Are You Still Tired After a Full Night's Sleep?

Study after study have shown that we are a sleep-deprived nation.  Very few of us get 7-9 hours of sleep a night.  Even fewer of us awaken refreshed and ready to face whatever the day holds in store for us.  We literally spend billions of dollars a year as a nation on both OTC and prescription sleep aids--and, still we are exhausted.  Why?

There are different types of sleep interruption:  the inability to fall asleep, the inability to stay asleep, the inability to get back to sleep after awakening during the night and awakening from a full night's sleep, tired or exhausted.

The causes for sleep interruption are varied and many:  stress at home and at work, emotional stress from family responsibilities, poor diet, poor bedtime environment (TV and electronic devices in the bedroom), poor time management (getting to bed too late or at different times) and the like.  However, I have found that those who awaken unrefreshed and tired do so for none of the above-mentioned reasons.

The "restless" sleep that causes morning exhaustion, in my experience with patients suffering with this, is as a result of physiological imbalances and not a cause in and of itself.  While there are formulations that help with every type of sleep problem, these are not very effective in alleviating the poor quality of sleep sufferer.

I'm working with a middle-aged woman right now who used to suffer from sleep exhaustion for years.  After identifying the physiological sources of the imbalances, I can happily say that she reports having "excellent" sleep every night and that she awakens "refreshed" every morning.  Did her work/home stress levels decrease?  Did her extended family responsibilities change?  Did she  change her bedtime environment or schedule?  The answer to all the above is, "No." 

Anyone suffering from lack of energy or exhaustion in the morning? Would you like to feel "normal" and energetic, again?   I'm here to help.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

So, You Think You Don't Need Much Sleep....

Many have told me that they simply don't need very many hours of sleep a night and downplay the studies that contradict that belief.  Now, a small study published in the journal, Hypertension, and conducted at the University of Chicago sleep lab, indicates serious problems for shift workers and those who get no more than 5 hours of sleep a night.

Twenty-six healthy young adults (definitely not representative of the majority of this country) were assigned one week of shortened sleep.  Half slept during normal nighttime hours and half slept during the day, representing shift workers routine. The following were measured: blood pressure, norepinephrine levels (stress hormone), heart rate during the day and heart rate variability (the variability of beat-to-beat intervals which is an indicator for cardiovascular disease).

The result?  Everyone showed an increased heart rate during the day, increased amounts of norepinephrine and less heart rate variability at night.  The most significant concern was changes seen in slow-wave sleep, normally the most restorative phase of sleep...both groups heart rate and blood pressure didn't decrease.  And, this was after only one week!

Think about both teenagers and young adults who typically get very little sleep.  These types of physiological changes can very well lead to depression, anxiety, obesity, heart disease and cognitive problems. 

There are many things that can be done to improve sleep:
changing of the sleep environment, better time management, an understanding of the consequences of sleep deprivation and very safe and effective sleep formulations.

I can help with whole food, organic sleep formulations...they really do work!

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

Dieting vs. Healthy Lifestyle

I have written on this topic before, referencing the best book (imo) on this subject: Health at Every Size by Jane Bacon, Ph.D.  However, now "traditional" medical research has finally caught up with the truth that there is no evidence that weight loss alone improves health!

The medical profession's (and the pharmaceutical industry's) unrelenting drum beating about losing weight takes zero consideration of the type, quality and source of food that the dieter is consuming.  We've all been barraged by numerous weight loss fad diets, pills and food delivery systems, daily.  We've been told that if you have diabetes, weight loss is central to avoiding heart disease.  Well, it appears that both studies by AHEAD ( Action for Health in Diabetes) and the results of a 19-year study in Denmark have come to the same conclusion:  Weight loss had no effect on deaths among diabetic patients. 

