Call me a skeptic...

This popped up in my news feed this morning (from the American Heart Association): Beta-blockers not likely to cause depression yet may contribute to sleep disturbances  

My first thought? If you're not sleeping, if your sleep is disturbed, well then, you're going to have a higher risk of depression, brain fog, and some serious health issues if it goes on for long.* Sigh.

Of course, they are correct in the statement somewhere in the article that having heart issues, having a need to take beta-blockers, in itself can result in depression and have a negative impact on your overall outlook on life. 

Also, if you're not moving due to heart issues then you can have sleep disturbances, memory issues, many other health problems as a result. Inactivity can kill you. I think of it like rust and rot. If you let anything that's meant to move sit around it will typically rust or fall apart. 

This is one that's just my opinion and may raise an eyebrow or two: The diet they often suggest for heart disease is another thing that may contribute to depression, cognitive issues and, over time, other health issues. The original studies that "proved" low fat was better have long been debunked but a low-fat diet is still promoted. There are a lot of questions about cholesterol also. There are some big fights out there about diet and every group, person, study, promotes something different. 

To me, this is a "Well, duh, what was the point?" study. Basically it says "we don't think beta blockers are "likely" to cause depression but since there are so many things in play when you have heart issues we really can't isolate the cause so be a good patient and take the drugs. Dang, I need to go back and see who funded the study... :-)

Brief intermission...

Took a look at the funding. There's a statement that says there was no external funding for the study. Which, at first blush, sounds good. Just the good ol' AHA doing a study to help us make good health decisions. Then I scanned down and read this:

"Statements and conclusions of studies published in the American Heart Association's scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association's policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers are available here, and the Association's overall financial information is available here." (The bold and italics are mine)

OK, call me a skeptic. Yes, it's good that they have strict policies. But if they came up with a study that had proved beta-blockers caused depression would they share it? Would money stop from the beta-blocker pharmaceutical companies that produced them? Would there be huge denouncements and outside studies that proved them wrong?

I think they started out with a goal and then worked to shape the results to fit...and couldn't even do it convincingly. 

Just my rambling thoughts early in the morning as I drink my first cuppa caffeine.  

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/aha-bnl031221.php

NOTE: if you want to have some fun with studies go listen to some of Dr. Michael Greger's videos. The guy rips apart studies in a fun, informative way. www.nutritionfacts.org

*However, after I went back to read the press release again, the study doesn't really say it may contribute to sleep disturbances. It says "The original studies did not include individual patient data, so for this analysis, researchers were unable to investigate whether sleep-related symptoms were persistent for those taking beta-blockers. Additional research is needed to address this question."

Guess who is going to be on the annual Master Garden Tour this year?

Such a hard question. I know you're still pondering. 

I'm excited. And busy as (snicker) a bee...or a mound of ants. 

I've always had some sort of garden but during my art show years taking care of vegetables and flowers was virtually impossible as I was gone a LOT.

Not being able to do shows during COVID has allowed me a lot of time to do something around the homestead. I could have chosen to work in the house but why would I torture myself like that when the sun shines outside? 

I started "My Vision Garden". It's called that as one has to have vision to see where I'm going. 

I expanded into the woods surrounding my studio to create paths and little tableaus (spell check doesn't like that s on the end of tableau, sheesh) with cool things I've accumulated, found, been gifted with over the years. I started a Facebook page about it if you're interested: (14) My Vision Garden | Facebook

I have a "Golf Garden", "Mom's Mystery Garden", "Watery Way", "Woodhenge" and others that are in the works. I started a lily garden in the front of the house for all the wonderful lilies my mother has given me over the years. I have an herb garden that is continually expanding as I learn more about their health properties. I ordered a mini-greenhouse. I went berserk and ordered 5 million seeds (a very slight exaggeration). My son is building some raised bed gardens for me (I'm on a quartz vein, which, combined with Georgia clay makes it tough to do in-ground gardens.) I could go on and on about all the things I've done and plan to do.

The Fayette Master Gardeners came by to check it out...after I told everyone I knew in the group when our paths crossed that my goal was to be on the Tour...and I'm in. Which led to more seed orders and some more expanded flower beds in celebration.

Gardening is not for the faint of heart, especially when you live on 5 acres that deer, rabbits, chipmunks and other veggie/plant loving critters like. I know they line up every year wondering what kind of salad bar I'm creating for them.

I have done a lot of research into plant combining to deter bugs, pests and animals (which led to even more seed orders). I have done a lot of research on deer-resistant plants (yes, seeds and more seeds). Almost everything I have it deer-resistant but that doesn't mean they won't nibble when they're hungry or that MY deer aren't as picky as others.

The Garden Tour is in Fayette County, Georgia and will be on April 25th. They host a garden sale on the 24th in downtown Fayetteville. Many of my plants came from their sales over the years. 

I have lots of photos on my Facebook page if you'd like to see more of my garden, herbs, and progress. (14) My Vision Garden | Facebook

Everybody needs a weed...

Chickory

No, I didn't suggest you needed weed. Gee people, it's still illegal in some states! 

This is a post about weeds. The kind that drive most gardeners nuts. If you're not into gardening, health, the medicinal properties of plants, this is gonna bore you big time. 

I've been on a binge when it comes to expanding, growing, cleaning, creating in my garden during COVID. With the advent of sunny weather in my area I have been in the yard having some garden fun when the sun is shining no matter how cold it might be. 

When I'm not outside I have been on the computer quite a bit, wandering through garden sites, learning about shade plants, growing veggies and all that kinda stuff. I've also been going a bit overboard on ordering seeds. I had to slap my own wrist yesterday and make myself walk away from the computer, stop drooling over the cool plants. 

I ordered a ton of seeds. Way more than I'll ever be able to grow. Now I'm adding new beds to house some of my cool new seeds. I'm cleaning out and extending other beds. Which leads me to weeds...

I'm great at growing weeds. If I were judged on my gardening skills by how many weeds I grow in my yard I'd be top of the heap, a-number-one. I'm also pretty good at growing grass in my flower beds. Not so hot about the grass growing in the rest of the yard. Fertilizer and care might help.

As I've been pulling out some of the weeds from the beds I've noticed that some look really cool. Some have pretty little flowers. I felt bad killing the things. 

I got curious and started trying to find out what they were. Imagine my surprise (chagrin) when I found out I had just ordered seeds for, sigh, one of my weeds. Yep, yours truly ordered chickweed and yours truly has it growing like wildfire all over the place. 

Dandelion

Next I found Creeping Thyme out around my lilies. At least I hadn't ordered seeds.

