GERD, Acid Reflux, Heartburn, Oh My! Oh No!

Many years back I started having heartburn after almost every meal. I chewed antacids, had bottles scattered around the house, in the car and never packed a suitcase without some. I talked with my doctor and she sent me to a specialist.

They knocked me out, looked down my throat, esophagus and checked everything out. I was given a prescription for Prilosec and told that I would be on it the rest of my life. If I left my acid reflux unchecked it could lead to cancer. When I asked about alternatives I was told that I could have an operation to fix the weak valve that wasn't keeping all the acid where it belonged.

That was it. And yes, that's a very over-simplified version of the diagnosis and treatment.

I took the prescription-strength Prilosec. Then my insurance stopped covering it and switched me to another type of proton pump inhibitors...which didn't work. Then they switched me to another. Then Prilosec became their drug of choice and I was back on it again... All of them basically stopped my stomach from producing acid. Therefore, none could travel upwards as it didn't exist.

I was so happy not to be staring at cancer and to be able to eat and sleep without heartburn, a sore throat, and other related agonies that I didn't delve into how the drugs worked and what the long-term impact to my health could be. That was not like yours truly!

At some point, the "what are you doing to yourself taking this drug?" part of my brain woke up! I started doing some research. Around that same time, I was losing weight. I wasn't obese, but I was moving on up and had passed the line between feel good about yourself and hide what you can with baggy clothes.

I didn't intend to lose weight...the loss happened when I changed my way of eating...which will be another blog or two or ten another day.

Common sense says that your digestive is designed perfectly and that the acid in your stomach has a purpose. As I learned how drugs like Prilosec and other proton pump inhibitors worked I figured out that, like many drugs on the market, it worked in one area but really screwed up other areas. It was more of a pick your poison. Or maybe more of a feel good now, pay later drug.

I'll link to side effects and how they work at the end of this post. Most of you probably already know!

I started looking into how to get off the drugs. I tried. I really tried. I downed apple cider vinegar, picked up some DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice root extract), ate small meals, cut out foods that triggered heartburn in anyone on the planet, raised the head of my bed and tried all the things listed out in Google-Land.

The problem with trying to get off acid reducers is that there is a rebound effect. You produce WAY more acid...you over-produce. It is painful, potential cancer looms in your mind, so back on the drugs you go... I did that yo-yo twice before breaking down and going to the doctor.

He said, after looking at my chart, noting my great weight-loss and hearing about my dietary changes that "if anyone can get off the medication you can". Wow, what a great bit of encouragement. He didn't give me any great ideas on HOW to do it...mentioned some of the easy ones anyone can find on the Internet.

I tried again. And finally succeeded. It wasn't easy.

I have been off the drugs for years now.

I continued to sleep with the head of my bed raised as a prevention method --- and subsequently learned that it's also good for your sleep and your brain!

Recently, after all these years, I started having some minor issues again.

I think it's due to a number of factors, the main one being stress. I've had a lot of angst lately. And even though I usually roll easily it still impacts me. Family issues, the passing of a family member I love dearly, my Dad having surgery, the kids moving, my Mom going off the only known treatment to work for slowing her dementia, and on and on. Lots of little and big hits.

Plus, I have moved to a timed window of eating --- which is good for my brain and not a bad thing --- but I stopped eating a number of small meals and have a tendency to eat two large meals. Not good if one has digestive issues. I am changing that one. I didn't even think of it in relation to my acid reflux until I started having issues again. When I stood back and looked at everything I realized the large meals, in combination with stress, could easily be part of the reason.

So I'm cutting my meals in half. I'm drinking two tablespoons of Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in a little water about 20 minutes before a meal. Sometimes I do it afterward. I am taking Betaine HCI + Pepsin prior to eating any meal that I think might be heartburn inducing. I am drinking aloe juice. I already add ginger root into my smoothies so I'm good on that one.

Yes, I am being aggressive.

All of those things seem to be working. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Have you ever dealt with acid reflux? Tried getting off proton pump inhibitors? Have any great heartburn fighters? Love to get your thoughts!

https://kresserinstitute.com/dangers-proton-pump-inhibitors/
https://www.drugwatch.com/proton-pump-inhibitors/side-effects/
https://www.medicinenet.com/proton-pump_inhibitors/article.htm
https://www.drugjustice.com/ppi-side-effects/

Scary...Blue Cross Plans Say Alzheimer’s Has Tripled Among Adults Ages 30 To 64

This is some scary news! Especially since they're only looking at commercially insured Americans. Imagine what the numbers probably look like across the board... Yikes.

Blue Cross Plans Say Alzheimer’s Has Tripled Among Adults Ages 30 To 64
Early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s disease jumped 200% among commercially insured Americans between the ages of 30 and 64 over a recent five-year period, a new analysis of Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurer claims shows...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2020/02/27/blue-cross-alzheimers-has-tripled-among-adults-as-young-as-30/#2fcafd374d28

Alzheimer's Survivors...

Post by Dr. Dale Bredesen today: "We support the mission of the Alzheimer's Association to eliminate AD. However, we strongly disagree with their assertion "there is still no treatment that slows progression of the disease, let alone stops or reverses it." An estimated 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. A new case is diagnosed every 65 seconds. Isn't it time to publicly acknowledge that real progress has been made—and published repeatedly—using a precision medicine approach?" (The article he refers to is posted at the end of this post)

Under his post on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drdalebredesen/), there are loads of comments from people doing the Protocol, reversing AD, going back to work, going back to doing what they loved and had lost.

Someone under the post said they talked to the CEO of AA during a walk and he claimed that he had never heard of Dr. Bredesen. Really? I wonder if he is aware of APOE4.info? All the docs who have and are training in the Protocol? Bredesen is not the only one who is having success with similar programs.

Sadly, there is no money behind non-drug treatment studies (the majority of dollars for studies comes from pharmacy companies...) so it's just word of mouth.

Here are two good sites with testimonials, info, how to get started helping you or your loved ones on the path to preventing and reversing AD.

It's a tough protocol for some...but if it works it's a lot easier than being a statistic, having to watch the memory of your loved ones deteriorate, having to bath them, having to worry about nursing homes...

https://alzsurvivor.com/

https://www.apoe4.info/

I have a ton of links above under the header if you're looking for practitioners, more info, etc.

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

After 40 years, the Alzheimer’s Association sees signs of progress against a devastating disease. Is it real?https://www.statnews.com/2020/02/24/after-40-years-the-alzheimers-association-sees-signs-of-progress-against-a-devastating-disease-is-it-real/

Going for a sleep study? Tips for getting the best answers to your sleep issues...

I recently had a sleep study (or if you'd like to get technical Polysomnography). It was horrible. I learned a lot. I've done a lot of research since I fired the so-called sleep specialist. Here are some things I've gleaned that may help you. I'll be popping back to this one, correcting any errors, adding info as I come across it. I will pop a new date on the title if I update the post.

• You will probably get a referral from your primary doctor. Do your own research. If the doctor doesn't have good reviews, isn't a good fit, ask for a different referral. Better yet, get an open referral so you can choose your own doctor.
• Before you go for your initial visit have in mind exactly which issues you have issues with such as:
• waking up frequently
• lack of deep and/or REM sleep (if you're able to track)
• feeling tired during the day, when you wake up, in the afternoon, etc.
• Do you doze off when watching TV? as a passenger in a car? at meetings? when reading?
• WRITE IT DOWN so you won't forget
• Tell the doctor what your goals are and be sure to discuss your expectations. 
• If you've been keeping a sleep diary (always a good idea if you're having issues), bring it.
• See if a home sleep study will work. If they say it depends on your insurance know they are hoping you'll do it at their office. Some insurances won't cover anything other than a home study. Home studies can't give as much data as one on-location --- however, if you're not going to sleep away from home you may want to push for a home study.
• If you do your study at their location, ask to see the sleep room. Make sure:
• it is dark, blackout curtains, no lights in the room
• the head of the bed raises if you're used to sleeping in that manner
• the walls aren't so thin that you can hear doors closing, people in the next room.
• it has a private bathroom (nothing like having to walk down a brightly lit hallway in the middle of the night...fluorescent or other bright lights that tell your brain "wake up"...)
• if you are going straight to work from the sleep study having a shower in the bathroom may be important to you
• the room has temperature controls (optimum sleep temps are anywhere from 60 - 67 degrees depending on which expert is giving the advice, but you may sleep better in warmer or colder temps) 
• Special needs children and smaller children can have a parent in the room. The rest of us sleep alone.
• Prep for the study (here's a great little video with https://youtu.be/6OjvRoYOcaM):
• Eat dinner if you normally eat.
• Don't drink any caffeine for 8 plus hours before the sleep study.
• Don't drink any alcoholic beverages or smoke any weed or take any mind-altering drugs (kind of laughing at that one...imagine your brain wave patterns if you popped certain pills...)
• No naps the day of the study no matter how tired you may get!
• Some places ask you not to polish your nails or wear fake nails. They put a finger monitor on one finger...for me it was the pointer on my left hand.  
• Wash your hair before your sleep study so the leads will stick. Don't put a lot of product on your hair as that kind of defeats the purpose...
• Don't put on any lotion or anything that can interfere with the pads sticking to your skin
• Wear loose clothing so they can get to the top of your chest, your back and the bottom of your legs. You will not be asked to get undressed.
• You will typically arrive between 8 and 10 p.m. and leave at 6 a.m. or after for a total of around 9 hours. They hope for 7 hours of sleep time so they can adequately assess your sleep. 
• You can bring your own pillow, blanket (weighted or your fave blankie), sound machine, books, tablet, snacks, toothbrush and toothpaste (you may want to brush your teeth before you leave) and pretty much anything within reason that will help you sleep. Some have fans in the rooms --- if you sleep with one ask if they have it, if not bring your own.
• Bring your medications. Let them know which ones you take.
• Wear comfortable clothes to sleep in or bring your sleep clothes. You may want to bring slippers or wear socks for walking around on public floors.
• When you get there you'll fill out more paperwork, then head to the sleep room. The tech will wire you up...nothing hurts but they do stick gunk in your hair so the leads will attach. 

• While you will have a lot of wires hanging off your body they won't hamper movement so don't worry about tossing and turning.
• If you have a reputable, good, clinic they will measure where they place the electrodes to ensure they get the best data. If they slap 'em on anywhere on your head raise an eyebrow and expect to get a CPAP recommendation...
• An oxygen monitor will be placed on a finger
• A plastic nasal tube monitors your breathing
• They monitor
• Brain activity
• Eye movements
• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Amount of oxygen in your blood
• the amount of air moving through your nose when you breathe
• Snoring
• Chest movements, breathing
• The room will have a camera so the tech can watch you at times and there will be a microphone so you can contact them. Yes, they'll hear you snore... :-). Some places, most I gather, video-tape you.

