Posts Tagged ‘good health’
Pioneering Nutritionist Adelle Davis Recommends Calcium for Insomnia, Menopause and PMS
Posted on: June 7, 2013
The use of prescription sleeping drugs, such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata, has been steadily increasing. Global sales for all sleeping pills, called hypnotics, will top $5 billion in the next several years. Most sleeping pills, especially when taken over long periods of time, have considerable side effects, stay in the bloodstream, and give a hangover effect the next day and beyond. They can become addictive, impair memory, reduce performance on the job and at home, and contribute to machine and car accidents.
Adelle Davis is one of the earliest nutritionists to base her dietary recommendations on scientific research studies. Davis writes about the roles of calcium in her book “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit”. She suggests a natural sleep remedy for insomnia and says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”
Regarding the many roles of calcium in women’s health, Davis says: “The amount of calcium in a woman’s blood parallels the activity of the ovaries. The blood calcium falls to such an extent during the week prior to menstruation that PMS with nervous tension, irritability, and perhaps mental depression results. At the onset of menstruation, the blood calcium takes a further drop, often causing cramps of the muscular walls of the uterus.”
Davis also describes the role of calcium in menopause: “During the menopause, the lack of the ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) causes severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur. At these times, high amounts of calcium should be obtained and every step be taken to insure its absorption into the blood. When these precautions are taken and the diet is adequate in other respects, the woman at menopause usually loses her irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps, insomnia, and mental depression.”
One natural insomnia remedy gaining popularity with women and people of all ages is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com. Sleep Minerals II contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium, combined with vitamin D. The ingredients are formulated in a softgel with healthy oils, making them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules, and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep. The minerals are also helpful for restless legs syndrome, bone strength, aches and pains, and menopause insomnia.
Anita L. of New Caney, Texas says: “I was having hot flashes every 30 minutes to an hour through the night and was so miserable. After about two weeks of taking the Sleep Minerals, I noticed an incredible difference with my sleep. I have much less interruption from flashes, I’m sleeping much better, and I’m a lot more comfortable.”
Valerie H. in Santa Clarita, CA says: “I had such severe menopause insomnia, it took me hours to fall asleep even though I was extremely tired. I also had crawling and tingling feelings in my legs at night. I got the Sleep Minerals II and after a few days of taking it, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”
More and more, doctors and nutritionists are recommending natural remedies to help people avoid the harmful side effects of medications. The “Father of Medicine” Hippocrates spoke to his students in 400 B.C. and said: “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
Vitamin E is famous for it’s health benefits to glands and organs, however it may not be generally known that vitamin E is a proven remedy for hot flashes. Adelle Davis, the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on science-based studies, says: “During the menopause the need for vitamin E soars ten to fifty times over that previously required. Hot flashes and night sweats often disappear when 50 to 500 units of vitamin E are taken daily, but they quickly recur should the vitamin be stopped.”
One study supporting vitamin E is from the University of Iran, published in Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation in 2007. 400 IU of vitamin E in a softgel cap was given to the participants daily for four weeks. A diary was used to measure hot flashes before the study and at the end. The researchers concluded that vitamin E is effective and is a recommended treatment for hot flashes.
This article is provided to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural sleep remedy “Sleep Minerals II”. This insomnia remedy contains highly absorbable forms of magnesium and calcium, the best-known minerals for relaxation and rest.
The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis says that “During the menopause, the lack of ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) causes severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur. At these times, high amounts of calcium should be obtained and every step be taken to insure its absorption into the blood. When these precautions are taken and the diet is adequate in other respects, the women at menopause usually loses her irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps, insomnia, and mental depression.”
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. I received the Sleep Minerals II and started taking it and I actually slept. This thing really works and the company really knows what its doing. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit here.
Women in the pre-menopause and menopause years are more and more finding themselves experiencing symptoms of chronic insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, migraine headaches, anxiety, fatigue and depression. Uzzi Reiss, M.D., author of Natural Hormone Balance for Women, says: “Some of the above reactions occur nearly simultaneously whenever the level of estrogen falls.”
