Natural Sleep Aid for Insomnia

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Insomnia is a common concern among pre-menopause and menopausal women, affecting up to 56 percent of women. Difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early, awakening during the night, or waking feeling tired are the characteristic features of insomnia. For some women, the hot flashes caused by hormonal changes in menopause can disrupt sleep. For others, insomnia may be triggered by stress, diet, medications or poor sleep habits. Regardless of the cause, a lack of sleep can take a toll on your health.

The exact amount of sleep required is thought to be between seven and nine hours nightly. Getting less than six hours is associated with health problems, such as memory loss, poor concentration, depression, headache, irritability, increased response to stress, high blood pressure, depressed immune function, low libido and weight gain.

There are a few dietary strategies that can improve sleep. Try a light snack before bed of a food that contains tryptophan. This amino acid stimulates the release of serotonin and makes you feel sleepy. Examples include: turkey, chicken, soy foods or whole grain crackers or cereal. A warm glass of milk is an old-time remedy for sleep and there is actually some basis to this. Milk contains certain proteins that aid sleep and the calcium in milk helps promote muscle relaxation. Caffeine (coffee, tea, pop, and chocolate) can affect sleep quality, and should be avoided 8 hours before bed time.  While alcohol may help you fall asleep, it causes nighttime wakening and reduces sleep quality, so minimize or avoid it completely. Go easy on sugary foods (cookies, candy) especially in the evening as these foods can cause a sugar-rush and affect your ability to fall asleep.

Developing good sleep habits is essential. Consider the following:

  • Set aside at least 7 to 8 hours for sleep. Leaving only 5 or 6 hours may make you feel stressed and impact your ability to fall asleep.
  • Establish a regular bed and wake time and try to follow this routine even on the weekends.
  • Do relaxing activities before bedtime – read a book, listen to relaxing music or have a warm bath.
  • Reserve your bedroom for intimacy and sleep only; don’t work in your bedroom.
  • Make your bedroom dark, quiet and comfortable.
  • Exercise regularly early in the day. Vigorous activity in the evening can be stimulating and impair sleep.
  • Don’t smoke – nicotine is a stimulant and impairs your ability to fall asleep and have a restful sleep.
  • Consider acupuncture, massage, yoga and meditation to promote relaxation

Prescription sedatives should only be used when all else fails as they are addictive and cause numerous side effects, including impairment in short term memory.

A natural sleeping aid can help without the side effects that prescription sleeping pills can. Look for a product with the following ingredients:

  • 5-HTP: 5-hydroxytryptophan increases serotonin and melatonin levels which promotes relaxation and better sleep
  • L-theanine: an amino acid found in green tea which reduces stress, promotes relaxation and improves sleep
  • Melatonin: a hormone naturally secreted by the brain that regulates our sleep/wake cycles.

A natural sleep aid can help reduce the time needed to fall asleep, reduce nighttime wakening and improve sleep quality.

Natural Remedies for Menopause

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Natural Remedies for Menopause

Yes, some women have an easier time with menopause than others but does anyone get away scot-free?  My mom and I have had several conversations on the topic – mostly me asking questions to avoid being ill-prepared, ill-informed or worse, misinformed!  She did, however tell me that my grandmother was one of the lucky ones.  She lost her period and that was that.  No flashes, no night sweats, no weight gain, no mood swings, no anxiety, no hair loss, no fatigue, no itchy skin, no burning tongue, NO NOTHING!  Well! This information came as a huge surprise to me and catapulted me into an extensive fact finding (more like fact proving) mission that occupied many hours of my days and now has become my lifelong work.   Here’s what I know now:

Menopausal symptoms effects roughly 85% of women and to set the record straight, in all, there are 34 reported symptoms of menopause.  Clearly the number of symptoms and the severity will be different among individual women, and also among women in different cultures and in different parts of the world.  But women who have joined the sisterhood of menopause are not alone – For the next 20 years, an estimated 40 million North American female baby boomers will experience menopause, and women today are past the point of being told to “just suffer through it”.

Take control of it, before IT takes control of you.

