I had the privilege this past weekend of volunteering for a fundraiser at the same camp that I attended as a camper, with my Camp Fire group, and with my family at weekend “Mix-N-Fix” weekends. The camp is located in Holly, Michigan and is called “Camp Wathana” (the middle “A” is a long “A” pronunciation) which means “Beautiful Place.”
It was a rather rainy, drizzly day and I said that I would help out with old-fashioned games and relay races. We set up for the old-fashioned games by having an assortment of activities available on the lawn in front of one of the cabins. The kids and adults would come by and try one, or in most cases, all of the activities. I didn’t hear a single child say, “I’m bored” or “Where is the T.V.?” The kids didn’t complain about the rain or the mud. They jumped in and tried new things. Here are a few of our activities:
- Hoops: This game dates back to the 1800’s and is played with a large hoop (ours were wood), about three feet across, and a short stick or dowel (about six to eight inches long). You run alongside the hoop while keeping the hoop moving with the dowel on the top of the hoop.
- Graces: This game also dates back to the 1800’s and was a favorite of the participants. Normally played with two people, each person has two dowels which are pointed at the end (18-24 inches long). There is a small hoop, about six inches across that has ribbons wrapped on it. One person starts with the hoop encircling both of their dowels and the dowels crossed in an “X”, pointing the ends of the dowels toward the other person. That person opens the “X” like scissors and thrusts the hoop across to the other person who attempts to catch it with both of the dowels then return it as quickly as possible. When you get good, you can add a second small hoop so each person throws at the same time.
- Stilts: There was a pair of “starter stilts” that were about four inches off the ground and had a nice wide base to walk on. For those who conquered the easier stilts they could graduate to the stilts that were about eight inches off the ground and had about a two inch square post to walk on.
- Pick Up Sticks: While you don’t normally think of Pick Up Sticks as an outdoors game, it really went well when we played it on a brand new garbage bag so we could kneel on the ground without getting wet. Most of these kids had never played Pick Up Sticks but they really enjoyed the challenge.
One key to the kids having such good spirits was the encouragement and good spirits of the adults. If the adults hadn’t been willing to get out there and be active, take photos, and participate as well, the kids would not have had as great of a time. We all would do well to remember how contagious our attitudes are.
Another key to having the kids participate was the cards they were given upon check in. The cards had a list of the activities available and as the children participated, the adult at the activity would use a hole punch to denote that they had tried the event. At the end of the day the kids turned in their punch cards and were awarded a ribbon according to how many activities they tried throughout the day. That extra reward gave some kids the push to try something new so they could get another hole punched on their card.
At the relay races we had to deal with slightly damp earth so we modified some of our plans. We also did a tug-o-war which the kids really got into and I found the toughest time balancing the teams so they were equal in strength. They did a three-legged race, a sack race, and a balancing race (they had a rubber ducky they needed to keep balanced on a serving spoon while they went up and down the course). All in all it was a great time.
Consider the next time you are with kids and you all could have some free time, encouraging everyone to go outside for a game of catch or do some impromptu relay races. Try taking your kids outside in all kinds of weather, not just on the sunny days. The first step to enjoying and appreciating nature is actually being IN nature.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who credits her days at Camp Wathana as her earliest inspiration for her Shaklee business, a company that protects the earth and provides all natural supplementation and green cleaners. You can learn more about the Shaklee products at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Flu season has started with a bang and it sounds like the southern states are being hit pretty hard. I heard of one school district that closed for a few days because there are so many absences. I hope everyone is on the mend soon. The best thing we can do to prevent the flu is to make sure our bodies are strong enough to not allow the bad guys to take hold and make us sick.
Before I go into my tips on flu prevention, I want you to know that I practice these tips year-round. Viruses, germs, bacteria are all out there year-round so it makes sense to me to look out for my health 365 days a year.
