HAVE TROUBLE GETTING TO SLEEP?

Are you one of those people who have trouble getting to sleep after getting to bed? A good night's sleep is important to your health so you need to start working on getting to sleep well before bedtime. That's right, start working on getting to sleep at about two o'clock in the afternoon. Ann Romaker, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, says the effects of caffeine can linger up to 8 hours. Therefore for a 10 pm bedtime, you should switch to caffeine-free drinks by two in the afternoon.

Another tip is from Chin Moi Chow, Ph.D., a senior sleep lecturer at The University of Sydney in Australia. Eat bold flavors for lunch and milder flavors for your evening meal. Acidic and heavily spiced dishes eaten late in the day may cause sleep-disturbing acid reflux in the night.

GINGER FOR MOTION SICKNESS

Did you know that taking powdered-ginger capsules right before traveling can help with motion sickness? Studies have shown that taking the capsules right before travel can both delay the onset of nausea and help you to recover more quickly. One recent study showed that people who were spun in a motorized chair but took up to 2,000 mg of ginger 20 minutes before went twice as long before getting sick than did those who took drugs. If you have a problem with motion sickness, give ginger capsules a try.

Note: This picture is not an endorsement of this particular brand.

Gluten-Free Foods (If You Don't Suffer From Celiac Disease or Gluten Allergy)

This is a repost of a 2014 article.

People are constantly trying to get me to go gluten-free. When I tell them no that my doctors have told me that would be dangerous for me they seem appalled. "WHAT?", they say. Now I am not writing this to knock gluten-free as it is important for those suffering from celiac disease. If you will notice in the title it says, "If you don't suffer from celiac disease." What I am saying is to talk to your doctor before going gluten-free if you don't suffer from celiac disease, gluten allergy, etc. Gluten-free is a fad thing right now and everyone seems to want to jump on the bandwagon, just like it was with fat-free diets a few years ago. If you are one of those people, have you discussed this with your doctor? That's all I am asking. If you and your doctor think it is the thing for you, go for it.

Don't take my word for it. Here is an excerpt from an article that originally appeared in Redbook magazine and there are many more similar articles out there:

"If you’re anything like the pedestrians Jimmy Kimmel recently interviewed, you may think that cutting out gluten is healthy—without knowing exactly what gluten is. “If you swap out foods for their gluten-free alternatives, you may actually be depriving yourself of key nutrients while adding on more calories and fat,” says registered dietitian and Healthy Habits author Laura Cipullo. Take frozen pizza: Half a gluten-free personal pizza, like Udi’s three-cheese pizza, has more saturated fat and cholesterol and significantly less fiber and protein than Kashi’s four-cheese pizza, its gluten-containing frozen pizza counterpart. The lesson: Unless you're actually gluten intolerant, be sure to read the labels carefully when it comes to gluten-free foods."

Note: I am not here to argue this point with you. I know what my doctors tell me. I am just giving the other side of this story. Talk to your doctor and know what you are doing before going on any diet, especially one that omits any one food

HANDLING LOW BLOOD SUGAR

If you need a quick solution to low blood sugar, one of the favorite tricks of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a glass of milk. 

Milk contains lactose that's broken down into glucose (sugar). It also has fat and protein in it to slow down the rise in your blood sugar and keep it steady over time. For this reason, milk is a better solution than juice or glucose tablets. 

Fat-free and reduced-fat milk have the same amount of lactose. Other studies have found that a small amount of ice cream will work as well. 

If you don't like milk or don't buy it regularly to have on hand, you might also consider graham crackers, which are easily stored in the pantry or in your glove compartment. 

The ADA recommends that you avoid high-fat treatments, such as candy bars, because they aren't absorbed as quickly, may lead to very high blood sugar levels in the hours after you eat them and can contribute to weight gain. 

CHOOSE SNACKS THAT INCLUDE PROTEIN + FIBER

Dr. Melina Jampolis, an internist specializing in nutrition for weight loss and disease prevention suggests our snacks should include protein plus fiber. She has stated that protein and fat trigger the release of hormones in the gut that keep us feeling satisfied for hours. Protein also puts the brakes on the body's insulin pump and we know that high levels of insulin can lead to tummy fat. Fiber slows digestion, another key to feeling full. Dr. Jampolis says that many high-fiber carbs such as oatmeal, fresh fruits and veggies are water-rich which means we get to eat a bigger serving for fewer calories!  Below are some of her snack combo suggestions:

• hummus and nuts + carrots or whole-grain crackers
• a hard boiled egg + 1/2 cup grapes
• a packet of instant unsweetened oatmeal with cinnamon and chopped nuts
• a cup of low-fat Greek yogurt + a cup of your favorite berries
• 1/2 cup high-fiber cereal with skim milk
• a 100-calorie pack of almonds + a kiwi

Remember snacks should be no more than 200 calories!