The Wellness Blog

Always Sleepy - A Quest to Find Out Why

I am often tired so I am on a quest to find out why.  In fact, I am a little bit sleepy as I type this .... .zzzzzzz.  Hey, just kidding!  Didn't really nod off there.  Seriously, it's driving me nuts as I am otherwise fit and have the strength to do press ups, bench presses and other mad things each day!  The problem is, although I am physically strong,  my eyes always feel heavy and I am rarely FULLY awake.  It's definitely not narcolepsy. That would be obvious from what I understand and it's unlikely to be anything too nasty as nothing was picked up on recent blood tests.  But that is not a guarantee!

I was reading a very interesting book about sleep and it spoke about this thing called sleep debt.  I have a very strong suspicion it could be a factor.  In essence, this means that each hour of sleep requirement we skip has to be paid back at a later date.  If we do not reclaim those hours of slumber then we slip into sleep debt.  Or so the theory goes. 

Or maybe I have a mineral deficiency and this is something else to investigate.  Well, the search continues and hopefully when the answer arrives I can look forward to experiencing that wide awake feeling again.  The truth is out there..........  (sorry ex X-Files fan), Colin

New Blender to Rival VitaMix?

Call me sad, but I am getting quite excited about a blender!  OK, usually other things excite me but this is quite a nifty blender.  It's no ordinary "putt putt" blender but a potential VitaMix slayer.  At it's core it has a big heart.  It is the Shire horse of the blender world and promises to be quite capable of ploughing through anything you might throw at it.

The beast in question is the Go-Smooth Power Blender and is slated for release around February 2007.  Watch this space for information as details emerge.  Just to whet your appetite, it will have a 950 watt motor, compared to the 850 watt motor of the VitaMix, a blade speed of 25,000 rpm and a 2 litre pitcher.  Even more interesting is the fact that it will be substantially cheaper than the famous VitaMix!  More details to follow .......... 

Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's (Depending which doc I spoke to!) My Experience

This is a record of my own, personal, experience with Ulcerative Colitis. In 1997 I was suddenly very sick with Colitis, or Crohns Disease (Doctors weren't sure at the time, and still are not), but I was pleasantly surprised when, after visiting a nutritional therapist, I made a fast and full recovery. This, despite being told there was nothing that could be done apart from downing a fistful of steroids (not at one sitting of course). Talk of possible surgery was not appealing either!!

I walked out of the hospital feeling very unrelaxed about their diagnosis and hopes for the future. I was informed that my condition was among the worst cases they had seen and I should take my pills. Well, I am a bit of a rebel so I decided to check out alternatives. And, soon enough, I was in the care of a natural health practitioner in a small Hampshire town called Brockenhurst. My weight returned to normal, skin regained its colour and I felt energetic again. Needless to say, I did not take the steroids, but this was a personal choice. Between then and now I have experienced one minor bout during a period of heavy stress.

Prior to my diagnosis I was in the "care" of my GP for 3 months and, now realise, was manifesting all the symptoms of Colitis/ Crohns, diarrhoea, blood in stools, major weight loss and vomiting. Two months into my "treatment" I was advised by my doctor to take a well known heartburn remedy, with no mention of my requirement for extra water to rehydrate myself. Three months into my "treatment" I begged to be seen by a specialist, was diagnosed, and the rest is history.

I was clear of symptoms for nearly 7 years until, during a period of stress, minor symptoms did re-appear, but on this occasion, armed with new knowledge returned to good health in record time. This seemed to be a clear indicator that stress and nutrition play an important part in illness and disease.

It is not fully understood what causes Colitis or Crohns. They are both inflammatory diseases, also known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which, it is thought, might result in our immune systems mistakenly attacking the good bacteria in the bowels as it would normally attack invading organisms. This is known as an autoimmune response.

In the year leading up to my illness I was exposed to the heavy metals, tin and lead while working with solder on circuit boards. During this period I also ate more junk food along with 2 pints of milk per day. This was out of the ordinary for me and it may have been a factor leading to my illness. Of course, it is impossible to know for sure but it's a gut feeling (excuse the pun). The nutritionist advised me to cut out the usual suspects, wheat and dairy, for at least 6 months and to eat a varied, healthy diet. I followed the advice strictly and my weight and skin tone returned to near normal levels within a few weeks.  I was symptom free for 7 years. I went through a period of heavy stress and neglected my diet, as a result minor symptoms did reappear for a week or two. But, this time, I was armed with valuable knowledge and knocked the IBD on the head in record time.

