FitSugar

Foods to Sleep On

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:30:00 PST

Come 10 pm, when the rest of the world is starting to wind down, you're winding up. Maybe it's something more, but it could be what you're eating (or not eating). Yahoo Health has created this list of the top 10 foods to help you get a good night's sleep.

Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies.

Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."

Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.

There's more so

read more Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too. Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium. Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter. Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep." Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen. To read the full article, check out Yahoo health. Fit's Tip: It's all about the serotonin and melatonin.

Lessons Learned From 10-Day Cleanse

Susi May — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:30:05 PST

At the beginning of the New Year, I decided to try the Paleta Cleanse. As I read on the SF Foodie blog, January is the new Lent, and I was prepared to give up caffeine, alcohol, dairy, corn, soy, wheat, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. I wanted to see how I would feel and look living so vice-free.

Paleta delivered meals to my home, and the food was all very good. Lean cuts of meat with vinegary sauces, oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, and sliced mango with pumpkin seeds were just a few of the detox meals and snacks. The cleanse included a series of shakes fortified with vitamin, minerals, and amino acids. The shakes come in four flavors and were grainy though not really unpleasant tasting. Ultimately, I found that liquid diets are not for me, and I don't really recommend them for anyone even for short durations. I do think that eating cleanly increased my energy and my skin looked great a few days into the cleanse. Along with a predictable lesson or two, I learned a a few unexpected things.

I like food. When I looked at the meal plan before starting the cleanse, I was concerned about the three days of just shakes. I have never thought just living on shakes was a good idea, and this experiment proved me right. After one day of eating only cold shakes on cold January days, I was tempted not by a plate of pasta, lemon meringue pie, or red wine, but unadulterated broccoli. I decided then and there to never feel bad about eating broccoli. I continued to follow the rules of the cleanse for the remaining six days, but I ate. I made Gwyneth's Goop soup, quinoa salads, and veggies galore. After not cooking for four days, I was excited to be back in the kitchen.
Gluten is not my BFF. Gluten has gotten a bad rap, and living without it for 10 days taught me that some of its rep might just be deserved. I noticed that once I brought bread back into my life, I felt a little more lethargic after meals and downright sleepy in the afternoons. Oats beat toast for breakfast in my book.

Keep on reading for more on meals, exercise, and life on a cleanse.

Rest Up! Study Suggests Sleepy People Eat More

Michele Foley — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:54:13 PDT

People who sleep less, eat more - about 300 calories more per day. A Columbia University study looked at the eating habits of sleep-deprived individuals and found that not only do they eat more, but they also choose unhealthy foods.

Thirteen men and 13 women were kept in a controlled environment for six days at a time on two separate occasions. During one visit they were allowed nine hours of bedtime, on the next, four hours. For the first four days of each visit, the group was kept on the same diet; researchers then allowed participants to eat anything they wanted to on day five. On the fifth day, participants ate an average of 300 more calories when sleepy compared to the previous visit when they were well rested. Interestingly, the added calories did not come from eating more simply because they were up for an extra five hours. Most of the participants stuck to their normal eating times, but chose foods high in saturated fats during these meals.

While the study is small, in both size and scope, researchers feel that it may provide evidence for a link between sleep and obesity. Previous research has shown that lack of sleep is linked to weight gain because the body functions poorly when sleep-deprived and ends up storing more fat. Just another reason to make sure that you're getting enough sleep.

How to Combat That Afternoon Slump

Leta Shy — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:06:56 PDT

The start of the workweek hopefully means you've been able to recharge over the weekend. Sometimes, however, you just can't beat that afternoon slump. Sitting at a desk all day can leave you feeling the opposite of energetic, especially around those post-lunch hours when our bodies expend more energy digesting or we crash from the effects of our morning cup of coffee.

No matter the reason, that annoying drop in energy you experience in the afternoon can keep you from being as productive and alert as you want to be. Luckily, you don't have to spend your 9-to-5 dreading the inevitable urge to nap. Here are some ways for combating that afternoon slump.

Exercise in the morning. A good day begins with a good start. Exercising in the morning is beneficial for many reasons: you don't have to worry about scheduling a time later, and it's nice to be able to check something off your list before the day really begins. A morning sweat session is also good for keeping your energy levels up throughout the day, so if you find yourself hitting a wall in the afternoon, try moving your workout session to before work and see how you feel.
Take a walk after lunch. If you find yourself spending more time dozing and daydreaming than working in the afternoon, take a 10-minute break to rev up your body. Just walking around the office, chatting with co-workers, or taking a break to enjoy the sunshine outside can be all you need to give your body a recharge.

Still tired? Read on for more tips that'll keep you from taking a nap at your desk!

How to Know You Need More Sleep

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:30:10 PST

It's common not to get enough sleep every so often, but if you're constantly depriving yourself of shut-eye, your body will soon let you know. According to Prevention magazine, here are five signs that you need more sleep.

Simple decisions stump you.
You're still hungry after eating all day.
You keep coming down with colds.
Weird things make you cry.
You've become a klutz.

If this sounds familiar, I have some suggestions on how to get the zzz's you need so

Weight Loss Sabotage: Skipping Meals

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:00:14 PST

You're trying to lose weight and think that eating less will get you to your goal faster. While cutting calories definitely helps, you want to be careful not to eliminate entire meals, especially breakfast - just because you're busy and short on time doesn't make this a good idea. Skipping meals could be one of the worst ways to lose weight and here's why. When you skip a meal (or two, or three), your body starts to wonder why it's not getting any food and it will go into starvation mode. Then it reacts by slowing down your metabolism, which means slower weight loss - not exactly the results you were going for. Plus, not eating will also give you a headache, make you feel dizzy or sleepy, and make for one cranky, hungry person. Try not to go more than three or four hours between meals and snacks.

Beyond Moderation: The Hangover

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:00:25 PST

I have heard it said that the best cure for a hangover is to drink in moderation, but there are times when we all go a bit overboard . . . like New Year's Eve. If you had a few drinks too many, let me explain what is going on with your body and offer a few suggestions to help your get over your hangover.

Symptom: Dehydration
Your throat and mouth are dry due to dehydration, which is caused by the diuretic properties of alcohol. The dehydration also affects your muscles, making them feel weak.
Cure: Drink plenty of water, all day long! I have found Nuun tablets help too.

To see why your stomach feels off and what you can do about it,

read more. Symptom: Sour Stomach The excessive alcohol irritates the lining of the stomach, causing nausea and sour stomach. The inflammation delays digestion, which in turn contributes to the feelings of nausea. Cure: Take some Alka Seltzer or eat mild foods like bananas (which also help with dehydration). Symptom: Irritability Your liver gets backed up trying to metabolize all the alcohol, so you might be experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia (that's a fancy term for low blood sugar), meaning you are highly irritable and moody. Cure: Eat some food and drink some juice. Foods high in fructose are thought to speed up the body's ability to remove the alcohol from your system. Symptom: Jangled Nerves Your central nervous system becomes chemically overexcited, causing sensitivity to light, sound, and touch. Cure: Rest with an eye pillow and soothing music. Symptom: Headache Blood vessels in the brain dilate, and that is what is causing that throbbing headache, which is only exacerbated by your dehydration mentioned above. Cure: Take some OTC (over the counter) pain medication, but avoid ones containing acetaminophen, like Tylenol, because it may cause liver damage. If you take some form of ibprofen, make sure to not take it on an empty stomach, since it can upset your tummy and harm the lining of your stomach. Symptom: Sleepiness and Sleeplessness Your pituitary gland becomes confused and releases the wrong amounts of the hormones that regulate sleep. So while you may want to sleep it off, your sleep pattern is severely disrupted. Cure: Try some Sleepytime Extra Tea fortified with Valerian root to help you sleep. The only real cure for a hangover is time. Physical activity can help, too. Take a walk or jog and sweat a bit to help get the alcohol out of your blood. Fear not, the aftereffects of your partying should only linger for about 24 hours. Tomorrow is another day.