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Take control of your sleep issues

The UK NHS spends £50million a year on drugs to help combat insomnia. But drugs aren’t always the best answer: here’s how to help yourself get some sleep without resorting to the medicine cabinet.

Restless legs:
If you’ve never suffered Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), you’re lucky; it can cause discomfort in the feet, calves and thighs, making it almost impossible to drop off.

Acupuncturist Rachel Peckham says, ‘Over 50% of people in the UK suffer with sleep disorders of some kind, generally attributed to a stressful lifestyle, and RLS is a common problem. Traditional acupuncture is known to be enormously beneficial for helping correct sleep problems. Most people find treatment wonderfully relaxing, as acupuncture is known to calm the nervous system and also affect hormonal outputs by increasing endorphin production.’

Try it: To find a practitioner in your area call the British Acupuncture Council on 020 8735 0400 or visit www.acupuncture.org.uk

Stress:
‘Stress is a collection of physiological, cognitive, affective and behavioural symptoms that are caused by difficult situations in our daily life. It can affect each individual in different ways ranging from less severe symptoms such as headaches all the way up to depression and anxiety,’ says Dr David Edwards.

‘Exercise and a healthy diet are crucial to maintaining a relaxed mind and body. I also recommend some of my patients take Rhodiola rosea as a short term option when suffering stressful periods. Taking 200mg, twice a day could help to control the release of stress hormones whilst helping to improve energy and concentration levels, which can help reduce symptoms of stress.’

Rhodiola rosea is an ‘adaptogen’ – a substance of natural plant origin that is able to increase the body’s resistance to stress and normalise imbalances with minimal side effects.

Try it: Vitano® contains Rhodiola rosea root extract 200mg and is available from Boots, leading pharmacies and health-food stores priced at £13.27 for 30 tablets. Always read the label.

Caffeine:
Drinking tea, coffee and fizzy drinks throughout the day can have a negative impact when it comes to bedtime. Cutting down on caffeine really can make it easier to nod off, so try to avoid it completely after 3pm. Nutritionist Kirsten Brooks notes, ‘Camomile is a wonderful herb with sedative properties, helping us to relax and encourage sleep. As a warm drink, it’s a great way to unwind in the evening.’

Try it: Heath and Heather’s Camomile infusion (RRP from £1.49) is good for reducing feelings of stress and anxiety.

Night sweats:
It is estimated that 8 out of 10 women in the UK experience symptoms leading up to the menopause and 45% of them find the symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety, night sweats and hot flushes, difficult to deal with.

A study in the Journal of Gynaecological Endocrinology notes that red clover supplementation can provide a natural alternative to help reduce hot flushes.

Try it: Promensil Double Strength (80mg) dietary supplements have been specifically developed to help women manage symptoms of the menopause naturally and effectively without resorting to HRT. Promensil Double Strength claims to reduce hot flushes and night sweats by 75%. Available from Boots, Ocado, good independent chemists and health food shops.

Nocturnal Cramps

Nocturnal muscle cramp causes distress and sleep disruption to more than 13 million people in the UK, with 82% of women having suffered, 12% of whom experience painful nocturnal cramps every night. Insomnia specialist and founder of the Sleep School, Dr Guy Meadows says, ‘Quality sleep is essential to ensure you feel regenerated and ready for the day ahead. Interruptions caused by emotional or health problems can be very detrimental to everyday life, making it harder to concentrate at work, and affecting relationships. Frustration and anxiety about disturbed sleep can cause it to become even worse.
‘People often aren’t aware that they could be suffering from a sleep condition that is easy to treat. Instead of worrying about the problem, it is important to trust your body’s ability to sleep, making lifestyle changes or taking appropriate treatments where appropriate.’

Try it: Crampex (RRP from £4.29 for a pack of 24 tablets) is the only product available without prescription for the prevention and treatment of night cramps and doesn’t have the side effects associated with taking Quinine (which is regularly prescribed). Available over the counter from pharmacies.

Bloating

Much like the rest of your body, your digestive system needs time to rest. Going to bed and getting up at a set time each day can improve your digestion and improve the regularity of your bowel movements. Digestive health issues and IBS can have a detrimental effect on sleep habits.

Try it: Lepicol is a three-in-one combination of gentle fibres, probiotic cultures and natural prebiotics which is effective but gentle and suitable for everyday use. RRP £11.18 for 180g (powdered), available from leading retailers such as Boots, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, independent health food stores and pharmacies.

