SLEEP: THE KEY TO GOOD HEALTH

Sleep is very essential to good health; just as exercise and nutrition are essential for our overall health and wellness. Sleep nourishes and energizes the body, because it gives the body good rest, when you have a good sleep; you awake feeling refreshed, recuperated and ready for the days activities. The quality of your sleep directly affect the quality of your life, including your mental sharpness, productivity emotional balance, creativity and physical vitality. Sleep is medicine to the body soul and spirit, when the body does not get enough of sleep, it has a negative impact on the total man, the body becomes sluggish, having physical wreck, mental disturbances, headaches and social imbalance.  

Too little or too much of sleep has been linked to a host of health problems, like obesity, heart diseases, dementia, diabetes, Alzheimer, cancer, mood degeneration, poor mental health and lots more. Sleep advantages are numerous which includes:

1. Giving relieve from tension

2. Give rest to brain and body
3. Heal the body's vital organs

4. Rejuvenate and renew the body
5. Improves your memory
6. Reduces chances of getting sick

7. Gives the body a fresh start for the day

Sleep is a soothing balm to the soul,  we sometimes refuse to see the good side of sleep thereby depriving ourselves of good sleep, it is good for us to known that; the shorter you sleep, the shorter your lifespan. You can do yourself a lot of good by improving your quality and hour of sleep and by loving your bedtime.

The benefits of sleep impact nearly every area of our daily life. Making it obvious that sleep is beneficial. When you fail to get your required amount of sufficient sleep, you start to accumulate a sleep debt.

Sleep chart 

Sleeping too much or too little can have adverse effect on our health.

Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is the condition where an individual get less of the hour of sleep that the body needs; which simply means the body is not having enough sleep. It can be chronic or acute.

Chronic
This state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness, weight loss or gain, it adversely affect the brain and its function.

Acute
This state refers to sleeplessness or a reduction in the usual total sleep time usually lasting one or two days

Some Causes of sleep deprivation
* Late night study
* Hormone imbalance
* Shift work
* Night browsing
* Night clubbing
* Late night movie watching
* Demanding house chores
* Demanding office jobs 
* Symptom of an undiagnosed sleep disorder

Symptoms of sleep deprivation
* Daytime sleepiness
* Yawning
* Moodiness
* Fatigue
* Irritability
* Depressed mood
* Difficulty learning
* Forgetfulness
* Inability to concentrate
* Foggy brain
* Clumsiness
* Food craving
* Diminished sex drive

Effect of sleep deprivation
Sleep loss have a profound impact on both our health and emotion.

Treatment
The treatment is to satisfy our sleep need is by paying back all accumulated sleep debt, and that is if there is no other hidden medical issues that causes sleeplessness, the negative effect of sleep deprivation will simply reverse when sufficient sleep is obtained

Depriving yourself of good sleep is cheating nature, sleep is good and it helps the body to heal itself without the use of medication, if you have been deriving yourself of good sleep you are gradually loosing your life by reducing your lifespan; you cannot cheat nature and get away with it. But the good news is that you can pay back your sleep debt to get back your life on course but make sure you avoid sleeping pills; it is not a good remedy for healthy sleep because of its injurious effects on memory. 

DEALING WITH STRESS

Stress is a key contributor to poor health, it is the body's response to pressure of life causing mental, emotional or physical strain as a result of anxiety, overwork, marital, and financial disorder, which will eventually give birth to frustration, depression, bad temper sleeplessness etc. Man is like elastic that has it's limit to stretch,  when a person is stretched/stressed, the body react and the result is health damaging. Everyone has a stress breaking point, when we are stretched to the maximum limit, it shows and tells on our person.
The good thing about stress is that it can be controlled by the individual before it degenerates into nervous breakdown which is a more dangerous state of mind that can easily lead to suicide or cause the individual to commit murder. Keeping stress in check will help you manage your overall health much better.

