Tag: sleep

Age like a super star!

Moringa Calms Cortisol

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Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands that affects many parts of our bodies. It even helps manage how our bodies use carbohydrates, fats, and proteins we ingest. It increases dramatically when we are stressed, and is called the ‘fight or flight’ hormone.

It is produced by our adrenal glands, and plays important roles in our bodies such as:

  • Determining how our bodies use glucose (sugar) for energy
  • Decreasing inflammation
  • Regulating blood pressure
  • Helping control our sleep-wake cycle
  • Bolstering our immunity.

High or low cortisol levels can be harmful to our health. When cortisol is too high we can suffer:

  • Weakened immune functions
  • Reduced bone formation through calcium absorption
  • A loss of collagen (which weakens support in our muscles, tendons, and joints)
  • A change in insulin contributing to high blood sugar
  • Weight gain in our faces and belly
  • Storage of belly fat
  • Purple stretch marks on our bellies
  • Muscle weakness in our upper arms and thighs
  • Problems with cognition and memory.

If our cortisol is too low we can end up with:

  • Fatigue
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Loss of appetite
  • Low blood pressure.

Cortisol levels rise with aging and are higher in older females than males.1  Elevated levels of cortisol in aging often cause higher levels of stress, poorer cognitive performance, and forgetting.

Higher cortisol levels can lead to hair loss by disrupting the normal hair growth cycle, causing many hair follicles to enter a resting phase.

Cortisol can also affect bladder health by increasing the risk of urinary tract infections and exacerbating conditions like overactive bladder and urinary incontinence.

Moringa is known to help lower cortisol in the body so that hair loss can be reversed and the bladder can revert to less and sometimes no incontinence. Moringa is sometimes referred to as the “miracle tree” because of its nutritional and medicinal properties. Coming from parts of Africa and Asia, Moringa oleifera has long been used to assist with one of the problems of aging, the overgrowth of cortisol that often comes with aging.

Additionally Moringa’s antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive plant compounds have the following effects on the body:

  • Helps the body adapt to stress and modulates the release of stress hormones, thus helping to reduce excessive cortisol production
  • Has been shown to help lower blood pressure
  • Regulates blood sugar
  • Has potent anti-inflammatory compounds like isothiocyanates that help reduce systemic inflammation
  • Helps with sleep because moringa contains tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, which is essential for regulating mood and sleep cycles.
  • Accumulating evidence shows that Moringa plays a critical role in immune-related diseases.
  • Moringa can not only eliminate pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, but also inhibit chronic inflammation, such as asthma, ulcerative colitis, and metabolic diseases.

Moringa is available at NaturesCountryStore.com – click here.

  1. Larsson C, Gullberg B, Rastam L, Lindblad U. Salivary cortisol differs with age and sex and shows inverse associations with WHR in Swedish women: a cross-sectional study. BMC Endocrine Disorders. 2009;9(1):16. doi: 10.1186/1472-6823-9-16. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Memory

8 Great Ways to Keep from Having Memory Problems

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by Suzanne Fisher

Most of us live anywhere but in the moment. We make lists for the future, we relive the past, we daydream about what we want, and we plan our lives out.  Thus we often fail to take note of what is happening in this very moment in time, so when it comes time to remember what happened, we sometimes find it tough to do.

In today’s busy, busy world, we are confronted with an overload of sights, sounds, ideas, work, play, and everything in between, making it hard to grab hold of concepts and keep them firmly affixed in our minds. Translation: we forget things, sometimes important things. That is where a few tricks can come in handy to help you enhance your memory:

  1. Paying attention in the moment can be as simple as noting the sound of a bird’s song, the color of a friend’s eyes, the way someone looked at us, the license plate on the vehicle in front of us, or the sign we are passing on the interstate. When we daydream, we fail to attach ourselves to the Now, so we forget what is happening around us. So connect with the Now and record at least five things that are happening in this very moment in time. There is an interesting 12-step maxim that says when we have one foot in the past and one foot in the future, we are messing all over today. Learn to live today as if you own it and want all the goodness from it.
  2. Word association can help – associate whatever you want to remember with a specific word and repeat it over and over to yourself. So can making lists and notes to yourself. Busy people use whatever tricks work to help them remember important things, events and people.
  3. Too much of a good thing is just that – too much. Alcohol, drugs and even food can cause memory problems. Moderation is the key here.
  4. Conversely, too little of a good thing can also cause memory problems. Skipping meals creates havoc with your memory. Hunger slows down memory and other brain functions.
  5. Too little sleep can also affect memory and, strangely enough, too much sleep can impair it also. Get a recommended 8 hours a night to enhance your memory powers.
  6. Drink at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Your brain is 75% water. When you are dehydrated (and most of us are to a degree), water is pulled from the brain to help other systems like the circulatory system. This impairs the brain’s functioning including the ability to remember things.
  7. Find something that challenges your brain to do every day. Your brain is like a muscle in that the more you exercise it, the more flexible it gets.
  8. You might want to try yoga and meditation. A recent study showed that yoga and meditation enhanced the memory of pre-Alzheimer’s patients more than crossword puzzles and other brain challenges.

You can retain a good memory for years to come with a little effort using these memory tips. A world renowned chemist, Charles Harold Fisher, had a sharp mind right up until his death at 104 because he did chemical formularies, drank enough water to hydrate his brain, and ate a healthy diet every day of his life.

 

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7 Healthy No Nonsense Weight Loss Tips

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by Suzanne Fisher

Few people look in the mirror nowadays and like what they see. Most folks would like to shed a few (or many) pounds. The challenge for people interested in weight loss tips is in finding those tips that are a healthy way to lose weight. Continue Reading →