Not tired enough

If you haven’t burned enough energy during the day, it’s likely that you’ll find bedtime a struggle when it comes to nodding off.

Justin Way, Personal Trainer from Pure Gym explains, ‘There are a million ways you can give yourself a workout at home without spending a penny on expensive equipment. When hoovering, stand on your left leg whilst pushing and pulling the hoover around with your right arm. Hop to move around the room and alternate legs every 2 minutes. This will work the core massively whilst bringing great tone to the legs and bum.’

Whether we work full time or manage a house full family, everyone is busy. Finding time to work out and fit in fitness isn’t always easy to do, but it is important for your health, and to set a good example for your family, children and friends.

Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, FACSM, is an associate professor at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the mom of two teens who works 60 to 70 hours a week, and still manages to find time to work out. In this blog, she discusses her own fitness goals, and how she finds time to exercise.



I work 60 to 70 hours a week, I’m the mother of two teens, and I work out three to five times a week.

In the past, I kept up with my workout schedule by setting a goal to train for a particular running event. I’ve done many 10-mile and half-marathon races in the Philadelphia area. I’m not fast, but by setting a goal for myself, I was able to focus and train for a specific event, even if I wasn’t the fastest person there.

The last race I trained for was the Broad Street Run in 2011. I trained to do this 10 mile event with a breast cancer survivor who was participating in one of my studies and who wanted to do the race but didn’t know whether she could.

We crossed the finish line together with our arms raised high.

I decided it was a terrific note on which to end my long races. You see, I have never enjoyed running long races. I just set the goal of completing a particularly long running event so that I would be motivated to stay on my training schedule.

But since I haven’t been training for an event, I needed a new way to set goals. Late last year I found a terrific one on the blog of a cancer survivor fitness professional by the name of Alwyn Cosgrove. Mr. Cosgrove set a goal of completing 200 workouts a year. I liked this idea so much that I’ve adopted it for 2012. I’m three months in and have 48 workouts to show for it!

Finding time to work out

I fit in my workouts in the evening. I have a rule that I cannot sit and watch television in the evening, I have to be lifting weights, stretching or on the treadmill if the television is on. This limits my television viewing and motivates me to exercise if there is a particular show I like to watch.

I also use exercise time to spend time with my family. My partner and my children and I work out together sometimes. Those are my favorite workouts because we get to spend time together, and I know I am setting a good example for my children.

We also make it fun. My 14-year-old son and I make faces when we are lifting weights and that makes us both laugh. Then we find ourselves remembering those faces later and we laugh again!
The bottom line is that for me, setting fitness goals helps me stay on track and focus on personal fitness achievements. You don’t have to run a race, or climb a mountain to focus on getting exercise. Do what works for you, find time when you can, and remember to have fun.

Do you struggle to find time to work out? How do you do it?

Stay fit and join the Penn Medicine/CHOP LIVESTRONG Challenge Team.

Learn more about Dr. Schmitz’s fitness based research

• Strength After Breast Cancer – A Physical Therapy Program
• Women In Steady Exercise (WISER) Survivor Study

Kolanut occupies a unique place amongst West Africans where it is widely consumed by them and it is of particular importance in their social life and religious customs. People in the tropics of West Africa highly esteem it as a channel of blessing.

Over 125 species of kolanut tree are native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Of these species, the most common in Nigeria are Cola nitida (Gbanja) which is of the white and red varieties; Cola acuminata (Abata) and Garcina cola (Orogbo) and Buchholzia coriacea popularly known as wonderful kola.

Kola is an important economic cash crop to a significant proportion of Nigerian population who are involved in kola farming, trading and industrial utilisation. It is highly valued for its perceived medicinal attributes which makes it a highly desired product.

In a new study, which analysed the problem and prospect of Kolanut trees, the survey documented the medicinal uses of different parts of the kolanut trees.

This review which was meant to show the attributes of Kolanut trees on how they can improve farmers’ livelihood as source of food, medicine and income was carried out by Adebayo S.A and Oladele O.I and documented in the 2012 edition of the Life Science Journal.  It was entitled: “Medicinal Values of Kolanut in Nigeria: Implication for Extension Service Delivery.”

Various parts of the trees have been used in treating many ailments, such as skin disease, black-coated tongue (Chrysophylum albidum), cough and fibroid (Garcina kola).

Kolanuts contain large amounts of caffeine and threobromine and are therefore used as a stimulant. They produce a strong state of euphoria and well being, enhance alertness and physical energy, elevate mood, increase tactile sensitivity, suppress appetite and hunger and are used as an aphrodisiac.

