Sleep: The Prescription for Better Health

History tells us that the diseases of civilization all hit
hard after the Industrial Revolution when electricity gave
us inexpensive artificial light. When you add it all up,
the national health catastrophe has been about seventy-five
years in the making.

Could the loss of sleep be destroying the endocrine clock
that controls weight gain? Could how much you sleep really
control your appetite? This may shock you. Yes. The
prescription for better health is sleep, and it's free.

"Lights Out: Sleep Sugar and Survival," a popular book by
T.S. Wiley, tells us there is simply WAY too much light in
our society today. People don't sleep enough anymore. The
real truth is that the urgent need to sleep is also the
cause of Type II diabetes and other diseases of aging.

The answer lies in the circadian rhythmicity and evolution.
This rhythm is about a 24-hour cycle in the physiological
processes of all living beings (animals, plants, fungi and
cyanobacteria.). The term "circadian" was coined by Franz
Halberg, and it means "around", and dies, "day", meaning
literally "about a day." Chronobiology is the formal study
of daily, weekly, seasonal and annual rhythms. Circadian
rhythms are can be modulated by external cues such as the
sun (dawn and dusk) and temperature.

What's more, it appears that almost every woman who hits
her 40's succumbs to the inability to stay asleep through
the night. It happens in peri-menopause but the truth is,
these women never really sleep well for the rest of their
lives.

There are answers. Try the reasonably priced chewable
Melatonin tablets at Trader Joes and let several of them
melt in your mouth about an hour before bedtime. (Take one
for every hour after dark before midnight, with seasonal
light changes.) As a last resort try Tylenol PM for three
days and take a walk outside barefoot at dawn and dusk to
reset your internal sleeping clock.

Don't let children or pets wake you up at night if you can
help it. Make sure your bedroom is dark. That means lights
out. No moonlight or lamp post lights through the window.
No television or computer screen. Turn the digital clock
towards the wall. Plus you won't have to get up and go to
the bathroom during the night if you stop drinking liquid
beverages at 6PM.

Try to sleep for a minimum of nine hours or more of
uninterrupted sleep every night. Your own bedroom can be
the best anti-aging clinic in town. Try it, and your family
and friends might just ask you who your plastic surgeon is.

----------------------------------------------------
T.S. Wiley is the author of "Lights Out" (Pocket Books,
2000) and "Sex, Lies & Menopause," (Harper Collins, 2005.)
These books and the website
http://www.thewileyprotocol.com - are a must read for any
woman who is seeking cutting edge therapies for the
treatment of lack of sleep and the symptoms of
perimenopause and menopause. You will find countless
testimonials of women who have found finally found relief
and the ability to increase libido.

Brain Foods

For those who work long hours in front of computers, do you
always stuff yourself with those junk food, just to save on
time? Do you often feel your mind spinning from too much
information, memory lapse or fatigue?

Friend, it's time to make a change to your lifestyle,
otherwise we would have to pay a high price for not taking
better care of ourselves. Now, we can start from the basic
but most vital change ie our diet.

What you need are food that will fuel and nourish your
brain. But do you know exactly what your brain needs?

Our brain is made up of 3 major components : Neurons, which
power the message, Neurotransmitters, which create the
message and Receptors, which receive the message.

Contrary to belief that fats are harmful, fats actually
play a very important role in your brain structure, in
particular Neurons. About two-thirds of your brain is
composed of fats. And we are talking here about good fats –
fatty acids which your brain needs to perform complex,
intricate functions properly.

Now the membranes of neurons (the specialized brain cells
that communicate with each other) are composed of a thin
double-layer of fatty acid molecules. Fatty acids are what
dietary fats are composed of.

When you digest the fat in your food, it is broken down
into fatty acid molecules of various lengths. Your brain
then uses these for raw materials to assemble the special
types of fat it incorporates into its cell membranes. Eat
good sources of fats such as walnuts and sesame.

The amino acids found in proteins are what form the brain
chemicals, called the neurotransmitters, that motivate or
sedate, focus or frustrate. In other words, they are the
masterminds of your mood. Lack of amino acids is quickly
detected in your emotions and behaviour. Therefore, it is
important you obtain sufficient protein in your diet from
eggs, cheese, yoghurts, grains and legumes, nuts and seeds.

You need carbohydrates to fuel your brain. When you eat
grains and legumes, fruits and vegetables, the
carbohydrates break down into glucose which then travels
along the bloodstreams to your brain for use.

However, raising the blood sugar too fast within a short
time can actually cause the slowdown of energy supply to
the brain and as a result, an adverse effect on your brain
power to focus, remember and learn. That's why you feel
sleepy after a heavy lunch.

Vitamin C helps to maintain the brain in its best state :-
alert, alive and intelligent. Eat at least 3 servings of
fruits and green leafy vegetables daily to achieve the
desired results.

Vitamin B group is needed for the conversion of glucose
into brain energy and good functioning of the body immune
system and mental health. Even a mild deficiency can cause
you to become irritable, lack of concentration and
forgetful. Foods that help include mushrooms and
cauliflower.

As a guide, you should include the following essential
brain foods in your diet :

1. Nuts provide abundance of protein, unsaturated fats,
lecithin, inorganic salt and vitamins, all of which are
good nourishments for our brain.

2. Mushrooms help to stablise blood sugar levels and
prevent the blood vessel from damage, therefore keeping the
energy supply to our brain stable and protecting it from
stroke. They also contain anti-cancer properties, remove
fatigue, stabilise mood, prevent anaemia etc.

3. Eggs are good source of protein, lecithin, vitamins,
calcium and other minerals like phosphorus, iron etc, all
of which are nutrients necessary for the metabolism of our
brain.

4. Dried lily flowers (aka tiger lily buds) are rich in
protein, fats, calcium, iron, vitamin B1, all of which aids
in the metabolism of our brain.

5. The regular consumption of onions helps to prevent blood
clotting, thereby improve blood circulation to the brain,
lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, and
are also useful in stabilising mood and reducing tiredness.

6. Millet contain protein, fats, calcium, iron and vitamin
B1 and magnesium and is known to strengthen brain cells.
Magnesium has been shown in studies to reduce the frequency
of migraine attacks.

7. Longans strengthen the heart spleen and calm the nerves.
They are also used to cure insomnia, prevent senility,
forgetfulness, dizziness etc all as a result of poor
constitution.

8. Grapefruits are a rich source of Vitamins A, B1 and C
which help to neutralize the acidic effects of food which
are harmful to the nerve system. One feels refreshed and
alert if consume regularly. Oranges and lemons achieve the
same effects too.

----------------------------------------------------
Laura Ng has gone through the worst stage of health in her
life. But now she's totally different. A toxic-free body
full of energy, a radiant and smooth complexion, a tip-top
quality lifestyle that everybody around her is envious of.
Want to know her secrets ? She's willing to share with you
selflessly all her secrets at

http://www.iOneHealth.com .
No holding back. Promised.