Physical Activity Impacts Overall Quality of Sleep

People sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, a new study concludes.

A nationally representative sample of more than 2,600 men and women, ages 18-85, found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week, which is the national guideline, provided a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality. People also said they felt less sleepy during the day, compared to those with less physical activity.

The study, out in the December issue of the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, lends more evidence to mounting research showing the importance of exercise to a number of health factors. Among adults in the United States, about 35 to 40 percent of the population has problems with falling asleep or with daytime sleepiness.

“We were using the physical activity guidelines set forth for cardiovascular health, but it appears that those guidelines might have a spillover effect to other areas of health,” said Brad Cardinal, a professor of exercise science at Oregon State University and one of the study’s authors.

“Increasingly, the scientific evidence is encouraging as regular physical activity may serve as a non-pharmaceutical alternative to improve sleep.”

After controlling for age, BMI (Body Mass Index), health status, smoking status, and depression, the relative risk of often feeling overly sleepy during the day compared to never feeling overly sleepy during the day decreased by 65 percent for participants meeting physical activity guidelines.

Similar results were also found for having leg cramps while sleeping (68 percent less likely) and having difficulty concentrating when tired (45 percent decrease).

Paul Loprinzi, an assistant professor at Bellarmine University is lead author of the study, which was conducted while he was a doctoral student in Cardinal’s lab at OSU. He said it is the first study to examine the relationship between accelerometer-measured physical activity and sleep while utilizing a nationally representative sample of adults of all ages.

‘Our findings demonstrate a link between regular physical activity and perceptions of sleepiness during the day, which suggests that participation in physical activity on a regular basis may positively influence an individual’s productivity at work, or in the case of a student, influence their ability to pay attention in class,” he said.

Cardinal said past studies linking physical activity and sleep used only self-reports of exercise. The danger with this is that many people tend to overestimate the amount of activity they do, he said.

He added that the take-away for consumers is to remember that exercise has a number of health benefits, and that can include helping feel alert and awake.

“Physical activity may not just be good for the waistline and heart, but it also can help you sleep,” Cardinal said. “There are trade-offs. It may be easier when you are tired to skip the workout and go to sleep, but it may be beneficial for your long-term health to make the hard decision and get your exercise.”

(Science Daily Nov. 23, 2011)

The other day I was thinking of two friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last couple of years and how they have grown and become well since then. I thought about their characteristics and the attitudes they own as well as how they dealt with the monstrous disease and effects of the treatments they had to go through. I have come up with three characteristics which I believe they both have and can help anyone deal with an illness or even a let down or disappointment in life. I think that these characteristics can help one cope with serious illness or chronic disease and life in general.

     The three characteristics I am speaking of are; Faith, Forgiveness, and Foresight.

     According to the dictionary Faith is a confident belief in an idea, a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence, and or a set of beliefs or principles about life. These two friends of mine have faith and practice faith in their lives. They confidently believed that they were going to get better, overcome the devastating illness and effects of therapy and be able to regain a normal, healthy life. When questioned about how they could maintain this belief they both said that there was no other choice and they were confident about the future. They also believed in themselves, that good things were in store for them after this storm in their life. Traditionally there was not a connection between health and faith but in recent years many scientific social scientists have determined that there is indeed some connection between health and faith. Prayer, worship with others as well as service to others are all concepts that are part of studies being done in regard to health and faith.

     According to the dictionary to Forgive is to renounce anger and resentment. Who wants to keep anger within them? It seems to me that being able to forgive is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.  Katherine Piderman, Ph.D. states, “Forgiveness can lead to  greater spiritual and psychological well-being, less stress, lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and a peace that helps one to go on with their life.”  By holding anger and resentment in a person can allow these negative feelings to take over positive feelings and someone can become swallowed up by bitterness and depressive symptoms. These two friends of mine have this type of spirituality and are able to forgive the fact that they were dealt a bad hand in the scheme of life and did not hold bitterness or anger within them. It takes some strong beliefs to be able to overcome resentment and anger when people are struck with a possibly life threatening disease.

