Sleep - R & R

Although the four groups we will balance in this program are interdependent we have to start somewhere and I always begin with my patients' sleep. Sleep is more important than most people think. R & R don't mean just rest and relaxation, to me they mean repair and restore because that is what is going on during a normal, healthy sleep cycle. Here is the breakdown. An ideal sleep cycle is 8 hours long from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am. You should fall asleep within 10 minutes, stay asleep all night and wake up naturally (without and alarm clock) feeling energetic and alert. "Ha!", you say. Yes, I know this is not the picture for most people but more startling is the fact that most people don't even realize their sleep habits are off or how that is affecting their health. During the first 4 hours our bodies undergo physical repair inside and out - scratches, bruises, bone and muscle repair. All the physical, cellular repair happens during the first half of the sleep cycle. The second 4 hours brings on chemical repair. It's the time when we make brain chemistry and hormones. All the chemicals that regulate mood, sleep, reproductive function and healthy hormonal levels. Now I don't know how the body prioritizes what needs to get done most urgently but if you are not sleeping long enough or well enough something is not getting gone. If you are waking up feeling and looking tired with sallow skin or bags under your eyes and achy joints you are not getting proper physical repair. If you are mentally fuzzy, anxious, depressed or having sugar cravings you have not had proper chemical repair. Interrupted sleep is interrupted repair. No, you should not be getting up at all to go to the bathroom regardless of how much water you drank before bed. Unless you have a diagnosed bladder issue, you should sleep deeply enough so that your bladder function slows down and holds until you wake up. So how do we make this happen? Here are some things to consider.

First, let's address the falling asleep issue. I find it is most often one of two things - food or thinking especially worry. If you are a coffee drinker keep in mind that coffee has a 12 hour half life. That means that it takes 12 hours for 1/2 of the caffeine to leave your system so if you had that last Starbucks at 3 pm it is still alive and kicking at 3 am. Other keep-you-up foods include chocolate, any caffeinated beverages, sugar and alcohol. If you are peri-menopausal all of these will contribute to poor sleep because they affect your hormones. If you are waking up due to night sweats you must stop all of these foods and drinks in order for the night sweats to cease. If you must, use them sparingly and as early in the day as possible to keep them from affecting your sleep and messing with your hormones. As for you worry warts, you need to journal. Keep a notebook or journal by your bed and write about your day, your concerns, your ideas, what you did well today, what you will work on tomorrow and let it all go. I find that writing things down gets them out of my head. I feel like I've done something about it so I can move on to something else, like sleeping. It also gives you time to wind down and relax. When you are done journaling, turn off the light, lay flat on your back and take ten deep breathes filling your lungs from the bottom up and exhaling from the top down. This is called belly breathing, it's how babies and young children breathe naturally. Yoga or tai chi at bed time are good if done slowly and quietly for 5-10 minutes. Now there are some of you who believe that you are a "night person". Here is the gauge - if you are vibrant, energetic, healthy and fit staying up until 3 am and getting 3 hours sleep, you are right, you are a night person. If you have any chronic degenerative disease like CFS, arthritis, high cholesterol, depression, allergies, digestive issues, hormonal issues, diabetes or struggle with your weight, you are not a night person you are a person who stays up too late. Go to bed, get your r & r, repair and restore, watch your life change.

Next is staying asleep. I ask my patients if they stay asleep all night and most people say yes. Then I ask how many times they get up to go to the bathroom and most people say at least once and up to 4 times. How is that staying asleep all night? Just because you aren't up reading magazines doesn't mean you stay asleep all night, the sleep cycle is interrupted. For many people it is a stress response. The body gets so exhausted that it wakes up early just to get you going on time. It's like starting the car before breakfast to warm it up so it can go when you are ready to. You body's engine is so depleted that it gives you an early false start so you can wake up on time. There is how you can tell if this is the case - if you wake up every night at the same time, usually between 3-4 am. Pay attention when you get up, your bladder isn't really full, it's just the reason you give yourself to justify the unexplained waking. So there it is, now you know why you wake up, it's a stress response and here is how you stop it. First become aware of your bladder, if it isn't really full hold it and try to go back to sleep without getting up. The bathroom thing becomes a habit that you can break. Breathe deeply and tell yourself you can wait until you get up. It may be uncomfortable the first night or two but if it is just a habit you should be fine by the third night. Be sure you urinate before getting into bed. The other common cause is low blood sugar. If you have a carb heavy dinner or a big dessert, ice cream or cereal before bed you can become hypoglycemic during the night and that will wake you up. Be sure your dinner is balanced and contains enough good protein. If you need a snack before bed have a few nuts. If it's night sweats waking you up, again stop all caffeine, sugar and alcohol as these affect your hormones negatively.

