Tryptophan In Turkey Makes You Sleepy - FALSE! (sort of)

So this little pseudo-factoid gets passed around more at Thanksgiving than your aunt's homemade stuffing. Turkey contains tryptophan and tryptophan makes you sleepy. False. Well... sort of.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor to Melatonin production in the brain and, yes, melatonin does make you sleepy. But it's not quite that simple. You see, even though turkey does contain tryptophan, it is about the same amount as in any other poultry and even less than is in, say, cheese. Tryptophan has to get in to the brain and to do that is must get past the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper is the blood brain barrier. And when tryptophan has to wait in line with all the other aminos to get in, the chances of you feeling any quick drowsiness effects are slim - but wait!

When you sit down for your typical Thanksgiving meal you aren't just having turkey. Chances are good that you are going to load up on the carbs: mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (with baked on marshmallows!), pumpkin pie - should I go on? And when you take in all of those carbs your body produces insulin en masse which scrubs most of those aminos from the blood except for (you guessed it) Tryptophan. Suddenly that long line at the blood brain barrier isn't so crowded and tryptophan gets in and does its work. The brain produces melatonin and you fall asleep listening to Uncle Al talk about college bowl scenarios.

So this year when people are passing the Turkey-Tryptophan myth around the table, feel free to dish out a helping of the truth.

Happy Thanksgiving from Hoey Apothecary!

Hoey Apothecary Grand Opening Festivities

Come on out to Hoey Apothecary today, November 7, 2013 starting at 1PM and celebrate our Grand Opening!

We will be kicking off our Grand Opening celebration today and running it through close of business on Saturday, November 9 at 1PM.

Here are some highlights of the activities to come:

• Ribbon cutting at 1pm with the Monona and Cottage Grove chambers of commerce. Also in attendance will be Mayor Paul Sogland! 
• Enjoy refreshments provided by another local business, Heritage Bakery. Heritage Bakery has made us a delicious-looking cake and cookies while another one of our local friends, JavaCat, will be providing the hot coffee!
• Enter to WIN prize drawings


• iPod Nano
• Portable DVD Player
• Badger Basketball tickets
• Madison Symphony Orchestra tickets
• Gift baskets of nutritional supplements provided by Nordic Naturals, Carlson Laboratories and Pure Encapsulations
• Take a tour of our state-of-the-art compounding laboratory and meet our friendly staff.
• Help support the Goodman Center Charity Drive by dropping off food items to feed needy families this Thanksgiving season.  When you do you will receive $1 coupon for each item you donate (up to five.)
• Try some samples from our favorite nutritional supplement companies. We will be giving away packets of everything from proteins to fish oils to multivitamin and more.
• Free gift with purchase everyone making a purchase today will receive a free Hoey Apothecary gift back with a coffee mug and other Hoey Apothecary SWAG! 

It all begins in less than two hours and we hope to see you here.  As always you can shoot me a message here, via Facebook or a good, old-fashioned email @ joshua@hoeyrx.com.  I look forward to seeing you soon!

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Hoey Apothecary is local pharmacy located at 217 Cottage Grove Rd in Madison, WI.  Hoey Apothecary provides compounding and traditional pharmacy services with a focus on holistic wellness through nutritional supplement support.  Hoey Apothecary is bridging the gap between nature and medicine - for you!

7 Ways to Increase Your Energy Naturally

Q. This time of year I always get so fatigued! I can start our with a cup of coffee in the morning and I do ok until around lunch and then I am just exhausted! How can I increase my energy in a healthy way without overloading on the caffeine? -Carrie

A. Hello, Carrie! Sorry to hear that you are dragging! It is tough to keep going when your energy levels are depleted and I know the temptation of doubling down on the coffee but there may be a better way.  Here are 7 ways increase your energy naturally:

