Well Tuned Naturally

It seems in living such busy lives in our fast-paced world that there is either ‘just one more’ thing to do, or we feel there is not enough time to do our ‘personal interests’, so we head to bed later and get up earlier to try and fit everything in. Is that such a bad thing? I mean, how important is sleep anyway?

Even with all the research that has been conducted in this field, sleep remains a mystery. Though the notion of the brain being ‘active’ when we are awake and ‘inactive’ when we are a sleep has been proven false, there are still many aspects of sleep that elude researchers.

Regardless of knowing everything, a few truths have emerged that seem to hold the test of time.

To be convinced that ’something good’ happens during sleep, you need not look any farther than at a toddler. Anyone around a child whose ‘awake time’ threshold has just been crossed knows without a doubt that it is time for the child to have a nap. At such a time the child will be irritable, unruly, uncoordinated and just plain not fun to be around. Yet a nap and an hour or two later, they are a complete joy.

Adults too can start to exhibit these same characteristics when sleep deprivation starts to enter the picture. Obviously with a little maturity under their belt they are better at restraining themselves from displaying the outbursts, but it is not that they are not there.

Though maybe not knowing ‘how’, there are a number of things that happen during sleep that are known.

Sleep is a building, or re-fueling time. The energy processes that have been depleted through the day are restored and made available for the new day’s activities.

Human growth hormone is released while you sleep. Obviously this is important during the growing years of children and the reason babies will sleep 14 – 15 hours a day, and children between the ages of five and twelve typically needing 10 to 11 hours.

It doesn’t end in childhood though, human growth hormone is used in tissue repair, so even as an adult, during the night the body is busy rebuilding and restoring muscles and other tissue that has been damaged during the day.

Human growth hormone is not the only hormone released during sleep, there are others as well that aid the body in rebuilding and repair. The immune system has been found to get a boost during sleep. Research has found that with sleep deprivation, the immune system becomes impaired.

Chemicals and hormones related to being able to control your appetite and weight management are also released while you sleep. Thus the importance of those trying to lose weight to ensure they are getting an adequate amount of sleep at night.

Another very important aspect, though details remain unknown, is what happens to the circuitry in the brain. Though not understood, researchers do know that with sleep deprivation, people lose their ability to concentrate; language, memory, and sense of time are negatively affected. People lose the ability to respond to rapid changing situations and are incapable of making sound judgments.

The amount of sleep required varies from person to person with the range between 5 and 11 hours. The average comes in at just under 8. It doesn’t matter where you fall in the range, but what does matter is that you honor your body and give it the sleep it requires, if you want to function at your best.

Wouldn’t it be great to have all the energy you needed to get yourself through the day? So many of us find ourselves struggling to come up with the ambition to get things done and hopefully have somewhat of a productive day. With a few minor adjustments in habits, lifestyle and attitude, you can turn the struggle into a pleasant journey that will leave you happy, satisfied and more fulfilled. We will begin with a short discussion of two common types of energy we all experience at one time or another and how they affect our lives for better or worse. They are calm energy and tense energy.

CALM ENERGY
Calm energy is a state of low stress and high controlled energy. Small issues remain small and do not develop into more than what they really are. They therefore do not get in the way of things that are more important. Your physical and mental reserves are at a high level, giving you the serene confidence of an ideal flow state where you feel in continuous control.Your sense of well being and a positive outlook are in place. Due to this positive vantage point, your perception of attaining a successful result is much greater.Everything you do seems to go easily and smoothly. This is by far the energy you need to have on a regular basis.

TENSE ENERGY
Tense energy is the opposite. It can be the result of artificial stimulants such as caffeine, a situational effect of anger, stress or by merely being in a general rush. This type of energy cannot be maintained without a price. It interferes with the optimal neurotransmissions in the brain and in the long run leaves you exhausted; depleted mentally and physically. Continuing on this way will have negative consequences on your overall performance and will also erode your health over time. This type of energy is commonplace in many people’s lives, so much so that it seems normal. It is a sad testament to our current fast-paced culture that this seems to be the case. But this does not have to be. Here are ten steps to a positive, productive flow state that will support your efforts, making your life easier and more fulfilling.

