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Healthy Colors of Your Diet (Purple, Red and Yellow fruits and veggies)

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By Matthew Picklo,  Human Nutrition Research Center

Have you thought about the many colors of our foods?  They catch our eye and add so much to the appeal of our meals – particularly fruits and vegetables.  Research shows that the colors of our foods may also be related to the health benefits they provide.

The pigments that give plant foods their vibrant colors are of value to the plants themselves, as well as to those who consume them.  These colorful fruit and vegetable pigments also serve to attract feeding animals who later help distribute the plants’ seeds.

Plant pigments have long been of interest to food chemists who have studied their contributions to the visual appeal of foods.  In recent years, there also has been an explosion of interest in the health potentials of the pigments that are responsible for food colors.

There are several types of pigments in foods.  One group is the “anthocyanins”, a term derived from the Greek words for “flower” and “blue”.  Anthocyanins are present in many fruits including cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries.  They also are found in colored grains such as purple corn, red rice, black rice, purple carrots and blue potatoes.

One of the richest sources of anthocyanins is the chokecherry.  Black rice, which has a purple-black bran, also has very high levels of anthocyanins. In ancient China, it was known as “forbidden rice”, as it and was only eaten by the nobility.  Anthocyanins appear to protect plant tissues from damage by ultraviolet light.  They may also be anti-microbial.

Laboratory studies suggest that the anthocyanins in foods benefit health by reducing inflammation and preventing oxidative damage to cells, a process associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Studies have shown this for anthocyanin-rich fruit juices, and scientists are now asking whether some anthocyanins may be more useful than others, and how they function in the body.

Another group of plant pigments are the carotenoids – a large group of more than 600 compounds that give vegetables and fruits their yellow, orange and red colors. Some familiar sources include tomatoes, carrots, yellow squash and spinach.  The most common carotenoids are beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein.

Beta-carotene is related chemically to vitamin A, which is essential for vision and functions in maintaining healthy bones, immune function and may other vital functions.  In fact, the body can convert beta-carotene to vitamin A.  Spinach, carrots, orange juice and cantaloupe are particularly good sources of beta-carotene.

Lycopene is present in tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice.  It is of current interest in cancer research, as studies have associated reduced prostate cancer risk for men with relatively high blood levels of lycopene.

Lutein is accumulated by the key visual area of the retina called the macula where it is thought to protect against potentially damaging effects of light.  It is thought that lutein may reduce the risk of macular degeneration, which is a major cause of visual impairment in people aged fifty years and older.

Good sources of lutein include green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and turnips greens.  USDA scientists have found that eggs can be an important source of lutein.

Understanding how diet and physical activity can prevent disease and promote health is central to the research mission of the USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, or GFHNRC. This includes better understanding of the health roles of anthocyanins and carotenoids.

More information to help you make healthful and colorful food choices can be found at MyPyramid.gov.
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Comments from the blog author: When deciding what to eat, seek out brightly colored fruits and vegetables for greater health. Good eating leads to good health for all parts of your body, including your heart and brain, and leads to higher levels of energy during the day and better, deeper sleep at night.

This article is provided to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective sleep remedy for insomnia “Sleep Minerals II”. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of magnesium, calcium and Vitamin D, provided in a softgel with healthy oils.  This form makes it far more absorbable than tablets.  If you or someone you care about would like to get better, deeper sleep, click here to learn more.

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Article Source: http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=21735

TrendLists.com Awards Nutrition Breakthroughs as a “Top 3 Nutrition Website”

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TrendLists is a website that reviews Internet sites in many different categories and comes up with the best three on the web in each area. Every conceivable category of interest is included. Nutrition Breakthroughs has been chosen as a “Top 3” website in the category of Nutrition Websites. According to TrendLists.com: “This is a 100% unbiased and handpicked Top3-list of the top Nutrition Websites. First of all, my editors do a lot of research and pull together a massive list of the top 100 Nutrition Websites.”

