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.

Drink Your Shrink: Calming Lemon Balm Ice Tea

I love sipping this during the hot days of summer!
Lemon has an alkalizing effect on you body and thereby works anti-inflammatory together with the raw honey. Do remember that honey is one of those foods that absolutely must be taken raw (check the label, it should say raw on it). Excessive heating - as in pasteurization - changes its properties as it ferments; disabling your body from digesting it and turning into a sticky glue-like toxic substance in your body. This is also why pasteurized honey is a no-go in Ayurvedic medicine.

Lemon balm is one of those herbs that have been used since ancient times to calm an overexcited nervous system. Lemon balm has been found to reduce cortisol levels and also levels of an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter GABA -- an inhibitory neurotransmitter known for its calming effects on the nervous system, particularly an area called the hippocampus.
To notice a significant calming effect and boosting GABA measurably, you need dosage levels of 50- 200 mg/kg body weight daily for three weeks.

The results of lemon balm's actions in reducing cortisol and preserving GABA promote cell growth and development in the hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system and contributes to the control of emotions such as anxiety.

A great and healthy alternative to Xanax which is one of the fastest growing prescription drug addictions in the United States, by the way. Xanax is a benzo used to treat anxiety and panic disorders; the side effects are vast and range from irregular heart-beat to depression. Even though Xanax may be used in short-term scenarios, keep in mind that it does not boost your brain-GABA levels which is the real key to overcoming anxiety for good!

You are anxious because your body's stress filter is off - so you need to restore it rather than simply suppress the symptoms temporarily!

If this doesn't do it for you, know that anxiety can also be a symptom of other brain chemicals being out of whack - i.e. excessive high dopamine, low serotonin and/or a combination. That's why it's important to understand your unique biochemistry type, so you match your diet, supplements and lifestyle with your genetic profile - whether it be for preventative or treatment related purposes!

An online biochemistry testing incl. lab analysis and a health provider service will be launching at The Nutrition Doctor's site Www.ChristinaSantini.com end of August, so stay tuned!

Makes 8 servings.

What's in it?

• Big bunch of fresh lemon balm stalks with leaves
  
• 1/2 cup of raw honey
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 8 cups water

What to do?

• Stuff as much rinsed lemon balm into a slow cooker as will fit and cover with 8 cups of water - let simmer for about 3 hrs on low heat.
• Drain the resulting liquid into a pitcher
• While it's still warm, add raw honey and lemon juice. 
• Add more water to taste
• Chill before serving

Reference:

Dae Yoo, Jung Choi, Woosuk Kim, et al. Effects of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) Extract on Neurogenesis Associated with Serum Corticosterone and GABA in the Mouse Dentate Gyrus. Neurochemical Research (13 November 2010), 

pp. 1-8, doi:10.1007/s11064-010-0312-2