 Both of my friends have Foresight in that according to the dictionary foresight means that one has care in providing for the future, the act of looking forward and future prudence. Both women researched and armed themselves with knowledge and one pursued the fact that she has a symptom and a normal mammogram and kept going back to her healthcare professional demanding that more testing be done. She was right. They were both able to look ahead to the future and realize that with knowledge, care, and the right approach they would get better and had a lot more of good things in life to look forward to.

Sources: Mayo clinic 

Did you know that according to Prevention magazine there are 8 essential friends a woman should have which can benefit our emotional and physical health people that are important in a women’s life? These are the following:

1. A childhood friend- These friends are important because they have those memories of you when you were growing up. They kind of balance you because they have known you for so long and help you to keep a perspective about yourself. The author and researchers suggest starting a type of web site that makes it easy for a certain group of friends to interact. Other ways would be a monthly e-mail with some pictures of your family or present activities.
2. A new friend- Pamela McLean, PHD, states as we get older, we can fall into ruts” and “new friends ignite different ways of being and thinking”. These types of friendships can prove useful when you are starting a new endeavor or looking to make more new friends. Suggestions to find this new friend; they could be in exercise groups, reading groups, the office, kids friends parents or even a person in a store or shop that you strike up a conversation and feel some affinity to. These new friends don’t have any preconceived ideas as the old friend so it can open the path for growing.
3. A work-out friend- We all know that exercise is a very important part of staying healthy. When you have an exercise partner who helps you with accountability it helps you to stick to the program. It might be helpful to set a goal together and work with each other on keeping on track.
4. A spiritual friend- “A study from Duke University Medical Center found that people who regularly attended religious services or engaged in activities such as prayer, meditation, or Bible study had a 50% lower risk of dying over a 6-year period than others of the same age and health status” (www.prevention.com, 2011). You could also take a spiritual type class, meditation class or volunteer with like minded spiritual people. Being more spiritual and spending time with others who are creates resiliency.
5. A younger friend-Women like to nurture others and feel useful. When you mentor someone who is younger you are sharing good parts of yourself. It creates a feeling of accomplishment and well being. Remember also that you can learn new things from a younger friend so it’s a two way street. 
6. Your partners friends-When you cultivate friends of your partner it is indirectly supportive of your marriage. It helps by making each other feel a part of their life together and spouses are generally happier in marriages where friends are shared together.

7.    Your Mom- “ There is great value in this bond because mothers and daughters care so much for one another,” says Karen L. Fingerman, PhD (prevention, 2011). However it is noted that some mother-daughter relationships are difficult and the best ones are the ones where the daughter does not take criticism too personally.

       For me, this is a difficult one as my best friend and mother passed away three years ago. But I think we can “adopt” another or other figures such as an aunt, friend or other as a stand-in mom.

   8.    Yourself- Get to know yourself and gain self-awareness. For some this is difficult but in the end it is a process that will help you throughout the rest of your life. When you are happy about yourself you can navigate the world in an open, upbeat fashion.

        Sources:http://www.prevention.com

Many people would not think that spiritualism plays a role in their health. I propose to you that indeed it does play a role in our health and our lives. Most people take care of themselves by overseeing physical health by getting needed exams, tests, and seeing doctors when we need to. Most of us would not question doing or taking a prescribed antidote for a physical ailment but we don’t think about doing something for our spirits, our emotional health, and spiritual related emptiness. All of us experience ups and downs in our life and I believe it is partly due to a spiritual richness that some people are better able to cope with life’s twists and turns and retain health. As a nurse I have seen this many times throughout my professional career. I believe that enriching the spiritual side to our selves can enhance our health and outcomes to illness.

In most healing traditions and through generations of healers in the early beginnings of Western medicine, concerns of the body and spirit were intertwined. But with the coming of the scientific revolution and the enlightenment, these considerations were removed from the medical system. Today, however, a growing number of studies reveal that spirituality may play a bigger role in the healing process than the medical community had previously thought (University of Maryland Medical Center).

