What is the one nutrient you may need to improve your sleep?  Magnesium deficiency may be the key.

I use to suffer frequently with irritability, PMS, inability to fall asleep and frequent migraines. I knew that stress played a big role but it took some research and confirmation from a naturopathic doctor that magnesium deficiency was also playing a big role in my symptoms.

Are you finding sleep difficult? Not feeling your best self so you can enjoy your life and be fully present with your friends and family can make life very challenging.

The Problem with Our Food

One of the main minerals required for plant growth is magnesium. There are a total of 17 required. However, there are only three that are used in the modern fertilizers which are potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Why do we suffer from a lack of this one nutrient, magnesium. For one thing it plays a huge role in our overall health. Most of us do not eat near enough foods containing magnesium and due to industrialization, the soil is not as enriched with this mineral as it once was

There is a lack of crop rotation, erosion and continuous use of chemical fertiliizers, pesticides and herbicides which have prevented the ability of the soil to restore the nutrients needed for healthy crops.

Also if you use a water softener then you would want to use other water for drinking such as spring water since the sodium content in the water softener will hinder magnesium levels in your blood when consumed.

The role of magnesium in our body is numerous and 800 different roles have been identified. No wonder so many health conditions are linked to its deficiency. Our cellular energy depends on enzymes but these enzymes depend on magnesium to do their job.

Here is a list of just a few conditions that magnesium plays a role in:

• inflammation, 
• muscle tension,
• high blood pressure,
• anxiety and stress,
• blood sugar sensitivities,
• vitamin D deficiencies,
• adrenal fatigue,
• fibromyalgia,
• migraines and headaches,
• insomnia,

The list is much larger but for you, I am sure you can relate to at least one of them.

However, I did want to zero in on sleep. Sleep is so important for energy restoration, cellular repair and detoxification. The more stressed you are, the more magnesium you use up and the harder it is to fall asleep and stay asleep. 

The reason is that magnesium plays a role in the production of melatonin which is the hormone that regulates your sleep and wake cycle. Also if you are experiencing tension in your muscles, it will be difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. So you may want to look at the root cause which could be stress or a diet deficiency.

Here are some foods that are a good source of magnesium:

• Swiss Chard
• Kale
• Collard Greens
• Asparagus
• Nuts
• Whole grains

Eating your foods from an organic source will help with improved nutrient density due to better soil quality and lack of herbicidal sprays. However, if you cannot get organic, you can always take a magnesium supplement.

Also you will need to be able to break down and absorb your food properly with sufficient enzymes and stomach acid in order to absorb the magnesium through your small intestines.

So if you are using an ant acid, you need to be aware that they will hinder your ability to absorb magnesium into your body because you will not be able to efficiently dissolve it in your stomach. Stress will also hinder your body's ability to produce sufficient hydrochloric acid and enzymes for proper absorption. Any gastrointestinal inflammation will impede your ability to have sufficent magnesium for your overall health.

This is why I believe that supplementation is so important and why I always recommend this supplement as a main foundational supplement in your cupboard.

The one that has helped me with tension and improved sleep is magnesium bis-glycinate. This is magnesium bound to an amino acid called glycine to help with absorption. A study in 2016 showed that magnesium bis-glycinate absorbed better than the other forms of magnesium you may have taken called magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide.

So if you are having symptoms such as sleep disturbances, I would suggest keeping a food journal to see how many magnesium containing foods you are getting into your diet and consider supplementation.

5 Steps to Increase Your Energy

Client Support

I provide all my clients with easy access to magnesium bis-glycinate through my online dispensary and it get delivered right to your door.