Now I'm on a mission to identify all of my weeds. 

I already know I love dandelion and that I have plenty. I am going to put in a small patch of them to keep the lawnmowers from destroying this healthy weed. And I have purslane, which is edible. I used to pull it up like, um, a weed. Now I let it go and grow. It is a great one to have around in the event of a Zombie apocalypse.

Flipping back to chickweed... The reason I ordered the seeds is because it has medicinal properties. Even though it clearly identifies itself as a weed (for chicks?) in its name it escaped my attention that it was a weed. Ditto for Joe Pye Weed. Yes, I ordered it and no, I haven't found it in the yard. Yet.

Once I starting delving into weeds I found that many of them are prized as cures or help for various ailments. I also learned that some of the "herbs" I order in bulk for my health teas are called weeds by many. Hmph. I was a bit surprised to see things like Daisies on the weed list.

Red Clover

Soooo, of course I had to go find out why certain pretty and often beneficial plants were called "weeds". I "assumed" all of these years that once a weed always a weed, that all weeds were to be pulled up and destroyed, and that they were noxious, horrible things. 

Wrong. 

Weeds are simply plants that are not valued in the places they are growing, typically grow vigorously, and sometimes choke out plants that are considered more valuable. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weed) Hence, daisies can be a weed. Something loved by some can be despised as a weed by others. I'm betting my Obedient Plants are considered weeds by some. (Just had a thought --- I need to do some research on "invasive plants". I keep coming across that when I'm considering buying a plant or seeds and it usually stops me from clicking 'purchase'. Some are invasive in one clime but not in another, which just speaks to native plants vs imported --- like kudzu, the bane of the South.)

I have decided that I am going to love my weeds. I'll keep them away from right around my flowers so they don't choke them out, and may move them to the woods or elsewhere, but I'm not pulling them up, dang, I have to write this..."like weeds".

I bet if I put them in little pots I could sell them when they're blooming. Who wouldn't want something called Purple Dead Nettle? :-)

Here's a list of weeds with medicinal qualities that I've found thus far:

• Burdock
  
• Chickweed*
• Chicory*
• Cleavers#
• Common Mallow
• Creeping Charlie (ground ivy)
• Curry Dock
  
• Daisies
• Dandelion#
• Jewelweed (I want this one)
  
• Kudzu
• Lambsquarter
• Mint*
• Mullein#
  
• Plantain
• Purple Dead Nettle
  
• Purslane* (I have this growing all over, already knew it was a good one)
• Red Clover
• Self Heal*
  
• Stinging Nettle
• St. John's Wort *
  
• Violets
• Wood Sorrel
• Yarrow*

*I either have or I ordered seeds
#I buy in bulk and make teas

If you'd like to know more about chickweed's medicinal properties: https://www.verywellhealth.com/chickweed-what-should-i-know-about-it-89437

More about the benefits of Purslane: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/purslane

Mushrooms...love 'em or hate 'em they're really good for your brain!

Intro: My old editor would be having a fit if I turned this one in for publication! Good thing it's a blog and I can ramble where I please without his red pen. And ramble I do. When I decided to look into mushrooms I figured one post, some good info on how they impact the brain, and then on to other topics. Whoa was I in la-la land. It is a HUGE topic. I had no idea mushrooms had so many wonderful properties, did so much for us. Forgive the way I jump around in this post. Now that my interest has been piqued I am on a mission and will be learning more...and I'm sure I'll be updating this one with some additions and maybe a few corrections...AND I'll be eating more mushrooms. I hope you will, too. - Janet

-----------------------------------------------------------

I've crossed paths with the benefits from mushrooms for years. It's impossible to research brain health without seeing Lion's Mane mushrooms somewhere along the way. As I'm out reading about various health issues for myself and others mushrooms frequently pop up (ha ha). 

I have been taking Om Lion's Mane in capsule and/or powder form for a while. After doing some reading on the best to buy I am in the process of switching. I bought a powdered mix, Nourishing Nutrients Organic Mushroom Powder Extract Superfood (10 mushrooms: oyster, maitake, reishi, phellinus linteus, shitake, cordyceps, lion's mane, chaga, turkey tail, and wood ear). I also bought Genius Mushroom capsules as a temporary start for my husband who can't stand mushrooms. It has lion's mane, reishi and cordyceps but only two say they are the fruiting body. I have to figure out whether that's good or bad (see "A Caution" below).

Recently, as mentioned in a previous post, my cousin came to town carrying the Lion's Mane mushrooms he was growing, and babying. I briefly thought about growing my own mushrooms. Today I looked into it more fully and nope, I'll definitely be buying mine. I just don't have the needed dedication...my houseplants are surely waving their starving leaves in agreement. (Yes, I water them, but they need more TLC than I have time to give thus many of them are going to a new home soon. My niece just got married, has a new house and needs some greenery. Win-win.)

I do plan to follow along as my cousin continues on his mushroom adventure. Maybe someday I'll be buying mushrooms from him!

Despite my lazy-butt lack of growing mushroom enthusiasm I DO want more mushrooms in my life. 

I always have a mix of regular white button and portabella (love spell-check...it wanted to change that to potbelly :-)) mushrooms in my fridge. I've shied away from some of the others like shitake due to cost and lack of knowledge about taste, how to use them in dishes, etc. I much prefer to just pop a pill or dump some powder in my drinks rather than waste money on something I may or may not like. Or use. I'm the queen of buying something interesting and then letting it sit in the fridge until it rots. 

I may be buying shitake and others to cook by the time I finish researching this post --- which I gather is going to be an on-going project given the overwhelming amount of info I've already stumbled across.

I'm going to focus on mushrooms that are good for our brains for starters. Cancer is probably the next focus although I've already noticed that a large chunk of the brain mushrooms are also cancer fighters. 

All the mushrooms have multi-pronged health benefits. Many address inflammation which is a huge contributor to a decline in our brains. And, if mushrooms are good for your brain they're automatically good for a lot of other things.

A Caution

I suppose before I get into brain health assisting mushrooms I should point out that if you're buying supplements beware. I'll do a separate post with more on that soon. From my first-blush reading on the subject, I determined that supplements and powders should indicate "fruiting body". However (there is a however with every single thing I learned about mushrooms!): "In some species, the entire fungus—the mycelium and its fruiting bodies—contain medicinal substances, but in others only the fruiting body does. In others, only the mycelium contains those substances. Some products are made from the wrong part of the fungus, or they may include both mushroom and mycelium even if the species in question doesn’t invest both with medicine." - https://healing-mushrooms.net/tinctures-vs-extracts

ConsumerLab.com (paid research site) has only looked into one mushroom, reishi, and their findings were an eye-opener. Per their info the active ingredient that is thought be biologically active is 1,3-beta-D-glucan. The prices per the 1,3 in the reishi mushrooms supplements they tested ranged from 7 cents to $19 per 100 mg. That is a whopping range. The amount per serving ranged from a few milligrams to 250 mg. 

