3 Things That Matter More Than What's On Your Plate.

Christina Santini offers nutrition target therapy + coaching + meditation/yoga .

Your body's biochemical functioning + brain chemical rebalancing takes place ONLY during those deep layers of sleep. If you are not sleeping at 10PM which is where we know from Ayurvedic Medicine that our body's main healing takes place, your body is simply not capable of healing from whatever stressors it has encountered during the day - that means that you can be an overly fanatic health-nut, cutting out this and that and carrying around Spirulina bags and whatnot, and yet you will suffer from a body that is slowly but surely breaking down.

Hormones such as testosterone and insulin are STRONGLY sensitive to sleep and the way you deal with stress.

In other words, if you can't seem to be losing that stubborn fat (particularly abdominal fat is due to an imbalance in testosterone/estrogen), and your energy levels are going down the drain - and especially for any sexual dysfunction - you may want to reconsider your sleep and meditation habits.

And if the word habit is not part of these practices, well, then you don't need to look at what's on your plate to improve your health in these areas - because it's a waste of time before your sleep and stress management tools are in place. Before that happens, your blood labs will be reflecting hormonal imbalances that are all over the map, including borderline diabetic tendencies. And this is true, EVEN if you eat a strict low-carb Paleo diet or whatnot. Doesn't matter - sort out your sleep and take some herbs that will help you calm down your mind. Everything else will fall into place after that.

Managing your nutrition before your sleep habits is like painting a house before the fundament is laid out.

Reference: J Pediatr. 2007 Apr;150(4):364-9. Association between inadequate sleep and insulin resistance in obese children. Flint J et al.

Ayurveda for New Moms

How you care for your healing body influences not only your ability to nurture your child, but also your health for the next few decades.

The first 2 weeks after birth your body goes through immense changes hormonally that also affects your brain and biochemistry. 

In Ayurveda this is described as an increase of vata in new mothers - in Western medicine this corresponds to a serotonin related imbalance:

- Cycling emotions


- Anxiety


- Short attention span

 
- Poor memory


- Dry skin, hair and nails


- Stretch marks


- Stiffness


- Poor circulation


- Fatigue


- Low digestive fire


- Constipation

The above symptoms can quickly be addressed if a daily ritual that caters to the resetting of internal rhythms is started upon. The most important aspect is consistency - it takes approx. 2 weeks to set a new internal rhythm.

An easy thing that you can do right away is to get in the habit of waking your body up with a tea that has healing properties for those ailments your body struggles with as a new mom.

NEW MOM TEA RECIPE

What’s in it?

1 tbsp cumin

Builds healthy digestive capacity, reduces vata

1 tbsp fennel seeds


Builds healthy digestive capacity, encourages breast milk production

1/2 tbsp coriander


Builds healthy digestive capacity, reduces inflammation, clears excess fluids

1 tbsp fenugreek 


Rids the body of excess swelling and water retention and encourages breast milk production

1 tbsp wild yam or licorice

Supports the endocrine system and reproductive tissue in healing; has antiviral properties

1 pinch lavender


Calms the nervous system and is antimicrobial

What to do?

Mix the above dried herbs in 5 cups of boiling water. Let steep 10 minutes. Strain and sip throughout the day in addition to always starting your day with a mug of this healing tea!

Natural Sleep Aids.

The typical alpha male struggles with insomnia 

not only due to work place stress, 

but this type often shows severe depletion 

in their calming neurotransmitters

- namely serotonin and GABA.

Massage is one way of quickly creating a boost in serotonin.

The key, however, is to change your dietary strategies,

 so they support your chemical imbalances,

 and thus enables you to live the life you really want.

Sleep is one of the most important pillars to good health - during sleep is when your brain recharges, most of your fatburning takes place and collagen and cell renewal. Yet, most of us find it increasingly difficult to sleep without either numbing ourselves out with afterwork drinks or rx sleep medication (highly addictive and you do NOT enter those deep layers of REM sleep btw. - that's why you continue to feel groggy!).

Insomnia is just about always associated with an imbalance in your serotonergic neurotransmitter system; and this is something you can rebalance with the right nutritional therapy within 6 months time completely - depending on severity.

A couple of no side-effects natural strategies that I use initially, depending on the client's genetic make-up, are based on Ayurvedic principles on how to calm down an overexcited central nervous system - some work better on certain people than others.
I will use one or more while rebalancing their neurotransmitter system, depending on their unique genotype.

You can incorporate herbs with sedative properties into your daily routine similar to as most of us have gotten used to our coffee fix - change routines, and repeat it until it becomes a natural no-frills habit.

- A warm herbal bath with drops of essential oils of lavender, chamomile, neroli or rose before going to bed works wonders to loosen tense muscles and quiet an overactive mind.

- Stuffed herb pillows with catnip, lavender, lemon balm, or orange blossoms, have been used traditionally to aid sleep.

- Warm milk (preferably goat's or casein a2) with ground almonds and a piece of nutmeg or cardamom helps digestion and nerve system.

- Herbal teas or tinctures of some of the following herbs support proper sleep pattern: lavender, hops, passionflower, chamomile, skullcap, lemon balm, valerian root and kava. These can be used in combinations or alone as suggested by your practitioner.

- A powerful herb for cultivating balance in the central nervous system is ashwagandha. This well-known Ayurvedic herb is helpful in nourishing a depleted and worn out nervous system.

Do remember that which strategies and dosages that will enable you to finally sleep sound, all depends on your genetic make-up and how your brain is wired - that's why custom natural medicine works and generalized advice is hit and miss.