A very typical pattern of insomnia is waking at 2am or 3am and being unable to fall back asleep.  This is called sleep maintenance insomnia.  It’s as though morning has come early, and you feel wide-awake 4 or 5 hours too soon.  You may be surprised to learn that this is probably not a true sleep issue at all –it’s a blood sugar issue.

I discussed blood sugar balance in our January newsletter, but to recap –blood sugar spikes and dips are brought on by eating sweets and starches.  Over time, this can lead to the inability of blood sugar to stay stable.  Someone with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar dips) will experience shaking, irritability, even sweating if they go too long between meals.  This is because the blood sugar gets so low that it activates the sympathetic nervous system, or “fight-or-flight response,” releasing a cascade of hormones including cortisol and epinephrine (aka adrenalin).  And when this happens in the middle of the night, insomnia is the result.

So how do we prevent this pattern of insomnia?  Working on blood sugar balance during the day can be very helpful –emphasizing foods high in fiber and protein and low in sugars and starches.  Another approach is to eat a small, high protein meal right before bed, like a slice of turkey or a handful of nuts.  Protein helps to stabilize the blood sugar for long periods of time.

Of course, there are other reasons for sleep maintenance insomnia such as hormonal variation or neurotransmitter imbalances, and if you are experiencing anything less than uninterrupted, restful sleep, your naturopath can help.

Because insomnia is so common, many people will turn to a natural sleep aid at one time or another.  Let’s look at three of the most common:

Melatonin –this naturally occurring compound plays a major role in our circadian rhythms and is also a very powerful antioxidant.  It is especially useful for those who work late into the nights and end up having to sleep for part of the day.  It is also considered an anti-stress hormone and can help with anxiety patterns.  Melatonin is generally regarded as safe, though it is not always recommended for those with autoimmune diseases, as it can increase immune activity.  Side effects from too much melatonin can be unusually vivid dreams and even nightmares and some digestive upset.

5-HTP –(5-hyroxytrytophan) this chemical occurs naturally in the nervous system as a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin.  It is made as a byproduct of the breakdown of tryptophan, found in many foods.  It helps to increase serotonin, which can improve sleep, mood and even pain sensation.  Because it increases serotonin, 5-HTP can be very dangerous to mix with any other mood stabilizing or serotonin increasing medications or supplements.

Valerian –this root is considered a moderately potent hypnotic (sleep-inducer) and also a nervine (nourishing to the whole nervous system).  It is used not only to help with insomnia, but also to treat anxiety and pain.  It’s non-addictive and especially effective for decreasing sleep latency (time to fall asleep).  Unfortunately, it has a stimulating effect for about 1 out of every 10 people and would not be indicated for improving sleep.

Please talk with your naturopath if you have any questions about these or any other sleep aids.  And, all new patients who want to get their sleep back on track this spring will receive 10% off their first visit.

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Keys to Sound Sleep–Part II By Grace Calihan, ND, LAc or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

• A burning feeling in the chest just behind the breastbone that occurs after eating and lasts a few minutes to several hours.
• Chest pain, especially after bending over, lying down, or eating.
• Burning in the throat — or hot, sour, acidic or salty-tasting fluid at the back of the throat.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Feeling of food “sticking” in the middle of the chest or throat.
• Heartburn may cause chronic cough, sore throat, or chronic hoarseness.

The frequency of heartburn within the western world can be directly related to several lifestyle choices that many of us have grown to love. For example many who suffer from heartburn can find great relief by avoidance of the following foods:

• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Refined carbohydrates (anything white)
• Acidic foods such as citrus and tomatoes
• Alcohol
• An Individual’s Specific Food intolerances
• Soda
• Peppermint

One or several of these food triggers are often a culprit. Additionally, several lifestyle changes can often contribute significantly to heartburn prevention including:

• Avoid eating food late at night – eat more than 3 hours before bed
• Avoid eating food in a rush – take your time and enjoy your food, ask your naturopath about good food hygiene
• Avoid tight clothing at the waist
• Practice simple food combining
• Drink plenty of cold water with your meals
• Elevating the head of your bed