In my opinion, based on personal experience, environmental and nutritional factors play a large part in how you feel. Processed foods are laced with all sorts of toxic elements and our household environment, for example, is filled with chemical poisons. It is not surprising people get sick. Try your best to eat a diet consisting of whole foods and avoid toxic chemicals to the best of your ability. This is not to say you cannot eat the occasional junk meal but you will learn to read what your body is telling you. Just don't overdo it. You do not have to live like a monk, but in the early stages of your recovery you do need to follow instructions from your health practitioner to the T. Once you are fit and well again the occasional lapse should not be the end of the world.

Remember, this account is based on my own, personal experience and the road taken was my choice. I took the alternative route and it worked for me. I believe it was the correct decision. If you get nothing else from this article I hope it will encourage you to check out all the options available to you before making big decisions regarding surgery and drugs. Find out what you can about your condition before blindly taking the route of toxic drugs and irreversible surgery. 

My personal experience with Ulcerative Colitis was very painful indeed but, if I knew then what I know now, I am certain I would not have suffered for so many months.  And, in the words of my specialist, I had a very serious case.  I now understand it can be overcome with certain lifestyle changes including nutrition, reducing exposure to environmental toxins and stress control etc.  People have controlled, or eliminated UC and Crohns and you can too, but it takes determination and a commitment to be strict with yourself, at least until you have made a full recovery.

Water, Optimun Health In A Glass

Often, the simplest and cheapest solutions are the most beneficial for our health.  So simple, in fact, that we often ignore them.  A case in point ..... WATER!  One of the most important, but also neglected, necessities for a healthy body is an adequate intake of this ubiquitous liquid.

Water is involved in virtually every process that takes place in our bodies. It is present in every one of our cells.  There is an old truism that a person, or animal, can survive weeks without solid food but without water we are done for after only a few days at most (paraphrased). Water is, quite literally, the fountain of life!  It's a bit of a cliché but I cannot think of a better way to describe this essential nutrient. 

I am talking about unadulterated, mineral rich water free of toxic chemicals.  Of course, "Bad" water does exist in this imperfect world.  It is unfortunate that much of the Earth's water is polluted by chemicals treatments, industrial waste and household chemicals but pure, filtered water or water from a clean supply is one of the most important requirements for a correctly functioning, efficiently run body.

Apart from drinking water from a glass how else can we obtain it?  It's a common misconception that we can get hydrated by drinking tea, coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks.  These are not suitable substitutes for water.  In fact, they contain dehydrating agents which actually increase our bodies need for water.  Only pure water and a diet consisting of plenty of fruit and vegetables will give your body the hydration every one of your cells requires to perform optimally.

Although opinions vary, and a cursory trip around the Internet will show this, it is generally recommended that a healthy person drink 4 to 8 12oz glasses per day (that's 1 to 2 litres).  The amount you need can be influenced by the amount of exercise you take, the climate you live in and body size etc.  Remember, much of the water your body will obtain will, and should, come from food.  Fruit and vegetables such as Melons and lettuce, for example are mainly water.

You might ask yourself "Is it possible to drink too much water?  Well, the answer is yes, but it is extremely unlikely, under normal circumstances, to drink too much.  But if you do drink too much, without replacing electrolytes, you run the risk of diluting the essential electrolytes, such as Sodium, in your body.  Too much water can also lead to water intoxication but this is something you do not need to worry about unless you are obsessively drinking gallons of water per day.  You would have to drink a LOT of water to suffer any adverse consequences. 

According to Dr David Katz from the Yale School of Medicine "In general, healthy people cannot drink too much water.  Normal kidneys can handle up to 12 litres per day!"

An optimum, daily intake of water is one of the most important, if not THE most important, steps for you to take towards your goal of achieving optimum health.   To be sure, it is too easy to forget, or fall out of the habit of drinking water regularly.  I personally forget to carry my bottle of water with me when I go out and when I do I always kick myself.  Fortunately, it is easy to buy bottled water when you are out but it is generally preferable to get into the habit of taking your own bottle of filtered water with you whenever you leave the house.  Bottled water in certain types of plastic containers present their own problems, but that's for discussion another day!

