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!

Beware the Weight Monster...

Ghosts, Goblins and Ghouls! Scary right? Yet it is not nearly as frightening to some as the prospect of trying to keep your diet in check as we begin our slosh through the sugary holiday season.  Beginning with the calorie-packed cauldrons of Halloween to the belt-busting buffets of the Christmas holiday, we are all challenged to keep our intake in check.

Here are 5 tips to keep the weight monster at bay:

1. Have a Healthy Breakfast - Over the years we have had multiple sources tell us that eating a healthy breakfast can actually help to boost your metabolism for the rest of the day.  Of late, there have been a couple of preliminary reports saying that is not necessarily the case but either way there are still a couple of things we know for sure: Eating a good breakfast is a great way to get your body nutritionally set for the day, you will feel more full through lunch which will help you cut back on the snacking and it will probably save you a few dollars from going through that fast food drive-through (not that you ever would, right?)
2. Employ an Exercise you Enjoy - Finding a type of exercise that you actually enjoy is key to a healthy lifestyle.  Not only does exercise offer a wealth of positive benefits to you physically but it can also help to promote a more positive mental state.  The latter will certainly not be true though if you try to force yourself to do something you hate.  I, for example, love to play sports so I work in at least three days a week when I can play volleyball for a couple of hours.  The exercise is healthy for me and I have a great time.  Find something that gets you active and that you enjoy and get to it! 
3. Curb your cravings with Cambogia - So you want to stick to your diet but the cravings, especially this time of year, constantly threaten to overwhelm you.  Take a look into a supplement called Garcinia Cambogia.  It contains a naturally occurring substance known as Hydroxycitric Acid which is known to be a powerful appetite suppressant and may also help prevent the conversion of carbohydrates into fat.  Natrol makes a fairly inexpensive Garcinia Cambogia supplement called Pure Super Citrimax that would be a great place to start if this is something you would like to try for yourself.
4. Feel full with Fiber - There are a multitude of potential benefits that stem from including dietary fiber in your meals.  This is particularly true for you when you are trying to maintain your diet.  Consider supplementing your fiber intake with Glucommanan.  Coming from the root of the Konjac plant, Glucommanan is a soluble form of fiber that may contribute to a greater feeling of "fullness" and is also known to help slow the absorption of sugar from your meal.  This slower release of sugar into the bloodstream may prevent a sugar crash after eating which can make you feel miserable for one, and also lead to snacking.  Pure Encapsulations has a good Glucommanan product available that is easy to swallow and free of unwanted fillers.
5. Fight Fats with Fats - Sounds ridiculous but a number of studies have focused on the use of Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA for weight loss.  CLA is a fatty acid that is naturally found in a variety of dairy products and eggs.  Studies have indicated that CLA can help increase your basal metabolic rate, improve your body's use of sugar, reduce the size of existing fat cells and may even cause your body to burn fat for energy!  The recommended dosage for CLA is approximately 3,400mg per day.  You can find a variety of Conjugated Linoleic Acid supplements out there.  Make sure to choose one from a brand you trust.

Remember that you should always talk to your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional before beginning any diet or supplement plan. Hoey Apothecary is here to help you with your unique needs. If you have questions about any of these tips feel free to 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!

Hair Raising Tips to Grow Your Hair

Q. I was wondering if you know of any good tips to help my hair grow faster.  I just had my hair cut and it turned out shorter than I expected.  I want my long hair back - Help!

A.  Hello, sorry to hear about the bad hair cut!  The good news is that their are several things that a person can do to help their follicular factories pick up the pace.  Here are seven tips to get your hair growing:

1.  Opt for Omega 3

There are several good sources of Omega 3.  You can get it from Fish and Krill or if you prefer vegetarian sources take a look at Flax and Chia.  People are sometimes confused about how much Omega 3 you are actually getting from these sources supplementally.  The trick is to look at the back of the bottle and find EPA and DHA (if you are taking Fish or Krill - or ALA for Flax and Chia) and add those two together.  The sum of those two are your total amount of Omega 3.  So for example, Nordic Naturals' ProOmega product (which I recommend for anyone looking to grow and strengthen their hair) has 650mg of EPA and 450mg of DHA per serving for a grand total of 1,100mg of Omega 3 per dose.  If you opt for another Omega 3 product however, shoot for about 1,000mg of Omega 3 daily.

