you need for an effective exercise plan besides your body. The essential components of a holistic fitness regimen are:

• 30 minutes
• No barriers
• And your body

Why is 30 Minutes of Exercise Per Day Recommended?

Want tea fresh from the vanguard of health research? More isn’t always better when it comes to exercise.

In fact, high-exercise training has been linked to immune dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, muscle damage, and increased risk of illness. 30 minutes of moderate movement, on the other hand, comes highly recommended for physical wellness and mental health from the latest science.

So don’t come out swinging with a daily, 2-hour weight-lifting plan. Instead, find what makes your heart skip a beat (in a good way), and dedicate half an hour per day to the art of moving your body. 

That could look like:

• A 30-minute yoga flow
• Body-only strength training
• Brisk walks or gentle jogs
• Weight-bearing exercises
• A solo dance party in your kitchen

Why Remove Alllllll the Barriers to Exercise Entry?

There’s a reason we chose those 5 examples above — you don’t need a thing for them. (Except for your body and maybe a YouTube video for your yoga flow, but that’s beside the point.)

Barriers to entry are, basically, anything that holds us back from getting up and getting moving. Removing them means we’re making exercise as easy as pie — an effortless effort that we’ll grow to appreciate and look forward to, instead of dreading and avoiding.

Here are a few common barriers to exercise and our recommendations for tackling them:

1. “I really don’t wanna drive to the gym.” Cool, fine. Don’t go to the gym.
2. “I can’t afford the right workout gear and gadgets.” No prob, you don’t need them.
3. “I have physical limitations.” That’s okay, moving what you can is more than enough.

Why Choose Body-Based Exercises?

It should be pretty clear by now, but we’ll spell it out one last time: Your body is all you need to exercise effectively.

You have muscles that can be engaged, joints that can be mobilized, and a cardiovascular system that can be challenged — all without the need for external equipment. Plus, focusing on body-based movement makes it, like, a thousand times easier to hit our daily target of 30 minutes in the simplest way possible.

Think: Push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, walks, dancing, yoga, all the fun stuff you can do from home that we already mentioned above.

Flourish in Feeling Healthy and Fit

Remember, your fitness journey is unique to you. Embrace the full symphony of wellness, listen to your body’s needs, and make 30 minutes of movement a non-negotiable part of your daily routine.

You’ve got this!

And if you need a spotter, give us a shout via our free Counterside Consults. (We’ll answer all your holistic exercise questions, and you can tell Dr. Neal how great he looks in these gifs, too!)

Being a modern human is glamorous, isn’t it? Day to day, we juggle full-time work, family responsibilities, and (hopefully) social lives, all while desperately trying to grasp that elusive thing called “good health.”

Suffice it to say, we’re spread a little thin.

As a result, most of us don’t have the time or energy for wellness-related research and strategy. We end up listening to health influencers and self-proclaimed TikTok doctors because that information is accessible and entertaining as heck.

And then, once you’re ensnared by the sales loops of the wellness industry, it’s hard to get out.

Thankfully, we have Dr. Neal — holistic health hero and notorious loudmouth — to turn to when times get tough. With 20+ years of clinical practice under his belt, he’s always ready to drop some truth bombs on us and today is no different.

The wallet-friendly, industry-insider secret we’ll be revealing in the coming paragraphs might just make you think twice about buying a cheap protein supplement — and not just because of how they’re (over)processed. There is a little math involved, but don’t worry, it’s nothing you can’t do on your phone during your lunch break.

In This Article:

• What exactly does protein yield mean?
• How to calculate daily protein needs
• Getting the most bang for your buck
• What else to consider when buying protein supplements

What is Protein Yield and Why Should You Care?

Let’s get one thing straight before we dive into the protein yield formula: You probably need a protein supplement.

Why? First, our bodies only produce a handful of the amino acids we desperately need to thrive, so we have to outsource the rest from protein-rich food and supplements.

Secondly, protein and the amino acid compounds it contains play a vital role in multiple body systems — including skin and muscle repair, brain functioning, and mental health. (Many of the brain’s neurotransmitters are actually made from amino acids which is pretty neat, right?)

And thirdly, most Americans are just barely hitting the threshold of recommended daily intake for protein.

