 In today's modern world the one thing that seems to escape us is sleep. But are we our own worst enemy? How many of us start the day with a large coffee or tea and continue to top up our caffeine levels throughout the day and then wonder why we can't sleep at night? Or how about spending our evening watching box sets and scrolling through our phones?! If we want to improve our sleep there are a number of things we can do to help. 1. Reduce Caffeine. By all means start the day with a cuppa but try and avoid caffeine after lunch time as it can leave you feeling wired. Instead try herbal teas, hot water and lemon or why not try a 'Beet It' shot if you're really flat? 'Beet it' is a concentrated beetroot shot which provide nitrates which convert to nitric oxide. Studies have shown that this can increase stamina and endurance in sport and lower blood pressure. My personal favourite is green tea. Green tea has around 15mg caffeine and also contains the calming amino acid L-theanine which is often found in sleep remedies. It's a great way to reduce caffeine and take something which has many health benefits including being cancer protective. Tip: Reduce caffeine gradually over a couple of weeks and drink lots of water/herb teas to offset headaches. 2. Increase protein. Many people make the mistake of reaching for caffeine when that 3 o'clock slump comes. What we should actually be doing is balancing our blood sugars by having good quality protein throughout the day. Feeling tired? Try some nut butter on an oatcake, or carrot sticks and hummus to give you a boost. It's important to include protein in your evening meal and supper if you are struggling to sleep as we need the amino acid tryptophan for the manufacture of both serotonin and melatonin. A late snack of a handful of nuts or a small glass of almond milk or organic cows milk can help promote sleep as they provide us with tryptophan. Watch out for those sugary night time snacks as often we can wake up in the night due to a blood sugar dip. If you we want to get to sleep and stay asleep, this is a great tip to keep in mind. It's also the reason why a nightcap of your favourite tipple doesn't work as alcohol tends to spike blood glucose and as a result we can wake hungry in the night. 3. Exercise daily in daylight Another way to ensure good melatonin levels is to take a walk during the day, perhaps on your way to work or on your lunch break. Research has shown that early exposure to sunlight ensures an earlier release of melatonin at night which ensures good sleep onset. This is because daylight increases the brain's release of serotonin which lifts our mood and this converts to melatonin to prepare us for sleep as darker light triggers the release of melatonin. You can see why walking in the daylight is a great mood booster also! Just as an observation, I wonder whether the trend towards exercising in gyms with artificial light has had an affect on our circadian rhythms due to a lack of exposure to natural light! These factors also explain why we all need a good routine when it comes to sleep hygiene and circadian rhythm. Any slight change in these hormones can be very disruptive to the whole of our endocrine system. 4. Turn off that device. How many of us spend our evenings catching up on TV shows or scrolling through our phone's attempting to read the internet?! (I blame instagram!) But all that blue light before bed hugely reduces our melatonin production and sends our circadian rhythms out of whack. We can reduce our exposure to blue light by downloading f.lux to our computers. This app dims our screens to match sunlight outside. Remember to turn off the TV and put away your phone at least two hours before bed time. Why not read that book you've had sat by your bed for 6 months? Or have a relaxing bath? 5. Epsom Salts Bath Magnesium is really important in helping us to sleep as it reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, which can keep us awake at night. It also allows our muscles to relax helping us to really feel rested. Sadly around 80% of us are deficient in this vital nutrient. Having an Epsom Salts Bath is a lovely way to relax and top up your magnesium levels. Add a mug full to your bath and relax for 20 minutes to absorb the full dose. Then make sure you dab dry rather than rub as you don't want to wipe off all your magnesium. If you have trouble sleeping you may find you are deficient in this mineral. We recommend a supplement to increase your levels in the short term. Come and speak to us to find out which one would be best for you. If you are having trouble sleeping and would like to know more about any supplements which can support you e.g. Valerian, Tryptophan etc., pop into our shop at 44 St Andrew Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1JA and chat to our Nutritional Therapist, Beverley. It is not advisable to take anything without checking drug nutrient interactions first. We look forward to welcoming you. BetterYou Magnesium Gel
£12.65
BetterYou Magnesium Gel provides essential magnesium in a targeted application. Formulated for direct application on joints and muscles to help support relaxation.
BetterYou Magnesium Spray
£12.95
BetterYou Magnesium Oil Body Sprays are a simple and scientifically proven method of delivering a high dose of absorbable elemental magnesium through the skin to replenish magnesium levels. This range includes sprays help with different areas of your life including sleep, sports performance and joint health. nutri Advanced Megamag Fem Balance
£38.56
MegaMag® Fem Balance is a fast-acting powder with magnesium combined with other key ingredients formulated to support female health and hormone balance High-strength magnesium based formula designed specifically to support hormone balance and reproductive health in women. Our MegaMag® Fem Balance is a unique combination of magnesium , myo-inositol, B vitamins, vitamins C and E and calcium. This combination of ingredients not only supports hormone balance, but also fertility, energy production and the nervous system.
BettterYou Magnesium Bone Lotion
£9.95
BetterYou™ Magnesium Bone Lotion supports bone health with the combination of magnesium and calcium, expertly formulated at an optimal 1:1 ratio and blended with a hydrating lotion to create a unique way to supplement these two essential nutrients.
