You are warmly thanked for being a valued reader of the Nutrition Breakthroughs blog. We wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday.
To your good health,
Jobee Knight
Nutrition Breakthroughs Maker of Sleep Minerals II, the Effective Natural Sleep Aid
and Joints and More, for Arthritis Relief, Pain Relief and More
According to the National Sleep Foundation, almost six out of ten Americans report having insomnia and sleep problems at least a few nights a week.
Insomnia is defined as “An inability to fall asleep or remain asleep long enough to feel rested, especially when the problem continues over time.” In an effort to combat this, as many as 25 percent of the people in the United States try medications to help them sleep.
Most sleeping pills, especially when taken over long periods of time, can have multiple side effects. The drugs stay in the bloodstream, give a hangover effect the next day and beyond, tend to be addictive, and can increase the risk of car and work accidents. They can also impair memory and performance on the job and at home. This results in greater numbers of people reaching out to find effective natural sleep aids.
In a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that drinking tart Montmorency cherry juice results in significant improvements in sleep. The juice contains several plant nutrients known as “phytonutrients” and is also high in the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. The benefits of the cherry juice included longer sleep times, less daytime napping, and increased overall sleep efficiency (the ratio of the time spent in bed to the time spent sleeping).
In the placebo-controlled study, 20 volunteers consumed either tart cherry juice concentrate or a non-cherry juice drink for 7 days. The researchers credited the benefits of cherry juice to its high natural melatonin content, which a hormone produced by the brain that regulates the sleep/wake cycles, with more melatonin being produced at night time.
The researchers concluded: “These data suggest that consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in … men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.”
Regarding mineral-based natural sleep aids, calcium is also directly related to the cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels 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.
When magnesium is deficient, 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 shown in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
A balanced calcium magnesium ratio is important to overall health and these two minerals should be taken together for best results (in a two to one ratio with twice as much calcium as magnesium).
This natural health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a publisher of nutrition articles and supplier of effective natural remedies since 2002. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes Sleep Minerals II, the effective natural sleep aid with calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D, and also Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, stronger hair and nails and more energy.
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 2 1/2 years. I have also had restless leg syndrome my entire life and this is the first relief I’ve ever had… gone for a month now.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit the sleep remedy page.
Sleep Minerals II is an effective natural sleep aid from Nutrition Breakthroughs. It is the original drug-free, mineral-based formula for relaxation and better sleep.
Sleep Minerals II contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium, in combination 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.
Newest Sleep Minerals II Reviews:
Carxela says: “My son is not using prescription meds any more. He has suffered from sleep problems, and Sleep Minerals II has helped him sleep better while getting away from using the prescription medications that he was taking. My son has been taking this product for about 8 months now.”
Richard P. of Parkville, Maryland says: “The Sleep Minerals are making quite a difference. I was regularly waking at around 3:00 a.m. and after a few days use my sleep improved quite a lot. I wake 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.”
Sadie D. from The Netherlands says: “I am ever so grateful that I discovered Sleep Minerals II after suffering with premenopause and now the real menopausal insomnia. I felt like I was slowly losing my mind due to the continual lack of sleep. I can’t express the relief of getting a good night’s sleep and being able to function properly.”
Anne B. of El Dorado Hills, California says: “We find the Sleep Minerals very helpful for my husbands restless leg syndrome. He does not do well on medications and the drug that the doctor prescribed him for this was full of bad side effects. Out of pure desperation, I researched the internet and decided to try Sleep Minerals. We are both now getting a good night’s sleep. Bob continues to sleep much better and with very little if any movement in his legs.”
Chris M. of the United Kingdom says: “I take Sleep Minerals II before bed every night and within 20 minutes I am asleep. The difference in the quality of my sleep and the ease with which I get to sleep using this product is monumental. I have stopped obsessing about sleep or dreading bedtime — I just take a capsule and drift off. If I stop taking them, within a week my sleep starts to lighten, the quality of my sleep diminishes, and my old insomniac patterns reappear.”