Two additional often over looked triggers include progesterone supplementation and the use of cigarettes. Relief from heartburn can be different for each individual.  A common myth is that all heartburn is related to excess stomach acid and often results in the prescription of H2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors. In fact, heartburn can be caused by low stomach acid, normal stomach acid, and excess stomach acid. A thorough review of symptoms and additional tests as needed to determine an individual’s gastric pH can direct treatment that is specific to your set of circumstances and therefore improve success of treatment. Whether measures are needed to lower pH or to resolve hypochlorhydria (low pH) with the use of vinegar, bitters, or betaine HCl really depends on each individual. As well, ruling out other factors that may be present such as H pylori, hiatal hernia, or decreased pancreas function are also important to improved health and elimination of heartburn symptoms. Naturopaths are uniquely trained to identify all of the factors that can be contributing to your heartburn symptoms and provide a specific approach to your unique needs.

If you suffer from heartburn and are confused as to what may be contributing to your symptoms let us help understand your case and put you on a path of healing.

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Healing From Heartburn by Allison Nabours, ND, LM or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at New Office Location Starting May 6th, 2013 or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

Beyond feeling divine, hot stones also expand blood vessels, which encourages blood flow throughout the body. The hot stones have a sedative effect that can relieve chronic pain, reduce stress and promote deep relaxation. Once the outer layers of muscles have relaxed, the therapist can address deeper tight muscles more easily during a Hot Stone Massage.

Overall physiological effects of Hot Stone Massage:

• Provides relief from pain associated with fibromyalgia, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other chronic conditions
• Decreases pain and muscle spasms
• Reduces chronic stress and tension
• Increases flexibility in joints, aiding in easier mobility and movement
• Relieves pain and tension created by strained and contracted muscles

Call Us Today To Set Up Your Hot Stone Massage with Lori DiPasquale, CMT 719-685-2500

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Warm Your Body, De-Stress Your Mind With Hot Stone Massage by Faith Christensen, ND or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

Unfortunately, one third of working Americans are getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night, instead of the 8-9 hours recommended.   For some, this is all the sleep their busy schedule will allow, but for many of these heavy-eyed Americans, sleep deprivation is not for lack of time or inclination.  Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep or not feeling refreshed in the morning.  Remember, sufficient and high quality yin (sleep) promotes abundant yang (wakefulness).  So let’s discuss one common sleep (or, non-sleep) pattern.

The inability to fall asleep can be maddening.  You’ve allotted a certain, precious number of hours for sleeping, and yet you lie there, awake.  Here are some things to consider:

Have you been active today?  As described in the yin-yang illustration above, if you haven’t been very active during the day, the body has trouble distinguishing wake from rest.  Getting in a light workout has many benefits beyond sleep, but you may find that 30 minutes of activity will dramatically shorten how long it takes you to fall asleep.  Having a consistent bedtime will also help your body know when to wind down each night.

Do you use electronics late into the evening?  Ninety percent of Americans do, so it’s no wonder we spend over $250 million on over-the-counter sleep aids each year.  What happens is that the blue light emitted from cell phones, TV, e-readers and computer screens stimulates the pineal gland, which tells the rest of the brain that it’s morning.  You can see how this is counter-productive at bedtime.  The most straightforward fix is to ban electronic use one hour before getting into bed.  If you simply can’t give this up, try blocking the blue light.  There are programs you can install onto your computer to do this (f.lux by stereopsis) or you can purchase a blue blocking filter screen for your handheld.  Additionally, by increasing blue light exposure in the morning you can help reset the rhythm of your pineal gland.  Do this by taking off your sunglasses for part of the ride to work, or invest in a full spectrum light box for morning use.

Are you exhausted, but your brain just won’t shut off?  Whirring mind and repetitive thoughts are a common pattern of insomnia.  If you are prone to making lists in your head, it may help to set aside a few minutes each evening (not in bed) to write down your to-do list.  This way, when your brain is going a mile a minute in bed, you can give yourself permission not to engage in list-making, because you’ve already worked on your list earlier in the evening and you will again the next day.  Practicing meditation at any time of the day can also help quiet your mind in the evenings.  Nighttime rituals, like a cup of chamomile tea or some gentle stretching will help get your thoughts into a more productive routine.

Finally, the inability to fall asleep may be indicative of an endocrine disorder involving your thyroid gland, adrenal glands, or even your sex hormones.  As always, consult your naturopath if you are suffering from chronic or even occasional insomnia.  There is no reason to be subjected to the many detrimental health effects of poor sleep.