Red Flags

• A Physicians Assistant does your assessment and you never see the doctor. That's not necessarily an issue but it seems that talking with the doctor on your initial appointment is a reasonable expectation. (On a number of sites they said to expect to meet with the doctor...)
• They start talking C-Pap before the sleep study expect that they have pre-determined your diagnosis.
• If you mention other option possibilities, such as Inspire, or other sleep aids and they keep talking C-Pap you may want to try another sleep doc. That's not to say C-Pap isn't a good option for some...but if that's their agenda then they may have blinders on, or worse, get a kick-back from or own a C-Pap company :-). I have NO earthly idea if that's possible, but given my recent experience, it had me wondering...
• The doctor or PA has a set agenda, doesn't listen, dismisses your concerns and/or questions. You may want to say thank you but no thank you.
• If you know more about a good sleep environment than the sleep doc... (For instance, when I walked into the sleep room the wall was a full-length window with blinds. Outside the window there were parking lot lights that kept the room bright all night and hit my eyes. The tech said she'd been asking for over a year to get black-out curtains, everyone complained...and then said it was a good thing it wasn't a garbage pickup night as it was right outside my window and always startled her...)
• They don't give you a sheet explaining what to expect during or as you leave your initial appointment
• Bad reviews
• Even good reviews can be misleading. The doctor I went to for my sleep study had great reviews, even impressive reviews. However, after the sleep study, I went back and took a second look. All of the reviews were from people who saw him in his pulmonary practice. I did not find any reviews on the sleep center portion of his practice. So, lack of pertinent reviews may also be a "tell".
• If their sleep rooms are not conducive for promoting a good night of sleep. I listed things to look for above under "Ask to see the sleep room".
• If they have wonky sleep-study times, like arrive at 9 and leave at 5 in the morning and you normally sleep until 8 you may want to have someone drop you off and pick you up. Or find a place where their hours better fit your normal sleep schedule if possible. If they tell you all they need is 2 hours of good sleep to do an assessment know you are probably going to get a C-Pap recommendation from them...
• I'm not 100% sure about the requirements for sleep techs but mine had a musical degree and was "trained" to do the job after she was hired. I did not delve into requirements while there and given she'd been doing it for over a year I opted to let it slide (after all, she just stuck some leads on my head and unplugged me). I pegged it in my mind to do a bit of checking after the study. I would "guess" that certification probably varies from state-to-state. Here's a link to requirements from one school: https://study.com/articles/Become_a_Sleep_Technologist_Step-by-Step_Career_Guide.html. Per their site "To become a sleep technologist, you'll need an associate's degree in polysomnography technology. Also, certification is required and you should be detail oriented and able to communicate with patients."  
• I just found this: Sleep technologists, also known as polysomnographic technologists, are the ones keeping you company during your sleep study, monitoring all of your vital signs while you sleep. They will have one or more of the following certifications: Certified Polysomnographic Technician (CPSGT), Registered Sleep Technologist (RST), Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT), and Sleep Disorders Specialist (SDS). https://www.tuck.com/sleep-clinics/

Updated 3/1/20 - What is working when it comes to fighting Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias?

Pretty much the only things currently having any kind of an impact long-term on the fight against Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other forms of dementia all come from the functional side of the medical world.

That's not to say that when caught early the traditional treatments don't always fail. Sometimes, when combined with increased physical exercise, dietary changes and maybe some supplements, early intervention works and continues to work.

Sadly, most people don't talk to their doctors about failing memory until they are past the point of current traditional, mainstream medical treatments working to keep AD at bay. I have personal experience with that silence. Those close to this individual kept everyone in the dark, although to be honest we kind of noticed some signs, just didn't pick up on them as we don't see them except in short doses for holidays. The Bredesen Protocol (see other posts, plus some of my pages linked below the header) could have worked for her but they are no longer following. Long story on that one. Sad, makes me so sad, wakes me up at night thinking about what they are facing.

Anywaze...onto brighter thoughts. Oh, wait, no...the next part deals with the current status of treatments for dementias. Not good news.

Quotes from a variety of articles on the current status of "traditional" treatments (click the quote to read the entire article):

• Previous Alzheimer’s medications have targeted specific toxins that are abundantly present in diseased brains, such as the aforementioned beta amyloid. However, these drugs all failed once going into clinical trials, perhaps because they were only targeting one part of the problem.
• As drug trials fail to find an effective treatment for the most common form of dementia, could it be time to go back to the drawing board?
• Current drugs only temporarily ease symptoms and do not alter the course of the disease.
• Because there are no effective disease-modifying treatments currently available for Alzheimer’s, drugs and other approaches — such as nutritional supplements, or nutraceuticals — designed to stop or slow disease progression have become a focus of ongoing research
• On the treatment front, we still do not know what causes Alzheimer’s disease, and we do not have a cure. The drugs that have been approved slow the progression of symptoms for a period of time, but then the disease takes over again. Someone with Alzheimer’s will die of it or with it.

Great article highlighting the general things we can do to help PREVENT dementia:

https://bewell.stanford.edu/boosting-brain-health/ 

I could have posted a thousand similar quotes. Almost every article has statements of hope about future treatments...but it's almost like they're tossing a tiny bone at the readers or maybe trying to give themselves hope. If you read my blogs, the comments I post on the pages (links above), you know I think they are barking up the wrong tree by focusing on amyloid plaques.

Now for some positive news!

However, we DO have current treatments that are working and have been working. They don't involve drugs and are multi-pronged so there's no money for grants, aside from some small ones for small groups. Also, most doctors have a tendency to look down their noses at what falls under the "functional medicine" heading. Even if their patients ignore their traditional advice and drugs and opt to change their diets, lose weight, exercise, take supplements --- and improve, get better.

I'm a prime example. I had high cholesterol. I balked at taking drugs. My doctor "allowed" me 2 months, which she "graciously" extended to three for me to try and decrease it with exercise and diet. I'll admit, I didn't do much research at the time, upped my exercise routine...and failed. She scared me sufficiently into starting to take the meds. She told me it was hereditary and I just had the gene, was stuck.

A bit later I made some serious changes to my diet. I went gluten-free (before it was a "thing"), took sugar out of my diet and then eventually moved to a plant-based diet. I was vegetarian initially. My cholesterol numbers dropped, I got off the meds...and got off my acid reflux medicine (which another doc said I'd be on for the rest of my life or risk esophageal cancer...they do like to scare one!).

If you're interested in HOPE as opposed to depressing news, a feeling of doom because you have a family history of dementia or Parkinson's, have been diagnosed with MCI (mild cognitive impairment), have found you have one or two APOE4 genes or have a family member dealing with Alzheimer's Disease take a look at the APOE4.info forum --- over 3,500 people who are focused on keeping dementia at bay. There are great success stories. There are many who are discovering the site and taking control of their health daily. You can also find some excellent Facebook groups.

NOTE: Many or most of the following docs see a role for traditional drugs and treatment, they just know that it's a much bigger picture. I agree. I think there is a place for drugs and applaud our great physicians who do a great job. I just think we have a personal responsibility to do our own research, do more than just pop a pill...

Pick up or check out one or all of the following books:
Dr. Dale Bredesen - An End to Alzheimer's
David Perlmutter - Grain Brain
Steven Gundry - The Plant Paradox
Amy Myers - The Thyroid Connection
Terry Wahls - The Wahls Protocol

Or check into Zack Bush, Mark Hyman, Stephen Phinney, Jeff Volek, Valter Longo, Jason Fung, Dave Asprey, Ivor Cummings, Sachi Panda, Rhonda Patrick, Peter Attia. (No particular order of preference and you'll like some, not like others!).

Explaining Functional Medicine...

This guest column says everything I might have said if I'd tried to write about the topic...  The only thing I might quibble over is the title of the article as it's really not a totally new kind of medicine!

A new kind of medicine

The first time I heard the term Functional Medicine (FM) was soon after my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

After her diagnosis, she was prescribed medication and we were told the disease would continue to progress until her death. Since then, I have often wondered how different it might have been if years ago we would have had more detailed information about her health. Maybe FM could have made a difference.

http://www.northstarmonthly.com/opinion/a-new-kind-of-medicine/article_231dbc16-5803-11ea-8539-5bfc9aec428f.html

Suffered through a sleep study

Around 12:45 this morning I told the sleep tech I didn't know if I would make it, might go home. I told her I felt like I was in a torture chamber. I was pleasant, was not bitchy, we were laughing...but I was serious.

There were three sleep-study rooms. The walls were so thin I could hear the TV in the other room, I heard the lady in the other room snoring and coughing, I heard the doors open and close and could hear the tech on the intercom in the room next to me... Every time I would think I MIGHT fall asleep the coughing would start in the next room. My heart graph is going to be interesting --- I know my heart raced every time something caught me as I was trying to get to sleep.

The top half of the wall next to the bed was a window with blinds. No blackout curtains. A full array of parking lot lights shining through the sides and slats. The room was barely dim. I finally took my light coat and wrapped it around my head like a turban, covering my eyes. I tried pillows, the thin blanket...

The lights in the room? Those great blue-light emitting bright-white curly bulbs and fluorescent in the ceiling. No way reading was going to help put me to sleep even though I brought my blue-blocking glasses. They are made for the computer, not for blocking around the edges of the lens.

The bed was horrible. It didn't elevate at all. One of the sleep study ladies left in the middle of the night because she couldn't sleep --- her back was hurting too much. She had to sleep sitting up as they didn't have a way to raise the mattress. I grabbed four pillows and made a kinda-sorta chair back and slept semi-sitting up.

The bathroom was down the hall. I heard everyone who went to the bathroom. To get to the bathroom I had to walk out into bright lights. Guess what that does to a brain? Wake up li'l brain, time to get up!

It's hard enough to sleep in a strange place with things stuck to your body...but add all those factors and it is impossible.

They had a TV in the room. Every sleep expert tells you to stay away from the TV if you're trying for quality sleep. Although --- the TV screen was slightly smaller than my laptop screen so binoculars were needed to see it. Not that I turned it on. I don't like watching TV. Period.

