4 Foods That Will Help You Sleep

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? If you're up to try anything to get your 40 winks, here are some ideas you can use as an alternative to pharmaceutically induced sleep.

Be sure and let me know if they work. I would test them myself, but I don't have trouble falling asleep. My problem is waking up an hour before my alarm. Still looking for something to help with that.

Pumpkin Seed Powder: More tryptophan than a glass of milk. Mix with applesauce (or any carb) which allows tryptophan to enter the brain more efficiently.

Tart Cherry Juice. Tart cherries are particularly high in melatonin, the hormone released by your brain that helps you fall asleep. Tart cherries have 6x more melatonin than a regular cherry and the Juice has 10x more. Drink it an hour before bed. 

Scottish Oatmeal: Oatmeal helps the nervous system relax and release tension. Scottish Oatmeal is high in tryptophan and melatonin. 1/2 cup an hour before bedtime. Throw some blueberries in it. Yum!

Dandelion Greens: The liver metabolizes your hormones. Insomnia can be related to a hormonal imbalance. Dandelions clean out the liver. Are you following this?

Easy Glazed Pork Chops

This one's so easy and one I that always gets requested when my girl comes home to visit. Served with a bed of greens you can enjoy it with a glass of wine guilt free. 

Here's the Flavor:
2 Tbsp Grade B Maple Syrup
2 Tblsp Dijon mustard
2 Tblsp EV Olive Oil
1 Tblsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Hint: I mix a little of this with my salad dressing.

Use thin cut chops, they cook fast making this a meal in under 20 minutes. Covers about 6 chops nicely. Dip your chops in the sauce, place in a pan. Cook on both sides for about 3-5 minutes (depending on how thick your chops are) on med-high heat. Once they're done, remove them from the pan, add about 2-3 Tablespoons of water to the pan, put it back on the heat and add the leftover dip. Cook to reduce and pour it over the chops. Serve with 2 cups chopped baby greens tossed in a balsamic dressing. Quick, easy, delicious.


For my friends out there, here's the Ratios

3 oz Pork 100cal 19Protein 2Fat
2 cups Spinach Salad 14cal 2Carb
3 Tbsp Balsamic Dressing 66cal 3Carb 6Fat
1 4oz Glass Red Wine 87cal 2.4Carb

Get Your Health in Rhythm: Tip #1

Make it easy on yourself.

Are you always forgetting something that interrupts the Rhythm of your day? Did you leave your planned meals at home as you rushed out the door?

Always have an MRFK (Mobile Readiness Food Kit) & Water with you. Keep 1 in your car, at work in your desk, or in your purse. Getting stuck in an endlessly busy day without water or food will not only cause your blood sugar levels to crash, igniting sugar/carb cravings, but your stress amplifies when your body is starving, and you become too cranky to deal with it. Even if it's a Power Crunch bar in your purse, remember to have something to carry you through to your next meal.

**Here's a hint to make it super easy, get 3-4 of the Camelbak type water bottles, they're easy for on the go, just flip the top and drink.

Spice up your Nutrition for Awesome Health Benefits: Cinnamon

Eating healthy doesn't have to be a bland meaningless experience. Adding flavor to your food doesn't even add calories. Using fresh spices or the dried ones you have in your pantry will not only flava up your food, but there can be some terrific health benefits as well. In some parts of the world, spices have long been used for their medicinal qualities. Here in the States, they are quickly gaining popularity again as we start to see the negative effects of Western Medicine and Big-pharma remedies. 

Follow me as I delve into some spices that really offer more than just a party for your taste-buds.

Cinnamon: One of the oldest spices known has become a topic of debate. Does it really do all the things the Internet says it does? When it comes to spices there is not a lot of medical research out there. Believe me, Big-Pharma is taking over the world and they would rather pump you full of potentially dangerous drugs and make a lot of money, then have you purchase a canister of cinnamon at your grocery store. I say, try it, if it works, great. If it doesn't, what do you have to lose? Your toast sure tasted good this morning.

Personally, I've used cinnamon mixed with honey as a topical remedy for a pinched nerve. For those of you who have experienced a pinched nerve, you know the process to reduce the inflammation and get back to feeling normal or pain free is a long one. I had plenty of time to try everything I could find and I will tell you, it offered temporary pain relief and for that I was grateful. Draw backs for me were, slight skin irritation (I didn't care, I was in so much pain) and it's a messy treatment!