“When that’s done they try to narrow it down to only three sites which will be included in the Top3-list. This is not the easiest thing but they look for quality factors, user value, and of course also diversity when selecting the best Nutrition Websites.”

Jobee Knight, President of Nutrition Breakthroughs says: “This is a great honor and we thank TrendLists for selecting us. We designed this site from the beginning to be informative and helpful by featuring articles and studies on natural remedies that are proven to work. We prefer people use healthful solutions as opposed to drugs. Our “History of Nutrition” page is the #1 site on the web on this topic and our insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II, with absorbable calcium and magnesium, is used worldwide by people who prefer natural insomnia remedies to sleeping drugs.”

Kimberly B. of Troy Michigan says: “I have been taking Sleep Minerals II for about a month now. I have tried everything out there and this supplement is amazing. I have suffered with insomnia for two and a half years and have had restless leg syndrome my entire life. This is the first relief I’ve ever had…it’s gone for a month now.”

The TrendLists web site describes their process of selection and their purpose for making people more aware of nutritional information. “The Nutrition Websites listed … are hand picked by our editors and they are all trusted and very good Nutrition Websites. Staying fit and healthy all boils down into one single most important factor – nutrition. If people know what they are eating and what they can get from the food that they eat, then they will become more conscious and knowledgeable about food. And as a result they would eat right and become fit and very healthy in the process.”

TrendLists says this about the Nutrition Breakthroughs website: “There is a part here that focuses on women’s health and there is also a portion that is just for men. The nutrition dictionary that can be found here is really very good since people can check it any time for reference.”

To visit the Nutrition Breakthroughs website, use this link: http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com

For more information on the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II, visit here: http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

Six Tips to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep

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magnesium insomniaSome people as they approach middle age may find it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep during the night.

This may be due to the decline of hormones in the body, such as estrogen in women or testosterone in men.

They can fall asleep okay and the first part of their night is fine, but at around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., some find themselves habitually awake and unable to get back to sleep.  Here are some sleep tips that may help:

1.    Use a black eye mask to cover your eyes and use earplugs to keep the noise out.  A dark, cool room is most ideal to help the body produce melatonin, the hormone produced by the brain which helps to regulate sleep and wake cycles.

2.    Get some sunlight by taking a walk during the day.  Being out in the sun will also set your wake-sleep cycle in a good way.  Additionally, the exercise and body movement helps with a better, more restful sleep at night.

3.    If headaches or tension are keeping you up, try using some magnesium.  One German study found that 42 percent of the people taking magnesium reduced the duration and intensity of their migraine headaches.

4.    For women that experience hot flashes and night sweats during the night, take some extra steps to keep yourself and your bedroom cool at night.  Wear lighter bedclothes, use less blankets, and you can also use a slightly damp washcloth on your forehead or neck.

5.    Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep, therefore highly absorbable calcium and magnesium supplements are effective.  The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis advises that during pre-menopause or menopause, the lack of estrogen and progesterone can cause severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur such as irritability, leg cramps, insomnia, hot flashes and night sweats.

6.    It can work well for some people to take a calcium and magnesium supplement before bed.  These minerals are natural relaxants that can carry one through the night better, and with less sleep interruptions.   Softgels that use natural oils mixed with the minerals are more fully absorbed.  These should have a 2 to 1 calcium to magnesium ratio (twice as much calcium as magnesium).

An example of an effective mineral-based insomnia remedy is Sleep Minerals II by Nutrition Breakthroughs.  This natural sleep aid contains absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia.  The formula is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.

Richard P. of Parkville, Maryland says: “The Sleep Minerals are making quite a difference.  I was regularly waking up at around3:00 a.m.and after a few days use my sleep improved quite a lot. I wake up once a night to go to the bathroom, but the great thing is, I then fall back asleep and sleep several more hours.  This has been a great improvement.”

