Blog

Stress isn’t just mental. Learn how stress affects your body, energy, mood, and daily well-being — and why you may be feeling off.

Feeling tired even after rest? Chronic stress blocks true recovery. Learn the difference between rest and recovery — and how to actually restore your energy.

If you feel tired all the time, foggy, or like your energy just isn't there… this might not be a sleep problem. April is Stress Awareness Month — but most people don't realize how stress is actually affecting their energy. When you feel constantly tired, foggy, or drained, it's easy to assume you just need more sleep.

Contrary to many marketing efforts, one pill doesn’t do it all. In the bustling marketplace of wellness, multivitamins are often marketed to reign supreme, but in reality, these one-size-fits-all solutions might not be the ultimate ticket to health. Recent studies paint a nuanced picture, questioning their effectiveness and highlighting individual variations in nutrient needs, as every person is unique and has different health factors. Here's why relying solely on multivitamins might not be the wisest wellness strategy: Variable Effectiveness: Studies paint a mixed picture, with some showing little to no significant impact on health outcomes. This inconsistency begs the question: are you truly filling gaps or potentially throwing unnecessary nutrients into a balanced system? The Individual Factor: We're not cookie-cutter creations. Age, lifestyle, dietary habits, and even genetics all play a crucial role in our nutrient requirements. A generic multivitamin might miss the mark entirely, failing to address specific deficiencies or overlooking sensitivities to certain ingredients. Potential Overload: Excesses of certain vitamins, particularly fat-soluble ones, can be detrimental. Multivitamins can inadvertently tip the scales, pushing your body towards imbalances that could cause more harm than good. Ultimately, multivitamins can be a valuable tool for specific scenarios, like addressing deficiencies in certain groups. But for those seeking true optimization, a targeted approach based on individual needs reigns supreme. This is where Cellev8 steps in, offering a symphony of potent ingredients specifically designed to combat oxidative stress and unlock your body's potential. Cellev8 gummies aren't just another multivitamin. They're an evolution in wellness, built on a foundation of science and innovation. Forget the questionable benefits of generic concoctions; Cellev8 harnesses the power of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), a guardian angel in the fight against oxidative stress. Oxidative stress – the enemy of healthy cells – is linked to age-related decline, inflammation, and various health concerns. SOD is your body's superhero, neutralizing damaging free radicals before they wreak havoc. But as we age, SOD production dips, leaving us vulnerable. Cellev8 steps in as your personal SOD army, providing the support your body needs to thrive. Cellev8 isn't a solo act. It's a carefully curated orchestra of powerful ingredients playing in harmony: Resveratrol: Supports a healthy heart, reduces inflammation, and boosts overall well-being. Natural Polyphenols: These antioxidant powerhouses repair cells, fight inflammation, and enhance cellular function. Soluble Dietary Fiber: Balances your gut microbiome, promotes digestive health, strengthens immunity, and speeds up recovery. You can safely add Cellev8 to your daily routine, with or without a multivitamin and other mix of supplements that you may include in your diet.   This blog is intended to offer opinions about our supplements and general information commonly shared throughout our industry.  We highly recommend you consult your personal physician for any discussion about your supplements, especially as it relates to specific ailments, diets or other individual circumstances.