Spiritual practices can improve our coping skills and promote feelings of optimism and hope, cause us to perform healthy behaviors, and encourage a sense of well being. Spiritual practices also help us to practice positive habits and promote good immune function. It is not solely the practice of healthy habits that promotes health but the attitude that is adapted from being spiritually oriented.

There is empirical evidence that shows that if a person has faith it can increase our resistance to stress, if a person has hope it can help people survive illness and live a longer life, and people who practice forgiveness carry less anger, resentment, and deal better with emotions and stress.

Spirituality is not religion although it can encompass it, but something much more personal and profound. Eckhart Tolle, author of A New Earth, says to be spiritual is to live in a state of openness. “With that openness, a far greater power comes into your life,” he says. “So to be spiritual is to be in touch, connected with that dimension of depth in you.”

It is a belief system that a person has that relates them to the rest of existence, the universe, and a way of living with others. It is something that gives that person a sense of peace and allows for a deeper sense of tranquility when facing challenges. It helps you to view the world around you with loving eyes.

Dr. Wayne Dyer suggests this technique to start your spiritual journey:  

Decide to reduce the noise level in your life. Learn to take time each and every day for quiet contemplation. For example, when you’re driving alone, turn off the constant chatter bombarding your inner world. Try to make meditation a daily practice, even if it’s only a few minutes each day. As Swami Sivananda reminded his students, “Silence is the language of the gods.” Ask in silence, listen in silence, and let silence be the jumping-off point for becoming one with the creative force of the universe.

Spirituality (whatever you choose it to be) comes from within, not magically learned from other sources. You can start a spiritual journey at any time in your life and it can help your health and longevity.

Can you feel the change in the air? Are you ready to welcome a new season? Make a plan to create a healthier you…

Holistic health is something I believe in. Holistic health is characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole. Essentially this means that all the parts that are in you-your body, mind, spirit, emotions, and thoughts all combine to make up what you know as your health status.

In order to really live your healthiest life you have to be well not just physically but emotionally as well.

Fall is a time of change, changing leaves, changing weather, and possibly changes that you can implement in order to live your most fabulous and healthy life!

Physical fitness is not the only indicator that you are healthy. You can work to develop your physical fitness level but you also need to work your mind by thinking positive thoughts, use positive affirmations, be a friend to yourself, and adjust your mindset to one of positivity and optimism. Start today, to dwell more in the moment-not the past and not so much in the future that you cannot live for today. Start today by forgiving those people who have caused you pain and learn to dwell only on forgiving and letting go of anger, sadness, and negative energy. When you “fire” up your mind with a positive charge you will be amazed how far it will lead you.

Use your emotions to work for you, not against you

Your strongest “muscle” is your brain-start working it to have control over your thoughts and take responsibility for your health

Try to discover your spiritual well being-realize that you have a purpose and are not alone in your journey through life 

Remember that your health can be affected by what thoughts you have in your mind 

Practice rituals of gratitude which will lead to happiness and a lighter load in life

Practice forgiveness-use your muscle of your mind to forgive and move on, letting go of pain and toxicity  

1. Starting tomorrow upon waking think of five things you are most grateful for. Give each some thought and feel the happiness and grateful feeling-embracing it with each breath you take.
2. Starting tomorrow write a short note to someone that has caused you pain. Write about how you felt, and tell them you forgive them. You can make this note/letter as short or as long as you want to but write it sincerely. You may choose to throw it away, keep it for a later time, or send it to the person you are writing to. Imagine that this act of forgiveness will lift a stone off your heart and ultimately will help your health and happiness. You do not have to agree with what the person did; just forgive them for the sake of your own well being.
3. Starting now, when a negative thought enters your mind immediately switch the “channel” to a positive thought. This is working that muscle-your mind- to bring you more optimism and joy to your life.

