Natural help for RLS, anxiety and disturbed sleep

VitalCALM has been developed by Janice Wilson for the natural treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and it is also suggested for reducing anxiety and improving sleep. She founded her company, Simply Vital, after having worked on drug development for the pharmaceutical industry and deciding she wanted to provide a more holistic approach in providing natural remedies as an alternative to drugs,

RLS is often not taken seriously enough by doctors but it affects 1.5 million people in the UK with women more likely to be affected by the condition, and it becomes more common with age. The uncomfortable sensations of RLS are usually triggered by inactivity, are often more noticeable in the evening and, for some, prevent them from sleeping.

Symptoms can be temporarily relieved by movement and recently GPs have been allowed to prescribe the same drugs used to treat Parkinson disease since low dopamine is implicated in RLSand sufferers know it can be quite debilitating. Symptoms can range from twitching legs when you are trying to relax or sleep, and creepy, often painful sensations that create an overwhelming urge to move. Sufferers report their greatest problems lie in an inability to relax and sit still, and disturbed sleep which has a knock on effect on how they feel during the day. It can also be a social embarrassment as sufferers are unable to control the restless kicking out that is associated with the condition.

If you have RLS you are most likely to be prescribed the same drugs as Parkinson’s, usually some form of dopamine, and these can have unpleasant side effects. Simply Vital have come up with a natural supplement using blue green algae extracts from Lake Klamath that contain two different molecules that should increase dopamine levels in the brain naturally as well as powerful antioxidants to treat RLS. It has been specifically developed to address severe imbalances in neurotransmitter status, which can lead to restlessness in both mind and body.

Boosting levels of dopamine has several beneficial effects as it has many important roles in the body. It is involved in the regulation of other hormones including insulin and is necessary to make us feel good, which is why when we have reduced levels of it we can suffer from fatigue, reduced sex drive, lack of motivation, obesity, addictions, anxiety and depression.

VitalCALM doesn’t have the usual disadvantage I have found in algae supplements, which are generally in powder form and feel like you are drinking a pond, as they come in a capsule form which is certainly easier to take – and rather more expensive. However if it can calm and relax the body so that RLS is no longer a problem, then it is probably well worth it.

If you want to know more, then visit their website at www.simplyvital.com

Restless legs – Peace at last?

The headline may be mildly amusing, but Restl(RLS) certainly is no joke for sufferers. The name is highly apt because this is a condition in which you have very unpleasant sensations of tingling or itching in the calves, thighs, feet or arms and feel extremely uncomfortable while you’re sitting or lying down. It seems to help if you get up and move around to alleviate it – in other words it makes you restless.

It affects both sexes, can begin at any age and may get worse as you get older. Because it is often worse at night, restless leg syndrome can disrupt sleep so you start taking siestas and are less alert during the day, It certainly makes any form of confined travel, such as in an aeroplane, extremely difficult. Now there is news from the USA of a skin patch, which although intended for use on those with Parkinson’s disease, has in trials proved helpful for Restless Legs Syndrome. The rotigotine patch, a dopamine agonist, improved the trial subject’s condition by about 36%. The researchers are optimistic that this once-a-day application will be easier for patients than the current 2-3 times a day for oral medicine. The patch is FDA approved for Parkinson’s but not yet for Restless Leg Syndrome, but it may be worth talking to your doctor about to see if it is available here yet.