Fighting Insomnia Naturally

 

Prevent Sleeplessness Without Medication

Author: Dr. Pierre Dubois

Do you struggle to fall asleep at night?  Do you find yourself wide awake at three in the morning staring up at the ceiling and wondering if you’ll fall back to sleep at all before your alarm goes off?
If you answered “yes”, you are not alone. Research has shown that up to 50 percent of the population suffers from insomnia with up to a third having struggled with it for at least a year.
 

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

The average adult requires a little over 8 hours of sleep each day.  However, very few people are able to manage that with lives that are more hectic than ever. Jobs, children and other obligations require us to be up with the birds and to go to bed far later than we would if we were following our own biological rhythm. A disruption to our circadian rhythm, which governs our hormone production, body temperature and sleep, can lead to insomnia.
 

What Does Insomnia Do To Us?

We need adequate, restful sleep in order to perform at our best. Prolonged insomnia can cause mental fuzziness and interfere with how you perform your daily activities. It also increases your risk of depression, headaches, auto accidents, and can lead to substance abuse.

Of course, worrying about the lack of sleep you are getting rarely helps you get more sleep! Stress, anxiety, and widespread use of coffee and alcohol are some of the greatest contributors to insomnia.
 

How Do You Fight Insomnia?

Learning how to manage stress effectively is one of the best ways to increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep, and making some changes to your lifestyle may make a difference in the number of hours of sleep you get. The following are the top 10 strategies you can use:

•    Get regular exercise before dinner, which can help put your body in a restful state by bedtime. Just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime, as this will likely make you restless.

•    Try to get out in the late afternoon sun as often as possible to stimulate melatonin release, which will help get your circadian rhythm back on track.

•    Use stress reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation and Tai Chi, which are great ways to help teach your mind and body to relax.

•    Caffeine and smoking keep the body stimulated. Try to avoid them from mid-afternoon on, and keep your consumption of alcohol to a minimum.

•    Eat a small snack of protein with a complex carbohydrate just before bed, such as peanut butter on a whole-grain cracker. It can keep your blood sugar from dipping too low and waking you up in the night.

•    Keep to the same sleeping and waking schedule every day and don’t change it by more than an hour on weekends.

•    Avoid television or computer use at least an hour before bedtime, as it stimulates the brain, making it difficult to fall asleep.

•    Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool.

•    If you are lying awake for more than about 20 minutes, get up and go sit in another dimly lit room until you feel sleepy.

By Denise Gaskell:
Need a little more help falling & staying asleep?

  Try Gentle Sleep Complex~
This unique Shaklee combination features passion flower, German chamomile, and valerian. Valerian has been used for over a thousand years to help maintain a calm state, promote relaxation, and foster restful sleep Swallow tables or crush and mix as a tea. .
 

These strategies have proven useful for many people in getting them back to a regular sleeping rhythm. Give them a try — they may help you too!


To your health~Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
gaskellwellness@comcast.net
www.gaskell.myshaklee.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Stop Hating on Yourself~

                            

When was the last time you stood in front of the mirror....looked in the mirror and thought good thoughts?

Be honest with yourself, what are the thoughts that run thru your head when you look in the mirror, or when you get dressed, when you go out shopping, or while eating?  Are you using  positive, healthy words?
Are they words you would say out-loud to anyone else?  Probably not.  Sadly, many people hate their bodies--or at least some "part" of their body and not only are those negative thoughts and negative self talk unhealthy, it may have long-term negative effects for you and your family as well.

According to Rice University some of the effects of having a negative body image include:

• emotional distress
•  low self-esteem
• unhealthy dieting habits
•  anxiety 
•  depression 
• eating disorders 
• take risks with their sexual health
• social withdrawal
• stop doing healthy activities that require you to show your body, such as exercising, having sex, going to the doctor, or swimming

So, how do we Stop Hating and Learn to Love our Bodies?
   
Step One:  Create a goal. 
What is it that YOU would like to achieve?  Improved health, workout more, fit into skinny jeans, less stress, reduce disease risk, wear a swimsuit, sleep better, have more energy, look healthier, better eating habits, have more self confidence?

Step Two:  Write it down!--in several places; on sticky notes, on your calendar, in your phone, put them in several places to remind you daily.  Use positive words & affirm your goal daily--out loud would be best!
     
Here are a few examples:
"Like a powerful magnet, I easily attract healthy, positive people into my life"
"I feel nourished, healthy, and fit. I am zipping up my favorite jeans and I look and feel great!"
"Working out gives me an abundance of energy and makes me feel youthful!"
    


