Laura Warner spoke for the first Share the Health talk of the fall season at Our Place Studio on “Nutrition for a Good Night’s Sleep”.
The pineal gland, a light-sensitive, pea-sized structure located within the brain, is where melatonin (our main sleep-regulator hormone) is produced. Adequate amounts of melatonin can only be produced, however, if you have enough serotonin. Guess what serotonin’s top two enemies are? The common beverage and sweetening items, caffeine and aspartame. Aspartame contains an amino acid (phenylalanine) which converts to the stimulants dopamine and adrenaline. These two stimulants lower levels of serotonin and tryptophan, which negatively affects melatonin production.
A pro-serotonin diet includes: avoiding aspartame, limiting caffeine intake, not skipping meals, eating grass-fed meats, free-range chicken and wild fish (these will all contain more tryptophan than corn-fed animals), as well as eggs and dairy products, bananas, pumpkins, and nuts. Eating healthy fats, such as those in grass-fed meats, avocados, olive and good nut oils, will also increase the availability of tryptophan. Vitamins and minerals to include in a sleep-friendly diet would be calcium, magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin D.
If your adrenal glands are on overload, your sleep is also going to be sketchy, disruptive and unproductive. The adrenals regulate the stress hormone, cortisol, which we need in order to function – but cortisol is often pushed to extremely high levels due to our fast-paced, high-stress lifestyle. Cortisol levels should be highest in the morning and lowest between 12:00 AM – 3:00AM. When we’re under intense stress, eating a poor diet or ill, levels stay high day and night. When levels are high at night, we get that “second wind” or we wake up too early in the morning around 3:00 or 4:00 AM. We need a healthy balance of cortisol; too much, we become wired and tired. Too little, we become exhausted throughout the entire day.
A few symptoms of adrenal fatigue include: dependence on caffeine and sugar for energy, dark circles on the inner half of the eyes, and increased weight gain in the mid-section.
To maintain healthy adrenals, avoid processed foods, refined sugars, corn syrup, caffeine, gluten, and limit alcohol. Eat foods that contain protein and fiber for both breakfast and lunch, which will help you get over that afternoon slump and keep you from craving sugar and caffeine. Other foods you may want to add are: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, and low glycemic fruits. Supplements to support your adrenals include: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B complex (especially B-5), magnesium and calcium.
While there are many factors that can disrupt our sleep, focusing on eating healthy foods and giving our body the nutrients it needs can make a big difference in improving the quality of our sleep and therefore, the quality of our everyday life.
Laura Warner is a certified Holistic Nutritionist and Personal Trainer with Our Place Studio. You can contact her at: 985.875.1182
Share the Health is a discussion/education series on health-related topics featuring home-grown experts and educators in diverse areas of health and wellness. The informal classes are held every Tuesday in October, 6:30 – 7 :15 pm at Our Place Studio, 338 N. Vermont Street in downtown Covington. Each class is donation based, and all proceeds go to charities of the speakers choice. The suggested donation per talk is $10, but any amount, large or small, is welcome!
Continuing in October:
October 15 – Susan Tarasova presenting “Beat Flu Season: Make Your Own Master Tonic” to benefit the Covington Food Bank
October 22 – Tiffany Conner presenting “Change the Breath, Change the Mind” to benefit the Haiti Mission
October 29 – Dr. Janice Posey presenting “Acupuncture, Herbal & Food Therapy: What It Can Do for Your Pet” to benefit the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary
For more information about Share the Health please visit opcovington.com
