NurseKeith's Corner

Something to bear in mind on a day to day basis is whether you are getting enough rest. Sleep and time for rest are both important, and many Westerners spend most of their lives chronically deprived of sleep.

Sleep is regenerative, healing, healthy and pleasurable. During sleep, your body is able to perform basic repair to cells, tissues and organs, and quality sleep is crucial for memory, concentration, and mental health.

Many people are convinced that fatigue, yawning, feeling run down, and general malaise are part and parcel of their lives, sensations which are inescapable and irreversible. Most doctors who specialize in sleep will tell you that the majority of Americans do not get enough sleep, and that this epidemic condition has been shown to contribute to the risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and infections.

If you stay up too late on most nights, get up earlier than you would like, ingest significant amounts of caffeine, sugar and/or alcohol, and generally feel like you could use a few extra hours of sleep, you probably are sleep-deprived. Contrary to popular opinion, alcohol does not help you sleep. In fact, alcohol causes sleep disturbances and poor sleep quality, so if you are drinking a glass of wine or beer in order to make yourself tired enough to sleep, see your doctor to discuss healthier ways to promote improved sleep hygiene.

So, if you're tired and in need of more sleep, try a few simple things:

Go to sleep at the same time every night
Wake up at the same time every day
Avoid naps, and if you must nap, keep it shorter than 30 minutes
Avoid alcohol, or drink in moderation on occasion
Avoid caffeine, especially after 3 in the afternoon
Cut down on caffeinated sodas, chocolate and coffee
Avoid sugar in the afternoon or evening
Keep a sleep diary for 30 days, including daily intake of food and beverages

Quality and quantity of sleep are important to overall health. Sleep medications can be helpful, but many are also habit-forming. If you are very concerned about your sleep habits or sleep hygiene, speak with your doctor and request a referral to a doctor who specializes in sleep medicine.

Sleep well, and your body will thank you with longevity and good health!

Although mainstream doctors and medical providers may not talk about it much, many alternative medicine providers recommend lemon for digestion.

According to the ancient tradition of Ayurveda, lemon aids cleansing of the digestive tract, enhances digestion, and prevents bloating and flatulence. Lemon is also a natural antioxidant, helping to remove damaging free radicals from your bloodstream. (Anecdotally, my great aunt lived to 115 years of age, and she drank a cup of hot water with the juice of half of a lemon every morning, a practice that is recommended in many Ayurvedic texts.)

Lemon is also known to have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, helping to rid the digestive tract of harmful bacteria. It is also helpful for nausea and heartburn, and some research suggests that people who include citrus in their diet are less likely to be obese, perhaps because lemon speeds metabolism.

And while most people consider lemon to be acidic, it is actually an alkaline food, helping to keep the body in a healthy alkaline state, keeping in mind that an overly acidic body can promote the presence of a variety of disease states.

In terms of how much lemon juice to drink every morning, several sources cite that the juice of one half of a lemon is suitable for those weighing under 150 pounds, and the juice of a entire lemon is recommended for those weighing more than 150 pounds.

So, if you would like to follow in my great-aunt's footsteps, consider drinking a glass of water with lemon juice every day, and give your digestion---and your general health---a great boost!

Although many of us think of yoga as fit and trim people twisting themselves into pretzels, yoga is in fact quite simple and can be of benefit to most anyone. Yoga can indeed be complicated and strenuous, but yoga classes are offered for all levels of skill and ability, and if you suffer from chronic low back pain, a gentle yoga class may be just what you need in order to learn some simple and effective self care techniques and exercises.

• Call and speak with the teacher or studio owner prior to attending a class
• Be forthright and honest about your ability and level of chronic pain
• Never do more than you feel you are capable of doing
• Attend a class that is geared towards your level of skill and ability
• Look for classes tailored for people with low back pain or chronic pain

I have long been an advocate of honey as a sweetener, and when one learns the many health benefits of eating honey---especially raw honey---it becomes even more evident why honey used in moderation is a nice addition to most people's diet.

When you purchase honey, it's always best to buy honey produced in your local area, if possible. Honey produced by bees from your geographic area contains pollens and other substances that can help your body adapt to the local allergens in your environment.

Raw honey contains 27 minerals, 22 amino acids and 5,000 live beneficial enzymes.

According to some research, honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and it can actually assist in the healing of some wounds when applied topically, reducing swelling and removing dead and infected tissue, and speeding growth of new tissue. This research is still ongoing at the Waikato Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

Honey provides an energy boost with its naturally occurring carbohydrates, although diabetics should use caution and discuss the use of honey with their medical providers.

Honey has been said to be useful in the treatment of morning sickness, sore throats, laryngitis, acid reflux and upset stomach, although many of these claims have not been tested scientifically. It is also said to be useful for the treatment of canker sores, eczema and bleeding gums.

In terms of weight loss, some proponents of raw honey state that it aids in weight loss and the lowering of cholesterol by metabolizing cholesterol and fatty acids, thus assisting in weight loss and reduction of body fat. Refined sugars (like white table sugar, brown sugar, etc) contain no vitamins and minerals, thus the body must use up its own store of energy and nutrients to digest the sugar. Honey, on the other hand, contains numerous vitamins and minerals and thus does not strip the body of nutrients as it is digested and processed.

When purchasing honey, the nearly transparent commercial honey that is sold in most stores has been heated and filtered, robbing it of most of its nutrients and healing properties. Some people refer to this type of store-bought honey as "junk honey". Although raw local honey is indeed more expensive, the health and nutritional benefits of using raw honey is astronomically better than most store-bought honey.

In a future post, I will write about bee pollen, another naturally occurring substance produced by bees that is also a natural super food.