Learn More: 5 Crucial Nutrients (Almost) All of Us Are Lacking

So, you need a protein supplement, but you don’t want to waste money or time on overprocessed and over-hyped crap. (Or at least we’re assuming you don’t… If you do, feel free to just close this blog.)

Hence, Dr. Neal’s boat-rocking, money-saving protein yield formula.

Why Should You Care About Protein Yield?

Whether you’re considering a plant-based protein supplement or animal-based choices like whey or collagen (our top rec btw), protein yield should be on your radar.

If it’s not, your protein supplementation process will be more like the infamous cinnamon challenge than anything else. (Remember that viral trend where people tried to swallow spoonfuls of dry cinnamon and ended up regretting it? Gross.)

You shouldn’t have to take scoop after scoop to hit your recommended daily intake, but because many protein supplements are overprocessed and spiked with isolated, undigestible amino acids, a lot of people do.

Which leads to regret, albeit not cinnamon-flavored.

So, protein yield refers to the amount of protein you’re actually getting, and knowing this formula will keep you from wasting time and money on a low-quality supplement.

Learn More: Choosing the Right Protein Supplement: 5 Questions to Ask

How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

Before you dive into the magical equations that will reveal the truth about your protein supplement, you should know how much protein you actually need.

Thankfully, unless you’re training for the Olympics,  your daily protein recommendations are pretty straightforward. 

First, open your calculator app. Take your weight in pounds (yes, those occasionally irksome numbers you see when you step on the scale) and divide it by 2.2. 

• Protein Intake Formula: Your weight in pounds / 2.2 = Your weight in kilograms

Determining Protein Yield

Once you know how much protein you need per day, your next step on this mathematical journey is choosing the right protein supplement for you. (Again, we recommend collagen peptides to get the most bang for your buck and your body, but that’s just our highly informed opinion.)

Above all, remember that it’s not about the size of the bottle, it’s about the yield.

• Protein Yield = Amount of Protein in a Serving / Size of a Serving

For the first part of this money-saving adventure, take the amount of protein in one serving of your supplement, and divide it by the size of the serving.

The lower the number, the more fluff per scoop.

Dr. Neal Smoller

Our collagen peptides supplement contains 18g of protein per 20g serving. Not to brag, but that evens out to 9/10, or roughly 90% protein yield. (And for our vegan friends, the Complete Plant Protein blend has an almost record-breaking yield for plant-based options: 76%!)

Any-whey, onto the next step: Determining the cost per gram. 

• Cost Per Gram = Cost of the Protein Supplement / Grams of Protein in the Supplement

Ideally, you be hitting 10 cents or less per gram. Otherwise, you’re paying too much — plain and simple. Here’s how our two favorite protein supplement options stack up (because we always try to walk the walk, too):

• Collagen Peptides: 18g per serving, 20 servings per bottle = $0.06 per gram
• Complete Plant Protein: 17g per serving, 14 servings per bottle = $0.08 per gram

What Else Should You Consider When Buying a Protein Supplement?

Unfortunately, protein yield isn’t the only thing you need to worry about with supplements and powders. The wellness industry is like the Wild West in that way, with few regulations and even fewer standards.

Keep these 7 tips in mind before you go handing over your hard-earned cash for a subpar supplement:

1. Sustainability: Why? The industrialized refinement process, and all the ick that comes with it, can wreak havoc on the plants and animals of our planet.
2. Processing: Buy minimally processed protein supplements to get the best absorption and avoid nutritionally bankrupt bunk.
3. Fillers: Watch out for artificial coloring and sweeteners that can turn your smoothie into a neon rainbow of endocrine disruption.
4. Contaminants: Heavy metals? Synthetic hormones? No thanks. Buy from companies that prioritize rigorous testing and source from well-loved animals. (Or plants!)
5. Sodium: Especially if you’re watching your sodium intake, keep an eye on the salt levels in your protein supplement.
6. Caffeine: This ingredient might be popular, but it isn’t for everyone. Try getting energized without the caffeine crash.
7. Steroids and Testosterone: Yeah, seriously. Choose products from reputable brands that adhere to strict manufacturing standards to avoid unethical add-ins like these.

Put the Pro in Protein

If you’ve been hanging around this corner of the wellness world for a while, you probably already know that collagen peptides are our go-to for protein supplements. But hey, we get it — maybe you want to explore other options and shake things up a bit. 

