What is Insomnia?

Many adults have suffered from symptoms of insomnia at one point in their life. As many as 30-40% of adults surveyed report symptoms of insomnia over the period of a year; however, less than 10% of people actually have chronic insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which a person has difficulty falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep through out the night. Loss of sleep can be caused by multiple factors like stress, depression or life event changes. Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder that can be diagnosed and treated. Women and the elderly are the most common targets of this disorder. There are two types of insomnia, primary and secondary.

The causes of primary insomnia are environmental influences that a person may encounter and are not related to other health conditions. In contrast, secondary insomnia is related to other issues such as health conditions, chronic pain, medication or other substances one is consuming, like alcohol.

Causes of insomnia…

Insomnia can also be classified by the amount of time one is affected by it. Acute insomnia is a short-term ordeal, where difficulty sleeping is sporadic, or may last for only a few weeks. However, chronic insomnia is long-term. Chronic insomnia is distinguished by being unable to sleep for at least three nights per week, and can last for a month or longer.
The causes of acute insomnia are most often related to irregular conditions in a person’s day-to-day life experiences. Significant stress from life like loss of a loved one, loosing a job or divorce can cause trouble sleeping. Illness, physical strain or medications may disrupt a person’s sleep cycle for a period of time as well. Some medications for colds, allergies or depression can act as stimulants. If this is the case, speak with your health care provider to find an alternative that will not disrupt your sleep. Other environmental influences can cause sleep disruption as well, like light, noise or temperature. In today’s modern society, working “swing shifts”, a night shift or jet lag also commonly cause sleep cycle disruptions.

Chronic insomnia is related to other underlying conditions such as depression or anxiety, pain or discomfort during the night or chronic stress. If the trouble sleeping is related to a medical condition, it is imperative that the medical condition is addressed. Loss of sleep while ill may lead to decreased ability to recover from an illness. In addition, treating the medical condition causing ones insomnia will most often relieve the symptoms of insomnia.

Signs and Symptoms…

There are various signs and symptoms of insomnia. Commonly sufferers of insomnia report the inability to fall asleep, waking during the night, failure to return to sleep after waking or waking up too early in the morning. Unrefreshed rest resulting from a pattern of sleep difficulties may cause significant daytime sleepiness and general fatigue. These symptoms can lead to irritability, problems concentrating or memory problems. Insomnia is one of the leading causes of absenteeism from work and decreased productivity while at work. Fatigue and tiredness may leave a person feeling drained at the end of the day, which can also negatively influence their quality of life while at home.

Women specifically can suffer from insomnia due to fluctuating hormone levels at specific points in their life cycle. Sleeplessness may be caused by menopause, menstruation and pregnancy.

Steps to insure sleep…

A person can make several helpful choices to encourage a restful night of sleep. The first and most basic being listen to ones own “internal clock”. A person’s sleep-wake cycle is regulated by ones own Circadian Rhythm, which is a portion of the body’s “internal clock”. When a person begins a new sleep pattern, the body’s sleep clock is still on its original schedule and wants to sleep at its preprogrammed time. This is the most basic reason why a person still feels tired even though they are unable to sleep. If a person is having trouble sleeping, there are steps that can be taken to promote a restful night. Some basic sleep hygiene steps (steps to promote sleep) are:

* Sleep at the same time every night, including weekends. At the same time, ensure you are getting the proper amount of sleep that your body desires.
* Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that may keep you awake. Alcohol, although it can make a person feel sleepy, can also reduce sleep quality leaving one feeling unrested in the morning.
* Get regular exercise, studies show exercise may reduce stress. However, do not exercise with in 3-4 hours before bed.
* Avoid heavy meals before bedtime. However, if you are hungry, a light snack before bed may actually help you sleep.
* Make sure your bedroom and bed are comfortable. Keep your sleep environment dark, quiet and at a comfortable temperature, not too cool, not too warm. If light is a problem, try black out curtains or a sleep mask, if noise is a problem, try a white noise machine, a fan or ear plugs.
* Have a time to relax before bed. Reading a book or taking a bath may promote relaxation.
* Do not use the bedroom for anything other than sleep or sex :).
* If a person feels unable to sleep and does not feel drowsy, get up. Engage in something that is relaxing like reading or listening to music.
* While in bed if one finds their mind flooded with tomorrows “to do list”, make a list before bed. This way ones thoughts will not constantly replay what needs to be accomplished the next day.