I showed up with comfy clothes, my pillow, my sound machine (truly thankful I brought it...not that it was louder than the coughing and opening/closing door noises), a book, my tablet, chargers, toothbrush and toothpaste for the morning, heartburn antacids (a last-minute toss in that I am glad I had given I couldn't sleep with the bed elevated), earbuds so I could listen to a binaural beat meditations (3 times before the night finally ended...), and I also brought a small cooler with water and my health smoothy.

The only reason I knew to bring all of that was because I did some research on-line to see what was allowed. I certainly didn't get any info from this group.

My Fitbit registered 47 minutes of sleep. Light sleep. I actually did get more sleep it's just that I confused my poor Fitbit with all the long times awake, getting up to go to the bathroom (when I'm awake the urge strikes...when I sleep well it doesn't). I managed to get the minimum required two hours of sleep. I think I might have gotten just over three hours.

I am prepared to be disappointed in the results when I go for the follow-up doc appointment.

I wanted to find out if my Fitbit was correct in showing that I didn't get but a minuscule amount of REM and deep sleep. I wanted someone who would help me increase those numbers.

I mentioned in a previous blog that they seemed to be pushing C-Pap machines when I had my initial appointment. I suppose most people go in to determine whether they have sleep apnea, snoring issues, or other physical issues that lead to poor sleep.

I use a snore app and know I don't snore much if any. I have yet to register on the app. I asked the sleep tech if I snored, she said no. Then she backtracked and said "well, I can't say"...'cause they're not allowed to say :-).

I do wake up anywhere from 2 to 4 each night and often can't get back to sleep. My normal bedtime is around 10. Last night I was in the sleep-study bed all hooked up with the door closed by around 10:15 pm. However, I tossed, turned, put pillows over my head, adjusted the bed, played games on my phone, listened to meditations to no avail, propped up the head of the bed, and I read for a bit with my phone light and blue-blocker glasses until 12:45. Sigh.

I finally forced myself to go to sleep.

I doubt I'll find out anything about my deep and REM sleep. How could they begin to know how much I might get based on 3-3 1/2 hours or so of disrupted sleep?

Add a bed and a wall of blinds and you'll know what I thought
of the sleep study and environments :-)

The place is part of a pulmonary practice. They have great reviews. I did some research before going, I just didn't know enough to do the right kind of research. I "assumed" that finding out about deep and REM sleep would be one of the priorities.

When they schedule your sleep around their schedule, end it at 5 a.m. whether you're ready to get up or not (I was already awake so it didn't bother me), when they don't know anything about great sleep environments, when they only need two hours of sleep to get results I don't think they are after anything other than selling those C-Paps!


I'll let you know how it goes when I go for the follow-up, get the results. I would really like to be proven wrong in thinking this was just a C-Pap pushing exercise...

Side note: This is my second sleep study. The other study was at least 15 years ago and it was great. Nothing at all like this experience.

Melatonin...it's good for more than sleep...

...and there is debate as to whether melatonin supplements are truly good for sleep.

What?

The most commonly talked about sleep aid might not be good for sleep? Yikes.

I have been reading a lot about melatonin as it relates to sleep. I will read that taking it is good for sleep, that you need it when you're older and...that it's nothing but a placebo, that you shouldn't take it except possibly in small doses and then only when you're older or for jet lag...

The more research I do the stronger I feel that we just need to experiment and see if it works for us. But you do need to do your own reading, keep your dose low and make sure it's time release.

What else is melatonin good for? It impacts, in addition to sleep and circadian rhythms, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, cancer, and blood pressure.

Given all the ongoing research that has shown and is showing that melatonin, a hormone, impacts many, many parts of our body and health I have decided to keep it in my nightly regime. At low doses.

I was taking 5 mg at one point --- just grabbed what was on the shelf not knowing anything about dosing, "assuming" if that was all that was offered it must be right. Ha. I discovered quickly that the dose was too high. I was melatonin overloading, it was not helping, and was hurting. I did some reading, which I SHOULD have done before buying and compromised on 1 mg, time-release. Then I stopped taking it as I heard Matthew Walker say it had more of a placebo effect and was only good for jet lag. Then I started again when I read the next article touting the benefits. Then I stopped. Then I started.

Finally, I have taken the time to read everything I possibly could on the subject and settled.

For the past few nights, I have taken a double dose (2mg time release). It certainly didn't help my deep or REM sleep. But I did sleep longer.

I won't go higher than 2mg as everything I've read says 3 is too high. I wouldn't do 2 if it wasn't time release. I'm tracking my deep and REM sleep so I'll see if it helps. I may just put the tabs by my bed and take if I wake up in the middle of the night, do a bit of experimenting.

Why time release? Here's a quote from the first article below: "Natural melatonin levels are low early in the evening, rise steadily through the night, and peak in the last third of sleep. Because melatonin has a short half-life (about 30-45 minutes), taking a standard-release tablet around bedtime results in a peak early in the night and a tail toward morning — precisely the opposite of the natural pattern...He suggests taking time-released tablets around bedtime or sublingual regular-release products in the middle of the night."

One would hope that there were ongoing studies to help us figure out this one but, per the article below (Melatonin: Magic Potion or Unregulated Danger?) --- "There is little financial incentive for studying melatonin more thoroughly, primarily because it can't be patented and competes with the lucrative hypnotics market"...

Articles that sparked this blog:

Melatonin: Magic Potion or Unregulated Danger?
...there are certainly studies out there that suggest melatonin may be helpful for insomnia in older individuals, perhaps especially those who have significant declines in endogenous melatonin levels associated with aging," he said. "Those data, however, also show conflicting results."https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/922202?nlid=132930_5402&src=wnl_dne_191209_mscpedit&uac=127754CG&impID=2196787&faf=1#vp_2

What New Research Says About Melatonin and Sleep
Here is what you need to know about taking melatonin to help you sleep...

It’s almost getting easier to ask: what chronic diseases don’t melatonin play a role in? Recent years have seen a flurry of studies showing the protective and therapeutic benefits of melatonin in the fight against the most significant chronic diseases of our time—heart disease, cancer, dementia, diabetes... 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/202002/what-new-research-says-about-melatonin-and-sleep

Heartburn

https://healthyy.net/heartburn/melatonin-and-heartburn-how-it-helps

6-8-2022 - To sleep or not to sleep...that is the question...

NOTE: I'll be updating the tip list as I come across new things. I'll pop a date next to the added item & on the header so you'll know to look. 

Sleep seems to be getting a lot of attention recently. As more research is done regarding dementia, heart disease, and other killers it is becoming clearer and clearer that sleep, or lack thereof, has a large impact on a person's chances of an unhappy unhealthy future.

Good sleep is needed if you're trying to lose weight. Good sleep is needed if you want to avoid dementia. Good sleep is needed if you want to move ahead in the world, pass those tests, get that promotion. Lack of sleep is one of the biggest contributors to the worst kinds of automobile accidents. 

I've been working on improving my sleep for quite a while. I have alerts set up on a variety of sleep topics and am always looking for the magic bullet that will help me get more deep and REM sleep.

As I type right now I am sleep challenged! I went right to sleep about 10:30p.m. but woke up with a passing storm around 4a.m. and wham, my brain was up and raring to go...I tried to get back to sleep for a while but gave it up after two programmed meditations didn't even have my eyes trying to stay closed. The really bad thing? I found myself making fun of the meditations and poking holes in what they were suggesting. Yep, gonna be one of those days!

I am obviously not writing as an expert on how to get to sleep and stay asleep. I need Matthew Walker to fly me to Berkely and do a sleep test...some personal coaching! I am a fellow searcher for that elusive perfect night of sleep.

Most experts say 7-8 hours but there are differing opinions on that one also! Isn't that the way of the world these days?

After extensive reading, and countless podcasts, I have decided that my goals aren't necessarily just reaching a certain length of time. My goals are reaching 20-25% of REM and around 25% of deep sleep. Of course, if I only sleep 2 hours that's a crazy goal. I generally get around 5 /12 to 6 hours of sleep so those goals are a bit more reasonable. Don't get me wrong, I would love to regularly sleep 7 hours a night but that seems to be the impossible dream at this point. Working on it!

Another thing I've come to realize is that if I keep our ancient ancestors in mind I'll have a better shot at attaining my sleep goals. As we developed, as the best survived during our evolution, those with certain traits and genes thrived and procreated. We got up with the sun, were hungry for periods of time, moved a lot, went to sleep when the sun went down.

In today's world, we have bright lights around the clock. Most of us have plenty of easily available food (the quality of our food is another story!). We have tons of things to keep our minds busy and engaged well past bedtime.

We are doing things daily that are contrary to the way our bodies were designed. Sleep is one of the things that suffers.

Here is a long list of things to consider and/or try. They are not in any particular order. Links are at the end for those wanting to do more research.

 

6/6/2022 - I finally found a mix that works for me...good REM & Deep sleep...if I wake up I'm going right back to sleep...and I'm sleeping longer. Tryptophan was the magic ingredient that tipped me over to great sleep. I have pretty much tried everything on the list that follows, incorporated a lot as part of my regular regimen, but until I added tryptophan into the mix I would still wake up, not be able to shut my mind down and go back to sleep. My "mix" of bedtime supplements includes Mag Mind (magnesium), Tryptophan, 5 HTP, Chinese Skullcap, and Glutathione. 

