Sleep, Carbs, and Food Cravings

Ok, I just experienced something that I never have before. I was taking a swig of my lipton diet green tea and right as I was pouring it into my mouth, I sneezed.

Can you imagine? Honestly, I couldn't have before it happened to me...and there's really nothing like the sensation of sneezing at the precise moment that you trying to drink something.

Here's factoid number 2:

Getting sufficient amounts of sleep, regularly is important. For one thing, our bodies repair while we are engaged in deep level sleep (individuals with fibromyalgia often complain of sleep deficits and fibromylagia patients have ongoing pain--increasingly this is thought to be related to insufficient amounts of deep level sleep).

However, here's another reason for getting enough sleep. A study that was published in the annals of internal medicine found that sleep deprivation can have the following effect: increased cravings for calorie rich and carbohydrate rich food.

Perhaps you've experienced this yourself after pulling an all-nighter in college. I know from my own personal experience that anytime I went completely without sleep in preparation for something either school or work related I became famished by the time the sun came up. And my hunger was not for protein, but, rather, anything densely packed with calories and carbs.

DHEA Levels, Beer, and...erectile dysfunction, arthritis, etc.

If anyone can tell me of a comfortable way to type/blog/compose/whatever while using a laptop and sitting in bed, please tell me. Because, I really could a tip.

Ok, I've decided that it would be a good idea to post "factoids" on this blog. This will allow me to post helpful and informative information about health and nutrition topics (probably, for the most part, regarding micronutrients).

So, without further adieu, here's----

Factoid Number 1:

DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is being studied as a treatment for certain autoimmune diseases and also as a possible treatment for degenerative conditions such as arthritis. A dutch study has found that consumption of beer in moderate levels increases DHEA levels.

Hmmm. This is not the first post I've had on this blog that points to possible advantages regarding alcohol consumption. Typically, however, those posts seem to involve red wine and resveratrol.

Frankly, I've just never really liked beer that much, myself. And, I've found that despite the many different brands out there, they all tend to taste the same. They're the wild game equivalent of chicken, I suppose.

Additional information regarding DHEA:

1. DHEA supplements are taken by some dividuals for muscular development, as well as to increase libido, and to treat erectile dysfunction.

2. Some studies suggest that DHEA may help treat conditions such as atherosclerosis, crohn's disease, and depression.

Multiple Sclerosis and the Best Best Diet

If you follow health and nutrition news, you may have heard about a new diet that has proven to be beneficial to multiple sclerosis sufferers. Multiple sclerosis, of course, is an autoimmune disorder that causes the white blood cells to attack the myelin that covers nerve cells throughout the body.

Researchers have come up with a theory that once these myelin look-alike proteins are released into the blood stream, the immune system goes into “hyper drive”, which in turn causes multiple sclerosis flare-ups to be more severe and to occur more frequently.

The new diet is known as “The Best Bet Diet". The Best Bet Diet suggests that avoiding certain common foods that have a molecular structure that is comparable to that of healthy myelin helps the body avoid "immune system overdrive".

Some of the ordinary foods that have molecular structures similar to myelin are animal milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter.

Additionally, gluten and legumes also have molecular structures that are similar to myelin; consequently, wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, beans, and pulses must also be avoided.

The Best Bet Diet goes on to suggest that multiple sclerosis sufferers should avoid all refined sugar, because it increases food protein leakage into the bloodstream, along with making the immune system more effective (this is a negative when the immune system is attacking healthy myelin).

The developers of The Best Bet Diet for Multiple Sclerosis indicated that it is extremely important for individuals to have an ELISA test to determine food allergies that may cause an exaggerated immune response, which in turn causes the body’s immune system to destroy healthy myelin.

Successful management of osteoarthritis

According to a recent article, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a progressive, inflammatory condition that results from wear and tear on the joint cartilage. Currently, there is no cure for osteoarthritis. Consequently, it is very important to prevent damage and maintain joint health.

The article that I read explores the benefits of managing your symptoms with an alternative treatment, which involves a balanced overall health plan and pharmaceutical grade supplements. Due to success in clinical tests and a high level of safety, supplements such as chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine are gaining popularity among medical professionals.

Chondroitin sulfate is extremely safe because it has no drug interactions and may be an appropriate treatment option for individuals with diabetes and hypertension. Research has shown that when chondroitin and glucosamine are taken together, they have a modifying effect that reduces synovitis (inflammation of synovial membrane) and pain.

Of course, taking the supplements is just one phase of an overall joint health plan. In addition to glucosamine and chondroitin, the best way to prevent further damage is to rest joints, if pain begins, for about twenty-four hours. Additionally, an osteoarthritis sufferer should implement an exercise plan (approved by their physician).

After all, exercises such as walking, swimming, and biking help build muscle, manage weight, and improve endurance.

Naturally, if osteoarthritis pain continues, there are other options such as prescribed pain medications, cortisone shots, or even surgery.

More Definitions added

More definitions have been added to the Vitamin Stuff dictionary. Building this type of reference is certainly taking a fair amount of time. However, I believe this information will be useful in providing background information for articles that reference these terms.

Metabolism
Lactic acid
Peptides
Glycogen
Mitochondria
Monounsaturated fat
Dietary fiber
Corticosteroids
Cholesterol
Catalase
Carotenoids
Carbohydrate
Cortisol
Enzymes
Caffeine
Beta-glucans
Adaptogens
Fast twitch muscle fiber
Slow twitch muscle fiber

Working out to improve your sleep cycle

I have a terrible predisposition for being a night owl and a workaholic. And with a number of websites to either administer, build, expand, or promote, its easy for me to fall into the habit of being chained to a desk, chair, and monitor, lasting into the wee hours of each and every night.

It goes without that saying that that's not healthy. And it's not healthy for a number of reasons. It's sedentary. It's a bit boring. And it leads to chronic sleep deprivation and a sleep cycle that's off kilter with the rest of the world.

Here's a good fix. Or, at least, my fix. Late night workouts. I find that heading to the gym around eight o'clock at night and getting in some cardio, plus some good old fashioned anaerobic exercise (a.k.a. bodybuilding) does the trick.

At the end of my workout routine, I feel relaxed and tranquil. Competely mellow. And so much of the muscular tension that I've developed throughout the day (which I now see a massage therapist to deal with) tends to just dissipate, lost in a nice rush of endorphin release.

I told my workout partner this evening that endorphins are chemical substances that are classified as neurotransmitters, like serotonin, and they are natural opiates. The feeling you get from their release is really unmatched by any external substance a person might choose to indulge in (and probably shouldn't, of course).

What do I do at the end of a late day workout? Perhaps something I shouldn't do. I grab something to eat, because weight lifting just has that effect on me. It makes me hungry. And for good reason. Your muscles want to build, grow, become stronger. And to do that, they need fuel.

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with a late night meal, following a workout, as long as it leans more toward protein and is a fairly small meal that's characteristically low carb. If you'll notice, many individuals who have trouble with indigestion following an evening meal have loaded up on carbohydrate -rich food. Italian dinners are a great example of that.