Donna’s year round natural flu (and other illness) prevention:
- Get eight to nine hours of sleep per night. For children it is significantly higher, up to 13 + hours for the youngest (and maybe more with naps). In my opinion, this is the number one thing you can do to prevent illness.
- Drink lots of pure water (get a filter for your tap water, please avoid bottled water for all the environmental considerations). You should be drinking about 60 oz of water each day (don’t count anything with caffeine or sugar or artificial sweeteners or alcohol). Add slices of citrus fruits or fresh herbs to soak in the water and add flavor if you don’t care for plain water. I also would not count carbonated water.
- Take an excellent multi-vitamin made out of food, not synthetics.
- Get plenty of fiber in your diet (25+ grams for woman 30+ grams for men) and be sure to balance that with the water.
- Eat regular and balanced meals out of food that a farmer would recognize.
- Take a coated probiotic that GUARANTEES the delivery of the ”good guys” into your digestive system.
- Take sustained release B-Complex and Vitamin C as these both boost our immune systems.
- Wash your hands well with REGULAR soap (avoid anti-bacterials – they are terrible for the environment and they are contributing to “super bugs” being created).
- Take pure alfalfa to cleanse the body of toxins, help the kidneys work better, and a whole host of other wonderful things.
- Take garlic complex as a natural anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and overall health-supporting nutrient. The odor-less garlic has NOT been proven to have the same effectiveness as the garlic that still has it’s scent. Eat it at the beginning of a meal and pile the food on top of it so your friends and family are less likely to notice.
- Get plenty of Vitamin D, I would say at least 1,000 IUs as this provides all sorts of protection in our bodies for health and wellness.
- Boost your body’s interferon naturally. Interferon occurs naturally in our bodies to fight for our health. You may recognize the word “interferon” because a synthetic version is often given to certain cancer patients and patients with HIV. This synthetic version has lots of side effects, similar to chemotherapy. Certain herbs have been shown in combination to naturally boost our bodies ability to produce interferon – with NO side effects. The only clinically proven supplement I know of that does this is Shaklee’s Nutriferon. I take it every day.
If you feel an illness coming on, you have been under stress, or you know you have been exposed to someone who was ill, do the following:
Overall, make sure any supplements you purchase are from a company that proves that the nutrients actually get into your blood stream. Otherwise, what is the sense of taking them if you don’t know that they are doing their job?
I know it takes some effort to take care of ourselves and be consistent on our nutrition, sleep, and stress. Remember that you are worth it and there is nothing more valuable than your health.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who depends on the Shaklee supplements to maintain health and wellness in her life. You can find the Shaklee supplements she uses at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: gluten-free | Tags: gluten free dinner party, gluten-free guest
When those of us who are gluten-free find ourselves in social situations that can be awkward. For example, you are newly gluten-free and you are invited over to a friend’s home for dinner. Or you have a company function to go to that involves food. Or the holidays are coming and the highlight of the meal contains gluten. It can get tricky to navigate while not starving or “gluten-ing” yourself.
When I was initially diagnosed as gluten-free I was told by my doctor to see how much gluten I could tolerate. Initially I could tolerate small quantities of bread or soy sauce, but the longer I went without wheat in my diet, the more it affected me when I did have it. So now I am almost 100% gluten-free. The times I get gluten are purely accidental and I can tell by my body’s reaction within 24 hours.
Let me clarify that for those with Celiac they need to be 100% gluten-free (not “almost” as I said I am). The places I am the most likely to get exposed to gluten are from cross-contamination (the restaurant uses the same prep space for a sandwich as for my lettuce wrap; a fellow guest puts the humus directly on their pita pieces and some bread crumbs end up back in the humus) or from small quantities of gluten in a dish that you wouldn’t think would have wheat in it (enchilada sauce frequently contains wheat; a little granola mixed in a yogurt parfait; nutritional yeast in vitamins or food). For people with Celiac, they must be extremely careful l to not allow even the smallest amount of gluten into their diets so they need to be extra careful when eating at someone’s home.