Superfoods, Natural Nutrition For Great Health And Vitality

It's not too hard figuring out how to achieve optimum health. It's just common sense really, although some might say this is the least common of all the senses! A positive outlook, appropriate exercise, plenty of pure, unadulterated water and first class nutrition are surefire contributors to good health.

As for nutrition, the top link of the chain are the Superfoods. These are nature's superheroes, bringing health and vitality to the afflicted, like vibrantly coloured berries, the microscopic algae, Chlorella and Spirulina to more common foods such as cabbage, broccoli and nuts etc.

Natures superfoods contain perfect packages of nutrients in the correct ratio's, including many yet to be discovered and studied. These nutrients include enzymes, phytonutrients, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals for example.

The saddest sight is seeing these foods overprocessed and passed off as healthy in some of our popular breakfast cereals and drinks. It's always best to eat these foods in their natural state, as nature intended. It's odd that added sugar is the number one ingredient in juice drinks when fruit is sweet already. Juicing your own drinks will not only produce a healthier, more natural product, it will also save money.

Lets introduce some of these nutritional titans. Cabbage has been unfairly maligned, but did you know it was considered a cure all by ancient Egyptians? The use of food for medicinal purposes stretches back to antiquity and cruciferous vegetables like kale, cabbage, sprouts and broccoli have been the subject of an impressive amount of research showing their effectiveness in fighting and preventing disease, including cancer. Avocado, apart from being great for the skin, contain high levels of glutathione, the livers most potent antioxidant. Glutathione enhances the elimination of carcinogens and toxins. It is also found in useful quantities in garlic, onions and leeks.

Most superfoods are increasingly easy to find in your local health store or on the Internet. Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, was a staple food of the Incas, known by them as the mother grain. This grain is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals as well as an excellent source of complete protein. If this grain helped the Incas run up and down mountains it is sure to do us some good. Why not grab yourself some Goji berries. These special little berries contain 500 times more vitamin C than oranges by weight, and contain a mindblowing array of minerals, vitamins and amino acids. They make a wonderful addition to your superfood arsenal and can be used in smoothies or eaten in an energy packed trail mix with other powerful foods such as cacao nibs and seeds etc

Beetroot is another food offering health benefits. Like all vegetables, try to buy it fresh from a farmers market and avoid the ones saturated in vinegar. In its natural state beetroot is an excellent health enhancer. Also, just two or three Brazil nuts a day will supply your daily requirement of Selenium, a mineral sadly depleted from the soil most of our fruit and vegetables are grown in.

If you desire excellent health, bags of energy and insurance against disease, healthy nutrition offers so much! Be honest, when was the last time you tucked into a bowl of mixed berries or consumed a wholefood meal that actually made you feel great after eating it? Consider including a varied mix of superfoods in your daily diet to benefit from their many health enhancing properties. Variety is the key as each food has its own special properties and no single food has everything your body needs. Eat a rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green and blue and you can't go far wrong, unless they are artificial colours of course!!

Eating a variety of whole, natural foods will far surpass the benefits of even the most potent multivitamin tablet and may include many, as yet undiscovered, nutrients and phytonutrients. Yes, that's right, natural foods include everything, leaving man made tablets, which cannot match God's bounty, in the dust. With this in mind doesn't it make perfect sense to make nutrition and superfoods a cornerstone in your quest for great health.

Visit the Health and Wellness Portal for other interesting articles about nutrition and natural health related subjects.

Introducing the Wellness Blog!

Welcome to the Wellness Blog, a new place to explore the world of natural health, nutrition and to connect with some of the more useful and interesting news and views floating around the Net.

I am also excited to introduce a new UK natural health website called the Health and Wellness Portal. The portal features articles, health news, an "Ask the Expert" section, Discussion Board and much more besides.

The Wellness Forum is now live and ready to roll. This is the heart and soul of our wellness community and is open to anyone who wishes to discuss anything related to natural health, nutrition or would like to touch base with people who share similar interests and maybe experienced similar health challenges.  It  always helps to know that others have been there before us and that we can benefit from their experience and knowledge.  So don't be shy, introduce yourself on the forum, make friends and, who knows, you might find the answers you've been looking for!

Colin Bell