Dieting is about the only recommendation by doctors for diabetics (not to mention the questionable medications for Type 2 diabetes when healthy lifestyle usually reverses the diabetes) because they are short-term successful even though long-term weak and frequently damaging (due to the affects of yo-yo dieting).  People frequently become healthier, in the beginning, when dieting, usually because they improve their lifestyle (exercising, eating more nutrient-dense foods and cutting out the junk foods), but the focus of the doctors and patients is on dieting and not lifestyle. 

Research has shown time and time again that our lifestyle habits are much more important than weight loss.  Unfortunately, because the focus is weight loss instead of life-changing habits, people tire of "willpower-centered" deprivation eating, regain most of the weight (if not more) and go back to their old eating and lifestyle habits. Thus the "I've-tried-every-diet-and-they-don't-work-for-me," merry-go-round continues.

What truly matters is a combination of daily exercise (walking is terrific), drinking lots of water (no sugary or sugar-substitute drinks), cutting out smoking, getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night and eating fresh, in-season vegetables and fruits, good fats (coconut, avocado, sunflower, olive oils) and high-quality proteins (no fast foods).

Did you know that deaths from obesity account for 2-3% of deaths in the U.S. but low fitness is estimated to be responsible for 16-17% of deaths?  Smoking, high blood pressure, low income and loneliness are better predictors of early death than obesity, when considered individually.

Get up, get out and start moving;  stop eating the "great American diet" and you'll live a stronger and healthier life.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

Another "Study" about the Dangers of Cell Phones

Another study just published by the government shows a possible association between cell phone usage and cancer.  It's a weak study and completely misses the point.

The real science that is being ignored is not whether cell phone usage causes cancer, but how it affects human cells. I have written about the problems of "sympathetic lock" that cell phone radiation causes.  That is the true danger, not whether or not we can give a bunch of rats cancer.  Because this concept is so important for us to understand, I am re-posting a blog I wrote about this subject from last year.  It's a bit technical, but vital to our understanding as to how emfr's (electromagnetic field radiation) affect us on a daily basis.

" Basically, emfr is a low frequency magnetic radiation that is generated, constantly and continuously, by microwave and cellular technology. In nature, there are many electromagnetic fields that have no adverse affects on our bodies. That is because natural fields are either temporally constant (same frequency) or spatially constant (same shape), but never both.

 Man-made signals, by necessity for communication, are both temporally and spatially constant. These constant signals, with prolonged exposure, can cause the protein vibratory receptors located on our cell membranes to resonate (vibrate). 

All cells vibrate. The colors we see are the result of vibration just as all sounds are the result of vibrations. When any force interrupts, damages or changes these physical vibrations, our body considers itself to be under attack.

We have mechanisms that can address an attack that the body recognizes, but no mechanisms to address foreign attacks. Therein lies the problem at the core level of our cells: they do not recognize the man-made emfr signals and are unable to develop any protection for this. As is the case with all man-made signals, our cells react by going into what is called, “sympathetic lock,” in order to try to protect the cell from this perceived invasion. Sympathetic lock prevents the cell from taking in nutrition and releasing toxins. Cells will die if this sympathetic lock is not reversed.
 

This cell membrane reaction triggers a cascade of events that can then manifest themselves in a variety of symptoms and diseases, starting with compromising the immune system. If the exposure is prolonged, the stress-response system (our adrenals) becomes exhausted and the competency of the immune system declines to below normal. As a result, animals and humans are more susceptible to cancer and infectious diseases and conditions related to immune system compromise."

 

Dr. Esther

fixdhealthcare.com

 
 

Misdiagnosed 80% of the Time!

What condition could possibly be misdiagnosed 80% of the time??  Celiac Disease.  That's correct: the vast majority of doctors don't even think to test for the presence of this debilitating condition.

One possible reason for this is that Celiac presents with so many different symptoms--from gas, bloating and belly pain to generalized significant joint pain, rashes, headaches, insomnia and depression.

I've written extensively about how important healthy microbiota are to the health of the immune system.  Celiac disease involves the destruction of these bacteria that can then lead to other auto-immune diseases.