When you have a dinner invitation to someone’s home, I suggest the following:
- Tell them right up front, “I have a serious food allergy, would you mind if we connected on the menu to make sure I know ahead of time what I will and won’t be able to eat?” I have never had a host turn me down on this request, they always ask for more information.
- Try not to overwhelm them. You are giving the “Cliff’s Notes” for ONE meal, not so they can cook gluten-free for the rest of their lives. I never ask a person to have an entirely gluten-free meal (some friends choose to out of love, interest, and empathy, but I never ask). I just try to make sure that there will be enough food there that I can eat without drawing attention to myself.
- Give simple suggestions and focus on the menu the host is planning on: Have all the ingredients for the salad separate so each person can put what they want on their serving and the croutons won’t contaminate the rest of the salad; Prepare my non-marinated chicken in the pan first (or on a separate dish) so it doesn’t get cross contaminated; Let me give you a bottle of some gluten-free soy sauce that you can use; Do you mind saving the packaging from prepared foods that I can look at before the dinner to check ingredients?; Could you put the cheese and crackers on separate plates? On a side note, just because someone says, “I know all about gluten-free cooking because…”, still clarify your own gluten-free needs. A friend once glutened me with spelt noodles because she thought gluten-free people can tolerate spelt.
- Offer to bring a dish, especially one that usually has gluten. If you have a bread recipe you enjoy, offer to bring bread. I often bring dessert too because so much dessert has gluten in it.
- Eat before the dinner party. Even the most considerate hosts make mistakes and I find it better to arrive to a dinner party with a semi-full belly and eat less there than to be starving and get there to find croutons ON the salad and that all the meat got marinated in regular soy sauce.
It is important to be proactive and gracious. We don’t want the host to go through a bunch of extra trouble for us but hosts want all of their guests to have a great time. So speak up and help out the next time you are invited to someone’s home for dinner.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who often uses the protein shakes as a pre-dinner party snack. You can find the “Cinch” shakes and more at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: Healthy Nutrition, gluten-free | Tags: cooking at home, creative cooking
Have you ever opened your pantry door (and your fridge) and wondered what you were going to make for dinner because nothing was leaping out at you? (I guess food leaping out of the pantry would be bad anyway.) That was me last night so I thought if I shared with you my thought process you may be motivated to try to make something out of nothing for your next dinner.
To start with I considered what I had. I had stopped by a veggie stand earlier in the day and bought some really great looking green and yellow peppers along with corn on the cob. I decided to have some of the fresh peppers chopped with Blue Cheese Dressing for dip and to boil the corn on the cob. I also knew I had some brown rice to use up. (If I didn’t have the fresh veggies I probably would have gone into the freezer and used broccoli or peas and steamed them.)
Then I got to the hard part…what to do about protein? Keith and I had both been working hard in the yard and we needed protein. As I perused the shelves, I noticed a small can of black bean soup, maybe big enough for one person. But, I realized, I can stretch that can of soup into plenty for two people and serve it over the rice. I grabbed the can of soup, an extra can of black beans, and an extra can of diced tomatoes.
I sauteed one onion and 1/2 each of the green and yellow pepper. When they were soft I added the soup, beans, and 1/2 can of diced tomatoes. I added some spicy season salt and simmered to blend the flavors. I decided to serve it over the rice so I thickened it a bit with some cornstarch.
As I had been finishing my yardwork earlier I noticed one of our apple trees still had a few apples on it. I picked four that looked relatively good (but they still had some suspicious spots on them) and brought them inside. I knew I had a gluten-free pie crust in the freezer so I pulled that out and my original plan was to fold the pie crust on itself and bake it so it would be more like a turnover. When I started working with the crust it was obvious it was too fragile for that so I left the crust on the cookie sheet, sliced up the apples (after peeling, coring, and cutting out all the bad spots), mixed the apples with some sugar, cinnamon, gluten-free flour, and apple pie spice, then poured them onto the flat pie crust.
