Babies love it, the elderly love it – and you know? You do too. But for those of you who find it hard to fall asleep, it can be a nightmare. Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life, your physical health and your productivity throughout the day.

According to a conducted survey (2004), no less than 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a couple of nights a week or more.

Here are 7 tips to help you improve your sleep so that you may say bye-bye to the depressing sleepless nights you spend tossing and turning and cursing your fate:

Set a schedule

Bedtime doesn’t always have to be for children. Hit the sack at the same time every night and get out of it at the same time every morning. For bedtime, pick a time when you are usually deliriously exhausted, so that you may fall asleep as soon as you get in bed. Try not to break this routine, even on weekends when it is most tempting to stay up late.

Say no to naps

Power napping is known to be helping you get through your eventful day, but if you find it hard to fall asleep at your bedtime, rejecting even short catnaps may prove helpful. However, napping wisely can actually prove beneficial.

Slow down on the alcohol

While you may want to argue that the nightcap really makes it feel easier to fall asleep, a little later in the night, when your buzz wears off, your sleep is more likely to be disturbed.

Make your bed super comfortable

Make sure you have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably. Also, many people love sleeping in a bed full of pillows-keep them. Purchase a new, perhaps medicated mattress so that you don’t have to experience sore back or aching shoulders/neck. Test with different levels of mattress firmness, foam or egg crate toppers, and pillows that provide more or less support.

Keep your room cool

The temperature of your bedroom also affects how well or for how long you sleep. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room (Aim for somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit) with adequate ventilation.A room that’s too hot and a room that’s too cold can both interfere with quality sleep.

Turn off your television and computer early

A lot of people watch the television to relax at the end of the day. However, this does not only suppress melatonin production (a hormone that anticipates the daily onset of darkness), but watching the telly can actually excite the mind, rather than relaxing it! Instead, try listening to music, to audio books or practicing relaxation exercises.

Avoid a heavy dinner

When you’re asleep, your body pauses all the processes (except for respiration, for obvious reasons). Forcing your body to be digesting while you sleep will surely keep you up at night.

Dr. Jerry Mulder, who is a sleep apnea specialist in Grand Rapids says “Sleep makes you feel better. Nevertheless, its significance goes way beyond just boosting your mood or banishing under-eye circles. Adequate sleep is extremely essential in order to have a healthy heart, weight, mind, and so much more. “

Springtime and the warm season are finally here. It’s time to bring out the barbeque, dust off the patio furniture and start enjoying the great outdoors again! And it’s also time to shake off the cold-weather “blahs” and re-energize now that the days are longer and weather more inviting.

The recipes below can help shake off the wintertime blues. They are all based on fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices that can naturally boost energy levels (and immune systems!) and have anyone back on their feet in no time! The fact that they are absolutely delicious makes it all the easier to shake off the fatigue!

The Green Machine

Ingredients:

• 1 handful of kale
• 2 green apples
• 2 green pears
• 1 cucumber

Directions

Add to juicing machine and juice together. Can be refrigerated or drunk at room temperature.

There are many things that make this juice so healthy – and good for energy levels. Kale is chock-full of iron, vitamins and minerals and antioxidants that can bolster immunity and put a little spring back in the step. The pears and apples also have pectin, a special kind of fiber that aids digestion, cleanses the bloodstream of toxins and gets the body ready for the spring!

The Magenta Bliss

Ingredients:

• 6 carrots, peeled
• 4 fresh beets, peeled
• 2 red apples
• A small piece of ginger root
• A pinch of turmeric (optional)

Directions:

Peel the vegetables as directed, then add to juicing machine and juice together. This is best drunk chilled.

This drink will have energy levels boosted in no time. Beets have a natural sugar which will get the body pepped up, while its high fiber content keeps that energy levels from crashing. Beets are also packed with compounds called anthocyanins which give them their dark color and are powerful antioxidants. Ginger and turmeric also have antioxidant properties, as well as being able to reduce inflammation throughout the body and make it easier to fight off infections.