Next month we will look another common (and equally irritating) disordered sleep pattern: the inability to fall asleep.

All new patients who want to get their sleep back on track this winter will receive 10% off their first visit.   

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Sound Sleep Part 1 by Grace Calihan, ND, LAc or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

Vitamin A and Zinc

Both are well known to be essential for healthy, radiant skin.  Both help build the immune system and regulate new skin growth but are decreased in times of stress.  Sources:  asparagus, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, eggs, liver and meats, mushrooms, spinach, seafood, sweet potatoes, watermelon, oysters, pumpkin seeds, turkey.

Vitamin C

This vitamin will help fight infection and helps produce collagen, the protein fiber found in connective tissues.  Strong collagen structures help prevent the skin from wrinkles and preserve the firm texture of younger skin.  Sources:  berries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, parsley, red cabbage, red peppers, spinach, and potato.

Niacin

This B vitamin helps dilate skin blood vessels or “flush” the blush areas of the body which brings a greater blood supply to the surface, oxygenating the skin.  Sources:  almonds, avocado, lean beef, brown rice, chicken, cod, dates, halibut, liver, beans, peanuts, tuna, whole wheat flower.

Vitamin B₆ and magnesium

Vitamin B₆ works with infection fighters like vitamin C.  It aids in reducing facial oiliness and blackhead formation.  Vitamin B₆ also works with magnesium to fight stress.  Sources:  banana, dark green vegetables, chicken, whole grains, lentils, lima beans, salmon, tofu, tuna, nuts, seafood.

Sulfur and potassium

Sulfur creams and ointments have been used successfully in treating a variety of skin problems.  Sources:  avocado, dried fruits, lean meats, cabbage, eggs, fish, garlic, legumes, onions, parsley, raisins, spinach, vegetables, yams, whole grains.

New skin cells take 20-30 days to be produced and then migrate to the surface, so it may take 1-2 months to begin seeing results. Dry Skin Brushing, the right mix of healthy essential fatty acids and an overall spring detoxification can really jumpstart your road to healthy skin. For a more comprehensive individual plan for your skin and overall health call us today to make an appointment 719-685-2500.

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Nutrition and Beautiful Skin by Faith Christensen, ND or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

Intuitively, when we think of blood sugar disorders like diabetes, we don’t think of savory breads and baked goods as being tremendous offenders.  Sugary drinks, candies, and high sugar fruits are the usual suspects.  But you may be surprised to know that a homemade biscuit, right out of the oven is doing the same thing to your blood glucose levels as would a tablespoon of pure cane sugar.  This is the case with most starchy comfort foods like rice, pasta, breads, potatoes and cereals.  Even thought these foods aren’t always “sweet,” they are causing big spikes in our blood sugar.  Here’s why this is a problem:

When blood sugar spikes (after eating that delicious biscuit, for example), the pancreas secretes insulin in large amounts.  Insulin is the hormone that allows sugar in the bloodstream to enter the cells and be used as fuel.  Large amounts of insulin cause a subsequent dip in blood sugar levels (because all the sugar went into the cells), which can bring on symptoms of hunger, fatigue, irritability, sweating, and shaking.  We usually respond to this type of ravenous hunger by eating again!  You can see how over time, this pattern can lead to overeating.  Additionally, excess insulin will signal the body to start storing circulating sugar as fat, leading to significant weight gain.  This inability to keep blood sugar stable, often called dysglycemia, is associated with anxiety, insomnia, adrenal burnout, thyroid problems, poor memory, and many other health imbalances.

The good news is that dysglycemia is fairly straightforward to control with diet alone.  This is done by focusing on foods that are high in fiber (which slow down the absorption of sugar from food in the gut) and protein (which has a blood-sugar stabilizing effect).  Eating high-fiber, high-protein snacks every 3-4 hours can help manage the blood sugar swings of dysglycemia.  A good tool to use is Glycemic Load.  The Glycemic Load of a food is determined based on the glycemic response (how quickly food converts to glucose in the body) and a standard serving size of that food.  Here is a comprehensive list: http://www.lowglycemicload.com/glycemic_table.html.  Try and focus on foods that have glycemic loads under 10.