Diagnosis…

Insomnia can be difficult to diagnose because of differentiations in individual sleep patterns and reported levels of fatigue. If you feel you suffer from insomnia, see your health care professional. The initial evaluation may include a physical exam and questions about your medical history. To determine the level of sleeplessness you are experiencing, your health care provider may ask you several questions, like how long the symptoms last, weather or not you snore, or if the symptoms occur every night. A health care professional may also ask a person to start a sleep diary so one can record the events as they happen. Currently there is also a short survey available to health care providers which is designed to evaluate the level of daytime sleepiness and sleep-wake patterns; this will assist in determining how severe ones insomnia may be. If a health care provider thinks it is necessary, they may refer one to a sleep disorder clinic for further diagnosis or treatment.

Treatment…

There are several different treatment options for insomnia. A person working with their health care provider can decide on what is the most appropriate course of action to take. The course of treatment will be based on what is keeping a person from experiencing the level of sleep their body specifically needs. A health care provider may suggest behavior modification, like creating an environment that is conducive to relaxation and sleeping. Another option may be to practice relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation. Exercise during the day may also be recommended, as it does reduce stress and promotes a deeper level of sleep.
Sleep Hygiene Tips

As an alternate option, a health care provider may prescribe a medication. Currently there are several medications available for treatment of insomnia. These medications, called hypnotics, are prescribed when the cause of insomnia has been determined and other appropriate therapy options have been explored. A heath care provider will determine, based on your medical history, your current medical condition and your level of insomnia, if hypnotics are right for treatment. Hypnotics carry out their chemical task on specific sleep related areas of the brain. Hypnotics do induce sleep and some activate the ability to stay asleep through the night. There are side effects from hypnotics, as with any drug. Before starting a regimen of medication, talk to a health care provider about any side effects like morning headaches, sleepwalking or dependency.

Oolong Tea and Weight Loss

here is so much interest in weight loss and oolong tea (a.k.a. wulong tea) that we are going to look at research supporting the connection.

Let's start at the beginning

All tea comes from one plant Camellia Sinensis if it doesn't come from that plant it is not tea (herbs come from a variety of plants). Over time, the plant has protected itself from photosynthetic stressors by forming chemical compounds known as polyphenols. Polyphenols, which include flavonoids, have the same beneficial class of compounds, antioxidants, that make fruits and vegetables good for you.

The difference in green tea and oolong tea is processing. All tea is green when picked. Green tea is heated in order to halt the natural enzymatic reaction (oxidation) of the leaf. Once dried, green tea leaves are then rolled intentionally breaking the cell structure. Oolong tea leaves are plucked, kept under carefully controlled conditions and allowed to oxidize. These leaves are not intentionally broken, leaving most of the cell structure intact. These processing differences make each category of tea beneficially different even though they come from the same plant.

he Weight Loss Connection

The two main ways to reduce food related body weight are; increase energy expenditure (EE) and inhibit the absorption of nutrients, including fat and carbohydrates. Caffeine is a stimulant so it is widely accepted that the caffeine in tea increases metabolism, hence increasing EE. So the question becomes, is it only the caffeine or are other compounds in the tea contributing to that increase?

The Research

The Chinese have long believed that oolong tea is beneficial in reducing and maintaining weight. A Chinese study, in 1998, of 102 females showed that continuous consumption of oolong tea for six weeks resulted in a reduction of body weight. This study, along with the question of other compounds contributing to tea's weight loss benefits, spurred further research.

In 2001, Physiologist Dr. William Rumpler, of the US Agriculture Research Services' Diet and Human Laboratory, investigated the ancient Chinese belief that oolong tea is effective in controlling body weight. The study measured how tea influences energy expenditure (EE) and included 12 male volunteers who were given 4 separate beverage formulas over three consecutive days. The beverage formulas consisted of; 1) full strength oolong tea, 2) caffeinated water with caffeine equal to full strength oolong tea, 3) half strength oolong tea and 4) non caffeinated water.

