Four Tips for Your Best Night of Sleep Yet

Four Tips for Your Best Night of Sleep Yet

by | Jul 5, 2021 | Guides

Patti McCoy

Get Better Sleep

I’m sure you know that sleep is important, but did you know that sleep is therapeutic? Proper rest is as important to our health as eating, drinking, and breathing1. In this article we’re going to discuss four tips for better sleep, but let’s begin with what makes sleep therapeutic.

When you sleep, your body undergoes a series of changes that enable the rest that is vital to your overall health. Sleep allows the brain and body to slow down and engage in processes of recovery, promoting better physical and mental performance the next day and over the long term2.

When you don’t get enough (or proper) sleep these fundamental processes are short circuited, affecting thinking, concentration, energy levels, and mood. As a result, getting the sleep you need — seven to nine hours for adults and even more for children and teens — is crucial3.

While each person will differ in the exact amount of sleep needed for replenishment, eight hours being average, it is crucial to get a sufficient amount and adequate quality of sleep on a regular schedule. Sleep heals the body, clears the mind, and restores the soul4.

Sleep Better without caffeine

Now that you understand how vital sleep is for overall health and well-being, let’s explore the four tips to improve your ability to rest, repair, and restore.

Tip #1 Limit caffeine for better sleep.

If you’re struggling to sleep, removing caffeine entirely from your diet may be the “hack” needed to allow your body to relax and settle into slumber. For others who enjoy caffeine without feeling jittery or “off”, simply limit caffeine to mornings or avoid anything caffeinated after 3 pm (including coffee, green and black tea, soda, energy drinks, and chocolate).

Tip # 2 Avoid blue light 1 hour before bed.

Don’t shoot the messenger, but tip number two for improving sleep is to avoid all electronic screens 1 hour before bedtime (think TV, computer, tablet, and phone). Here’s why: blue-wavelength light stimulates sensors in your eyes to send signals to your brain’s internal clock which inhibits the production of melatonin. Essentially the blue light from your electronic screens is making your body think it’s wake time, not sleep time. Thus, avoiding all screens at least 1 hour before bedtime will help your body fall into a deeper sleep, faster.

Tip #3 Take a calcium and magnesium supplement before you hit the pillow.

From a nutritional perspective, the minerals calcium and magnesium can help you both fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. James F. Balch, MD and author of

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes, “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.” And there’s been an array of studies that explain why. In one such study, published by the Journal of Sleep Research5, researchers found that insufficient calcium is related not only to trouble falling sleep, but also to trouble getting truly restful sleep.

Meanwhile, low magnesium has been clearly correlated with insomnia, poor sleep quality, and even depression and anxiety. Magnesium helps both your body and your brain to relax, preparing you for a good night’s rest. As a note, calcium and magnesium are best taken together, as a balanced ratio is important to overall health.

Tip #4 Set your bedroom up for sleep.

This category includes both quick fixes and longer-term investments. Quick fixes that will set your bedroom up for therapeutic sleep include diffusing lavender essential oil (or even dabbing the oil lightly on your pillow), ensuring your bedroom is clean and clutter-free and getting fresh air when the weather permits. Additionally, turning your cell phone on airplane mode, or removing your phone entirely from the bedroom, will protect your brain and body from EMFs that may hinder deep, therapeutic sleep.

Lastly, some longer-term investments include purchasing high-quality, non-toxic bedding like a mattress, pillows, sheets, blankets, and so on. For obvious reasons, you should be comfortable for your nightly slumber, but also, avoiding the toxic off-gassing of chemicals in conventional bedding is incredibly important.

Sleep Better
Times of high stress require deep restorative sleep that provides our bodies with the opportunity to repair and rebuild. Support your physical and mental health by getting 8 hours of sleep or more per night. If you’re a parent who is unable to achieve 8 consecutive hours of sleep at the moment, nap or rest when you can, and be sure to nourish your body in other ways that feel good.

SOURCES

Top 5 Questions About Keto

Top 5 Questions About Keto

by | Jun 25, 2021 | Guides

Patti McCoy

Top 5 Questions About Keto

What is Keto?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that results in putting your body into ketosis. Ketosis: the body burns fat and ketones rather than glucose as a main source of fuel. During ketosis, the body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Additionally, ketosis can help reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin resistance. There are keto tests that you can use that are similar to glucose tests to ensure ketosis.

What are macros and why are they important?

Macros is short for macronutrients, which are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Conversely, micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. In the keto diet it is necessary to keep track of the macros you are consuming to ensure you don’t eat too many carbs or not enough fats.

Keto recipe of zucchini noodles.

With this diet it is ideal to stay within 20-50 grams of carbs per day to maintain ketosis. Some people also incorporate intermittent fasting (an eating pattern that involves regular, short-term fasts) to help stay within range of carb intake and increase weight loss.

What can I eat?

