Sport Fitness & Physique

Stress can be environmental, emotional or physical and stress is the leading cause of poor sleep habits. We may not believe that we are under stress -but we certainly are. The following are just a few causes of stress that wreak havoc on our bodies, our minds and rob us of much needed sleep.

• Personal relationships
• Family relationships
• Business relationships
• Deadlines, Dates & Commitments (personal, family and business)
• Pollution (smog, exhaust fumes, pesticides, herbicides, perfumes, colognes, etc…)
• Environmental toxins (carpet fibers, textiles, fabrics, PCB’s, plastics etc…)
• Radiation (radio waves, microwaves, cell phones, television, power lines, electronic devices, etc…)
• Physical stress (manual labor, domestic work, exercise daily activities)

Somehow have to deal with daily stress and recover.

The best way to recover and rebuild our bodies is through sleep.

But how do we improve our sleep to recover from all this stress?

Here are a few practical ways we can try to control and recover from the daily stress of life:

1. Schedule the majority of stress early in the day and taper your stressful situations down towards the end of the day
2. Include plenty of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and lean sources of animal protein in your daily diet
3. Schedule breaks and time to pray, meditate, relax and revive yourself throughout the day
4. Take time for physical exercise (the most effective stress reliever of all!)

If insomnia is still an issue after incorporating these stress relieving strategies, we should then correct the specific nutritional deficiencies that are hampering your recovery by wisely supplementing your diet.

In the last installment we discussed the importance of magnesium and how well magnesium aids in sleep.

Another essential mineral that will help improve sleep is calcium.

You are probably aware that calcium is essential for strong bones, strong teeth and a healthy immune system. But did you know that calcium is also essential for sleep?

Calcium works in synergy with magnesium and is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. Calcium deficiency can weaken bones, disrupt heart rhythms, interfere with proper nervous system signaling and will certainly disrupt your sleep.

Most folks believe that bovine mammary product (cow’s milk) is the best source of calcium. However, in my experience, adding dairy products has never improved one’s diet or general health.

The preferred non-bovine sources of calcium include: salmon, almonds, sesame, oranges, figs, quinoa, amaranth, rutabaga, mustard greens, broccoli, spinach, collard greens, bok choy and other green leafy vegetables.

If the diet lacks these essential sources of dietary calcium and poor sleep is still an issue, I would recommend supplementing with a quality calcium supplement.

Look for calcium supplements ending in “ate” -such as calcium carbonate, citrate, gluconate, and chelate.

Calcium phosphate and calcium lactate are more expensive forms of calcium, but they are not absorbed any better than the lesser costing calcium supplements and therefore should be avoided.

Ideally, your calcium supplement should contain or be taken in conjunction with a quality source of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is important is calcium absorption because vitamin D the human body converts vitamin D into a hormone that promotes healthy intestinal proteins that allows calcium absorption.

Next time, we will investigate vitamin D and it’s effect on mood, attitude, cardiovascular health and preventable late-life cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia.

To Your Good Health!

Magnesium:

Magnesium is critical to human health.  A vital nutrient found in whole grains, legumes and green leafy vegetables (like spinach!) -magnesium is responsible for regulating heartbeat, blood pressure, blood sugar and over 300 more essential metabolic functions.

Magnesium deficiency is related to hyperexcitability, nervousness, restlessness, mood swings, depression and in severe cases even death.

The USDA estimates that more than two-thirds of the US population is magnesium deficient.

More on magnesium from the USDA here.

Most common multivitamins and magnesium supplements source magnesium oxide or magnesium chloride  in the manufacturing process.

Unfortunately, less than 30% of these compounds can be absorbed by the human body.  Supplement manufacturers generally use these compounds because they are inexpensive, compact easily and are easy to handle in an industrial environment.

That’s good news for manufacturers -bad news for you.

The best sources of dietary magnesium come from green leafy vegetables, nuts and some whole grains of course.

However, if you do not receive enough magnesium from your diet you may want to consider supplementing with a quality magnesium supplement.

But which magnesium supplement should you choose?

Look for magnesium supplements containing magnesium chelate, magnesium fumerate, magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate.  These forms of magnesium are highly bio-available and are readily absorbed by the human body.

Naturally, I recommend Poliquin Supplements.

Poliquin’s Ubermag Plus is an outstanding magnesium supplement that I recommend to any client suffering from poor sleep, restlessness, lethargy, foggy thinking, moodiness, migraines, or insomnia .

Ubermag Plus contains a proprietary blend of four different magnesium chelates and has 300 mg of L-Tryptophan to help you improve your sleep.

If you need better sleep and you aren’t getting the magnesium you need from your diet, don’t shortchange yourself.

Invest in a quality magnesium supplement like Poliquin’s Ubermag Plus and get the rest you need.

To Your Good Health!

A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, select nuts and seeds is safe, healthful and beneficial to maintaining a healthy weight and body composition -for children and for adults.

Avoid grains, breads, cereals, pasta and the like.

Avoid packaged food products, additives, preservatives and toxic sweeteners.

Drink plenty of fresh, clean water.

Get out and move your body daily and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Living a fit and healthful lifestyle is the surest way to instill healthful values in our youth.

Don’t know where to begin?

Need a little help?

We’re here for you.
Contact Us for ideas, help and support.

To your Good Health!
-and the Good Health of your children…

Contact Us -today!