Tag: managing stress

Insomnia, Fatigue, Stress & Weight Loss Success

sleep and weight loss

How much you sleep and the quality of your sleep play a crucial part in weight management. For the millions of Americans who suffer from insomnia, the most pressing concern is the stress and anxiety caused by chronic lack of sleep.  

Few people think of the connection between weight management and sleep. I think the link between diet and sleep quality is fascinating. Let's explore…

sleep facts

The Link Between Obesity & Insomnia

But first, let me briefly explain why I think the link between diet and sleep quality is fascinating. Mostly, it’s because few people think of the connection between weight management and sleep. For the millions of Americans who suffer from insomnia, the most pressing concern is the stress and anxiety caused by chronic lack of sleep.

While habit-forming sleeping pills are the most common solution, perhaps the easiest and most overlooked sleep remedy is eating a healthier diet. After all, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the obesity epidemic has been paralleled by a trend of reduced sleep duration and quality.

In 2023, ChefV.com products were the focus of an independent clinical trial by Citrus Labs. The 38 participants who completed a 21 DAY DETOX and then continued on a GREEN DRINK plan for 7 days saw vast improvements in all areas of their life. This includes a 34% reduction in inflammation and an average weight loss of nearly 8 pounds, and a 44% improvement in sleep quality.

Calcium In Leafy Greens

When most people think of the bone-building mineral, calcium, they think of milk and other dairy products. But dairy can promote inflammation in the body. A much better source of calcium is green leafy veggies, like the two kinds of kale in my Green Drink recipe.

Research suggests that if you don’t get enough calcium, you may have a more difficult time falling asleep. But there’s far more sleep benefits in green leafy veggies, according to research. These plants also contain micronutrients which may also influence sleep, such as tryptophan, potassium, magnesium, fiber, iron, calcium, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin, choline, complex carbs, and beta carotene.

And when you drink cold-blended Green Drink, the fiber is preserved. Fiber has been shown to be associated with deeper and more restorative sleep.

Green veggies (and yellow ones) also contain the eye-health promoting antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin. Not only do these antioxidants help you see better in the dark, they also help you sleep better. That’s because lutein and zeaxanthin filter out blue light.

Blue light, which is emitted from your smart phone, TV and other devices interferes with production of the sleep hormone, melatonin.

In addition, green leafy veggies contain lycopene (another great source: tomato paste)  and beta carotene, which have also been associated with less difficulty falling asleep.

chef v and green drink

Selenium For Sleep

The trace mineral, selenium has also been linked to sleep quality. If you eat sustainable sources of seafood along with nuts, you’re getting enough selenium. Brazil nuts are one of the best sources. They are high in calories so make sure you limit the serving size to just one handful.

Besides its effect on sleep, this macronutrient is also linked to immune function and inflammation response.

Vitamin C

Less Vitamin C intake was associated with non-restorative sleep. Red and yellow peppers contain mega C. Brussel sprouts, kale, broccoli, strawberries and cauliflower are other healthy sources rich in C.

Vitamin B6

I don’t eat that much animal protein. But one reason I include wild salmon in my diet (along with the occasional tuna when I’m at a sushi restaurant) is because it contains a good amount of vitamin B6. Among the many benefits of this water-soluble vitamin (also called pyridoxine), one of them is melatonin production.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important for sleep because not getting enough of this mineral in your diet is linked to problems staying asleep. A great source of magnesium is grains. Not all grains are good for you, however, especially ones that don’t have a lot of nutrients and get digested too quickly. Barley, wild rice, amaranth, and triticale are a few examples of magnesium-rich grains that your body takes a long time to digest. (The longer it takes to digest, the less cravings you’ll have.

eat this not that

Don’t Eat This And That If You Want A Good Night’s Sleep

If you want to fall asleep fast, limit your intake of dairy and meat. Palmitic acid is a saturated fat. It’s found in butter, cheese, milk, and meat. One study shows that diets high in palmitic acid led to an increased difficulty in falling asleep. Another study reported rats fed a diet rich in palmitic acid, were unable to regulate their food intake.

The bottom line is that if you want to sleep better, it’s yet another reason you should get lots of green leafy veggies in your diet. I created the Organic Green Drink to make it very easy to get your daily dose of them. So Drink Up!

And if you need more guidance on what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat, when you sign up for a Green Drink Plan, or one of my Cleanse & Detox programs, you’ll receive all my healthy eating guidelines for long-term weight loss success!

To your health,
Veronica — Founder, Chef V

References:

Sleep Symptoms Associated with Intake of Specific Dietary Nutrients

Influence of Dietary Intake on Sleeping Patterns of Medical Students

Sleep and obesity

Chef V and kale

CBD and Anxiety: What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You

cbd oil

Don’t get me wrong, I love being an entrepreneur and helping coach aspiring lady business leaders….

But as I’ve mentioned before, owning a business isn’t all Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous.

In fact, despite all the yoga I do to manage stress, anxiety can still get the best of me; I’m only human.

So … I’ve been thinking about using CBD to chill out when work pressure starts bubbling up to the surface.

Recently, I wrote about the promising results of CBD on lowering inflammation.