2.  Boost with a B Complex

Maybe you have tried a B Complex in the past for increased energy.  While it does have applications in metabolic processes, B vitamins are also involved in the growth and maintenance of healthy hair.  Deficiencies in several specific B's have been linked to skin disorders and hair loss.  You have probably been told by someone in the past that they have been taking a prenatal vitamin to help their hair grow.  The reason why their hair is growing better is because of an increased amount of Biotin and Folic Acid.  Skip the higher cost of the Prenatal and opt simply for the B Complex.

3.   Avoid diets that exclude food groups

So many fad diets and so little time! While the veracity of these diets could be debated at length, one thing is for certain.  By cutting out whole food groups from your diet, you will be withholding certain nutrients from your body that it is used to getting.  This dearth of sustenance can cause your body's normal processes of production to slow down and as a result you may see hair growth slowing and in some cases stopping altogether!  Eat a balanced diet and keep your doctor in the loop with any major dietary changes.

4.  Speaking of talking to your Doctor...

I think most of us would probably run to our doctor if our hair just all of the sudden started coming out in clumps; but if you notice that your hair is not growing nearly at the same pace as it usually does it could be a symptom of something greater.  Hypothyroidism can effect your hair growth and is definitely something to bring to the attention of your health care provider. Reach out, have a conversation and be proactive with your health!

5.  Shampoo with Biotin and Silica

Back to the nutritional aspects: while taking Biotin internally may help your hair growth, using a shampoo that contains Biotin has also been shown to be beneficial.  Additionally, if you can have Silica in the formulation that would be ideal as these two nutrients together may greatly strengthen your hair and promote its growth.  Andalou makes a great Biotin and Lavender shampoo that is designed for hair nourishment.

6.   Grow with Ginkgo

You probably recognize Ginkgo.  If you have taken it in the past you probably did not use it for hair growth but instead due to its purported cognitive boost.  While it is true that Ginkgo has applications for mental support, this herb may help to promote hair growth by increasing circulation in the scalp.  Increased circulation means more blood flow bringing in more nutrients and giving the hair cells more of what they need to grow.  And by the way, if the Ginkgo helps give you a mental boost then so much the better!

7.  Get a good Multivitamin

Lastly, nothing in the body exists in a vacuum.  Holistic wellness is whole body wellness. Following that reasoning, what is good for the whole body is good for the parts of the body. Eat a balanced diet. Get good nutrition from your food to the best of your ability.  Beyond that, find yourself a good multivitamin to help 'bridge the gap' in your diet. When looking for a good multi try to find one that is based on whole foods.  I like to recommend Garden of Life's Vitamin Code Raw multivitamins.  These vitamins are not only based on whole food but are raw, unheated and untreated foods that still have their natural enzymes and probiotics intact.

Hopefully this has answered your question and gives you some good direction as to how you can grow your hair back out as quickly and healthily as possible.  You can feel free, of course, to stop in the store and we can discuss these further.

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If you have questions about your unique needs and would like to have them answered on Mail Monday, send an email to joshua@hoeyrx.com with "Mail Monday" in the title.

Good luck and good health,

Joshua Long

Hoey Apothecary and Goodman Community Center

The Goodman Community Center right here in downtown Madison is working to provide traditional Thanksgiving meals to over 2,000 local families!

For many years now the Goodman Community Center has facilitated the gathering and distribution of Thanksgiving meals to families that are right here in the local community.  They have been able to this because of the generous donations of people like you!  Sharing from our abundance with those who are less fortunate so that they might experience the fullness of Thanksgiving - that sounds like what Thanksgiving is all about!

Wondering what the Goodman Center is looking for? Check out their grocery list below:

Frozen turkeys >> 2500 !