Hormone drugs, nutritional remedies, and lifestyle changes are some of the options available to women. Consumer Affairs.com reports that while 70 percent of women entering menopause will have some symptoms, most symptoms can be managed with healthy lifestyle improvements. In their recent report, they do not recommend hormone drugs for women who have an elevated risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer – which is 35 to 50 percent of all women 50 and older.
As menopause approaches, another emerging link between estrogen decline and its symptoms is the aspect of mineral deficiency. Mildred Seeling, M.D. describes this in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. She says “Estrogen enhances magnesium utilization and uptake by soft tissues and bone, and may explain the resistance of young women to heart disease and osteoporosis — as well as the increased prevalence of these diseases when estrogen production ceases.”
Magnesium works best when it’s balanced with calcium. The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis writes of mineral deficiency during menopause in her book “Let’s Get Well.” Davis says: “Calcium is less well absorbed and the urinary losses are greater when the output of estrogen decreases. Such calcium-deficiency symptoms as nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and headaches are common.”
Chronic insomnia is one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was shown in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
Regarding the use of a sleep remedy for the relief of insomnia and other menopause symptoms, certain formulas may be more effective than others. The combination of minerals included and the presence of vitamin cofactors (such as vitamin D) in the product are key. Formulas should contain a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium (twice as much calcium as magnesium). The original research on this recommended ratio appeared in 1935 in the Journal of Physiological Reviews. In addition, a softgel form is more digestible than tablets or capsules. Softgels formulated with carrier oils such as rice bran oil have been shown to increase mineral absorption and provide other health benefits such as lowering cholesterol.
Natural insomnia remedies for sleep, such as Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs are gaining popularity with menopausal women. Sleep Minerals II contains absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Adelle Davis says: “During the menopause… high amounts of calcium should be obtained and every step be taken to insure its absorption into the blood. When these precautions are taken and the diet is adequate in other respects, the woman at menopause usually loses her irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps, insomnia, and mental depression.”
Valerie H. of Santa Clarita, California says: “I had such severe menopause insomnia that it took me hours to fall asleep even though I was extremely tired. My legs also had crawling and tingling feelings at night. I got the Sleep Minerals and after about a week, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”
Consumer Reports advises that hormone drugs can increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots and stroke. An increasing number of women are turning to non-pharmaceutical remedies for insomnia. Highly absorbable forms of natural minerals can be a soothing alternative.
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit here.
Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes, Night Sweats and Insomnia in Menopause
Posted on: December 26, 2012
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) reports that an estimated 6,000 US women reach menopause each day, which translates to over 2 million women every year. The average age of natural menopause, which is the point of a woman’s last menstrual period, is 51.4. The Women’s Health Initiative study, which followed 16,608 women being given hormone replacement therapy (HRT), discovered a high risk of breast cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke from the use of these drugs. As a result, more and more women today are seeking the use of natural remedies for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, migraine headaches, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia.
Vitamin E is famous for it’s health benefits to glands and organs, however it may not be generally known that vitamin E is a proven remedy for hot flashes. Adelle Davis, the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on science-based studies, says: “During the menopause the need for vitamin E soars ten to fifty times over that previously required. Hot flashes and night sweats often disappear when 50 to 500 units of vitamin E are taken daily, but they quickly recur should the vitamin be stopped.”
One study supporting vitamin E is from the University of Iran, published in Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation in 2007. 400 IU of vitamin E in a softgel cap was given to the participants daily for four weeks. A diary was used to measure hot flashes before the study and at the end. The researchers concluded that vitamin E is effective and is a recommended treatment for hot flashes.
Another natural remedy has been making headlines lately. Mayo Clinic breast health specialist Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., conducted a study on flaxseed for hot flashes. The 29 participants in Mayo’s clinical trial were women with hot flashes who did not want to take estrogen because of increased risk of breast cancer. The study gave them six weeks of flaxseed therapy, consisting of 40 grams of crushed flaxseed eaten daily. The result was that the frequency of hot flashes decreased fifty percent. Participants also reported improvements in mood, joint or muscle pain, chills, and sweating. This was a significant improvement in their health and quality of life. Dr. Pruthi said: “We hope to find more effective nonhormonal options to assist women, and flaxseed looks promising.”
Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the maritime pine tree which grows exclusively along the coast of southwest France. In a study from Taiwan, 100 pre-menopausal women aged 45-55 years, were given 100-mg capsules of Pycnogenol or placebo twice daily (at breakfast and dinner) for 6 months in a double-blind manner. All menopause symptoms evaluated (including depression, hot flashes, night sweats, memory, attractiveness, anxiety, sexual symptoms, and sleep) improved significantly with Pycnogenol treatment, as early as one month after initiation of treatment. The researchers said, “Supplementation with Pycnogenol clearly reduced the frequency as well as the severity of pre-menopausal symptoms.”
Night sweats and hot flashes can become a form of insomnia in which a woman wakes up drenched in sweat and unable to sleep. Regarding mineral deficiency at the time of menopause, Adelle Davis says, “The amount of calcium in a woman’s blood parallels the activity of the ovaries. During the menopause, the lack of ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) can cause severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur, including irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps, and insomnia. These problems can be easily overcome if the intakes of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D are all generously increased and are well absorbed.”
One insomnia remedy becoming popular among menopausal women is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs. This natural sleep aid contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleeplessness and insomnia, as well as for heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia. The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
Anita L. of New Caney, Texas says: “I was having hot flashes every 30 minutes to an hour through the night and was so miserable. After about two weeks of taking the Sleep Minerals, I noticed an incredible difference with my sleep. I have much less interruption from flashes, I’m sleeping much better and I’m a lot more comfortable.”
Life after menopause has been found to be a fulfilling time of life for many women. In a recent Gallup Poll sponsored by the North American Menopause Society, 51% of postmenopausal US women reported being the happiest and most fulfilled between ages 50 and 65. Menopause is an excellent time for a woman to keep her health at its peak and minimize symptoms such as night sweats and insomnia by using effective natural remedies.
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, see this web page.
Restless Leg Syndrome as a disruptive condition that affects the nervous system and up to 10% of the U.S. population have some form of it. It results in an irresistible urge to move the legs (and sometimes the arms), often accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the legs such as creeping, crawling, tingling, pulling or pain. Because RLS most often occurs in the evening, it can disrupt sleep, contribute to insomnia, and reduce a person’s quality of life. RLS tends to run in families. A few natural remedies have been shown to help calm the symptoms of restless legs.
The B vitamins are nourishing and essential for good nervous system health. A study from the journal “Alternative Medicine Review” found that administration of folic acid (one of the B vitamins) alleviated the symptoms of RLS and may play a role in the treatment of primary, familial RLS. As a note, the B vitamins work together as a group and should be taken together in a supplement. This will prevent creating a deficiency in the others by taking only one of the whole group, such as folic acid (also known as vitamin B8). Some of the other B vitamins include thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and niacin (vitamin B3).
In the article “Restless Leg Syndrome Responds to Calcium” by Peter Gott, M.D., he says: “Calcium has been found to be helpful in relieving nocturnal (night time) leg cramps, and some RLS sufferers have also found that it is beneficial in preventing symptoms when taken just prior to sleep…… Other deficiencies, most notably iron, magnesium, folic acid and B vitamins, are also known to cause RLS symptoms in some.”
A recent study published in the journal of “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” gave the results of various forms of exercise on people who suffer with periodic leg movements (PLM). PLM is a night-time condition with similar symptoms to RLS in which sufferers experience a repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs during sleep. The results showed that both intense short-term exercise and longer term exercise lowered the symptoms and greatly aided with falling sleep and staying asleep. (A tip would be to exercise earlier in the day as it may be stimulating if done too close to bed time).
Magnesium deficiency is a key factor in RLS. Studies in the Journal “Sleep” and the “Romanian Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry” have found magnesium to be an effective natural therapy for RLS. Insomnia remedies should have a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium (twice as much calcium as magnesium). The original research on this ratio appeared in 1935 in the Journal of Physiological Reviews.