• 3/22/21 - Mountain Rose Herbs (where I get the majority of my herbs) sent out a recipe for an extract combo to help with sleep. Looks interesting. https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/extract-blend-for-sleep
  
• 2/23/21 Practice Square Breathing:
  1. Inhale through your nose for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  2. Hold your breath for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  3. Exhale through your mouth for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  4. Pause and hold for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  5. Repeat until you drift off
• Try weighted blankets
• Exercise in the mornings to early afternoon; definitely not a few hours before going to bed 
  
• Eat a healthy diet
• check into intermittent fasting, keto diets and/or a lower carb diet. I suggest you cycle any diet as, based on my reading, it seems that your body adjusts to pretty much anything over time and you lose the impact.
• consider eating whole foods, staying away from processed foods and fast-food restaurants, grass-fed beef in small portions, pastured chicken and eggs, going plant-based or some type of way of eating that doesn't have a beginning and an end like a "diet" --- the goal is to find a way of eating that you can sustain, live with, that heals and nurtures your body, and your sleep! 
• stay away, far away, from all forms of sugars aside from fruit.
• organic whenever possible
• if cost is a factor stay away from the Dirty Dozen and choose from the Clean Fifteen
• Cut stress from your life. Yes, easier said than done! Work, family, other issues can be stressful and sometimes there's just nothing you can do to make things easier. However, you can train your mind and how you react. Plenty of info out there on the Internet to give you ways to deal effectively with stress (some of the other things on the extensive list may help with stress).
• Stop eating 3 hours before bed. A minimum of 3. Longer if you have any digestive issues.
• Stop drinking fluids 3 or more hours before bedtime if you have a bladder that wakes you up repeatedly at night; if you are having those issues it may be time to find a good urologist and get some help as it's not going to improve on its own and good sleep is critical! 
• No caffeine after 10-11 a.m. or at the lastest 2 p.m. (varying recommendations on this one from the "experts"). Caffeine affects different people in different ways. I have a high tolerance for it but I still stop by 11 every day just to make sure every last bit is out of my system by the time my head hits the bed.
• Darken your bedroom. A pitch-black sleeping environment to include covering all of even the tiniest lights is a must-do thing on your sleep quality list. Blackout curtains are great but you may need to tape the edges to keep out any nearby lights.
• Raise the head of your bed (especially good if you have acid reflux or heartburn but it's also good for your sleep)
• Wear an eye mask
• 3/2/20 Eat plenty of fruit. I just came across this one in a sleep article. They didn't give any supporting info but I figured pretty much anything is worth a try! Let me know if it works for you.
• Look into blue-blocking glasses
• different ones for different times of the day as you don't want to block all blue light (it wakes your body up and gets it moving toward a good night of healthy sleep so you need it in the morning, and some through the day) 
• do some research before buying. There are plenty of YouTube reviews out there, plus I'd suggest reading some posts by Dave Asprey along with other info widely available on the Internet.
• 10/24/20 - Restless legs? Leg pain at night? Wear compression socks at night OR during the day instead. Just reading about some people who have restless leg syndrome and ways they are dealing with the issue. If you have restless legs at night or get cramps be sure to see a vascular specialist. Sometimes the issue can be fixed or diminished with vein treatments. It's possible to have lymph node issues also that contribute to problems at night (and during the day, of course). If you have swollen ankles or legs a leg pump may help (Amazon has a bunch for around $100 and up --- if you're diagnosed then your insurance may cover the multi-thousand dollar Cadillac version). You may want to try drinking a bit of tonic water (with quinine) in it before bed as some say that helps with restless legs.
  
• Stop using all electronic media 2 hours before bed

• read a book --- with paper pages rather than a screen; in addition to the brain-waking screens, I have read they emit or pulse with waves that impact your sleep
• if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep in 15-20 minutes go to another room and read.
• if you must use your phone, tablet or computer be sure to have blue blockers on them (f.lux, Iris, Night Shift, etc.)
• wear your spiffy weird looking blue blocking glasses
• there are some who believe that you should turn off your wifi completely before going to bed and keep all electronics out of your bedroom at night
• Stop watching TV 2 hours or more before bedtime. Get the TV out of the bedroom! 
• I've read numerous times that you "train" your brain regarding the purpose of your bed. If you do things other than sleep (or enjoy your partner) in your bedroom your mind doesn't clearly equate that bed with sleep. I'm not sure about that one...but it's worth a try if you're having trouble sleeping.
• Find out if you have any genes that impact your sleep. I have a "short-sleep" and "have-a-hard-time-getting-deep-sleep" gene. Sigh. But now I know what I'm combating so I can give myself a break if I don't hit those optimum sleep stats.
• Do you snore? Have sleep apnea? The easiest way to find out (if you don't have a sleep partner who can tell you...) is with an app like SnoreLab. There are others. I tried a few and liked SnoreLab the best. It listens all night, scores your snoring. If you find out you have an issue, go see a sleep specialist and do whatever you have to do to figure out what the underlying cause might be. You may want to try changing your diet, raising the head of your bed, changing your mattress, one of those inexpensive devices you can pop in your mouth, or some other remedies. Don't delay. 
• Go outside in the morning for 20-30 minutes. Start that circadian clock ticking! Look into red infrared therapy as an option if you're unable to get outside. Or as an addition. Studies are ongoing regarding red infrared light and the impact on sleep and health. The few studies I've seen referenced are small. I may have missed some though.10/24/20 --- standing in front of a window doesn't work. The glass blocks some of the "good stuff". You have to get outside! (just read that one on a sleep study article)
  
• Drop the temperatures at bedtime. I've read that anywhere from 62 to 68 is a good range for good sleeping. You'll want to experiment with the temps. If there are a number of people sleeping in a home this one can get to be ticklish. 
• Try white or pink noise machines. I have a small machine that works wonders. I didn't think it did much until I went for a few nights without it.  
• 2/19/20 Don't keep hitting the snooze button. Set your alarm for the time you need to get up and then get up! If you plan to hit that snooze button you've potentially messed up a good ten minutes or more of good sleep (REM in particular). If you're hitting the snooze button often then your sleep quality may be lacking. Sometimes we just want a few minutes to plan our day...and the snooze button gives us a defined time --- I don't use the snooze button as I'm an artist and rarely have to use the alarm. However, I do like to lay in bed for a few minutes and get my head wrapped around the day so that snooze button would be great for me if I still have a 9-5 job.
• Binaural beats. There is some consensus on this one. It impacts deep sleep primarily. You can add a number of apps to your phone or tablets if you would like to try this one. Be sure to try listening at night with headphones before giving up on the effectiveness of using binaural beats to increase your deep sleep. Most of the apps allow you to set the time with 4 hours being the max as that is when your deep sleep should occur. 
• Meditate

• I struggle a bit with this one as I use an app (Insight Timer) on my phone to meditate at night. Should I have electronics in my bedroom or not? I'm going to be looking into a CD of meditations or some other method (like maybe really practicing so I can do it on my own :-)) if I can't get a handle on my deep and REM sleep fairly soon; I do love some of the meditations and have yet to get all the way through one so they definitely work for me when it comes to clearing my mind of all those pesky thoughts that want to keep me stirred up at 3 in the morning!
• 3/1/20 --- since I first posted this blog on sleep a number of people have chimed in about using meditation as a great way to get better sleep! It needs to be a serious addition to anyone's life if they're trying for better life per many, many who commented (I posted a link on another forum). I plan to try to add meditation into my daytime regime and keep it as a part of my nighttime ritual.
• 3/1/20 - Yoga, Tai Chi, and other similar practices.  I heard loud and clear --- adding these to your daily regimen works. And not just for sleep. They are great for balance, stamina, and de-stressing. 
  
• Herbs and supplements (please do your own research before deciding to try any combination of the following...and go slowly):
• valerian,
• passionflower
• chamomile
• skullcap
• hops (flower)
• Ginkgo biloba
• glycine
• lemon balm
• lavender
• L-theanine (also found in green tea)
• Magnesium (I use CALM but am probably going to switch to a chewable so I can cut back on my fluids at night; start with a low amount/dose as this one can cause you some digestive issues --- think Milk of Magnesia and Epsom Salt...)
• Shankpushpi
• Turmeric
• 5-HTP
• GABA 
• 3/1/20 - Fish oil (has been suggested that you take it in the evening)
• melatonin -- loads of back and forth on whether to take this one or not, how much, etc. Do your research, experiment. (2/20/20 - I posted a blog on melatonin yesterday: https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2020/02/melatoninits-good-for-more-than-sleep.html)
• CBD ---  again, this is fairly new in the scheme of things to try that are purported to help with sleep. I am currently trying Alive By Nature's Cenergy CBD/NAD sublingual spray. I haven't noticed any changes to my sleep patterns yet but as I'm big into things like NAD, NMN, Resveratrol, etc. I'm good either way with this product!
• Experiment with low doses of melatonin. There is a lot of back and forth on how much, whether it's needed and doses are age and health determined. Start low, maybe a 1 mg time-release and see how you react, if it impacts your sleep
• Have your hormones checked (male or female). Women should definitely have their hormones checked if you are menopausal or post-menopausal and are having sleep issues.
• 3/1/20 - Essential Oils. From one of the suggestions shared with me on another forum: jojoba as the carrier oil, along with two drops each of lavender, bergamot, and ylang-ylang. The essential oils should be therapeutic grade.
• 3/1/20 - Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS)
• Tart Cherry Juice 
• 3-5-20 - Probiotics (see link at end for more on this one) 
• Get some sort of sleep tracker to monitor your sleep habits. None of them have the accuracy of a sleep test but they do give you a good way to see if you are improving your sleep, in particular deep and REM. There are watches, rings, additions to your bed, and apps that all do various things to give you tools to track your downtime. Some experts dislike sleep trackers as they are not accurate and can cause anxiety over the results. Personally, I don't stress. I look at my Charge 3 Fitbit as a tool. I don't think the results are perfect but over time they have allowed me to see the ups and downs of my sleep patterns.
• Do you grind your teeth at night? Try one of the under $30 mouth guards that you can pick up at almost any store or, better yet, talk to your dentist. Other tooth issues can impact your sleep also, plus there is growing evidence that gingivitis may affect your brain health and definitely plays a role in heart disease. 
• Get a new mattress. I'm currently on the hunt for a new mattress and the choices are overwhelming. Money can be a factor in your selection. Along those same lines, look at your pillows. Having your head supported correctly is imperative.
• Wear comfortable clothes to bed. Toss that bra if it binds, keep it if you sleep more comfortably with your tatas safely ensconced :-). Comfy, soft t-shirts, baggy pants, no pants, no shirt, naked, whatever makes it easy for you to relax.
• Socks. Yep, there are some who say to wear socks and you'll sleep better. I end up kicking mine off in the middle of the night so that's a no-go for yours truly.
• Figure out your personal circadian rhythm. Some of us are night owls, some are early birds. Your age also makes a difference in your sleep cycles. Your occupation, work hours and eating habits can mess with your circadian rhythm. Forcing yourself to go sleep in opposition to your circadian rhythm can lead to disruptive sleep, lesser REM and deep sleep times or a lot of tossing and turning.
• Don't drink any adult beverages before bedtime. They may knock you out but they truly hurt your deep and REM sleep. Plus, for many, once the alcohol wears off your brain may wake up...and stay awake. 
• Stay far away from sleeping pills. They sedate you, may allow you to stay asleep, but they mess up your deep and REM sleep. Many are addictive. Some cause some really interesting and potentially dangerous side effects. Talk to your doctor if you're taking over-the-counter sleep aids and do some major research if you're taking prescription sleep meds. Light sleep is not good sleep. Again, I'm just a person who's doing a lot of reading and searching --- you know your body, you know your doctor and you are responsible for doing your own research, making the decisions you feel are best for your brain and health.
• Keep a pad of paper and a pen or pencil by your bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night and your brain is whirling, make a list. Often times just writing a to-do list will allow your brain to quiet down. Or keep a journal by the bed, write down those thoughts and get them out of your head.

