Sleep and Your Gut Bacteria

Circadian rhythms are patterns of brainwave activity, hormones, cell regeneration and biological activities that occur on a daily basis. And sleeping well at the right time each day is essential to keeping the circadian rhythms functioning properly so we function properly too.

The fact that our microbes are actually the regulators of this function and that our sleep patterns are an issue for our microbes should not surprise us. They need us to rest so they can do their thing while we sleep and keep their balance as it should be.

There is also more news you might be interested in. Not having the right microbes may be lowering your metabolic rate while you sleep and this can lead to weight gain. This is based on a mouse study at UI Carver College of Medicine which found that mice given a drug that lowers beneficial bacteria, had a lower metabolic rate both when resting and when asleep, causing them to gain weight.

So what should you do? Should you work on sleeping better to help the microbes or should you work on your gut health to help you sleep better? The answer is to do both. There are number of strategies that can help.

To help reset your circadian rhythm:

  • Go to bed at a set time and get up at the same time as much as possible
  • Avoid bright lights near bedtime
  • Avoid eating or exercising close to bedtime
  • Sleep in a dark space as light tricks the body into thinking it is time to be awake
  • Develop a relaxing routine before bed whether it is taking a bed, deep breathing exercises or having a nice cup of herbal tea such as chamomile or valerian.

For those who have irregular work hours and therefore sleep schedules, consider talking to a practitioner about taking melatonin.

Diet also plays a role. In another mouse study, both high fat and low fat diets played a negative role in the function of circadian rhythms and they also altered the microbiome. Short-chain fatty acid production was lower, especially butyrate which is essential for circadian rhythm function. Butyrate is produced by beneficial colon bacteria from resistant starch found in complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, wheat, rice, legumes and sweet potatoes. To improve gut health:

  • Eat prebiotic foods, especially those with resistant starch
  • Take probiotics which can help melatonin levels and in turn, help restore circadian rhythms
  • Butyrate supplements are available if you are unsure as to how well you are producing it

Sleep is one more example of the potential problems caused by dysbiosis and why we should be focused on improving our gut health.

This Week on TheHealthHub…Back to School Basics with Meredith Deasley

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

This Week on TheHealthHub…

Meredith Deasley started her company “The Resourceful Mother” in 2002, specializing in nutrition for families. Meredith is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, a Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner and is a Life Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

In 2010, Meredith published her breakout book, “The Resourceful Mother’s Secrets to Healthy Kids”  followed by “The Resourceful Mother’s Secrets to Emotional Health” in 2014. Her work is read in over 120 countries and 2400 cities.

Meredith has helped hundreds of families solve their physical and emotional health challenges through individual consultations. She conducts nutrition and emotional health seminars and teaches at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. In the past 15 years Meredith has been interviewed on numerous radio and television shows and been written about in newspapers and magazines.

 


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5 Healthy Snacks to Get You Through Your Day

Are you on Team Snacker or Team Anti-Snacker? I have to admit right from the get go here that I lie somewhere in the middle depending upon who I am working with and their health goals and lifestyles.  The fact remains though that in all situations, snacking should not be a source of empty calories. So wave goodbye to the office vending machine and drive right on past the corner donut store because no matter what team you are on your food choices should be nutritious and health promoting. But this is easier said than done when it comes to snacks because quite often we are looking for quick, tasty and portable options to bridge meal times. With all of these qualifiers it’s no wonder that the most common question I get when putting together a nutritional protocol for clients is “Can you please give me some good snack ideas?”

So here you go. These are my top 5 go-tos when it comes to healthy snacks.

  1. Trail Mix

Trails mixes are great! Make them with your favourite nuts, add some healthy seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and hemp and then kick it up a nutritional notch with goji berries. Protein, healthy fats and fibre in every bite!

  1. Mason Jar Veggies with Hummus

Grabbing a good quality, ready-made hummus at your local grocer is just fine if you don’t have the time to make your own. Divide it in to a few mason jars then add your favourite veggies on top like carrots, celery, broccoli and red pepper. Lid it up and you have a simple, nutritious snack that’s easy to travel with.

  1. Apples

wholefoods

Please do not undervalue simplicity when it comes to snacking. Apples come in many varieties and are a great source of fibre, phytonutrients and antioxidants.  Prepackage and ready to go, apples area a great snacking choice.

  1. Soup

Searching for a good healthy snack can be as easy as looking to yesterday’s lunch or dinner.  I make a lot of soups and love to pack them in a thermos and sip them when I need a boost during the day. The variety of soups is endless so you will never get bored!

  1. Hard-boiled Eggs

Make these ahead of time and then grab them on the fly. Hard-boiled eggs are a punch of protein and good fats and are also a good source of the nutrient choline.

If snacking is a part of your routine, these nutritious options can help to support your health goals and are very easy to incorporate in to your every day life.

This Week on TheHealthHub…Fall/Winter Garden Prep with Teresa Matamoros

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

This Week on TheHealthHub…

 

Teresa Matamoros, BSc, ODH, ISA Certified Arborist is the founder and  President of Garden Holistics Inc. Garden Holistics was founded in 1997 in Toronto and the GTA, but moved 12 years ago to the shores of Georgian Bay.  Garden Holistics is an Accredited Organic Land Care Practitioner from The Society for Organic Urban Land Care and provides professional and dedicated landscape maintenance and installation service.

 


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This Week on TheHealthHub…Pet Psychologist Katherine Andrews

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

This Week on TheHealthHub…

Founder and Owner of the Animal Psychology Center in Philip, South Dakota, Katherine Andrews is a pet psychologist and animal behaviorist. Her passion is to train and rehabilitate dogs with behavioral issues. Through her early love for animals, she developed it into a lifetime career and commitment. Backed with 20 years of animal training experience, she takes pride in making life better for people and pets through her animal psychology services. Communication is the foundation of what she does; communicating with animals, communicating with humans, and getting them to communicate with one another.

Katherine’s Website

http://www.animalpsychologycenter.com


 

 

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Visit our website and learn how to listen to our show each week.
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If you have a health topic that you would like us to discuss or are a health care specialist who wants to be a guest on our show let us know!

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