Is Your Bedroom Environment Causing Sleepless Nights?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

How did you sleep last night? Did you get a solid eight hours rest, or did you struggle to get to sleep, leaving you feeling exhausted the next day? Well, if you didn’t sleep as well as you hoped to, you’re not alone. According to research 25% of the UK population suffer from some form of sleep disorder and people are increasingly dissatisfied with the quality or quantity of their sleep.

Of course, getting enough sleep is vital for good health. A lack of good quality sleep can cause all manner of health problems from depression and irritability to weight gain and recurring colds.

If you’re struggling to get a good night’s rest – making some simple changes to your bedroom environment could make all the difference. A calm, restful environment is much more conducive to sleep than a cluttered, bright or noisy one. Here are some tips:

 

Easy on the Lighting
If your bedroom is too bright; it will be difficult to get to sleep and to stay asleep. In summer months, it may be worth investing in black-out blinds to keep the room dark enough. Also ensure that lights from clocks and electronic devices are out of sight.

 

Clear the Clutter
A messy bedroom can make it difficult to relax before going to sleep. Make sure your bedroom is as clean and uncluttered as possible.

 

Check Your Temperature
Make sure your bedroom is neither too hot nor too cold and deal with any annoying drafts.

 

Colour Consideration
Avoid bright colours or busy patterns in your bedroom and instead choose muted shades to create a cosy and restful environment.

 

For help and advice about sleep problems, visit: www.insomniacs.co.uk

 

Categories: bedroom, bedroom environment, environment, problems, quality, restful environment, sleep

How to Maintain a Healthy Diet that Includes Dessert

Diet wellness isn’t just about eating the right foods to help you lose weight; it’s also about striking the right nutritional balance for your wellbeing so that you eat clean, stay energised and still have room in your life for dessert. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a few experts and asked for their favourite diet tips.

 

1. Make Room for Pudding: ‘Ditch the all-or-nothing mentality,’ encourages Cynthia Sass, RD, author of S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches. ‘Instead of being either perfect or off the rails, aim for a realistic balance. For example, if you’re craving something carb-rich, like a brownie for dessert, omit the starch from your dinner, but keep the veggies and lean protein. Making room for treats while still eating healthfully overall makes a whole lot more sense than yo-yoing between strict dieting and overindulging.’

 

2. Practise Quality Control: According to Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of Eat to Live Cookbook, ‘You can have the most incredible combination of seasonings and superb preparation, but if the quality of the ingredients is poor, the dish will miss the mark. The most simple foods are delicious as long as the ingredients are top quality. Don’t skimp on quality or freshness.’

 

3. Look at the Big Picture: ‘Eating well is about the whole dietary pattern—not one food, nutrient, or ingredient,’ asserts David L. Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Centre and author of Disease Proof. ‘Instead of focusing on eating one nutrient at a time to protect one component of health at a time, eat foods of high overall nutritional quality as part of a wholesome diet, and you’ll defend against virtually all forms of ill health.’

 

4. Appreciate Your Indulgences: Daphne Oz, co-host of ABC’s The Chew and author of Relish: An Adventure in Food, Style, and Everyday Fun, enthuses, ‘You only get one chance to live fully, so relish those opportunities to try an amazing dessert, dig in to an unforgettable meal, and enjoy with abandon.’

 

5. Taste the Rainbow: ‘When you’re making a plate of food, always ask “where’s the colour?” advises Ellie Krieger, RD, Food Network host and author of Weeknight Wonders. ‘In other words, always include a colourful fruit or vegetable in each meal or snack.’

 

6. Load Up on Leafy Greens: Frank Lipman, MD, founder of Eleven-Eleven Wellness Centre in New York City, recommends, ‘Whether you add a greens powder to your smoothie or have kale or spinach with your dinner, get dark leafy greens into your body daily. They benefit every cell of your body and deliver more nutrients calorie for calorie than just about any other food on the planet.’

 

7. Eat Fresh Whole Foods: Deepak Chopra, MD, author of What Are You Hungry For? notes, ‘When you look at the whole package of energy, the food you eat should match the story you want to live, which means: as fresh as possible, without dullness, repetition, and routine. As colourful as possible, giving delight to the eyes; food is a rainbow brought down to earth. As cheerful as possible, maximizing moments of happiness and pleasure.’

 

8. Start Your Day Right: ‘Eat a protein-rich breakfast to refuel your body after a night of rest, satisfy your appetite so you’re less likely to graze later, and prime you to make healthy food choices throughout the rest of your day,’ instructs Joy Bauer, RD, nutrition and health expert on Today.

 

9. Keep it Real: Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, warns, ‘The harder it is to tell what a food looked like when it came out of the ground, the more likely that food is highly processed.’