You need to do your research before spending your hard-earned dollars. (Yes, I'm going to be doing some studying and I'll share what I find.)

Back to the Brain...

Lion's Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) is the one that most probably equate with helping the brain. Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum) is another that might be familiar. Cordyceps (Cordyceps Militaris or Ophiocordyceps Sinensis) comes up often also and you'll find the trio in many supplements. 

But you KNOW I am going to tell you there are others, right? Yep. I is. :-)

A 2019 Forbes article highlighted the impact mushrooms can have on brain health: "Working even a small amount of mushrooms into a diet could potentially lower risk of mild cognitive impairment – a typical precursor to Alzheimer’s disease." The study found that eating two portions per week on average cut the risk of developing MCI by 50%. Those in the study ate Golden, Shitake, Button and Oyster mushrooms as well as dried and canned mushrooms. (I linked to the study but you need to be a member to see all the details. It's probably out in the world somewhere if you look hard enough.)

The researchers believe the improvement is due to a compound called ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant. It is something we can't manufacture in our bodies and is common to all the varieties. I'm going to check to see if there have been any follow-up studies. Given we were all quarantined across the world in 2020 I'm expecting to see a ton of new research as scientists probably had tons of time. :-)

They also contain another powerhouse, glutathione. 

Per a Penn State study the combo of ergothioneine and glutathione help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's. The amounts of both vary among the various types with, per Penn State, the porcini species, a wild variety, having the highest they tested.

Given that mushrooms contain minerals, like selenium, potassium, copper, iron, calcium and phosphorus it's not surprising that they have a positive impact on memory, brain function, and/or, in some cases, amnesia.

A listing of mushrooms I have found thus far that may improve cognition and/or prevent decline:

All are anti-inflammatory and support the immune system. I did some picking and choosing when it came to deciding what to include in my bullet points. There are volumes and volumes of info on each mushroom on the Internet. Hopefully some of these will make it into your diet one way or another.

• Lion's Man (Hericium Erinaceus; also known as yamabushitake, satyrs’ beard or hedgehog mushroom)
• Along with other benefits it is known to stimulate neurons in the brain triggering a process called ‘re-myelination' that helps to maintain their ability to conduct electrical signals. One study found that a group with MCI taking the powdered version for 16 weeks "showed significantly increased scores on the cognitive function scale compared with the placebo group". When they stopped using the Lion's Mane powder their improvements decreased. (Knowing that little factoid will keep me from ever stopping it...and I may have to revisit growing my own!)
• It promotes the growth of bioprotien nerve growth factor (NFG --- seems like it should be NGF but it's NFG :-))
• They taste like lobster or crab
• Helps in the treatment of depression and anxiety
  
• Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
• Helps to protect against memory loss in the aging population. 
• Chaga is not really a mushroom even though you'll see it listed and sold as such. It's a sclerotium or woody canker that grows on birch trees.
• May help with keeping those wrinkles away as it is an antioxidant.
• Found to lower the so-called "bad" cholesterol (LDL)
• Also helps with cardiovascular health, immune health, DNA damage protection, and diabetes.
  
• Not good in foods as they're hard, too dense, and don't fully digest. Try a tea, powder or capsule.
  
• Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
• I understand that they don't taste the greatest. 
• They are a mood-booster along with having neuro-protective properties. 
• A research study in 2012 found that it may help with Azheimer's Disease, Huntington's and other neurodegenerative disorders.
  
• It promotes healing. 
• It is known to help with weight loss.
• Improves sleep.
• Reportedly fights cancer.
• A study by Pharmacological Reports in 2010 found that triterpenoid ganoderic acid found in reishi acted to inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumors
• Another bit of research in 2011 suggested it might find and eradicate cancer cells
  
• Chocked full of ganoderic acid, known to decrease cholesterol and lower high blood pressure.
• Anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. 
• Said to promote longevity.
  
• Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
• Alliviates many of the symptoms associated with chemo.
• Anti-cancer
• Possibly the most studied of all the mushrooms on this list --- loads of good properties. Here's one of the best overviews of this mushroom, and others, that I found while wandering around the web-world: https://medicinalherbals.net/medicinal-mushrooms/
  
• Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
• Also known as "Hen of the Woods" and "dancing mushroom"
  
• Antiviral
• Helps to control glucose levels
• Helps to control hypertension
• Regular inclusion helps to cleanse the system by destroying abnormal cells
• Anti-cancer
  
• Shitake (Lentinula edodes)
• Good for lowering blood pressure, helping with circulation
• Lowered LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) in mice and inhibited absoprtion of cholesterol in the
  liver
• Has phytonutrients that which help to prevent plaque buildup
• Good for your skin
  
• 
  Meshima (Phellinus Linteus, Sang Hwang mushroom)
• Known as the "black foot" mushroom because it looks somewhat like a horse hoof. 
• The word actually translates to "Women's Island" and is good for menstruation and breast cell protection.
  
• Grown mainly on mulberry trees in Japan
• Has a bitter taste and is not good for eating.
• Traditionally used to treat diarrhea, hemorrhages, and gastroenteritis dysfunction. 
• Great tumor fighting capabilities, some of the strongest.
• Anti-aging --- full of components similar to resveretrol
• Immune system booster
  
• Agaricus Blazei (Almond Mushroom, Royal Sun Agaricus, Mushroom of the Gods)
  
• Caution with this one if you have any kind of liver issue. And, while it is noted for helping with cancer it may be a bad idea to use it if you have cancer given it could impact your liver so do your research! It is mentioned over and over as a great mushroom for those undergoing chemo to mitigate symptoms. I found only one place that cautioned regarding cancer treatment and liver issues. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-agaricus-89398
  
• Immune system booster
  
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Hepetitis
• Allergies 
• Asthma
• Blood Pressure
• Cholesterol
• IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)
  
• Tremella (Tremella fuciformis)
• Skin
• Memory
• Bone health
• Metabolism
• Anti-aging
  
• Cordyceps
• Helps to prevent the death of neuronal cells. 
• Good for asthma, bronchitis, kidney disease, energy and performance. 
  
