Healthy Notes

Sleeping

Tuesday 7 Sep 2010 by admin | 1 Comment
Filed under: Natural Sleep Aids, Sleep Aids Tags: natural sleep, Natural Sleep Aid, natural sleeping aids, sleep aids

For most of our lives people have considered sleeping just a period of time when we are not conscious. There has been numerous sleep studies conducted in the last couple of decades that have proven sleep to be much more complicated than once thought. Proper sleep has many distinctive stages that cycle over the course of each night. If certain stages of sleep are not reached than the body never gets the chance to recover, heal, and repair. If other stages are not entered into than our ability to learn and memorize information is compromised.

Many vital tasks are carried out during these various sleep cycles that enable us to function at our best. If we do not get enough sleep it can be dangerous to our very health. It will definitely make you more accident prone. Lack of sleep is associated with illness such as high blood pressure and is known to speed up the aging process.

A sleep deficit cannot easily be made up on vacation or on the weekends. Studies show that for optimum health sleep must be had on a regular basis. It really does matter for your overall health. The quality of you sleep will effect many aspects of your life. If you are concerned about your health you need to really focus on improving and regulating sleeping patterns.

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The Silver Antibiotic

Wednesday 1 Sep 2010 by admin | 1 Comment
Filed under: Immunity, Nutritional Supplements Tags: colloidal silver

Around the world, for centuries, silver has been used as a natural antibiotic and wellness nutrient. In ancient Greece and Rome there are writings that attest to the fact that they used silver to keep them well. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine taught that silver supported the healing process as early as 400 years before Christ. During the middle ages the wealthy Europeans used silver utensils and containers to keep there food fresher for longer. Alexander’s armies used silver lined water canisters when they fought Napoleon. In the American old west it was common practice to drop silver coins into drinking water barrels in order to help purify the water.

So, what exactly is colloidal silver? Colloidal silver is silver that has been eclectically charged and suspended into sterilized water. The silver particles have been broken down into the smallest possible size in order for the silver to be efficiently utilized by the cells in the body. Then the small particles are electronically charges in order to keep each particle suspended in the distilled water. This is what the colloidal process is referring to, the electronic charge to each silver particle. If the particle are not appropriately charged they will essentially just fall to the bottom of the solution and provide very little cellular benefit.

The silver particles have been broken down into the smallest possible size in order for the silver to be efficiently utilized by the cells in the body. Then the small particles are electronically charges in order to keep each particle suspended in the distilled water. This is what the colloidal process is referring to, the electronic charge to each silver particle. If the particle are not appropriately charged they will essentially just fall to the bottom of the solution and provide very little cellular benefit.

Up until the 1930s colloidal silver was the common choice for physicians to use for its natural antibiotic and antiviral qualities, but with the invention of pharmaceutical antibiotics the use of colloidal silver was essentially forgotten. Today, with the resurgence of natural medicines colloidal silver is making a huge comeback in popularity. Colloidal silver is known to kill most one cell organisms on contact. Most bacteria, viruses, and funguses are on cell organisms.

Colloidal silver is what I immediately turn to upon feeling sick. It is effective against all infections, colds, flu, food poisoning and many other illnesses. With many of the bacterial infection strains these days becoming antibiotic resistant colloidal silver is a great alternative. .NASA is even using silver in its water purification system for the space shuttle and international space station.

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The Sleep Aid Tryptophan

Friday 27 Aug 2010 by admin | 2 Comments
Filed under: Natural Sleep Aids, Sleep Aids Tags: Natural Sleep Aid, Natural Sleep Aids, sleep aid, sleep aids

Until 1990 tryptophan was by far the most popular natural sleep aid on the market. In 1990 the United States Food and Drug Administration pulled all tryptophan from store shelves due to a sudden outbreak of eosinophilic-myalgia syndrome that occurred among some people who had taken the sleep aid. Once the United States banned the nutrient many other countries soon followed. Ultimately almost five thousand people reported getting sick and twenty seven people died from the serious illness. The symptoms included muscle pain, weakness, and severe joint pain. A lengthy investigation determined that the problem was a contaminated batch that was manufactured by a Japanese company called Showa Denko KK, which had recently changed a production process to incorporate genetically engineered bacteria. The ban remained in effect until 2001.

In February of 2001, the FDA removed the ban on selling tryptophan, but kept an importation restriction. This is the statement that they released:

"Based on the scientific evidence that is available at the present time, we cannot determine with certainty that the occurrence of EMS in susceptible persons consuming L-tryptophan supplements derives from the content of L-tryptophan, an impurity contained in the L-tryptophan, or a combination of the two in association with other, as yet unknown, external factors."

Since 2002, tryptophan has been available again in the United States and no reports of Eosinophilic-myalgia syndrome have been reported. There are definitely manufacturing companies currently making high quality tryptophans. I believe it is safe. It is a precursor of the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin. This means it is the raw material that the brain uses to build these relaxing neurotransmitters. By taking it in supplement form we are making more available to produce the neurotransmitters that are used to induce deep sleep.

