General Health Articles

Sleeping Mistakes We Make Every Night

We have all been there a million times, checking the clock every few minutes and telling yourself that you NEED to fall asleep that very second or else tomorrow is going to be a super long day! But what typically happens? We have a terrible time falling asleep when we are under pressure of having to fall asleep!

According to scientists, this condition is called psychophysiological insomnia and feeling pressure to fall asleep causes fragmented sleep and worsened sleep quality.

Psychophysiological insomnia affects nearly 15% of all chronic insomnia patients, and while you can't make yourself fall asleep exactly when you want to, there are some things you can do to help your cause.

Instead of having negative thoughts like “I'm going to be worthless tomorrow if I don't fall asleep now,” tell yourself “I've had sleeping problems before and have been able to function.”

Another suggestion from insomnia researchers is to delay your bedtime until you are truly sleepy, instead of when you think you should be in bed.

They also suggest having a bedtime snack like cheese and crackers or cottage cheese, to combine complex carbohydrates with tryptophan to help you sleep.

Lastly, don't be a clock watcher as this will only give you more anxiety. Instead turn your clock around so that you cannot see what time it is during the night.

Resolve to be a Better “You” in the New Year

The easiest way to kill your New Year's resolution sometimes is to make one at all.  So, why not make the switch in 2018 to not make a resolution that you will most likely break a few days later, but choose a way to be a better person by making some inward and outward changes.

Get more sleep.  Besides helping you to feel energized during the day and improve your mood, getting more sleep can also aid in losing weight.  Your body repairs and rejuvenates during sleep, even calcium is added to your bones while you sleep!  Getting adequate sleep is the best way for your mind and body to be the best it can be.  While optimum sleep time varies from person to person, the average is 4 to 11 hours each day.  While getting to bed earlier is easier said than done, you should also avoid food for at least 2 hours prior to bedtime and eliminate all sources of light in your bedroom while you sleep.

Get out of toxic relationships.  You may have been talking about it for months or even years, but if you are in a toxic relationship : whether friendly or emotionally : make 2018 the year when you cut your ties. Don't let your fears control you and break yourself free of when you cut your ties. Don't let your fears control you and break yourself free of relationships that are doing you more harm than good.   Believe in yourself and good things (and good people) will come into your life.

Eat a fruit or a vegetable with every meal.  Studies show that Americans eat fewer fruits and vegetables than other countries, and disease prevention is directly linked to consumption of fruits and vegetables.  It seems like a no-brainer to get healthier through eating more fruits and vegetables, but for some it may be best to start small.  For example, add a banana to your morning cereal or make sure to eat a salad prior to dinner.

Be more social with friends.  Studies have found that having a very active social life can be very beneficial to your health.  Having an active social life can help you stick to healthy habits, fight disease and depression, reduce anxiety and stress, enhance your purpose in life, promote happiness, and even live longer.  Balance is key, though, so be sure to allow at least one day a week for some “me” time.

Adjust Your Lifestyle to Avoid the Flu

With winter comes the holidays, colds, flus and other events that wreak havoc on our immune system.  To boost our immune systems, we need to make some minor adjustments in our diet and lifestyle to help curb the impact the season has on our body.  Try these small adjustments this year:

Adjustment 1:

Get your Essential Fatty Acids

Because essential fatty acids are the key to building super hormones, make sure that you get enough of these fatty acids from nuts, seeds, fish, cold pressed oils and supplements.

Adjustment 2:

Eat Enough Protein

Protein is important for your optimal health no matter what season it is.  Nutritionists suggest .75 to 1.25 grams of protein per pound of your body weight depending upon your physical activity.  But, because our body can only absorb 30 to 35 grams per meal, we need to spread our protein intake throughout the day.  Be sure to eat some sort of protein in every meal and in every snack.  Getting some of that protein through soy-based products is also recommended by many nutritionalists.

Adjustment 3:

Choose low GI carbohydrates

GI or glycemic index, is the measure of how fast blood sugar rises after eating.  One good example is that white sugar has a glycemic index of 100, where peanuts have a glycemic index of 15.  That means that peanuts raise the blood sugar levels at 15% of the rate of white sugar.  Fast rising blood sugar means the pancreas produces and sometimes overproduces insulin.  These spikes in insulin can weaken the immune system and interferes with the production of super hormones.  By choosing low GI carbohydrates, combined with eating the appropriate levels of protein you can better control your insulin.

Overall, the best way to adjust your immune system this winter is to avoid too much supplementation, get enough protein and essential fatty acids, and avoid those sugary carbohydrates to make your way through these next couple months illness-free.

Creating a Healthier You

The road to a slimmer and healthier body is a difficult path. But overcoming these roadblocks only require a simple lifestyle overhaul. Liposuction is surely the quickest path to slashing pounds of fats accumulated through years of physical neglect. But this is neither the safest or most effective method of ensuring a healthier you in the future.

The best weight loss treatments are those that reinforce a healthy lifestyle. It is those daily habits that given time helps you get rid of those stubborn love handles but more importantly keeps it away forever.