• Oyster
• High in protein and B vitamins
• A study posted in the International Journal of Oncology showed that these mushrooms had the most potent in suppressing the proliferation of breast and cancer as compared to shitake, portabella, and enoki mushrooms. From the abstract: "In conclusion, our results indicated that the edible oyster mushroom has potential therapeutic/preventive effects on breast and colon cancer."
  
• White button (Agaricus bisporus)
• Good for liver function
• Cholesterol
• Cancer (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444528247000135)
  
• Diabetes
• Healthy gut
• Anti-aging
• Weight reduction due to Oligopeptide and fibers which are high in nutrients that help in that area.
• A natural memory enhancer
• Here is a good list of the many pluses those very common, most often purchased, white mushroom have: https://foodthesis.com/white-button-mushroom-health-benefits-and-side-effects/
  
• Porcini (Boletus edulis, Hog Mushroom)
  
• Very delicate and some of the food sites say don't wash them, just wipe off the dirt as they'll deteriorate. Nope, not this girl. I may opt for canned just to give them a try. Given that Penn State's research determined they are highest in ergothioneine and glutathione I suppose I should include the hogs in my diet, snort, snort...
  
• High in protein, iron, fiber, Vitamin A and C
• Often confused with shitake mushrooms, which are cheaper and meatier (and can be washed).
• Promotes weight loss (must be the dirt 'cause you can't wash them :-))
• May kill colon cancer
• Anti-inflammatory
• Good for digestive health --- probably due to their high fiber content they are said to help with constipation
• Interesting article: https://draxe.com/nutrition/porcini-mushrooms/
  
• Poria Cocos (Wolfiporia extensa)
• Sleep and relaxation
  
• Nervous system, anxiety and memory
• Immune function
  

 Tidbits of interest

• There are over 38,000 known species of mushrooms according to one source, another source said 14,000 --- I'd like to know who is doing the counting! I came across one site that said over a million types out there in the world. (Yes, I'm going to look into this a bit more...)
• Wikipedia - 14,000 species (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom)
• This explains a bit why there are possibly so many different numbers: https://www.lanl.gov/museum/news/newsletter/2018/01/fungi.php and also https://www.wisegeek.com/how-many-species-of-fungi-are-there.htm
• I think some are just grabbing the guesstimates on total fungi, which includes more than mushrooms.
  
• 
  There are around 300 edible types of mushroom (beware of those that aren't edible...many look very similar)
• Ten (10) mushrooms are commonly grown commercially for consumers. 
• To get the benefits from ingesting mushrooms you need to do it consistently as they have a cumulative effect and you may not see changes initially. 
• Take a look at the negative side effects to ingesting some in excessive amounts before you get started. Don't think that "if a little is good for cancer, for my brain, weight loss, then more is better, faster". I didn't go much into the potential negatives... Do your research before dumping masses of mushroom powder into your smoothies or coffee!
• As with anything you're taking for medicinal or supplemental benefits it's a pretty good idea to occasionally take a break. Stopping for a short period every six months or so was the common suggestion I found. I do that with most of my supplements. I don't want my body to adjust to whatever I'm taking or quit doing its job because I'm swallowing pills and powders!
  
• Mushrooms are the only non-animal source of Vitamin D. Like humans they produce their own when exposed to sunlight.
• Cooking mushrooms doesn't appear to impact the amount of ergothioneine and glutathione.
• White button mushrooms are actually little baby portabella mushrooms. Cremini are a bit older portabellas (called teenagers in this article) - https://www.eater.com/2019/9/13/20863815/whats-the-difference-between-cremini-button-portobello-mushrooms (That may have been the biggest surprise in all of my reading about mushrooms!)
  
• Mushrooms are ingested as teas, tinctures, powders, capsules, raw, cooked. As with everything mushroom, there are varying opinions as to which is the best. Some don't work well eaten raw or cooked.
  
• https://healing-mushrooms.net/tinctures-vs-extracts
  
• China produces over half of all cultivated mushrooms
• Poland is the largest exporter of mushrooms
  

More info:

Just checking to see if you were paying attention!

Like this guy a lot: https://curativemushrooms.com/

Another fave compilation of info: https://medicinalherbals.net/medicinal-mushrooms/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2019/03/26/mushrooms-and-brain-health-new-research-finds-a-potential-link-worth-considering/?sh=7de34c751f1b

https://grocycle.com/medicinal-mushrooms-the-complete-guide/

https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad180959

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/mushrooms-nutrition-benefits-risks/

https://news.psu.edu/story/491477/2017/11/09/research/mushrooms-are-full-antioxidants-may-have-anti-aging-potential

https://www.spandidos-publications.com/ijo/33/6/1307

https://rxmushrooms.com/best-11-healthiest-mushrooms-to-eat/

https://urbol.com/mesima/

https://medicinalherbals.net/medicinal-mushrooms/

https://mushroomscience.com/agaricus-blazei/

https://foodthesis.com/white-button-mushroom-health-benefits-and-side-effects/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738246/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20116660/

Cutting out sugar? Good luck!

When most think about cutting out sugar they immediately think ice cream, cake, cookies, pies, things along those lines. They ditch them but spend their time craving those sweet things and sooner or later talk themselves into "just one piece of candy"...and then it's all over. 

One of the reasons many continue to crave sugar is they don't realize just how much sugar is in the everyday things they eat. I read one estimate years ago that said roughly 80% of the food in the center aisles and frozen sections contained one or more forms of sugar. A more current study said 74% of our processed foods contain sugar. The decrease could simply be due to the fact that more and more of us are clamoring for healthy products.

Yours truly is a sugar-addict. The only way for me to curb my desire for sugar was to cut it out entirely. That meant I had to learn a lot about sugar. 

I've been sugar-free off and on since I was around 19. My interest in sugar, and being sugar-free, started when I walked into my dentist's office and he had a display of annual sugar consumption per person --- real sugar being used, not just photos. He started with a small baby jar with a tiny bit in it. 

I couldn't tell you the year he started but it seems it was around the time of the founding of America. The amount increased every year until the five pound bags (now I think they only sell 4 pound bags?) were 2 or 3 rows deep, maybe 3 wide and about my height. I don't remember exactly but it caught my attention. He was trying to prevent tooth decay. It was an eye-opener for me!

Back then the Internet and all the easy info at our fingertips didn't exist. I hit the library. I learned about what sugar did to our body, about how it was produced, about the countries that cultivated it and more. I read the book Sugar Blues (still have it). I went sugar-free for the first time.

Over the years I've done some back-sliding. It's hard to resist my mother's caramel cake, ice cream, and my biggest challenge...brownies. OK, OK, anything chocolate can tempt me!