For more information on Sleep Minerals II click here

FDA Requires Lower Doses of Certain Sleep Drugs

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sleep drugsFDA Requires Lower Doses of Certain Sleep Drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced it is requiring users of the insomnia drug Ambien and its generic counterparts (all drugs containing the active ingredient zolpidem), to take a lower recommended dose of these medications.

They are particularly aiming this toward women, as the drug stays in their system much longer than with men.  Women at the time of menopause frequently have sleep problems and insomnia, and may turn to sleep medications.

Ellis Unger, M.D., director of the Office of Drug Evaluation in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said: “Over the years FDA has received spontaneous adverse event reports of driving impairment and motor vehicle accidents associated with zolpidem, but these reports lacked the information necessary to fully understand whether and how zolpidem affected people’s mental alertness and ability to drive.”

“Recently, data from clinical trials and other types of studies have become available, which allowed FDA to better characterize the risk of next-morning impairment.”

Nature has provided us with some natural remedies and relaxants that have stood the test of time.  Regarding mineral deficiency as we age and at the time of menopause, the pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis says,

“The amount of calcium in a woman’s blood parallels the activity of the ovaries. During the menopause, the lack of ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) can cause severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur, including irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps, and insomnia. These problems can be easily overcome if the intakes of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D are all generously increased and are well absorbed.”

One natural sleep aid gaining in popularity is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs.  It contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleeplessness and insomnia, as well as for restless leg syndrome, bone strength, aches and pains, and menopause insomnia.

The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making the minerals more quickly assimilated than tablets or capsules.  The softgel formulation provides a deeper, longer-lasting sleep and is an effective alternative to medications.

A. R. of Ramseur, North Carolina says: “Sleep Minerals II has been a blessing for me.  It has given me the opportunity to withdraw from a highly addictive sleep medication over time, and has allowed me to sleep while going through this most difficult ordeal.  What’s great about it is it doesn’t lose its effectiveness, which is something that happens with sleep medications.  I am most thankful for this product.”

For more information, visit the Sleep Minerals II page.

Nutritionist Adelle Davis Recommends Calcium for Insomnia, Menopause and PMS

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The use of prescription sleeping drugs, such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata, has been steadily increasing.  Global sales for all sleeping pills, called hypnotics, will top $5 billion in the next several years.  Most sleeping pills, especially when taken over long periods of time, have considerable side effects, stay in the bloodstream, and give a hangover effect the next day and beyond.  They can become addictive, impair memory, reduce performance on the job and at home, and contribute to machine and car accidents.

Adelle Davis is one of the earliest nutritionists to base her dietary recommendations on scientific research studies.  Davis writes about the roles of calcium in her book “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit”.  She suggests a natural sleep aid for insomnia and says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”

Regarding the many roles of calcium in women’s health, Davis says: “The amount of calcium in a woman’s blood parallels the activity of the ovaries. The blood calcium falls to such an extent during the week prior to menstruation that PMS with nervous tension, irritability, and perhaps mental depression results. At the onset of menstruation, the blood calcium takes a further drop, often causing cramps of the muscular walls of the uterus.”

Davis continues: “During the menopause, the lack of the ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) causes severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur.  At these times, high amounts of calcium should be obtained and every step be taken to insure its absorption into the blood. When these precautions are taken and the diet is adequate in other respects, the woman at menopause usually loses her irritability, hot flashes, night sweats, leg cramps, insomnia, and mental depression.”

One natural insomnia remedy gaining popularity with women and men of all ages is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com.  Sleep Minerals II contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium, combined with vitamin D and zinc.  The ingredients are formulated in a softgel with healthy oils, making them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules  and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.

Anita L. of New Caney, Texas says: “I was having hot flashes every 30 minutes to an hour through the night and was so miserable.  After about two weeks of taking the Sleep Minerals, I noticed an incredible difference with my sleep.  I have much less interruption from flashes, I’m sleeping much better, and I’m a lot more comfortable.”