You can create your own account here at: https://luanaflacco.com/products/ and scroll down to click on the Fullscript dispensary banner.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

References:

Goh Norman, Magnesium, A Complete Primer, Toronto, CanPrev; 2018

Pawlick, Thomas F., The End of Food. Vancouver; Greystone Books; 2006

Yingting Cao, Shiqi Zhen, Anne W. Taylor, Sarah Appleton,... Zumin Shi (2018.09.21), Magnesium Intake and Sleep Disorder Symptoms,Findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese Adults at Five-Year Follow-Up LINK: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6212970/

From a very young age, I always enjoyed the forest. Walking through the woods just for the sake of walking and sitting on a log to enjoy my surroundings has always been a fun thing for me to do.

Even in my pre-teen years, I found it a place where my imagination could just take off and I felt very happy there.

I had no idea that this was therapy or that it lowered my cortisol levels which is your stress hormone.

It wasn't until I learned about holistic nutrition that this forest therapy or forest bathing came up as a part of the lifestyle protocols I was to give my clients.

What happens when you just take in the surroundings of the forest?

There are ions in the forest called negative ions. These ions help to counteract all the positive ions that we pick up when we are surrounded by machinery and computers.

You may not realize how all this equipment and the power lines above your home affect your health, immune system and energy and stress levels.

One day when I was really stressed while preparing for my board exam, I went for a walk in the woods. It was so helpful that I actually cried the stress out while I was touching a tree. Can you believe that! 

I was so positively charged that I needed to be grounded to release the stress.  Let me know if you have had this experience.  

Forest bathing is not hiking. It is a whole experience in the forest using all your senses.

Just that act of slowing down and paying attention to the surroundings of nature is very calming and strengthening to your immune system.

If you have a chance to do it sometime, I highly recommend it.

Let me know if you have had this experience and what you think about forest (bathing) therapy.

Enjoy!!

Source: https://www.forestbathingcentral.com/tag/health-benefits-of-negative-ions/

How do you calm inflammation in your body to have more energy?   Your fatigue issues can be connected to inflammation within the body.  

Being overly tired and feeling like “someone pulled the plug on you” is a sign along with other symptoms you may be having.

Scientists are measuring levels of inflammation in our bodies and finding that chronic inflammation can be detrimental to our health.

It is also linked to problems with detoxification within our gut and liver. Symptoms can lead to low immune function, causing a lack of energy and vitality along with the inability to feel well.

However, there is something you can do about it!  Anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in antioxidants are proven to be helpful in reducing inflammation in the body.

Here are some of my top anti-inflammatory food recommendations:

Are the following sweet foods your favorite?

Berries, grapes, and cherries are packed with fiber, and antioxidant vitamins (e.g. vitamin C) and minerals (e.g. manganese).

Phytochemicals (phyto=plant) such as “anthocyanins” and “resveratrol” are found in these small and delicious fruits.

In fact, berries, grapes, and cherries may be the best dietary sources of these amazingly healthy compounds.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that contains the naturally occurring chemical called “sulforaphane.” This anti-inflammatory compound helps neutralize harmful toxins in the Phase 2 liver detox pathway that we are exposed to in our food, water, and air.

Bell peppers, on the other hand, are one of the best sources of antioxidants vitamin C and quercetin.

Be mindful to choose red peppers over the other colors. Red peppers are fully ripe and have more anti-inflammatory properties than the other colors.

Choosing the right fats is so important for your health. The fat controversy is still alive and well. It is recommended to keep your daily intake of saturated fats below 10 percent and increase your consumption of unsaturated fats.

However, damaged or “trans fats” are very inflammatory. So it is best to consume more anti-inflammatory foods that are listed below:

fresh avocados

extra virgin olive oil,

small fish (e.g. sardines and mackerel),

and wild fish (e.g. salmon).

Omega 3 foods like chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds.

Green tea contains the anti-inflammatory compound called “epigallocatechin-3-gallate”, otherwise known as EGCG.

EGCG is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. I think we can all use more of this compound, don’t you?

Drinking steeped green tea is great, but have you tried matcha green tea? It’s thought to contain even higher levels of antioxidants than regular green tea.

This list would not be complete without the amazing spice turmeric?

Turmeric contains the antioxidant curcumin.