Embrace the fall season with a plan of change for you and your health.

(NaturalNews) Citrus fruits contain a vast array of phytonutrients that are just now being respected for the extraordinary health values they hold. Fruits and vegetables have been renowned for years for providing essential nutrients such as vitamin C. Today, nutritional scientists have discovered a group of bioactive flavonoids that enhance the effects of vitamin C and provide a powerful defense against oxidative stress.

Bioactive flavonoids, vitamin P, are found in living fruits and vegetables. The various bioflavonoids found in citrus include hesperidin, quercetin, diosmin, naringin, & rutin among others. These phytonutrients are vital for proper absorption of Vitamin C. In fact, studies have proven their ability to enhance and prolong the action of vitamin C.

Many vitamin C supplements consist of synthetically derived ascorbic acid. This is virtually ineffective. Without the natural citrus bioflavonoids ascorbic acid is easily oxidized and can actually be harmful to the body. This is why whole food nutrition is so much better than synthetically derived supplements.

Studies have shown benefits of the citrus bioflavonoids on capillary permeability and blood flow. This is due to the powerful anti-inflammatory effects of these phytonutrients. This is especially important for oxygenating tissues and maintaining normal blood pressure. It also reduces swelling, venous backup, and edema. This process also improves respiration in the lungs.

Hesperidin is found most abundantly in the peel and membranous parts of lemons and oranges. Hesperidin is often used for the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. A deficiency of hesperidin in the diet has been linked with abnormal capillary function, extremity pain & leg cramps.

Rutin and quercetin are the strongest bioflavonoid anti-oxidants. These 2 phytonutrients have very powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. They along with the other bioactive flavonoids have their greatest effects within the blood stream and capillary beds. These have also been shown to be highly effective at preventing and treating varicose veins. These are found in large quantities in the fruits and rinds of lemons, limes, grapefruits, & oranges.

A 1955 study by Dr. Biskind looked at 69 cases of acute respiratory infections that were treated with a whole water soluble citrus bioflavonoid complex. The disorders included the common cold, acute follicular tonsillitis, & influenza. Within 8 to 48 hours all but 3 cases saw a significant decline in infection. Dr. Biskind credited this rapid recovery to improved capillary permeability and the enhanced vitamin C bioavailability.

In 1962, Dr. Robert Cragin used lemon-orange derived bioflavonoids on different groups of athletes in a double blind study. It was found that the athletes taking bioflavonoids experienced less muscle and joint injuries than the control group. These athletes also recovered quicker from similar injuries than the group of athletes not taking the bioflavonoids. The addition of vitamin C to the bioflavonoids (as seen in citrus fruits) appeared to enhance these effects.

The best sources of citrus bioflavonoids are in lemons, limes, grapefruits, oranges, & tangerines. They are in their most potent form when they are picked off the tree in their full ripeness. The longer they are off of the tree the more nutrient value they lose. Once peeled, citrus fruit begin to oxidize and within days can lose a significant portion of their anti-oxidant value.

Enhance Your Citrus BioFlavonoid Consumption:

Do not throw away squeezed lemon… eat the pulp and membrane first.
If the peel is organic, you can shred it into a lemon zest and apply it to meat, salads, etc.
Avoid orange & grapefruit juices due to the high sugar and instead eat the whole fruit which contains fibers and significantly more bioflavonoids.

Sources:

Natural News

www.naturalnews.com

Dr. David Jockers

http://www.man-health-magazine-onli…
http://www.raysahelian.com/hesperid…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutin
http://www.supplementfacts.com/Biof…

About the author:
Dr. David Jockers

Dr. David Jockers owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Ga. He is a Maximized Living doctor. His expertise is in weight loss, customized nutrition & exercise, & structural corrective chiropractic care. For more information go to www.exodushc.com To find a Maximized Living doctor near you go to www.maximizedliving.com

(NaturalNews) Sauerkraut combines the health benefits offered by all cruciferous vegetables (a category which includes cauliflowers and brussel sprouts as well as cabbage) with the probiotic advantages derived from the fermentation process.

