Bottled sunshine helps offset winter blues

Shorter days and cold weather make most of us feel more tired and gloomy but the outlook for people prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder is even darker.

Far from simply being pessimistic or ‘down in the dumps’, people with SAD are believed to suffer a change in mood and motivation when their brain’s output of neurotransmitters (that fire off emotions, hormones and thought patterns among other things) ‘switches off’ as daylight levels fall. Indeed research indicates that sunlight itself is, in fact, an essential “nutrient” for good health.

Bottled sunshine?

Light is important for health. We absorb it through our eyes and skin and convert it to energy and nutrients. No-one has found a way to bottle sunshine yet, but Klamath blue-green algae comes closest. As the planet’s first photosynthesiser, Klamath blue-green algae is well placed to transfer its stores of ‘condensed sunshine’ to us.

Growing wild at high altitude with over 300 days of sunshine a year, Klamath algae captures the sun’s energy and transforms it into molecules which nourish both body and mind. As well as being a complete food presenting all the essential nutrients we need to sustain us, Klamath blue green algae also contains neuropeptides: short chains of amino acids that help the brain initiate certain vital functions.

Neuropeptides act as neurotransmitters and hormones– flicking the ‘on switches’ if you like. Thus they can reverse the effects of short winter days and weak, reduced light that lead to people suffering the ‘winter blues’ or the more debilitating SAD.

PEA

One of the most important neuropeptides is Phenylethylamine (PEA) – the amino acid that is naturally produced by the brain when we experience happiness and joy. PEA directly contributes to increasing the quantity of freely circulating dopamine, the neurotransmitter that keeps the brain alert and active. Necessary for executive functions such as thinking and concentration, dopamine is also vital to short term memory and motivation and to generate pleasurable feelings and sexual desire. PEA alone has been shown to alleviate 60% of mild to moderate depressions.

‘Sunshine’ Supplement

A particularly pure, potent form of Klamath blue-green algae with especially high levels of nutrients and PEA is found in vitalMAX.

How to take vitalMAX

To restore good health, take four to six capsules a day (2-3 grams) for around three months. Once all is well, reduce to two to three capsules per day for maintenance.

Where to buy vitalMAX

You can find vitalMAX at Simplyvital.com where 60 capsules cost £17.50.