Andrew Weil, M.D. says that using drugs for restless leg syndrome – many of which have serious side effects – should be employed only as a last resort. He suggests RLS sufferers take a calcium/magnesium supplement at bedtime, do some form of daily exercise, stretch or massage their legs, take a hot bath to relax the legs, and stop smoking if they do so, as smoking may impair blood flow to the leg muscles. Since caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco can trigger symptoms, avoiding all three substances can also bring relief.
One natural sleep remedy showing good results with restless leg syndrome is Sleep Minerals II made by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com. It contains highly absorbable forms of the best minerals and vitamins for relaxation: Calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D. The ingredients are delivered in a softgel form with carrier oils, making them more easily assimilated than capsules or tablets and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
Kimberly B. of Troy, Michigan says: “I have been taking Sleep Minerals II for about a month now. I have tried everything out there and this supplement is amazing. I have suffered with insomnia for 2 1/2 years. I have also had restless leg syndrome my entire life and this is the first relief I’ve ever had…gone for a month now.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
Article Source: http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/blog/2012/08/11/studies-show-natural-remedies-for-restless-leg-syndrome-and-insomnia/
Warm milk has long been a highly recommended folk remedy for insomnia. Regarding this, William Sears, M.D. says: “Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
This health tip is brought to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D — all combined in a softgel with carrier oils for fast assimilation.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know that I’ve had insomnia for a very long time. Surprisingly, I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept. This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
Vitamin E is famous for it’s health benefits to glands and organs, however it may not be generally known that vitamin E is a proven remedy for hot flashes. Adelle Davis, the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on science-based studies, says: “During the menopause the need for vitamin E soars ten to fifty times over that previously required. Hot flashes and night sweats often disappear when 50 to 500 units of vitamin E are taken daily, but they quickly recur should the vitamin be stopped.”
One study supporting vitamin E is from the University of Iran, published in Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation in 2007. 400 IU of vitamin E in a softgel cap was given to the participants daily for four weeks. A diary was used to measure hot flashes before the study and at the end. The researchers concluded that vitamin E is effective and is a recommended treatment for hot flashes.
This article is provided to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural sleep remedy “Sleep Minerals II”. This insomnia remedy contains highly absorbable forms of magnesium and calcium, the best-known minerals for relaxation and rest.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept. This thing really works and the company really knows what its doing. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
White Rice Increases Risk of Diabetes – Magnesium and Fiber Lost in Processing
Posted on: July 2, 2012
The British Medical Journal recently published a study on the health effects of eating nutrient-deficient white rice. In an analysis of several studies, the researchers found that higher white rice consumption was associated with a significantly elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. This association seems to be stronger for Asians than for Western populations. A dose-response analysis showed that for each serving per day of white rice, this consumption was associated with an 11% increase in risk of diabetes in the overall population.
Compared with minimally processed whole grains such as brown rice, white rice has a lower content of many nutrients including fiber, magnesium, vitamins, and healthy plant chemicals. These are lost during the refining process when the outer covering is removed and brown rice is converted to white. Some of these nutrients, especially insoluble fiber and magnesium, have been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in studies. Thus, a high consumption of white rice may lead to increased risk of diabetes because of the low intake of beneficial nutrients.
Comments from the blog author, Nutrition Breakthroughs:
When we eat highly processed foods, our bodies will then need to take the missing nutrients out of our tissues in order to assimilate the deficient food. This includes fast foods, pastries, cakes, cookies, sodas, and other foods made from highly processed white flour or white sugar. Whole grain brown rice and other whole grains are a better alternative as they retain many of their natural vitamins.
One particularly important nutrient that removed from processed foods is is magnesium — one that much of our population is deficient in. Mildred Seelig, M.D., the leading medical researcher on magnesium says: “Many people needlessly suffer pain – including migraines and muscle cramps – because they don’t get enough magnesium.”
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center web site, inadequate magnesium also appears to reduce serotonin levels in the brain. One study found that magnesium was just as effective as an antidepressant drug in treating depression. In addition, researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute in Sweden reported that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes was decreased by 15 per cent.
