A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

Do you remember when you were little and it seemed as though sleep overcame you as soon as your head hit your pillow? And you slumbered through the night until morning time? They call it the sleep of the innocent, but don't you wish you could sleep like that again?

Adult responsibilities, stress, lifestyle and other worries often result in poor sleep habits and once the cycle of tossing and turning begins, it is difficult to return to a decent night's sleep. Many adults rely on prescription drugs to fall asleep and quite a few are addicted to them! Others 'self medicate' and use alcohol and other recreational drugs to try and fall asleep. If you are regularly struggling to sleep well, then you probably need to learn to fall asleep again!

So let’s go back to basics!

And who better to consult than babies! After all babies are the experts at sleeping so why not learn a little from them! Apart from their age and body clock, there are specific reasons that babies fall asleep so well. Let’s have a look at a few of them and see if we can’t borrow some of the tricks!

ROUTINE: Most parents try very hard to get their children into a routine. Regular bedtimes, bath times and mealtimes are something to strive towards. Of course, one cannot be too rigid, but a child on a regular routine will feel secure and will be able to ‘predict’ his environment more easily. It also helps his body clock to start the process of winding down before he actually gets to bed. He knows that after supper comes his bath, a story, a prayer and a good night kiss. When his head hits the pillow, he is ready to meet the sandman!

So try and follow this example. Start a night time routine. Make your evenings more or less predictable along the lines of supper, bath and bed. For at least three weeks try and follow this simple routine and go to bed at the same time each night – about 8 hours before it is time to get up. Wear soft comfortable and cozy nightwear, specifically for sleeping (remember flannel pyjamas?)

EXERCISE: This is something kids do lots of! They don’t stop running around for a minute! Now I am not suggesting that you start running around wherever you go, but regular exercise is one of the best sleep aids around! It’s also free and healthy and has lots of good side effects. Take up a sport, go to the gym or start regular walks. You won’t regret it!

HAVE PEACEFUL EVENINGS: How many times don’t you hear parents saying to their kids “Calm down now, it’s nearly bed time”. Or “You’d better stop running around – you won’t be able to fall asleep!” Perhaps you say this to your own children – with good reason! Do you follow your own advice? Or do you sit up watching thrillers (or even worse the news!) or finishing off the day’s work that you brought home from the office? Sound familiar? Try a different approach. Never watch TV while trying to fall asleep. Rather dim the lights while you get into a hot bath and put on some soothing music. Use aromatherapy in your home – in particular lavender for it’s soporific properties. Be quiet and peaceful for the hour before you go to bed and your body will start to get the message!

OTHER HINTS: Avoid all products with caffeine or sugar after 6pm. That means coffee, cola chocolate and all 'soda pops' (fizzy drinks). Also stay away from heavy meals at night. Your tummy will be too busy digesting to allow you to sleep well! Don't eat red meat, refined products or lots of cheese. Go for pastas, grains, pulses, potatoes and rice. Good evening or bedtime drinks are warm milk, lettuce extract and chamomile tea (sleepy tea) - all safe and proven sleep aids. If you are really struggling, some herbal remedies to aid sleep are Valerian, Passiflora and Kava Kava. Try to put these simple hints to the test for three weeks only. You will be surprised at the difference they make! Should you do this faithfully and still struggle to sleep, consult your doctor or request an online consultation at www.feelgoodcounseling.com/onlinecounsel.htm

Good night!

from Michele Carelse

NEVER TOO LATE TO PREVENT OSTEPOROSIS

Calcium - a key element in the fight

(ARA) - Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that results in the deterioration of bone mineral density, affects nearly 28 million Americans -- 2 million of which are men. Despite these staggering numbers, this disease is often preventable.

Though osteoporosis has been thought of as a disease that affects mostly women, 5-6 million men are at risk of developing this disease each year and the risks increase with age. This year alone 80,000 men will suffer from hip fractures and one-third of these men will die within a year. It has also been estimated that direct and indirect costs associated with osteoporosis are $12-14 billion annually.

The leading causes of osteoporosis in men are:

• Heavy use of alcohol
• Steroid usage
• Hypogonadism (loss of male hormone)

Additional causes of osteoporosis (in both men and women) include:

• Genetics/family history
• Lack of weight-bearing exercises
• Smoking
• Inadequate calcium intake throughout life

Your Prescription Medication is Not Enough

With such alarming numbers, the National Institutes of Health and the National Osteoporosis Foundation have recommended that treatment of osteoporosis with any drug therapy also requires sufficient calcium and vitamin D to achieve optimal benefits. Studies have shown that you can triple your medication's bone-building benefits if you get the recommended 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D daily. But, according to a recent survey, only 30 percent of women are taking calcium and vitamin D with their osteoporosis medication.

According to national studies, we are not getting enough calcium in our daily diet. While foods such as milk, broccoli, kale, beans and cheese are primary sources of calcium, large quantities of these foods would need to be eaten in order to get the right amount of calcium. A single serving of dairy provides only about 300 mg of calcium and up to 100 IU of vitamin D.

Because the average woman only gets about half the recommended daily requirement of calcium through her diet, patients who are on therapy for osteoporosis need a calcium and vitamin D supplement. "It's generally acknowledged that we don't get enough calcium through our diet, so it's a good idea for most adults, particularly those patients on osteoporosis therapy or at risk for osteoporosis, to take a calcium supplement such as Citracal + D," advises Dr. Miriam Nelson, associate professor of Nutrition and director of the Center for Physical Fitness at the School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and author of "Strong Women, Strong Bones."

Choosing a Supplement That's Right for You

Research has determined that different types of calcium supplement formulations (carbonate, phosphate and citrate) are absorbed in different ways by the body. The most widely available over-the-counter calcium supplements are formulated primarily from calcium carbonate, which is relatively insoluble.

Though calcium carbonate usually contains the highest concentration of calcium by weight, a study published in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology shows that calcium carbonate is not readily available to the body. A study conducted by Howard J. Heller, M.D., assistant professor, Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, indicates that the tablet formulation of calcium citrate in the form of Citracal was more bioavailable than calcium carbonate in the form of Os-Cal, even when given with a meal.

Dr. Nelson explains, "Calcium citrate does not require stomach acids for absorption as does calcium carbonate. This is an added benefit for older women who do not produce much stomach acid between meals. When combining the ease of absorption when taken with or without a meal and the vital Vitamin D component by which calcium turns into bone, calcium citrate supplements such as Citracal + D are a simple way to maintain the bone mass you've built."

Here are Some Tips to Prevent Osteoporosis:

• Eat calcium-rich foods, such as dairy, broccoli, kale, and beans
• Moderate your intake of alcohol
• Don't use steroids
• If you smoke, quit
• Take a daily ten-minute walk as a form of weight-bearing exercise

For more information on osteoporosis, please visit Mission Pharmacal's Web site at www.citracal.com.

from Courtesy ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com