Reposting National Geographic article: What is ‘inflammaging’? Here's how inflammation affects you differently as you age. It happens to everyone. With age come discomforts: achy joints, wounds that heal more slowly, and a rising risk for cancers, heart disease, dementia, arthritis, and other illnesses. Those changes follow an uptick in inflammatory molecules over the course of a lifetime, according to a large and growing body of research. The link between age, inflammation, and disease is so well established, it has a name: inflammaging.Now, researchers are unraveling the details of how the inflammatory process changes over the lifespan, what instigates the shift, and how it might be possible to interfere with the process. The work suggests interventions ranging from new drugs to new motivations for healthy habits like exercise that can slow the aging process, says Ron DePinho, a cancer biology and aging researcher at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.Research on inflammaging also illustrates the nuanced challenge of taking the reins of inflammation to sustain health later in life. Although many people fixate on the need to reduce inflammation, it is more important to sustain the appropriate amount of it as a means toward extending quality rather than quantity of life, says Judith Campisi, a cell biologist at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, an independent research facility in Novato, Calif.“What happens with age is you lose control of inflammation,” she says. “Even if you're five years old, you will never heal a wound without an initial inflammatory response. It’s not always bad. It's sometimes good.” Hallmarks of aging As people age, according to numerous studies, increasing amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other inflammation-related molecules circulate in the blood alongside a rise in localized inflammation. When the shift occurs depends on the person, DePinho says, but 50 is generally when inflammation starts to increase, with a dramatic shift after 60. That uptick tracks closely with disease trends. Beginning in the early sixties, risks rise substantially for the most common chronic diseases of aging: cancer, diabetes, heart disease and dementia, DePinho says. Starting at 65, the number of people with Alzheimer’s doubles every five years. In the U.S., 80 percent of adults over 65 have at least one chronic condition. By age 85, a third of people may have Alzheimer’s, while a third of men and one-fourth of women have had cancer. People with more inflammation in their bodies have a higher risk of disease.Scientists have identified a dozen biological changes that correspond with age. All of those hallmarks of aging are associated with inflammation, and inflammation is considered a pillar of aging, says Luigi Ferrucci, a geriatrician and epidemiologist at the Intramural Research Program of the NIH’s National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, Maryland.For example, as people get older, their immune cells lose their protective functions and stop doing the job of fighting off invaders, turning into what scientists call senescent cells. Other kinds of cells can also become senescent in response to stress. They cease replicating, no longer do their jobs, and start to secrete powerful inflammatory molecules that cause yet more cells to become senescent in a self-perpetuating cycle. A relentless loop Meanwhile, DNA damage inside cells accumulates over time, especially at the tips of chromosomes in protective regions called telomeres, which are long stretches of bunched-up DNA. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres become shorter until they reach a critical length that is perceived by the cell as DNA damage or instability, which may induce cellular senescence. As telomeres become damaged, they initiate a signaling process through proteins that turn certain genes on and off. Some of the genes affected support the function of mitochondria (the cell components that produce energy). As a result of the gene disruption, mitochondria become defective and leak their DNA into cells, sparking inflammation. Scientists used to consider telomere shortening, mitochondrial damage, inflammation, and other processes as separate theories of aging that could contribute to diseases like cancer, DePinho says. Now it is clear that all of these changes are connected and that inflammation acts like a “co-conspirator” in the aging process. As chronic inflammation sets in, it becomes harder for the immune system to perform routine tasks, like detecting and eliminating cancer cells and pathogens, which could make people more likely to develop diseases. Inflammation in the body may also activate immune cells in the brain called microglia, according to one theory, causing inflammation, weakening the blood-brain barrier, and destroying nerve cells, ultimately contributing to the development of Alzheimer’s.This burgeoning understanding of inflammaging as a relentless circuit of steps that all exacerbate inflammation is revealing new ways to break the cycle. Aging Better Efforts to develop anti-aging interventions that target inflammation are challenging because they need to be specific to avoid causing more harm than good, Ferrucci says. Trying to tackle the chronic inflammation of aging with general anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, could make people more susceptible to disease by impairing the inflammation that our bodies need for staying healthy. “When you have an infection, if you don't have inflammation, you're going to die,” Ferrucci says. “Shutting down inflammation with a bomb like a corticosteroid or some monoclonal antibodies works. It's also quite dangerous.”One of the most promising new strategies for dealing with inflammaging is attacking senescent cells, experts say. In mice, a low-dose combination of two drugs, called Dasatinib and Quercetin, appears to be particularly effective at getting rid of these deadbeat cells and reducing inflammation in the intestines with the potential to extend lives. Clinical trials are now underway with these and other so-called senolytics to see if the same kinds of compounds might kill senescent cells and break the cycle of inflammation and disease in people too, says DePinho.Other ongoing approaches include efforts to identify drugs that could restore telomeres, enhance mitochondrial function, and activate anti-aging genes, a strategy DePinho is working on. Some over-the-counter supplements claim to boost levels of proteins called sirtuins, which help cells respond to stresses, and a molecule called NAD+, which helps mitochondria function, among other roles, and dwindles in half from youth to middle age. Although evidence has been seriously questioned and these products have been over-hyped, DePinho says, further study may illuminate new anti-aging properties of sirtuins. Scientists are hopeful that they are getting closer to understanding which interventions will help most, and studies in mice illustrate the tantalizing possibilities. “Tissues retain a remarkable capacity to renew themselves if you remove the underlying instigators of the aging process,” DePinho says.Advances in immunology are lending new insights into how we can allow good inflammation to proceed while squashing the bad that can come from too much of it, Ferrucci adds. “As we discover the nuances of inflammation,” he says, “then it may be possible to find drugs that do not shut down inflammation completely.” Age-Fighting Behaviors For now, there are simple steps people can take to address inflammaging in their own bodies, experts say, including exercise. Regular physical activity enhances DNA repair, improves mitochondrial function, activates sirtuins, and, studies show, can reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Regular vigorous activity is best, but as little as 15 minutes a day can make a difference, DePinho says, and even leisure activities help.Dietary choices, too, can improve the chronic inflammatory state of inflammaging, according to a variety of studies that support eating a Mediterranean-style diet with an emphasis on whole grains, produce, nuts, and fish. Eating a wide variety of vegetables may also help sustain the gut microbiome, which tends to become less resilient and contribute to rising levels of inflammation with age. Each Saturday, when Ferrucci goes to the market to shop for the week, he buys 10 different kinds of vegetables, based on this emerging evidence. “That is something that has been suggested in the literature,” he says. “And I think that's a simple way of following that advice.”Body fat releases cytokines that promote inflammation, DePinho adds, so using exercise and diet to control weight can have extra benefits. He also advises people to avoid or quit smoking, a habit known to increase DNA damage and drive inflammation. Finding ways to relax is another useful goal, as chronic stress has been linked to shortened telomeres, accelerated aging, and inflammatory diseases. Adequate sleep and meditation can help reduce stress, DePinho says.Healthy habits like these are important throughout life, Ferrucci says, but they become especially important as the mechanisms that protect our cells from damage become less functional with age. That accumulating damage is a key source of inflammation. “Intervening in any possible way becomes more important as you become older,” he says. The original article can be viewed here: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/inflammation-ache-pain-aging

Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury or infection. It helps to protect the body from further damage and to promote healing, however chronic inflammation can be harmful, and has been linked to a number of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Stretching daily is one way to reduce inflammation. It helps to improve blood flow and to remove waste products from the muscles. Stretching also helps to lengthen and relax the muscles, which can reduce pain and stiffness. Here are some of the ways that stretching can reduce inflammation: Improved blood flow. Stretching helps to improve blood flow to the muscles. This brings fresh oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and helps to remove waste products. Improved blood flow can also help to reduce inflammation. Reduced muscle tension. Stretching helps to lengthen and relax the muscles. This can reduce pain and stiffness, which are both associated with inflammation. Increased range of motion. Stretching helps to improve range of motion in the joints. This can make it easier to move around and can help to reduce the risk of injury. Reduced stress. Stretching can help to reduce stress levels. Stress can trigger the release of inflammatory hormones, so reducing stress can help to reduce inflammation. To get the most benefits from stretching, it's important to stretch daily. I would recommend at least 10 minutes per day but if you can make time to get 20-30 minutes of stretch time throughout your day you will feel the benefits much faster.  You can stretch at any time of day, but it's often helpful to stretch when you wake up, after a workout, before bed. When stretching, be sure to hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds. You should feel a slight tension in the muscle, but you should not feel any pain. If you feel any pain, stop stretching immediately. Here are some basic stretches that you can do to reduce inflammation: Neck stretch: Tilt your head to the right side and hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Shoulder stretch: Reach your right arm across your body and place your hand on your left shoulder. Gently pull your right arm towards your chest and hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Back stretch: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend at the waist. Reach down towards your toes and hold for 30-60 seconds. Hamstring stretch: Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you. Bend at the waist and reach towards your toes. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Quadriceps stretch: Stand behind a chair and hold onto the back of the chair for balance. Bend your right leg behind you and grab your right foot with your right hand. Gently pull your heel towards your buttock and hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the other side. If you have any health concerns, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise program. By incorporating stretching into your daily routine you’ll feel better physically and your mood should also increase as you release stress, tension and decrease the risk of harmful inflammation.

Fall is a beautiful time of year, but it can also be a time when our health takes a backseat. With the holidays approaching, it's easy to get caught up in our busy lives and forget to take care of ourselves. But staying healthy during the fall season is important for people of all ages, here are 5 tips to help you stay healthy during the fall season: Get enough sleep. Most adults need around 7-8 hours of sleep per night. When you're well-rested, you're better able to fight off infection, manage stress, and make healthy choices. Eat a healthy diet. Focus on eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help boost your immune system and keep you healthy. Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. Exercise can help reduce stress, improve your mood, and boost your overall health. Get a flu shot. The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself from the flu virus. The flu can be a serious illness, especially for older adults and people with chronic health conditions. If you are not a fan of these types medicine you can increase herbal teas, homeopathic remedies and related to keep your immune system healthy. Take your Cellev8! Our gummies are packed with antioxidants and other powerful ingredients that can help support your cognitive & physical health. These are easy ways apply a little extra attention to your health and enjoy the Fall season to the fullest.