It is important to eliminate high-carbs like bread, pasta, sugar, and grains. It is also important to note that these foods are refined, and processed. Instead of eating more processed foods, you will eat green leafy vegetables, eggs, cheese, meat, and dairy (if tolerated). Healthy fats play a vital role in the keto diet; like, butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil. Apps like the Carb Manager and Chronometer can help keep track of your food intake.

Keto weight loss results.

What are the benefits?

The keto diet can help with blood sugar regulation, insulin resistance, diabetes, and cognitive function. The reason for this is that you are not consuming as many carbs as your standard American diet (SAD), and are helping your body digest and function better with a more balanced plate. Additionally, it is common to lose weight since the diet is more filling with fats and proteins; you don’t find yourself hungry again not long after eating as carbs burn much faster than fats for fuel. Studies have shown that the diet can have a wide-range of benefits: heart disease, cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, PCOS, and brain injuries.

How do I get started?

The first step is to remove all restricted food from your kitchen. This will prevent temptations later. If you are unable to remove everything, put them in a place that is hard to get to (i.e.cabinets above refrigerator).

You want to give yourself at least six weeks to determine if the diet is working and/or if you need to stay on it longer. Hydration is super important! Without proper hydration and electrolytes you will not absorb all the nutrients you are eating. Electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, potassium, and a few others. Fill your plate with lots of healthy fats, veggies, fiber, and protein with a few berries to curb that sweet tooth. Finally, you want to get plenty of aerobic activity. This doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon, just get at least 30 minutes of movement that increases your heart rate at least once per day. That’s it!

Fun Fact: The keto diet was originally used by physicians in the 1920s to help patients with epilepsy. It was successful for decades until specific medications were developed and physicians took to prescribing pills instead.

References

Top 5 Reasons to Choose Local and In-Season Produce (and where to find them)

Top 5 Reasons to Choose Local and In-Season Produce (and where to find them)

by | Jun 3, 2021 | Guides

Patti McCoy

Top 5 Reasons to Choose Local and In-Season Produce

This morning, while sipping your coffee or tea, did you happen to think about where those beans or leaves were harvested? What about the fruit in your smoothie? Did you wonder if they were picked in their natural growing season at peak ripeness?

Most people don’t take the time to mindfully source the foods they’re eating, and I’m going to tell you, not choosing purposefully is a missed opportunity for both your health and your wallet. Today I’m going to share with you the top five reasons to choose both local and in-season when it comes to the produce you’re eating, plus two great resources to find out what’s in season and how to get it farm to table!

Farmers market sign selling fresh produce

First, and arguably most important, local and in-season produce is more nutrient dense. This means more vitamins and minerals are available in that fruit or vegetable for your body to utilize. The longer produce spends on a truck or in storage before being delivered to you, the greater the loss of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients1.

Second, if nutrient density isn’t convincing enough, foods that are grown locally and purchased seasonally are less expensive. This is because the farmers need to do less to encourage a bountiful crop and they don’t need to factor in transportation and delivery costs.

Third, fruits and vegetables harvested locally and in-season are fresher and taste significantly better. This is because local produce has a shorter distance to travel, and farmers can pick at the crop’s peak ripeness; which means more delicious and flavorful food. Conversely, foods harvested in other countries must be picked before they are ripe to make the trip overseas, and to your local market, without spoiling.

Produce Farmer

Fourth, seasonal food grown locally needs fewer “interventions”. For certain produce to be available year-round, post-harvest treatments, known as ripening agents, are used. These include chemicals, gases, and heat processes2. Some produce, like apples, pears, carrots, and celery, may be coated with an edible film to protect it3. Other produce, like strawberries, lettuce, melons, and grapes, may be treated with anti-browning agents so it artificially is kept from rotting4. Then, the same produce may be treated with a chemical called ethylene, which triggers the ripening process to improve fruit color and quality5.

Lastly, purchasing in-season and local is a great way to vote with your dollar. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather support a local farmer who is avoiding ripening agents, anti-browning chemicals, and heat-treatment that kills off precious nutrients. The more money spent locally means the more crops our farmers will get paid to produce which directly benefits our health. It’s a win-win!

If these five points have convinced you that local and in-season produce is far superior, let’s find out what’s growing in your zip code right now! Seasonalfoodguide.org is a valuable resource that shares what’s currently in season and tells you a little bit about that fruit or vegetable. What a fun way to explore new produce you’ve never tried before! 

Now that you know what’s in-season, the next step is farm to table! Localharvest.org is a great website to find farmers’ markets and CSAs (community-supported agriculture) that will get those delicious, in-season fruits and veggies from the market to your table in no time.

Mindfully sourcing in-season fruits and vegetables supports your health, your wallet, and your local economy. Choosing seasonal produce is a great way to boost nutrient density and avoid many toxic chemicals that otherwise would have made their way onto your plate.

