Genuine Health’s Multi+Joy Vitamins: Natural Mood Enhancer Review

You may remember a while back when Gala Darling raved about the Canadian miracle vitamins that she bought while in Toronto.  It seems like everyone, including me and the lovely Ginger (who reviewed the Daily Greens), hopped on that bandwagon and rushed to check out Genuine Health’s line of supplements for themselves.

Now, I’ve had a long history of un-professionally diagnosed mood disorder (which runs in my family) and Canada’s got long, dark winters, so I thought I’d give their happy-pill formula a shot, Multi+Joy.  Here’s the breakdown of “special” ingredients from their site:

Selenium: Clinical studies show Selenium supplementation can improve anxiety and depression.

Chromium: Studies show Chromium supplementation can improve symptoms of depression and control carbohydrate cravings.

Magnesium: Proven to help mood disorders including bipolar, chronic fatigue syndrome and PMS.

Folic Acid: Studies show Folic Acid may have a beneficial effect on mood-regulating neurotransmitters.

Vitamin B12: Those with mental disorders have been found to be low in B12. Leading health experts recommend 800 mcg of Folic Acid and 1000 mcg (B12).

Vitamin D: Studies show 400-800 UI can improve mood during winter months. Also proven to positively influence attention, motivation, and alertness.

Sounds pretty good, right?  And it’s actually been fairly great.  Coming up to the end of the bottle, I’ve noticed the following things:

  • I fall into “the hole” less
  • When I do fall in, I’m there for less time and for real reasons
  • I’m chipper and upbeat more than usual
  • I do crave less sugar, starch, and carbs
  • I’m not boredom-eating
  • I’ve lost enough waterweight/bloat that I fit better in my pants

I’ve been on SSRIs before (several years ago) because I was crying at cat food commercials and any not-100%-positive comment would send me into a two-day spiral.  Not a happy place to be.  But I went off them because I hated feeling so muted all the time.  Everything about me had been turned down a few notches, including my good feelings and perfectly normal emotional reactions.  I couldn’t stand feeling like my natural highs and lows had been wiped out in favour of a grey in-between.  So I quit.

And I noticed a slight resemblance with the Multi+Joy, but only in one very specific way: I can’t cry.  I know that sounds great, but it’s kind of not.  I still have the wonderful highs, I’m able to let small/medium things go much easier, I’ve got more emotional control.  But there are certain things that should make you cry.  Like little old ladies in the mall cooing over their baby grandkids, puppies and kittens snuggling each other, getting your feelings hurt by something meaningful, missing your SO/mommy/best friend.  Since I’ve been taking these vitamins (and I just noticed this recently), I’ll get the upwelling of emotional response, but there’s no release.  It’s very frustrating.

So that’s weird.  I’m not sure I’ll keep taking these, at least not at the two-pill-a-day dose.  I love that I’m not muted while getting the intended benefit; even Mr. Man has noticed that I’m not sad anymore.  But is it worth giving up being able to tear up a little when it’s totally normal?  I’m not sure yet.  I’ll keep you posted.

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Edited: December 24th, 2009

New AIDS Vaccine Over 30% Effective

Not an unqualified success, but certainly worth celebrating.  The New York Times reported today that the most recent attempt at an AIDS vaccine proved to be statistically significantly effective across at 16,000 participant trial in Thailand.  While it’s only 31.2% effective, and we need at least 70% effectiveness to see it on the market, it’s still miles better than previous attempts, and it’s giving researchers cause for hope.

The catch is that they don’t actually know why this works.  It doesn’t produce neutralizing antibodies like a normal antiviral shot and it doesn’t act like the antibodies of people who contract AIDS but never progress into the debilitating stages of the disease.  More tests are slated and many of us are holding our breath in anxious and titillated patience.

It’s a fantastic piece of news, but remember that it’s not a cure and, as always, there’s the constant reminder that journalism is not always 100% factual.  Take what you’re reading with a generous grain of salt and realism.  We’re still not at the end of this particular tunnel and there’s years’ worth of research ahead.  To quote Dr. Fauci from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, “This is not the endgame. This is the beginning.”

Edited: September 24th, 2009

Have You Had Your Crotch Scraped Lately?

It’s September again and that means it’s Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month*!

I’m one of those strange women that actually doesn’t mind going to see the ladymechanic every year. I don’t care if I have a male or female gyno; I have no problems taking off my clothes and baring my bum to the office; it doesn’t even bother me when they squeeze my fibrous boob while asking how my job is going. The only qualms I ever have about being in the stirrups is worrying that I might fart on the doctor when he pushes on my stomach [[it hasn't happened yet]].

Image courtesy of Kay Bomb

I know that makes me some kind of medical freak.  But it shouldn’t.  I’m not saying that you should throw a party every time you need a crotchscraping, but you shouldn’t dread or fear it, either.  While having a tiny melon-baller taken to your cervix may be painful and scary, there are waaaay scarier things that could happen to them.  You know what’s scary? Cancer.  And tumors. And uterus-melting STDs.

Don’t whine to me that it’s inconvenient, either. I’ve been living in a foreign country with no doctor or health insurance and if I can still get a pap, you can, too. Being in the hospital and hooked up to respirators or having large chunks of your reproductive system removed is inconvenient.

It can’t be stressed enough – go see your gyno. Please.  For me? Actually, scratch that.  Do it for you.  Do it for your loved ones. Catching these things early is absolutely key to optimum health and survivability.

Image courtesy of jennifer I.

Recommended Reading

*Thanks for the reminder, Ms. Constantine.

Edited: September 14th, 2009