One sure-fire way to see how your body reacts to gluten in wheat, rye and barley is to cut out all foods containing these grains for at least 10 days. Keep a journal to see how many of your symptoms have abated.  You may be surprised at the results.

Many in the various media, perhaps parroting the medical profession, refer to the gluten-free diet as a "fad."  I don't know what purpose that has served except to discourage people from cutting these grains from their diet to see if that's effective in alleviating their symptoms.

Gluten, in my opinion, is not our friend; it usually causes inflammation of the gut and that's never a good thing.  We have so many wonderful GF products at our disposal, today.  And, that's always a good thing.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

Recipe of the Month

This recipe comes to you courtesy of Standard Process.  It's high in antioxidants, nutrient-dense greens and anti-inflammatories as well as being very tasty.  The extra instructions come courtesy of me.

Spring Greens with Raspberries Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed greens (preferably organic)
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup red onion or shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cucumber, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds

Dressing:

4 Tbsp. lime juice
4 Tbsp. avocado, sunflower, coconut or olive oil
2 tsp. jalapeno pepper, finely chopped with seeds removed (keep seeds if you like it hot)
1/4 tsp. cumin

Directions:

In a medium bowl, toss together greens, raspberries, onion, cucumber and seeds.  Use a blender or food processor to blend all ingredients, thoroughly.

Top the greens mixture with the dressing and carefully drizzle the dressing around the outside of the mixture.  That way, you don't get too much dressing in the greens.  Add more dressing to your individual portion, if desired.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

What One Question do Medical Doctors Not ask Their Patients?

Normally, when one goes to the medical doctor it's for a specific problem (or maybe even a yearly physical).  The nurse will take your vitals, ask you what the problem is and take a small history.  By the time you actually see the doctor (or more probably, the PA) he/she may ask you a couple of follow-up questions, write you a prescription and, then, off you go.

If you have a doctor whom you have known a long time, you may be asked about your family or job or other such personal questions, but, I'm willing to bet you that you were never asked the following question:  "What are your health goals?"

Let's let that percolate a moment.  Truly, if you think about it, isn't that question foundational to your quality and quantity of life? Yet, as far as my experience is concerned, the only group of health care professionals that ask that question is the alternative/wholistic group.

When I see a patient/client, that is the very first question that I ask.  I may say, "How can I help you?" or, "What are five things that most concern you about your health?" but we always end up talking about personal health goals.  I spend about one and one-half to two hours with each new patient.  Perhaps, I'm a little slow, or perhaps, it's because by the time people get to me they feel marginalized by the care they have gotten from the medical profession, but I cannot do a complete history/exam/work-up/analysis/health plan in less than that.  My goal is to help re-balance the body, not to focus on any one specific diagnosis, and that takes time.

Setting goals is the first thing a financial manager will have you consider, but not your medical doctor. Think about it: we set goals for our education, our career, characteristics we want in a spouse/significant other, our wedding and so on, but not our health.  Does that make sense?

My suggestion?  Get with a health care provider that you can partner with who will help direct you toward those goals that will result in a longer, drug-free, healthier life.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

Tinted Car Windows Offer Little Protection Against Skin Cancer

Car windows don't protect against harmful sun exposure, so it might be a good idea to wear sunglasses and sun block even while driving, a new study suggests.

While windshields blocked the vast majority of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, car door windows offered varying levels of protection from the rays that are tied to cataracts and skin aging.

"Some cars were as low as 50 percent blockage," said researcher Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler of the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hill, California.
"Even cars that came with factory tint, there was no guarantee that would protect against UV rays," he told Reuters Health.

While windshields offer 95-98% UV protection, side windows do not. Because drivers in the U.S. have their left side exposed to sunlight, UV rays have been blamed for the increased number of cataracts and skin cancers that occur on the left side, Boxer Wachler writes in JAMA Ophthalmology.  And, there appears to be no correlation between the cost of the car and its UV-A protection for side windows.