At least now you’re armed with the life-changing knowledge of protein yield, so you won’t get ripped off if you decide to venture into uncharted supplement territory!

Whether you go the collagen route or decide to branch out, we’re here to help. Hop on a free Counterside Consult any time you have supplement-related questions that need personalized answers from experts. 

We live in a world that moves at a breakneck pace, with mind-boggling information and mind-numbing entertainment only milliseconds away at any given moment. (And now, the planet is actually, literally spinning faster to boot. Isn’t that fun?)

How do we slow down? How do we turn it off?

Well, most of us can’t.

In our quest to keep up with the chaos of the days, we’ve reprogrammed ourselves for speed — trading rest and relaxation for late-night doom-scrolling or near-constant productivity.

As a result, all areas of our lives are suffering.

Sleep is a crucial component of immediate and long-term health that can affect everything from mental health to food digestion, muscle repair, skin aging, and stress management.

Yet most Americans are sleeping less now than in previous generations. So we asked supplement strategist and wellness wizard, Dr. Neal, what’s a snoozer to do?

Read on for the holistic sleep support protocol Dr. Neal — and the hundreds of people he’s helped in the last 20+ years — swear by. No hogwash, no sleep-tracking gizmos, no zombifying OTC meds, just good old wellness practices and B.S.-free supplement guidance.

In This Article:

• Myth-debunking common sleep trends
• Holistic strategies for falling asleep and staying asleep
• 5 wellness practices for sleep support
• Supplements for holistic sleep support

Mythbusting: What You DON’T Need For Better Sleep

While it might feel like night and day, the realm of sleep isn’t as black-and-white as it may seem.

Despite its undeniable importance, sleep only makes up 1/5th of the 5 lifestyle domains that make a healthy foundation for wellness.

The other four (diet, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle changes) are all impacted by and have an impact on sleep. Why? Because the human body is a complicated web of checks and balances, where nothing happens inside a vacuum.

So our distinctly American obsession with “the perfect night’s sleep” is, frankly, a little weird.

Holistic — or whole-body, whole-being, whole-picture — health is built through varied yet consistent wellness practices in all 5 of these foundational areas, not just sleep.

Because, regardless of what the clever marketing schemes might suggest, you can’t out-sleep a nutritionally bankrupt diet or sedentary lifestyle.

And, on the other side of the bed, a bad night’s sleep only really matters if it affects you.

Read that, and read it again. A bad night’s sleep only matters if it affects you, and no, one bad night doesn’t mean you need to make 6 payments of $49.99 for the latest trending sleep gadget.

 “You get a bad night’s sleep but your day isn’t horrible. It’s not perfect, but it’s not horrible. You take the L, and try again tomorrow.”

Dr. Neal Smoller

Life — and the light pollution, constant noise, endless stress, and health issues that come along with it — can be rough on our sleep. Plus, we now know how devastating the effects of sleep deprivation can be.

Put those two simple facts together, and you’ve got the perfect breeding ground for sky-high sleep sales. This is why the wellness industry pushes quick-fix tech and supplements that are often more hinder than help.

So, let’s be real. Here’s what you DON’T need for a better night’s sleep:

• Sleep tracking devices — in the form of phone apps, wearables, bluetooth lamps, etc.
• Trending supplements — like melatonin, tart cherry juice, the wrong forms of magnesium, etc.

Holistic Sleep Support Strategies You DO Need For Better Sleep

Now that we’ve chucked out the over-marketed, overhyped crap, we’re free to do the real work of improving sleep hygiene.

(Because yes, sleep hygiene is still important, but it’s not going to be something you achieve with just a pill or potion.)

There are a lot of factors working against you when it comes to getting better, deeper sleep. In fact, the list of reasons why your sleep sucks is as long as the insomniac hours of the night:

• Anxiety/Stress
• Pain/Discomfort
• Light/Noise Pollution
• Breathing Difficulties/Sleep Apnea
• Cramping/Twitching/Restless Leg Syndrome
• Depression
• Bladder Issues
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Medications
• Irregular Bedtime Patterns

But for all the myriad of ways sleep can suffer, the two core problems modern sleepers are faced with are: falling asleep and staying asleep.

(Or both, if you’re one of the super lucky ones.)

Falling Asleep

When it comes to falling asleep, we have the holy trinity of holistic sleep support to rely on — AKA, the 3 C’s.