An effective alternative to tablets and capsules, providing exceptional support for bone and skin health. 5ml (4 pumps) of Magnesium Bone Lotion delivers a minimum of 75mg of magnesium and 75mg of calcium. Ingredients
Suitable for
Guaranteed free from
BetterYou Magnesium Skin Body Butter
£9.95
BetterYou Magnesium Skin Body Butter is a deeply rich, intensively moisturising body butter containing a perfect balance of skin kind ingredients.
BetterYou Magnesium Skin Body Lotion
£9.95
BetterYou Magnesium Body Lotion is a nourishing blend of magnesium and shea butter formulated to improve skin elasticity, soften skin and relax muscles.
nutri Advanced Megamag Muscleze
£34.45
MegaMag Muscleze (formally Ultra Muscleze) is a high strength magnesium powder designed to support muscle function and recovery following exercise, It has a tasty orange flavour and mixes easily into water or juice. One scoop of MegaMag Muscleze delivers 240mg of magnesium in superior, highly absorbable forms that are gentle on the stomach - bisglycinate and malate. The formula also contains malic acid, amino acids - l-carnitine, creatine, glutamine and taurine – and B vitamins including the body-ready, active forms of vitamin B12 and folate(vitamin B9). Why is Magnesium important? - Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for many body functions. It is the second most abundant nutrient in the body and has many important roles including the support of muscle function, converting food to energy, reducing tiredness and fatigue, the normal functioning of the nervous system and contributing to electrolyte balance. Why include amino acids and B vitamins? - In order for magnesium to be able to play its part in many of its functions, it needs taurine, glutamine, carnitine and B vitamins to be present. These are all co-factors of magnesium and are needed to support the actions of magnesium within the body. How does MegaMag Muscleze support muscles and post-exercise recovery? - One scoop provides 672mg of malic acid and 240mg of magnesium. Malic Acid plays a very important role in energy production within each cell. Magnesium supports healthy muscle function, reduces tiredness and fatigue and supports energy-yielding metabolism. Magnesium also helps balance electrolytes which is essential for normal muscle contraction. An imbalance in electrolytes can result in cramps. The formula also contains B vitamins which also reduce fatigue and supports the body converting food to energy. Who should take Magnesium? - Those who require support for muscle function, tiredness and fatigue and nervous system function may benefit from magnesium.Magnesium can be found in foods including green leafy vegetables, nut, seeds and whole grains. However modern farming methods have sadly meant a decline in the level of magnesium present in these foods. Why should I take MegaMag Muscleze? - MegaMag Muscleze provides high levels of easy-to-absorb magnesium and is gentle on the stomach. The formula provides a range of other vitamins and amino acids to support the role of magnesium including the body-ready active forms of vitamin B12 and folate (vitamin B9). nutri Advanced Magnesium Glycinate
£19.80
High strength magnesium in a well absorbed form designed to support muscle function, the nervous system, energy production, bones and teeth. Key Features
What does Magnesium do? Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for life, and is found in every cell type in every organism. It is needed for hundreds of reactions within the body, including helping with energy production, reduction of tiredness, maintenance of normal muscle function, and keeping your bones and teeth healthy. Why choose our Magnesium? Magnesium as glycinate is a superior, highly absorbable form of magnesium, that is well tolerated especially by those with sensitive digestive systems. Provides 100mg of magnesium per tablet. Who is it suitable for? Anyone who wishes to take extra magnesium in a high quality, gentle and effective form. Poor soil and processing methods can mean that even those eating a balanced diet might not be getting as much magnesium as they need. nutri Advanced Megamag Calmeze (Orange)
£32.95
MegaMag® Calmeze has been formulated to support normal psychological function, a healthy nervous system and to reduce tiredness & fatigue by providing a high strength combination of magnesium, B vitamins, L-theanine, glycine, taurine, glutamine and vitamin C. It is supplied in a tasty orange flavour powder which easily mixes with water or juice. With many more of us living very busy lives, Megamag® Calmeze can help to support that sense of calm and harmony. MegaMag® Calmeze delivers 200mg of magnesium in the glycinate form per dose. Magnesium glycinate has been shown in studies to have superior absorption when compared to other forms of magnesium. It’s generally well-tolerated and especially suited to those with sensitive digestive systems. Magnesium is a very important mineral, involved in literally hundreds of reactions in the body. It is known as “nature’s tranquiliser”, as it has a calming effect on muscles and nerves, but it’s also necessary for energy production too. MegaMag® Calmeze also contains a specific B vitamin combination that includes vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6. The B vitamins are very important for the production of energy, as well as for psychological function. Some also help reduce tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C is present in a mineral ascorbate form. The health benefits of vitamin C are many, and include energy production, reducing tiredness and fatigue, as well as supporting the nervous system. MegaMag® Calmeze contains the amino acids theanine, taurine, glycine and glutamine. With the formula being in powdered form, we’re able to provide therapeutic levels of amino acids that would be difficult to achieve in tablet or capsule forms.
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WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING“I did Nutritional Therapy with Beverley and it was life changing. I highly recommend it!” Allison Blakely (Glasgow)
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Contact Us44 St Andrew Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1JA
Tel: 01224 969637 Email: info@nourishinginsights.com Opening Hours: Sun- Mon: Closed Tue to Sat: 10am-4pm Late night appointments available on Thursday evening on request. |