This compound has been shown to reduce the pain of arthritis, as well as have anti-cancer and anti-diabetes properties.

You can easily add turmeric to your egg dishes, smoothies, soups or teas.

I had to save the best for last! This *may* be slightly more decadent than my #1 pick of berries, grapes, and cherries.

Dark chocolate, with at least 70% cocoa is packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants (namely “flavonols”). These reduce the risk of heart disease by keeping your arteries healthy.

They’ve even been shown to prevent “neuroinflammation” (inflammation of the brain and nerves). Reducing neuro-inflammation may help with long-term memory, and reduce the risk of dementia and stroke.

Make sure you avoid the sugary “candy bars.” You already know those aren’t going to be anti-inflammatory!

There are just so many delicious and nutritious anti-inflammatory foods you can choose. They range from colorful berries, vegetables, and spices, to healthy fats, and even cocoa.

Feeling sick and tired all the time can be reduced by adding these amazing foods to your weekly meal plans. I would love to talk with you about how I can help you do just that. Just click the link below and schedule a free call with me.

References:

https://authoritynutrition.com/13-anti-inflammatory-foods/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4717884/

https://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/

https://authoritynutrition.com/matcha-green-tea/

http://neurotrition.ca/blog/brain-food-essentials-cacao

http://leesaklich.com/foods-vs-supps/foods-vs-supplements-the-turmeric-edition/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5642188/

Are you feeling tired and unable to find the energy you need to do the things you want to do?  This can be so frustrating!  I know you want to be all that you were created to be.

Does this sound like you?

• You do not bounce out of bed like you use to and feel that you just did not get enough rest.  
• Falling asleep seems to take forever and once you do, you may wake up one or more times before your alarm.
• You spend your days feeling stressed with so much to do and can hardly get dinner on the table.   
• If you could start a new hobby or work more for yourself,  that would help you feel like you were fulfilling your life’s purpose.   
• Having more energy means you can say yes to a volunteer opportunity at your favorite community charity or church.  Giving back in your community would give you so much joy. If only you could find the energy to do so.
• You love spending time out with your friends but sometimes you just feel too tired to do so.
• Taking longer walks or joining an exercise class seems like a chore.  Even too much exercise makes you tired
• Eating nutritious foods seem boring to you and you struggle to eat from scratch during the week since eating healthy makes you think you need to be a gourmet cook.  Prefab and oven ready is so much easier!
• You experience digestive and intestinal disturbances no matter what you do to fix your diet.  

No need to suffer, click the button below to book a complimentary End Your Fatigue strategy call.   Let's get acquainted and see if we can work together.

You feel your best years are behind you and just want to feel well.  But what does well feel like since you have settled for feeling so tired all the time.  It seems normal.

Do you have some of these symptoms?

• Catching a cold is the norm and when you do get sick, it seems to take a month for you to get back to yourself again.  Only then you fear getting another virus that will keep you from your goals.
• Sore throats
• chest colds
• laryngitis
• occasional fevers every year are just no fun and you think that this is normal for you at your age.

You spend at least $200 a month on supplements and you feel you have chosen the ones for you but still you have not found the solution to your problems.

If only you could find a solution!  You know your hormones are out of whack and your immune system is not the best.   Where is that magic pill?

You turn to Google searching for answers. However, you continue to be groping in the dark with quick fixes that never bring you lasting results.  It like “throwing spaghetti at the wall.”

No more groping in the dark and hoping.   Book your complimentary End Your Fatigue strategy call with me by clicking the button below.  Let's talk. No obligations. Let's get acquainted.

I sympathize with what you are going through.  After I turned 40 it seemed all downhill from there.  My body started turning on me too. I needed to learn the right way to nourish myself and eliminate the irritating foods until my body was better able to digest them.  

I needed accountability and a coach to help me find my way. I needed education about my hormones and digestive system.

If you haven’t joined my closed Facebook Support Group yet, please click Here.