Vegetables >> 5000 cans

Fruit >> 5000 cans

Gravy >> 2500 jars

Cranberry sauce >> 2500 cans

Disposable roaster pans >> 2500 pans

Pumpkin pie mix >> 2500 cans

Evaporated milk >> 2500 cans

Jiffy pie crust mix >> 2500 boxes

Aluminum pie tins >> 2500 tins

We will be accepting dropoffs here at Hoey Apothecary starting November the 7th during our Grand Opening festivities.  Join us the weekend of Nov 7-9 to enjoy snacks, tours of our state of the art lab and facilities and lots of free samples! Anyone bringing in food items to donate to the Thanksgiving Basket drive will receive an in store coupon for that visit.

You can also help support the Goodman Center drive by organizing a drive personally or through your business.  You can find more information here including tips, grocery lists and visuals.  Grocery drop offs begin on November 18th.

We look forward to seeing you and thank you for helping the great people at the Goodman Community Center and local families in Madison, WI!

Dealing with Diabetes Naturally

Q: Hi. I’ve recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I’ve heard that take a cinnamon supplement can help lower my blood sugar.  I want to do something natural for my diabetes.  Is this something your recommend? -Jeanie

A: Hello Jeanie! Thanks for your question.  Your query about supplementing with Cinnamon is one I hear often.  There are approximately 26 million people in the US with Diabetes¹ and a greater proportion of those are searching for a natural way to cope with their situation all of the time.  Before we go on to the specific supplements I would recommend I should point out that Diabetes is a serious condition and you should absolutely partner with your professional health care provider and/or pharmacist before beginning any diet or supplement program designed to address your condition.  That being said, let’s dive in!

Type 2 diabetes is a series of dominos that fall in unfortunate sequence.  Whether genetic or environmental in origin, diabetes causes the cells to react incorrectly to insulin in the blood.  You take in sugar, the pancreas produces insulin and delivers it to the cells.  Eventually, as the cells become overexposed to insulin they begin to lose sensitivity (due to a reduction in receptor sites) to its effect and now more glucose remains in the bloodstream.  This increase in glucose in the blood causes the pancreas in turn to try to desperately produce more insulin to take care of the extra blood sugar which causes the cells to become even more resistant to the extra insulin and do you see what’s happening here…?  The effects of this that you will see early on is increased fat storage, especially in the abdominal area, and psychological effects.

What do you do?  Exercise and proper diet are your first step.  You can find lots of good diet and exercise recommendations on the American Diabetes Association website (www.diabetes.org).

So to your original question: Cinnamon? The short answer is yes, taking cinnamon has been shown to help reduce blood sugar levels. But I don’t like short answers J so I’m going to broaden my response!

Cinnamon has been shown to help dull the effects of sugar intake on overall blood sugar levels.  It is worth noting that if you are going to eat your cinnamon, know that Ceylon Cinnamon is the type that has been studied for its diabetic support properties.  Also know this: that if you have liver issues you may want to avoid cinnamon as it does contain a small amount of a substance known to be toxic to the liver.

Additionally, the following supplements have been shown to also support diabetes control.

• Alpha-Lipoic Acid: 200mg per day has been shown to aid in the protection of nerves and may be a treatment for peripheral neuropathy².  Additionally, it may help to increase insulin sensitivity in cells in the early stages of diabetes³.
• Biotin 8-16mg per day: May help to protect the beta-cells in the pancreas³.  This too may be helpful in the early stages of type 2 diabetes.
• Chromium Picolinate 400-600mcg per day: May improve the efficiency of insulin in the body in order to lower blood sugar².  This effect may be improved by coupling with 100mg of Niacin³.
• Vanadyl Sulfate 50mcg twice per day (or as directed): May aid in the transport of glucose into the cells.  This seems to be most effective in individuals that are over-weight³.

There are of course a multitude of other supplements and considerations beyond these.  Feel free to write in additional questions or stop by Hoey Apothecary and we would be happy to meet with you. 

If you have a question about Sugar Control Support or any other wellness topic, feel free to email me Joshua@hoeyrx.com.