So here are the known benefits of cinnamon:

Cinnamon may be helpful in lowering blood sugar and there is research that it may be helpful as a supplement to regular diabetes treatment for people with Type 2. There was a study published in 2009 that found cinnamon taken twice a day for 90 days improved hemoglobin A1C levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. The theory is that it increases insulin action. I wouldn't count on cinnamon alone of course, but with a proper diet, exercise and regular monitoring, what would it hurt to try? (Consult your doctor first before taking any supplements, especially if you have a medical condition.)

Cinnamon is known to have anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, and antibacterial properties which help to fight yeast infections, head lice and stomach ulcers.

It has a blood thinning compound and anti-inflammatory properties that assists in blood circulation which can reduce arthritic pain. 

It has been know to relieve indigestion, bloat and stomach upset.

Cinnamon is a natural source of antioxidants.

Now for the side effects, when used topically, as I stated above, it can irritate your skin. Ingested in high doses, it can harm your liver. As an addition to your daily diet, not overdone, it's a good thing. Add it to your food, it will make it taste great and give you some health benefits as well.

To your Health!

a Why for Change

Diets, Eating Plans, Supplements, Surgery. When it comes to losing weight our mindset is to drop it quick because 'I have a _______________ in 6 weeks'. This is a goal for an event, a moment in time. A Why is different. A Why is a decision to change and it's much more powerful than a goal.

For some of you, reaching a goal is as easy as adding extra workouts to fit into the dress you bought for a wedding before you gained those pesky 5 pounds. For others, it's not that simple. Losing weight feels like a life sentence and for every failure, you become more defeated. A quick fix may work for a moment, but true change comes with success and it is driven by your Why.

So your first step is to know your Why. What things are important to you in your life? Your Spouse? Your children? Do you want to be able to go out on a beautiful day like today and hike for 2 hours? Or ride a bike? Or go to the beach? Everyone's Why is different.

Once you become clear on where you want to take your health and Why? Then everything you do from that point becomes a step to getting there, a journey.

What's your Why?

30 Days to Effect YOUR Change

Krill Oil vs. Fish Oil

The more you know about Nutrition, the more you become aware of the 'Flavor of the Week' when it comes to supplements that will enhance your health. One of the latest to hit the media and get attention is Krill Oil and how it compares to Fish Oil.

The bottom line for both of these products is the Omega 3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. Both are a source of these crucial Omega-3 fats. So how do you determine which is better?

Both DHA and EPA are important but it is considered that DHA ranks higher among the two. Adding these fats promotes a plethera of health benefits, including mental acuteness, reduction of risk of heart disease, cholesterol level management and weight loss.

When picking an Omega-3 supplement it's important to look at the DHA levels, level of contamination, scientific studies to back the product and warnings or side effects.

Although Krill oil absorbs more effectively, it is very low in DHA. Claims that Krill oil is lower in toxic contamination are unjustified as with any product, decontamination is a process that most reputable manufacturers put their product through.

I found some scientific studies show benefits for cholesterol levels, but there isn't a whole lot of information out there to determine one is better than the other, other than the fact that Krill oil is said to be higher in astaxanthin, an antioxidant that crosses the blood-brain barrier, theoretically protecting the brain from free radical damage. However, there are Omega-3 supplements that contain this powerful antioxidant.  

Some things to consider:

• If you're pregnant or breast feeding, effects of Krill oil are not known. Stay on the safe side and don't use it.
• If you have a seafood or shellfish allergy, you may have a reaction.
• Krill oil slows blood clotting so don't take it if this is going to be any kind of an issue.

WebMD states that "Krill oil seems to be safe for most adults when used appropriately for a short amount of time (up to 3 months). Research on krill oil has not adequately evaluated its safety or possible side effects. However, it is likely that krill oil can cause some side effects similar to fish oil such as bad breath, heartburn, fishy taste, upset stomach, nausea, and loose stools."


So my opinion, know the benefits and weigh your options. Read the labels and compare DHA, EPA and Astaxanthin before buying.