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Tag Archives: insomnia
7 Simple Sure-fire Ways To Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Advice about how to improve sleep is an everyday part of any Wholistic Health practice, and I’m used to delivering. But, today I am suffering the effects of a wakeful night after not ‘Walking My Talk’. Last night I sat up on the computer until well after midnight when the cold finally drove me to bed, only to then wake repeatedly throughout the night.
Sleep is so important, especially now as the days have shortened and we approach winter. Sufficient sleep allows our body to recover from the day and leads to improved brain function and memory.
But sleep doesn’t always come easily.
Here are some simple ways to create a calm sleep-friendly environment to help you get a great night’s sleep.
De-Clutter and De- Junk
Is your bedroom a soothing sanctuary or is it also a place where you work? It is essential that you establieh and maintain the boundary between work and rest. Your bedroom needs to be a place where you unwind and take ‘you-time’. If the boundaries are unclear you never get a break from the pressure and stress of work.
When you keep your bed for sleeping or other fun bedtime activities, your brain comes to associate bed with only these activites rather than work, which makes it easier for you to nod off.
Clear away the clutter and mess, open the windows to refresh the energy, add fresh flowers, beautiful and meaningful ornaments, a candle or Himalayan Salt Lamp.
Create an EMF-Free Zone
If you are surrounded by electronic devices while you sleep your brain waves are affected throughout the night and quite simply, you will never get good sleep. There is concern that the pulsed frequencies of electronic devices interfere with the body’s own signals, and their electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) affect the emotions, the organs, endocrine (hormone) production and the immune system, which can then lead to poor sleep, as well as many other problems.
There are many studies that show that exposure to electronic devices (even electric lights) before going to bed interferes with sleep patterns. Far from allowing you to wind-down in the evening using electronic devices actually increase your alertness and interferes with REM sleep.
Light, from any source including the low levels of light emitted by electronic devices, is known to disrupt circadian rhythms and cause poor sleep
There have also been a number of studies into whether the electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) around electronic devices affect the release of melatonin, the sleep inducing hormone. In 2007 this study showed melatonin production, and therefore sleep quality, may be affected in some people.
Switch off your smartphone, your ipad, your laptop, your TV, e-reader and other devices at the source. If you need an alarm to wake find an alternative to your phone. Sleeping close to an active smartphone (or other device) is absolutely NOT WORTH the wide-reaching adverse effects it has on you. In addition, like Pavlov’s dog, you will not be able to resist reaching for them when they beep or ring.
If you do need to leave any devices switched on, make sure they are well away from your body, at least a metre.
Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields and remove the devices responsible.
Create Peace
If you need entertainment before sleep, place some books or magazines in your room, or perhaps a journal. Not only can journaling help to empty your mind of those annoying thoughts that keep you awake, it has been found to have many health benefits, with research even showing it strengthens the immune system and reduces the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Use your journal to establish Gratitude practices to build your Happiness Bank.
Check the temperature. A moderate temperature, about 20 or 21 degrees Celsius, neither too warm or cold, will support undisturbed sleep.
Darkness helps you sleep and even small amounts of light interrupt the production of the neurotransmitters needed for sound sleep. Use block-out curtains if there are lights outside your window. Don’t turn lights on suddenly during the night as they disrupt the production of the sleep-inducing hormones, melatonin and serotonin. Don’t use white light as a night light, the soft pink glow of a Himalayan Salt Lamp avoids the problem, if you simply must have light in the bedroom. If you can’t block out light wear an eye mask.
Music is a wonderful aid to help you relax. Gentle, music, white noise or relaxation recordings will all help you unwind. The rhythmic sound of the surf washing onto the beach is a very effective way to induce sleepiness.
No TV right before bed! Stop about thirty minutes before retiring and definitely don’t watch it in bed.
Turn your bedroom into a space you look forward to spending time and relaxing in.
Continue reading…
Disclaimer
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
Source articles
https://happyholistichealth.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/do-you-dream-of-dreaming-if-only-you-could-get-to-sleep/
http://www.movenourishbelieve.com/nourish/are-you-getting-enough-sleep-4-natural-ways-to-create-a-sleep-friendly-environment
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/15/nutrients-better-sleep.aspx
http://homeopathyplus.com.au/getting-a-good-nights-sleep
Maca – The Superfood Rebalancer!
Recently the herb Maca has come up frequently during consultations, so this week I would like to look at this new supplement that is rapidly gaining popularity. Not really a supplement, it is actually a ‘superfood’ with many amazing benefits. Superfoods are those that have very high levels of antioxidants, such as blueberries, spirulina or pomegranates.
Lepidium peruvianum, or Maca, is a tuber vegetable cultivated for thousands of years in the harsh conditions high up at 4,000m in the Peruvian Andes. One of the superfoods of the Incas, it has been used as a medicinal food for over 2,000 years to increase energy, promote endurance and stamina as well as improve fertility and sexual performance in both men and women.