THE TEN STEPS

1) Start with a good nights sleep, eight hours if possible. Without proper rest, it is difficult to maintain any kind of consistent energy level the next day. Be sure your bedroom is as dark as possible. Any light will interfere with your sleep cycle by suppressing the production of melatonin, a hormone released at the end of the day that signals your body that it’s time for sleep. Avoid a heavy meal at the end of the day, the process of digestion forces your body to stay active, not allowing it to settle into a good sleep pattern. Likewise, avoid caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime.

Let go of any worries and frustrations you may have. It may be helpful to come up with an affirmation you can say to yourself as you settle in each night. Something to the effect of: “This day is finished. I release any worries or concerns to my higher power and I am allowing myself to relax into a peaceful, healing sleep”.

2) When you first wake up in the morning, train yourself to think about what you will be looking forward to for the day, not what you are dreading.Focus on thoughts of gratitude for all the good things in your life, feel the warmth of this emotion glowing inside you. Give your day a positive purpose from the start.

3) Allow yourself a few minutes before rising to slowly and gently arch your back, stretch your arms and legs and turn your head from side to side. When you get up, leave your arms loose at your sides and shake them. Do the same with each leg, first one than the other. If you are up to it, drop down and do a few pushups, stand up and do a few kneebends or forward lunges. Then take three to four slow, relaxing breaths. Imagine breathing in energy that instantly courses throughout your entire body, invigorating and strengthening every cell. As you exhale slowly, breathe out all tension, fatigue and negative feelings. Any activity for just a few minutes first thing in the morning triggers your brain to produce signals to release tension and to begin the process of increasing your overall alertness. Try it, it’s amazing how little it takes to jump start your day with these simple movements.

4) Do not skip breakfast, no matter what. It does not have to be anything elaborate, but starting each day with a low-fat, high fiber breakfast is critical to continuing to develop the calm energy to carry you through the day. A toasted multi-grain bagel with low-fat cream cheese can provide a quick tasty meal, for example. Another easy to prepare breakfast is muesli. Before you go to bed, put 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats into a bowl and add just enough water to cover them.Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, add 1/2 cup of your favorite low fat yogurt and one to two teaspoons of brown sugar or honey. Top it off with pieces of apple, banana or any other fruit that strikes your fancy. This is a delicious, satisfying breakfast that has everything you need to start your day off right.

5) Eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This way you will be keeping your body’s energy furnace stoked without overwhelming it with fewer, larger meals that will leave you sluggish. Be sure to include a mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats such as those found in fish and nuts. This combination will provide the fuel, maintain your energy and will leave you feeling satisfied. Also be sure to keep yourself well hydrated through the day by drinking plenty of water.

6) Focus for a few moments on your normal breathing pattern. You’ll notice that while you aren’t in an active state, your breathing may be quite shallow. Throughout the day take a couple of minutes to do some concentrated belly breathing to take more oxygen into your system. By doing this you will be assisting the oxidation level of your metabolism. First, sit up straight and face straight ahead. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose, expanding your abdomen first rather than you chest, but don’t force it. Exhale slowly and evenly, try to take twice as long breathing out as breathing in. Again, don’t force it. Repeat this sequence four times.

7) You can change your energy level instantly by ACTING energetic. Quicken your breathing pattern slightly, move more quickly and speak at a faster pace as if you’re really excited about something. Your body will respond with a noticeable surge of energy. Try this, you may be surprised at how well this works. Emotion is indeed directly influenced by motion.