Somewhere along the line I realized that one of the reasons I kept backsliding was that sugar was in almost every product I bought. Crackers, mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, and pretty much every packaged or processed food. It kept my system tuned into sugar and it kept my cravings alive.

So, I started reading labels closer. I did more research. I learned that there are over 60 names used to hide sugar. Some of the products I bought had 3 or 4 different kinds. I knew they listed the ingredients in order of highest weight content down. Sneaky. They could put sugar as the 4th ingredient, then another type as the 6th, another as the 8th... Altogether the amounts were whoppingly high.

I did look at the amount in the top portion, the Nutrient Content, but if I was looking at something like raisin bran one would expect to see a higher sugar content, right? Why would someone add two or three other kinds of sugar to something so sweet? Yet they do.

Manufacturers weren't required to differentiate between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars in the Nutrient Content until recently (finally). The percentages are based on serving size so be sure to take a good look at the serving size first if you watch what you eat. The serving sizes are often ridiculously small and thus the content per serving of many things is skewed if you're just using that alone. Sometimes I'll look at the number of servings in a package and just roll my eyes.

Also, if amounts are below a certain threshold per serving they are allowed to put zero (0). Want to bet they play around a lot with serving sizes, what they want to promote and what they want to hide?

Now I wander through stores reading labels, looking at the list of ingredients first. I look at the oils, the sugars, and for other key things I avoid. I generally eat like our ancestors on the farm ate or earlier (aside from the fact that I don't eat meat...another blog for another day but it's mostly habit now that they sell meats without all the crap in them). I'm a mix of paleo, keto, plant-based, vegan, vegetarian --- in other words I've come up with a diet specific to my body and health. 

I don't think I really need to go into all the reasons sugar is bad for us, do I?

I did post a story (press release) on why sugar was good for you way, way back. No, not to ingest, but to heal wounds. I note that in one study cited they mixed sugar with iodine. (https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2008/10/healing-power-of-sugar.html)

Wondering what kind of names hide sugar in products? Generally, to make it easier, if something ends in "ose" or has syrup attached then it's sugar. However, they do get sneaky with the names as you'll see in this list of some sugars in our foods:

• Agave nectar
  
• Barley malt
• Barbados sugar
• Beet sugar
• Brown sugar
• Buttered syrup
• Cane juice
• Cane sugar
• Caramel
• Carob syrup
  
  
• Corn syrup
• Corn syrup solids
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Carob syrup
• Castor sugar
• Date sugar
• Dehydrated cane juice
• Demerara sugar
• Dextran
• Dextrose
• Diastatic malt
• Diatase
• Ethyl maltol
• Free flowing brown sugars
• Fructose
• Fruit juice
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Galactose
• Glucose
• Glucose solids
• Golden sugar
• Golden syrup
• Granulated sugar
• Grape sugar
• High fructose corn syrup
  
• Honey
• Icing sugar
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Malt
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Mannitol
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Muscovado
• Oat syrup 
• Palm sugar
  
• Panocha
• Powdered sugar
• Rapadura sugar
  
• Raw sugar
• Refiner’s syrup
• Rice syrup
• Rice bran syrup
  
• Sucrose
• Treacle
• Turbinado sugar
• Yellow sugar

If you're concerned about high fructose corn syrup be sure to read this article. They have gotten sneaky about including it! https://livelovefruit.com/new-names-for-high-fructose-corn-syrup/ 

Here are names used by manufacturers to hide fructose:

• 
  Maize syrup
• Glucose syrup
• Glucose-fructose syrup
• Tapioca syrup
• Fruit fructose
• Crystalline fructose
• HFCS 
• Isoglucose
• Corn syrup
• Dahlia syrup

More reading if you'd like to delve deeper:

https://www.sweetleaf.com/how-sugar-hides-in-your-food/

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1937818/56-names-sugar-food-industry-uses-hide-how-much-their

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-ways-sugar-is-hidden 

https://asweetlife.org/how-food-companies-hide-sugar-in-plain-sight/

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/different-words-sugar-food-labels-8373.html

http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/hidden-in-plain-sight/#.X_CFIxZOmUk

https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-new-nutrition-facts-label

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/finding-the-hidden-sugar-in-the-foods-you-eat

Swinging moods...anger...frustration and related...

Someone I love has mood swings. Anger. Frustration. Lashing out at times. She gets upset at herself after an outburst and gets down about it. Most of the time she's a joy. This is not a situation where therapy would help although she is seeing someone. She's young, and this may be a stage, could be related to hormones to some degree. 

I decided to do some research for some possible herbal and supplemental solutions or assistance. May find some foods that also help but I'm not going down the yoga, exercise, meditation route as that's not an option for our girl and most of us already know they are good for our overall mental and physical health.

I'm going to just pop things I find on here and will circle back to this blog with updates on what helped or more things to consider. 

You'll find that many, if not all, of these help with sleep also. Stands to reason that if you're calm you're going to sleep better and vice versa! (Note: for more on sleep check out the blog I have on the sidebar and do a search on here for sleep...it is one of my ongoing research areas and I'm always adding things about improving deep and REM sleep.)

Magnesium - we know it's good for sleep, for our brain, but it's also listed as one that helps with stabilizing moods. It is an anti-stressor and studies have shown that it reduces stress levels and anxiety. Magnesium citrate powder is easily absorbed and the magnesium version I keep seeing as being the best for this particular issue.

Vitamin D - thinking getting outside in the sun for our minimum 20 minutes a day is usually the best way to get our D. Especially if combined with some movement like walking or riding a bike. Might not be the best way if you live in an area with heavy pollution.

5-HTP - mood swings, depression, and sleep issues.

Ashwagandha - great for your brain, memory also. (ha --- spellcheck tried to turn ashwagandha into "handwashing".)

Ginseng - mood, anger, focus, energy and more.

Rhodiola Rosea - I bought some and it's a sticky kind of herb, hard to cut up and use. I need to see if there are other versions I can buy, just haven't gotten around to it yet. I wanted to add it to my anti-anxiety tea blend that I make up for a friend but the type I bought turned out to be too hard to incorporate in a tea mix.

Passion Flower - helps with sleep and calms moods.

St. John's Wort - one that is mentioned over and over for mood swings, anxiety, similar issues. One said it is "the top herb" in this area.

Kava Kava - sleep, calmness, relaxation of nerves, anxiety, mood swings.

Chamomile - sleep, anger, skin swelling, stomach cramps.

Valerian Root - mood swings, sleep, restlessness, depression.