Inflammation weakens your immune response which can lead to discomfort in the body including joint and muscle pain, swelling, and more. The negative effects of inflammation do not stop there and if ignored it can transform into chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. What Are Some Symptoms Of Inflammation In The Body? Symptoms Of Inflammation Include: Chronic fatigue Joint and muscle pain Anxiety and depression Difficulty fighting infections Insomnia Swelling/Redness Inflamed area is warm to touch Long Term Effects Of Inflammation: Chronic inflammation can lead to a variety of diseases and ailments including: Heart disease Cancer Diabetes High Blood pressure Gastrointestinal diseases Liver disease Kidney disease Obesity When Does Inflammation Occur? In plain words, inflammation is our body’s natural response to damage to our cells. This can be a result of physical (diet, exercise), mental, and environmental (pollution) stressors. When our body is exposed to these stressors, our immune system is activated and cells designed to fight these damaging agents are literally sent to the site of the damage. This is what causes inflammation. What Foods Cause Inflammation In The Body: Processed, most packaged and deep fried foods Sodas and snack foods (cookies, chips, sweetened drinks) Red/processed meats (hot dogs, bacon, cured meats) Refined grains (white bread, white rice, pasta) Alcohol Our bodies become inflamed when we consume processed and refined foods that are toxic to us, unlike consuming whole, natural foods. It is a fact that our body needs sugar to survive, but processed foods have excess amounts of sugar that the body just cannot properly eliminate and will store as fat. To help you compare, one cup of blueberries contains 15 grams of sugar, and a similar amount of sugar is found in an apple or an orange. A standard can of cola is 12 ounces and contains 39 grams of sugar. You would have to consume more than two cups of blueberries in one sitting to equal the amount of sugar in a single can of soda. Processed foods also cause an imbalance of our omega 6 and omega 3 ratios. Omega 6 is known for causing inflammation in the body but is a necessary substance for brain development, metabolism and much more. Omega 3 helps regulate inflammation. A healthy ratio would be 2:1, while the typical American diet shows an alarming ratio of 10:1. This imbalance will lead to a chronic inflammatory state and even oxidative stress. How Can I Reduce Inflammation In My Body? Consuming natural whole foods instead of processed foods, refined grains and an excess amount of simple sugars will help combat inflammation. Some “anti-inflammatory” foods to consider include: Fruits (cherries, blueberries, oranges) Tomatoes Olive oil Leafy dark greens (spinach) Fatty fish (salmon, tuna) Lastly, check out our Inflammation & Recovery gummies which contain SOD (superoxide dismutase), the body’s primary defense against free radicals and oxidative stress, along with natural polyphenols which are critical for repairing damaged cells, reducing inflammation and supporting cellular function.

  What Is Oxidative Stress? Basically the root of all evil! See that old car? It was once a shiny, well-oiled machine that could go for miles and miles on end. Now, after years of use, that rusty car is broken down and isn’t able to perform the way it used to. Think of this car as your body. As we age, our body deteriorates through a process called oxidative stress which breaks down and destroys healthy cells in our body. To put it simply, oxidative stress is a result of free radical molecules penetrating and damaging cells in your body. Free radical molecules are unstable, as they are missing electrons and attempt to react with other molecules in order to obtain those missing electrons. Remember O₂ from chemistry class? In nature, all oxygen molecules consist of 2 oxygen atoms bonded together. When the molecule is split into 2 single oxygen atoms, they become free radicals (each missing an electron, looking for other atoms to bond to). What Are Some Causes of Oxidative Stress? Exercise and physical stressors Mental stressors Environmental factors Smoking & alcohol consumption Long-Term Effects of Oxidative Stress: Oxidative stress can lead to a variety of ailments including: Accelerated aging Neurodegenerative diseases & disorders – such as Alzheimer’s & dementia, Parkinson’s. Cancer Arthritis And many more ailments ranging from simple exercise fatigue to other diseases How Can I Reduce Oxidative Stress? While oxidative stress is a normal part of your body’s functionality, there are ways to minimize the damage it causes and mitigate the risks of some of the previously mentioned health issues. Some of the ways include: Antioxidant-rich diet: Antioxidants bind to free radicals and provide the necessary electrons to prevent free radicals from attacking other healthy cells in your body. Common sources of antioxidants include: tea & coffee, fruits & vegetables, cocoa (specifically dark chocolate), and nuts. Cellev8 gummies are an excellent source of SOD, one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature, an enzyme that helps reduce oxidative stress through eliminating harmful free radicals in the body.