Scott & Rhonda, Author at Live Clean n Prosper

Sleep and how it impacts our Health

Last week I wrote about sleep and while doing my research I came across so much information.

So today I thought I would continue with this topic and share some articles from the Heart Institute I found interesting.

New research from Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation reveals that 33 to 45% of Australian adults suffer from inadequate sleep.

What impact does this have on our health and wellbeing? And does inadequate sleep affect our ability to exercise and improve fitness?

The Sleep Health Foundation says sleep is a fundamental biological requirement for human health. A variety of health problems and chronic diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes have been linked to specific sleep disorders.

It seems that getting some good quality zzzzzz’s should be high on our evening agenda.

Does sleep affect your ability to workout and improve your fitness?

The short answer is yes. Movement and wellness specialist Priscilla Flynn of In2great Fitness says she can tell when a client hasn’t been sleeping well.

“We train with heart rate monitors which gives us the ability to check in with how well our clients are coping with the stress of the workout,” she says.

”On days with poor sleep, heart rate efficiency will be compromised. Clients will tend to struggle to increase heart rate intensity, or their intensity stays high and they can’t recover.”

If we don’t sleep well we are more prone to weight gain, cravings, mood disorders, overeating, pain, and a general lack of wellness.

Sleep or exercise – what’s more important?

You can’t really have one without the other. It’s important to consider a person’s metabolic reserve – basically how much gas is in the tank.

“Good sleep quality will increase a person’s metabolic reserve, making them more resilient to stress of any kind. Having a good sleep means you can train longer, or more intensely, before you get depleted,” Priscilla says.

“A lack of sleep decreases metabolic reserve which means the person has a reduced capacity to cope with additional stress. This means they have a reduced capacity to train optimally, and therefore a reduced ability to get the results they seek”.

“If you’re really exhausted, it’s better to modify your workout and listen to your body.”

Too little sleep?

Research also suggests that getting too little sleep can be bad for your heart.

It has been established that getting too little sleep can lead to increased risk of diabetes. This new research shows it can also increase the chances of certain types of cardiovascular disease, especially in women and the elderly.

The study found those getting less than four hours of sleep can increase the likelihood of death by some types of heart disease, like heart attacks and angina.

So there you have it from the experts, the perfect reason to get a good night sleep. The Heart Institute also emphasises that the study suggests that too much sleep can also have a negative effect. It is recommended that you do not have more than 10 hours on a regular basis. (Source – The Heart Institute)

As with most things heart related (and health in general), moderation seems to be key.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper.

Getting a good nights’ Sleep

Today I’m going to write about sleep. Scott has had issues with getting to sleep. So we have been doing some research into sleep.

One common factor that kept coming up was the development of Sleep hygiene or Sleep habits. Good sleep habits are often referred to as good sleep hygiene.

There are many things that can be done to improve sleep. While most of these are common sense, life is very busy and we often don’t think about them. According to research, there are many things that can be done to have a better night’s sleep.

Sleep habits to consider –

Getting sunlight during the day will help you to sleep better at night
Try to keep a consistent bedtime. The body has an internal clock and hormones that control sleepiness and wakefulness.
Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a day. This stays the same even in old age.
Limit Naps. Remember that the average adult sleeps for between seven and nine hours a day. Naps will take up some of this time. But if you are taking short afternoon naps without any problems, then you might want to keep doing this. On the other hand, naps in the evening, or dozing in front of the TV, can make it harder to get to sleep at night.
Meals should be timed to avoid going to bed on a full stomach, but not hungry either. The evening meal should be at least 2 hours before bedtime. Alcohol might help you get to sleep, but it will make it harder to stay asleep. It makes sleep problems like snoring and sleep apnoea worse as well.
Don’t have things in the bedroom that distract you from sleep, like televisions and computers. The blue light of the computer can reduce evening levels of the sleep-promoting hormone, melatonin. (www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au)

After talking to some lecturers at college, Scott bought some Lavender & Chamomile tea, which he now has before going to bed. It has been quite effective. I have found some information to explain why it works.

Lavender & Chamomile

Lavender is often used to help people sleep. Brewing a few lavender flowers in hot water to make a tea, has been used to induce sleep and relaxation for thousands of years. This is closely linked to the flower’s impact on the nervous system, and can also help to clear your mind of negative thoughts or clutter. The antioxidant components of lavender can also impact the endocrine system of the body to lower the levels of stress hormones in the body.