I’ve also been reading lots of reports online about people using CBD to calm the nerves.

Being a certified nutrition therapist and research geek, I wanted to see if there were any studies that support claims that CBD for anxiety is legit.

Here’s what I found out….

cbd candy

How Do You Use CBD For Anxiety?

But before I go over some of the research, I wanted to share a few common questions people have about using CBD for anxiety.

“Will I get high if I use it? ”

The answer: maybe.

You see, CBD is just one of about 100 identified compounds in marijuana. But CBD is non-psychoactive. That means that unlike THC, the infamous compound in weed that gets you high, CBD doesn’t make you feel high. In fact, CBD counteracts the effects of THC.

Now the reason I answered ‘maybe’ to the question is that some tinctures (a therapeutic liquid made by dissolving a drug in alcohol) contain a mix of THC and CBD. As I said, CBD works in opposition to THC. But if you have a high ratio of THC in the tincture, it can make you feel loopy.

But you don’t need any THC in order to get the anxiety-relieving effects. Instead, just buy pure CBD oil.

Just make sure that you get CBD oil that comes from hemp, which contains almost no THC (no more than 0.3%; not nearly enough THC to get you stoned).

CBD oil is extracted from industrial hemp.

Although it’s a natural product, CBD has the same problem as pharmaceuticals when it comes to dosage: everybody is different. In other words, the standard serving size of 25 mg of CBD twice a day may affect people differently.

I’ll give you an example: while on vacation, I talked to someone who took the full recommended dosage of 5 drops to help him fall asleep. But the guy ended up getting insomnia.

So here’s the important lesson if you’re new to using CBD for anxiety: start small. If the recommended dose is 5 drops, start off by taking 2. If you don’t feel anything, increase to 3 drops the next day and so on.

There are several other ways to use CBD for anxiety: there’s vape pens; edibles and more. If and when I try CBD for the first time, I’m going to try a few drops of a pure CBD oil tincture. I think it’s much easier to experiment with a small dose with a tincture than, say, a gummy bear (which I may be tempted to eat several).

CBD and aanxiety

Does CBD For Anxiety Work?

Judging by the immense amount of people posting reviews and stories on the Internet, yes.

But I’ll only take that at face value.

Until I see some research showing some promise on it, I’ll remain skeptical.

That being said, however, keep a couple things in mind about the medicinal uses of CBD.

First, your doctor won’t prescribe it for you. At least not yet in most states. Doctors can only recommend it; they can’t write you a ‘scrip.

And second, unless your doctor is doing some reading on his/her own, he/she didn’t learn about CBD in med school. The endocannibidoid system (fatty chemicals that help cells communicate with each other), of which CBD helps activate, plays a huge effect on the body’s response to pain, inflammation, and, yes, anxiety. But the FDA doesn’t regulate dosage of CBD; instead, it’s treated like a dietary supplement.

I don’t need large research studies to convince me that something works. As long as there is at least some preliminary research offering proof, I’m down to give it a try.

And the research shows that CBD  does indeed have a calming effect on the central nervous system.

For instance, this retrospective study of 72 adults showed that anxiety scores decreased within the first month for 57 patients (79.2%). The anxiety remained lower during the study duration. The cherry on top is that the test subjects also slept better. Only 3 of the patients did not tolerate CBD well. All in all, CBD “may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders,” conclude the researchers.

Preliminary studies (like this one) also show that CBD may be an excellent remedy for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

And this research from way back in 2014 (seems like ancient times, right?) says:

“Evidence strongly supports CBD as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and PTSD….”

That’s a promising endorsement. I’m convinced CBD for anxiety can work. But….

cbd oil

Not All CBD is Equal

As is the case with all supplements not created equal–and Green Drinks, too–so it goes with CBD products.

I don’t feel comfortable recommending a particular brand of pure CBD oil because I’m not experienced with taking CBD for anxiety.

But I do know there are some things to consider before buying a product. If you don’t do your due diligence and research reputable brands, you may end up buying a product that contains very little CBD. So make sure the product you buy has 3rd-party, independent testing verification. If you live in a state in which pot is legal, you can visit a dispensary, where they will most likely carry a high-quality brand of pure CBD, instead of a snake oil.

Keep in mind some people believe a full-spectrum product is best. In other words, medical marijuana. Remember, CBD is just one of 100 compounds in cannabis. Similar to how getting antioxidants from whole foods is better for your health than merely relying on supplements, it might be better if you take something that has a rich portfolio of cannabis compounds, but one that is very low in THC.

CBD For Anxiety: Chef V’s Conclusion

I still think that to be on the safe side, pure CBD oil tincture is the way to go. Pure CBD is 100% legal in every state.

And if you’re taking any medication, please talk to your doctor to make sure there won’t be any drug interactions if you use CBD for anxiety.

Remember, this post is not intended as medical advice. While it’s doubtful your doctor would tell you to take CBD, I do think it’s better to be safe than sorry to at least ask your doctor if taking CBD is recommended, especially if your anxiety is serious.

If you’re going to try CBD, choose a product that’s GMO-free; pesticide-free; and extracted using CO2 technology.

To your health,

Chef V

Chef V and meditation

© 2021 Chef V, LLC.