Stress related diseases
1. Heart disease
2. Diabetes
3. Asthma
4. High blood pressure
5. Tension headache

Causes of stress
1. External                                2. Internal
    Noise                                         Envy
    Traffic                                        Anxiety
    Unpaid bills                               Fear
    Conflicts                                    Bad temper
    Marital problems                     Jealously
    Financial problems                  Frustration

Health related issues
Stress may cause
1. Loss of appetite
2. Overeating
3. Gastritis
4. Indigestion
5. Energy drain to low ebb
6. Mood swing
7. Insomnia
8. Loss of libido/ low sperm count

Treatment
There are no miracle drugs that will cure stress, not even the best of tranquilizer, though they may be of little help, the most effective solution is to find and address the source of your stress, make a list of what you think might be making you stressed up; when you get a full understanding of your problem, it will be easier for you to come back to full health and vitality; bringing you into harmony with self, family, friends and with God all the time.

Self test
1. Is something constantly on your mind?
2. What do you worry about most?
3. Does anything in particular make you sad or depressed?

Healthy way to cope with stress
1. Talking to loved one can ease anxiety
2. Getting enough rest/sleep can do lots of healing
3. Eat healthy diet; but don't over eat
4. Limit intake of caffeine
5. Take time off work; for vacation
6. Balance fun activity with responsibilities
7. Spend time with people you love
8. Exercise regularly

Stress is not an accident, prior to it comes excessive anxiety, worry and emotional strain or disturbance in one form or the other that makes one irritable, moddy, lacks concentration and depress
It is important to know how to manage or eliminate stress completely, once you know the cause; your life will run smoother and you will enjoy it the more, calmness and patience are the best dose. 

YOUR HEALTH! OUR BUSINESS

WATER (GIFT OF LIFE)

Water is an essential mineral and a health drink from mother nature, it is calorie free, clear, colourless, odourless and tasteless liquid when in its pure state and above all it is essential to life. You live healthy and better when you take water as recommended, yet few people follow the advice to drink as much as 8 to 10 cups of water each day.

It has been discovered that people drink water for different reasons;

Some drink water only when they are thirsty.

Some drink water only when they are dehydrated.

Some drink water only when they eat.

Some drink water when they are constipated.

Some drink water when they have hangovers.

While some enjoy taking water freely.

Lots of people out of ignorance have substituted water for carbonated and alcoholic drinks, but the truth remains that nothing can take the place of water

Drinking water make good sence, because water is a natural medicinal gift from God.

Health benefits of water

1. Water detoxify, rejuvenate and hydrate body cells

2. Increases blood oxygen level and nutrients absorption

3. Makes the skin look healthy and younger, thereby reducing the effect of wrinkle and aging, also eliminates body odour

4. Dissolves calcium in urine and reverse uric acid in gout, making it excellent for kidneys

5. Enhance immunity and assist in pain relieve

6. Energises the body to be less fatigue and reduces stress level

7. Water help the body to maintain it's fluid during frequent and excessive bowel movement

8. Reduces hunger and help in weight loss

9. Reduces cardiovascular stress and improves heart performance

10. Boost muscles, cushion the joints and prevent cramps and sprains

Water cures, water is good, water is liquid of life and nothing else can ever take it's place. Everyone who desire to stay strong and healthy must have an abundant supply of clean water each day.

Water therapy

Water has been used as a valuable therapeutic agent since time immemorial, it is an important measure in maintenance of health and prevention of diseases

Best time to drink water

1. Drink water early morning as you step out of bed; this will purify the colon and  help lubricate the digestive system for proper functioning making it easy for digestion of nutrients

2. Few minutes before you take your bath; to regulate body temperature and blood pressure

3. Drink water 20 minutes before and after each meal; for easy digestion

4. If you must drink water during meal; take hot or lukewarm water to aid digestion, cold water slows down digestion rate

5. Take water freely during the day time for rejuvenation and total overhauling of the body

6. Drink water 2 hours before bedtime; to aid digestion and bathe the cells while you sleep

When you do not take enough water the body will experience lots of crises; With dehydration; more water is moving out of individual cells and then out of the body than the amount of water that is taken in through drinking. Medically, dehydration  means the lost of body fluid that makes the body to lose its ability to function normally and then begins to produce symptoms related to the fluid loss.

We lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale, and as water in our sweat, also in our urine, and stool, along with the water, small amounts of salts or electrolytes are also lost.

Our bodies are constantly readjusting the balance between water and salts losses with fluid intake. When we lose too much water, our bodies comes out of balance and this may cause crises for the individual if not immediately taken care of.

Three stages Of water dehydration:
1. Mild

2. Moderate

3. Severe

Mild and moderate dehydration can be reversed or put back in balance by water  intake, especially water that contain electrolytes (salt) that are lost during activity. If unrecognized and untreated, some instances of moderate and severe dehydration can lead to death.

Symptoms of dehydration

*Increased thirst

*Dry mouth

*Tiredness

*Decreased urine output

*Headache

*Dry skin

*Dizziness

*Blurred vision

*Weakness

*Always feeling sleepy

Signs of dehydration
Two early signs of dehydration are thirst and dark-coloured urine.
This is the body's way of telling the individual to increase water intake, it may seem hard to start but if you try, you will quickly get use to enjoying a clean and refreshing drink from mother nature.

ANGINA PECTORIS (CHEST PAIN)

Angina pectoris is the medical term for discomfort of the chest or simply called chest pain. It occurs when the heart muscle doesn't get as much blood as it needs. This usually happens because one or more of the heart's arteries is narrowed or blocked.

Angina usually causes uncomfortable pressure, fullness, heaviness, tightness burning ,choking, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest, these occur when there is a decreased blood oxygen supply to an area of the heart muscle, in most cases the lack of supply is due to a narrowing of the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply blood to the heart) as a result of arteriosclerosis, you may also feel the discomfort in your neck, jaw, shoulder, back or arm.

Angina is usually triggered by emotional stress, heavy metals, extreme temperatures, alcohol, cigarette smoking, physical exertion or after heavy meal, all of these increase the heart demand for more  oxygenated rich blood than the narrowed coronary arteries can deliver

Symptoms:
Pressure                Heaviness
Tightness              Squeezing
Weakness              Sweating
Anxiety                   Nausea
Cramping               Choking sensation
Indigestion             Heartburn
Dizziness                Aching across the chest
Shortness of breathe

Types of Angina

1. Stable angina: People with stable angina have symptoms on a regular basis and the symptoms are predictable e.g walking up a staircase causes chest pain for most people, the symptoms occur during exertion and last less than five minutes, they are usually relieved by rest

2. Unstable Angina: This is a precursor to heart attack, it is due to spasm and obstruction of coronary arteries, it warrant an immediate attention

Caution
Modification of lifestyle and diet are very essential in severe cases of angina
* Avoid smoking
*Avoid over exertion
* Avoid emotional stress
* Avoid cold weather, water and food
* Avoid exposure to smoke and car fumes
* Eat healthy diet
* Refrain from eating large meals
* Work on shedding excess weight

Treatment
* Take your blood pressure regularly and keep the record (regular checkup)

Herbs and supplements
* Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
* Take fresh garlic or garlic supplement
* Ginger, onion and beetroots are good
* Drink about 10 cups of water daily
* Take fish oil (omega 3 fatty acid)
* Parsley and Celery leaf
* Lemon and grapes etc.

Acupuncture
* This is the best form of treatment for all types of coronary heart diseases

The above diagram shows the referrer site for angina pain, the pain area should be scrutinized for further investigation for it could mimic other health problems
Please consult your health care provider if need be

EAT TO LIVE

Food is essential and it does a lot of good to the body especially when we eat right. Food gives energy, warmth, fight sickness, lower cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, and blood sugar, gives good vision, boost brain function, provide nutrients for growth and repair of body tissues, also supply nutrients that regulate various organ functions. When we eat right, we maintain our health, weight, heart, skin, brain and longevity but if not, we have a sick, malnourished, haggard looking body.
We should be more health conscious in our choices of food by choosing healthy variety of food.

A healthy diet must be:
1. Rich in fruits and vegetables
For vitamins and nutrients
Fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer.