Categories: author, colourful foods, dessert, Food, leafy greens, nbsp, quality

How to Choose the Best and Safest Herbal Medicine for You

Herbal medicine can be a great wellness tool, whether you crack out the echinacea when you feel a cold coming on, or deal with the musty taste of valerian to help induce sleep. However, the mistake many people make with herbal medicine is that they accentuate the “herbal” over the “medicine” – that is to say, they forget that that it can have a serious affect on your health if taken improperly. Therefore, you need to follow five sensible principles when considering herbal medicines.

 

1. Educate yourself: It’s important to do your homework with regards to complementary wellness, as it’s much easier to get it wrong. Not only do you need to know what herb will be the most beneficial to your wellbeing, but you also need to understand the level of effectiveness in each part of the herb, as the root, say, may be more potent than the flower or leaf. Stinging nettles, for example, are used in the treatment of benign prostate problems, and both the roots and flowers contain an anti-inflammatory compound known as scopoletin. However, only the roots have the steroid-like compounds that herbalists recommend if prostate problems affect your wellness, and so this part of the plant is best. Pass on supplements that don’t list the specific or right part of the herb.

 

2. Read the label: This is vital in all areas of health, not just in alternative therapies. If you put anything into your body, you should definitely know what it is! When it comes to herbal supplements, you’re looking for the scientific name of the herb, the part of the plant it uses (as you now know which part you’re after) and an expiration date. It’s also a good idea to find out the plant’s place of origin and whether it has been grown organically or wild-crafted (picked in the wild), but the labels don’t always specify this information, as it isn’t essential. The first three points, however, are, so don’t touch a supplement that doesn’t list the scientific name, part and expiration date.

 

3. Go for quality…: More often than not, bargain brands are sold in cheap, discount shops and it’s far better to stick with brands from reputable health-food stores. Due to a lack of regulation, herbal medicines don’t go through the same rigorous checks as pharmaceuticals, as manufacturers can use the “supplement” loophole – it’s only an add-on, not a replacement to a healthy diet, exercise or Western medical practises. This loophole means that herbal medicines can get away with all sorts of claims on the label or in the advertisements that aren’t necessarily true. Therefore, you need to be able to trust the provider as much as possible.

 

4. Don’t go for quantity: Sticking with single herbs is a good rule to follow when you’re starting out, unless you are recommended a specific formula by a trustworthy herbal practitioner. It’s like experimenting with cooking herbs; the best way is to use one at a time until you know how it tastes, and then you start blending them as you gain the knowledge and experience you need to make it work. With medicinal herbs you can apply the same principle; start off slowly, learn how each herb affects you, and then you can begin to blend them or use pre-made herbal formulas. Again, reading the label is key here as you need to know how much of each herb the formula contains.

 

5. Don’t do it alone: While these are all handy tips to get you started, you should never start using herbal medicine without the advice of a complementary wellness expert. Look online to find a healer who is qualified to practice herbal medicine, and consult him or her – and your GP – before taking anything new.

Categories: complementary wellness, expiration date, herb, herbal, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, medicine, nbsp, one at a time, prostate problems, quality, Read the label

How to Choose the Best and Safest Herbal Medicine for You

Herbal medicine can be a great wellness tool, whether you crack out the echinacea when you feel a cold coming on, or deal with the musty taste of valerian to help induce sleep. However, the mistake many people make with herbal medicine is that they accentuate the “herbal” over the “medicine” – that is to say, they forget that that it can have a serious affect on your health if taken improperly. Therefore, you need to follow five sensible principles when considering herbal medicines.

 

1. Educate yourself: It’s important to do your homework with regards to complementary wellness, as it’s much easier to get it wrong. Not only do you need to know what herb will be the most beneficial to your wellbeing, but you also need to understand the level of effectiveness in each part of the herb, as the root, say, may be more potent than the flower or leaf. Stinging nettles, for example, are used in the treatment of benign prostate problems, and both the roots and flowers contain an anti-inflammatory compound known as scopoletin. However, only the roots have the steroid-like compounds that herbalists recommend if prostate problems affect your wellness, and so this part of the plant is best. Pass on supplements that don’t list the specific or right part of the herb.

 

2. Read the label: This is vital in all areas of health, not just in alternative therapies. If you put anything into your body, you should definitely know what it is! When it comes to herbal supplements, you’re looking for the scientific name of the herb, the part of the plant it uses (as you now know which part you’re after) and an expiration date. It’s also a good idea to find out the plant’s place of origin and whether it has been grown organically or wild-crafted (picked in the wild), but the labels don’t always specify this information, as it isn’t essential. The first three points, however, are, so don’t touch a supplement that doesn’t list the scientific name, part and expiration date.