Replace Fat with Muscles

Easier said than done but if done right it rewards you with healthier and shapelier figure. Whether it's walking a few extra blocks to the office or spending a couple of hours at the gym, getting rid of fats the natural way is devoid of risks and complications that surgery brings.

Building and toning your muscles is the next logical step after losing those unwanted fat deposits. So why wait when you can build those muscles while losing weight.

Build your Cardio

Cardio exercises such as high intensity training or running is a good way to burn fats. It is also a good way to naturally increase your body's metabolism. Living a sedentary lifestyle lowers your metabolism simply because your body does not require transforming fats into energy. When your body becomes accustomed to strenuous activity regularly, it prepares itself by increasing metabolism. This is to make energy readily available throughout the day.

Eat Healthy

Unhealthy eating habits is perhaps the biggest culprit in the overweight problems we face today. The overabundance of processed and fatty foods makes it easier for us to store those unwanted pounds.

Lower your calorie intake gradually

The best diets are those that work for you. Lowering your calorie intake suddenly only brings more troubles than solutions. You still require a considerable amount to maintain your normal body functioning. Cut your calories gradually. This gives your body the time to adjust to changes.

Load up on proteins

Increasing your protein intakes is essential when building muscles. But it is another good way of burning calories since more energy is required to breakdown protein. Replace those high calorie food with protein loaded meals. Satiate your hunger and help build those muscles.

Fortify with Iron

A well-rounded diet that focuses on all essential vitamins and minerals is essential. Iron improves blood flow. Better blood flow also increases metabolism. When you're trying to burn fats and live a more active lifestyle it is important that your body's supply of nutrients and oxygen is maintained with good blood circulation.

Turn up the heat with spicy food

Sweat is a clear indication that something in our body is heating up and eating spicy food is a good start. Eating spicy food gets our body heated up and so does our metabolism. It's a great way to bring something different into your daily diet without sacrificing your hard earned gains.

Stick to healthy fats

Yes, there's such a thing as healthy fats. Eating healthy does not mean eliminating one type of food or in this case staying away from fats. Fats are essential to our body's normal functioning so taking it off the table can do more harm than good. Fish is a good source of healthy fat. Salmons for example are rich in Omega 3 which actually reduces levels of cholesterol in the body.

Weight Loss and You

The first step towards achieving a healthier body is accepting that change is necessary. Even the best weight loss treatments are useless if you are not dedicated to the process.

Eating Disorders

Weight gain could be a slippery slope where a few extra pounds could quickly turn into a wardrobe nightmare. Weight problems are mainly caused by two factors, unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. While some are genetically predisposed to suffer from easy weight gain, most overweight problems are due to simple lifestyle habits.

We've all been guilty of eating an extra piece of cake during the holidays. But the real problem is when we just can't stop ourselves from grabbing that extra piece of cake holiday or no holiday. And this is where eating disorders come in.

Binge Eating

Binge eating is simply not being able to stop yourself from eating. Binge eating is overeating or the loss of control and the general feeling of helplessness. But this is not commonly an overt behavior, people who suffer from binge eating do this in secret and away from the prying eyes of people. Feelings of guilt and depression after binge eating are also manifested.

Binge eating certainly leads to weight problems but this does not stop there. People are also at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes and other weight related problems.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an eating condition where people overeat and try to eliminate their excessive food intake by vomiting, taking laxatives or inducing diarrhea. Bulimia nervosa is not merely overeating, this is out-of-control eating that goes beyond stuffing yourself full.

People who are suffering from bulimia nervosa are not always fat in fact some of them have normal figures. This is because people who suffer from bulimia nervosa are able to purge excess food from their system.

Anorexia Nervosa

At the other side of the coin is an eating disorder referred to as anorexia nervosa. Rather than being unable to stop yourself from grabbing the nearest edible concoction you see, you simply refuse to take any type of food for fear of becoming fat.

People exercise aggressively in an attempt to lose calories while refusing to eat. Exercising is a great way to lose those extra pounds but we should at least replenish the nutrients we lost. People suffering from this condition do not only actively reduce their food intake they also take laxatives, diuretics and vomit to remove the little amount of nutrients they have in their system.

Eating Disorders Summary

Statistics show that women tend to suffer from eating disorders more than men. Specific eating disorders are also more common in certain age groups and develop at an early age. Eating disorders could be developed and are also genetic. People with relatives who suffer from an eating disorder are more likely to develop this condition.

Heredity could be a contributing factor but far more concerning are the different environmental factors that come into play. While genetics is something that could not be controlled, external influences have a bigger role in the increasing number of people who suffer from eating disorders. The pressure to conform with what society considers as an attractive body has forced many to the path of anorexia nervosa.

Depression, anxiety and high levels of stress can also lead to comfort eating and eventually binge eating. The constant pressure at work and at home has left many people searching for an easy way to relieve stress.

We all have had our bouts with eating disorders at one part in our life. From our episodes of binge eating to extreme dieting what matters is that we have been able to overcome these situations.  It only takes a few steps to slip into the dangers of eating orders. If you believe that you might already be suffering, talking with friends and families or getting the help of a health professional is the best way to treat this condition.