Blog two- sleep,and lighting
Lets talk 10 different ways to support your sleep and enhance metabolic health.
Firstly, I will share some insights and information that explains why I have wanted to share these tips with you.
Sleep is one of the most important building blocks for our health. Good sleep hygiene or healthy sleeping habits are important for our mental and physical health, as well as our overall quality of life and bodies circadian rhythm.
Your morning routine is essential in creating an aligned circadian rhythm that is crucial in supporting your health.
Our behaviors during the day, not just before we go to bed can affect how well we sleep. Your food and drink choices, daily schedule, evening routine, stress levels and many other activities all play a part in your ability to sleep.
Artificial blue light, which comes from our screens, TV’s, overhead lighting in our homes, offices, buildings, our LED lights or lamps in our homes, impact on our cortisol levels and ability to create melatonin at night.
So if used when it gets dark, our ability to produce melatonin is suppressed (hence why melatonin is often prescribed for people to take to get to sleep)
Although they have their place, instead of opting for sleeping pills, watching the television or scrolling on your phone, consider implementing some of the below to support your sleep cycle, circadian rhythm and help to encourage “sleepiness” before bedtime.
What about red light therapy?
Red Light Therapy simply uses specifics wavelengths of light, the same wavelengths of light that are also naturally emitted from the sun. Red light therapy is a process of emitting specific wavelengths of red and infrared light which have the ability to penetrate through the skin into the tissues. These wavelengths have been extensively studied and proven to have a wide range of benefits.
Red Light therapy works at the cellular level, in your mitochondria. They're the powerhouses of your cells, always hard at work making more ATP {adenosine triphosphate) energy to fuel your body. The photons in red and near infrared light excite the electrons involved in cellular respiration, breaking up nitric oxide bonds and letting hydrogen and water move through the process. The more efficiently your cells create ATP energy through cellular respiration, the better your cells function on all levels, and the better your body feels and performs.
Some of its benefits
Improves skin appearance
Supports recovery and healing
Relieves pain and discomfort
Stimulates cellular energy
Habits to consider integrating into your daily routine:
Utilise night shift or red light mode on your cellphone
Get natural, unfiltered light in the mornings (preferably at sunrise, watch the sunrise!!)
Use ‘Flux’ to block the blue light on your computer screen for the evenings
Engage in calming practices in the evenings such as yoga, reading, taking some time for yourself in your preferred form, or drinking magnesium rich cacao
Consider a Magnesium supplement (Make sure it is Magnesium Glycinate) Be Pure do a great one if you are in NZ or Australia.
Support Seratonin levels by getting sunlight (unfiltered aka not through windows) during your day for at least 5-10 minutes
If you are a night shift worker, work in an office, parent, or up at times during the night, utilise blue blocking glasses, lamps and light bulbs to block blue light when it isn’t needed
Utilise calming herbs or tea (check with your Dr first to ensure these don’t impact on any medications
Consider purchasing or using a red light therapy panel for the health benefits noted above
Avoid caffeine including drinks with caffeine such as energy drinks, matcha, english breakfast tea after 12pm.
Get your morning routine right and your night time routine should follow. Remember, when introducing new habits. Start small to give yourself a better chance of it being sustainable!
I would never share information I didn’t think would be truely helpful and beneficial for people to consider incorporating into their lives. However, I don’t know everything about this topic so feel free to do some more research! The more in the know and informed we can be, the easier it is to make informed, and conscious decisions.
Some podcasts that share more insights are Well and Good podcast on Sleep, the Dr Huberman podcast on sleep at night and the @Blockbluelight website.
Happy light adjusting!
Blog one-packaged foods
Welcome to my first blog post!
I am a massive label and ingredient nerd, and recently I realised I have a lot of my own insights and learnings from my own health journey that I should be sharing with others.
This blog will explore some of the nasties and additives that are added to some of our easy to grab packaged foods on the supermarket shelf, how we can go about navigating these and why its important to be mindful of what we consume.
Firstly, lets talk about our gut.
Our gut is an incredibly complex system that plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being. The gut lining is a thin layer of cells that protects our digestive system from harmful substances. However, many of the foods we eat today are filled with additives, such as gums, fillers, and flavours, that can have negative effects on our gut lining.
When we consume foods that are high in additives, it can cause inflammation and damage to the gut lining which can lead to issues such as gut permeability, also known as leaky gut. When the gut lining becomes damaged, it can allow harmful substances to leak into the bloodstream, causing inflammation, bloating and other health problems.
First, let's take a closer look at what gums, fillers, and flavours are. Gums are substances that are added to foods to provide a specific texture or consistency. They're commonly found in processed foods like sauces, dressings, and baked goods. Fillers, on the other hand, are added to foods to increase their volume or bulk. These can be anything from cellulose to soy protein isolate. Finally, flavours are added to foods to enhance their taste and aroma.
One of the biggest risks of added gums, preservatives, fillers, and flavours is that they can disrupt the balance of bacteria in our gut. Our gut is home to trillions of bacteria that play a critical role in our overall health. When the balance of these bacteria is disrupted, it can lead to a host of health problems, including digestive issues, low energy, autoimmune disorders, and even mental health problems.
So, while these additives may make our food taste better or look more appealing, what can we do to protect our gut lining from the negative effects of added gums, fillers, and flavours? The first step is to be mindful of what we consume. Read labels carefully and avoid foods that are high in additives.
Instead, focus on whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in nutrients and fibre. The more numbers, ingredients, and difficult to pronounce words on a packet there are, chances are its not going to be very good for you.
Some recommended food swaps from me:
Corn chips: Swap Mexicano corn chips for Proper corn chips (they are additive free and still tasty!)
Gluten free bread: Swap Tip Top for Venerdi which you will find in most New Words, and Pak’n Save supermarkets in NZ.
Nut milks: Swap Alpro for Pure Harvest or Otis (the organic one).
As always, healthier food is usually always more expensive. Some ideas for navigating this are below:
Make your own corn chips with wraps and bake in the oven. I recommend these Corn Tortillas if you are gluten free and in NZ. Because they are preservative free, they need to stay in the fridge.
Make your own nut milks! The Milky Plant just bought out a nut milk maker which is most definitely on my to purchase list.
Freeze any bread purchased and use as needed to avoid wastage.
In addition, it's important to support a healthy gut by consuming probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and kimchi. These foods help to replenish the good bacteria in our gut and support overall digestive health.
Finally, consider working with a healthcare professional like myself, a Nutritionist or Naturopath, who can help you identify any food sensitivities or allergies that may be contributing to gut health problems. By taking a proactive approach to gut health, we can protect our gut lining and enjoy better overall health and well-being.
Until next time!