So how does one begin to take control?  Well for starters, get educated.  Take the time to read and understand the changes that your body is (or will be) going through.  Generally people deal better with things that don’t come as a surprise.  Don’t ignore “intuitive” treatments.  Dress in layers, buy a small inexpensive hand held fan and turn down the furnace.  Also avoid food s that are known to trigger a flash – like spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol.   Add foods that contain “phytoestrogens” — like soy, flax, certain beans, peas and lentils – natural remedies for menopause may also help to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes.  It goes without saying that good nutrition and regular physical exercise is a critical component to improved overall health.

Having a positive mind-set has a lot to do with how well a woman adjusts to menopause. If it is viewed as a catastrophic end to youth, fertility and sexuality, it can cause major disruptions in one’s life, and force the temptation to “solve” the problem with treatment options that falsely promise eternal youth.  There are many natural remedies for menopause available.  Look for menopause supplements that are a comprehensive blend of ingredients which includes Black Cohosh and Dong Quai, both which have been shown to tremendously help provide menopause relief.  The risks and rewards of hormone replacement therapy should be carefully considered before undertaking this protocol.  Many women do very well using natural remedies for menopause treatment.  If menopause is seen as the natural transition to the next phase of life, it can not only be readily accepted and more easily handled, but also a liberating rite of passage.

Heart Health Supplements for Women

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Heart Health Supplements for Women

Heart disease is the # 1 killer of women in Canada and worldwide. Women are 10 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than from any other disease. And our risk is 4 times greater during and after menopause than before menopause.

The news is not all bad though. There are many ways we can reduce our risk.

One way is with heart health supplements that are high in omega 3 fatty acids and co enzyme Q10, two powerful and proven ingredients that can help lower our risk of heart disease.

Omega-3 fatty acids modulate the production of powerful hormone-like substances known as eicosanoids. Those produced by omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and reduce blood clotting, lowering the risk of heart attack.

If an attack does occur, it’s less likely to be fatal. One study of heart attack survivors showed that if they took heart health supplements with 1,000 mg of omega-3s daily, they lowered their risk of dying from heart disease by 25 percent.

Omega-3 fats also lower blood triglycerides, reduce abnormal heart rhythms and the incidence of stroke, slow the buildup of artery-hardening plaques and lower blood pressure.

CoQ10 (Co Enzyme Q10) levels decrease with age and are low in patients with chronic diseases such as heart conditions. CoQ10 is found in virtually every cell of the body, including the heart, and functions as a carrier that helps produce ATP, the fuel that energizes cells. The heart muscle has the greatest concentration of mitochondria at five thousand per cell. Statin drugs, used for elevated cholesterol levels, deplete the body and heart of CoQ10. Heart health supplements ideally should contain CoQ10 for these reasons.

We hear it all the time but if you smoke…QUIT.  If you are a women age 50 or under and you smoke, your risk of dying from a heart attack is three times greater than that of an ex-smoker.

Get moving. Inactivity doubles our risk for heart disease. Our heart is a muscle that needs regular exercise to stay healthy (aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 – 50 minutes).

Maintain a healthy weight. The risk of a heart attack is three times higher in women who are overweight.

Lower your cholesterol. 40% of women 55 years old and older have elevated cholesterol. Choosing a diet low in fat and cholesterol can reduce blood cholesterol by as much as 5-20%.

Relax. In some people, stress raises their cholesterol level and blood pressure, two factors associated with heart disease.

Lower our blood pressure. 52% of women 45 years+ have elevated blood pressure. High blood pressure (over 140/90) causes blood to press too hard against the walls of your arteries, wearing down the lining of our arteries over time.

Keep your blood sugars normal. A woman with diabetes has a 5 times higher risk of heart disease. Diabetes can damage artery walls, increasing the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Limit your alcohol. Drinking more than two drinks per day increases your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

Pregnancy Vitamins: What to Consider when Buying a Prenatal

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Pregnancy Vitamins: What to Consider when Selecting a Prenatal

There is something special (and stressful) about the months during which a women is trying to conceive and throughout the 40 or so weeks of pregnancy. With the health and wellbeing of their new arrival top of mind, women are more likely to take better care of themselves, eat a more balanced diet, get more sleep and start taking pregnancy vitamins (prenatal vitamins).