Whatever the reason you have interrupted sleep we know your adrenals are involved. The adrenal glands the little caps that sit on your kidneys which regulate a tremonous amount body functions by producing a hormone called cortisol. Most of us are running in 5th gear so our adrenals are working over time and they get tired. So take Vit. C and a B-Complex in the morning. These help strengthen adrenal function and will give your body a greater ability to handle stress. As a health care provider I can recommend herbs or supplements if these suggestions are not helpful or only take you part of the way. If you have already tried a few that didn't work it could be the formulas were not appropriate for your particular sleep issue. Sometimes it's not as easy as "take this and call me in the morning" and we already know one size does not fit all. So feel free to post questions, I am here to help you get on track and get to sleep. Remember, I started out saying that the four areas we will balance - sleep, exercise, diet/nutrition and hormones- are interdependent. That means poor sleep will affect the other areas. Next time when we will explore how sleep and exercise are connected.

Until next time - nightie-night.

A Day at the Spa

I had a very nice evening with my sister last night. We took each other out for Mother's Day. She took me to Burke Williams (urban day spa) and I took her to dinner. While we were at the spa I noticed something very interesting that has had me thinking all day. For those of you who have never been to a spa, there are steam rooms, saunas, hot bathes - sometimes natural mineral water, hot springs or jacuzzis - and some have cold water pools and mud baths. Generally you pay a fee to use to spa, avail yourself of all the facilities and if you choose you can pay for extra services likes massages, body wraps or various types of scrubs. We had the hot linen detox wrap. It was very nice and included a neck, face and foot massage. Overall a relaxing treatment after which I headed back down to the ladies spa area. That was when I noticed it. You see, spa attire is customarily the robe you are provided and a towel. You don't wear those in to the tubs and wet areas so it is also customary to wear nothing else. Yes, we are all in the buffies. Now understand that the environment is not one of socializing and visiting, it is supposed to be quite, meditative and relaxed. No one is looking at anyone else, we are not there to make new friends or talk shop we are there to leave everything behind and breathe, relax, unwind and refresh our bodies, minds and souls to go back into our lives at the end of the evening. So here I am just out of my detox wrap and the wet room and as I am drinking my cantaloupe, rosemary, lemon water I hear all this conversation. So I look up and see three young girls in their 20's walking toward the jacuzzi. And as they take off their robes to get in I see the most curious thing - bathing suits. Now, nudity is not mandatory and I have on occasion seen an older woman with her bathing suit on. But why would a 20 year old with a perfect L.A. figure, perky front and back, in the prime of her physical beauty feel the need to wear a bathing suit to the spa? Then to top it off, they wouldn't shut up! I even went to the concierge who asked them to lower their voices (which was lame because there is a sign posted right there in the jacuzzi area to refrain from conversation while in there) and they still had to talk! So help me out here, why go the the spa to talk in your bathing suit when you could do that in the jacuzzi at home or at the gym? Why couldn't they be alone with themselves for a while and relax in a place where they didn't have to live up to anyone else's expectations? Why did they attract attention to themselves by talking the whole time while wearing bathing suits as if to say "don't look at me"? I'm still working through this but would really love your input. I weigh 50 lbs. more than I did when I was their age. I've had a baby and gravity has gotten hold of me front and back. Yet there I was, along with all the other women whose bodies have been lived in a while, happy to be in a quiet place, without any distractions including clothes and oh, so comfortable in my skin. Let me tell you, I have a renewed sense of self-esteem because of them. So I leave you with Webster's definition of self-esteem - "a confidence and satisfaction with oneself." Please, kick it around and tell me what you think.

Getting started

Last time I had you think about and rate yourself in the four areas that need balancing - sleep, exercise, diet/nutrition and hormones. Keep those numbers handy. Today we will begin by working on the foundational steps for regulating all of these areas.

First is detoxification. For most people detox equals poop. That is not detox, it's spending way too much time in the bathroom and using harsh substances that irritate your bowels. Detox is the process of clearing out the substances that work against your health. That means cleaning out both what goes in and what goes out. Back to my analogy of the car. When you go to the car wash you have to clean out the trash that has accumulated first. Then to keep it clean you have to stop putting more trash in! Got it? Good! So, the easiest way to clean out the body is by stimulating the functions of the major filters namely, your liver, kidneys and bowels. Then keeping them in order by not consuming more trash. A cup of warm lemon water first thing in the morning will begin the process. I like to add a teaspoon of ground flax seeds to mine which adds fiber, soothes the colon and provides much needed omega oils. If you have issues with constipation the flax seeds will help or eat a apple with you warm lemon water. Unsweetened cranberry juice (1 oz to 8 oz of water) is another great natural detoxifier. Put 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in your water and drink with your meals. This improves digestion and helps breakdown of fats. Other than these cleansing drinks stick to water. If you need flavor add a squeeze of lemon or lime to it. Drop a slice of ginger into it or a wedge of grapefruit or orange. If you need to sweeten it use one teaspoon of maple syrup, stevia, agave or xylitol. These are natural sugars that your body will use for energy. If you use green tea do it Chinese style, use the same bag or leaves all day just keep adding water to it. The main point is to keep the water as dilute as possible and drink as much as 50% of you weight in ounces. Do not over do it. Too much is as bad as not enough. At first you will be going to the bathroom a lot but if you keep it up after 2-3 days your body will accommodate and the trips will reduce and you will feel better. You will be amazed by the number of issues brought on by chronic dehydration. I'll let you tell me how increasing your water intake affects how you feel.

