Dear Friend,
How are you feeling this fine day?
Hopefully you answered, I’m feeling
energized, alert and alive!
If you didn’t, why not? Are you feeling
tired? Sluggish? No energy?
This lack of energy and fatigue is perhaps
the greatest culprit behind people not feeling
and performing at their best each and every
day. And it’s usually from a lack of sleep.
That’s why I want you to pay special attention
to today’s article.
Enjoy!
Yours For Health,
Shane Shiels
Shashido Enterprises
Adelaide’s Premier Health & Fitness Expert
Before You Reach For Those Sleeping Pills…
Insomnia.
Far too many people these days suffer from it.
As soon as their head hits the pillow, their
mind starts racing and they can’t shut it off.
It’s estimated that nearly a third of Australians
report being unhappy with the length and quality
of their sleep and simply don’t get enough.
Chances are good, you’ve suffered from a sleepless
night or two, or are among those who have trouble
sleeping well on a regular basis.
If that’s the case, then you’ll want to pay special
attention to what I’m about to tell you.
Make sure you steer clear of sleeping pills!
While they might initially help you get a good night’s
rest or two, the side effects aren’t worth it.
What side effects?
Well, a pretty MAJOR one is an overall increased risk
of death.
I’m not kidding. A study done just last year and published
in the British Medical Journal (BMJ Open), found sleeping
pills to increase risk of early death by almost 5 times! [1]
The study was done at Scripps Health – a nonprofit health
system in San Diego.
One of the startling finds in this research included this:
In 2010 alone, sleeping pills may have accounted for up
to half a million “excess deaths” in the U.S.!
The scary part is that the researchers found no significant
differences in risk from those who were heavy users of
sleeping pills and those who were occasional users
(fewer than two pills monthly).
Considering sleeping pills are one of the most commonly
prescribed medications in Australia, it’s cause for alarm.
So what can you do if you find that you can’t sleep or have
been taking pills to get a good night’s rest?
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Take up a meditative practice. This is probably one of the
best things you can do. Ideally, it should be traditional
meditation, where you learn to use your breath to calm
your mind. Otherwise, anything that’s calming, such as
Yoga, Tai Chi, or even some time to yourself, where you
can relax and think about your day can work very well.
It may be a challenge at first, since your mind is probably
used to running wild with no one at the reins. But if you
stick with it and practice, you’ll find yourself almost
effortlessly able to turn the ‘off’ switch and fall asleep
fairly quickly.
2. Limit caffeine intake. Try avoiding caffeine completely
for an entire month and see if it has a positive effect on
your sleep. If you can’t live without caffeine, limit it to the
early morning, so it’s had plenty of time to get out of your
system by bedtime.
3. Supplement with melatonin. This is the ‘sleep’ hormone.
Many people are actually deficient in melatonin, causing
sleep issues, including insomnia. Check with your doctor
though first, to make sure that’s the case, and so he or
she can give you a proper dosage.
4. Get more thiamine. This is just vitamin B1. As it turns
out, in some studies it’s been shown to help sleep patterns.
Given that the typical Western diet isn’t high in vitamin B in
general, it might be something worth considering. As usual,
check with your doctor first to make sure it’s something
that’s right for you.
So there you go. Sleeping pills aren’t worth the risk.
The cause for sleepless nights for most people is simply
an unruly mind that won’t shut off.
That’s why the best thing you can do for yourself is learn
how to take the reins and get your mind under control
through some kind of meditative practice.
You might feel like you’re too busy to take time out of
your day to do so, but in reality, it’ll only boost your
productivity and help you get more done.
That’s because you’ll actually get a natural, side-effect free,
good night’s rest.
As well, make sure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet
and exercising regularly. Sometimes people just need to
de-stress, and exercise is GREAT at doing that.
Oh and one more thing – if you’re serious about managing
your overall health and fitness, why not take advantage
of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (an $87 value)
During this consult, you’ll receive detailed information on
how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.
There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free.
Special Offers:
Request a FREE Fitness & Weight Loss Diagnostic
Consultation: click here
Share Your Secret To Health & Fitness With A
Friend… And Get this Amazing FREE Gift! click here
Are You Our Next Client of the Month? Share Your
Story and Win BIG – click here
References:
[1]. Kripke, Daniel F., et al. “Pharmacology and therapeutics:
Hypnotics’ association with mortality or cancer: a matched
cohort study” BMJ Open 2012;2:e000850 doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-000850
Quote Corner
“Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin
Eat Yourself Thin
Warm Steak and Potato Salad
(Serves Four)
453gms new potatoes
453gms beef sirloin steak
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups mixed baby salad greens
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1. Place potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water
to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender but still
firm, about 10 minutes. Drain and cover to keep warm.
2. Preheat oven to broil or preheat a grill for medium-high
heat. Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper.
Broil or grill steaks for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or to
desired doneness.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard,
and tarragon for dressing; season dressing to taste
with salt and pepper.
4. Divide greens, tomatoes, and shallots among
4 places. Cut warm, unpeeled potatoes into quarters;
slice steak into 1/4 inch thick strips. Top salad greens
with steak and potatoes; drizzle dressing over salads.
Serve warm.
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 17 mins
Ready: 27 mins
Amount Per Serving – Calories: 359 / Total Fat:
17.6g / Cholesterol: 61mg / Sodium: 409mg /
Total Carbs: 27.9g / Dietary Fibre: 4.8g / Protein: 23.3g
Recipe from AllRecipes.com.
Shashido Enterprises
Strathalbyn, S.A. 5255
Phone: 0420 347 550
(c) Shashido Enterprises 2013 (All Rights Reserved)
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