I know you want to live your fullest potential.  You know you need help but fear of failure is holding you back.  

Investing in your health is what will give you the ability to move forward but you are scared of spending your hard-earned money in the wrong places and seeing very little results.

What you need is a system or a Roadmap.  If someone could give you a Roadmap to get to where you need to go, you would take it right?

You’ve been to your MD and probably a naturopath but need a better Roadmap and coaching partner.  Someone that will give you the steps to take, accountability and encouragement along the way

Take a minute to book your free End Your Fatigue strategy call with me by clicking the button below.

Acute stress usually won’t mess with your health too much. It is your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and can even be life-saving.  This type subsides after the cause of the stress is over which is usually short-term.

It's the chronic stress that's a problem.  It is these stress reactions that are triggered every day or many times a day that can mess with your health and cause unwanted symptoms of headaches, illness, sleepless nights and weight gain.

Stress (and stress hormones) can have a huge impact on your health.

Let's dive into the 3 effects of  "stress mess."

It’s that time of year when the weather is changing that adds more stress to your system.  This is when you need to be careful to support your body or you could end up getting sick.

It’s bad enough when you do not have enough energy on a daily basis but to get sick on top of it makes life more challenging.

Did you notice that you get sick more often when you're stressed? Maybe you get colds, cold sores, or even the flu more frequently when you are stressed?

Well, that's because stress hormones affect the chemical messengers (cytokines) secreted by immune cells consequently, they are less able to do their jobs effectively.

Did you hear that 70% of your immune system resides in your gut?  

Stress puts a strain on your intestinal microbiome otherwise known as the ecosystem of your gut bacteria and gets it out of balance.

Stress can contribute to leaky gut, otherwise known as "intestinal permeability." These "leaks" can then allow partially digested food, bacteria or other things to be absorbed into your body.

The stress hormone cortisol can open up tiny holes by loosening the grip your digestive cells have to each other. These are called gap junctions.

Picture this: Have you ever played "red rover?" It's where a row of children hold hands while one runs at them to try to break through. Think of those hands as the junctions between cells. When they get loose, they allow things to get in that should be passing right through.  

Cortisol (produced in excess in chronic stress) is a strong player in creating the imbalance in your intestinal system which leads to these gaps in the lining being open too long!

This can lead to a host of health problems relating to your fatigue issues including painful joints, allergies and skin conditions.

So many women I talk to are not sleeping well.  I think we have too much on our minds and list of things to do don’t you?  The amount of stress we as women have can be detrimental to our sleep.

Stress and sleep go hand-in-hand, wouldn’t you agree? It’s often difficult to sleep when you have very important (and stressful) things on your mind.

And when you don't get enough sleep, it affects your energy level, memory, ability to think, and mood.  

More and more research is showing just how important sleep is for your health.  Not enough sleep (and too much stress) aren't doing you any favors especially when you wake up feeling exhausted.

If you have read this far and are interested in getting on a call with me to discuss how to increase your energy and reach your health goals, click on the button below for a complimentary 30-minute call.  No obligations. Let's talk.

Reducing stressors in your life is an obvious first step to fighting fatigue and other health challenges.

Can you:

• Put less pressure on yourself?

• Ask for help?

• Say "no"?

• Delegate to someone else?

• Finally, make that decision?

No matter how hard you try, you won’t eliminate stress altogether. So, here are a few things you can try to help reduce its effect on you:

• Deep breathing

• Meditation

• Walk in nature

• Unplug (read a book, take a bath)

• Exercise (yoga, tai chi, etc.)

• Connect with loved ones

Please click on the button below for a complimentary 30-minute call.  No obligations. Let's talk.

Stress is a huge and often underappreciated factor in our health. It can impact your physical body much more than you might realize.

Stress has been shown to increase  affect your immune system, gut health and sleep quality.

There are things you can do to both reduce the stressors and also to improve your response to it.

Be aware of what is causing your stress and eliminate one thing that is not serving you well.

You can bust through the stress with less!