• Nap. Don't nap. You got it --- another area of contention with sleep "experts". Some say that naps take the pressure off, stop your circadian clock from ticking down to good sleep. Others say that naps make you more productive. I have found that I do better without any naps. I slog through those times when I feel the need to sleep during the day. If I nap then I'm not tired at bedtime and fight to go to sleep. I'd suggest that this one be another personal choice.
• Be grateful. Keep a gratitude journal. Before going to bed write down at least three things you are grateful for, and then when you wake up, read them to start your day on a positive foot. 
• Work with your partner. If your partner has a different sleep schedule and they wake you up when they come to bed you may want to think about sleeping in different rooms. Better yet, try to work out some sort of compromise. Maybe your partner can come to bed and read with a book light while you wear your eyeshades and listen with headphones to a meditation. 
• Take care of your partner. If your partner snores, tosses and turns and otherwise disturbs your sleep do your best to get them to understand what they are doing to their health --- and yours!
• Animals? Sometimes they are great to have snuggling with you at night. Sometimes not. If they are waking you up then it may be a good idea to wean them from your bed and teach them to sleep elsewhere.
• Stop smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant. When you sleep your body goes through a form of withdrawal and there goes your good sleep... 
• Develop a bedtime routine and stick with it! Go to bed at roughly the same time (even on the weekends). Wind down at roughly the same time. Read a book every night or meditate. 
• Take a warm bath. Dropping your internal temperature and relaxing are great ways to improve your sleep. I like to add some Epsom salt to my bathwater. Another suggestion I have read about is to get into the sauna. If you're like me the closest sauna is at the gym...and if I'm going to my gym I'm working out. 
• Sleep on your left side. Loads of information on this one if you doubt! Sleeping on your back is probably second best (and it's better for those wrinkles that develop). 
• 3/2/20 Allergies. Allergies can cause you to snore. They can impact your sleep. If you have a known allergy talk with your doctor. If none of the things on this extensive list work you may want to consider having your doctor check to see if you have any hidden allergies --- especially if they're talking about putting you on a CPAP machine!
• If nothing works go see a sleep specialist. Your sleep is too important to skimp on or to ignore.

Some sleep-talkin' people to follow:

• Matthew Walker
• Satchidananda Panda
• Dave Asprey
• Michael Breus
• James Wilson - I just came across James Wilson. I have not really looked at anything he has written or done. He was mentioned in a few articles and has some worth-looking-into links.  

Articles for reference:

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200303155658.htm (probiotics help sleep)
• https://www.studyfinds.org/self-medication-study-finds-deep-sleep-rewires-the-brain-zaps-away-anxiety/
• https://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/a30981827/how-to-sleep/
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-sleep-clears-brain
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deep-sleep-gives-your-brain-a-deep-clean1/
• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/04/460620606/lack-of-deep-sleep-may-set-the-stage-for-alzheimers
• The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/
• https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep
  
• https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/12/18/can-intermittent-fasting-help-sleep/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201912/the-connection-between-sugar-and-your-sleep
• Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz#_=_
• https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2017/april/pink-noise-sound-enhance-deep-sleep-memory/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201710/better-sleep-5-htp
• https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/matthew-p-walker
• https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/evening-screen-time-can-sabotage-sleep
• https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/feb/17/shut-eye-and-sleep-hygiene-the-truth-about-why-you-keep-waking-up-at-3am
• https://www.studyfinds.org/deep-sleep-memory-heart-disease/
• https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/13/people-nap-productive-says-study-12231065/
• https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/deep-sleep/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/deep-sleep#diagnosis 
• Had a sleep study? Here's some good info that'll help you understand the results: https://www.sleepapnea.org/treat/getting-sleep-apnea-diagnosis/sleep-study-details/

Sleep Organizations

American Sleep Association - https://www.sleepassociation.org/

National Sleep Foundation - https://www.sleepfoundation.org/

American Academy of Sleep Medicine - https://aasm.org/

World Sleep Society - https://worldsleepsociety.org/

National Center on Sleep Disorders Research - https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/divisions/division-lung-diseases/national-center-sleep-disorders-research

Updated 1/8/2021 - Light it up...if you want to ruin your sleep!

For as long as I can remember I have hated walking into dimly lit houses. It seemed that older people, in particular, seemed to like low lights. I swore that when I got older I would have a brightly lit house. And I have had a brightly lit house.

Until now.

When the government forced us to switch from the old incandescent lights, killing a thriving American industry, moving us to made-in-China LED bulbs, I bought every incandescent bulb I could find. High wattage. Yes, I'm a rebel.

I had read about the issues with LED and was really aggravated that our government was mandating a switch. I dug in my heels and refused to change. As with many stances like that one they fade over time, especially when it became impossible to find incandescent bulbs and my supply was running low. I broke down and used one of the free bulbs our electric company had sent trying to entice us to switch.

As I am a ceramic artist and a painter lighting is super important to me. At some point, I discovered daylight LED bulbs and fell in love with them. My art looks soooo much better in daylight and it's soooo much better when working to have those bright lights. I changed out every light in the studio to daylight LED bulbs. I became a convert.

Bright daylight LED bulbs started replacing all of my bulbs. Take that old people...no dim lighting for me, ha ha!

Then I upgraded my Fitbit and started tracking my sleep. Yowzer. I was getting zip when it came to deep sleep and my REM was hit or miss.

I started delving into how to sleep better. My typical pattern was to fall asleep fairly easily but would wake up somewhere between 2 to 3 and wander in and out of light sleep for a few hours before dragging my butt out of bed.

The more I learned about sleep the more I learned about the impact of light. In particular, our light bulbs. Fluorescent, incandescent, and LED. I discovered blue light blockers. I read posts and info by Dave Asprey, Matthew Walker, and others on how to get better sleep and the issues with computers, phones, tablets, and the various light spectrums.

The irony of my commitment to have bright lights is it turns out that those very same lights are wreaking havoc with our sleep cycles. Poor sleep is a huge contributor to dementia in later life. I guess maybe quite by accident past generations may have been saving their brains to some degree, unbeknownst to them.

We are "made" (ala evolution) to wake up with sunlight and sleep when it gets dark. With the advent of gas, then electric lighting we started blowing our sleep circuits. Over time we have become proud of sleeping shorter lengths. We brag that we'll sleep when we die, not realizing that we'll die sooner and more miserably if we don't get proper sleep.

If you go camping, away from lights and civilization, and don't take any electronics I bet you'll find you go to sleep just like cavemen. Unless you camp like I used to with adult beverages and groups of partying friends!

Now as I type I am wearing prescription blue-blocking glasses. I have Night Shift, a free app, on my phone and tablet. I have f.lux on my laptop. I get up every morning and try to get some sunlight to start my circadian clock ticking correctly, building toward a good night of sleep. I exercise in the morning or early afternoon to avoid revving up my system before bedtime.

I am currently researching melatonin. One expert says not to bother, another says it's great. One says it's needed for our brains, not just sleep. Another says we need it when we reach a certain age as our production slows down. The information and suggestions regarding melatonin are all over the place. I'm working on another post with what I'm learning. Stay tuned.

Sadly, all the things I have been doing to help my sleep haven't helped a bit. (Note: 1/8/2021 --- turns out some of the things have helped. See the bullet points below to see the changes I've made.) I'm going for a sleep study next week. I do not have high hopes as they started and ended the conversation with a push for a C-Pap machine. I don't snore. I have used the SnoreLab app for many nights and not even registered. I mentioned trying other things...even different types of sleep devices...and they harped on C-Pap. I've decided they get a kick-back. But I'm still going for the study. (Sleep study sucked, worthless...see my posts on it for details.)

On the lighting front, I have switched the bedroom lights to blue blockers so I can read at night. I added a few blue-blocking night lights to areas where we wander at night, like the bathroom. I have covered or disconnected every tiny light in the house.

Here's one story that stuck with me as I investigated sleep...someone did a sleep study and during the person's deep sleep they took a tiny penlight and shined it on the back of their knee. It took them out of deep sleep. Turns out our entire body is a light sensor. I think Matthew Walker is the one that talked about that one, will post a link if I find it again.

Here are all the other things I'm doing to try and get a good night of deep and REM sleep. BTW, the C-Pap pushing sleep doc wasn't interested in anything, including the fact that I have a short-sleep gene and another that indicates I might have trouble with deep sleep.

My attempts to get better sleep, in addition to the ones mentioned above, include:

• No caffeine after 10 a.m.
• A cocktail of supplements half an hour to an hour before bedtime:
• 1mg time-release melatonin at bedtime
• LUNA tablets without melatonin
• 2 teaspoons of CALM (magnesium) in a tiny amount of water
•  I have added some GABA, turmeric and 5-HTP to my nightly pill-popping regime
• 1/8/2021 Update --- I have ditched GABA and melatonin as they weren't helping. I now add ashwagandha, shankpushpi and collagen to my nightly herbal tea. I no longer drink the Golden Milk (next on the bullet list). I drink my tea at least 3 hours before bedtime to avoid the middle-of-the-night bathroom trips. My deep and REM sleep lengths are improving.
  
• I tried Golden Milk --- turmeric, almond milk, cinnamon, a touch of vanilla...and I added Shankpushpi which is supposed to help your brain and with sleep. It didn't seem to have any effect on my deep sleep. However, I did start using the bathroom more in the middle of the night...sigh...so I moved it back to 3 hours before bedtime. Drinking it that far from sleep-time doesn't help at all for sleep but the ingredients are great for my brain so the Golden Milk is a keeper.
• I don't eat at least 3 hours before bedtime, usually longer
• I stop using my tablet, phone, and computer an hour or two before bed
• I have a regular schedule, hit the bed between 9:30 - 10 every night
• All of my bedroom windows are covered with dark sheets (they are a strange shape so I can't use the standard light-blocking shades)
• I have the head of my bed elevated. That was initially to avoid acid reflux but it turns out that's also good for your sleep.
• I have tried binaural beats (tried the Atmosphere and BrainAurum apps); that didn't have any kind of impact on my sleep. 
• I use the Insight Timer app for sleep meditations. Some of them do help get me back to sleep when I wake up in the night but they have bright white backgrounds and that little pop of light is enough to light up the "time to get up" part of my brain. I now keep my blue-blocking glasses next to the bed and have learned to put them on before going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, grabbing my phone for the sleep app, etc.
• I have a white and pink noise machine that does seem to help
• If I wake up in the middle of the night and can't easily get back to sleep I read a book. With a blue-blocking light. The suggestion is that you get out of bed and go somewhere else to read, but I have found that if I do that, then head back to bed, I wake up. So I read in bed and it puts me back to sleep, turns my brain off just fine.
  

