Walk into a Mama Jean’s looking to find something good for yourself and one of the first things you’ll find yourself thinking is, “Oh my. That’s a lot of stuff.” And you wouldn’t be wrong. We try to give you as broad a selection as possible of things to better support your health (and also, cookies), but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Just like any other job, managing your health requires a series of tools. Just like any other job, there are certain tools you’ll find yourself using far more than others. The following is simply a short list of some of the most commonly recommended and useful products to have on your shelf.

1. COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil is pretty versitile AND incredibly useful. Extracted from the meat of mature coconuts, this rich, slightly sweet oil was frowned upon a great deal in the 1970’s and 80’s due to opinions at the time regarding saturated fat. Having the highest amount of saturated fat found in ANY fat (92%!), you can see why it might not of been so popular. However, in recent years – as those opinions have changed – coconut oil has come back in a BIG way. Some people go a bit too far in ascribing various uses and cures to it (no, it is NOT the ultimate 21st century cure for everything), but it’s multiple benefits are seriously impressive.

Moisturises skin with rich, hydrating properties, great for daily use

Aids in healing minor burns, psoriasis, and eczema

Clears up topical outbreaks of candida (yeast) and acne. It’s naturally anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and soothing, helping to take down both infection and redness.

Maintains or restores general luster in hair as it helps to rebuild and preserve protein structures.

It’s perhaps your best natural “personal” moisturizer. Very effective, non-synthetic, and it smells great too! Plus, again, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, AND soothing.

For Cardiovascular Health: Due to it’s lauric acid content, coconut oil is a very effective way to raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels in the system

For Neurological Health: More recently, studies have been done regarding it’s potential in supporting cognitive function and possibly helping to stem the tide of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. While this is still only in the earliest stages of research, initial reports have shown promising potential.

It’s high saturated fat content means that is is a room-temperature stable fat (i.e. it’s solid at or below about 70 degrees). This means it stays good and nutritious in your cabinet for a long time.

AS A TOPICAL AGENT it’s almost unparalleled.

AS AN INTERNAL AGENT it continues to impress in a variety of ways. It works the same way internally as it does topically, as a highly soluble source of good fat. The recommended dosage is just a tablespoon or two a day!

AS A CULINARY OIL it’s versatile and delicious.

The bottom line is, for a variety of reasons, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more useful oil to keep around the house.

2. PROBIOTICS

“Pro-biotics” – when you break down the word it simply means “good bacteria” or, more specifically “for life.” What that means for you, in terms of usefulness, is quite a bit. There are believed to be up to several hundred strains of bacteria living in your gut alone, not to mention all those that are in and around the rest of your body. There are actually TEN TIMES more bacterial cells than human cells – what is known collectively as a “microbiome.” Their total mass is still small, on average only about three pounds, but their function is so essential to our bodies that some scientists now refer to the microbiome as a “newly discovered organ.” Keeping these bacteria well-populated and in balance has been studied for over a century as one of the major keys to overall wellness.

The bacteria that live specifically in your gut are referred to as “intestinal flora,” they support both the the function of your digestive system and your immune system. When you introduce more of these flora into your system, whether through probiotic foods or dietary supplements, you can reap many benefits.

There are probiotic supplements that can be taken, in a variety of dosages and compositions, to treat many individual issues or simply used for general wellness. Probiotics have the advantage of being potentially safe and effective for people of almost any age or condition and, therefore, are perhaps the most broadly applicable pill on the supplement shelf. From sick little kiddos to stopped-up octogenarians, their uses are so broad and varied it’s easier to list them than to go into detail.

Digestive Applications include:

Constipation

Diarrhea

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Colitis

Food-poisoning

Acid-Reflux/Indigestion

Lactose Intolerance

Immune/Wellness Applications include:

Colds and flus

UTI’s (Urinary Tract Infections)

Yeast Infections (including candida issues for both women and men)

Recurring infections of almost any variety

Eczema

Improving immune function as a whole

Other Applications:

Weight Loss (due to their impact on both digestion and serum cholesterol levels)

Cardiovascular Health (they’re good for both cholesterol and blood-pressure)

Inflammation (Improving the body’s immune response has a direct impact on inflammation levels.)

Energy levels (Probiotics help in the breakdown of foods into accessible nutrients and are key to the production of B12, helping not only with energy levels but also anxiety and stress.)

Many scientists believe that, as our understanding of bacteria and the human microbiome grows, we may move to more forms of medical treatment that commonly incorporate probiotics. In the meantime, you’ve got a lot of reasons and options to try for yourself.

3. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (ACV)

This is yet another thing you’ll hear thrown around the floor of many a health food store or any number of healthy living blogs and articles (ahem). Again, this will not make the lame to walk or bring your dead cat back to life (that’s what a “Pet Sematary” is for), but it is incredibly useful.

Apple Cider Vinegar, or “ACV” for short, is simply a type of vinegar made from fermenting apple cider or apple “must” (the juice pressing with all the seeds and skin still it it). It is important, if using it for health reasons, to make sure you are buying an unpasteurized, unfiltered form – your most popular example of this being Bragg’s. This ensures you’re getting the remnant bacterial and enzyme content that give it the desired benefits, like your other probiotic foods listed above.