Melatonin is currently the most popular and well respected of the natural sleeping aids available. It is a more direct precursor to serotonin than is tryptophan. Melatonin is also much cheaper. I almost always will recommend melatonin to my clients as the first thing to try to resolve sleep problems naturally. But one thing I have found is that for some reason the people that do not respond well to melatonin can sometimes find it effective. For many people it is a useful natural sleep aid, but tryptophan has never really regained the popularity that it once enjoyed prior to 1990.

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Omega 3 or Omega 3-6-9?

Wednesday 25 Aug 2010 by admin | 2 Comments
Filed under: Anti-Aging, Health, Nutritional Supplements Tags: Fish Oil, Omega 3

The amounts of omega 6 and 9 that we get in our normal western diets are more than enough. Actually, the problem is that we get too much omega 6 and 9, mainly derived from grains and grain oils that we use in our cooking. This over use of omega 6 and 9 creates an unbalance in the body. We get 20 times more omega 6 and 9 than what we should take. This unbalance makes our bodies prone to all sorts of degenerative diseases, like heart disease, cancer, general inflammation, diabetes, arthritis, and accelerated aging.

Dozens of studies exist on the dangers of the high Omega 6 diets that are high in grains, grain oils, cereals and sugars. In order to prevent many of these life threatening conditions you should take only omega 3, as a supplement. If you take omega 3 with omega 6 and 9 you are adding more unneeded fuel to the fire.

I recommend at least 3 1000 milligram capsules of fish oil per day to maintain general health, more if you already suffer some condition that you need to treat such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides, or arthritis. For the most bang for your omega 3 buck go with a liquid omega 3.

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The Sleep Aid Unisom

Thursday 19 Aug 2010 by admin | 4 Comments
Filed under: Natural Sleep Aids, Sleep Aids Tags: natural sleep, Natural Sleep Aid, Natural Sleep Aids, sleep aid, sleep aids

Known serious side affects that the sleep aid Unisom may cause include: pounding or irregular heartbeat, hallucinations and confusion, irregular urination, easy bruising or bleeding, and severe dizziness. Severe allergic rash including severe swelling of the face may also occur with the use of this sleep aid. The preceding side effects are serious and should be treated with extreme immediacy. Do not hesitate to contact a doctor if one or multiple serious side effects arise.
As a last resort do not use this sleep aid for more than a few nights in a row. Talk to your doctor about other treatment options such as natural sleep aids that are safer for you if you have long-term insomnia that persists for more than a few nights at a time.

In general the sleep aid Unisom works for many people, if you definition of working is just getting to sleep. Since the drug in Unisom is a very heavy sedative most users will fall asleep quickly. While Unisom may put those who take it to sleep, Unisom will not provide restful or rejuvenating sleep, causing many to wake up more tired than when they went to sleep in the first place and feel groggy through the day. This can begin a routine of taking the sleep aid to fall asleep, being foggy through the day, and becoming so exhausted that another round of Unisom is needed to get back to sleep. This is why it is important to evaluate the active ingredients and reviews of any sleep aid product you may try. Unlike all natural sleep aid products, Unisom does nothing to promote natural sleep or restful sleep cycles.

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The "Skinny Fat"

Saturday 14 Aug 2010 by admin | 5 Comments
Filed under: Nutritional Supplements, Skin Care, Weight Loss Tags: coconut oil

For many years now coconut oil has been criticized as unhealthy because it is classified as a saturated fat. Saturated fats are also fats that are of animal origin that definitely play a role in cardiovascular disease. So, it was lumped into this saturated fat category by doctors and nutritionist, and we were told to avoid these fats. In coconut producing and eating regions of the world people were told to stop eating it, because it caused heart disease. Many of these people began eating margarine and vegetable oils and after a few years heart diseases rates tripled. Now researchers have reversed course and are recommending coconut oil again. I think there is much evidence that coconut oil is very “heart healthy”.

As time went by and the means to analyzing fats role in the body have vastly improved it has been found that even though coconut oil is saturated fat it is a different type of saturated fat than that which is derived from animals. The bulk of the fat content of it is made up of what are called medium chain triglycerides and the rest is made up of short chain triglycerides. The animal fats that are also saturated are comprised mainly of long chain triglycerides. The shorter nature of the fat chains means the body uses these fats in a completely different way.

The majority of fats that we eat, if not used for energy immediately are stored very easily as fat deposits on the body. The medium chain fats in coconut oil are easily broken down and used by the body as an energy source, almost like a carbohydrate. This means that the fats seldom end up as body fat or as deposits in our arteries. Meaning that this oils structure is unlike almost any other oil or fat you could consume. Many people are now calling it the “skinny fat”.

There is growing research that medium chain triglycerides have very strong anti-bacterial qualities. Can you imagine oil that actually can kill bacteria? One of the most effective treatments for reoccurring candida yeast infections is caprylic acid, which is a medium chain triglyceride derived from coconut oil. Polynesian women who eat lots of coconuts rarely if ever get yeast infections. Only in cooler climate where processed vegetable oils are widely used are yeast infections so prevalent. The medicinal properties are vast and only now beginning to be appreciated.

