The Health Fix Store

I'm Elsa Jones, nutritional therapist and I'm here at the Health Store Training Academy on Henry Street. This is the 11th store in the group and is filled with the best selection of natural medicines, premi I'm often asked whether certain foods and drinks can actually help us sleep better. Now research on the subject is still ongoing, however some studies do suggest that eating foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan may help you feel more sleepy. So foods for example And that's because tryptophan is the main building block for serotonin production, a chemical which helps to regulate our sleep patterns. However we know it's not advisable to eat heavy foods close to bedtime so what are good options for a light healthy bedtime snack? Well research suggests that pairing tryptophan rich foods with a little carbohydrate helps them to work better. Some good options might be a glass of warm milk with an oat cake, a whole grain cracker with a little cottage cheese or some nut butter, some natural yogurt with some granola or even a small bit of banana with some nuts. Of course there are certain foods and drinks that will have the opposite effect and actually hinder a Caffeine and sugar have the effect of stimulating our nervous system so what that will do is actually wind you up rather than wind you down. So try and avoid caffeinated drinks things In fact research suggests that caffeine actually lingers in our system for up to eight hours so ideally sleep experts recommend that you don't have any caffeine after 2pm. And there's loads of alternatives for example the I'm often asked which natural supplements are good for sleep so I'm going to talk you through a range of options now which get good feedback. Caranitine is a natural supplement that contains a range herbs and these types of herbs help to support our body's ability to handle stress something which prevents so many of us from getting a Melissa Dream is another one that contains a range of calming ingredients like lemon balm and chamomile and also the mineral magnesi This one here is a herbal tincture of valerian and hops which is very good for easing restlessness and just calming the body and mind down for and last but not least it is important to allow yourself at least an hour or two to wind down properly before bedtime. Sleep experts strongly recommend that we avoid spending time late at night looking at computer or phone screens and one reason for this is that the blue light exposure from digital devices can actually affect our melatonin production which in turn can affect our sleep cycle. So do your best to just switch off from the outside world, give yourself an hour, read, meditate, have a bath, listen to some music, whatever it is that helps to quieten down your body and your mind for a That's it from me in the health store today. Remember you can buy any of the products featured today in any of the 11 stores or on the healthstore. ie.