Now, as a probiotic, ACV is pretty low on the scale – just a little bit of content, and not a broad spectrum. What it is, far more importantly, is a PRE-biotic. That means it’s a substance that helps to encourage the growth of bacteria in the system. Therefore, it’s great to take with your probiotic.

For reasons that are well-documented but still not quite understood, Apple Cider Vinegar is also one of your most effective tools against acid reflux. It has what is referred to as a “paradoxical effect,” meaning “it shouldn’t work, but it does.” When a flare up of reflux occurs, an ounce of ACV in a small glass of water (with a little bit of honey) can typically take it down in about 5-10 minutes. This has been theorized to be a byproduct of both it’s enzyme content it’s particular pH value. Whatever the reason, it has been successfully shown to work time and time again.

As a daily digestive tonic, for all the reasons listed above, it is fantastic at maintaining overall digestive health and promoting regularity. But, past that, it has any number of significant uses for:

Weight Loss: Vinegar is another one of those things that’s literally been used for a few thousand years for a variety of reasons and, among those, is weight loss. Due to it’s positive digestive effects, it’s impact on blood sugar, and an ability to produce a feeling of satiety (fullness), ACV and other vinegars are one of your cheapest and most effective weight loss aids. Have a little vinegar with your bread the next time you get some Italian!

Diabetes and blood sugar: The effect of vinegar on glycemic levels is possibly the most thoroughly researched and promising of ACV’s health benefits. Multiple studies have found that ACV may help lower blood sugar levels. A 2007 study people with type 2 diabetes found that taking just two tablespoons of ACV before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.

Oral Health: For persistent sores, gum infections, thrush, halitosis, and general cleanliness in your mouth, a daily rinse with a little ACV and some water is a highly effective solution.

Cardiovascular Health: ACV has been shown in studies with rats to have a positive impact on both cholesterol and blood-pressure levels. Future studies are being looked to to see if these results carry over to humans.

For something that rarely costs more than a few dollars a bottle, Apple Cider Vinegar is probably the best value on this list, and a must have for any healthy pantry.

4. MAGNESIUM

Ok, magnesium is awesome. First, magnesium does not occur naturally on earth, it only naturally made INSIDE OF STARS – big ones, at that (particularly supernovas). However, it is still the fourth-most common element on earth and the eleventh-most common element in your whole body. Therefore, it is what is known as an “essential” mineral. This means your body can’t produce it naturally, but you absolutely need it to live.

The first therapeutic applications of magnesium go back almost 400 years. In 1618, a farmer in the town of Epsom, England attempted to give his cows water from a well there. The cattle wouldn’t drink the water because of it’s bitter taste, but the farmer noticed that the water seemed to heal scratches and rashes. The substance, as you can guess, would become known as “Epsom Salts” and its fame spread. It was eventually recognized to simply be magnesium (specifically: hydrated magnesium sulfate).

In more recent times, magnesium has become a popular supplement recognized to treat a wide range of ailments. This is because magnesium – which, again, you need to live – is not nearly as present in the food supply as it used to be. This is possibly related to food refining, modern fertilizers that contain no magnesium, or general mineral depletion of the soils over the last century or so. Whatever the cause, only 32% of people in the United States are getting their recommended daily allowance (RDA) of this vital mineral.

Insufficient magnesium levels have been associated with the development of illnesses as diverse as asthma, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Taken in proper amounts, magnesium plays a role in:

Preventing both stroke and heart attack.

Reducing fibromyalgia symptoms

Decreasing the overall severity and duration of migraines

Minimizing the symptoms of PMS

Alleviating constipation and promoting regularity. It is an incredibly effective laxative agent (in doses above 400-500mg)

Past all that it is your #1 cure for leg cramps and restless leg syndrome – which are really just byproducts of a simple mineral imbalance in the muscle tissue (too much calcium, not enough magnesium). Taken in moderate amounts at any time (don’t go crazy, unless you really want to poop) it is an excellent way to reduce stiffness and soreness in the muscles. Taken before bedtime, it is a brilliant sleep aid and the best thing to keep your legs calm all through the night.

Nuts, spices, cereal grains, coffee, cocoa, tea, and vegetables are all potentially rich sources of magnesium – green leafy vegetables in particular. As mentioned earlier, a lot of these foods don’t contain nearly as much magnesium as they used to, but don’t let that stop you from eating them. However, as a supplement, magnesium is both widely available and pretty darn cheap. Combine that with the fact that it does so much, and you’d be losing money NOT having some around the house.

The next time you walk into a Mama Jean’s, don’t feel overwhelmed. Think about what you’ve got going on. Think about the things listed above and see if any of those might do the trick.

If you have any questions, always feel free to ask anyone around the store. We can help guide you further. We will probably ask you what your diet is like. Be honest, it will help us help you.

We may also ask if you have cookies. They help everyone.

Contributors: R. Cummings, A. Dezort, A. Harmon