Sam-E - also good for your joints

Omega 3 - eat a lot of wild caught salmon! 

B Vitamins - B5, 6 & 12 in particular.  

These are some I came across that I'll update as I find out more. Listing so you can look into them before I do if you'd like:

• Catuaba
• Eleuthero or Siberian ginseng
  
• Ginkgo biloba (I use the herb in some of my teas for reasons other than mood)
  
• Maca root or Peruvian ginseng
• Mulberry bark tea (I eat dried white mulberries...will have to look up to see if they also have a positive mood impact)
  
• Schizandra (Wu Wei Zi)
  
• Shilajit
• Tribulus terrestris
  
• Yohimbine
  

Some additional comments, my own thoughts after years of working to improve my mind and body naturally:

I believe there are many things in our foods and diet that contribute and/or cause a lot, if not most, of our health and mind issues. Allergies to additives like red dye (disputed but there are many children who have had complete mood changes for the good when foods with red dye were removed from their diets). Gluten sensitivity. All those additives we can't pronounce in our processed foods. The list is long...pesticides, fast foods, preservatives, etc. 

Sugar in our foods is a big contributor to mood swings. They use it as a cheap filler...plus it is addictive so we keep going back for more and often don't like things that don't have sugar included. [Who puts sugar in mayonnaise? blue cheese dressing? Mass producers of those products. You won't find sugar in the recipe books. Check out my blog on sugar: https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2021/01/cutting-out-sugar-good-luck.html] 

Doubt me on how addictive sugar is? Try going sugar-free for a couple of weeks. I'm not talking about just ditching sodas and cake, I'm talking about looking at labels and taking anything out of your diet that lists any of the hundreds of names they give to sugar to hide it from you. 

I've done a number of blogs on sugar and mention it often in my health posts. I also have a Facebook group, private, called Little Life Hacks (https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlelifehacks) where I post things of interest so maybe I posted on there. You're welcome to join the group, just let me know you heard about it on here.

Our sedentary lifestyle also has a negative impact. The fact that we hang out more inside than outside. The wacky light exposure we now get throwing off our circadian rhythm. So many things we consider "normal" that truly aren't good for our bodies.

I eat organic as much as possible and definitely stay away from the "Dirty Dozen". 

Some suggested reading:

https://whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com/supplements-mood-support/

https://ehowremedies.com/health/natural-herbal-supplements-to-control-anger-and-mood-swings/

https://globalhealing.com/natural-health/top-5-herbs-for-controlling-mood-swings/

https://urbol.com/natural-mood-stabilizers/

Vitamin C is just vitamin C, right? Updated 1/2/2020

We've all heard about needing vitamin C, how it is in fruits and veggies, how it is good to take when you're ill, and many other great things about its value. I'm betting that most of us take it either alone or in a multi-vitamin. 

As always, foods are the best way to get any vitamin or mineral but most of us don't eat enough, or eat right, to get everything we need. And sometimes we're battling issues where an extra bump is needed either temporarily or ongoing. There are tons of ways to add some extras to your foods (that'll be another blog, of course :-)).

When buying Vitamin C in supplement form, if you're like me, you opted for a well-known label and thought nothing more about it. Knowing it's water soluble and that your body uses what it needs and flushes the rest you may have opted for time release or small dosages to take throughout the day. 

A while back I picked up some powder form by NOW at Sprouts and have been adding it to my smoothies (doing whatever I can to decrease the number of pills I take!). I have never given it a second thought. I just finished off the large bottle and, coincidentally, came across a short blurb about vitamin C that spurred me to look into it a bit more.

Can NOTHING be simple? :-) 

It turns out that there are a variety of types, some absorb better than others and...and...and... In looking into Vitamin C I also found that it does much more than I thought! Who knew it was good for your memory? 

First the types, then the benefits.

Types

Ascorbic Acid - 

Synthetically made but identical to natural C. It's also the cheapest. Acidic and causes some to have stomach issues due to the acidity. From what I've read it is derived from fermented GMO corn...thus I would not be an advocate of using this one.

There are a number of mineral ascorbates that SOME say are less troublesome to those with gastrointestinal issues. They are considered "buffered". However, you need to look at the max daily (or cumulative) dosage for the mineral, especially if you are taking multi vitamins or take the minerals individually.

- Calcium Ascorbate (may be good for bone health but there's some debate about calcium so do some research),
- Magnesium Ascorbate (good for leg cramps, pooping regularly and other things),
- Sodium Ascorbate (be careful with this one if you have salt issues, high blood pressure - 1,000 mg of sodium ascorbate contains roughly 111 mg of sodium).
- Potassium Ascorbate
- Zinc Ascorbate
- Manganese Ascorbate
- Molybdenum Ascorbate
- Chromium Ascorbate

I probably missed a few...the list is long.

Studies have shown that there doesn't seem to be any clinical difference between the synthetic and natural and both are equally bioavailable. Yours truly thinks natural, "real" is always better.

Ascorbate and Vitamin C Metabolites -  

Ester-C is patented calcium-ascorbate with a bit of calcium threonate, xylonate, lyxonate, and dehydroascorbic acid. The maker claims it had higher absorption rates into the blood but a 2008 study showed equal amounts with regular Vitamin C. However, there was a higher concentration in the white blood cells.

Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids (antioxidants; polyphenolic compounds found in plants)

One study showed it had a 35% higher absorption rate than regular ascorbic acid. However there are numerous studies that show no difference. Purportedly easier on the digestion system also. Again, there are those who disagree with that statement. I suppose it is up to you to discover whether it's true or not for your particular stomach!

Liposomal Vitamin C

It has a fat-soluble coating that increases absorption. Saw a number of studies showing increases in absorption.

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Typically this one is used in skin creams, lotions, etc. as it is absorbed better. The formulation makes it fat soluble rather than water soluble. I've read quite a bit about Vitamin C being great for our skin and use a cream that includes it. I'll be checking to see which Vitamin C is used after I finish this post! This type is also used to preserve food.

Vitamin C with Rose Hips (the fruit of the rose plant)

Rose hips are high in Vitamin C and numerous other antioxidants and is easily absorbed. Typically they combine synthetic ascorbic acid with rose hips.

D-Isoascorbic acid (Erythorbic acid)

Used as a food antioxidant in the United States.

Ascorbyl palmitate

Used to increase the shelf-life of things with vegetable oils like chips, etc.