SOURCES

Safe and Unsafe Cooking Fats

Safe and Unsafe Cooking Fats

by | Oct 5, 2020 | Guides

Patti McCoy

Safest for Cooking

Great for frying, baking, broiling, grilling, and roasting

  • Coconut Oil (organic, virgin) – approximately 92% saturated, 6% monounsaturated, and 2% polyunsaturated
  • Lard – approximately 40% saturated, 48% monounsaturated, and 12% polyunsaturated
  • Ghee – approximately 65% saturated, 25% monounsaturated, and 5% polyunsaturated
  • Beef and Lamb Tallow – approximately 52% saturated, 44% unsaturated, and 3% polyunsaturated
  • Red Palm Oil, Palm kernel oil (organic, sustainably harvested virgin) – approximately 86% saturated, 12% monounsaturated, and 2% polyunsaturated

Animal fats should ideally be sourced from organically raised, grass-fed pastured animals.

Tropical vegetable fats in this category should ideally be organic and unrefined in nature.

Ghee oil stored inside a jar
Avocados on a wooden table

Quick stir-frying, light sautéing, and slow/low simmering are appropriate forms of heat for these oils. Again, notice the commonality of these fats. All except sesame oil contain a majority of monounsaturated fatty acids.

  • Olive Oil (unfiltered, domestic) – approximately 14% saturated, 75% monounsaturated, and 9% polyunsaturated
  • Peanut Oil – approximately 18% saturated, 48% monounsaturated, and 34% polyunsaturated
  • Avocado Oil – approximately 12% saturated, 76% monounsaturated, and 12% polyunsaturated
  • Macadamia Nut Oil – approximately 12% saturated, 79% monounsaturated, and 2% polyunsaturated
  • Sesame Oil – approximately 14% saturated, 40% monounsaturated, and 42% polyunsaturated

Unsafe for any kind of Heat Exposure!
DO NOT use for Cooking!

These oils should ALWAYS be extracted via expeller-pressing! Read the label first!

Flax seeds and flax seed oil sitting on a table
  • Flax Oil – approximately 9% saturated, 18% monounsaturated, and 73% polyunsaturated
  • Hemp Oil – approximately 7% saturated, 11% monounsaturated, and 76% polyunsaturated
  • Pine Nut Oil – approximately 8% saturated and 89% polyunsaturated
  • Pumpkin Seed Oil – approximately 20% saturated, 24% monounsaturated, and 55% polyunsaturated
  • Safflower Oil – approximately 7% saturated, 75% monounsaturated, and 12% polyunsaturated
  • Sunflower Oil – approximately 7% saturated, 83% monounsaturated, and 4% polyunsaturated
  • Grapeseed Oil – approximately 9% saturated, 16% monounsaturated, and 69% polyunsaturated

These oils are primarily composed of PUFAs, so should not be heated. If you do wish to consume these oils, do so in small doses. You can find these oils in dark, glass, or thick plastic containers in a refrigerated section of most health food stores. PUFA dominant oils should never be refined or processed, and unfortunately, finding truly unprocessed versions of these oils can be a difficult task. Corn and soybean oils are best avoided due to their genetically modified status and heavy pesticide levels.

Use omega-3 rich oils like flax oil sparingly in homemade condiments such as salad dressings, mayonnaise, freshly prepared smoothies, or lightly drizzled over soups, dips, and hors d’oeuvres.

There are many conflicting opinions about the safety of cooking with grapeseed oil. Like sesame oil, it has a higher smoke point due to its antioxidant content. Regardless, grapeseed oil is very high in PUFA’s and should not be used for cooking.

Unsafe to Consume Under any Circumstances

  • Canola Oil/Rapeseed Oil – approximately 7% saturated, 63% monounsaturated, and 28% polyunsaturated
  • Corn Oil – approximately 12% saturated, 27% monounsaturated, and 54% polyunsaturated
  • Cottonseed Oil – approximately 25% saturated, 17% monounsaturated, and 51% polyunsaturated
  • Soybean/Vegetable Oil – approximately 7% saturated, 75% monounsaturated, and 12% polyunsaturated
  • Vegetable Shortening
  • Partially Hydrogenated Fats/Oils (all)

Don’t Forget About Butter!

Cut up pieces of stick butter on a plate

Finally, we want to reserve a special place for the queen of cooking fats, real butter.

Butter is re-gaining a positive place in nutrition lexicon, and our ancestors prized butter for its life-giving nutrients! Raw, unprocessed butterfat from grass-fed cows has a comprehensive fatty acid profile that protects its consumer from developing imbalances such as hardening of the arteries, calcification of organs, glands and joints (arthritis), and cataracts.

Quality raw butter contains:

  • Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in small amounts in a healthful ratio.
  • CLA (Conjugated Linoleic) fatty acids to support weight management, muscle growth, and may protect against cancer.
  • Fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K to help us absorb and properly assimilate naturally occurring trace minerals also found in raw butter (zinc, selenium, iodine, chromium, manganese, etc,).
  • Butyric fatty acids that may help protect against fungal infections and tumor growth.
  • Arachidonic fatty acids for proper inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses to heal effectively.

Also, butterfat enhances brain function and increases cell membrane integrity. With all these health benefits, raw organic butter can be a dietary fat consumed each and every day.