Do you keep eating even after you’re full? Do you feel like your snacking has gotten out of control? Do you have a late-night snack multiple nights a week? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a neurotransmitter imbalance.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that communicate throughout our brain and body. They relay signals between the human brain’s 86 billion neurons, or nerve ends. Serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine (or adrenaline) are common neurotransmitters most people have heard of and are familiar with some of their functions in regards to mood and sleep.  But many people are unaware that the balance of these neurotransmitters may dramatically affect the ability to lose and maintain weight.

Low dopamine levels will dramatically increase your appetite. When your dopamine levels immediately fall, the body sends signals to the brain that will make you crave food and lose control of your diet. Since most of the foods we crave are refined carbohydrates, this can lead to unhealthy eating habits and even weight gain.

If you feel good after giving into your cravings, your mind will be programmed to crave the foods that give you pleasure and send impulses to do it again. That feel-good mood you associate with eating a cheesy slice of pizza or a decadent piece of chocolate cake late at night triggers reward networks in the brain that can be difficult to reverse.

Kress Specialty Apothecary can help you stop those late-night trips to the kitchen. Along with a healthy diet, Crave Control will curb cravings and even help you lose weight. Crave Control is a dietary supplement that will boost your dopamine levels. Studies have demonstrated that anti-craving behavior can be induced if there is a means of continually releasing dopamine at the reward site of the brain in the mesolimbic system.

How Crave Control Works

Crave Control contains the necessary ingredients to properly utilize D-Phenylalanine, an anti-craving amino acid, and increasing dopamine production. Ingredients such as L-Tyrosine, L-Glutamine, 5-HTP, Rhoadiola Rosea, and P5P help to ensure that healthy levels of dopamine are encouraged to address “Reward Deficiency Syndrome” which features multiple expressions including overeating and carbohydrate binging.

Crave Control supports the synthesis of the brain reward neurotransmitters and through its effect of the natural opioids, causing a significant release of dopamine. This release of increased amounts dopamine reduced the cravings for carbohydrates. This constant release of possibly therapeutic amounts of dopamine leads to the proliferation of D2 receptors, thereby promoting appetite suppression and reducing overall craving in general. This same improvement in the craving process can also be approached in other behaviors in which craving is a major concern.

Beat your hunger, cravings and overindulgent behavior by eating the right foods while encouraging weight loss by regulating your levels of dopamine. Stop by Kress Specialty Apothecary to try out Crave Control!

Whether you’re looking to shed a few pounds or get more active, fitness trackers are leading the way to better health and can help you reach your goals. The fitness tracking movement is alive and well—everywhere you look people are logging their every step. In fact, a recent survey reported that 58% percent of women either own or intends to buy one of these devices.

Tracking the number of steps taken, caloric intake, distance traveled, heart rate, and sleep patterns are only a few of the benefits provided by fitness trackers. These devices combine the key ingredients for motivating people to reach their health goals. Studies have proven that this technology, along with physical exercise, can help people to become more aware of their daily activity level, maintain a healthier lifestyle, and aid in weight loss.

These fitness gadgets help individuals get a better understanding of their activity and exercise on a daily basis. The numbers show the reality of an individual’s movement, or lack thereof, and motivates them to get moving throughout the day. These devices encourage people to make an effort to incorporate more walking into their day. Perhaps tracking steps may making it more rewarding to walk to the café around the corner to grab your daily cup of coffee instead of driving or maybe now you are motivated to walk to work instead of taking the subway.

Fitness trackers also allow users to set individually-tailored goals. Whether it be losing ten pounds, adding general movement into the day, or training for a 5K, tracking your exercise, fuel, and sleep are vital to learn how to achieve any goal. With these devices, it is easy to monitor changes over a period of time and see improvements when doing different workout regimes.

Along with a nutritious diet, dietary supplements, and activity, a fitness tracker can help you lead a healthy lifestyle. It is important to avoid being sedentary for long periods of time. Many fitness trackers feature handy reminders to encourage you to get moving. Moving for only five minutes every hour has been to proven to increase overall well-being. Make sure these reminders are on and don’t ignore them!

If you are interested in investing in a fitness tracking, there is one disclaimer you should be aware of–many people expect too much from the devices. In order to see results, it’s vital to approach your new gadget with the right mindset. Just strapping a tracker on your wrist will not make you fit. A fitness tracker is a tool, which if used correctly, can keep you honest and motivate you to reach your goals. It cannot exercise for you or motivate an unmotivated person.