The benefits of Vitamin C

• Increases iron absorption
• Helps improve memory
• Supports the immune system
• Helps with periodontal health
• Helps to prevent colds & respiratory problems
• Good for heart health
• Helps to prevent seizures
• Helps to prevent blood infections
• Great for skin
• Supports the formation of collagen and L-carnitine
• Has been shown to slightly lower blood pressure
• Helps reduce the chances of getting gout
  

Who should take Vitamin C?

Well, I'm definitely not a doctor or trained practitioner but unless you're eating a good supply of veggies and fruits I'd posit that most of us need extra. Especially if you smoke, are stressed, bruise easily, have toxin issues like exposure to mercury (fillings in teeth?) and lead, live in areas with higher pollution, have joint pain or bleeding gums.

The type I'm going to look for (and will update this blog as I find)

- ones made from natural foods like camu-camu, acerola berry, orange peel, and/or rosehips

Things to watch out for when choosing a Vitamin C supplement

They love to put cheap fillers in vitamins, especially the chewable, that, in my opinion, negate the benefits. Sugar, sucralose, stearic acid, natural flavors, artificial flavors and colors, carageenan, vegetable magnesium stearate, rice powder (if you're on a low-carb diet) are ingredients that would have me putting it back on the shelf. You may pay more for quality but it's not really paying more if you're getting something that works AND doesn't have crap in it that will hurt you. 

There are other things I watch out for when buying vitamin supplements that may not be an issue with Vitamin C supplements. I'll let you know if I find them as I wander around on-line looking for a good Vitamin C. Right now I'm leaning toward buying either camu-camu or acerola powder. It looks pricey at first glance but when I cost it out it seems to be very reasonable.

What dosage?

Generally, from what I've read, it's safe up to around 3,000 mg a day. After that you'll probably be sitting on the toilet regretting those high doses. However, if you break it up throughout the day even higher doses can be tolerated without diarrhea. 

2,000 mg per day is what seems to be the general consensus on dosage that I ran across for prevention of gout, decreasing blood pressure, fighting infections. However, if you consistently take high doses it may increase your chances of getting cataracts and some say cause kidney stones. Conversely, studies have shown that Vitamin C helps to prevent cataracts. Balance. It's always about balance.

The "official" recommended minimum daily range is between 65 and 90 mg with smokers needing an addition 35 mg. Per ConsumerLab.com (where I do a lot of research; paid site) the dosage between 50 and 100 mg is "sufficient for most adults". 

The recommended dosages are set for the minimum requirements to live. You know how you eat, what you eat...if you're eating a lot of fresh organic veggies you're probably good to go without supplementation unless you've been exposed to some nasty virus or illness, or you feel yourself fighting something, or you're stressed, or you don't exercise, or you live with any kind of pollution, or if you are exposed to toxins, mold...or...or... OK, OK, take a supplement when in those situations! :-)

I'm an advocate of breaking it up through the day no matter what dose you take. That's one of the reasons I switched to adding a powdered Vitamin C to my smoothie or daily drink. I mix a large bottle in the morning with my C and other powders and drink it all day, adding water or herbal tea or ice to keep it fresh and filled. 

Little tidbits of interest

One study found that only 50% of time released Vitamin C was absorbed, another found that the slow release was equal to taking small doses. Could be some formulas are better than others?  

Vitamin C increases your bodies ability to absorb iron. (Personal note: I learned last year that I have a condition where I have high iron in my blood. Supposedly, from the research I did, the only way to get rid of the excess iron is to donate blood. I need to do a bit more research on it and, given the increased absorption rate with Vitamin C, may need to back away from taking it as a supplement. I do know that excess iron in your system can cause some not-so-good health issues.)

Your body can't manufacture Vitamin C so you have to get it in your foods or as a supplement

Vitamin C helps your body produce collagen

More info (and where I got some of my info):

https://www.iherb.com/blog/vitamin-c-forms/994

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C/supplemental-forms

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C/supplemental-forms

https://modernalternativemama.com/2015/10/19/how-to-choose-the-best-type-of-vitamin-c/

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/lindsey/benefits-of-vitamin-c-and-vitamin-c-types

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

Shankhapushpi (Dwarf Morning Glory, aloe weed, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Clitoria ternatea, Evolvulus alstinoides, Codonopsis pilosula, Canscora decussate)

Well, dingbat here, was digging through my refrigerator bin with powders and herbs and found my bag of powdered Shankapushpi (or Shankhapushpi). I have a tendency to get interested in something, buy it and USE it...but this is one I remember getting during a really stressful time, I tried it for a bit, and I put it in the fridge for "later". It slid to the bottom of the bin and my mind. 

The plus side to coming across it this morning is that I get to be excited about trying it again so it's a two-fer??? Not exactly excited but I'm off doing some re-research to re-learn why I bought it. If I remember correctly it didn't do much for my sleep but it could be that it needs to build.

It sounds really good but I've gotten a bit jaded when it comes to all the things out there that are said to do wonderful things, especially when they have such a long list of benefits. Not doubting they work but none of them are miracle workers and what works for one person may not for another. It could be that this will help me personally in one area but not another. Getting ready to start again and find out!

It has many reported benefits for the brain AND to a lesser degree for sleep, two big areas of interest for me. In reading about it the memory enhancement and cognitive benefits top the list as to reasons people use it. The list of what it purportedly does/helps with includes:

• Memory enhancement (long-term), improved concentration & mental fatigue, & focus
• Alzhiemer's disease & other dementias (here's an interesting bit about two of the different types of Shankhapushpi: https://www.jpionline.org/index.php/ijpi/article/view/827)
  
• Epilepsy
  
• Depression
• Ulcers
  
• 
  Stress & anxiety
• Sleep
• Headache prevention
• Skin health
• Digestion 
• Cardio health
  
• Learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism
  
• Liver disease
• Nausea & vomiting
• Bronchitis & asthma
• Graying hair, hair loss
• Diabetes
  

A few tidbits:

• There are four (4) plants known as Shankhapushpi: Convolvulus pluricaulis, Clitoria ternatea, Evolvulus alstinoides (found it called Vishnukarandhi, Vishnukrantha, Vishnu-kranta, Vishukarandi, and Sankaholi), and Codonopsis pilosula. Update: just came across a site that says the four are Convolvulus pluricaulis, Evolvulus alsinoides, Clitoria ternatea, and Canscora decussate with the first being the "true" Dwarf Morning Glory. Yikes, now we're up to five plants and who knows how many names... Sigh. Ya'll are on your own...I'd need a doctorate to figure out which one is true at this point. I have Evolvulus alstinoides...which a number of sites said was "the best". Who knows? They generally all said they did the same thing in reading.
  