I joke that I'd stand on my head for an hour before bed if I thought it would help me sleep. Please don't tell me it would as I hate the idea of standing on my head!

Thus far all of my efforts have failed. But I have learned a lot. Especially about lighting. I'm going to continue to switch out the lights in the house. I want dimmers on all of them so I can turn them down at night.

We have fluorescent lighting in the kitchen, pantry and laundry room. Those have to go. That's a big issue though as it'll cost a chunk of change to switch them out. Fluorescent lights are the worst of the worst...so, for now, I am turning them off a few hours before bed.

Blue Lights:

https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/blue-light-detrimental-to-healthy-sleep
https://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/blue-light.htm
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

Binaural beats:
https://www.binauralbeatsmeditation.com/the-science/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201810/how-can-binaural-beats-help-you-sleep-better
https://www.healthline.com/health/binaural-beats

Promising? Nutritional Intervention to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease: Potential Benefits of Xanthophyll Carotenoids and Omega-3 Fatty Acids Combined

"This preliminary report suggests positive outcomes for patients with AD who consumed a combination of xanthophyll carotenoids plus fish oil, but further study is required to confirm this important observation."

So...I'm taking lutein and zeaxanthin plus Omega-3s for a variety of reasons. I have been taking lutein and zeaxanthin for my eyes. I have the macular degeneration gene, my grandmother had it and my mother thinks she may be starting down the path. I pushed her today to get an eye appointment so she can check to see. There are things they can do to slow macular degeneration if she does have it.

Coincidentally I first decided to take lutein and zeaxanthin after listening to a program on the radio while driving to my parents to help out with my mom. The program took me the majority of the way to their house. A couple of mainstream practicing ophthalmology docs talked about the benefits for the eyes. Bottom line said it was proven by a number of studies to actually work. Mom takes the combo for her eyes also.

It was hard finding one that didn't include vitamin E. I have a gene that indicates I probably shouldn't take supplemental E...which is nearly impossible since they slap it in almost every supplement and/or food. But I try! I have found since I started inputting my diet and supplements into Cronometer each day, that I'm getting more than enough E without adding more.

I am temporarily taking Jarrow Formula Lutein (20mg Lutein, 4mg Zeaxanthin). I was taking Peak Performance's All Natural Eye Support but the brand is on that huge recall list I posted the other day.

Sadly the Jarrow formula has "Sunflower oil, beeswax and natural mixed tocopherols (added to maintain freshness). Softgel consists of bovine gelatin, glycerin and purified water." Sunflower oil is a cheap, crappy oil high in Omega 6's. Tocopherols = Vitamin E.  I always get vegan capsules, except with this one --- temporarily.

On the hunt for another that doesn't have bovine, sunflower oil and tocopherols. The Peak Performance brand had great ingredients on the label but I can't trust them currently due to the recall.

Two links follow. First one is simply the abstract. The second is the full study but it's a document and am not sure the link will allow you to pull it up (it lets me so I "assume" anyone can :-)). If it doesn't work, pop in the full title below and do a search, you'll find it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29945352
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0098/4960/2127/files/JAD-Paper.pdf?11668

Nutritional Intervention to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease: Potential Benefitsof Xanthophyll Carotenoids and Omega-3 Fatty Acids CombinedAbstract

BACKGROUND:
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that enrichment of certain nutritional compounds in the brain may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the impact of supplemental xanthophyll carotenoids plus omega-3 fatty acids on disease progression in patients with AD.

METHODS:
Three trial experiments were performed. In Trials 1 and 2 (performed on patients with AD over an 18-month period), 12 patients (AD status at baseline: 4 mild and 8 moderate) were supplemented with a xanthophyll carotenoid only formulation (Formulation 1; lutein:meso-zeaxanthin:zeaxanthin 10:10:2 mg/day) and 13 patients (AD status at baseline: 2 mild, 10 moderate, and 1 severe) were supplemented with a xanthophyll carotenoid and fish oil combination (Formulation 2; lutein:meso-zeaxanthin:zeaxanthin 10:10:2 mg/day plus 1 g/day of fish oil containing 430 mg docohexaenoic acid [DHA] and 90 mg eicopentaenoic acid [EPA]), respectively. In Trial 3, 15 subjects free of AD (the control group) were supplemented for 6 months with Formulation 1. Blood xanthophyll carotenoid response was measured in all trials by HPLC. Omega-3 fatty acids were profiled by direct infusion mass spectrometry.

RESULTS:
Xanthophyll carotenoid concentration increases were significantly greater for Formulation 2 compared to Formulation 1 (p < 0.05), and progression of AD was less for this group (p = 0.003), with carers reporting functional benefits in memory, sight, and mood.

CONCLUSION:
This preliminary report suggests positive outcomes for patients with AD who consumed a combination of xanthophyll carotenoids plus fish oil, but further study is required to confirm this important observation.

KEYWORDS:
Alzheimer’s disease; DHA; dementia; fatty acids; lutein; meso-zeaxanthin; nutrition; omega-3; prevention; xanthophyll carotenoids

HUGE vitamin, supplement recall...

I'm including the LONG list of companies that have been recalled. Posting the release first so you can see why...kinda sorta. From the release: Manufacturing practices that are not in adequate control represent the possibility of risk being introduced into the manufacturing process resulting in finished supplement products with decreased identity, purity, strength and composition.)

I notice at the end that they now say they are working to revise the list of products. I am posting the original.

I have a serious problem with the fact that this recall covers supplements from 2013 to 2019. That should give us all a heads-up on the problems associated with oversite of the supplement industry. Take a look at the bazillion companies that used ingredients from the companies in the release!

You'll note that they are contacting the companies and then the companies will contact those of us who purchased their products. It's doubtful that any of us will get notifications until long after we've finished any supplements that we may currently have in our cabinets. Then they'll probably want us to return unused products for a refund (ha...loophole).

I was using a few on the list...have already ordered replacements from companies not on the list. I generally trust Jarrow, Life Extension, Thorne and some others. Hard to tell in our current world. Many companies get their ingredients from the same companies. I try to buy from companies that claim to do third party purity testing. Guess I'll do a post soon about ways to try and check the quality of your purchases. It's hard --- I thought I was doing a good job and still found I got rooked with BioSchwartz and another on the list. Sigh.

When the new, revised list is provided I will update the blog.

ABH NATURE’S PRODUCTS, INC, ABH PHARMA, INC., and STOCKNUTRA.COM, INC. Issues Nationwide Recall of All Lots of Dietary Supplement Products
Summary
Company Announcement Date:January 21, 2020 FDA Publish Date:January 21, 2020 Product Type:Dietary Supplements Reason for Announcement:
Products are recalled because of violations of current good manufacturing practice regulations Company Name:ABH NATURE’S PRODUCTS, INC, ABH PHARMA, INC., and STOCKNUTRA.COM, INC. Brand Name:
ABH Nature's Products, ABH Pharma, Stocknutra.com, Inc. Product Description:
Dietary supplement products
Company AnnouncementThis is to inform you that ABH NATURE’S PRODUCTS, INC, ABH PHARMA, INC., and STOCKNUTRA.COM, INC. (the “COMPANIES”) is conducting a nationwide recall of ALL lots of its dietary supplement products pursuant to a Consent Decree entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. This recall applies to all dietary supplement products manufactured and sold between January 2013 – November 2019 and all lots of products are included in this recall.
These products are being recalled after an FDA inspection found significant violations of current good manufacturing practice regulations. Manufacturing practices that are not in adequate control represent the possibility of risk being introduced into the manufacturing process resulting in finished supplement products with decreased identity, purity, strength and composition.
To date, there have been no reported illnesses or injuries as a result of this situation.
The COMPANIES contract manufactured dietary supplements for other firms and did not sell products directly to consumers.
The COMPANIES are notifying its distributors and customers via email and is arranging for return of all recalled products. Wholesalers and distributors (direct customers of the COMPANIES) that have any dietary supplement products manufactured or packaged at the Edgewood, NY facility being recalled should contact a representative of the COMPANIES for instructions with regard to returning any remaining stock.
Distributors or Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact a representative of the COMPANIES by phone at (866) 922-4669 or e-mail recall@abhnutra.com, Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 4:30pm, EST.
Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

• Complete and submit the report Online
• Regular Mail or Fax: Download form or call 1- 800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178

ABH is working to refine their customer list. It has been removed from their press release pending their revised submission.

The initial list they posted:

9Round LLC

A-Game

A & E Medical Supply

A Ham

A Twin

Abacus Pills

Abigon-Wilde Research LLC

Absonutrix

Abulon Ltd

Accelerated Intelligence

Active Beauty

Active Remedy

Acuintegra

Adapt Sport Supplements

ADK

Adnanbadnan Industries DBA Love Mom

Advanced Blend Inc.

Advantage Wellness

AFS INC

AFUW LLC

Akta Innovations

Alcyon Health LLC

Alhambra Group Inc

All By Usa LLC

All Star Health

Allied Bait, Beverage, and Yarn

Aloha Turmeric

Alpha Formula Labs

Alpha Wolf Nutrition LLC

AlphaBolix

Alternative Laboratories

Altius Nutraceuticals

Always Plug LLC

AMAZING COMMERCE

AMAZING PRIME LLC

America Medic & Science LLC

American  Health Formulations

Ames United Pte Ltd

AMP NUTRA INC

AMZ DIRECT

Amz Sales

ANNE BEAUTY LTD

ANS NUTRITION

Antiaging Institute of California Inc.

APLOS NUTRITION

APOTHEOS LLC

Apothoes LLC

Apricot Power

Arem Nutritionals

ARIGEN NUTRITION LLC

ARROW VITAMINS

Art is Hearted

ASQUARED BRANDS

Athlete Elite

Athletic Elite 10

Atronarch Media Solutions Inc.