Cabbage offers a host of health benefits. It is high in vitamins A and C. Studies have shown the cruciferous vegetables can help lower cholesterol levels. Cabbage also provides a rich source of phytonutrient antioxidants. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory properties, and some studies indicate it may help combat some cancers. However, this already helpful vegetable becomes a superfood when it is pickled.

The fermentation process used to make sauerkraut was probably first developed centuries ago simply as a means of preserving vegetables for easy consumption throughout the winter. The health benefits derived from pickling vegetables were already well-known to early civilizations. Historical evidence suggests laborers on the Great Wall of China consumed a version of the pickled cabbage dish 2,000 years ago.

Traditional Chinese has long prescribed sauerkraut juice as a home remedy for many common ailments . The armies of Genghis Khan most likely first brought the dish to Europe. The Roman army traveled with barrels of sauerkraut, using it to prevent intestinal infections among the troops during long excursions.

In periods and cultures when natural healing methods fell into disuse, people consumed fewer fermented foods and were subject to more illness. Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) killed many British sailors during the 1700s, especially on longer voyages. In the late 1770s, Captain James Cook circumnavigated the world without losing a single sailor to scurvy, thanks to the foods his ship carried, including sixty barrels of sauerkraut.

Mainstream health experts began to pay renewed attention to sauerkraut after a study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2002. Finnish researchers reported that in laboratory studies,a substance produced by fermented cabbage, isothiocyanates, helped prevent the growth of cancer.

Even before the laboratory study, however, alternative health experts extolled the healing benefits of sauerkraut because of the lactic acid bacteria produced as a side-effect of the pickling process.

Healthy human colons contain many beneficial bacteria which feed on the waste left over from our digestion, creating lactic acid. Without these beneficial bacteria the human digestive system becomes home to harmful parasites and yeasts, resulting in the condition of candida.

Sources: Tara Green-author

Natural news

 (NaturalNews) In regard to the health care “reform” measure in 2009, President Barack Obama assured the nation that the 1000-plus page measure was vital -vital- to ensure that all Americans were finally covered by health insurance. In praising its passage in the House, Obama said the measure “will begin the process of fixing what’s broken about our health care system, reducing costs for all, building on what works, and covering an estimated 97 percent of all Americans.”

That prediction isn’t likely to come true, for even a former head of the Democratic Party says not only will millions of Americans lose their preferred coverage after the so-called “Obamacare” legislation kicks in completely, but its price tag is liable to double.

Howard Dean, a physician, onetime Democratic candidate for president and former head of the Democratic National Committee, said this week that when Obamacare takes full effect, as many as one-third of the nation’s small businesses will opt to drop their employee coverage.

“This is very good for small business,” Dean said. “There was a McKinsey study, which the Democrats don’t like, but I do, and I think it’s true. Most small businesses are not going to be in the health insurance business anymore after this thing goes into effect.”

The study pointed out that one of Obama’s key promises – that employees would be able to keep their employer-provided insurance plans – won’t be true for employees of about 45 percent of small businesses, because those same businesses are planning to drop employee coverage because it’ll be cheaper for them to do so.

Which leads to the second of Obama’s two main promises – that his healthcare reform measure won’t add to the nation’s deficit.

As it turns out, employees who are tossed off their employer’s plans will then be eligible to sign up for one of those government (read taxpayer) provided health insurance exchange pools. And that, as they say, is where the real money is.

Regarding Dean’s comment that dropping employee coverage would help small businesses, former New York Gov. George Pataki said, “The only way it’s a help is if they drop coverage and their employees would all of a sudden have to go on the exchange, which is what of course the president promised wouldn’t happen.”

Most estimates of the healthcare reform bill is that it would cost about $970 billion over 10 years, about half of which would be paid for in new taxes. But that was based on a relatively small amount of employees – something like 7 percent, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates – being moved off their employer-provided coverage and into the exchange pools.