Chronic insomnia is also one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep — from a study done at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
This information is brought to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium — combined with vitamin D. The ingredients are formulated in a softgel, which makes them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept! This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people do know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
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Credit: The British Medical Journal http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1454
This helpful information on restless leg syndrome comes from the Editors of Consumer Guide:
It’s bad enough when you can’t get to sleep and you just lie there, staring at the ceiling. But people who suffer from restless legs syndrome don’t just lie there. They are seized by an uncontrollable urge to move their legs. Their legs actually twitch or jerk, while they experience the sensation of something squirming or wiggling under their skin. Consequently, restless legs syndrome can lead to problems associated with sleep deprivation, such as anxiety and depression.
Researchers say this is a condition still shrouded in much mystery. Although there seem to be connections with other conditions — such as heart, lung, and kidney disorders: circulatory problems; and arthritis — the culprit sometimes appears to be as simple as excessive caffeine consumption or too little exercise.
The following home remedies are designed to help you combat this problem. If you find that you still have twitching legs after you’ve tried these tips, however, it’s time to get a medical evaluation.
1. Get up and walk. Walking around may be the only thing that helps. A midnight stroll through the house may calm your legs enough to keep them still when you go back to bed.
2. Check out your caffeine consumption. Coffee, tea, chocolate, sodas, and even over-the-counter (OTC) medications may contain caffeine. Try cutting your consumption of caffeine-containing foods and medications (or substituting decaffeinated varieties) to see if your condition improves. Avoid tobacco, which contains the stimulant nicotine, and alcohol, which can have its own detrimental effects on sleep, as well.
3. Modify your medication. Some OTC medications, such as certain cold medications and allergy pills, contain mild stimulants that can result in jittery legs. Ask your pharmacist if any medications you are taking contain stimulants and whether there are any nonstimulating alternatives.
4. Take a bath. A warm bath or massage before bed relaxes muscles and therefore may be helpful.
5. Change your temperature. Sometimes, a change from hot to cold, or cold to hot, can do the trick. Try putting a heating pad or hot pack on your legs for a short while. If that doesn’t work, drape a cool towel over your legs, or dip your feet in cool water.
6. Make sure you’re eating well. There are some indications that a deficiency in iron, folate, or magnesium may contribute to restless legs syndrome. By eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, you should get the vitamins and minerals you need. However, your doctor may recommend supplements of these specific nutrients.
7. Make a bedtime habit. Get into a regular routine that will help your mind and body settle down and prepare for bed.
8. Stick to a schedule. Getting to bed at about the same time each night and allowing for a full night’s sleep may help avoid the fatigue that could be a contributing factor to restless legs syndrome.
9. Soothe your stress. Stress may not be the cause of restless legs syndrome, but it can exacerbate it. Try to eliminate some of the stress in your life. Regular exercise and some form of relaxation or even an engaging in a hobby may help you “de-stress.”
10. Exercise your legs. Moderate exercise often helps, although excessive exercise can aggravate restless leg symptoms. A daily walk at a moderate pace is an excellent exercise, especially for folks who haven’t been very physically active in a while
11. Stretch your legs. Try stretching your calves, hamstrings (backs of the knees), and gluteal (butt) muscles before bed.
12. Wear socks to bed. Some experts have found that a lot of people who suffer from restless legs syndrome also seem to have cold feet. Although nobody has studied the connection, it might not hurt to bundle up your tootsies for the night.
……Additional comments from the blog author Nutrition Breakthroughs:
Studies have shown the mineral magnesium to be effective in helping to calm restless leg syndrome and insomnia. Supplements should contain a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium (twice as much calcium as magnesium). The original research on this recommended ratio appeared in 1935 in the Journal of Physiological Reviews.
In addition, a softgel form is more digestible than tablets or capsules. Softgels formulated with carrier oils have been shown to increase mineral absorption and improve bone strength.
One formula that has these qualities and is gaining in popularity with restless leg syndrome sufferers is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of the best minerals for relaxation — calcium and magnesium. The ingredients are delivered in a softgel form with carrier oils, making them more easily assimilated than capsules or tablets and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
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Credit: the Editors of Consumer Guide. “12 Home Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome” 16 January 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-restless-legs-syndrome.htm 25 June 2012.