Maca is part of the brassica family and related to broccoli, cabbage and turnip. The harvested root has high antioxidant levels and is loaded with protein. It has more bioavailable calcium than milk, magnesium, potassium, iron, plus other minerals and trace elements, vitamins and all the amino acids. It is rich in the B vitamins and a vegetarian source of vitamin B12.
In addition to the traditional uses maca is great for offsetting the effects of stress, anxiety and fatigue. It stimulates and nourishes the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, the master glands of the body. As these are the glands that regulate all the other glands, maca can help to bring balance to the adrenal, thyroid, pancreas, ovarian and testicular glands.
The glands in the body produce hormones that regulate many body processes including your mood, sexual development, growth, and tissue function. As well they play a role in many diseases ranging from depression to cancer
Maca is an adaptogen, responding to the individual needs of your body. It regulates as and where needed, where hormones are out of balance. This means if you are producing too much of a hormone it will regulate so production decreases, but if you are producing too much it regulates to increase production. Herbal adaptogens, are a rare class of herbs, valuable in natural health prescribing. Other adaptogens are licorice, Holy Basil, ashwagandha, ginseng, rhodiola, eleuthero and schisandra.
Unlike wild yam, maca does not introduce hormones into your body, nor are the active ingredients phyto-eostrogens. Instead it is thought that it is alkaloids in the maca that act on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. This means that the effects of maca on the body are diverse, and not just restricted to the sex hormones.
Today the main uses of Maca are for balancing hormones, increasing energy and reducing stress. It offers significant benefits for women suffering hormonal imbalances. Studies have concentrated on the positive effects it has on the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. However it is also very useful and beneficial for other hormonal problems like PCOS or PMS.
USES FOR MACA
- Increase energy
- Balance hormones
- Infertility
- Menopause
- Menstrual cramps
- PCOS
- PMS
- Hot flushes
- Insomnia
- Acne
- Depression
- Adrenal gland function
- Fatigue
- To enhance sex
- Low sperm count
- Erectile dysfunction
- Increase libido
- Mental & physical vitality
- Thyroid imbalance, Hypothyroidism
BENEFITS OF MACA
Maca produces benefits without the side-effects of many medications and even some herbal remedies.
- Maca helps to balance our hormones.
- Studies have shown that it increases sexual function and treats impotence
- Stimulates fertility in men and women, enhances sperm production.
- It can be very useful to regulate the menstrual cycle and ease PMS symptoms. It relieves the unpleasant effects of menopause.
- Maca is high in antioxidants to neutralize free radicals that cause cell damage and cause disease.
- Maca has shown anticancer activity in the laboratory.
- It reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decreases the levels of triglycerides.
- It seems to reduce blood sugar levels and improve glucose tolerance.
- Maca could provide a non-caffeine alternative for those who need an energy boost from coffee in the morning.
- Is an antidepressant
- Enhances learning and memory abilities
- Supports the immune system
- Increases energy, stamina and endurance, reducing chronic fatigue.
- Remineralizes the body, making up for the lack of minerals in modern diets.
- Clears acne and blemishes
HOW TO SELECT AND USE MACA
Maca comes in a number of different colours, the most commonly found is yellow. Scientists have found that each colour has a different effect on the body. Black and red maca improve bone health and black affects memory and learning the best. Darker maca roots contain significant levels of iodine.
The dried root of maca comes in a powder form, tablets or capsules. It has a slightly sweet, nutty flavour and can be added to many foods such as soup, herbal tea, or desserts. You can sprinkle it on bananas or popcorn. You can mix it with honey and eat the paste off the spoon, add it to smoothies, juice or to warm almond milk with some raw cacao for hot chocolate. Added to baking maca gives a maltiness to the flavour. But don’t add to much as the flavour can be overwhelming.
Start with ½ -1 teaspoon a day and build up to between 1 and 5 teaspoons a day, over a few days. Some people may experience adverse responses when they start taking maca. These are a sign of the body detoxing and only last a few days. Cut back the amount you are taking and build up slowly.
Improvement can occur within days, even the on same day, although for most people it takes about four days or even weeks to notice changes.
You can find maca at most health food shops or online. Make certain to buy a quality, organic product. Because it is a root vegetable the growing conditions make a huge difference to the level of nutrients. Cheaply priced good will deliver an inferior product (unless it is cheap on special). Only buy reputable, organic brands of maca root. Don’t buy other parts of the plant.
The brand I recommend to my clients, although I do not sell or have any financial interest in it at all, is Loving Earth Maca Powder. It is raw Australian Certified Organic and the company has awesome 30% off discounts on their website for all their maca products through December.
Maca is generally recognized as safe. However, because of the way it works care may be needed. For example, maca balances out your hormones so they are at the required levels. If you are also taking other supplements, such as Dong Quai, Black cohosh, Vitex or phytoestrogens for womens hormones for example, to achieve similar results, these could interfere with the maca and result in an aggravation of your symptoms.
