To Your Health
October, 2009 (Vol. 03, Issue 10) |
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REST Your Body
Insufficient sleep depresses the immune system, making you susceptible to colds, upper-respiratory infections, low energy, weight gain, a tired appearance, and other complaints like feeling irritable.
Even minor sleep disturbances (getting one hour less than usual) can cause a significant drop in the immune system. If you are nodding off during the day, you need more sleep.
Make sure you are not drinking too much caffeine to compensate for a lack of sleep. If your coffee consumption is excessive, it could be messing with your sleep patterns and also sabotaging your immune system. Consuming more than four cups of regular coffee a day is a definite red flag.
Proper sleep hygiene involves getting uninterrupted sleep, in the dark, without the television on, in a relaxing environment. To recharge and replenish your body, strive for 8-9 hours sleep every night. Start by going to bed an hour early, and ask friends and family not to call you after that time. Also don't bring work into the bedroom. If some or all of the following apply, you're not sleeping enough, eating enough, or both, for the amount of training you're doing:
- You're exhausted most of the time, but you have trouble sleeping at night.
- You're achy all over.
- You feel touchy and irritable.
- You're getting weaker in the gym. You feel weaker than your previous workout.
- You're injuring yourself (sprains, pulled muscles, and so on) frequently in small ways at the gym.
Avoid Medication
Heartburn and laxative remedies are some of the most common medications people purchase over the counter. This suggests that diet and lifestyle are causing symptoms that lead to self-medication. Over-the-counter treatments rarely address the source of the discomfort; they only mask the symptoms for a short time. A chronically inflamed gut ultimately may play a role in everything from gastritis, allergies, skin rashes, hemorrhoids and cancer to autoimmune disorders. Good gastrointestinal health is a critical component in reducing the state of stress in your body. If you often feel a burning sensation in your stomach and/or are regularly taking OTC medications, get it checked out.
Tip: Consume a daily dose of probiotics. You can supplement with probiotics or eat yogurt, particularly probiotic-infused varieties that have high concentrations of L. acidophilus.
The goal of this comprehensive exercise, diet and lifestyle program is to get you in the best shape of your life without spending considerable time doing it - because after all, how much of that do you have these days? It still takes a concerted effort on your part to take responsibility for your lifelong health. It goes way beyond how you look; it's about how you feel and about making sure you stay healthy and happy for years - maybe even as long as good old Jack. So, are you up for the challenge?
Jeffrey Tucker, DC, is a doctor of chiropractic and rehabilitation specialist who integrates chiropractic, exercise and nutrition into his practice in West Los Angeles. You can sign up for his newsletter at DrJeffreyTucker.com.