• You can use the oil, capsules, syrup, powder, juice or make a decoction.
• It's a perennial Indian plant (also found in Burma)
  
• 
  Check with your doctor if you're taking medications to lower your blood pressure or have any other health issues. I didn't see any big warning signs about taking it but it's always advisable to go slow with anything new you're adding.
  
• At extremely high doses it can slow down your respiratory system so make sure you stick to the recommended doses. I always cycle things like this just to be on the safe side. I also cycle things to make sure my body doesn't adjust to whatever I'm taking --- sometimes your body adjusts and quits making its own cancer fighters, sugar regulators, etc. All we're trying to do with supplementation is enhance, not kill or suppress, what our body can do for us if treated well.
  
• There is some debate as to whether the shankpushpi from Clitoria ternatea or Convolvulus pluricaulis is the best...seems that the Clitoria ternatea wins out for purists but it seems the Convolvulus is more common. I plan to do a bit more reading on this one...came across it late in my research. Not sure which one I have either so going to grab my bag to see. Update: I have Banyan Botanicals, Evolvulus alstinoides (saw it called Vishnukranthi on one site) also known as Dwarf Morning Glory herb per the label on the bag --- which means yours truly has more research to do! I am going to look it up using the common title, see if I can find out what the difference is between the three I have now come across. Traveling an interesting investigative trail. :-)
  
• The blooms closely resemble those of the Morning Glory so you'll see that mentioned frequently if you're out reading. It's not morning glory so don't go getting high on those morning glory seeds :-).
  
• Throughout history it has been a major part of Ayurvedic medicine practice
• It has a bitter taste so you may want to mix it with something sweet if you're not taking capsules

Dosage

The dosage suggestions vary widely and depend sometimes on what you're trying to achieve. I'm going to start with a half teaspoon twice a day, once in the morning and another at night. For brain and memory I saw doses as high as two teaspoons three times a day with the last being taken before bed to enhance sleep (which definitely helps the brain). I plan to start slow. I'm more into prevention of memory issues at this point so doubt I'll go to the higher doses.

More reading if you're interested. Much more depth than I provided above:

Effect of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. on learning behavior and memory enhancement activity in rodents: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19610035/

https://supplementsinreview.com/nootropic/convolvulus-pluricalis-nootropic/ 

https://learn.1balance.com/post/benefits-of-shankhpushpi/

Comparative nootropic effect of evolvulus alsinoides and convolvulus pluricaulis: https://ijpbs.net/abstract.php?article=NTk2 

https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/shankhpushpi-benefits-uses-dosage-formulations-and-side-effects

https://lifeseasons.com/shankhpushpi

https://rootbabes.com/shankhpushpi-benefits/

https://harmonyveda.com/2020/01/09/know-shankhpushpi-benefits/

https://www.gyanunlimited.com/health/top-10-wonder-benefits-of-shankhpushpi-convolvulus-pluricaulis/11551/

A short one on two new things I'm doing for sleep...

I have a full-blown on-going blog about sleep on the sidebar if you'd like more on sleep hacks, tips, things to try. These are my two latest additions and thus far both seem to be helping. 

Addition #1 - Ashwagandha 

I make a cup of herbal tea at night. I do it about 3 hours or so before I go to sleep to mitigate the mid-night or 2a.m. bathroom trip. Kinda silly to go through all these hoops for good quality sleep and have it interrupted by a full bladder, right? :-)

I mix my own teas and the one I drink at night is one blended for my specific needs so I won't bore you with the ingredients. However, one thing I do that you may want to try is adding turmeric and ginger. I use ginger and turmeric root, readily available at most grocery stores, and pop thin slices in the tea. I'm working on a turmeric blog will try to remember to pop back on here and link when I get finished. I also add my nightly Calm (magnesium) to the cup (leg cramps, brain, pooping...it's not the only magnesium I take, each type has different benefits...guess I need to do a magnesium blog?). 

The NEW addition is ashwaghanda root. 

I was out and about on-line doing some research and came across the tidbit that it helped with sleep. I use the powder in my smoothies and it is also in a few of the brain supplements I take but it's probably all out of my system by the time I go to bed. Guessing on that one. Could be that just giving it a boost at night is what does the trick.

I started experimenting with it, adding it for a few nights running to my tea bag, missed it off and on. I noticed that my deep sleep improved when I added it to my night tea. I'm still tracking to see if it holds true but so far it's a winner. I work more on my deep sleep than I do on length of sleep. Dave Asprey has a lot on deep sleep, need to get back over and read some more of his "stuff". 

Addition #2 - Quinine (in Tonic Water) 

I recently had my veins done (hereditary issue, thanks mom :-)). I asked the vascular surgeon about the leg cramps I suffer through fairly often. He said that while he couldn't, as a doctor, tell me to do it many of his patients swore by tonic water. 

The magnesium I take doesn't seem to do much for my particular type of leg cramps...then again, maybe they'd be horrific if I didn't take it every night! I don't plan to find out.

So...I went out and did some reading and then went on a hunt for some tonic water that I'd drink at the local grocery stores. Bleh. They all had sugars, sucrolose, a variety of additions that I would never put in my body.

I finally found one at my local Kroger. Their Diet Tonic Water doesn't have a sweetener in it. I bought a 99 cent bottle to see if it helped. 

Wow. I haven't had leg cramps since I started drinking it. I have no idea if it's a placebo effect -- don't believe it is as I've "believed" in other things that supposedly worked on leg cramps that didn't for yours truly. I do think that everyone's body is different and maybe this is the thing that works on my particular type of leg cramp but maybe not yours. It's a cheap thing to try and if it works I will expect a hug if we ever meet. 

I use it in the tea mix I mentioned in Addition #1 to cool my tea. I leave space in the top of the tea cup and add it. I'll also put a little in my daily drink mix off and on but not consistently. 

Note: I gather that quinine is also known as cinchoa or Countess powder. Guess who's off to do some research? Could be that I can just buy some of the powder and use it, or maybe the root for my tea. It's very bitter so maybe I'll just stick to the tonic water.

Have you tried either of these? Doing something I've missed? Experimenting? Figured out ways to improve your deep sleep? Check out my blog on the sidebar and let me know if I should add anything to my list. Thanks! 

Hope you have a healthy, restful, 2021.

Side tip re: Calm --- I buy it on Amazon, have it on their Subscribe and Save program. I was at Costco recently and they had a much larger container (20 oz vs 16 oz) for a dollar more than Amazon's smaller container. I grabbed one. I just popped over to Amazon and noticed they've dropped the price for the 16 oz container by $2. Ha. Keep an eye on it if it's something you use as there may be more price changes!