Amandean Wellness Center

The Ramachandran Plot of 1963 is a tale of strange angles, broken bonds, and twisted chains. On a dark and stormy night, G.N. Ramachandran discovered the structure of collagen... With apologies to English novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton (dark and stormy night), it's difficult to spice up molecular biochemistry. But in the 1950s, Mr. Ramachandran really did deduce the triple-helix structure of collagen and its components. He also invented a way to map out, or "plot," the structures of large biomolecules, like the proteins found in collagen. The technique of the "Ramachandran Plot" was published in 1963, and is still used today by biochemists studying proteins.

Blood clotting has a vital role in our bodies. Blood clotting, or coagulation, prevents excessive bleeding due to injury. This saves us from papercuts and major punctures alike. Yet, if clots form when they aren't needed, it can cause heart attacks, strokes, and other serious medical problems. If you're worried about blood clotting and want to supplement your diet with some natural blood-thinning vitamins and ingredients, here are some ingredients to keep an eye out for. Before you begin, make sure to consult your healthcare provider with any questions and concerns you might have!

We are literally drowning in plastic - especially those in vulnerable communities. It's easy to assume your contribution to plastic waste is minimal; you bring your own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store, say no to plastic cutlery with your takeaway food, and choose glass jars of almond butter over plastic ones. Undoubtedly, these small changes add up for the good! But if you take an audit of the products you use every day, you'd probably be astonished to see all the single-use plastic that's hidden in plain sight. But what if we went “plastic-neutral''? What if both brands and individuals made a vow to offset the amount of plastic they produce or use, and help to divert it from our waterways and landfills? And is plastic neutrality just for the large corporations or can we make an impact as individuals by offsetting our own plastic consumption?

Postpartum hair loss is more common than you'd think! It differs for each new mother, but hair growth in the months following the baby can be characterized by unruly, thin, frazzled hair AND the dreaded "baby bangs"! If you're a new mom wanting to grow the same luscious locks you had pre-pregnancy or are hoping to avoid postpartum hair loss altogether, here's everything you need to know about biotin and our favorite hair-growth supplements.

Many diabetic people are looking for a natural and gentle alternative to help manage their blood sugar levels and other common symptoms of diabetes. In fact, 30–70% of adults with diabetes in the United States use alternative medicine, with one-third using it specifically to improve diabetes-related symptoms. However, there is still debate as to which supplements are truly a safe and effective method of blood sugar control, and which are best left on the shelf. Here are five dietary supplements that may be worth adding to your diabetes management plan (and three you should avoid).

Intermittent fasting can do some pretty incredible things for your brain! As intermittent fasting continues to become more and more popular in the health and wellness community, new scientific studies are being done to support it. A recent study revealed intermittent fasting enhances long-term memory retention and may help to slow cognitive decline in older adults. Want to boost your brain function? Here are the many reasons why you should give intermittent fasting a go!

Gut health is becoming a major area of focus for physical and mental wellness. Studies are revealing how the processed foods we are continually served are impacting our guts, and how gut health influences our entire bodies. Though the frequency of stomach ulcers has been on the decline in the last decade or so, that doesn't make them any less painful or alarming! If you suspect you may have a stomach ulcer or are looking for natural ways to prevent or speed up the healing process for stomach ulcers, keep reading to learn about natural remedies you probably already have in your kitchen!

Are you really out of the woods once you get a negative test? Unfortunately, many of the COVID symptoms can persist long after you've defeated the virus. If you're feeling lethargic, unable to focus, you're having trouble sleeping and breathing, it is quite possible you're suffering from long-COVID. COVID represents an injury to our immunity, and while medical treatments for long-COVID are still in the works, we can assess these health issues through optimized nutrition and adequate natural supplementation. Keep on reading to discover what foods and supplements can boost your immunity and help you manage post-COVID symptoms.

I know I can't be the only one who, in their mid-twenties, has inexplicable joint pain at the end of the day. Most of my day is spent working from home with the occasional walk or home workout routine, but I'm certainly not doing any high-impact exercise or heavy lifting that would cause knee pain! Surely I'm too young to have arthritis - right?! It has me wondering if this is normal for someone my age? What could be the cause of my joint pain and what can I do to relieve it? Are there supplements to improve my joint health and prevent it from getting any worse? Here's what I learned.

The desire for more natural integrative medicine paired with people buying more and more nutritional supplements makes it critical to understand how this impacts the ecosystems and waterways from which they are sourced. In addition, how sourcing, packaging, and shipping affect these communities should be given ample consideration. Overfishing, unsustainable farming practices, carbon emissions, and plastic pollution are all potential damages that can be brought about by supplement companies. If you still want to support total body wellness and also care about the Earth's oceans and ecosystems, here are some questions you can start asking of supplement companies. We’ve also included some ocean-friendly supplements to get you started.

Is collagen destroyed by heat? Yes it is! So in a billion years or so, when the sun goes supernova, all collagen will be destroyed (along with everything else, sorry to say!). Oh, were you thinking about a slightly less incendiary situation? Like "can I put collagen in my coffee?" Well that's a bit more subtle, isn't it! Let's delve into what collagen is, what its health benefits are, and whether or not heat destroys it.

Isn’t it strange that some of us naturally seem to be morning people while others are going to bed when everyone else is waking up? Even thinking back to childhood sleepovers, some kids were fast asleep and others were pulling pranks all night and inevitably sleeping through breakfast. These sleeping habits seem to stick with us throughout life, and renowned sleep researcher Matthew Walker may have discovered why.