Your September Survival Kit

It’s September, which for so many of us means back to school time! Even if you’re not going back to school, there’s something about September that feels like getting back into routine. We feel motivated to get organized, get healthy, and jump into the fall season.

Whether you’re going back to school as a student or teacher, are a parent of kids going back to school, or are simply looking at September as a time to refresh and stay on top of your life, we have your September Survival Kit ready to go for you!

FOR ENERGY                                          

Doesn’t everyone wish they had more energy? Maybe we’d get more stuff done in a day or simply be able to make it through the work or school day without that afternoon slump. Diet plays a big role in keeping your energy levels up. Eating the right food can literally fuel your body with energy – and here’s a hint, we’re not talking about the artificial energy “stealers” like caffeine or stimulants! Eating a real, whole, back-to-basics diet full of fresh organic vegetables, naturally-raised meats, and homemade meals can do wonders for your energy levels. But here are some of our top picks to help you out when you need energy, NOW!

Genuine Health Greens+ Extra Energy: 100% energy, 0% crash, and all clean! You’ll get a full serving of nutrient-rich greens+ in every scoop, which automatically helps your energy levels and overall health, but it also has all-natural energizing ingredients like taurine and naturally occurring caffeine from the kola nut. You can include one scoop daily for instant, natural, long-lasting energy along with essential nutrients for a healthier, energized body. Mix it into your smoothie, chia pudding, or water on-the-go.

Raw Cacao Powder: raw cacao gives you a natural energy boost while also providing an abundance of magnesium, iron, and antioxidants. It can also help improve your mood and concentration, both of which are big benefits! It’s great to mix into your morning coffee, smoothie, oatmeal, or into any baking. Make sure you choose organic for the highest quality and best taste!

Prairie Naturals Morning Rise & Shine: this is like having lemon water in the morning, times ten! It’s a tasty, instant pH balancing drink mix that helps you start your day in an alkaline state. It contains organic lemon and aloe vera, along with mineral salts to help balance your body and energize your cells. It even gives you a bit of a detox, clearing out anything that might be making your sluggish. You just mix it in water, drink it or take it with you, and you are good to go. It’s perfect in the morning, before a workout, or in the afternoon to help give you a boost.

FOR IMMUNITY

With the fall season comes the regular bouts of cold and flu. Kids going back to the classroom are exposed to new germs and illnesses, but also the change of season can put a stress on our immune system. You can bolster your immunity and stay healthy this season with a little help from these products – as well as a healthy diet!

St. Francis Deep Immune: this is a formula that has been around for 3 decades and has remained pretty much unchanged. It’s a potent combination of 8 herbs that help nourish your immune system and stress response. It nourishes you to your very core, and is perfect for the fall as it’s a time of transition and a change of season. They have a regular formula, one for kids, and one for allergies as well. They can be taken preventatively or in the midst of an illness!

Natural Factors Anti-Viral: this is a potent fresh herbal tincture that contains a proprietary blend of clinically proven echinamide with well-researched herbs. With a good mixture of Echinacea, astragalus, reishi mushroom, and licorice, you’re not only bolstering your immune system but you’re also nourishing your adrenal glands and stress response for an overall healthy wellness formula. It will help shorten the duration and severity of colds and flu, and also provides effective relief for sore, irritated throats.

Vitamin C: on a daily basis, our body uses antioxidant vitamins to boost the immune system and help ward off unwelcome illnesses like colds and flus. One of the most important vitamins is Vitamin C – and it’s no wonder! Our adrenal glands are our largest repository of vitamin C, and when our adrenal glands are taxed or overwhelmed, we get stressed. Stress, in turn, weakens our immune system. During this time, taking vitamin C can help replenish your adrenal glands, strengthen your immunity and fend off illness!

FOR STRESS

September can be a stressful time. For a lot of people, it means back to school, assignments, and many responsibilities… but even if you’re not heading back to school, it often just starts a busier time of the year. We tend to overschedule ourselves and create stress without even realizing it. And while diet is a surefire way to strengthen your stress-ability, these products can help, too – especially if you are feeling overwhelmed!

Natural Factors Serenity: this is a combination of 4 stress-busting herbs that help your adrenals do their job better. It only takes a few days before you notice a positive impact on your stress levels and ability to handle stress. It contains ashwagandha, eleutherococcus, and rhodiola – all of which nourish and strengthen your adrenals. This formula quite literally brings you some serenity!

Bach Rescue Remedy: if you need to calm down quickly, this will be your new best friend. It’s a homeopathic remedy that contains a combination of herbs to help nourish and calm down your entire nervous system and response to stress. It comes in a liquid, spray, or pastille format to make it easy to take, and literally works in minutes. Keep it in your purse or bag, desk drawer, car, or anywhere else you might need it. Great for before exams or an interview, or even in the midst of a panic attack – and completely natural. They have a formula for pets, too!

Magnesium: magnesium is a mineral that performs over 325 functions in the body. We used to get magnesium from our nutrient-rich soils and diet, but today, due to poor diets and poor soil quality, people are often lacking magnesium. Choosing organic produce is one great way to get this mineral naturally, but you can also take it in supplement form. It works to calm you down and relax your muscles, and even can help you fall asleep easier. Magnesium Calm is one of our favorites – you can mix it into a hot drink right before bed.

FOR EATING WELL

September can be a busy month, which often can mean that our diets start to slide a little it. We have some suggestions to help keep you on track, even if you barely have time to sit down to a meal!

Garden of Life Raw Meal: this is an actually healthy meal replacement shake you can rely on. It’s organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, and made from real food to nourish your body. It’s great for a meal on-the-go, as it contains protein (20g!), superfoods and greens, vitamins and minerals (21 of them), fiber from chia and flax, probiotics, enzymes, and only 1 gram of sugar. Mix it into a smoothie or just with water or milk to help you have a healthy meal, even when you’re pressed for time.

Fish Oil: fish oil is your best friend as you head into the fall months. It provides the much-needed omega-3s, which impact not only your mood and energy but also your focus, attention, cognitive health, and skin health. All of these are important during this time of year! Plus, it keeps your ticker healthy, can reduce pain and inflammation, and much more. There are so many options for fish oil now in so many flavours, that you’re sure to find something you love. The Ascenta NutraSea Chocolate flavor is great in smoothies!

Probiotic: last but absolutely, 100% not least! Probiotics play a vital role in health. They replenish your gut with healthy, good bacteria, which helps your digestion perform optimally and reduces any digestive distress you may experience. More than that, though, probiotics can help your mood, as serotonin, your happy hormone, resides in your gut, and also bolster your immune system, since much of that resides around your gut as well. Get powered up for fall by choosing the probiotic for you – our staff can help!