SLEEP EASIER

Natural ways to a better nights rest

About 50% of the population suffer from some sort of sleep difficulty,whether it’s trouble falling asleep,staying asleep or waking up to early.Sometimes a harmful cycle develops:You can’t fall asleep,so your tired,so you worry about sleeping,so you can’t sleep.It just goes on and on.

Sleep disorders can lead to substance abuse,accidents,headaches,and depression,just to name a few!Making the 50% figure a rather scary statistic.

Insomnia sufferers may turn to over the counter sleeping aids or prescription drugs for quick fixes,but these drugs are just a band-aid to the problem and can be dangerous if used to long,they can also make the problem worse.

So what can you do to combat this problem?Well 1st you should get into a routine before bedtime.This means practicing good hygiene (brushing teeth,washing face). Keep a schedule every night. Make it a habit to stop watching T.V., e-mailing, eating and exercise about 1-2 hours before you plan to turn in. End your evening with calming music ,a good book, maybe a calming tea like chamomile or passion flower.

Make your bedroom a haven for sleep. keep it cooler and as dark as possible. Don’t keep a clock in sight that glows because most likely you will be watching it! If you find yourself not able to fall asleep after about 20 mins. get up and relax in another room for awhile then go back and try again.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself on many levels,but will also help if you have sleeping problems. Stress relieving practices such as yoga are powerful tools to add to your regimen. Acupuncture and acupressure, which target points on the body with needles and pressure can effectively address insomnia. Some studies suggest that certain acupuncture procedures are 90% successful, Perhaps because they release serotonin and encourage relaxation and sleep.

Then we have herbs that can help with sleep problems,such as: Chamomile(used as a tea or tincture) Kava Kava (comes in differant form) do not use if you have liver problems. Passion Flower (helps with an overactive mind)  Rhodiola (fights stress) St.John’s wort (encourages deep sleep) Valerian ( one of the most popular herbs,increases sleep quality and decreases the time it takes to fall asleep).

Homeopathic Remedies are also quit helpful. ARSENICUM ALBUM (for those with restless fretting or fears that keeps them up or wakes them after they have fallen asleep) COFFEA CRUDA (For strain of emotional news,where you can’t shut your mind off) GELSEMIUM (for the tired foggy mind or one that is worn out about anticipation of an upcoming event) RHUS TOXICODENDRON (restless and pain induced insomnia) IGNATIA ( due to grief).

Supplements are another tool: 5-HTP ( helps regulate mood,particulary for depression related sleep problems) talk with a health care professional before taking. L-tryptophan ( appears to induce sleep by raising the chemical serotonin) talk with a health care professional before taking. Magnesium (long time insomniacs usually lack proper levels of this). Melatonin ( is a brain hormone with antioxidant properties,it plays a crucial role in the body’s internal clock,it promotes good sleep on several fronts). Omega-3 fatty acids (supports mental balance). B-12 ( helps regulate sleep/wake cycle).

So give some of these things a try before you jump to taking OTC’s or prescription drugs that could do you more harm than good.Remember there is always an underlying cause to everything that happens to our bodies.step back and take a look at your habits, maybe just a few minor changes could help. Drugs are just a way of subduing a symptom, they do not fix what caused it in the first place.

I hope this has been helpful to those who suffer from this wide spread problem.I will leave you with this short story:

A little boy was having difficulty lifting a heavy stone. His father came along just then. Noting the boy’s failure, he asked, “Are you using all your strength?”

“Yes, I am,” the little boy said impatiently.

“No, you are not,” the father answered. “I am right here just waiting, and you haven’t asked me to help you.”

Author Unknown

Just a message to remember there is help for you and I am here if you need me!

To your Health and Wellbeing Paula

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Beauty From The Kitchen

Remember when your mother told you that true beauty was on the inside? Well she was right,thats where it all starts.You can smear all sorts of stuff on the outside,but if you are a toxic waste dump on the inside your beauty regimen won’t work as well or at all if you don’t clean your insides!

You can’t have clear skin and shiney hair if your intestines are clogged with toxins and poisons.Your skin reflects these conditions.Brown spots on hands and face are often the result of toxins built up in your intestines and liver.

There are many products out there to detoxify your body.One product that is used at my work is “Enviro-detox”by (natures sunshine)it is a combination of herbs that do a superior job of detoxing plus it has good flora to replace the friendly flora in your gut that might have  been destroyed by the use of antibiotics and several other meds.