The participants 24 hour EE was measured and resulted in;

- EE levels of about 3% higher when they drank either the full strength oolong tea or the caffeinated water versus the non caffeinated water.
- Participants burned an average of 67 more calories per day when drinking the full strength oolong tea.
- Participants increased fat oxidation (fat burning) by a whooping 12% after consuming the full strength oolong tea versus the caffeinated water.
- This data confirms that a component other than caffeine is responsible for promoting the preferential use of fat as an energy source.

The increase in fat oxidation in this study is amazing! Drinking oolong tea can actually tell your body to burn fat for energy! Scientists then speculated that caffeine combined with EGCGs worked together to increase fat oxidation.

A Japanese study, conducted in 2003, went one step further comparing the benefits of oolong tea and green tea on weight reduction. Eleven healthy young female students participated in this well controlled study. Participants received three different beverage formulas; 1) oolong tea, 2) powdered green tea leaves and 3) water.

Both teas were prepared with boiling water. The oolong tea steeped for five minutes and the powdered green tea leaves were dissolved.

After measurements were taken, the results determined;

- Oolong tea had higher EE levels from beginning to end and at intervals of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes.
- EE levels peaked at 90 minutes for both oolong and green tea and remained at their respective levels until 120 minutes.
- These results indicate that after consuming oolong tea you will expend more energy then if you were to drink green tea or water and that it can last up to two hours.

The concentrations of caffeine, individual catechins and other polyphenols were also measured producing these interesting findings;

- The caffeine and EGCG content was much higher in the green tea versus the oolong tea.
- The concentration of polymerized polyphenols was significantly higher in the oolong tea versus the green tea.

These findings show that it's the polymerized polyphenols, highest in oolong tea, that link tea to burning fat, not just the caffeine or just the combination of caffeine and EGCGs. Furthermore, the rest of the compounds compared in the teas were similar or equal to one another with no marked differences, reinforcing the results.

We have shown that oolong tea significantly increases EE for up to as much as 120 minutes and can even promote preferential use of fat as an energy source making it a healthy tool for reducing and maintaining weight. So what about absorption of nutrients?

Oolong tea's effect on blocking the absorption of fats and carbohydrates is thought to play a key role in its weight reducing benefits. While more studies need to be done, initial studies indicate that oolong tea has absorption blocking potential.

There are proven methods for losing weight and keeping it off; exercise, getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet. Oolong tea can enhance these positive changes and garner faster results.

Let's Face It

- Oolong tea is not a quick fix despite the recent advertising claims by slick marketing "professionals."
- These studies do not indicate that oolongs grown in a specific area are better fat burners than other oolongs. It's the processing that counts.
- Losing 20 lbs in 30 days by adding two cups of oolong tea to your daily routine is nothing more than hype. If this were true, I'd be a size 2.
- If you were dieting, drinking oolong and exercising it would be hard to achieve that much weight loss in 30 days.
- If it sounds too good to be true, then it is to good to be true!

Oolong - The Facts

- Oolong teas taste great and are delicious hot or cold.
- There is a tremendous variety of affordable oolong tea.
- Enjoy a cup of oolong 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your walk, workout or yoga session and reap the rewards!
- Drink oolong in the afternoon to stave off late day sweet cravings and energy slumps.
- All of these aid in healthy weight loss and maintenance

Herbs Provide Fuel For The Body to Build it Stronger and Healthier

Herbs have been used for a long time as foods to heal disease in our human society. It can be estimated that herbs have been used by humans for at least 15,000 years, with animals using the herbs as medicine for much longer. They, fortunately, had the instinct to search and find the herb they need when it is needed, while our animals of today are limited by fences. Many veterinarians claim that horses will go out and look for a plant that will be helpful to get them to get rid of a parasite when they have it. This plant is called Wormwood. A lot of the first herb uses were actually learned from observing and ill animal and watching it go out and get a plant. Man then followed and ate the plant himself.

The Indians in South American discovered that the Pau d’Arco tree possesses a lot of medicinal ability in the inner back by observing that the inner bark repelled the insects that flooded other trees in the rain forest. The Indians also found a bush that is found in a certain canyon increased their eyesight, so they named it Eyebright. Similarly, the Arizona Apache and Pima Indians found that if they took a twig of the Chaparral bush and heated it and placed it in or next to a tooth hoe, the pain and infection were relieved.