Step Three:  Keep track of your successes. Log healthy activities in your phone, on an app, ( I use this Shaklee app to keep track of my calories, my healthy activities, and to track my mood as well) or journal your daily successes in a book.  Write down positive statements about yourself. Every night before going to bed, make a list of all the things you accomplished, no need to go through all the things you "should have" done.  Keep your thoughts positive and focused on your accomplishments.

Step Four:  Reward Yourself!  After achieving a goal you set, celebrate your success. Celebrating an achieved goal will help keep you motivated. Decide ahead of time of what your reward will be.  Maybe its a long herbal bubble bath, a trip to the library, new outfit, a walk with a friend, or even some dark chocolate!
You deserve to be rewarded.  Enjoy it.  

Step Five:  Repeat!  Committing to creating a goal and making it stick may not be easy, but you will be thrilled with the long-term results. Take it one day at a time. In addition, feel free to "re-do" a goal.  No one says you can only have the goal once. It's about getting to a place where you are able to Love yourself and your body.


~Be Outstanding~

Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
gaskellwellness@comcast.net

Denise's Vegan Dump Cake

Having a daughter who chose to quit eating meat after the 3rd grade field trip to a local farm, and then chose a Vegan lifestyle in high school (oh the flack we received!) we've played with many,  "traditional" recipes in order to enjoy a plant-based, healthier version of many meals and desserts.

In addition, there are 5 other palate's at home to please...
1-vegetarian
1-super picky eater
1-kid who'll eat anything
1-husband who eats according to how it looks

And me-ingredient snob and eats mostly a plant-based diet

                                 So making a dish to please everyone--happens occasionally :)

This dessert is a family favorite and gets gobbled-up at every event it attends!

  

It's...Flavorful, Gooey, Buttery and oh so Fruity, Crunchy, Delicious, and Vegan! (and super easy to make)

Dump Cake
The traditional Dump Cake is simply made by literally dumping a yellow cake mix, can of pie filling, and 2 sticks of butter in a cake pan and baking..easy enough. However in addition to pleasing pallets,  I'm also a label reader and yes, a health nut...so the typical cake mix is a no-no and canned pie filling...not even an option!

My version of Dump Cake is certainly simple and somewhat healthy--after all, it's made with frozen fruit and natural cake mix!  In addition, you only need 3 ingredients, so its easy, quick to make, and of course, Vegan.

My Recipe
2 - Vanilla Cake Mix by Trader Joes
2 - 12oz Bags Frozen Blueberries-thawed to room temperature. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar if you like
1 - Cup Earth Balance Organic Vegan Butter
Optional: 1-Cup Chopped Nuts of your choice, 1-Cup Organic Coconut shreds

   

Preheat oven to 350°

Grease 9x13 cake pan with vegetable shortening or spray. Spread thawed blueberries across bottom of pan-any juice too, dump the 2 dry cake mixes over the blueberries, spread dry mix evenly, if using nuts, sprinkle over cake mix, next plop spoonfuls of butter in various places onto the dry cake mix-see picture: 

Bake for 30 minutes. Take out of oven and use fork to gently rake across top of dessert to mix in any dry cake mix with butter...Do NOT stir from bottom! Place back in oven and cook for approximately 30 more minutes. If using coconut, add to top of dessert for the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

Cook until a bit bubbly from the fruit and slightly brown on top.

Allow to cool and enjoy warm or cool. This recipe is delicious on its own, but feel free to top with ice cream, vegan ice cream, whipped cream, etc.  

Note:  This recipe is easily halved.  Simply use square baking pan with only 1 bag blueberries, 1 box cake mix, and approximately 1/2 cup of butter...may need to add a bit more.

~ENJOY~

Denise Gaskell

Gaskell Healthy Solutions

gaskellwellness@comcast.net

 

Make Your Goals Stick This Year #makeitstick

Happy, Healthy New Year! 

 A little recap:  This past year I aged to a speed limit; I turned 45!  2013 was a year of personal reflection and taking inventory of my beliefs and desires. There seems to be one simple theme which consistently comes to the forefront of my thoughts, “Being Thankful!”   2014 marks the 25^th year I have been using Shaklee products. I am so very thankful someone shared Shaklee with me all those years ago!  Both the Shaklee products and the business opportunity have given me and my family countless blessings. 


What goals do you have for this New Year?  

If you’re like most, getting healthy, losing weight, traveling more, and earning additional money are at the top of the list. 
 