Valerie H. in Santa Clarita, California says: “I had such severe menopause insomnia, it took me hours to fall asleep even though I was extremely tired. I also had crawling and tingling feelings in my legs at night.  I got the Sleep Minerals II and after a few days of taking it, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”

For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit https://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/sleep-minerals-ii-effective-natural-sleep-aid-for-insomnia-nutrition-breakthroughs/

Causes and Remedies for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

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A night sweat is a “hot flash” that occurs in the night, often while one is sleeping.  A hot flash, also called a hot flush, is a sudden unexpected feeling of warmth and often a breakout of sweating in the upper half of the body. These flashes are experienced by 80% of women around the time of menopause, and men can also have them due to a lessening of testosterone.

At night time while a woman sleeps, her body temperature rises steeply just prior to a hot flash, causing her to wake up.  The National Sleep Foundation writes that as many as 61% of post-menopausal women report having symptoms of insomnia and less satisfying sleep, due in part due to hot flashes interrupting their sleep with frequent awakenings.

Dr. John R. Lee, M.D. explains the source of hot flashes in his book: “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause”.  There is an area of the brain that controls the amounts of estrogen and progesterone made by the ovaries.  When these two hormones become depleted as in menopause, the brain sends out signals for the ovaries to make more hormones, but they no longer respond to these prompts.

The signaling system can go awry as the brain sends out more and more signals and actually begins to “shout”.  This over-activity begins to affect adjacent areas of the brain; particularly the area that controls body temperature and sweating mechanisms — thus the occurrence of hot flashes.

Sometimes spicy food, hot beverages, caffeine, alcohol or cigarettes can bring on a hot flash. For help with night sweats in bed, keep the bedroom cool and keep a washcloth in a bowl of ice near the bed to use on the forehead or chest as needed. To minimize hot flashes during the summer weather, stay cool by using fans and drinking cold drinks.  Keep air conditioners on and make sure that air is circulating throughout the room.  Dress in layers so you can peel them off as needed.

Vitamins E and C have been shown in studies to help reduce hot flashes.  One study supporting vitamin E was published in “Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation” and concluded that vitamin E is effective and is a recommended treatment for hot flashes.

Extensive research indicates that vitamin C strengthens blood vessels and acts as a potent health enhancement.  In a study that combined vitamin C with bioflavonoids (the white matter on the inside of orange peels), 67% of the subjects reported complete relief from hot flashes.

The minerals calcium and magnesium can also help with deeper, sounder sleep, particularly because estrogen in women and testosterone in men helps to keep these minerals in circulation in the body and when these hormones are depleted, more frequent mineral supplementation is needed.

Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com is an example of a natural insomnia remedy that provides good results for menopause symptoms.  It contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, heart health, restless legs syndrome and bone strength.  The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.

Valerie from Santa Clarita, California says: “I had such bad menopause insomnia that it took me hours to fall asleep even though I was extremely tired.  My legs also had crawling and tingling feelings at night. I got the Sleep Minerals and took them and after a few days, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”

For more information on Sleep Minerals II, click here: http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

Six Tips to Stay Asleep During the Night

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Some people as they approach middle age may find it more difficult to stay asleep during the night.  They can fall asleep okay and the first part of their night is fine, but around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., they find themselves habitually awake and unable to get back to sleep.  Here are some sleep tips that may help:

