Are You An Insomniac? I Think Everyone Has Had A Sleepless Night or Two.

Not being able to get to sleep sucks,  the same for not being able to stay asleep.  And, if it's happening frequently you may have Insomnia.  The National Sleep Foundation says 30% to 40% of adults have occasional insomnia, so you're not alone.     There is no need to panic, if it becomes a problem they have plenty of medication for this but you can try some natural remedies and lifestyle changes before running to pills.

I only say to try other remedies before pills because if you are the cause of your insomnia sleeping pills are only a band-aid.    Insomnia can be caused by many factors, so it could be that late night latte or too much mental stimulation near bedtime,  poor diet, etc.

• Melatonin is probably the first thing everyone will suggest if you ask for a natural sleep aid.  It is a hormone that helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle. However the science behind melatonin is a hit-and-miss.  It can get your body in sleep mode (lower body temperature and cause drowsiness) but it may not keep you asleep.  So it is better suited for those with jet lag or shift work.   Personally it does nothing for me.

• An old classic, Warm Milk has been a natural sleep aid for a long time and it "works" by helping your brain make its own melatonin.

• Eating a light snack that is a combination of protein and carbohydrates 30 minutes before bed can help.

• Get enough Magnesium in your diet, even a slight lack of it can prevent your brain from settling down when you are trying to sleep.   Leafy green veggies and pumpkin seeds are a good source.

•   Light during the nighttime can hinder your own melatonin and create what they call "social jet-lag" so turning down the lights early in the evening is a good idea.   Keep the light in your sleeping area to a minimal, I even like to turn my clock away from my bed so its light is not in my face.

• My personal favorite, EXERCISE can be the best remedy for those sleepless nights and improve your overall health.  Some studies suggest that the time of day you exercise makes a difference. Morning is consider the best time but I would think as long as it's not within a few hours of bedtime you should be okay. They say this because a cooler body temperature is linked to better sleep and your body warms up during exercise.  Cooling down can take up to 6 hours but it depends of the how hard and long you exercise.     Do you need a better reason to get yourself motivated and on a good workout routine?                                                                                        Read what WebMD has on it: Exercise Helps You Sleep

Pumpkin Seeds Are Not Just Tasty Good, But Good For You

Since it is the season I thought I would boast a little about how good Pumpkin Seeds are.  They are a chewy snack that will satisfy your hunger guilt-free.  You get a wide variety of nutrients and antioxidants.

 As little as 1/4 cup of these tasty seeds will give you almost half of your recommended daily amount of magnesium (which is important to your body),  this also makes it a good before-workout snack since magnesium is important to the pumping of your heart, which it will be doing a lot of when you are one of Beachbody's workout DVDs.

The Zinc in Pumpkin Seeds boost your immune system, and with winter coming up we could all use a little help there.  No one likes getting sick.   Zinc can also help with sleeping, I once read eating them a few hours before your bedtime will help you fall asleep faster and sleep better (I bet the tryptophan helps more then the Zinc when it comes to sleeping,  Tip: eat a little bit of carbohydrates with them to get the tryptophan going).  It is serendipitous that Pumpkins are harvested at the beginning of Fall, we were given a tasty treat that helps us avoid getting sick right when we need it the most.

You really should add these to your roaster of snacks if you are a man.  Pumpkin Seeds are highly recommended for men's health, I don't want to get all technical but it helps the "parts" women do not have.



Question: you eat the whole seed or crack them like sunflower seeds?

It's Pumpkin Season and That Means Time for Roasting.

Yes, you can buy them year round that the grocery store but making your own is that much better (if you ask me homemade tastes better and you know they are fresh), and it seems such a shame to just throw them away.  You can make it part of the fun of carving pumpkins. Once you know the basics you can do anything you want, raid your spice cabinet and make your own recipe.

Here are some links to help you get started:

 SimplyRecipes.com has a great how-to article, I had never thought to boil them before roasting until I read this.  I am not sure if boiling does anything more then just getting salt into the seeds but the recipes that say to do that have a lower cook time.