AV LABORATORIES

AVADOR BUSINESS GROUP

AWAKEN HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Awakened Alchemy

Axis Labs

AYURVEDIX HERBAL HEALTH PRODUCTS

AZOE Enterptises

Azoth LLC

B2 Industries

BACIAMI

BALLISTA GROUP

BARANSU

BARATS AND BURKE PRODUCTS

BARRE BOOST LLC

Barrientos Inc

BarSpout, LLC

Basic Organics, Inc

Basis

Bauman Medical Group

BE AND BE HAPPY

BE HERBAL

Beautiful Once Again

Beauty Group LLC

Bee Nutritional & Packaging LLC

Bee Xtreme LLC

BeLive

BELLA ALL NATURAL

BelloHoldings LLC

Bergen Bulldog Supplements

Best  Vite

Best Nutritionals LLC

Binh Nghia MST. CO.LTD

Binto

Bio-Energy System

BIO-REBALANCE

BIO-TECH PHARMACAL

BioFinest

BioHackMD

Bionatures

BioPhysiko

BIOS LLC

BIOSCHWARTZ LLC

Biotech Factory

BioTrust Nutrition

Bishalnagar

BJKB Inc. Pain & Stress Center

Black Doctor LLC

Black Edged LLC

BLACK SHEEP SUPPLEMENTS

Bluvos Energy LTD

BMO Nutrition

Bobby Buka MD Dermatology

BODIKORE

BODY EARTH

Body Nutriceuticals LLC

Bona Dea Boric

BonCalme LLC

BONE BROTH BROTHERS

Boost Beauty LLC

Borlan Industries

Boston Functional Nutrition

BOSTON SANTE INC

Botanycl Ltd

BOTTOM LINE LIVING LLC

Boyett LLC

BPI SPORTS

BR International

Brain Mind Body L.L.C.

Brainvincible GmbH

Brandable

Break Ventures

Brilliant Ways

BROKER NUTRITION

Buddah Brain

BUNCH BROTHERS

Busy Life Brands Inc.

BUY AMERICA GROUP, LLC

Cambridge Institute for Better Vision

Campanella Holdings LLC

CANADA ENTERPRISES LLC

Caraway Vitamins

Carecam International

CARRIAGE TOWN USA

Catalyst Nutraceuticals

Catalytic Edge Lifestyle

CAYS LLC

CB SUPPLEMENTS LLC

CELINE WANG

Cellreon Corporation

Centurion Sellers LLC

Century IQ

Certified Nutraceuticals

CERTIFIED ORGANIC ESSENTIAL

Charcohol LLC

Chengdu Nutri-Packs Health Technology Co.

Chews-4-Health, Inc.

Chic Shakes

CHILAN MERA LLC

Chiral Balance LLC

Chiropractor Future, inc.

Chosen Pro Fit LLC

CLASSWARE LLC

Claudia Berciotti

CLC Nutracuticals

CLEAN AND HAPPY LIVING

Clean Tribe Co. LLC

Clean Victory LLC

CloudX

Coaches Nutrtion LTD

CODEAGE

COGNITUNE

Cognitune LLC

Coinfort LLC

COLIN COONS LIMITED

COLLAGEN FOR HER

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL WELLNESS

CONVALESCENCE

COOPER COMPLETE

CoreIngredients Vietnam Company

CORNER CHAIR

COURAGE NUTRITION

Creating Health Nutrition

CTE JONES LLC

Cyber Group USA

Cynergy

Cyrene LLC

D&L INVESTMENTS LTD

DAILY NEURO

Damage Control

DAN LANDMANN MD

DANCE2FIT

David Agudelo

David Parker Ventures

DC Stewart Nutrition Labs

De Lune Inc

DECENT HEALTHCARE

Dee Cee Lab

DEMD 860

Derivative Nutrition

Destine

Deswill integrated services INC

DIAMOND ARMOR

Diet Standards LLC

DIETITIAN'S BEST

DIP TRADE INC

Dishes for Dogs LLC

DISRUPT MN

DIVINE HEALTH

DN Global Trading

DNS NUTRITION

DOC VITAL HEALTH

Doctor Jess MD LLC

DOCTORLIFE SP Z.O.O.

Dom Medical

Download Apps Services, Inc

Dr. Boz LLC

Dr. Ernesto Herger

Dr. Moritz Inc

DR. NORMAN'S MYRTLE BEACH DIET

Dr. Olivia Naturals Inc

Dr. Owusu Skincare & Wellness, LLC

dr. russell imboden pc

Dr. Scott's

DR.KETO

Du Soleil Noir

DUVOLLE BRANDS INC

EARTHLING NATURALS

East Coast Group NY LTD

Eastward Brands LLC

Edible Health Ltd

Elements First

Elmira Imports LLC

Elysium Health

Emperor International Network FZ LLC

Empire Koz LLC

EMS ORGANICS

Energy By Science

Eniva USA, Inc.

ENZO Nutrition LLC

Enzymotec Ltd

EQUINOX NUTRACEUTICAL

ETS.OT VENTURES LTD

Eurark LLC

Everlife LLC

EVERSCO

EVL Nutrition

EVOLVING HEALTH

EZ-BUGZ

EZ Commence In

EZYABSORB PTE LTD

Faris Bros, LLC

Fayza Rhaimi AB

Feed Me More Nutrition

FEEL GREAT 365

Femelabs LLC

Fight Brands LLC

FINEST VITAMINS

FINEVINE

First Opps

Fit and Focused Supplements

Fitness Innovative Technologies LLC

Fitness One Formulas LLC

Flex Fit Lives

Flora Optima

FLORIDA SUPPLEMENT

FLYBY VENTURES

FMDK Consulting Ltd

FROMM Carolina

FTM Brand LLC

FUNCTION NUTRITION

Furst Place Nutrition

G & L Medical Company Limited

G.O.A.T. NUTRITION LLC

Gainzville Athletics

GameChanger Nutrition

GCSB, Inc

GearBox Rx, Inc

GemPak

GENERAL WELLNESS COMPANY (PVT) LTD

GENIE DEPOT LLC

Gentech Nutrition

Ghayal Global

Ghost Nutrition

Gives Health

Global Health and Wellness Group

GLOBAL NATURALS

GLOBE TRADER SOURCE

Gloryfeel Global GmbH

GN TRADING LLC

GnuPharma Corp

Go Pure Labs

Golden Life Blends

Golden Protein

Golgotha pharma  LLC

Goliath Marketing Services LLC

Good Brands

Grateful Health

Graystone LLC

Green Bracket LLC

green fettle

GREEN WEALTH PHARMACY

Green Wood Biotech LLC

GREENHEALTH PHARMACEUTICALS

Greenpoint Nutrition Labs LLC

Gro Hair Vitamin

GTOGBRANDS LLC

Gussy Proteins LLC

GYM GEM GUMMIES

HA COMPANY D.O.O

Habit Hair Hearts

HAIR BLAST

Hair369 LLC

HairBurst

HARMONY LIFE USA

Harvest Trading Group

Hatfield Holdings Company

HCitySite.com, Inc.

Health Management Group

HEALTH SOLUTION

Health Support

Healthy and Beauty Group Inc

Healthy Belly Company LLC

Healthy Healing Enterprises, LLC

Healthy Life Creations

Healthy Living Proteins

HEAVEN'S ENERGY LLC

Helios Healthcare Consultants

her fit club

HERBAL CARE USA LLC

Herbalists Best

Herbalore

HERBAN HEALTH

HERBTONICS

Hercules Laboratory Group

HeyMate Health

Highland Laboratories

Highmark Nutrition

Hillside Naturals

Holiday Cove LLC

Holistic Health Center

HOLISTIC LABS LIMITED

Holistic Media Inc

HolyLand Botanicals

HONGKONG SHARED DREAM

HormoneSynergy Inc

HP Ingredients, Inc

HYBRID NUTRACEUTICALS LLC

I&Z INTERNATIONAL CORP

IcySpicy.com LLC

IDEA MAN LLC

Ievgen Barskyi

Ignite Media LLC

IGNITE OKAMI LTD

iHeart Nature

INDALO LLC

Infinities Life 101 LLC

Infinity Maximus

Ingredient Evolution

Ingredient Evolution Customer

Inner Armour Sports Nutrition

INNOVATIVE MARKETING LLC

INNOVATIVE REMEDIES

Intelligent Holdings, Inc

Intellivite, Inc.

INTRACELL NUTRITION

iNutrition

IRON BROTHERS

IRON PUSHERS

Isolator Fitness

ITTT

IXANDA

Jackson Raider Consulting, LLC

JILL CHRISTENSEN INC

JISBC Trading INC

JL HALE LLC

JMH Capital, LLC.

JOHNSON INVESTMENT GROUP

Joie Organics

JPK Nutri

JUMPING CARROT INNOVATIONS

Juniper Mountain LLC

Kamire Nutrition LLC

Kaori Rodman

Kapsulations LLC

KARL IMPORTS

Karmin Professional

KB MIDWEST DISTRIBUTORS

Kelker Pharma

Kelsey Park Limited

Kennedy Wellness Labs

KEPREA, LLC

KERRI DEVINE

Kessep Dermaceuticals

KETO 22

KETO BOOM

KETO5.COM

KEVIN J JONES

Key to Youth LLC

Kilburn Industries

Kings Best Nutrition

KIRKLAND SCIENCE LABS

KISS MY KETO

KITCHEN KARMA

KO NUTRITION

Komodo Pharmaceuticals Inc.

KOVOH NUTRITION

KS LA UG

KYZIA

Labrada Nutriton

Lacehold Limited

LASVEGASDIET

Lazarus Enterprises Inc

LDL81.LLC

Leaf Biome, LLC

Leaner Living

Lemon Box

LET'S LOSE

LEVERAGE ENTREPRENEURS LLC

Lexington International LLC

LFI Labs, Inc

LIDCA LLC

Life Botanica

LIFE CARE PRODUCTS

Life Pharmacy

Life Pulse Inc

Lifebrook, LLC

LIFTED PRODUCTS

LIGHT WITHIN LLC

Limitless venture Group, Inc.

Lingroup Global LLC

Liquid Assets

Lisanne Wellness Center, LLC

LITE NUTRACEUTICALS

Liv Body LLC

LIV GLOBAL LLC

LIVE INFINITELY LLC

LIVE LIFE INNOVATIVE

Living Essentials Inc

Living Health Care

LNRBIZ LLC

Loan from -jahirul

Local Rewards

LOFTWELL LIMITED

Loocid Labs

Lubbock Sports Medicine

Lucky Nature Inc.

LUMINOWAY CORP

Luna Pharmaceuticals Inc.

LuxGanix

Lycol Pharma

Made Nutrients LLC

Mademoiselle Hair Vitamins

Mahima For Life

MAI MIND & BODY

Maine Natural Health

Maju Superfoods LLC

Makers Nutrition

Maks Ventures LLC

Mammoth Fuel

Manikinn Group Pty Ltd.