  1. Use a black eye mask to cover your eyes and use earplugs to keep the noise out.  A dark, cool room is most ideal to help the body produce melatonin, the hormone produced by the brain which helps to regulate sleep and wake cycles.
  2. Get some sunlight by taking a walk during the day.  Being out in the sun will also set your wake-sleep cycle in a good way.  Additionally, the exercise and body movement helps with better, more restful sleep at night.
  3. If headaches or tension are keeping you up, try using some magnesium.  One German study found that 42 percent of the people taking magnesium reduced the duration and intensity of their migraine headaches.
  4. For females that experience hot flashes and night sweats during the night, take some extra steps to keep yourself and your bedroom cooler at night.  Wear lighter bedclothes, use less blankets, and you can also use a slightly damp washcloth on your forehead or neck.
  5. Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep, therefore highly absorbable calcium and magnesium supplements are effective.  The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis advises that during pre-menopause or menopause, the lack of estrogen and progesterone can cause severe calcium deficiency symptoms to occur such as irritability, leg cramps, insomnia, hot flashes and night sweats.
  6. It can work well for some people to take a calcium and magnesium supplement before bed and then again at the time of night they habitually wake up and are unable to go back to sleep.  This last tip just may be the clincher that finally puts one’s insomnia issue to rest.

This health information is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II.  Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, heart health, restless legs syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia.  The formula is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.  To learn more click here.

Sleep Drugs: FDA Warns of Side Effects: Minerals Offer a Remedy

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sleep drugsThe U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently updated their web page that describes the many potential side effects of sleep drugs.

On their site, they state that “Complex behaviors are a potential side effect of sedative-hypnotic products – a class of drugs used to help a person fall asleep and stay asleep.  These include making phone calls, sleep-eating, and getting into the car and driving while not fully awake. Most people do not remember these events later.”

Russell Katz, M.D., Director of the FDA’s Division of Neurology Products says, “Complex behaviors, such as sleep-driving, could be potentially dangerous to both the patients and to others.”

Other rare but potential side effects of sedative-hypnotic sleep drugs are a severe allergic reaction and severe facial swelling, both of which can occur as early as the first time the product is taken.  Katz says, “Severe allergic reactions can affect a patient’s ability to breathe and can affect other body systems as well, and can even be fatal at times.”

To make the serious risks of these products better known, the FDA requested earlier that all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products strengthen their product labeling to include warnings about complex sleep-related behaviors.  The revised labeling affects the following drug products:

* Ambien, Ambien CR (zolpidem tartrate)
* Butisol sodium
* Carbrital (pentobarbital and carbromal)
* Dalmane (flurazepam hydrochloride)
* Doral (quazepam)
* Halcion (triazolam)
* Lunesta (eszopiclone)
* Placidyl (ethchlorvynol)
* Prosom (estazolam)
* Restoril (temazepam)
* Rozerem (ramelteon)
* Seconal (secobarbital sodium)
* Sonata (zaleplon)

From a nutritional perspective, several research studies have shown certain minerals to be effective alternatives to help people fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.  James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.”

The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis discusses minerals as an insomnia remedy in her book Let’s Get Well.  She says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the billions of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”

Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase.

The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.

In magnesium deficiency, chronic insomnia is one of the main, central symptoms. Sleep is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was proven in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.

The study was titled “Effects of trace element nutrition on sleep patterns in adult women.” It’s important to note that a balanced ratio of calcium and magnesium is beneficial to overall health, and that these two minerals should be taken together in a 2 to 1 ratio for best results.

Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and founder of Nutrition Breakthroughs in Clearwater, Florida, is someone who fought her own battle against sleeplessness and insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural ingredients for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals II.

This natural sleep aid contains highly absorbable forms of calcium and magnesium, the best minerals for sleep and insomnia, as well as heart health, restless leg syndrome, bone strength, and menopause insomnia.  The formula also includes vitamin D and zinc, and is delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making it more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.

L.R.C. of Massachusetts says:  “Due to some very stressful issues in my life, I hadn’t slept much in two and a half months before being prescribed sleep drugs.  I had become dependent on them and couldn’t sleep without them. I did my research on the Internet and came across Sleep Minerals II. I take two before bed and now I can sleep through the whole night without drugs. If I do have to get up, I can fall right back asleep. Another benefit is it also helps alleviate my chronic fatigue and aches and pains.”

