Denise February 6, 2012

Sleep

Beautiful sleep

My dogs have no guilt about taking a nap whatsoever. Right in the middle of the day. Heck, in the middle of the morning. The warm spot on the couch or chair, in the sun, snoring away with abandon. And while yes, they are lazy, they are also intuitive and smart. Just like they know clothes do not make the man, they know that sleep is essential for us to function.

No significant physical change can happen in our bodies without enough sleep. There. I said it. This crazy “I only need four hours of sleep!” as some sort of bragging right needs to stop. There is no moral superiority for those who manage to get by on less sleep, and research shows time and again that they are no more productive, actually they are less productive, than those who get enough. Whew.

When I look at research about sleep, the cut-off for sufficient sleep is seven hours. That’s right. Less than seven hours a night is officially sleep deprivation. People who get less than seven hours a night get sick almost three times as much as those who get eight hours or more. Yes, that’s three times, an increase of 300%.

Why? Good question. Sleep is when our body heals itself, repairs tissue damage from the day, and detoxes itself. Sleep is when our neurons organize that happened to us during the day and file it into long-term memory. Sleep is when our stress hormones are turned off and our metabolism resets itself.

When it is dark our bodies produce the hormone melatonin, which makes us sleepy. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant, fighting chronic inflammation and repairing damage to our cells’ DNA so that when those cells divide they make new healthy cells. Damaged DNA leads to cells becoming cancerous. Chronic inflammation leads to heart disease and diabetes. Melatonin also helps protect nerve tissue in the brain from the protein damage that leads to Alzheimer’s Disease. It can also prevent headaches from forming the next day.

So why don’t we just take melatonin in a pill and get on with staying up half the night? It doesn’t work that way. Researchers are not sure why, but getting the melatonin in a pill helps us for only about three months, then it stops working so well. And while melatonin is a powerful hormone, it is not the only benefit of sleep.

We crave carbohydrates throughout the day when we are tired. We all know what this means to our waistlines, not to mention our blood sugar and cholesterol. The stress that causes our bodies to hold onto fat in case we need to flee or survive a famine is turned off when we are asleep. Most of us desperately need this, especially if our days allow for very little de-stress time. And our failing memories need sleep. We need to remember our stories so we can tell our grandchildren.

Our over-caffeinated, sleep deprived bodies need us all to go to bed. There is no honor in not sleeping, only a lack of creativity and good judgement. Did you know that if you get less than six hours a night you will be impaired when driving your car? It’s like driving under the influence of alcohol. Sorry if I seem a little preachy – I’ve got a bee in my bonnet.

If you think you can’t possibly leave something undone, stop it. Lots of us lead perfectly happy lives with a few dust bunnies under the couch and our clothes a little wrinkled. Look over your day, and there will be things that don’t have to be done, or at least don’t have to be done by you.

If you are trying to change your eating habits for the better, and start an exercise habit, sleep is essential. Changing our habits is hard, and tired brains do not do it well. Neither do tired bodies. And getting sick? It doesn’t help anyone.

So go to bed early tonight, and find a way to sleep as late as you need to at least one morning a week. Try to get at least 7.5 hours a night – that’s five complete 90-minute sleep cycles. A few days of this and you will be amazed at how productive you become.

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Filed Under: Eating Unawares, Fighting Cancer, General, Health, Healthy Weight, Train the Brain 1 Comment

Denise January 9, 2012

Nourishment

As this new year gets going, many of us are struggling with the resolve to lose our extra weight. Or just overcome the cravings for junk, sweets, bread and cheese, cute shoes, etc. And it is really hard.

Our bodies do not like this kind of change, and we are obviously getting something we need from filling these cravings. Energy, in the form of sugar. Salt, which we need when we are stressed and anxious (our bodies use it to make cortisol). Bread and cheese, to calm us down and give us a little hit of feel-good. Shoes, well we don’t really need to go there.

The trick to changing these habits is to really nourish our bodies. We are getting plenty of calories, but not enough nutrients. And our bodies will crave more food until we have all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants we need.

So, instead of beating ourselves up for giving in to these very strong cravings, lets try giving ourselves the nourishment we need. This nourishment comes in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans – you get the idea. Colorful, natural, whole and delicious foods.

After a few days of truly nourishing yourself, you will find those cravings a lot easier to shake. They will turn from strong yearnings to just habits.

Remember the other ways our bodies need nourishment: sleep, exercise, sunlight, and touch. Getting plenty of those will nourish not only your body but your soul. And our souls need nourishment, too.

So prep some salad greens, grab some veggies and fruits at the market, and plan a few home-cooked meals for the next week. Once you start thinking about food in terms of nourishment for yourself and your family, instead of the enemy of your waistline, this whole thing gets easier. If you want an easy plan, sign up for the 10 habits on the right side of this page. It will get you started - quick and painless.

Just think how great next year will be, when none of your resolutions have anything to do with your thighs.

Filed Under: Eating Unawares, Health, Healthy Weight, Train the Brain Leave a Comment

Denise November 7, 2011

Holidaying #1

I’m here to answer your holiday health questions, so ask away!

Q:

I am invited to a lot of dinner parties where dinner will be served at eight. I usually eat dinner at six, so by the time I arrive at the party I am starving. I eat and drink too much, too fast, and end up not enjoying the party as much as I would like. After a few of these shindigs, my party clothes get a little too tight, too. What is the solution?

-Popular on the Potomac

A:

Hello Popular, I can absolutely help you! This is common, since it is so fashionable to eat later, and weekday hostesses need some time after work to get everything ready.

If you are coming from your home, eat a good salad at your usual dinner time. You’ll get a good serving or two of veggies, which are usually in short supply at holiday parties, and will be ready to eat but not starving when you get to your party. Skip the cheese or creamy dressings, though, they can make your breath less than fresh.

If you are going straight from work to the party, a few nuts and an apple are a perfect pre-party snack. They take the edge off, without making you feel bloated or giving you dragon breath. Dried fruit in trail mix can stick in your teeth, and see above for cheese. Crackers or cookies just make your blood sugar spike then plummet, right around party time.

When you get to the party, have a non-alcoholic drink first. Quenching thirst with alcohol leads to too much drinking, and drinking on an empty stomach leads to embarrassing, intoxicated episodes. We’ve all seen it happen, and its not pretty.

Eat the veggies that are served, along with your regular portion sizes of anything else. Pay attention to how full you are – eating too much or too fast can lead to heartburn. Most of all, enjoy the party! Eating well most of the time during the holidays means you can indulge in your hosts’ special dishes without guilt.

Hope this helps! What do you all do when parties through you off schedule?