 For many, setting a goal may be the easy part; the difficulty comes in making it stick!  
And #makeitstick is Shaklee’s theme for 2014.  Our goal is to help people achieve both their health and wealth goals.  Made a goal to get healthier?  Share it on the Shaklee 180 Facebook page and enter to win Shaklee 180 products or iPhone 5S!  This Year, #makeitstick.  
 

Make Your Weight Loss Goals Stick

Delicious things are in your future! 
What if your life could get a little sweeter and a lot healthier?  How does, Mango Smoothie, White Chocolate Cinnamon, Chocolate Coconut, and Cherry Almond sound?  These delicious new flavors have been added to the already yummy Shaklee 180 product line!  You will find the smoothies and bars are packed with all the nutritional needs to keep you healthy, and the mouth watering flavors to keep you satisfied!    Whether you are looking to maintain, or lose inches, Shaklee 180 will help you #makeitstick 

Goals & the 2014 Winter Olympics!

Creating goals and making them stick are certainly activities that Olympians must work at every day in order to achieve their dreams.  The Olympic athlete pushes not only their minds but their bodies to the extreme in order to achieve the extraordinary.  However, many Olympians will choose NOT to use supplements as they are concerned with unhealthy, and even unsafe ingredients.  At Shaklee, we are thrilled to not only provide support, but also provide Shaklee products to many Olympians over the years.

Shaklee Pure Performance Team member, Matt Emmons, a three-time Olympic medalist for the USA in marksmanship has this to say,
"On the morning before I competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in the three-position rifle event, I knew I'd shoot well and would win a medal. As a result, I also knew I'd be tested by the anti-doping committee. I have so much confidence in the purity of Shaklee products that I absolutely stuck with my supplement program every day before and the day of my event."

 

Shaklee-powered athletes have won over 100 medals at both the summer and winter Games.  To learn more about The Shaklee Pure Performance Team and the athletes to watch in Sochi, visit:  http://athletes.shaklee.com/us/en/
I am passionate about helping people achieve their goals and dreams!  Whether you're looking to improve your health or your wealth, please feel free to contact me as I am truly happy to help. 

Wishing you countless Blessings in 2014~
Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
www.gaskell.myshaklee.com
gaskellwellness@comcast.net

Eco-Friendly Wrapping, Crafting & Gifting

    ~Have Fun, Save Money, Gift Kindly, Help the Planet~

I am by no means a crafting expert, but I do enjoy an easy and fun craft.  In addition, I am truly passionate about the environment and always looking for ways to up-cycle or reuse anything!  Including wine corks~which made this simple up-cycled cork Christmas tree ornament.

With, "going green" a huge movement, you might think more people would opt for greener gifting and wrapping. Turns out that our irresistible attraction to glistening wrapping paper and foil bows are filling landfills by the tons.  And would you believe that half of the paper America consumes is used to wrap and decorate gifts. Yikes!
Here are a few other details about the waste of wrapping and gifting:

• From Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills. (Source: EPA)
  
  
• In the U.S., annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals 4 million tons. (Source: Use Less Stuff)
•  
  If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. (Source: CalRecycle)

If you're like me, I find these numbers startling...which encourages me to do something different...and fun!

        ~A few enjoyable ways to reduce waste & add a personal touch to your gifts~

 

Re-Use packing paper, brown paper bags, the back of wrapping paper, old maps, etc., add your own message. Paint a greeting, use stamps, stickers, glue, markers, glitter, etc.  Kids (and adults) of all ages enjoy the fun of making their own wrapping paper, and I guarantee that their loved ones will enjoy receiving gifts wrapped in one-of-a-kind, made-with fun & love paper! (shhhh...My brother is receiving his gift wrapped in the paper shown here!) This is a great activity to do for birthdays and all occasions.

Re-Use last years Christmas Cards as a candy (cane) gram! Simply rip apart card at seam, (recycle the back side) and punch 2 holes along one side of the card. Slip the candy cane thru the holes. Write a personalized note on the back side of the card. I find these perfect to use as gift tags or for classroom, business networking, or when gifting large groups.  This is also a great way to reuse birthday and other holiday cards. Instead of a candy cane, use a pencil, glitter pen, tea stick, etc.
 

