Sunday, March 15, 2009

Insomnia - a frustrating sleeping problem


Outline

Insomnia is the condition of persistent sleeplessness or difficulty in maintaining a sleep. If a person fails to attain a whole night’s sleep on most nights for more than a month then it can be considered as Chronic Insomnia and a person is called Insomniac. Insomnia can be a very exasperating symptom of any sleeping disorder because in this condition a person is unable to fall asleep. In United States every one out of ten is affected by it, and about 30 percent healthy seniors are more prone to insomnia. Almost fifty percent of the insomnia sufferers experience various psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, stress or grief.

Major Contributors to Insomnia

So many diseased conditions may account for Insomnia including arthritis, asthma, breathing problems, hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, indigestion, or physical pain. The use of caffeine and certain drugs, including many antidepressants, antiseizure, appetite suppressants, beta – blockers medication, allergy remedies, thyroid hormone replacement drugs may also be the cause of Insomnia.
Systemic disorders involving brain, digestive system, endocrine system, heart, kidney, liver, lungs and pancreas may also affect to nap. Poor nutritional habits and sedentary lifestyle can be a major cause of sleep problems.
Sleep deprivation may results in daytime sleepiness, irritability, decreased ability to perform tasks, and may lead to a stern decline in overall performance and also results in mild behavioral changes, problems in relationships and other health concerns.
Millions of population gets sleeplessness due to a condition called restless leg syndrome and experience jerks in their legs and involuntary kicks during sleep. Painful nighttime leg muscle cramps afflict the sufferers of restless leg syndrome. Various researchers strongly suggest that deficiency of magnesium or anemia may play a significant part in this bothersome disorder.

Sufficient Nap for a Healthy Individual

Sleep requirement of every person is slightly varies from other individual because there is no hard and fast rule to determine an ideal sleep period. But somehow it is considered that about eight hours per day is fairly enough to feel refreshed and work at peak competence during the whole day. However, very young children usually require more nap than adults, but the adults after age of sixty get less sleep than an ideal nap time.

Effective Management of Insomnia

Nature has provided us with wondrous natural substances to enable the body to function up to its full potential and overcome all sorts of illnesses. There are so many herbs which provide support to overcome the condition of Insomnia. Kava kava, California poppy, hops, lemon balm, passionflower, skullcap, and valerian root are all the best choice and have become the preferred selection among various experts to treat Insomnia. These herbs can help you to develop regular sleep patterns, produce mild sedative effects, and help to calm and tone the nervous system and promote a peaceful sleep.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Resveratrol - a wondrous dietary supplement


Introduction

Resveratrol is a remarkably potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that is copiously found in grapes skin. [1] This powerful scavenger is also present in other flavonoids plants like spruce, lily, eucalyptus, peanuts and mulberries. [2] Various studies revealed that, this remarkable compound, Resveratrol is also a constituent of redwine. [1, 3] It’s also been determined that this grape seed extract, Resveratrol has an anti-cancerous effect and has the ability to enhance the development of normal cells and suppress the growth of abnormal cells. [1, 3, 4] Resveratrol also exert a profound effect on cardiovascular health specially in lowering blood sugar levels. [3] Scientists, researchers and nutritionist agreed that this commendable scavenger, Resveratrol has uncanny ability to encounter free radical damage than any other traditional antioxidant. [5]
Now just take a concise look on the conducive effects of this versatile nutritional supplement.

Physiological Effects of Resveratrol

Resveratrolexhibits various health promoting properties and contribute to all-around wellness.

Heart Health

Resveratrol provides support to heart health and fights against certain heart diseases. [1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10] Some researches proved that, Resveratrol reduces the risks of heart attack by lowering LDL cholesterol levels of the body. [6, 7, 10] Resveratrol has been associated to lessen the troubling conditions related to varicose veins including swelling, leg discomfort and sensation of heaviness. [5, 7]

Antioxidant Effect

Resveratrol has an antioxidant property, i.e. prevent free radical damage of the cells. [7, 8, 10]

Anti – Cancerous Effect

Resveratrol is an important flavonoid that inhibits cancer formation. [1, 5, 8, 9, 10] This powerful substance inhibits and minimizes the abnormal cell growth. [4] Resveratrol has been found in preliminary studies to fight breast, liver and colon cancer. [9, 10]

Anti-inflammatory Effect

A flurry of interest in Resveratrol is that, it has also an anti-inflammatory effect. [6] Resveratrol shows its beneficial effects in the condition that is created due to exaggerated response of the defense mechanisms of the body. [6, 9, 10]

Anti-aging Effect

Resveratrol provides its beneficial effects in slowing the process of aging [5] . It eliminates the wrinkles and fine lines on skin. [5, 6]

Anti-arthritic Effect

Resveratrol is a pain relieving chemical that lessens the discomfort associated with bones and joint, i.e. it has an anti-arthritic effect. [7, 10]

Anti-diabetic Effect

Grape seed extract also helpful in diabetic condition by lowering blood sugar level of the body. [7, 10]

Clear Skin

This effective compound, Resveratrol helps in promoting, maintaining and restoring the health of skin. Resveratrol eliminates the wrinkles and fine lines on skin. [5, 6] It can help to treat psoriasis, eczema and other skin conditions. [5, 6, 7]

Healthy Vision

This antioxidant Resveratrol, in grape seed can be helpful to prevent eye disorders such as cataracts and macular degeneration by improving circulation to the blood vessels, thus it restores a healthy vision. [5, 7, 10]

References:
  1. DR. Richard Firshein (2000) The Nutraceutical Revolution. Page No. 316 London: Vermilion
  2. http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/resveratrol.html
  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resveratrol
  4. Phyllis A. Balch, CNC & James F. Balch, M.D. (2000). Prescription for Nutritional Healing. (3rd edition) Page No. 57, 261. Penguin Putnam INC. New York: Avery
  5. Marcia Zimmerman, CN & Jayson Kroner, CSN. (2006). 7-Syndrome Healing. Page No. 143, 144, 145. Chico, California: Nutrition Solution Publications.
  6. James A. Duke (1997). The Green Pharmacy, Page No.246, 54, 99, 460, 61, 67. Pennsylvania: Rodale Press Emmaus.
  7. Michael T. Murray, N.D. (1995) The Healing Power Of Herbs. (Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition) Page No. 184, 360, 374, 385. New York: Gramercy Books.
  8. Kenneth A. Goldberg, M.D. (2001) The Men’s Health. Longevity Program. Page no. 43, 108, 210, 294. USA: Rodale Inc.
  9. Mike Fillon. (2003) Real RDAs for Real People, page no. 219. USA: Woodland.
  10. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/grape-seed-000254.htm