References:

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress

https://www.thepaleomom.com/stress-undermines-health/

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/good-stress-bad-stress

https://www.thepaleomom.com/managing-stress/

Stress!! Can it it lead to adrenal fatigue?  

Did you know that your fatigue issues may be connected to stress?

Does this sound like you? You are stressed and cannot sleep. You are constantly tired and crave sweets and even salty foods?  

Stress is a physical and emotional reaction to danger either real or not.  Even the day to day demands on our time cause the same stress response in our bodies as real danger.

Since your adrenal glands produce stress hormones, adrenal fatigue is a common subject matter these days.

Your adrenal glands look like walnuts that live on top of both of your kidneys. These important glands produce many hormones, including stress hormones.

But what happens when they become “overworked?”

The fight or flight response to physical danger causes an increase in the hormones adrenaline and cortisol.  This is your body's normal reaction to stress.

Stress can sometimes be positive when it helps us avoid dangerous situations like crashing into a vehicle in traffic.  Our heart rate increases and we are given the strength to respond on demand.

After a short time, the fight or flight response dissipates and your body goes back to normal.

But what would happen if you felt constant stress? Like all day, every day? This is called “chronic” stress.  

Too many women like you are living in chronic stress. Why do you think that is? Maybe there is just too much to do in a given day.

What do you think happens to your poor adrenal glands when they’re constantly working?   Have you ever felt this rush of “false energy”? This is another reason you may feel “wired but tired”. 

​

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

When your adrenal glands start getting tired of secreting stress hormones day in and out, you can start getting other symptoms:

• fatigue,
• difficulty sleeping,
• mood swings,
• weight loss or gain,
• joint pain,
• sugar cravings,

And even frequent infections like colds and the flu are signs that your adrenals are probably overworked.

There are no medically accepted blood tests for adrenal fatigue. In fact, it's not recognized by most medical professionals until the point when your adrenals are so fatigued they almost stop working. At that point, the official diagnosis of "Adrenal Insufficiency" or "Addison's Disease" may apply.

However, if you do have symptoms, you should see your doctor to rule out other conditions. He or she can give you some wellness strategies that can help to reduce your stress (and symptoms).

​

What To Do If You Have These Symptoms?

There are many actions you can take to reduce your stress and improve your health and energy levels.

Stress reduction is key to overcoming fatigue issues. There are tons of ideas how you can reduce your stress. My favorites are:

• scheduling your day ahead of time so you you don’t have to think about it.  I just look at my day planner and see exactly what I am to being doing and where I am to be.   

• Practicing quiet time (even for just 20 minutes is so important.)
• Deep breathing
• Walking in nature, 
  
• Go to bed earlier and sleep longer (7-8 hours)
• taking a bath.
• spend time with friends
  
• Plan a fun activity

​

Of course, I also recommend reducing sugar and processed food intake and eating more fruits and vegetables. Better nutrition can only help your body. So make sure to prioritize this in your life.

​

Conclusion

Your adrenal glands produce hormones in response to stress. Adrenaline is released for only a few seconds.  After that cortisol is the main hormone released in a stress response.

After long-term daily stress, your adrenals may get tired.  It is sustained high cortisol that is the problem. Normal levels are fine since it is what wakes you up in the morning.

Adrenal fatigue is a controversial disease that doesn’t have a true diagnostic test, nor specific evidential symptoms.

The most important thing you can do is to get tested to rule out other potential conditions. You can also try stress reduction techniques like meditation, walks in nature, light exercise, more sleep, or even a calming bath.

Per bath

2 cups Epsom salts

10 drops lavender essential oil

As you're running your warm bath water, add ingredients to the tub. Mix until dissolved

Enjoy your stress-reducing bath!

Tip: You can add a tablespoon of dried lavender flowers.

​

References:

https://www.thepaleomom.com/adrenal-fatigue-pt-1/

https://www.dietvsdisease.org/adrenal-fatigue-real/