I used a spatula to push up the edges of the crust to make an edge and then dotted the top with a few dollops of butter then baked it at 350 until the apples were soft. What a yummy dessert!
Hopefully the next time you are standing, uninspired, in front of your pantry try to think of how you can stretch what you already have and make something out of nothing for dinner. The results can be very tasty!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys cooking and experimenting with food. One of Donna’s favorite meals-on-the-go is Shaklee’s Cinch Shake, vanilla with frozen strawberries blended in and soy milk. You can see more at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: Natural Kids, supplements | Tags: allergy alternatives, seasonal allergies
‘Tis the season for people to be sniffling and to be unsure if they are having the start of a cold or allergies. One way that I was told you can tell is if you nose is itchy…If it is – allergies; if it isn’t – a cold. Either way, it can be miserable to be sneezing and blowing your nose all the time so let’s look at ways we can decrease our allergy symptoms naturally and maybe even eliminate them.
I used to have moderate seasonal allergies and my husband, Keith, used to have severe seasonal allergies. While he was still working in a factory a friend of his suggested two things: 1) a good multi-vitamin and 2) chiropractic care. Keith did those two and experienced a significant decrease in his symptoms.
Let me back up for a minute and talk about how much information people need before they move into action. Some people need to know how and why everything works before they will try something new. Other people are more content to make sure that whatever they are doing is safe and then they will give it a try (they don’t need to know all the inner-workings). I am more in the second camp. I don’t need to know how electricity works to flip a lightswitch or the one that really boggles my mind is the telephone (and TV too).
So, if you want all the science, the whys and hows, contact me and I can give you some places to look. If you are content to know that what I am suggesting won’t hurt you so give it a try…then carry on…
In addition to a good multi-vitamin and looking into chiropractic care, the most important thing we can do for seasonal allergies is to increase our immunity. A strong and healthy body is better able to battle molds and pollens that are in our environment. Try the following:
- get plenty of sleep (8-9 hours/night)
- drink lots of purified water (please don’t buy bottled…get a purifier for your home tap water)
- eat a balanced diet with fresh veggies, fruits, fiber, and protein
- try a “Neti Pot” to flush pollen and other contaminants out of your nasal passages
My top Shaklee supplement picks for avoiding allergies:
- Vitalizer (multi-vitamin + + +)
- Nutriferon
- Alfalfa
If I start to feel a bit run down or that I might be coming down with something I give myself a big boost by adding:
- Defend and Resist (Echinacea and zinc + more)
- Vitamin C (sustained release) – extra
- Vitamin B complex – extra
- Garlic complex – extra
There are many things in our control to support our own health and wellness. They do require choices each day and a commitment to do what is right instead of what is easy (and this is especially important for our children).
If you are interested in looking into chiropractic care, check out www.newerasaline.com (they have a variety of methods to choose from). Whatever you choose, make sure you know you are making a choice. Happy choosing!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor. You can find more information on the supplements she suggests, or look into the Shaklee Business Opportunity at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: Healthy Nutrition, gluten-free | Tags: gluten-free bread, flaxmeal, skillet bread
One of the things that is difficult for many people who are new to gluten-free living is finding tasty bread. Many people complain about the density and moistness of the rice breads that are relatively available (they really need to be toasted) and they lack flavor.
The other challenge is that many folks in general do not know how to cook or bake so the concept of making bread is intimidating. I am here to tell you that if you have ever made a box mix of brownies or cake, you can make this bread.
It has a consistency that is like a cross between a muffin/biscuit/bread. It works well for both sweet (like jam) or savory (like sloppy joes) applications. You can either slice it like a loaf of bread or make larger pieces and then slice them horizontally (this is what I do for sloppy joes or other sandwiches). In short, this is a very versatile bread and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I came across this “Flaxmeal Skillet Bread” recipe in Jacqueline Mallorca’s “Wheat-Free Cookbook” and found it to be quick, easy, and tasty.