1. Calm Mind

Turning your mind off at the end of the day is no small feat, but it is absolutely critical if you want to fall asleep. Not all relaxation or stress management techniques will work for you, but your first step is to find the ones that do.

2. Calm Body

Next step, stop putting stimulating things (caffeine, sugary foods, etc.) in your body around bedtime. Without a solid evening routine that signals to your body, “It’s time to sleep,” you’ll hit the pillow feeling wide awake.

Incorporate movement to work off excess energy as a body-calming bonus step.

3. Comfortable Environment

Because all the work you do on your body and mind will be negated if there’s a 65-inch plasma TV blaring two feet from your bed. Address environmental factors that can keep you stimulated and prevent wind-down time, like TVs and cell phones, excessive light and noise, or uncomfortable sleepwear and mattresses.

Staying Asleep

While most of us will struggle with falling asleep at some point or another, staying asleep is a whole different ballgame. Oftentimes, having a hard time staying asleep points to an underlying issue of some kind.

The most common issues Dr. Neal sees in his practice are:

• Sleep Apnea — Yes, even you could have breathing complications! Go straight to tier 3 of the Wellness Pyramid (do not collect $200), and seek professional, medical guidance.
• Cramping and Restless Legs — Increase your daily water intake (just not right before bed!) and try incorporating more exercise throughout the day.*
• Bladder Problems — Adjust your fluid intake before bed, and try to abstain from drinking any liquid at least three hours prior. Seek professional, medical guidance if you continue to wake to pee.

(*Restless legs syndrome will likely require strategic, personalized strategies.)

5 Wellness Practices for Holistic Sleep Support

Because, if you’ve been hanging around the Woodstock corner of the wellness world, you already know what we’re going to say.

Wellness practices first, supplements second. Always.

Whether you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep, or just want to improve the quality of your sleep, Dr. Neal’s top 5 wellness practices can help you improve sleep hygiene before supplementation:

1. Nourish yourself wisely: No heavy or spicy foods at least 3 hours before bedtime.
2. Bid farewell to the bedroom TV: Reclaim your sleep sanctuary from binge-watching.
3. Get hypoallergenic armor: AKA hypoallergenic pillow and mattress covers.
4. Embrace darkness: Invest in a high-quality sleep mask to avoid stray light stimulation.
5. Unplug: Limit your exposure to blue artificial light (from screens) before bedtime. 

Supplements for Holistic Sleep Support

Yet, even with all the wellness practices under the sun, sometimes, we still need extra support for hitting the hay. We’re human!

When it comes to supplements for sleep, there are three key options that stand out from the crowd of drowsy-making gummies and overpriced herbal blends:

1. CBD for Sleep

This soothing THC-free cannabis derivative is worth the hype it gets. CBD, or cannabidiol, is renowned for its calming effects and sleep-support properties.

Benefits:

• It works ultra-fast – you can expect relief in about 15 minutes. 
• The effects don’t linger, so your mornings aren’t groggy.
• BONUS it’s also great for anxiety!

While CBD is legal in (almost) all states, we are not allowed to sell this online. So, call us: (845) 521-7455.

2. Chelated Magnesium for Sleep

This mineral marvel plays a vital role in promoting relaxation and supporting healthy sleep — without it, your muscles literally cannot relax.

Benefits:

• Chelated forms of magnesium are easier on the stomach.
• Highly bioavailable form for maximum absorption.
• BONUS it’s been linked to rapid improvement of depression symptoms!

Only chelated versions (glycinate, taurate, malate, etc.) of magnesium will produce a calming effect. Avoid salt forms like magnesium oxide, chloride, citrate, or sulfate.

Learn More: Understanding The Different Types of Magnesium Supplements

3. Valerian for Sleep

This sweet-tasting herbal lullaby was all the rage before CBD took the stage. Valerian has been used for medical purposes since (at least) early Greek and Roman times.

• Natural, plant-derived sedative.
• Short-acting for fewer morning-after issues.
• Nervine plant properties soothe and support the nervous system.

Plus, valerian is super cost-effective! Try valerian capsules for a wallet-friendly version of CBD. 

Learn More: 3 Great Sleep Supplements — And 2 to Avoid

Get S’nore Sleep

TL;DR: Follow Dr. Neal‘s expert guidance to sleep better, dream bigger, and live healthier.