If you are looking to boost your overall health or need a push for weight loss, Kress Specialty Apothecary has the right product for you. Call or stop by Kress Specialty Apothecary if you have questions about any of our products or services to help you reach your fitness goals.

A walk down the vitamin aisle can make anyone’s head spin. Which brand should I buy? Are the more expensive ones better? Should I get a multivitamin or supplement? Should I stick with name brand vitamins? Well, here’s what you should know when you’re shopping for vitamins.

Taking a daily multivitamin is a great way to help you get all the key nutrients your body needs to be healthy. But, keep in mind that they are only a good “backup” to ensuring proper nutrition. It is more important to choose healthy foods and maintain a diet rich in natural vitamins and minerals. Try to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and healthy oils in your diet every day.

When it comes to vitamins, you want to avoid getting too much of a good thing. Nutritionists recommend choosing a daily multivitamin rather than mega-dose vitamins and mega-fortified foods.  Look for a multivitamin with a USP stamp. These products meet the requirements set by the United States Pharmacopeia and contain the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) in a daily dose. It’s not necessary to take more than the recommended amounts.

According to a study by ConsumerLab.com, price is not a sign of quality in vitamins. In fact, some of the pricier vitamins failed to meet industry standards. ConsumerLab.com found that more than 21 of the multis they tested either contained more than the recommended daily allowance of certain vitamins or were contaminated with dangerous substances. A majority of multis that are considered to be dietary supplements are not required to undergo rigorous testing procedures. Since there are no uniform manufacturing rules for supplements, multis can be contaminated, have tainted ingredients, and fail to contain what the bottle claims.

When shopping for vitamins, check the bottles for either the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF, or ConsumerLab.com (CL) seal. The stamps indicate that the product is free of contamination and that the company maintains adequate manufacturing processes.

Choose vitamins with mainstream names to be safe. Name brand vitamins, such as Centrum and One-A-Day, are generally more reliable. However, if you are looking for a more cost efficient option, feel free to choose a generic vitamin, as long is it has the seal that indicates the product is accurately labeled and free of impurities.

Call Kress Specialty Apothecary to learn more about our vitamin and pharmacy services. (856) 323-8723.

Activities to Do With A Loved One With Alzheimer’s

Since 1983, November has been designated as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. This serious and complicated condition can cause sufferers to withdraw from others and activities that they once enjoyed. Participating in activities and socializing can improve the quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s, but loved ones often struggle to think of ways they can engage. Here are some ideas for things you can do with you with your loved one who is struggling with Alzheimer’s.

Arts & Crafts

Arts and crafts are a fantastic activity for people with Alzheimer’s. Not only do they stimulate the mind and require creativity, they often involve the use of fine motor skills. Activities like drawing, coloring, painting, or knitting, and scrapbooking are a great way to spend time with a senior with Alzheimer’s.

Puzzles

Similarly, puzzles stimulate spatial reasoning and require seniors to use fine motor skills to pick up and manipulate pieces. In addition, completing a puzzle is a concrete goal that will make anyone feel like they have accomplished something. Puzzles may be an ideal activity to do with seniors who have difficulty following or carrying on a conversation.

Watch Family Videos

Many people who struggle with Alzheimer’s still remember things that happened decades ago. A great activity to do with seniors who are having serious memory problems is watching family videos and reminiscing about the past. The best part of watching old family videos is that the whole family can get involved.

Sing Songs and Listen to Music

According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, there are many ways that music can benefit people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. For example, it can facilitate cognitive function, reduce stress, encourage positive social interactions, and coordinate motor movements. It is important to understand that music can evoke powerful memories, so be careful to cautiously observe your loved one’s reaction when you put on a particular song. Keep in mind that music streaming apps like Pandora and Google Music allow you to play virtually any song at any time, so try and find music that your loved one may have listened to when he or she was younger.

Call 856-323-8723 or stop by today for more information.

Physical well-being is also important for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and many may skip meals and become malnourished. If you have a loved one facing this issue there are meal replacement options as well as supplements available to keep their bodies strong. At Kress Specialty Apothecary, we are committed to meeting the needs of patients with a variety of medical conditions. We provide a variety of retail and compounded pharmaceutical products and can create custom medications for people and pets. To learn more, call us today at 856-323-8723 or stop by our store.