Re-Use candle holders, jam and jelly jars, decorative food tins, etc. Instead of tossing , why not upcycle? Candle, food, and holiday containers are typically beautiful and perfect for holding small gifts or home-made goodies.  Simply clean containers, jars, and tins with hot water to remove wax, food, etc., then fill with gift items.  Pictured here, I've used an old snowman candle, cleaned out the wax, and filled with Shaklee Pomegranate Energizing Tea Sticks.  Get creative! Fill containers with homemade granola, healthy snacks, lotions, plants, book mark, colored pencils, dried herbs, seasonings, office supplies, gift cards, etc.  These containers are great for gift giving of any occasion and for storage around the house, office, and garage as well. 

Re-Use small clay or other flower pots to make mini Christmas trees with pine cones. Another activity that looks adorable yet doesn't take a craft wizard to create!  Simply paint pine cones and/or decorate with dried berries, miscellaneous craft items, fabric scraps, mini-tree decorations, glitter, pipe cleaners, ribbons, etc. and hot glue cone onto a decorated clay or small flower pot.  These make great gifts, but be sure to keep some for yourself. We've had these mini pine cone trees for years; they have packed away well and by placing cinnamon sticks in their storage bin, they smell lovely too!

There are many ways for us to be thoughtful in gifting and at the same time be thoughtful to the Planet. 
 I hope these ideas have inspired you to think not only outside of the box, but also outside of  the traditional wrapping paper, and bows!  

I'd love to hear what eco-friendly ideas you've used to wrap & give gifts! Please share~

Merry Christmas, 

Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
gaskellwellness@comcast.net

Does Soy Increase The Risk Of Breast Cancer Recurrence?

The Truth About Soy And Breast Cancer

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

With so much misleading information about Soy, I am sharing this great informational piece by Dr. Stephen Chaney...

You've probably heard the warnings: "Soy may increase the risk of breast cancer!" "Women with breast cancer shouldn't use soy!"

The first warning was never true. Numerous clinical studies have shown that consumption of soy protein is associated with a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

Furthermore, the science behind the second warning has never been very strong. The concerns that soy might stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells was based primarily on cell culture experiments and one experiment in mice - even though a second experiment in mice came to the exact opposite conclusion.

Was The Hypothesis That Soy Could Increase The Risk Of Breast Cancer Recurrence Plausible?

The possibility that soy isoflavones could stimulate the growth of estrogen- responsive breast cancer was biochemically plausible because soy isoflavones bind to the estrogen receptor and have a very weak stimulatory effect (much weaker than estrogen itself).

Even that evidence was not definitive because soy isoflavones also turn on several tumor suppressor pathways in breast cells and help strengthen the immune system - so they could just as easily inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

However, because the concerns were plausible and had not been definitively disproved, most experts, including me, recommended for several years that women with estrogen- responsive breast cancer might want to avoid soy protein.

Has The Hypothesis Been Rigorously Tested?

In fact, the definitive clinical studies have been performed, and it turns out for women who are breast cancer survivors, consumption of soy foods does not increase either the risk of breast cancer recurrence or of dying from breast cancer.

The first of these studies was reported in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association by researchers at Vanderbilt University and Shanghai Institute of Preventive Medicine (Shu et al, JAMA, 302: 2437-2443, 2009).

It was a large, well designed, study that enrolled 5042 Chinese women aged 20 to 75 years old who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and followed them for an average period of 3.9 years.

The women were divided into four groups based on the soy content of their diet (ranging from 5 grams/day to 15 grams/day). The results were clear cut. Breast cancer survivors with the highest soy intake had 25% less chance of breast cancer recurrence and 25% less chance of dying from breast cancer than the women with the lowest soy intake.

The effect was equally strong for women with estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor negative cancers, for early stage and late stage breast cancer and for pre- and post-menopausal women. In short this was a very robust study.

The study also showed that soy protein intake did not interfere with tamoxifen, a drug that blocks the binding of estrogen to its receptor on cancer cells. Tamoxifen is used for both for treating estrogen-responsive breast cancer and preventing its recurrence. In this study, the reduction in the risk of breast cancer recurrence & death was just as great whether the breast cancer survivors were taking tamoxifen or not.

In fact, tamoxifen was protective only for women with low soy intake. It conferred no extra protection for the women at the highest level of soy intake because the soy isoflavones were also blocking the binding of estrogen to its receptor.

Other Clinical Studies

If that were the only published clinical study to test the soy-breast cancer hypothesis, I and other experts would be very cautious about making definitive statements. However, at least four more clinical studies have been published since then, both in Chinese and American populations. The studies have either shown no significant effect of soy on breast cancer recurrence or a protective effect. None of them have shown any detrimental effects of soy consumption by breast cancer survivors.