But with millions more employees likely to wind up in the exchange, that is liable to add nearly $1 trillion more to the cost of “reform.”

Souce: Natural News

NaturalNews) If you’ve been diligently avoiding the consumption of chemical sweeteners like sucralose, it might surprise you to learn that researchers have found sucralose is in the drinking water supply of more than 28 million Americans.

A recent study tested water samples from 19 water treatment plants in the United States serving more than 28 million people. Researchers looked at the samples for the artificial sweetener sucralose. Samples tested positive for sucralose in the source water of 15 out of 19 plants. Further, treatment failed to remove the sucralose from the drinking water: sucralose was also found in the finished drinking water from 13 out of 19 plants.

Researchers revealed that current water treatment methods fail to effectively remove sucralose from our water supply, leaving millions of Americans to unknowingly consume this artificial sweetener every single day.

Why is Sucralose in Our Drinking Water?

When a person ingests sucralose, a large percentage of it is not broken down and is instead excreted as waste. This waste goes through the water treatment plant, where the sucralose remains intact and goes on to become part of our drinking water supply.

Because sucralose has become one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners in commercial soft drinks and snack foods, it is no wonder that it is making an appearance in our drinking water. If sucralose consumption continues to rise, it stands to reason that everyone drinking public water will be ingesting more of this chemical sweetener as well – whether they want to or not.

Sucralose is Not Safe for Consumption

The public should be aware that the majority of the studies on the safety of sucralose are funded by the creators of the most popular sucralose product on the market. The conflict of interest is obvious and the results of these studies are clearly biased in favor of sucralose.

Independent studies aren’t nearly so positive. Questions about the negative impact sucralose has on male fertility, red blood cell count, kidney health, gut flora balance and body weight are serious concerns generated from the results of these studies. Many researchers and health experts are convinced that sucralose should never have been deemed safe for human consumption.

Common sense dictates that any chemically-processed food is unfit for human consumption. The fact that these substances are now running rampant through our water supply is an atrocity that violates our right to choose what we put into our own bodies.

Sources for this article include:

Elizabeth Walling-author

http://www.naturalnews.com

 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a…

http://naturalsociety.com/sucralose…

Did you know that women are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety than men? The brains of women and men differ in some significant ways. They are different due to genetic factors, our upbringing, our culture, and our experiences as girls and women.

Usually women are known for being more passive and dependent on men, although this is changing in our era. Women’s mental and physical symptoms are usually not taken as seriously as men’s. Even when women go into the emergency room with chest pain they may be treated for anxiety when it really is a heart problem. 

Women tend to visit their health care practitioners more often than men, hence they are usually prescribed more medications for symptoms they are suffering from. It is no secret that women tend to ventilate more and are more verbal about problems and illness where most men tend to keep silent and play the role of the strong character. But sometimes the medications may just mask a real problem. 

Stress can be positive or negative in women’s lives, depending how you view the situation. Stress that does not overwhelm you or is all consuming can be helpful to us in helping to create growth and cause innovative changes in your life. But stress that consumes you can be detrimental to your health. It can affect your immune system and you may become more apt to suffer from mental and physical disease. 

In many women’s lives they are the caregivers and nurturers for the family. Women can have a lot of different stressors in their lives related to family, career, marital difficulties, childbearing issues, domestic violence, and other triggers. If the stress is not handled in a healthy fashion it will eventually cause symptoms and depression can be one symptom of non-productive stress. 

When you are depressed or have a low mood it can affect the rest of your life and relationships. It is not something to ignore if it seems to last longer than two weeks. There are many treatments for depression and it’s important to see your health care provider. A combination of psychotherapy-talking about your issues, possible medication for the symptoms, yoga, meditation, and some time just for yourself are all possible interventions to help you and get you back on track. 

Don’t wait if you feel that you may be suffering from depression. Get the help you deserve.