Sleeping drugs can wreak havoc on one’s health and well-being and cause life-threatening side effects.  The right blend of natural minerals can be an effective natural insomnia remedy that helps the sleepless get some good rest.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit this page.

Insomnia Remedies: The Science Behind Sleep-Inducing Foods

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sleep foodsThe type of foods we eat in the evening can have a pronounced effect on the quality of our sleep. One of the keys to a restful night’s sleep is to calm and relax the brain, rather than stimulating it.

Certain foods are a natural insomnia remedy that contributes to restful sleep, while others keep us alert and awake.

The calming foods contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin.  Two recent studies confirm that eating more carbohydrates than protein increases tryptophan production, while eating a higher protein ratio increases tyrosine – an amino acid related to a stimulated, alert frame of mind.

One key study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is titled “High-Glycemic-Index Carbohydrate Meals Shorten Sleep Onset”. The glycemic index measures the effect of different types of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Researchers at the University of Sydney Australia gave two different kinds of meals to the study participants, a few hours before bedtime. They found that a carbohydrate-based, high glycemic index meal resulted in a significant shortening of the time needed to fall asleep, compared with a low glycemic meal. (Feb. 2007, Vol. 85, No. 2).

In another study done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, scientists honed in on specific measurements of tryptophan vs. tyrosine in the brain, based on whether carbohydrates or proteins were eaten at breakfast.  Blood samples were collected after the meals, and the researchers concluded that a carbohydrate-rich diet raises tryptophan levels, while high-protein foods depress it. (Amer. J. of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 2003, Vol. 77, No. 1).

For those who need to stay alert and sharp during the day, high protein, medium-carbohydrate meals are best eaten for breakfast and lunch. For dinner and bedtime snacks, eat a meal or snack that is high in healthy carbohydrates, with a small amount of protein that contains just enough tryptophan to relax the brain.

According to William Sears, M.D., “The best bedtime snack is one that has both complex carbohydrates and protein, and perhaps some calcium. Calcium helps the brain use the tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”

Dr. Sears recommends that foods high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein, make the most ideal sleep-inducing bedtime snacks. Some examples are whole-grain, gluten-free cereal with milk, oatmeal and raisin cookies with a glass of nutmilk or regular milk, or an almond butter sandwich with ground sesame seeds.

Sesame seeds are rich in tryptophan. Other foods that are high in tryptophan, which can be combined with healthy carbohydrates to become natural sleep remedies, are whole grains, lentils, chickpeas, beans, eggs, sunflower seeds, and miso. As always, it’s best to stay away from caffeine, sodas and nicotine in the evening.

The well-known nutritionist Adelle Davis writes about the roles of calcium for sleep in her book “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit”.  She discusses a natural insomnia remedy and says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”

Sleep remedies containing highly absorbable, quick acting forms of calcium and magnesium, such as Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs can be helpful with both falling asleep and staying asleep during the night.  This natural sleep remedy contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as rice bran oil have been shown to increase mineral absorption and reduce calcium excretion.

P. P. of Houston, TX. says: “I am a physician in Texas. I had developed sleeping problems and took sleep medications for several weeks – Ambien and then Lunesta. I discontinued them and then I had terrible rebound insomnia. At that time, I literally got only about 20 hours of sleep in 6 weeks. I was staring at the ceiling all night long, praying to God for some sleep. Then I found Sleep Minerals II on the Internet. I’ve been taking it for a couple of weeks and now I get a full 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night. This is a great way to help people without unhealthy sleep medications. As a doctor, I would never prescribe sleeping drugs – I would recommend Sleep Minerals II.”

In conclusion, bedtime snacks and dinners that are high in carbohydrates, low-to-medium in protein, and contain calcium, will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night’s sleep.  And an effective natural sleep remedy such as Sleep Minerals II can also be taken before sleep and during the night if you find yourself waking up and unable to go back to sleep. Here’s to your good sleep.

For more information visit the Sleep Minerals II page.