Supplements

#27 Uric Acid Part 2: Drop Acid!

Uric acid (UA) is the new bad boy on the block… so move over, salt, sugar and cholesterol! High UA threatens the heart, the liver, the kidneys and the brain – not to mention my most favourite organ of all. So, what drives high uric acid, and what can we do to Drop Acid? 

As mentioned in my blogpost #26 Uric Acid Part 1: Gouty Tales (see here), my recent uric acid (UA) blood test came back an optimal 4.7 mg/dL. That bodes well for me living long and strong, but what about my darling husband?

Fortunately, I found out that  coffee lowers UA, and I told him so. It was the best news he’d had all year. Imagine, though, how miserably gouty he’d be if he wasn’t such a coffee-head.

Uric Acid is lowered by coffee
All sweetness and light, as long as he can have his coffee

My new UA Sure II uric acid monitor was delivered a couple of weeks ago, but at the time I started writing this blog I had not yet used it to test Roy. I was wondering how I would manage to pin him down and extract the necessary drop of blood from his craven finger.

Then came an unexpected stroke of luck! – he woke up a few mornings ago with a twinge of gout in one ankle, and immediately demanded that I test his uric acid levels. Right now! I hastened to comply: you don’t argue with a gouty husband.

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#23 Top Dental Health Hacks

When it comes to top dental health hacks, a great smile is the least of it, says VERNE MAREE. Poor dental and oral health might be undermining your vitality and shortening your life in ways you may never have imagined. Read on for more – and all you never wanted to know about Vitamin K2!

Good health is about nutrition, exercise, good sleep and proper oral hygiene. Dr Judson Wall

Before introducing Dr Judson Wall properly, I’ll cut to the chase with his four simple steps to oral hygiene.

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#18 Collagen for great skin and strong bones

Get more collagen, says VERNE MAREE! Working to keep your skin taut and healthy and your musculoskeletal system strong, collagen is the body’s most abundant protein. 

When my dear friend Christa suggested I do a blog on collagen – maybe marine vs bovine – I thought, why not? Call me strange, but collagen is in fact something I think about most days: whether I’m adding collagen powder to a smoothie, making bone broth, or, sadly less frequently, booking a collagen-boosting facial treatment.

For me, collagen is about both looking young and staying strong.

A daily cup of collagen-rich broth is one of the best things you can do for your skin

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#10 A Good Night’s Sleep – Dreams and nightmares

A good night’s sleep includes plenty of dream sleep and – if possible – avoiding nightmares. Why do we dream? Dreaming helps keep us sane!

(Featured photo: In case you’re wondering, the Corpse Bride above is granddaughter Mia, Halloween 2021.)

In the wee small hours, Roy’s hairy arm reached out to prod me awake. According to him – though it’s hard to imagine from such a sweet thing as I am – his wife was snoring like a dervish.

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#7 Creatine – for muscle, bone strength, memory and more

What is creatine? Who should take creatine? Why to take it: to improve muscle strength, bone mass, brain health, memory, eyesight and hearing, and to prevent sarcopaenia and frailty. Keep track of muscle and promote anti-frailty with the InBody 570 body composition scanner.

What is creatine?

Creatine is an amino acid found mainly in muscle and brain tissue. Our livers, kidneys and pancreas naturally produce 1-2g of the stuff each day, mostly from eating fish and meat.  In the form we’re likely to buy it, it’s a derivative of three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine and L-methionine. It’s also the most highly researched supplement out there – and you can be sure that it’s not just effective, but extremely safe.

Verne with creatine
Before or after? Maybe somewhere in-between…

According to Healthline.com, creatine grows muscle by causing numerous changes within muscle cells that signal the body to produce new muscle proteins and increase muscle mass. It also helps to maintain existing muscle mass by limiting protein breakdown – another win. And remember, its effect on muscle mass is just one of many benefits.

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