2. A diet rich in carbohydrates:
For energy and brain power
Foods rich in carbohydrate are high in fiber, aids peristalsis and bowel movements
3. A diet rich in protein:
For growth and repair of body tissues
Protein provides amino acid which are require to build and repair lean body mass

4. A diet with healthy fat:
To maintain body temperature
Fat provides the body most concentrated source of energy also supply essential fatty acids required for good health and enable you to absorb certain vitamins

5. A diet low in sodium:
For healthy heart and kidneys
We should discourage the habit of taking too much salt or adding salt to already cooked food

6. A diet rich in dairy
For healthy bone to muscle strengthening. The dairy nutrients provide a variety of positive health benefits. It is a good source of calcium, vitamin D and potassium to build and maintain strong bones and help reduce the risk for stress fractures.

7. A diet moderate in sugar
For healthy teeth and pancreas
About one third of our total consumption of carbohydrate is sugar, a diet rich in sugar will lead the body into health problems like, obesity, diabetes, cancer, dental problem and lots more

Eating healthy food without overdoing the calories is of great importance; most people ignorantly increase their waist line at the dinning table, this is why eating excessive amount of any food even when considered healthy may be harmful.
When you are eating to live, you put your health first at every plate of food you are served. It is important to eat to live to avoid the need for drugs and to prevent sicknesses and diseases that are prevalent in our today's society.

The key to good health is "Eat to live"  Unhealthy food and poor eating habit is dangerous to the body, it is one of the primary causes of sickness and unhealthy state of mind, unhealthy foods are food that are not rated in the classes of healthy diet as listed above, meaning bad selection of food.

Poor habits are:
1. Eating at odd hours
2. Picking on food
3. Skipping meal
4. Purposeful starving of self (when not fasting)
5. Eating for pleasure (when not hungry)
6. Gluttony

The trend toward a healthy lifestyle calls for healthy eating and a desire to "eat to live" our food choices should be influenced by a strong wish to stay healthy and live longer, not living our life's on medication/routing drugs.

COLON HEALTH

The colon which is also called the large intestine absorbs water and electrolytes from solid waste, recycled it back into the body and the remaining raw material is stored as feces, these move through the colon by the action of peristalsis before it is removed through the rectum as stool.
A clean Colon will allow only water, vitamin and nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream rather than releasing toxins and bacteria through the colon walls.

Colon cleansing:
Colon cleansing is a good way to improve your body's overall health and wellness by removing toxins from the gastrointestinal tract which can cause lots of health problems such as arthritis, allergies, asthma, blotting, constipation, indigestion, skin rashes, constant headache etc.
It is therefore essential to get rid of colon waste, toxins and buildups by simply detoxifying the colon, this will open the way for nutrients to filter into the body unobstructed leading to feeling of lightness strength and overall good health.

Why colon cleansing?
Gastrointestinal problems are much more in our today's society, because we eat lots of food lacking in nutrients required for healthy digestion.

Importance of colon cleansing:
1. Assist in weight loss
2. Improve digestion
3. Fight constipation
4. Kick start body metabolism
5. Maintain PH balance
6. Decrease risk of colon cancer
7. Fight osteoporosis
8. Increases energy
9. Makes the skin glow
10. Improve alertness and concentration

Cleansing method:
There are two main colon cleansing method
1. Colon cleansing through the rectum by the use of enema, colonic irrigation or colon hydrotherapy, this is a method of flushing out the colon by sending water into the body through a tube inserted into a persons rectum
2. Colon cleansing the oral way, through the use of laxative, herbal tea, supplements, concoction and diet

Colon cleansing diet:
This is a well balanced meal including more organic fruits and vegetables; fiber helps to regularize bowel movement's

Water:
Water keeps the body hydrated and help to remove the waste that sticks to the walls of the digestive system

Medicinal herbs:

Medicinal herbs can help clean and protect the colon. Simple herbs in the kitchen like aloe vera, fenugreek, fennel, chamomile, ginger and mint can do the magic without stress, avoid fatty, refined, processed, fried and junk food when cleansing for these foods speed up the accumulation of toxins and slow down the colon ability to detoxify.