A meta-analysis of all 5 studies was published earlier this year (Chi et al, Asian Pac J Cancer Prev., 14: 2407-2412, 2013). This study combined the data from 11,206 breast cancer survivors in the US and China. Those with the highest soy consumption had a 23% decrease in recurrence and a 15% decrease in mortality from breast cancer.

The Bottom Line:

What does this mean for you if you are a breast cancer survivor?

1) There are many reasons to include soy protein foods as part of a healthy diet. Soy foods are one of the highest quality vegetable protein sources and provide a great alternative to many of the high fat, high cholesterol animal proteins in the American diet.

2) I personally feel that these studies are clear cut enough that breast cancer survivors no longer need to fear soy protein as part of a healthy diet.

3) The responsible websites agree with this assessment. For example, WebMD and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) both say that breast cancer survivors need no longer worry about eating moderate amounts of soy foods.

4) The irresponsible websites (I won’t name names, but you know who they are) are still warning breast cancer survivors to avoid soy completely. As a scientist I really have problem with people who are unwilling to change their opinions in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary.

5) Of course, some of those bloggers have now shifted their arguments to say that it is unfermented or genetically modified soy that causes breast cancer. Those statements are equally bogus - but that’s another story for another time.

6)    Finally, I want to emphasize that the published studies merely show that soy does not increase the risk of breast cancer and is safe to use for breast cancer survivors. None of those studies suggest that soy is an effective treatment for breast cancer. The protective effects of soy are modest at best. If you have breast cancer, consult with your physician about the best treatment options for you.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Are you letting your calendar age determine how "old" you are?

     ~Tips to Slow Aging Naturally~

Excerpts by Dr. Jamie McManus

The thousands of studies that have been done on aging are beginning to point to one inescapable conclusion:  
we may be able to modify our aging process by changing what we consume and how we live.

 

Here are the steps everyone can take to naturally slow the aging process:

Get active
In recent studies, regular exercise has been associated with a 75% risk reduction in breast cancer, 49 percent for cardiovascular and heart diseases, 35 percent for diabetes, and 22 percent for colorectal cancer. Some studies have suggested that for every minute of exercise, you prolong your life by 7 minutes.

Reduce Stress
Sustained stressors such as emotional trauma, feeling threatened or unsecure, and even natural disasters appear to be associated with increased aging biomarkers. You can work to reduce the stress you feel from those events by practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and biofeedback.

Maintain an ideal weight
Being overweight is associated with a wide variety of aging diseases, including diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke (men only). Achieving ideal weight can be hard, but there are many tools available that can help you maintain your lean body mass and lose weight.

More Sleep
Lack of sleep can have devastating effects on our health, impacting our mood, our memories, and even cold and flu resistance. To improve sleep consider having a consistent sleep schedule, use your bed only for sleep, try a "white noise generator" such as a fan, and avoid caffeine in the afternoon.

Stay Connected
The role of good social relationships is important to our overall health. As we age, having good social ties is linked to less depression, better cognitive skills, and even a longer life.

Nutrients
Eat Fruits and Vegetables: Since only nine percent of Americans eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, the opportunity for improving health (and longevity) by improving diet is great.

Take a Multivitamin: Deficiency of vitamins B12, B6, C, E, niacin, folic acid, iron, or zinc all seem to mimic damage to DNA from radiation.Everyone should consider a good multivitamin to cover their base nutritional needs.

Load up on Polyphenols: Polyphenols are found in many fruits, vegetables, green tea, black tea, red wine, coffee, chocolate, olives, and extra virgin olive oil. They are plant-based nutrients that have antioxidant benefits and are protective effects against cellular aging.

• Muscadine Grapes: Possess one of the highest antioxidant levels among fruits.They contain a high concentration of polyphenols, but unlike other plants they also contain a high amount of ellagitannin and ellagic acid. Extracts of muscadine grape have been studied for their ability to help maintain inflammation and act as antioxidants
• Resveratrol: Studies suggest that resveratrol may slow cellular aging and have antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, and cardio protective properties. Resveratrol can do a whole host of beneficial things – from protecting against a variety of cancers and heart disease to extending lifespan.
• Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a flavanol found in tea, has been shown to act as an antioxidant and possibly protect against aging.

How fast you age may truly be in your hands. There is a lot you can do to help slow cellular aging and perhaps delay some of the diseases that are so common in the aging.

Want to learn more about aging gracefully, polyphenols or resveratrol? 

Go To www.gaskell.myshaklee.com to learn more