Start by pre-heating the oven AND a well-seasoned cast iron 8 and 1/2 inch skillet (or double the recipe for a larger skillet) at 450 degrees.
Combine together the dry ingredients:
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Add to the dry mixture:
3/4 cup buttermilk OR plain yogurt (if you don’t have either in the house, take the milk of your choice and in the measuring cup, put 1 teaspoon of vinegar then fill with the milk; allow to sit for a few minutes and you will have a buttermilk substitute)
1/4 cup milk (cow, goat, soy, etc)
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
When all the ingredients have been combined (it will have a consistency similar to cake mix), open oven and pull out skillet (be careful it will be quite hot. Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet and coat the bottom and sides.
Pour the batter into the skillet and replace in the oven.
Bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Pull out of oven and let sit for a few moments, run a knife around the edge to separate the bread from the skillet.
Turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve plain or with condiment of your choice. Refridgerate leftovers. Toasts well. Pat yourself on the back for creating a delicious gluten-free bread (no one needs to know how easy it is).
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys helping others to lead a healthy lifestyle. She has been gluten-free now for several years and she appreciates the gluten-free supplements that are available through Shaklee. You can see more at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: Green Living | Tags: Green Living, reduce energy consumption
This past weekend I had fun at an alumni reunion for Camp Fire and Camp Wathana. While there we had a discussion about some of the various ways we have all “gone green”. One woman shared a really interesting and compelling story. She said that her school district (she is a teacher) decided that they were going to work on decreasing their energy consumption. There were procedures put into place to have people turn off computers, unplug electronics, and turn off lights when not in use, and such. Over the year, the school district saved OVER $700,000! Every little bit that you and I do makes a difference.
If you would like to lessen your impact on the planet AND your energy bills…read on!
To start with, one thing we can all do is consider what time of day you are doing your most energy-rich activities (i.e. running the clothes dryer, using the vacuum, running air conditioning) and try to do those activities outside of normal business hours (8 AM – 6 PM, Monday-Friday). The reason is that we don’t store electricity as it is made and during business hours there is naturally an increase in how much electricity is being consumed by all the offices and manufacturing facilities across the country. So imagine how much power must be produced to keep a factory going and then imagine in the evening when the factory is idle all that electricity is still being produced but not used. It is much better for us to do our high-energy activities during those off-hours.
All of the usual considerations about turning off lights when not in use, unplugging electronics (especially battery chargers that are not currently charging any batteries), those all still apply. Here are a few more to consider:
- Look into LED lights instead of CFLs. There are a couple challenges with CFLs which include the lifespan sometimes doesn’t live up to the expectation AND CFLs contain a small amount of mercury which requires special disposal so the mercury doesn’t end up in our ground water or harm the earth. LEDs do tend to be more expensive but their lifespan is supposed to be even longer than CFLs. I think you will hear more about these and other alternative lightbulbs in the years ahead and hopefully the price will decrease as well.
- Give gentle reminders to others. No one likes having friends and family “police” them but you can be helpful by saying something like, “Can I turn off the light in the hallway for you? Are you done in there?” There isn’t judgment in those words, you are offering to be helpful and reducing energy consumption at the same time.
- Consider motion detectors for your outside lights. Now sometimes they are over-sensitive and that becomes another problem but for your safety you want your porch light to automatically turn on when someone, especially you, walks up to the door.
If you have your own suggestions that have worked for you, I would love to hear them. In the meantime, consider what an impact we can all have on the environment and our pocketbooks by reducing energy consumption. Good luck!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor. One of the reasons she chose Shaklee as the company she represents is their corporate commitment to reducing energy consumption and other forms of waste. If you would like to purchase products (or become your own Independent Shaklee Distributor) from a company that is green through and through, go to: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
There are many places to “go green” in the kitchen, it is difficult to know where to start. You may already be doing many of these things…if so, good for you, good for your family and good for the planet. If you aren’t doing much green in your kitchen right now, this may give you an idea of where you can start. I don’t think it is effective for someone to try to change everything at once, maybe try to add one new thing and get that habit firmly established in the household and then add another.