The beauty oil uses of coconut oil are legendary. Polynesian women are famed for there beautiful hair and skin even though they live their lives in the hot tropical sun. It can be used as a moisturizing lotion and as a hair conditioner in the natural state. For this reason it has been used and appreciated for many centuries.

For these reasons and more coconut oil is a truly miracle oil. It is inexpensive, great to cook with, and readily available at most stores. I use it for cooking almost all of my oil needing foods and it taste great. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

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The Natural Sleep Aid Melatonin

Sunday 8 Aug 2010 by admin | 3 Comments
Filed under: Natural Sleep Aids, Sleep Aids Tags: melatonin, Natural Sleep Aids, sleep aid, sleep aids

Melatonin is the hormone that is released by the pineal gland in the brain in response to darkness. This hormone is what tells your brain it is time to start getting sleepy. It Helps regulate other hormones in the body and works to maintain the body’s circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is the internal clock that regulates the 24 hour day cycle. Once it becomes dark outside the body will begin to produce more melatonin.

With the invention of the light bulb and particularly florescent lighting that is so bright the natural day and night cycle has been thrown into hormonal confusion. Being exposed to bright lights during the nighttime or to little light during the daytime can greatly effect the body’s melatonin production. Sometimes our modern inventions can lead to unforeseen changes within the body. Then there is the often unnatural work schedules and travel that people are forced to maintain. These factors have lead to levels of melatonin and other natural hormones being much to low to trigger sound sleep.

Much of the research on melatonin has been done on its relation to aging. Young children generally have the highest levels of nighttime melatonin and senior citizens generally have the lowest levels. Many researchers believe that this lower melatonin level is the main reason why so many older adults have sleep problems. There is also a school of thought that says if we add melatonin and other hormones back into out systems through supplementation we can slow down the aging process. Therefore melatonin is often an integral part of any life extension hormonal replacement therapy program.

With the power to change night into day and day into night, and with the crazy work and travel schedules that many people are required to maintain is it really any wonder that our hormonal rhythms are thrown out of whack? No wonder why so many people have such trouble sleeping. The good news is that melatonin is virtually side effect free. I have seen doctors prescribing it to children as young as 4 years old. The key to effective use of this natural sleeping aid is to find the appropriate dosage for you. Most adults find around 3 milligrams to be a good starting dosage. The trick is to find the dose that induces sleep, but that does not make you feel groggy the next morning.

Melatonin is a truly natural hormone that many people are deficient in. In many cases by supplementing with melatonin we are effectively adding back a vital nutrient that we may be lacking. As far as natural sleep aids go it is probably the first one to try. For many people it works well by itself, but for others it works better when combined with other supporting natural sleeping aids such as valerian and hops.

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Kombucha Update #3

Thursday 5 Aug 2010 by admin | 1 Comment
Filed under: Health, Nutritional Supplements Tags: Kombucha

One brand of FDA compliable Kombucha is now available to retailers. The brand that is currently available is High Country Kombucha out of Eagle Colorado. The High Country people are very lucky to have beet the others to the punch. I am still awaiting word on the GT products. The last I heard they are a couple weeks away from being compliant. The GT brand is by far the most popular brand of Kombucha and the one everybody is waiting for to return to the shelves. I will keep you posted.

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Why Natural Sleeping Aids?

Wednesday 4 Aug 2010 by admin | 14 Comments
Filed under: Natural Sleep Aids, Sleep Aids Tags: natural sleep, Natural Sleep Aid, Natural Sleep Aids, sleep aid, sleep aids

Unlike pharmaceutical sleeping aids, natural sleep aids are designed to work with the bodies own chemical structure and hormonal system. Essentially a good natural sleep aid should be adding to the body important nutrients like melatonin and magnesium that our bodies may be lacking. In approaching sleep problems in this manner natural sleep aids will usually result in a much deeper sleep and you will likely feel much better in the morning. Pharmaceutical sleeping aids contain such powerful drugs that they can surely knock you out, but how will you feel the next morning? Many people feel in a tired haze all day. This is not what we want from a sleeping aid. If you do not feel better the next day, then what was the point of the sleeping aid in the first place?

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Best Alternative To DEET

Thursday 29 Jul 2010 by admin | 8 Comments
Filed under: Health Tags: citronella, DEET

Citronella Oil is considered by most people in the natural health industry to be the best alternative to DEET oriented mosquito repellants. Pretty much all the natural repellants on the market today are based on citronella oil as there main ingredient. This includes many of the name brand natural products you may be familiar with like Burt’s Bees and Jason’s.

Citronella oil is derived from a heat loving plant that grows as an annual in the United States. It has attractive lavender blooms. Just growing the plant in your garden or especially on your patio can deter many unwanted pest including mosquitoes. The odor of the plant is very strong and many bugs and animals don’t like it. Most of the citronella oil in the world is grown in China and Indonesia.

The United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) states that citronella has little or no toxicity when applied for use as a topical insect repellant. Over a 60 year period there has been no adverse reactions reported. I believe that all insect repellants, even natural ones should be used sparingly and with caution. There is little question that when compared to DEET citronella is a much better and safer choice, but don’t overuse any of these products.

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