Lavender Tea

Ingredients:

• I cup crushed lavender
• 1-2 leaves of mint
• Honey to taste
• Lemon to taste
• A pinch of ginger powder

Directions

Boil a small amount of water in a saucepan. Add honey to taste once water is boiling. Add lavender, stir, and boil for a minute then add mint leaves and boil several minutes longer until pungent. Add a pinch of ginger powder, then strain out leaves and pour into a glass pitcher. Chill in refrigerator then serve over ice with lemon juice or lemon wedges to taste.

Many people do not think of lavender as a culinary herb and associate it instead with aromatherapy. Actually, it is good for both. The same potent compounds in the lavender essential oils make it an excellent pick-me-up because of their strong antioxidant properties. Honey is a great form of sugar, because although it breaks down fairly quickly in the body, it does bring with it a wealth of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

So give these drinks a try today. They are easy to make and great for the health. And they will make it easier to get energy levels back to normal after the winter and to get the most out of the spring and summertime.

Flaxseeds have a warm, deliciously nutty flavor that can compliment many foods ranging from baked goods and smoothies to roasted vegetables. Flaxseeds are slightly larger than sesame seeds and range in color from reddish brown to dark orange, depending on the variety.

Flaxseeds are available whole, crushed, or in the form of oil. These versatile seeds are considered an all-star food because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fiber and lignins, which all have beneficial health effects.

Eating two to five tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day, has been associated with reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, especially for people with high cholesterol.

Flaxseed Nutrition Facts

When you look at the nutritional benefits of flax seeds, there are many things that will catch your attention.

A 1 ounce (3 tbsp) serving of flaxseeds contains:

Omega-3 (ALA) 6,338mg
Fiber 8g
Protein 6g
Vitamin B1 31% RDA
Manganese 35% RDA
Magnesium 30% RDA
Phosphorus 19% RDA
Selenium 10% RDA
Also, flaxseeds contain a good amount of vitamin B6, Iron, potassium, copper and zinc.

Lemon Flaxseed Drink

Ingredients:

1 cup hot water
1/4 lemon
1 tsp ground flaxseed

Directions
Mix thoroughly. Drink and enjoy.

7 Other Health benefits of flaxseed drink

1.Flax seeds health benefits include their use in treating and fighting lyme disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, arrhythmia, multiple sclerosis, preterm labor, ulcers, etc.

2.The flax seeds can reduce the risk of colon cancer, skin cancer and endometrial cancer, as Omega 3 from flax seeds kill certain cancer cells without any effect on the normal cells and this can be therefore called the most important flax seed benefit.

3.Flax seed oil helps reduce the inflammation due to lupus, gout and kidney dysfunction. Flax seed oil offers an anti aging effect and it helps in healing sprains and bruises too.

4.Flax seed benefits include boosting of circulatory system, nervous system and reproductive system too.

5.Flax seeds strengthen the immune system by reducing nerve damage and by triggering nerve impulses.

6.Flax seed health benefits also include nourishing dry skin, reducing acne, psoriasis, sunburn, rosacea and for eczema treatment.

7.Flax seeds minimize the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular diseases.

Lung cancer is a difficult problem all over the world, and it accounts for a great percentage of the total cancer death. For person with lung cancer, having proper diet is important. Following are some dietary advices for someone with lung cancer:

Get enough protein

According to American Cancer Society, deficiency of protein will delay the healing of lung cancer. It’s recommended to consume high-quality protein items in your diet if you’re suffering from lung cancer, including fish, egg whites and a small amount of beef.

Eat more vegetables and fruits

Add more vegetables and fruits in a lung cancer patient’s diet, they will boost the metabolism and energy levels.

Drink more green tea

Drink at least 2 cups of green tea every day, as this super drink is believed to be with almost 500 times of antioxidants than vitamin C sources.

The magic of lycopene

Foods such as tomatoes, watermelon and papaya contain lycopene, which disrupts the growth of cancerous cells and prevents cancer from being severe.

Small servings and more times

Provide small frequent meals throughout the day will help the patient is getting sufficient amounts of protein, carbohydrates as well as other nutrients.