Valerie H. of Santa Clarita, California says: “I had such severe menopause insomnia 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 after a few days, it started to work really well. I fall asleep now within 20 minutes and no more restless legs.”
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 2 1/2 years. I have also had restless leg syndrome my entire life and this is the first relief I’ve ever had…gone for a month now.”
L.R.C. of Massachusetts says: “I had become dependent on sleeping drugs and couldn’t sleep without them. Now I take the Sleep Minerals before bed and I can sleep through the whole night without drugs. I’m also able to easily fall back to sleep if I do have to get up. Another benefit is this helps alleviate my chronic fatigue and aches and pains.”
Doctor P. P. of Houston, Texas says: “I had developed sleeping problems and took two different sleeping medications over the course of several weeks. When I discontinued them the insomnia came back even worse. I literally got about 20 hours of sleep in 6 weeks time. Sleep Minerals II was just what I needed. I’ve been taking it for a couple weeks and getting many hours of sleep a night. As a doctor I would definitely avoid prescribing sleeping drugs — I would recommend Sleep Minerals II.”
A high percentage of menopausal and pre-menopausal women around the world are regularly experiencing hot flashes and night sweats. Due to the side effects of hormone drugs, many are reaching out to seek natural remedies for relief.
Vitamin E is famous for the health benefits it provides to glands, organs and the heart, however it may not be generally known that vitamin E is a proven remedy for menopausal hot flashes and night sweats.
A hot flash, also called a hot flush, is a sudden unexpected feeling of warmth and often a breakout of sweat in the upper half of the body. These flashes occur with up to 80% of women around the time of menopause, and men can also have them due to a lessening of testosterone at middle age. A night sweat is a “hot flash” that occurs in the night, often while one is sleeping, and can cause frequent awakenings.
Vitamin E was shown in a recent study from Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation to be a natural alternative to estrogen therapy and an effective remedy for hot flashes. The researchers found there were significant statistical differences in the hot flash severity score after women took a 400 IU vitamin E (softgel cap) daily for 4 weeks. They concluded that based on the trial, hot flash vitamin E relief is a recommended treatment.
Adelle Davis, the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on science-based studies, says: “During the menopause the need for vitamin E soars ten to fifty times over that previously required. Hot flashes and night sweats often disappear when 50 to 500 units of vitamin E are taken daily, but they quickly recur should the vitamin be stopped.”
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.
Regarding the need for calcium need at the time of menopause Davis says: “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.”
Calcium works best when it’s balanced with about half as much magnesium in a two to one ratio. Mildred Seelig, M.D., a leading medical researcher on the benefits of magnesium says: “The Ca/Mg ratio of two to one (twice as much calcium as magnesium) has long been considered physiologic and best for normal functioning. This was confirmed on the basis of long-term metabolic studies in young men and women done by the Research Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
Estrogen-based hormone drugs may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. An increasing number of women are turning to non-pharmaceutical remedies for night sweats and insomnia. Vitamin E and highly absorbable forms of natural minerals are proven, soothing alternatives.
This news is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. 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.”
Richard P. of Parkville, Maryland says: “The Sleep Minerals are making quite a difference. I was regularly waking at around 3:00 a.m. and after a few days use of taking two, my sleep improved quite a lot. I wake 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.”
Sleep Minerals II is an effective natural insomnia remedy from Nutrition Breakthroughs. It is the original drug-free calcium and magnesium formula for relaxation and better sleep.
It contains powerful forms of these minerals in combination 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.
Frequently Asked Question #1:
Can I continue to take my regular calcium and magnesium supplement, or the calcium and magnesium provided in my multiple vitamin/mineral when I start taking Sleep Minerals II? Will I be getting too many minerals?
It is totally fine to continue to take your regular supplements. These are generally taken during the day, whereas Sleep Minerals II is taken in the evening. The calcium and magnesium in a hard tablet or a capsule is different than the form of minerals found in Sleep Minerals II, and is generally not absorbed as well. So there isn’t a large chance of getting too many minerals.