Beware of the energy vampires! These are the people around you that siphon off your energy in several ways. Non-stop talking, continuous complaining and whining, asking an endless series of questions, incessant bragging to gain approval are just a few ways this can happen. Except for young children you may be raising, you are not responsible for anyone’s life or feelings but your own. When you can fully accept this and apply it in your life, you will find it much easier to politely end the conversation or walk away from the circumstance that would otherwise sap your energy.

9) Get into a regular exercise program. Go for a walk,develop a stretching routine, get a cardio exercise DVD suitable for your fitness level and follow along with it. Any exercise is better than none at all. Try for at least 20 minutes of activity three times a week to start.

10) Find ways to serve others and express thanks for all that you have during the day. By openly showing gratitude, you will attract more things into your life that will reinforce this feeling further. Likewise, by being of service to others you will give your self esteem and level of happiness a big boost. Either do a Google search for “volunteer” or contact your local church, school or nursing home for opportunities to serve. By taking action to be of service, you will find that good things will come into your life in unexpected ways almost as if by magic. If you continue on this path, your energy level will take on a life of its own and by supporting it with the previous suggestions, any lack of energy for you will be a thing of the past!

Over the past number of years the word ‘cholesterol’ has become a common term. However, what is it really and why all the talk about it?

What Is Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the fats (lipids) in the blood. Produced in the liver, this slippery substance is not a fat, but actually a steroid and plays a central role in many biochemical processes. Daily the liver produces about 1,000 milligrams of cholesterol.

What Does It Do?

It is an important structural component of cell membranes. As such it helps to strengthen cell walls and is vital in the exchange of nutrients and waste materials across membranes. It is present in higher concentrations in tissues which either produce more or have more densely packed membranes such as the liver, brain and spinal cord. Related to the brain and spinal cord, it is so important in the functioning of nerve impulses that without it you would not be able to move a muscle. (more…)

In the West, we like to think of our world as modern and of our medical system as sophisticated. Yet, with the wide array of illnesses, diseases and disorders that continue to escalate in scope and number, it might be time to explore another way of evaluating and maintaining health. Many people are doing just that, exploring the realm of natural health.

The basic premise of natural health is that when the body is nourished and maintained optimally, it is able to heal itself naturally. Better yet, it can prevent the occurrence of disease in the first place. In other words, we wouldn’t need the interventions of our medical system in many cases after all. Instead, we could create the environment and conditions that allow the body to heal itself in which optimum health can be assured.

A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone to natural health. Prevention is the foundation. Natural health is not about being a health fanatic, but more a health conscious person. This means holistic health, encompassing the whole person, body, mind and spirit.

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As you are well aware, the human body is marvelously made with so many amazing intricacies and abilities. Amid its functioning is the work of the immune system to protect you.

Years ago, infection was the major cause of disease and death. However, with advancement in personal hygiene and ways of preventing infection’s onslaught, deaths from this source declined. Today researchers have turned their attention to inflammation as the major factor in many chronic diseases, disabilities and deaths.

Inflammation is the body’s response to harm, which can result from bacterial, viral or parasitic infection, injury or trauma, stress, genetic abnormalities, metabolic disorders and even poor lifestyle choices, amongst other sources.

When the body is assaulted, the immune system kicks into gear. Immediately white blood cells are sent to the problem area to start destroying the damaged cells by secreting various inflammation-promoting chemicals. As such, these chemicals and the heat associated with them can cause the following symptoms: redness, swelling, warmth and pain. As well, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue and aching may also be the result of inflammation.

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Achieving a cure for panic attacks is challenging but certainly not impossible. Millions of people suffer from some sort of anxiety or panic disorder and many are able to completely overcome it and move on to live a confident, normal life.

But it does take dedication and some positive thinking to get there. If you truly want to eliminate the panic attacks and you take the action to overcome them, then you’ll certainly have no problem achieving your dream of living a life free of these symptoms.

Although there are no known medical cures for panic attacks, people often choose to follow natural treatments over taking prescription medications, which can have drastic side effects. (more…)