By Jack Saari, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center
The most naturally colorful place in a supermarket is the produce department. Recent studies indicate that those colors are sending us a message. It seems that the color-producing chemicals in fruits and vegetables, nature’s packaging scheme, are advertising the health benefits of those plants.
What are these chemicals? A term coined to describe plant chemicals is phytonutrient, ‘phyto’ meaning plant-based. Some phytonutrients, colors or pigments, may already be familiar to you. These include lycopene, which makes tomatoes red; lutein, the color of corn; and beta-carotene, which gives carrots their orange color. The green color of chlorophyll is evident in leafy vegetables, but in many cases hides the presence of other pigments such as lutein and beta-carotene.
Other chemicals may be less familiar, for instance, the broad class of compounds called anthocyanins, which impart the vibrant reds (strawberries, cherries), blues (blueberries) and purples (grapes, plums) to many fruits. How do these colored chemicals protect us? A clue is provided by how they protect plants. While plants need light to survive, excess light energy can be destructive. In times of plant stress, light energy beyond what plants can use causes formation of highly reactive oxygen radicals. This so-called oxidant stress can damage the plant. In agricultural terms, this reduces yield.
Carotenoids in plants, in particular, lutein and zeazanthin, have been shown to prevent this damage by acting as antioxidants. Many of the colored phytonutrients have structures that make them good antioxidants. To increase yield, plant scientists are trying to find ways to increase the amounts of these naturally protective chemicals in crops.
Nutritionists in turn are trying to increase the amounts of plant-based foods in our diets. That’s because the colored phytonutrients can do for us what they do in plants. Many diseases have at their core the excess production of oxygen radicals. These radicals can mutate DNA to cause cancer. They can oxidize LDL (bad cholesterol) to promote atherosclerosis. Oxygen radicals can trigger clotting, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Excess light, in addition to damaging plants, can damage the eye. In general, aging is thought by many scientists to result from accumulation of oxygen radical damage. Scientists are finding that consumption of plants with their high concentrations of antioxidant phytonutrients can combat many of the diseases mediated by oxygen radicals.
But fighting oxidant stress may not be all they do. Research is beginning to show effects of phytonutrients on cancer growth, hormone function, immune response, inflammation and blood vessel function that are independent of their antioxidant nature. From these findings, it is not surprising that consumption of tomato products has been linked to reduction of both cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Foods containing alpha- and beta-carotene, such as carrots and spinach, have been shown to reduce coronary heart disease. Lutein and zeazanthin, present in corn, carrots and dark green vegetables, are also components of the eye’s macula and thus essential for prevention of macular degeneration. Consumption of blueberries has been shown to improve memory, coordination and balance in aging rats. Strawberry extracts have been shown to prevent aging as simulated by a high oxygen environment in rats. Sour cherries appear to benefit arthritis sufferers by reducing inflammation.
And don’t ignore white. Though unpigmented vegetables such as garlic and white onions may lack colorful pigments, they nonetheless contain important protective phytochemicals.
Another side benefit of adding colorful plant-based foods to your diet is that they replace high-calorie foods in your diet. Along with exercise, this can contribute to weight reduction. As we know, excess weight is a risk factor for both cancer and heart disease.
How many servings of fruits and vegetables should we eat a day?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendation (mypyramid.gov) actually is five to nine servings a day three to five of vegetables and two to four of fruit.
You may balk at the idea of nine servings, but don’t be distressed by the number. Serving sizes are not that big. Most would fit in the palm of your hand. The key is variety, not bulk.
So get healthier. Go out and color your diet.
Comments from the blog author Nutrition Breakthroughs: When deciding what to eat, seek out brightly colored fruits and vegetables for greater health. Good eating leads to good health for all parts of your body, including your heart and brain, and leads to higher levels of energy during the day and better, deeper sleep at night.
This article is provided to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective sleep remedy for insomnia help “Sleep Minerals II”. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of magnesium and calcium, as well as Vitamin D and healthy oils. If you need to get better, deeper sleep, visit this link:
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