The minerals in Sleep Minerals II are mixed with healthy rice bran oil and this combination forms a creamy paste inside the softgel. This is why it is assimilated so well into the body and this makes it soothing and effective as a natural sleep remedy.
One thing that can happen if you take too many minerals for your system is your bowels may become too loose or you may become groggy in the morning. If this happens, you can reduce your dose of Sleep Minerals, or take less than one softgel if you’re taking only one. This is done by gently biting one end open and squeezing out half or less, and drinking it down. It can also be spread on some food. Save the rest in a baggie or other container.
Women in the pre-menopause and menopause years are more and more finding themselves experiencing symptoms of chronic insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, migraine headaches, anxiety, fatigue and depression.
Uzzi Reiss, M.D., author of Natural Hormone Balance for Women, says: “Some of the above reactions occur nearly simultaneously whenever the level of estrogen falls.”
Hormone drugs, nutritional remedies, and lifestyle changes are some of the options available to women. Consumer Reports writes that while 70 percent of women entering menopause will have some symptoms, most symptoms can be managed with healthy lifestyle improvements.
In their recent report, they do not recommend hormone drugs for women who have an elevated risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer – which is 35 to 50 percent of all women 50 and older.
As menopause approaches, another emerging link between estrogen decline and its symptoms is the aspect of mineral deficiency. Mildred Seeling, M.D. describes this in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
She says “Estrogen enhances magnesium utilization and uptake by soft tissues and bone, and may explain the resistance of young women to heart disease and osteoporosis — as well as the increased prevalence of these diseases when estrogen production ceases.”
Magnesium works best when it’s balanced with calcium. The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis writes of mineral deficiency during menopause in her book “Let’s Get Well.” Davis says: “Calcium is less well absorbed and the urinary losses are greater when the output of estrogen decreases. Such calcium-deficiency symptoms as nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and headaches are common.”
Chronic insomnia is one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency 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 shown in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
Regarding the use of a sleep remedy for the relief of insomnia and other menopause symptoms, certain formulas may be more effective than others. The combination of minerals included and the presence of vitamin cofactors (such as vitamin D and K) in the product are key. Formulas should contain a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium.
The original research on this recommended ratio appeared in 1935 in the Journal of Physiological Reviews. In addition, a softgel form is more digestible than tablets. Softgels formulated with carrier oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.
Natural insomnia remedies for sleep, such as Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs are gaining popularity with menopausal women. Sleep Minerals II contains calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and zinc – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils.
Adelle Davis says: “During the menopause… 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.”
Sadie D. from the Netherlands says: “I am ever so grateful that I discovered Sleep Minerals II after suffering with premenopause and now the real menopause insomnia. I felt like I was slowly losing my mind due to the continual lack of sleep. I can’t express the relief of getting a good night’s sleep and being able to function properly.’”
Corrine E. of Alberta Canada says: “I have used many types of sleeping pills during the last 20 to 25 years to try to help cope with my chronic insomnia and Sleep Minerals II has helped me more than all of them. This sleep remedy has made a big difference for me. I am on my third bottle. I ran out of them at one point and realized just how much they were helping my sleep.“
Consumer Reports advises that hormone drugs can increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots and stroke. An increasing number of women are turning to non-pharmaceutical remedies for insomnia. Highly absorbable forms of natural minerals can be a soothing alternative.
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, is used worldwide by people who prefer natural remedies to sleeping drugs.”
Veronica R. of British Columbia, Canada says: “Sleep Minerals II has worked wonders for me. Before I started taking it, I would fall asleep and wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep. When I got the product I started taking them and have had no problems going back to sleep. Now I don’t have to be awake for two or three hours every night. I’m so happy I took the chance to try it. I don’t like taking over-the-counter drugs. With Sleep Minerals II, I don’t feel sleepy at all during the day. It’s fantastic.”
The TrendLists web site describes more about 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. People would really learn a lot of things from this site, and this is a very good way for people to be healthy.”
The 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.