“The human brain is a three-pound paradox” is the best description of the organ resting between our ears. This speaks to the mystery of the brain and how we use it during every moment of our lives, but there’s still much we don’t know about its functioning and how it affects the rest of our bodies. But that has not always been the case.
Until three hundred years ago, nearly every system of medicine worldwide looked at the mind and body as a whole. Cultures of the past intuitively knew there was a link between our thoughts and the functionality of our body, and practices like Yoga, Tai Chi, Meditation, and prayer focused heavily on bringing the brain and the body into harmony.
However, during the 17th-century, Western society pivoted and separated the mind and the body, looking at the two systems as independent from one another. The body was studied as a machine, completely separate from the brain that, for the bulk of human history, had been treated as one entity.
Positives and Negatives of Western Medicine
Like many of events in human history, there were pros and cons to this shifted thinking. The Western take on medicine allowed for advances in surgery, an increased understanding and response to trauma care, the development of life-saving pharmaceuticals, and other Western-derived medicine.
But in the relentless pursuit of scientific advancement, Western medicine downplayed humans’ innate ability to heal and reduced our intuitive ability to explore the emotional and spiritual sides of life. Since the 20th century, however, interest and research surrounding the mind-body connection have steadily increased, with scientists proving what our ancestors already knew: the links between the body and mind are complex and can no longer be ignored. Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and other mind-body practices actually do work.
Supplements’ Role in the Mind-Body Connection
Along with these ancient practices having a significant impact on us modern-day humans, incorporating plant medicine into our modern-day health and wellness regimen is also seeing an uptick in mainstream medicine. Plants and herbs as treatments are all seeing a resurgence. We can’t help but think our ancestors are rolling their eyes, wondering why it took us so long to get back to the basics of life.
Algae Supplements: Your Little Green Friends
One of the natural remedies making a comeback is algae supplements. When you hear the word algae, it’s safe to assume you’re likely picturing a green-tinted film covering a pond or a lake — one that you don’t want to swim in. However, this thriving marine organism has a specific and unique oil that contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and is cultivated in laboratories specifically for the oil it produces.
Omega-3s are an integral part of the healthy functioning of your body. They aid in regulating inflammation and help your heart and immune system operate more efficiently. Fish are our primary source of getting omega-3s into our body, with flaxseed, soybeans, walnuts, and chia seeds also containing levels of this nutrient that assist the body.
Fish is not part of your diet, fish oil pills are the most common supplement for adding the boost of omega-3s you need. But fish aren’t intrinsically born with soaring omega-3 levels — they also get the nutrient from their diet by eating krill that eat algae.
Consuming algae supplements allows for higher absorption of those crucial omega-3s. Nannochloropsis algae is the only omega-3 source that is naturally bound to glycolipids and phospholipids,lipid-containing substances found in cell membranes. Therefore, the specific composition of the supplement is immediately released, meaning the body will absorb the maximum amount of omega-3.
This breakthrough in nutritional supplements is a significant step in the health and wellness industry. Ensuring we have the proper levels of nutrients in our bodies is crucial to our individual and collective function as humans. So many ailments we deal with stem from not meeting the nutrient levels our body needs to survive and thrive. When our body doesn’t function properly, our mind doesn’t either, and vice versa.
Vegans, in particular, often lack the necessary amount of omega-3s in their bodies because algae supplements weren’t always readily available, and fish oil was the primary option. Thankfully, science has caught up with the supplement industry, and algae supplements are a vegan, ocean-safe, and sustainable way to consume this vital nutrient.
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