To “go green” in the kitchen, the first thing I am going to do is to encourage you to actually use your kitchen more for what it was intended. We Americans eat out an awful lot and that is hard on the environment. Many restaurants do not recycle either their cans and boxes or their food waste that could be composted. Plus there can be a lot of throw away plasticware, table cloths, and other packaging.
In addition, your kitchen was intended for cooking, not just opening a package of lunchables and washing it down with a Diet Coke. I know I am getting a bit preachy here and I apologize if I have offended you. I know not everyone had the benefit of a mother who cooked and encouraged cooking skills in her children. If you don’t know how to cook, check out some cookbooks from the library that seem simple. It is really just a matter of following directions.
As I mentioned about the restaurants, if you recycle your packaging AND compost your food waste (no oil, dairy or meat products can go in the compost), you will be doing a tremendous amount to help the environment.
Speaking of recycling, consider what kind of packaging you are purchasing. Instead of getting individual servings of fruit cocktail or getting juice boxes, could you be creative and get a full-size can of fruit cocktail an entire bottle of juice? Instead of buying the sliced and cored pineapple, buy the whole pineapple and cut it yourself, storing it in a reusable container.
While we are speaking of pineapple, consider how far away your food has to travel to get to you. The closer your food has been grown, the less shipping costs and environmental factors PLUS your food didn’t have to be picked completely green and then ripen en route.
Look at the cleaners you are using in your kitchen. Bleach is terrible for the environment AND for you. Simple dishsoap will take care of a lot of the germs created in general food preparation and day-to-day living. If you have splattered raw chicken across the counter, use a germicide but make it one that is environmentally friendly (note: you will want to rinse off the area with fresh water rather than just leave the germicide sit there).
Phosphates are still permitted in dishwash detergent and they cause a variety of problems in the environment. I am running short on space here but trust me, they aren’t good for the environment and it is questionable that they are any good for us either. Do yourself and the planet a favor…look at your dishwash detergent (especially you automatic dishwash detergent) and see if it contains phosphates. If it does, please get some that doesn’t.
We haven’t even touched on purchasing organic foods (good for you AND the planet) or cooking with a crockpot instead of the oven (uses significantly less power) or reducing your meat consumption (good for you and the planet).
If any of this strikes a cord with you, try taking on the one that seems the simplest or makes the most sense to you. Try implementing the habit until it actually feels like a habit. Make sure you talk to your family members and/or roommates to make sure they are on-board too. Good luck!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who cares about the planet and the people living there. You can find awesome green cleaners at her website: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Tomorrow is my nephew Lee’s 18th birthday. It is hard to believe he has been gone almost four years. When he and his sister, Madison, died in a car accident it was devastating to the entire family. I heard the other day on the radio an interview with the publisher of the new book coming out about Senator Kennedy’s life. One of the things they quoted him as saying was about losing his brother, John F. Kennedy. He said, “You never fully get over a loss like that.” (I’m paraphrasing from memory so forgive me if I am off a few words.)
I think the loss of a child is like that. Every birthday, anniversary, and holiday that comes by feels like there is a hole in it. As their contemporaries grow and have momentous life events, the loss is felt again. Lee would have graduated from high school this year. I find myself wondering, “What would he have chosen to do after graduation?” In many ways, it doesn’t matter, but there is a part of me that still wonders…
Lee was the first child born in the new generation of my family. I was so excited when my sister Marie announced her pregnancy. I was still in college and years away from being in the right timing to have my own children so having a child born into my family was the next best thing.