If you take too much too soon maca can actually exacerbate your hormonal symptoms and make them worse. If you are suffering the effects of stress it could exacerbate that also, causing a racing heart and insomnia. I have seen problems that are the result of taking maca. Simply exercise care, stop taking maca if you notice adverse effects or speak to your health practitioner.
If you suffer from any diagnosed illness, particularly those such as hormone related cancers, speak to your health practitioner before starting to take maca.
Do you use maca? How quickly did it work for you? How effective have you found it?
Disclaimer.
All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue.
Source articles
http://www.naturalnews.com/027797_maca_root_hormone_balance.html
http://www.naturalfertilityandwellness.com/macas-fertility-benefits/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/159150-benefit-of-maca/
http://www.iquitsugar.com/a-bluffers-guide-to-maca
http://realrawfood.com/maca-history-info
Related articles
- Try Maca for Low Libido, Energy and Stamina! (naturalhealthyconcepts.com)
- Vegan Maca Almond Joy Milkshake (thebakingbird.com)
- Constantly Tired? Here Are 10 Herbs To Increase Energy, Vitality, And Adaptability (realfarmacy.com)
Magical Magnesium
My sister is lucky and has a beautiful bathroom with a big, deep bath in it, and so this week I ordered her a bulk order of Epsom Salts for her long, deep bath soaks. She knows, like most people, that they are a great way to relieve tired and aching muscles and bring on a great sleep. But what she doesn’t know is that Epsom salts are rich in magnesium, a mineral that can be poorly absorbed internally.
Photo credit: Monica Arellano-Ongpin
Magnesium is often deficient in our diets but soaking in a bath containing Epsom salts can be a way to boost your magnesium levels, because it is absorbed very easily through the skin.
Most of the population does not get enough magnesium. In 2000 the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (in USA) found that the figure of deficiency was as high as 80% of adults, a figure most likely mirrored here in Australia. This figure is significant because the mineral magnesium plays a part in thousands of functions in your body, and it is also one that is easily depleted. Also, deficiency is often not detected because it manifests differently in each individual.
The mineral magnesium, plays a vital role in building and maintaining good health, working in conjunction with many other nutrients, particularly calcium and Vitamin D.
Most people know that they need calcium. And there is also growing awareness of the importance of Vitamin D. But the third side of this triangle is perhaps not so widely known about. Magnesium also plays a part in this picture, and while magnesium deficiency is quite widespread due to deficient intake, it is frequently not addressed with diet or supplementation in the way that calcium is. 
Magnesium, calcium and vitamin D work in unison in the body. All three require the others to actually do their job, and it does not matter if you are getting adequate amounts of one of them, without all three it will not be able to do its job. Which means taking calcium supplements without adequate magnesium is not much use. Your body needs about twice as much calcium as magnesium, but many people actually have much, much more calcium and many times less magnesium.
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant element in your body. It helps to regulate over three hundred enzymes, it plays a vital role in muscle control, in sending electrical impulses along the nerves, in energy production and also it assists in the elimination of toxins.
Many common diseases of our modern life can be rooted in a magnesium deficiency, and it can lead to heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive disorders, chronic fatigue, or illnesses resulting from stress. Magnesium deficiency has also been shown to contribute to SIDS. Long term chronic magnesium deficiency damage can even be fatal.
When we talk of muscles everyone usually thinks of those in the legs or back, and most people have experienced muscle cramps at some time, often in the legs or feet. But how many think of their heart as also being a muscle? Low magnesium levels can affect the efficient working of your heart, in the same way that they can lead to cramping of your leg muscles.
Here are some early symptoms of a magnesium deficiency:
- Restlessness
- Muscle cramps, tremors & twitches
- Restless or fidgety legs
- Pain in the feet
Some other indicators of a possible magnesium deficiency:
- Migraines, cluster headaches
- Anxiety, stress & panic attacks
- Fatigue, sluggish
- Poor sleep & waking up tired – difficulty falling asleep or waking with muscle stiffness
- Low energy levels
- High blood pressure & cholesterol levels
- Period pain & PMS – deficiency can also lead to infertility and pregnancy problems
- Nervousness – heightened sensitivity to external stimuli like lights and noise, with exaggerated emotions
- Irritability of the nervous system – depression, restlessness, psychiatric conditions including bipolar and epilepsy.
- Kidney stones
- Poor memory & confusion
- Calcium or potassium deficiency
- Autism spectrum, ADD/ADHD, other neurological conditions
Magnesium Foods
Magnesium can be obtained from a number of foods. Good sources of magnesium are
Continue reading…
Disclaimer.
All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site.
Source articles
http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-sources/dietary/
http://unames.com/floating/epsom.htm
The Magnesium Factor, Seelig, Mildred. 2003
Related articles
- May I Have Your Attention Please? The Importance of Magnesium (bakingkookys.wordpress.com)
- 16 Signs You’re Magnesium Deficient – Symptoms of Low Magnesium Levels (naturalsociety.com)
- Managing Stress Naturally (purevitamins.com.au)
happy holistic health 