If you haven’t noticed (or you have been living under a rock) we are in the heart of winter. With this weather you probably can’t wait for summer. Well there are a number of products that claim to raise your mood, energy, and immune system to the same levels as they are during the summer months.

Do I believe there are products out there like that, yes! Yet, the real question is do the products have the research to back their promotional claims? Well from the ones I have researched, some do and some don’t.

The vitamins, herbs, and spices I have researched were actually based on an interview that I watched as a so called “health expert” promoted these products. Some of the claims have little to no credible sources. For instance, sea buckthorn is a berry that is high in vitamin C and A. The person in the interview claims that it can be used during the winter time to boast the health of skin and hair due to the treacherous winter weather.

My ass! There is not a creditable study that said sea buckthorn actually works in promotion of skin and hair health. The best study on that fruit was on the treatment of stomach ulcers and that was only a preliminary study.

Then you have Astragalus, which is a type of bean that is used in many Chinese herbal medicines. This special bean is said to have attributes that will improve immune function and enhance conventional immune therapy for fighting cancer. Yet, there is no solid human testing that shows this special bean will provide these immune fighting capabilities.

Don’t worry it’s not all bad news. There is a spice called Turmeric that is often used in Indian foods such as curry. This spice has been shown to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant qualities. The down side to turmeric is the finding of lead in a number of shipments. Since many nutritional supplements are not regulated there is a high chance of contaminates in products coming from overseas. Hey look on the bright side… this one works!

-Phil