The caffeine in the nuts also acts as a bronchodilator, expanding the bronchial air passages, hence kolanuts are often used to treat whooping cough and asthma.

Unlike other kolanuts however, bitter kola is believed to clean the digestive system, without side effects such as abdominal problems, even when a lot of nuts are eaten.

Furthermore, scientific studies indicates that kolanut extracts are potentially useful as therapeutic agents in the control of trichomoniasis, boost immunity, elevates mood, suppresses appetite and hunger, clean digestive system and a remedy against poison.

Conversely, the survey indicates that a combined therapy of Garcinia kola (bitter kola), Vernonia amygdalina(bitter leaves) and honey is used for the treatment of fresh wounds, including wounds resulting from male circumcision and chronic ulcers.

It is unclear how ejaculation may affect men destined to develop prostate cancer. But experts have reported that though there are claims that frequent ejaculation in elderly men appeared to lower their risk of developing prostate cancer, such claims are controversial.


Sex is known for its medicinal uses, from managing stress to alleviating bad mood. Not only does a healthy sex life boost physical well-being, but some studies also believe it is protective against prostate enlargement and prostate cancer.

Frequent ejaculation, whether it happens during sexual intercourse, masturbation, or a dream, is not likely to increase men’s risk of prostate cancer. In fact, new research suggests it may have the opposite effect and help to protect the prostate. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system.

Researchers found that having an active sex life in their 50s could protect men against prostate cancer. But greater levels of sexual activity among men in their 20s could increase their chances of developing the disease in later life.

The state government, through the Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, said in a statement on May 6 that the decision to sack the doctors resulted from their refusal to answer the queries issued to them to explain why they were absent from work without observing the rules and regulations guiding strikes and industrial actions in the state public service.

Governor Babatunde Fashola, who jointly addressed journalists with his predecessor, Chief Bola Tinubu, on Thursday  said the decision became necessary after consultation with leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, the Nigerian Labour Congress and other groups.

He said, “One could not hear those appeals and also the appeals of the ordinary people of the state and remains unmindful of them. And it is in that light that I have consulted with the Health Service Commission and they have assured me that the issue of dismissal will be reversed immediately.”

Fashola directed the doctors to resume work immediately.

 He said, “I will like to thank the party and our leaders, all the well- meaning people on both sides and leaders of labour organisations, especially the NLC, for playing intercessory role in this matter and choosing to mediate rather than to take sides.

“The issues are disputes about institutions and nothing more and how we could work together to provide better health care. It is now left for the doctors to return to their locations and to regularise their status with the HSC.”

 Tinubu said he had been meeting with the governor at the prompting of the ACN.

He said, “I brought the appeal of the leadership of the party and well-meaning Nigerians and other organisations who are committed to the welfare of our people for him to be more flexible and look at the issue of the doctors critically.

“I have not seen the problem where we don’t have solution; he has agreed to suspend the dismissal and advise that they should go back to their work.”

Tinubu added, “I don’t want to comment further until all parties respect this outcome.

“He has repeated it several times that the hiring and firing of the doctors is in the hands of the HSC, I am very much aware of it and I have spoken with the commissioner concerned and I don’t see any area that is irresolvable.”

Also, the Senate Committee on Thursday held a crucial meeting with the National Association of Resident Doctors on Thursday, with a view to prevent the doctors from continuing with their warning strike.

President of the association,  Chidozie Achonwa, during meeting said although he heard in the news that the sacked Lagos doctors had been recalled on the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan, the association would need to confirm the report before taken any action.

He accused the National Assembly of not intervening in the plight of the Lagos doctors.

The National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has described the reversal as a victory for the medical profession.

Enabulele told our correpondent on telephone on Thursday that  the reinstatement of the doctors was the collective effort of various unions,organisations and individuals who mounted pressure on the state government.”

Also, Association of Resident Doctors (Abuja branch) on Thursday said the 34 doctors who were recalled after alleged apology to the Lagos State Government would be sanctioned by the national secretariat.

The Chairman of ARD, Dr. Noel Arua, at a press briefing said that already health services in the nation’s capital had begun to suffer from the on-going faceoff engendered by the sacking of 788 doctors in the state.

Source:punchng

You can often get a general estimate of how much protein you need by calculating your weight, but you will also need to take into account how old you are and how active you already are or intend to become. Generally, those who engage in heavyweight fitness routines or have highly active lifestyles will need more protein than people who sit in front of a computer to work all day long.