For many women, taking vitamins during pregnancy may be their first introduction to vitamins. And, if you’ve ever visited the vitamin aisle at your local drug store or natural health food store, you’ll know that the number of options is overwhelming. With so many brands, ingredients and information in the market, how do you choose the right pregnancy vitamins for you and the health of your baby?

Here are some things to consider when selecting your pregnancy vitamins to ensure you get the best prenatal supplement for you and your baby:

The Basics

The first step in selecting the right supplement for before, during and after pregnancy is to choose from one of the many pregnancy vitamins also known as prenatal vitamins. Avoid a regular multi-vitamin as it will be lacking the appropriate dose of the two most important added ingredients – folic acid and iron.

A quality pregnancy vitamin should include a balanced blend of vitamins and minerals, 30mg of iron and a minimum of 1mg of folic acid. Folic acid should be take for at least two to three months before conception to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida, and other birth defects like cleft lip, cleft palate, and certain heart defects.

Ginger and Pregnancy

Up to 80% of women suffer from nausea(often called ‘morning sickness’ although for many women it lasts all day) and if you are one of these lucky women , finding pregnancy vitamins with the recommended dosage of folic acid, iron, AND ginger should be a priority.

Wondering: Is ginger safe during pregnancy? Ginger has long been a natural remedy associated with reducing nausea and stomach upset, and has been clinically proven to safely reduce nausea associated with pregnancy. Doctors, midwives, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals often recommended anti-nauseates such as Diclectin for those suffering from morning sickness. And while it can be an effective remedy and is considered ‘safe’ by reputable medical professionals and resources such as www.motherisk.ca, supplements containing ginger offer a safe, natural solution that is gentle on your system and that of your unborn baby.
In our next post, the most dangerous ingredients in prenatal vitamins and how you and your baby need to avoid them.

Pregnancy Vitamins: What to Consider when Buying One Part 2

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A continuation of our previous post.

Dangerous Ingredients

Taking prenatal vitamins for the health of you and your baby? Then watch out for these dangerous ingredients found in some of the leading prenatal vitamins. Make sure to read the labels carefully. Avoid prenatal supplements that include ingredients like BHT, FD&C red no. 40, Sodium Benzoate and Titanium dioxide.

BHT is a skin, liver and kidney toxicant. It is stored in the liver and in fat making thin people more at risk for damage associated with consumption of this ingredient. Studies have shown that BHT promotes cancer and the growth of tumours.

In Europe, FD&C red no. 40 which is often used as a food colorant, is not recommended for consumption by children and yet many of the leading prenatal vitamins include this in their formulations. It is banned in the UK, Denmark, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Sweden.

Sodium Benzoate combined with ascorbic acid and potassium benzoate may form benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen. Similarly, Titanium dioxide was recently classified as a possible carcinogen to humans. Carcinogens have long been considered cancer promoting and should be avoided by all people.

The presence of these dangerous ingredients in some of the most popular prenatal vitamins is shocking and scary. Make sure you read and compare labels carefully and do your own research to find the safest prenatal  vitamin for before, during and after pregnancy.

Veggie Capsule versus Gel Capsule

Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, you may be surprised to learn that many prenatal vitamins (and supplements and other over the counter drugs in general) are made with gel capsules. Gel capsules are made with Gelatin; a substance derived the bones, tissues, organs and intestines of animals like cows, pigs and chickens.

If you’re a vegetarian or simply loathe the idea of gel caps (who could blame you!), look for a supplement that is made with vegetable capsules. Veggie capsules are often used only by premium brands and supplements due to the higher manufacturing cost. So look for brands that offer their products in veggie caps, in addition to a more appealing supplement, you’ll also know that their priority is quality not cost.

Not your first pregnancy or have a prenatal vitamin you swear by? Check the ingredients and compare all the prenatal vitamins available at your local pharmacy. Don’t rule out switching brands for a supplement that has the right effective ingredients, is free of dangerous ingredients, and doesn’t use dairy, gluten and any other unnecessary fillers.

Not sure where to get prenatal vitamins? Shop online or visit your local grocery store, pharmacy or natural health food store. Make sure you do your research in advance and take a list of what ingredients to avoid and which ingredients to look for.

Found the perfect prenatal vitamin? Share it with us!