Doing this detox along with a diet of fresh veggies and fruits can go along way in clearing up skin problems.

Digestion has alot to do with your skin,hair and nails.The little miracle worker here is called (Hydrochloric Acid) or HCL for short.Doctors explain that we have a “acid mantle” over our skin and scalp,this acid mantle helps protect our skin and scalp from bacterial infections.

Many cosmetics that we use can disrupt this acid mantle.Most soaps detergents and cosmetics are alkaline when they should be acid.A pale skin can sometimes be an indicater that your skin is starving for acid.If you must cleanse your face with an alkaline substance,follow it up with an application of apple cider vinegar and water,this will leave the skin in it’s normal acid condition.

So how do you know when you don’t have enough HCL?This can be a bit tricky,because the symptoms of not having enough HCL are the same as having to much.Acid is necessary to break down proteins and minerals for digestion,as well as destroy certain bacteria.Some of the problems of not enough acid can include gas,bloating,belching and possible burning in the stomach.Bad breath can also be caused by a deficiency of HCL.These are just a few things that can result from improper digestion.One amazing step that you can take to help with digestion is to supplement with a “digestive enzyme”these amazing little pills will help with digestion and absorbtion.I recommend one that digests all the food groups so that you don’t have to take more than one pill for different things you eat.A product called “Digest”by enzymedica is one that I use and highly recommend.

So now that we know a little about whats going on in our body and how products that we use every day can build up and be toxic to us,I have a few recipes that you can make in your own kitchen.It is said that if you can’t eat it don’t put it on your skin!

Here is one you can use if you have (ACNE) make a face pack of bran,baking soda and water.Mix this into a paste and apply to the face.Leave on for 15 mins.then rinse with apple cider vinegar and water(one part vinegar to 8 parts water.

PROBLEM WITH BROWN SPOTS? Rub oderless castor oil or apply vitamin E directly on them nightly.

EYE PROBLEMS: Camomile tea or tea bags steeped in hot water for 20 mins.then put in frig.and use cold twice a day for puffiness.
For dark circles use Figs!half of a fresh fig over each eye will help erase dark circles.

SKIN PROBLEMS: For large Pores-put 16oz of steel cut oatmeal into a blender,blend till powder add 8oz almond meal,4oz powdered orris root,1oz powdered castile soap.Moisten 1Tbsp.at a time with water to make a paste.apply gently with fingertips and then rinse with cold water.

TO SMOOTH SKIN: Make a herb tea by blending a handful of rosemary in 4oz of water,steep for 15 mins.strain and cool then for every 2tsps.of tea add 1 egg white and 1 tsp.powdered milk,mix do not beat!Store in frig.you should see a difference in about a week.

DRY SKIN: use a mashed banana or peach in olive oil and apply as a pack.leave on for 15 mins. then wash off with tepid water.

FACE PEEL:to remove dry dead skin mash a papaya and apply as a mask leave on for 20 mins.

TIGHTEN AND TONE:beat together 1 egg,1Tbsp. milk,and 1 tsp.honey.apply to face and neck till hardened.leave on as long as you like.remove with warm water then follow with cold.This secret dates back to Cleopatra.

To Plump up   tissues,dissolve lecithin granules in warm water,then add to cold pressed veg.oil.Rub into skin for all-day or all-night treatment.This recipe may take awhile to work.

This recipe is a quick fix:clean your face then pat raw egg whites all over,leave on for 15 min.rinse with warm water.Temporarily smoothes out wrinkles and lines.

 
Here is a skin building formula that Jheri Redding says will be helpful in reducing wrinkles(mayonnaise)! Yes as simple as that!He says that mayonnaise has everything the skin needs to regenerate.Use daily and skin will become more velvety within 15 days,Elasticity will improve and dryness disappear in 40-60 days.A definite improvement will be noticeable in 30 days.He almost guarantees that lines will be smoothed and texture will improve in 70-80 days!
To speed things along you can lay on a board at a slant so that your head is down,this helps increase the circulation to your face.

So here you have it as simple as going to your cupboard and mixing up a few healthy things and what you don’t have you can pick up easily at your local health food store or supermarket.

Everything in these recipes are all natural and would not hurt you if you consumed them.You can’t say that about most of the products that we buy and put on our bodies.

So give some of these things a try and let me know how they work out for you!You can email me directly at pmprager@gmail.com or leave a comment on my blog.It is my sincere desire to help in everyone leading a more healthy less toxic life!

To Your Health and Wellbeing Paula

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