Ginger tea to ease an upset stomach

For relieving an upset stomach, sip a cup of ginger or mint tea will help. They can also help strengthen the immunity due to the high levels of antioxidants.

Enough fiber intake

Due to the treatment, a lung cancer patient may suffer from constipation. Include high fiber foods in the daily diet will help, such as oatmeal and whole-grain products.

Make vegetables soft

Steam the vegetables to make them easy to chew and swallow, because for some lung cancer patients, they may feel difficult to swallow foods.

Note: Always talk with your doctor or dietician to determine the proper diet.

The thyroid gland is the body’s master controller. It controls how the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.

Hormonal output from the thyroid is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by the anterior pituitary. Most doctors only look at the TSH level when testing for thyroid issues. Unfortunately, this only tells a small part of how your hormones are functioning.

There are many things that can affect how your thyroid functions. Here is an article from OrganicHealth.co that lists 9 ordinary household items that can destroy your thyroid.

The Dangers of Thyroid Toxins
Toxins are present in our environment, and there’s very little we can do to eliminate all of them. We can, however, limit our exposure to toxic compounds, reducing the likelihood of experiencing issues with our thyroid. Supplementing with iodine is also an important step toward protecting your thyroid from toxic compounds. Learn these 6 toxins that can destroy your thyroid so you can prepare yourself. (S1)
7 Toxins that Destroy Your Thyroid

Pesticides
One study found that women married to men who used pesticides in their daily work were at a much higher risk of developing thyroid problems than other women. Another study warns that about 60 percent of pesticides used today may affect the thyroid gland’s production of hormones. Many antifungals and weed killers used on produce have been shown to decrease thyroid function and increase weight-loss resistance.

Soy
Phytoestrogens in soy proteins have been found to inhibit thyroid peroxidase. Soy is able to disrupt normal thyroid function by inhibiting the body’s ability to use iodine, blocking the process by which iodine becomes the thyroid hormones, inhibiting the secretion of thyroid hormone, and disrupting the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3. Researchers have also found that infants fed soy formula had a prolonged increase in their thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, compared to infants fed non-soy formulas. Soy is also commonly a genetically modified food (GMO), which adds another variable to consider.

Fluoride
Almost 70 percent of the U.S. moisten supply is fluoridated to help debar cavities. Many people don’t be aware of, however, that fluoride was actually prescribed in the same proportion that a remedy for an overactive thyroid during the first half of the 20th centenary. According to some reports, 2 to 5 mg of fluoride per day over a period of months was all it took to lower thyroid form of ~; this becomes a problem when you effectuate that’s about the same aggregate people drinking fluoridated water are exposed to daily.

Bromine
Bromine is toxic to the thyroid, but with it in everything from pool cleaner to pasta, finding something without the endocrine disruptor can be tricky. [3] Often, even healthy patients can have high levels of the flame-retardant substance in their bodies.

Perchlorates
The Center for Disease Control says that almost everyone on earth have perchlorates in their bodies. Perchlorate is a byproduct when they produce fuels for jets and rockets, fireworks and airbags. Unfortunately this toxin is not in our drinking water, which is then used to water our food sources. A study done by the CDC says that there is a direct link between perchlorate levels and the hormones in your thyroid. It’s difficult to avoid all perchlorates, but you can limit your exposure by always drinking filtered water and eating organic fruits and vegetables.

Halogens
No, not the headlights on your car, we are referring to fluoride and chloride. Overexposure can lead to an interruption of the iodine transport. Fluoride suppress thyroid function and the dose needed to lower the functioning of the thyroid is quite low, just 2 to 5 mg per day. These halogens are absorbed through food, water, even the environment. Because their makeup is similar to iodine, these halogens occupy the iodine receptors in your body and make the natural iodine in your body ineffectual.

Plastics
Plastics are hazardous to both the environment and your body. A chemical that leeches from plastic bottles, antimony, is just one concern. A study done at the University of Copenhagen found that the levels of antimony in juices that were stored in plastic bottles were more than 2.5 times higher than what is considered safe for tap water. BPA and phthalates have also been shown in studies to reduce thyroid function.(S2)
Use This Drink To Heal Thyroid naturally