Because of the above, it can be inferred that man has been using herbs for an extremely long time. This is important, especially when taking it to comparison just how short-term the use of chemicals has been. There is no doubt to anyone that chemical use over a long period of time causes a negative effect on the human body. It seems extremely odd that the scientific community prefers their scientific laboratory experiments with chemicals over 4,000 to 5,000 years of herb use. It seems as if someone would see the inadequacy of trying to find a medicine in laboratories by working with animals over a period of months versus the use of herbs by humans in their natural habitat for thousands of years.

Chemicals are not food for the human body as they have all sorts of negative effects including unwanted immune responses which cause inflammation. They do not provide any nutritional affects. Herbs, on the other hand, are foods that fuel the human body, nourishing it and also cleansing it so that it may be energized. Additionally, these herbs have a lot of unknown positive effects. This seems so simple that some wonder how anyone in a professional status could see the truths in prescribing a drug for their spouse or client. A lot of times it is suggested that patients ask their doctors if they would prescribe the same drug or surgery for their wife or children. We need to become aware of the responsibility we have to our bodies.

Many herbs have Glyconutrients and polysaccharides that can feed the immune system. These Glyconutrients or polysaccharides are simple sugars that provide raw materials for the body to build its self better and stronger. Every cell in the body is wrapped with instructions. When the immune system come in contact with each cell, it determines whether its friend or foe. Herbs can help the body build its self better.

Those people who ask if they will become dependant on an herb are thinking of the herbs as a drug instead of food. Although we are dependant on food, it is better to eat food that has been proven to help our body, rather than one which will poison it. Herbs are foods that have proven elements involved which will provide a positive effect on our body. Each specific herb can provide a specific need to our body

Although acupuncture has a history that spans approximately 5,000 years and is used by 25% of the world's population, it has only been in the last decade that its popularity has increased significantly in North America. One of the reasons for that increase is that people have discovered that acupuncture produces results. In a study conducted in six clinics in five states, 91.5% of patients treated with acupuncture reported disappearance or improvement of symptoms; 84% said they go to see their physicians less frequently; 79% said they use fewer prescription drugs; and 70% of those to whom surgery had been recommended said they avoided it.

What is Acupuncture?

Most people know that acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into the body but many don't really understand how it works or the philosophy behind the treatment. Acupuncture is a major part of the system of Oriental medicine. It's based on the same basic principle from which all of the Oriental healing arts spring - that an invisible energy system underlies the body, and that imbalance in that energy (Qi) leads to illness. Eastern modalities also include Oriental bodywork therapy, dietary therapy, herbal medicine and Qi Gong (energy-based meditation). Underlying them all is a world view that sees human beings as directly connected to all life, and part of the same design that includes the entire cosmos.

In the Oriental view, health is balance or harmony within a person and their environment that manifests as a peaceful vitality. Oriental medicine emphasizes the prevention and treatment of illness, addressing the diet and lifestyle factors which influence health and disease, and encouraging a person to become more self-aware. The goal of therapy, with acupuncture and the other arts, is to restore balance to a person's underlying foundational energy, and in doing so attune her to that part of herself that knows how to live in a healthful and peaceful way. The ultimate aim is to help people manifest their unique potential or destiny (ming) in life.

How It Works

Acupuncture first used stone needles (ouch!) and later employed iron, bronze and bamboo as technology advanced. Today's needles are very fine, sterile, stainless steel needles which are quite comfortable, and generally inserted with the aid of plastic guide tubes which minimize the sensation of insertion. Nearly all American practitioners use disposable needles, to save time and expense, and to help patients be at ease. They are much thinner than the hypodermic needles we remember from the doctor's office, and so are far more comfortable when inserted.

Acupuncture is not painful, nor is it entirely painless. Once the needle is set, it usually is not even felt at all. Needles are left in for about 20 minutes, then removed. The specific sites used, often called points, are doorways into the energy system. These energic portals lie on pathways called channels or meridians. Channels are unseen rivers that carry the life energy (Qi) which underlies all human function. Each channel corresponds to and affects a specific organ system, which includes a range of physical functions, as well as emotional, mental and spiritual aspects.