Your naturopath can also recommend supplements to help you stabilize your blood sugar quickly so you can start feeling more like yourself.  And you don’t need to stop baking!  There are great low glycemic load recipes out there.  I really like the recipes in the back of The Glycemic Load Diet, by Rob Thompson, MD (http://lowglycemicload.com).

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Healthy Baking and Blood Sugar Balancing by Grace Calihan, ND, LAc or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

?Lifestyle recommendations:
Sleep- Obtaining adequate sleep is one way to ensure our immune system remains healthy. In general, adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Over time not getting adequate sleep lowers the body’s defenses needed for fighting viral infections.
Stress- We all know that stress is a part of everyday life; however, excessive stress will decrease immune function. Establishing stress management techniques such as deep breathing, exercise, yoga or meditation can bolster your immune system and aid in the flu prevention.
Diet- A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and quality proteins is a foundation for a healthy immune system. Studies have shown that eating a sugary snack or meal can depress the immune system for several hours, creating a window of time during which it is easier to get the flu.
Vitamins and Minerals:
Vitamin C- Vitamin C is a great way to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight infections of all kinds. In controlled trials Vitamin C has been shown to assist in the prevention of influenza, in addition to reducing the duration and severity of the flu.

Zinc- Zinc plays an important role in maintaining healthy immune function. If levels of zinc are low, T cell function may be compromised which decreases your body’s ability to fight off an infection.

Vitamin A- Vitamin A maintains the integrity of our mucus membranes, which are at the front line of our defenses against infections. Vitamin A is also associated with T cell function, making it a vital component of a healthy immune system.
Botanical Medicine:
Elderberry- Elderberry extract provides immune-modulating and antioxidant properties that prevent viruses from being able to enter your cells and replicate. In addition, the berries contain vitamins A and C, and the flavonoids quercetin, anthocyanin and rutin, all of which boost immune function.
Larch extract- Larch arabinogalactans are polysaccharides harvested from the wood of the Western larch tree. Larch extract stimulates the immune system to fend off infections. Larch arabinogalactans are a great choice for keeping the whole family healthy through the flu season.
Echinacea- Echinacea also has the immune stimulating polysaccharides that give it an important role in naturopathic antiviral treatments. These polysaccharides naturally enhance the body’s resistance to infection.
If you and your family need assistance in putting together a flu prevention plan please come and see us for more specific recommendations to keep your family healthy through the winter season.

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Preparing your Family for the Flu Season by Allison Nabours, ND, LM or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Soothe The Winter Blues With Massage by Lori DiPasquale, CMT or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine

The first place to start with a food label is at the top: serving size.  Packages can be incredibly misleading!  What is marketed as one serving may nutritionally provide three or more servings, contributing three times the calories than you may have expected.  Getting used to glancing at these number will help you get a better understanding of portions, especially when it comes to sweets and other guilty pleasures.

The bulk of the nutritional label provides a breakdown of the macronutrients contained in a food: fats, carbohydrates, and protein.  Here are a few of the most important lines to look at:

Trans fats are now required to be included on nutrition labels.  These fats have really detrimental effects on cholesterol levels and heart health and should be avoided.

Fiber is one of the most important pieces of any healthy weight loss protocol.  Fiber-rich foods keep you feeling full, help control blood sugar swings and cravings, and improve cholesterol.  Women under 50 years should be consuming at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and men under 50 years should be getting at least 35 grams per day.

Sugar is an ingredient that is in just about every processed food –when you start reading food labels you’ll see how hard it is to avoid!  The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25-30 grams of added sugar per day.  Added sugar means sugar added at the table or during processing, excluding sugars found naturally in fruit, vegetables, and dairy.

Finally, start reading the ingredients contained in packaged foods.  These are usually found below the nutrition facts, and they can contain some surprising information.  A good rule of thumb is to focus on foods that contain short ingredient lists, with ingredients you recognize as food.  The less fillers, flavors, and dyes that you consume, the better for your long-term health.  And remember: ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few listed may make up the bulk of that food.

Reading labels and paying attention to what is going into our bodies is an essential step to a healthier 2013.  The naturopathic physicians at Springs Natural Medicine are hoping to play an integral role in your New Year’s resolutions.  [Be on the lookout as we introduce a holistic weight loss program this winter].

View this post on SpringsNaturalMedicine at Preparing for the New Year, New You by Grace Calihan, ND, LAc or visit our main site at Springs Natural Medicine