MARC FIT NUTRITION

Marina Naturals

Mashay Inc

Masta Corporation

Mat Rat Supplements

MAV Nutrition

MaxFire LLC

MAXIMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LLC

McPherson Labs, Inc.

MDR Fitness Corp

Me By Kiki

Me Power LLC

Me Professional BV

Medza llc

MELCHEL CS INC

MENSAH ALLIANCE GROUP

METABOLIC MELTDOWN

MetaFormula International

METONE LIFE

Metrosel Inc.

MHNY Global

Michigan Cherry LLC

Mighty Ant Nutrition

Millenium Natural Health Products

Mind Body & Coal

MINDX

MMTUM Inc.

MO4T, LLC

Modexus LLC

MOJDEHRx LLC

Monarca Marketing LLC

Moon Oral Care

MORE NATURAL HEALING

MORHAIR

Moringa Source LLC

MOSS NUTRITION

MTC Industries Inc.

Muhammad Qureshi

Muriello Muscle Products, LLC

Muscle Feast

MYOPRYNT NUTRITION

N & S Supply INC

N.A.T.E

NASSENTIAL HEALTH

NATIVE WISDOM LLC

NATRILLIUM INC

Natura Lifestyle Produce Inc

NATURAL EDGE HAWAII INC

Natural Health Corner

Natural Health Corp

Natural Products Corp

NATURALISTIX

naturals food 360 LLC

Naturamone

Nature's Beneficials Inc.

Nature's Boost

Nature's Love

NATURE'S ONLY CHOICE

NATURE'S PROPERTY

NATURE FITS YOU

NATURE MAMA LLC

Nature Smart

NatureALL Inc.

NatureLab Corp.

Natures Cures

Natures MD

Naturiste

NaturMents

Naxos Nutrition LLC

Necessity Nutrition

Neff's Naturals

Neoblends LLC

New Beginnings Nutritionals

New Pharma Inc.

next generation supplement

NEXT LEVEL ATHLETICS LLC

nextPHARM sp. z o.o. Sp.k

NHS Gold Corp

NIKETO

No Jitter Caffeine

Nolies Naturals

NomNom Now Inc.

Nootrous Supplements LLC

North East Development Commision Billing

Nova Medical Health Care Trade LLC

NOVUSERA

Nuevo Nutrition

NUGEMA RESEARCH

Nugru Inc.

NUOPTIMAL

NURA NUTRITION

NUTRACHAMPS INC

NutraCode

Nutraglow

Nutrakey

NUTRALIVE

Nutrapak

NUTRELIXER

Nutrend Products, LLC.

NUTREX RESEARCH INC

NUTRI SOLUTIONS

Nutri trade llc

Nutrimark

NutriMarket S.A.

NutriMedika Corp.

NUTRITION BOD LLC

Nutrition For Healing

Nutrition Mode

NUTRITION WORLD

Nutritional Resources,Inc

O POSITIVE

OAT Organization

Ocean Blue Life

OcuServe

Omega Health Products LLC

Omnite LLC

Oneword, Inc

ONN INVEST OU

Optimal Health Systems

Optimal Lifestyle LLC

Organax Ltd

Organic Benefit

ORGANIQUE SCIENCE

Organs Life Sciences

ORIGIN LABS LLC

OSL Labs

Osyris Nutrition Lab

Over Powered Energy

Oz Detox LLC

PALEO LIFE LLC

PALEOVALLEY

Palm Beach Nutra, LLC

Pangea Biomedical Ltd

Paradise Supplement

Paragon Fruits

PASTOR-VILLAREAL INC

Paul's Family Store LLC

PAVILION COMPOUNDING PHARMACY LLC

PCOS NUTRITION

PEACE&CO

Peachy Lazuli

PEAK FIT LABS

PEAK PERFORMANCE

PEAK VITALS

PEMBERTON OUTFITTERS

PEPPERWOOD INTL LLC

PERFECT ORIGINS

Perfect Supplements LLC

Persimmon Health, LLC

Personal Care Healthy Living

Pharma Cap Labs

PHARMATECH

Pharmatech USA LLC

Pharmethicals

PHENIX XXI

Pinnacle of Wellness

Pivot Labs LLC

Positive Naturals LLC

Potent Supplements LLC

Power Co. Nutrition LLC

Powerful LLC

PR SOL TRADING CORP

PRETTY FIT

Primal Life Organics LLC

Prime Business Group, Inc

Prime Vitamina

Primerose Hill Inc

Primeval Labs

Private Label Supplements

Proactive Sciences LLC

PROBIORA

Products Development LLC

Progene Healthcare Inc

PROGRESSIVE HEALTH NUTRACEUTICALS

PROMETHEUS WELLNESS LLC

Prospera Supplements LLC

PROTEITH SOLUTIONS

ProX Formulas

PURA NUTRIENTS

PURBODI LLC

PURE AFFINITY

Pure Health Naturals

Pure Life Keto Inc

Pure Life LLC

Pure Naturals LLC

PURE PRESCRIPTIONS

Pure science supplements

PURE STAR ENTERPRISE LIMITED

PURITY PRODUCTS

PUT ME ON BHS INC

Python Holdings

Quick Weight Loss Centers, LLC

RADIANT MEDICAL

RAMSLING

Rask Health LLC

Raw 1 Nutrition

Raw Complexions

Raw Purities

Real Health Products

Real Herbs Limited

RED FOX USA LLC

Reda Saad Medical

REDFIELD GLOBAL LLC

Rediston LTD

RegenaLife, LLC

REGENTEC PTE LTD

Regora Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Rejuvenation Technologies Inc.

Relay Peak Research LLC

RELEVIUM

REMPA PHARMACEUTICAL LLC

Restore Hair Restoration

Revita

Revive Naturals

Ricolife, LLC

Rizie De La Nawa

RKC

RM BIOSCIENCE

RM Discounts Direct, LLC

RMM Trading CO LLC

RNC Limited

Rokeda LLC

ROOD CONSULTING

RooFormance

RR NUTRITION

RSP Nutrition

RTG Commerce

SalesVenue Inc

Salt Supplement Co.

SAPIEN PRODUCTS LLC

Saving Dinner

Schizandu Organics

Science Backed Naturals

Script Essentials

SDC NUTRITION

Secucom, LLC.

SENSHI NUTRITION LLC

SFK Discount Properties

SHADOW SUPPLEMENTS

Shanab Pharma E.U

Shedavi

SHEER STRENGTH

Shefinity Inc

SHWANY SERVICE CORP

SIARHEI MAKRYTSKI

SilverOnyx LLC

SIMPLISTIC CANDLE SHOPPE

Sirin Sports LLC

Skyview Naturals LLC

Smart Fitness Products

Smash Bid LLC

SMASHTECH

Smoky Mountain Naturals LLC

SoCal Herbal Remedies LLC

Soflete LLC

Source Omega

SOURCE VITAL, LLC.

Spark Punch LLC

Sportika

Squad Tour Pty

STAGES OF LIFE MEDICAL INSTITUTE

STAYWELL NUTRITION

SUGAR LUSH HAIR

Summit Rx, Inc.

Sunup Nutritionals LLC

Sunvita Health

Superior Supplement Manufacturing

Supernatural Man LLC

Supernova PTE

SuperNutrient Corp.

SUPPLEMENT HUNT

Swan Trading Corp, Inc.

SYBA CORP

SYLVIA CHIMHINA GROUP

Synaptent

TANGOR

TAO AD-VENTURES LLC

Targe LLC

TCS

Tea of Life Health Inc.

Teami LLC

Teaveli Inc

TechWorld Corporation Inc.

TEK NATURALS

TEKBOARD INNOVATIONS

Tennessee Scientific, Inc.

Teraputics

TET METABOLIC RESEARCH

The Coveterie Showroom Inc.

The Creative Hub LLC

THE DOC LAB

The International Eye Wellness Institute

The Prostate King

THE S3 XINNOVATIONS

Three Peaks Direct LLC

Thrival Nutrition

ThrivePlus LLC

Thrivr LLC

TILDEN COOPER LLC

Time Pioneer Limited

TNP

TOP KNOT HAIR CARE PRODUCTS

Total Tonic

Transparent Supplements Co LLC

Treadcorp, LTD

Treasure Holdings

Tres Chique

TRIBAL X FITNESS

TRINITY PERFORMANCE LLC

TrovRx

True Compare LLC

TruePeak Supplements

TRUTH NUTRITION

TURBOCHARGED NUTRITION LLC

Turmeripure, LLC

Typhoon Sales

U.S. 2015, INC.

UFAM LLC

UGH LLC

Uhlmann Packaging Systems L.P.

Ultimate Life LTD

Ultra Life

Ultra Life Inc.

ULTRA VULGAR MEDIA LLC

Union Springs

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Unkown Customer

UNL TD

Untamed

Unwindly LLC

urohealth

USA Supplements LLC

USQD

VALHALLA MEDIA

Valyrian

VAPOR JEDI INDUSTRIES

Various customers

Vergence Naturals

Vianutra

Vibrant Health

Vida Essentials, LLC

Vida Glow Pty Ltd

Vigorocity/ Anti Aging Central

Vinkem Pharma LLC

ViSalus, Inc.

VISION BODIES

Vita-Gen Labs

VITA G

Vita Health Essentials

VitaCoat

VITACORENATURALS

Vitadocs, Inc

VitaGen Laboratories

Vitalchemy, LLC

Vitalitus LLC

Vitality Max Labs

VITALITY VITAMINS

VITALIX FITNESS

Vitamin Makers USA

VITAMINIQS

Vitamonk

VitaRave

Vitarim, Inc.

Viva Deo, LLC

WABTECH MEDIA

WARRIOR STRONG

Water Divine

Wealth Nutrition

Wellness and Vitality

WELLNESS CREATIONS

WELLNESS PLEASE

White Label Cosmetics LLC

WILD FOODS BRAND

Wildflower Nutrients

Willhaven Group

WINFREE LLC

Wisnewski Enterprise

WMF LLC

WOMEN'S ESSENTIALS

Wonder Active LLC

WONDER WORKS AMERICA, INC

WORLD RANGE S.R.O

WPN Supplements

XANFREE CORPORATION

XANTHIC COLORADO LLC

Xeco Limited

Young Life Research, Inc.

Younger Tomorrow

yours2u Limited

Z&Z IMPORTS

Zach Attack Supplements LLC

Zammex Nutrition

Zanimo Inc

ZEN NATURE LLC

Zenarco LLC

Zenith Herbal

ZENWISE

Zint LLC

ZION

ZOLO HEALTH

Zongle Therapeutics

Zulu Heritage Corporation

ZYANA