On the other end stop consuming toxic things like artificial sweeteners, foods with added colors, MSG, artificial butter and foods that contain a lot of preservatives. Look at your peanut butter jar. What is all that stuff and why is it in there? All you need are peanuts and maybe a little salt. Start reading labels and stop eating unnecessary junk. Stay away from anything labeled low-fat or non-fat. It's the fat that gives food flavor. When it is taken out they have to improve the taste and guess what they use to do that? Sugar! Go read the ingredient list, I promise some form of sugar is in the top five, usually high fructose corn syrup. Very toxic and very fattening. We will talk about why sugar is fattening another time but let me give you some food for thought. The low-fat craze started about 30 years ago and our obesity and diabetes epidemic followed closely behind. Hummm! Isn't that curious?!?! So here is the rule - consume foods and beverages that are in their natural state. That means clear water with real lemon not lemon flavored anything, olive oil and vinegar not bottled Italian dressing, butter not "I can't believe it's not" because it ain't, natural or raw sugar not stuff that used to be sugar but isn't any more. Our bodies know what to do with natural substances, artificial ones simply become toxins that lead to disease.

Until next time, let me know how it goes and feel free to ask questions. B.

So here is the gist of my program. There are four primary areas of physical health that need to be regulated and balanced in order to bring about healing and permanent weight loss. They are Sleep, Exercise, Diet/Nutrition and Hormone Balancing. Each area affects the other in both positive and negative ways. A car is the perfect analogy for how our bodies work and these four major areas are the wheels. If one tire is not properly inflated the ride is affected, the gas mileage is affected and overall performance of the car is affected. It may not be as dramatic as a flat, which will virtually incapacitate the car but over time your mechanic will give you bad news about the damage that has been done. So too, chronic sleep deprivation may not keep you from getting up in the morning and doing your life, but over time it will lead to depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, joint and muscle pain, headaches and a myriad of other issues. Not exercising or inappropriate exercise will affect your heart, circulation, energy and hormone levels. It's like driving a Porche in the city. They aren't designed for slow traffic, you will ruin the engine and no longer have a high performance machine. Poor diet and/or lack of nutrition will leave you with no material to function or repair with. Your car needs gas, oil, water, lubricants and other fluids and each of the right kind for your car. Since when does not eating equal healthy weight loss? How far will you get in a car with no gas? How well will it run without oil? Balancing our hormones - all of them - is also very critical. They work together to regulate our metabolisms and keep us functioning physically and emotionally. There are three major sets to consider - sex, stress and blood sugar hormones. What is most important about hormones? Levels - just like your car you need to check the levels of fluids to make sure you have the proper amounts for optimum performance.
Take this week to look at where you are in relation to these areas of you life. Rate yourself from 1-10 in each area and then ask why you are where you are. Next time I'll begin to break down each section and provide you with action steps.

World Debut

How exciting is this?!?!?! I have been laboring for months (more like years) about getting my website up and after one phone conversation with my best friend, voila, here I am!

This blog is all about creating a network of people who know they need to make changes in their lives and health but are unmotivated to do so. As a licensed health care provider, I see people (mostly women) everyday who know they need to take better care of themselves but can't seem to find it within themselves to do it. This is where we will explore together how to get off our butts and get about the business of living.

I am writing, of course, from personal experience. My life looks much like those of my patients. Mid-40's, just overweight enough to feel uncomfortable with myself (and let me tell you it has nothing to do with not loving myself, it's all about feeling like a sausage in my clothes), still raising kids, keeping a husband happy and running a business in a major metropolitan city. Traffic, smog, bad food, cranky people, too much to do in too little time, you know what I mean. My quality of life is not what I had hoped for by this point in my life.

But there is great news! I have been blessed with knowledge and understanding not only of the delicate intricacies of the human body but also with the ability to communicate those processes in a way that gets people moving. I have found my purpose in life - to educate. So right here, right now I formally begin my journey into the depths of who I was born to be, your teacher and coach to motivate you to find the best of who you are.

I know there is a ton of health information out there claiming to be the key to a perfect body and long life. But let's face it, the changes you make may or may not produce those results but they will certainly add quality to you life. It's one of my favorite sayings - I have no problem getting old, it's getting decrepit I have a problem with!

So, I welcome you and leave you with this thought:

There is no such thing as staying the same. You are either striving to make yourself better or allowing yourself to get worse.

I don't know who said that but it was on the back of my shirt when I was an aerobics instructor for Holiday Spa in the 80's. That saying has stuck with me over the years. Ponder the words carefully. Think about what side of the equation you are on and the truth about which one or the other is happening in your life. Put pen to paper and journal about how this applies to your life, health, finances, family, faith and relationships. Although the focus of this blog will be physical health, as an acupuncturist I deal with the integrated body. That means it's ultimatly all connected and all areas affect all parts. As we go on, you will see the connections and come to understand that your body and your life are not a collection of separate things arbitrarily trying to fit together but a beautiful symphony designed to play in harmony and express it's beauty to the the world around you.