8 Reasons To Kiss Your Amino Acid Supplements …

Not many people realize just how essential amino acids are to our body's function! Just about every single thing your body does involvesbuilding proteins - and proteins are made from amino acids. Our body synthesises some amino acids from the foods we eat (no matter what they are), while others need to be obtained whole from our diet. Amino acid supplements are essential for people that can't or don't eat a balanced diet - here are eight reasons that you should kiss your amino acid supplements!

1. Strengthens the immune system
   Alanine is an amino acid that helps strengthen the immune system, as well as helping you metabolise the energy gained from your food.
2. Fighting immune-related diseases
   An amino acid called arginine not only helps in insulin production, muscle metabolism and metabolism of fats by the liver, but also increates T-cell activity to help fight AIDS, cancer cells andchronic fatigue syndrome as well as normal bacteria and viruses.
3. Keeps your skin and hair looking fab!
   Cysteine is an amino acid that is in wide use throughout the body - but one of its functions is the synthesis of collagen that is used for keeping your skin tight, and making the alpha-keratin in your nails and hair.
4. Helps prevent Alzheimer's and memory defects
   Amino acid alternative health supplements that contain L-carnitine play an important role in mitigating age-related memory loss and protecting against Alzheimer's disease.
5. General anti-aging effects
   You can thank cysteine, among other amino acid supplements, for this one too! The liver detoxifying agent glutathione has cysteine as a one of its precursors - no cysteine, not enough glutathione.
6. Decreases stress
   Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) functions as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and actually occupies the receptor sites that would usually be plugged up by adrenaline, epinephrine etc.
7. Helps with ADHD and hypertension
   Another one to thank GABA for!
8. Stops your brain being eaten away…
   Always a handy substance to have in your body, glutamine scavenges ammonia from your central nervous system that would otherwise poison your brain. Thanks, glutamine!

Eight Little Gifts That Depression Gives

It's definitely not a standard sort of topic … thinking about the positive side of depression! However, if you’re caring for someone undergoing standard or natural treatment of depression and low moods, it is essential to try to find the positive side of each and every little thing that happens. It will help keep both your mood, and the person you’re caring for, looking upwards instead of down and in. Today we check out ten little gifts that depression can give … and remind you not to ignore the help that alternative health products can offer!

1. Time slows down. When you're living a normal life, it often seems that time races by with barely a chance to catch your breath, smell the roses or see your children grow. Depression can slow that all down.
2. Learning to say no. Being a 'yes person' often leads to depression, as you start to feel that you aren't really in control of your life. Depression can be the trigger for learning to say "No" when it is appropriate
3. Life is simplified. When you are depressed, you don't care about keeping up with the Jones', what shade of eye shadow to wear or whether you are carrying an extra 5 kilos.
4. Being thankful. People battling depression often learn, in their brief respites offered by exercise, love and doctor-recommended natural supplements, to be truly thankful for what they have and what people do for them.
5. A greater focus on your body, your brain and your health often coexists with a battle to lift yourself out of depression.
6. Depression creates a greater sense of perspective on what is important and what is not.
7. A stronger marriage. If people are willing to stick at a marriage, mental illness will definitely help make it stronger. Marriages are like our bodies - if they are never challenged, they never gain fitness or strength.
8. Culling the fair-weather friends and keeping the worthwhile ones is another very positive aspect of having depression or a mental illness.