 

3. Go for quality…: More often than not, bargain brands are sold in cheap, discount shops and it’s far better to stick with brands from reputable health-food stores. Due to a lack of regulation, herbal medicines don’t go through the same rigorous checks as pharmaceuticals, as manufacturers can use the “supplement” loophole – it’s only an add-on, not a replacement to a healthy diet, exercise or Western medical practises. This loophole means that herbal medicines can get away with all sorts of claims on the label or in the advertisements that aren’t necessarily true. Therefore, you need to be able to trust the provider as much as possible.

 

4. Don’t go for quantity: Sticking with single herbs is a good rule to follow when you’re starting out, unless you are recommended a specific formula by a trustworthy herbal practitioner. It’s like experimenting with cooking herbs; the best way is to use one at a time until you know how it tastes, and then you start blending them as you gain the knowledge and experience you need to make it work. With medicinal herbs you can apply the same principle; start off slowly, learn how each herb affects you, and then you can begin to blend them or use pre-made herbal formulas. Again, reading the label is key here as you need to know how much of each herb the formula contains.

 

5. Don’t do it alone: While these are all handy tips to get you started, you should never start using herbal medicine without the advice of a complementary wellness expert. Look online to find a healer who is qualified to practice herbal medicine, and consult him or her – and your GP – before taking anything new.

Categories: complementary wellness, expiration date, herb, herbal, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, medicine, nbsp, one at a time, prostate problems, quality, Read the label

Could Exposure to Radiation be Affecting your Sperm Quality?

New research has shown that environmental factors could have an influence on your wellness, particularly with regards to your fertility. The study by a team of medical scientists in India has revealed that those who are exposed to radiation in their workplaces over a long period of time are likely to experience problems with their reproductive wellbeing. The fertility experts from Manipal University looked at the quality of sperm in 83 men who had worked for between 3 and 18 years in radiation-based units at a number of different hospitals.

 

Tests were carried out on the sperm, and the results of this were then compared to tests that were carried out on 51 men who worked in hospitals, had similar lifestyles to the test subjects but had no regular exposure to radiation. Tests carried out on the semen looked at the shape, vitality, sperm number and also the DNA quality.

 

In the sperm of the men who were exposed to radiation, the researchers found a large number of abnormal characteristics. These included a decrease in the motility of the sperm, lower vitality and an altered shape. Sperm motility is extremely important as it represents the ability of the sperm to swim quickly and directly towards the egg in the female body, in order for fertilisation to take place.

 

In addition to this, the researchers found that in the men who were regularly exposed to radiation, the DNA quality of the sperm had been severely compromised. This could have a significant impact on the health of any child that was conceived using this damaged sperm.

 

Whilst a little damage is a normal occurrence in all fertile men, when this damage reaches the high proportions seen in the study, the sperm can go on to fertilise an egg and transmit the damage to the embryo and then to the baby. This can result in increased incidences of miscarriages and genetic abnormalities.

Categories: dna quality, exposure, nbsp, quality, radiation, sperm

New Government Legislation will Improve E-Cigarettes Quality

Following the news that NICE has, for the first time, recommended the use of nicotine patches for quitting smoking, the Government has announced it’s backing another product; electronic cigarettes. Otherwise known as e-cigarettes, these and other currently unregulated nicotine-containing products (NCPs) will be treated as medicines for regulatory purposes, in order to improve the quality of such products by making them safer and more effective.

There’s no doubt that smoking is harmful to your wellbeing, which is why approximately 1.3 million people across the UK use battery-powered e-cigarettes to help them quit. When you suck on the e-cigarette, liquid nicotine is vaporised and absorbed through your mouth, and then you emit a plume of what appears to be smoke as you breathe out. This, however, is actually largely water vapour, and so protects the wellness of you and those around you from toxic smoke.

The new guidelines mean that manufacturers will face tests before they can sell e-cigarettes as licensed products, and all NCPs will go through regulation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The bonus of e-cigarettes is that, while they look like a cigarette, they do not contain the many deadly components of tobacco. However some experts have raised concerns about the products’ quality, effectiveness and regulation, as MHRA research has found that the product’s nicotine levels can be “considerably different” from the level stated on the label.

Sarah Woolnough, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, commented, ‘We’re pleased e-cigarettes will be regulated in a similar way to other nicotine-containing products such as gums and patches. We’re determined to reduce deaths from smoking-related cancers and there’s a lot of potential for e-cigarettes to help reduce the devastating impact of smoking which kills half its long term users. But there are many unanswered questions about these products, so it’s crucial that they’re properly explored to understand their benefits and risks.’

She added that the new MHRA legislation, which should be adopted in 2014 and come into force in the UK from 2016, is a vital step, as it will help to guarantee product safety, restrict marketing to children and monitor the health impacts of long-term exposure to nicotine use. Cancer Research UK asserted that smokers should be allowed to use the products in the interim if this helps them to smoke fewer tobacco products.

Categories: E-Cigarettes, government legislation, quality