Lee was a healthy and active child. He loved to joke and laugh. He loved animals and wasn’t so fond of school. He was friendly and outgoing. One of my favorite memories of Lee was about two years before the accident. Marie, Lee, and I all met up at a campground to spend the night before we picked up Madison and my step-daughter, Alyssa, at camp the next day. Marie ended up leaving the campground for an hour or so and Lee and I had a chance to connect. At one point he looked at me and said, “So, how have you been?” I don’t remember what I said but when I answered he asked a follow up question that directly correlated to my answer. And then after I answered again, he asked another question that was related. It was obvious that he was listening to me and he did a remarkable job carrying on a conversation. I was so impressed with the young man that he was growing into.
One of the ways I honor Lee is by bringing out some of his character traits in myself when it would be helpful. I have tried to lighten up and laugh more; to accept people for where they are at; to be outgoing and start conversations; to acknowledge that “it’s all good”.
Life is good and I am so grateful that Lee was born into our family and we had him for just over 14 years. He taught me a lot in those years and if I listen carefully, I continue to learn from him and his legacy.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who uses her supplements and meal replacements to keep her healthy when grieving. You can see more on her website at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: mental health, supplements | Tags: benefits of sleep, natural sleep
You have probably heard it said that we should be getting eight or nine hours of sleep per night for optimum health. I know many people consider themselves to be doing good if they get six uninterrupted hours per night. What we may not realize is the danger we are putting ourselves in when we consistently cut ourselves short on sleep.
Our bodies need sleep to rejuvenate, heal, detox, and grow. I know there are some people who seem to operate just fine on four, five, or six hours of sleep per day. That may be true. However, before you lump yourself into that category…consider the following:
There have been several sleep deprivation studies that have clearly shown that people who are sleepy behind the wheel drive as poorly as people who have had alcohol.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to have heart attacks.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get headaches.
People who don’t get enough sleep tend to have more mood swings.
So how can you get enough sleep?
It is my opinion that there are two keys to getting enough sleep:
- Plan to get enough sleep. Arrange your schedule and your activities so you can get to bed and sleep for a full eight to nine hours. This means better use of your waking hours so you aren’t up at midnight working on that special project for school or finishing the laundry.
- Use self-discipline to go to bed. When we were little our parents (most of our parents) made sure we were in bed by a certain time in order to get enough rest (and give themselves a break). Now WE need to each take responsibility for ourselves and demonstrate the same self-discipline we use to get to work on time or make sure our bills are paid to get ourselves in bed at a decent hour.
Additional tips for getting enough sleep are:
- If you nap during the day, keep it brief (30 minutes or less)…set an alarm! Too much sleep during the day will throw off your nightly routine and could set you up for a bad sleep pattern.
- Keep your bedroom dark. Our brain patterns for sleep work better in the dark. Plus I read of one study where people who slept in rooms that were not dark were more likely to develop cancer.
- Turn down the lights as you get closer to bedtime. This helps our bodies natural rhythms to recognize that sleep is coming, sort of like the sun setting.
- Watch how much you eat and drink before going to bed…especially caffiene and alcohol. Alcohol may make you sleepy initially but the effects can wear off after a couple hours. If you find yourself awake in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep, cut out the alcohol or consume it with dinner and not before bed.
- Turn off your brain. I regularly will read a chapter of a light reading novel before going to sleep. It helps me put good thoughts in my brain and decrease thoughts about “what I need to do tomorrow” or “what happened today” that may keep me awake and pondering.
- Take “Gentle Sleep Complex” 20-30 minutes before you go to bed. It has Chamomile and Valerian Root plus a few other herbs, is non-addicting, and doesn’t make you dopey. I use it on nights that I know I will have a harder time turning my brain off and settling down to sleep.
Consider committing to yourself to set up a good sleep habit for the next month and stick to it. See how your body feels if you are consistently getting eight hours of sleep per night.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who values a good night of sleep and loves waking up refreshed. You can find Gentle Sleep Complex at www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com As a Shaklee Independent Distributor she is compensated if you purchase products from her or her website.