Chamomile is another herb well known for its calming effect. It has many health benefits and uses, including the ability to lower stress levels and aid sleep.

This beverage can help increase the levels of serotonin and melatonin in your body, which can successfully eliminate stress and worry, while also slowing down your mind and eliminating the classic symptoms of anxiety. Therefore it can also be an overall sleep aid, particularly for people who struggle with restless, non-restful or rejuvenating sleep.

Even those struggling with sleep apnoea and other disorders may benefit from the effects of chamomile tea. (www.organicfacts.net)

Till the next post, Sleep well,

Live Clean n Prosper

Spotlight on Breakfast Drinks

In todays post I am looking at Breakfast drinks.

Last week I wrote about the food industry and processed foods. I mentioned that the industry as a whole was driven by profit and questioned what was in our food.

During the week I was doing some research into ‘Energy drinks’ and a friend asked about ‘breakfast drinks’. So, after our discussion and a bit of research later, this is what I came up with.

I decided to do a comparison between an Up ‘n’ Go breakfast drink and a homemade smoothie.

Let’s look at the Up & Go ingredients

Choc Ice, 250ml Breakfast drink

Filtered water, skim milk powder, cane sugar, wheat maltodextrin, soy protein, vegetable oils (sunflower, canola), vegetable fibre, hi-maize™ starch, corn syrup solids, fructose, cocoa (0.5%), oat flour, mineral (calcium), acidity regulator (332), flavours, vegetable gums (460, 466, 407), stabiliser (452), salt, vitamins (C, niacin, A, B12, B6, B2, B1, folate).

Labelling laws in Australia require the ingredients to be listed in order of quantity. So the first ingredient, therefore the most, is water. Followed by Skim milk powder.

Then there is the third most ingredient, the first of the sugars ‘Cane Sugar’.

Followed by another sugar -Wheat maltodextrin, made from wheat starch. Maltodextrins are considered equivalent to sugar but not as sweet.

Then there is Soy protein, Vegetable oils, Vegetable fibre, Hi-maize™ starch and Corn Syrup solids.

Corn syrup solids are made from concentrating corn syrup, a liquid sweetener made from corn. Studies show that the body metabolises corn syrup and corn syrup solids in the same way, and they may contribute to health issues such as obesity, diabetes and liver disease.

Then there is more processed sugar, in the form of fructose. Commercially Fructose or fruit sugar is frequently derived from sugar cane, sugar beets, and corn. The primary reason that fructose is used commercially in foods, besides its low cost, is its high relative sweetness.

Then there is the cocoa, oat flour and the added vitamins, minerals and chemicals required to keep the product on the shelf.

This product is advertised as a ‘healthy’ breakfast option.

I think that we can make healthy breakfast drinks at home. Using fresh ingredients. I have done the research on a quick, Choc-Banana Smoothie, a home made ‘Breakfast Drink’ alternative.

To be fair, this comparison uses Pauls Smarter White milk (as the Up n Go uses skim milk powder).

The Numbers

	Milk 250ml	Banana 50g	Raw Cacao Pwdr 10g	TOTAL	Up n Go 250ml
Calories	162	44.5	47	232.5	196
Total fats – g	9	0.15	1.9	7.05	3.8
Sodium – g	110	0.5		110.5	161
Potassium – g		179		179	514
Protein – g	8	.55	2.1	12.65	8.3
Total carbohydrates – g	12	11.5	5.3	31.8	29.7
Dietary fiber – g		1.3		1.3	4
Sugars – g	12	6	0.2	18.2	19.2

COST	.50	.24	.40	1.14	1.53

For the record, 50g of banana, is approximately ½ an average banana and 10 g of Cacao is a generous tablespoon. Now, I know that the homemade version has 36.5 extra calories and some extra fat. It does however have a little less sugar and more protein.

The most important thing to remember about this comparison though is that the homemade recipe uses 3 real food ingredients. You can also choose to reduce your chemical footprint by buying Organic ingredients.

You will also have some ingredients left over to use in other ways.

Now the choice is yours, but I hope I’ve got you thinking about what you and your family eat.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper