1961 Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 39

HEALTH & NUTRITION WE NEED TO SLEEP PROPERLY: We all know that a baby or toddler sleeps a lot for growth and for resistance to diseases and infections between the ages of 0 to an average of 6 years old. At these ages kids are not having their endocrine cycle affected by the growth of sexual hormones as much, because, of course, they are not fully developed. As such, their melatonin production is unaffected and are not heavily disturbed by factors triggering their subconscious and consciousness resulting in very protected and undisturbed sleep as well as high melatonin productions in their bodies. ’Napping’ is an automated natural reaction if for some reason there is need for more sleep and more melatonin production. Melatonin production has many health benefits, including the huge benefit of better moods. Once we are over the age of about six the subconscious mind and conscious mind work more together by alertness and hormonal changes. Sexual hormone development actually makes the big changes in our bodies. For everyone, once we are awake, the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol starts being active for the physical stress of a new day (which is made by the adrenal gland) but can only function properly if the melatonin production in our sleep was efficient enough. Another reason why we should never deprive our sleep is because the melatonin is also a very crucial digestive hormone and it is often forgotten that our digestive system is another intelligence (another brain) in our body. In fact, each of our organs do have a clock pattern, such as the liver for example; the liver is most active during the night, which is when one wants to optimize the melatonin pattern production and to respect the circadian cycle, and is also why it is best to sleep in a complete darkness. Lack of sleep can result in a depressive status, so sleep is important for psychological health. When one drinks large amounts of coffee to stay awake, or to be fit or alert from morning until late afternoon, there is definitely something wrong in the biorhythm of their body. Not to mention cigarettes, energy drinks, and the craving for sugars and chocolate bars, are not beneficial; moreover they degrade the complete metabolic cycles and increase the risk of pathologies such as diabetes and many other diseases that are only due only to our “Modern” lifestyles. That is why many people suffer from Modern Lifestyle Pathologies. So, What to do? RESPEC T YOUR HUMAN BIOLOGIC AL CLOCK: To sleep properly one should eat properly and also live with a healthy lifestyle, as such the body's most important hormones can do the rest of the work! Here are some of the critical hormones that are affected by sleep and nutrition habits: 1) HGH (Human Growth Hormone) 2) Estragon 3) Progesterone 4) Prolactin 5) Irisin 6) Testosterone 7) PYY (gut hormone Peptide YY) 8) Glucagon Like Peptide 9) Thyroid 10) Insulin 11) Glucagon 12) Serotonin 13) Ghrelin 14) Leptin 15) Adiponectin 16) Melatonin 17) Oxytocin 18) Cortisol 19) Adrenaline 20) Dopamine. Melatonin contributes to hormonal balance and optimizes the hormonal cycle, here are the few simple methods and practices to have an ultimate stratagem for good hormonal balance and good health: 39 1961 Magazine Fall 2016