Wearing UV-A and UV-B protective sunglasses as well as sunblock is recommended for anyone traveling in their car for extended periods of time, as well as for anyone predisposed to skin cancer or eye problems.  Also, adding clear UV filters to the side windows is another recommendation.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

How to Improve Your Quality of Sleep

According to the CDC, one-third of Americans do not get even 7 hours of sleep a night, let alone the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep.  And, even if you are able to sleep through the night, which most adults do, the foods we eat, the bedroom environment and our general lifestyle habits prevent us from getting  high quality sleep.

These are the four recommendations from sleep researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine:

"1.  Turn down the thermostat
Sixty-five degrees is the optimal temperature for sleeping, according to the National Sleep Foundation. That’s because, throughout the day, your circadian clock alters your body temperature right along with your energy levels. And when your clock says it’s time for bed, you experience a rapid decrease in your core body temperature, says Zee. In fact, from the beginning to middle of the night, your temperature drops about 3 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to enter the deepest stages of sleep. Keeping your room cool (you don’t necessarily have to go as low as 65 if it feels too cold for comfort) facilitates this process, while temperatures higher than the low- to mid-70s are known to impede the brain’s ability to switch to sleep mode.

2. Exercise as early in the day as you can
Research suggests that regular exercise improves sleep quality and duration. And while the effects are generally seen sooner in people with sub-clinical sleep problems, after four months of regular exercise, a gym membership can prove as (or even more) beneficial than most sleep medications even for those with serious cases of insomnia.

3. Skip the nightcap
By acting on your brain’s GABA receptors, that glass of wine may help you fall asleep. But, unlike sleep meds, which also work on GABA, alcohol targets sub-receptors that are more related to sedation than actually sleepiness, Zee says. So even though alcohol may help you fall asleep, it won’t help you stay asleep. In a 2015 study, researchers from the University of Melbourne found that alcohol increases the sleeping brain’s alpha wave patterns—which typically only occur when people are awake—to seriously disrupt sleep. In fact, they said the sleep disruptions are similar to those experienced when receiving small electric shocks throughout the night.

4. Nix even the occasional cigarette
While we hope you know smoking isn’t a healthy activity, most women would be surprised to hear that it affects your sleep patterns—and for the worse. While nicotine in itself is a stimulant, potentially triggering insomnia and mid-slumber awakenings, people who currently smoke are also 2.5 times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea."

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com

MD's Still Overprescribing Antibiotics despite Warnings by CDC

Have you gone to the MD for any of the following problems and been given antibiotics?

    " acute respiratory conditions, such as sinus infections, middle ear infections, sore throats, colds, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, asthma, allergies, influenza, and viral pneumonia."

If so, you have been given among the estimated 47 million completely unnecessary and potentially damaging antibiotic prescriptions  for viral infections.  And, unfortunately, the age group that gets the majority of these is 2 years and under....leading to the demise of the native intestinal flora.  (See my 5/2 blog about the importance of those microbiota).

For the past several years, the CDC and other health officials have been actively warning medical doctors to stop prescribing antibiotics for problems caused by viruses or fungi.  It appears, the MD's have chosen not to listen.

Every time someone uses an antibiotic,  bacteria in their body begins to evolve a resistance to it. It's impossible to wipe out every single bacterium in the body, so those that survive are stronger, and can not only re-infect the patient, but can be passed to others.  Which, of course, means that the antibiotic won't be as effective the next time or the next.

This is a direct quote from the CDC:   'And people wipe out "good" germs in their digestive tracts and on their bodies every time they use antibiotics. It's the loss of these beneficial bacteria that helps Clostridium difficile thrive. C. diff infects 450,000 Americans a year and killed 29,000 in 2011.'

There are a number of highly effective methods to combat viral infections.

Dr. Esther
fixdhealthcare.com