101cookbooks.com has some interesting way to season them,  in two of the three ways they have you coating them in an egg white mixture before roasting. I just might try that this years.

 The FoodNetwork's Hilda's roasted pumpkin seed recipe makes my mouth water just reading it.

A few more links: Food.com, thekitchn.com, ohsheglows.com

Will you be (or already have) roasting your seeds this years?  Have you ever roasted Squash seeds?  What is your favorite way to season them?   I noticed some of the recipes say to coat with butter and some say olive oil. Do you think one tastes better then the other?   Do you use pumpkin seeds in other recipes?

Fun Facts About Fruits and Veggies We Eat!

                By now I would think we have all heard that Tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable. Even though they are considered a veggie, they in fact are not. However a ruling by the Supreme Court in 1893 classified them as a veggie for "trade" purposes. (Google it, kind of interesting).

         Most people wrongly classify Bananas as a fruit, when it is a herb. Yes, the plant it grows on looks tree-like but it is not a tree, the so called trunk is made up of many leaves tightly wrapped around a flower stem that sticks out of the top.  And unlike most fruits the banana is sterile and is only able to reproduce by side-shoots the main plant produces (this means that banana you ate months ago and the one you ate today are genetically identical).

 

  The tops of Broccoli (called florets) are closed flower buds.     The picture from ieatfreshfruit.com, they have some good tips on how to pick the best tasting Broccoli.

 It is also a member of the cabbage family,  The Italian name for it means "the flowering top of cabbage".  Who knew, flower buds could be so healthy for you.



Kiwis grow on a vine like grapes, and they contain double the amount of Vitamin C that is in an Orange.



The Rhubarb plant has poisonous leaves (good thing we only use the stalks), they have a potentially fatal amounts of a chemical compound that is found in bleach and other cleaners. 

A single Pomegranate can hold over 1,000 seeds.  If your looking for a fruit high in antioxidants Pomegranates are what you need, it contains more then any other kind of fruit juices.  They make Pomegranate juice by pressing the whole fruit, this is what makes it so high in antioxidants (the good stuff is in the peel and the white pith).


Would it surprise you to know that Peaches, Pears and Plums are in the Rose family?

Now this is just a short list of interesting things you may not know about some of the things we eat, I will have to do some more of these "Fun Facts" posts.

Have You Seen The Commercials for MyMixify.com?

 I have been seeing the commercials for MyMixify.com all over the place the last few days.  So I couldn't help but go check it out.   Here is how they explain it on the site.
 
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"A new project from America’s beverage companies that’s all about making balance easier. Because even if your body is feeling less like a temple and more like— say, a truck stop—balancing the calories that you eat and drink with the calories you burn is key to finding the right mix to keep you feeling like the majestic creature that you are."
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It is a nice idea but it falls flat if you ask me.   They make it sound like "they" are going to give you tools and tips, I assume that means you will be able to do stuff on the site.   When it only has links to other peoples tools, like ChooseMyPlate.gov and so on.  I was expecting an app or something that was made by them. And, an ask the expert section.

The "ask the expert" area only has a hand-full of questions asked and the FAQs they mention on the home page is no where to be found. However, that could change as times goes on, its a new site. You would think with all the commercials they have had on TV there would be a lot of visitors asking questions already.  

You can also follow them on the social sites Facebook. Twitter, Instagram, and tumblr for daily "balance inspiration" as they put it, I have now followed them on any of these sites so I don't know what it on there but I am guessing a lot of memes with motivating sayings and such.


With all the options out there I don't see this site being any better (or even equal to) the other "get healthy" sites on the internet.   I applaud the soda companies trying but they can do better.  I would like to see them try to make soda better for you.   I know it will never be healthy, but they could cut back on the sugar or use a better form of sugar (won't go into details here, you know what I mean), etc.....      


 Do you use a website or app to help you keep track of your diet and/or exercise?  I would love to know which one you like, and which ones you don't like.