1. Realize the Root Cause  There are many aspects that could be the source of your fatigue.  These possibilities are important because they determine how you are going to go about addressing your tiredness. Right from the start you should partner with your preferred health care professional and get to the root of your lack of energy.  That being said, the following are some of the most common culprits in the elimination of energy: 
2. Nutrients are Necessary One of the most common causes of energy loss is not getting your body the nutrition it needs.  You can not expect your car to run properly if it doesn't have the right fuel, oil and various fluids that the manufacturer prescribes.  So too your body has prescribed fuels for its proper function.  Eat a balanced diets rich in things like organic fruits and vegetables.  This alone will provide a wealth of vitamins and antioxidants to supercharge your system.  Does your diet fall short of perfect? Get a good, food-based multivitamin like Garden of Life's Vitamin Code to supplement your nutritional intake.
3. Deal with D Deficiency  More and more doctors are realizing an epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency in the population at large.  Vitamin D deficiency can lead to lower energy levels, poor mood and even a depressed immune system.  It's a nutrient that is produced by your body in response to sun exposure.  Guess what? As a culture, many of us do not spend much time outdoors any longer.  We spend time in our office during the day, in our car to and from and as much as I would like to tell you otherwise, the glare from your television is not enough to get your D production going.  Couple that with the fact that during the winter even when you are outside the angle of the sun is not conducive for Vitamin D production and you quickly find yourself needing another source.  You can find D as a supplement easily enough and when you do, make sure to find a form called "D3" or "cholecalciferol."  It is the natural form that your body can use most readily.  Typical recommended intake is between 1,000 and 2,000iu per day.
4. Boost with B12  Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that is involved in our bodies' ability to convert food into energy.  It is also used to produce new DNA in cells and produce healthy red blood cells.  A lack of B12, which studies have suggested that as many as 40% of the American population suffer from, can cause a severe lack of energy, depression and may even bring on dementia-like symptoms.  You can get B12 naturally from foods such as eggs, meat and cheese or you can get it supplementally.  If you choose to take it as a supplement look for a form that is both sublingual, meaning that it dissolves under the tongue, and is called "methylcobalamin." This is the form that is most readily able to be used by the body.
5. Support with Sleep We talked a few weeks back about the importance of supporting your sleep.  In brief, your body needs to essentially reset each night and for that to happen effectively you want deep, uninterrupted slumber.  If you find that sleep is an issue for you try to narrow down the cause or type of disruption.  One supplement that seems to be helpful to many is Melatonin.  The key to its use however is to dose it correctly! Do you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep? If the former is true, use a sublingual form in the range of 3 mg. For the latter, opt for an extended release formulation in the 3-5 mg range.
6. Energize with Exercise Do you ever find yourself sitting around wishing you had more energy to actually get up and do stuff? As it turns out, if you would just get up and start moving around your body would produce more energy! Multiple studies have suggested and confirmed that moderate exercise causes your mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cells, to crank up the juice to meet your physical need.  Try walking for 10-15 minutes per day to get the juices flowing.
7. Think about your Thyroid  Having an under-active thyroid is called hypothyroidism.  Only your qualified health care professional can diagnose you with hypothyroidism but one of the most noticeable effects is a loss of energy.  Other symptoms you may notice: weight gain, an intolerance to cold (due to a slowdown in metabolic processes), slower digestion, brittle hair and nails plus cardiovascular issues that may arise. You can support your overall thyroid health by making sure to get the recommended daily intake of Iodine and supplementing with the amino acid, l-Tyrosine.  But before beginning and diet or supplement plan it is always recommended that you partner with your doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health care professional.

I hope that this gives you some good ideas for what you can do to boost your energy levels in a natural way. Remember that every individual is unique and that your solution may also be a unique combination of any of these suggestions.  If you or anyone reading this has any questions in follow up or about your own unique needs, please email me at joshua@hoeyrx.com.

Good luck and good health,

Joshua Long

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Hoey Apothecary is a traditional pharmacy with a passion for holistic wellness.  From retail supplements to custom pharmaceutical compounding, we are here to support you and your unique wellness goals.  Visit us at 217 Cottage Grove Rd in Madison, WI or at our website at www.hoeyrx.com.  Bridging the gap between nature and medicine - Hoey Apothecary!