But… When it comes to holistic sleep support tips, tricks, and wellness practices, all that is still easier said than done. So give us a ring if the late-night zoomies have got you feeling like a zombie.

You can chat with one of our experts for free via Counterside Consult at any time. (As long as it’s before bedtime.)

With the scorching summer sun beating down every day, wouldn’t it be nice to discover an accessible, anti-inflammatory remedy that cools and calms the body? 

For that, we look to the sea! Or more specifically, to our iridescent friends who live in its waters, scaly and slippery alike. 

That’s right folks, it’s yet another blog on the wonders of fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids.

Dr. Neal — holistic pharmacist of 20 years and wellness wisecracker — already shared the inside scoop on the verified benefits of omega-3 and how to pick the best option from the inundated supplement aisle. 

So, today, we’re putting the big fish himself on the stand to see how his Alaskan omega-3 formula stacks up to our notoriously meticulous standards. (Spoiler alert: It rocks. We wouldn’t carry it if it didn’t.) 

Read on, fellow health fanatic, for the low down on why this specific omega-3 supplement is the best when it comes to price, purity, and performance. 

In This Article:

• How to find the best omega-3 supplements
• Alaskan omega-3 dose and price
• Alaskan omega-3 purity markers
• Alaskan omega-3 manufacturing standards

How to Find the Best Omega-3 Supplement: 3 Things to Know 

But before we dive in — if you accidentally missed this handy article on the quality markers of omega-3 supplements, you’re in luck. We’re sharing Dr. Neal’s investigation strategy for sussing out the top options from the well-branded snake oils again for you:

1. Dose: Make sure you’re getting the right dose without overpaying. Are you hitting 3,000mg — the optimal dose of omega-3s (ALA, EPA, and DHA) — in one or two servings? Or do you have to take 20 capsules to hit that target? 

2. Gross: Make sure you’re not just falling for good branding. Is the omega-3 supplement tested for heavy metals and other contaminants? Is it engineered and shipped to prevent rancidity? Does it contain unnecessary fillers or additives? 

3. Host: Make sure you’re buying from a reputable and transparent company. Does the manufacturer provide information on contaminant testing and refinement processes? Do they prioritize environmentally sustainable practices? 

We love this rhyming mnemonic because, call us crazy, we believe that wellness seekers deserve to know exactly what they’re getting from their supplements. 

Transparency might be controversial in our age of fishy sales tactics and virtually nonexistent industry regulations, but that’s okay, we like to rock the boat. 

Alaskan Omega-3 Supplement Dose: How Does it Compare? 

And we’re not ones to just talk the talk, either — that’s why we’re breaking down the nitty-gritty details of Dr. Neal’s Alaskan omega-3 formula starting with dose and price.

Dose

• 900mg+ of EPA and DHA fatty acids
• Quick-release formula designed for optimal absorption

This formula contains close to 1,000mg of omega-3s per capsule, making it one of the highest doses available on the market. While it’s true we want to hit closer to 3,000mg of EPA and DHA per day, we also want to be able to customize our daily dosage to account for food intake.

(You know, because if you have fish for lunch, you probably don’t need to supplement a full 3,000mg.)

Learn More: Omega-3 Supplement Buying Guide

Price

• $0.49-$1.49 per day

At its current listing price, our Alaskan omega-3 supplement comes in at just under $0.50 per capsule. If your supplement intake is balanced with nutrient-dense dietary choices, you’ll likely only need 1-2 capsules per day.

Price-wise, that balances out to $0.49-$0.99 per day, $1.49/day maximum, if supplementing the full 3,000mg dose.

Which doesn’t mean much, unless you look at other popular options for omega-3 supplements, like this one:

We won’t name names because hot girls don’t tear down other supplement manufacturers, but we will point out a few, simple facts.

1. This supplement does list EPA and DHA content, which puts it ahead of the average, but to get the recommended dose of EPA and DHA in one serving of this omega-3 supplement, you’d need to take almost 5 capsules — 4.7 to be exact.
2. With 90 capsules included at its current list price, this supplement works out to be $2.60 per day if supplementing the full 3,000mg dose.

Learn More: Debunked: 5 Myths About Omega-3 Supplements

Alaskan Omega-3 Supplement Grossness: How Icky Is It? 

Then comes the gross factors, namely: contaminant content, rancidity, and weird filler ingredients.