Mind & Body

This problem affects over 1.5 million people in the UK (thought to be a conservative estimate with figures of over double believed to be more realistic) who suffer from a condition known as Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).

RLS is now recognised as an official medical condition that can be very distressing and debilitating but since it often goes undiagnosed sufferers are mostly unaware that help is available.

Affecting women slightly more than men and occurring more frequently with increasing age, the uncomfortable sensations of RLS are often more noticeable in the evening and, for some, can prevent or interrupt sleep. Sufferers report the inability to relax or sit still, with disturbed sleep impacting on their daytime activity and energy levels.

Lesley Williams from Leyburn, Yorkshire, an otherwise fit active Mum of three, recognised that the involuntary twitching she was beginning to experience was in fact the same problem that had afflicted her mother for over ten years. Unable to sit still in the evenings, at the cinema or on long car journeys, RLS was preventing her from enjoying her life and she was worried since her GP could offer no solution for herself or her Mum who had suffered for over 10 years.

Whilst symptoms of RLS can be temporarily relieved by movement there is little in the way of long term medical treatment available. GPs, however, sometimes prescribe drugs used for Parkinson's disease since low dopamine (a brain chemical involved in Parkinson’s) is also implicated in RLS.

Now however, there is growing excitement over a natural remedy that is thought to offer nourishment and protection for the brain and nervous system and could be a real help for those with RLS. The blue-green algae Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, or Klamath algae, grows wild in the unique environment of Klamath Lake in Oregon, USA, and provides a high concentration of a brain chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA), along with a large range of amino acids, vitamins (including the important B group), minerals and anti-oxidants required for healthy brains and bodies.

PEA is the molecule produced in the brain when we feel happy, content and focussed (no wonder it is also known as the "love molecule") and in its own right is known to improve mood, motivation and concentration. Importantly, for RLS sufferers, it has also been seen in studies to help raise the level of freely circulating dopamine in the brain and could therefore offer a natural and effective remedy for RLS.

The UK’s most concentrated Klamath blue-green algae product on the market is called vitalCALM and is produced by Simply Vital Ltd, a company who are committed to delivering holistic prescriptions to nourish and nurture body, mind and emotions to achieve whole health.

More information

www.simplyvital.com  
Tel: 0870 609 1180