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Good Z’s Crucial to Your Health
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| May is “Better Sleep Month” so it seemed fitting to remind you of the benefits of deep, restful sleep for an energetic, balanced lifestyle. |
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| Sleep is more than mere down time for the brain and a quiet, restful phase for the body. The brain repairs itself, and the body, in the deepest levels of sleep. Sleep studies, done over the past few decades, now prove that sleep has several distinctive stages that cycle throughout the night. Different processes occur during each stage and your brain stays active throughout sleep. For example, certain stages of sleep are critical for us to feel well rested, think clearly and be energetic the next day, and still other stages help us to learn and create memories. Brain pathways that help us to learn and remember are quite active when we sleep. Research also shows us that good sleep is necessary for creative problem solving. |
We feel on top of the world mentally, physically, and even emotionally when we are well-rested. Our eyes are clear and our skin looks more youthful. We are more patient and less irritable. Rejuvenating sleep is a vital element to long-term health and joie de vivre. In our 24/7 fast-paced lives, sleeping should not be considered a luxury, but a necessary component to good health, vitality and productivity. With an over-abundance of “to do” tasks, errands;- carpools, children’s activities, commuting, work deadlines, community service, college assignments and study schedules, this is more easily said than done. However, sleep should not be reduced to make time for other activities or responsibilities.
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| Many people are unaware of the harmful effects of continual sleep deprivation. Individuals who are lacking sleep perform as badly as, or worse than, people who are intoxicated. |
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| How sleep factors into a healthy lifestyle: |
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Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain to commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who had a good night’s sleep after learning a new task, performed better on subsequent tests. |
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Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deficits can cause weight gain by affecting the way the body processes and stores carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite. |
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Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the day. These lapses may cause falls, imbalance and serious mistakes such as medical errors, increases in air traffic mishaps and road accidents. |
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Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can leave you too tired to do the things you really enjoy, that would normally lift your mood. |
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Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat. |
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Disease: Sleep deprivation adversely affects immune function, including decreasing the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with your sleep may also help to fight cancer and diabetes. |
| Now I lay me down to sleep… but, how long is beneficial? Individuals vary in their need for sleep. Some require nine or more hours of sleep per night. Others may feel alert and rested after four and a half or five hours of sleep. The average person requires seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Children and teens require more. There is no study to support the notion that as you age, you require less sleep. Sometimes seniors do sleep less, but it is because of various causes to the disruption of their sleep. If you have had a sleep deficit for a few days or a week, it is possible, to catch up on a weekend, or at a less demanding time, and you will feel much improved. |
| It is accepted that sleep problems can be a key indication of depression. What people may not realize is that the reverse is also true — sleep disorders can actually trigger depressions and mood disorders. In an Australian study, parents of young children - infants to kindergarten – with sleep disorders experienced a decline in general health, as well as, depression, even when their mental and physical health was very good previously. The mothers were more affected than the fathers. |
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| Do’s and Don’ts to improve your quality and quantity of sleep: |
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Eliminate televisions in bedrooms. Also remove electronic items from your nightstand. (alarm clocks, radios, etc.) |
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Do not exercise or eat too close to your bedtime. |
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Change any negative behaviors that may contribute to poor sleep. These include reducing alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine intake, if applicable. |
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Evaluate your mattress and pillows for comfort and support. If necessary, consider buying new ones. |
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Keep your bedroom well-ventilated, not too warm or cool. |
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Use ear plugs and an eye mask if needed. |
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Remove any clutter from your bedroom. |
| Personally, I endured insomnia for years. Once Alexander was born, the quality and quantity of my sleep declined even further. I slept through the night only 2 or 3 times a month. He didn’t sleep through the night until he was 4½ and he generally woke between 3 to 5 times during the night. Once he started to sleep through the night, I couldn’t. For years I consistently operated in a sleep-deprived fog. When I started using the Nikken Sleep System and the other Wellness Home products, my life changed significantly. I no longer suffered from insomnia and my immune system became stronger. My migraines disappeared. My joints were more fluid, and there was no more crackling and popping when I exercised or climbed stairs. I felt reborn! |
| Sweet Dreams! |
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Kenko Sleep System
Found only in the Nikken Kenko Sleep System, Adaptive Sleep Technology is a combination of features that work together to help you sleep better, get more rest and assist the processes of physical and mental recharging that form the basis of sleep.
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From the Wizard |
The Balinese Rain Stopper |
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Bali is one in a chain of islands that comprises the fragmented Malay Archipelago. This broken land bridge links the continents of Asia to Australia and is situated on the world’s volcanic belt. Life is enchanted on this lush, tropical isle and its people are imbued with graciousness and warm hospitality. |
As a European resident and Executive Chef at an up-market resort there, my daily life was far from dull. Christian, Hindu and Islamic religious practices mingled seamlessly with Balinese animistic and ancient rites. The local women laid daily offerings around the hotel in hopes of distracting the ever-present evil spirits. These same women would be present at the Christian churches on Sundays, but still felt it was best for their after-life to cover all religious bases. Their tablespoon-sized donations usually consisted of a few grains of sticky, white rice, a fragrant flower and a morsel of fruit, all placed on a rhombus-shaped banana leaf. This was placed reverently at conspicuous, inconvenient spots on the hotel kitchen equipment, in doorways, or on top of the computer monitors. A mobile arrow of black ants would point the way to these miniature feasts.
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One of the most amazing of the Balinese rites was that of the Rain-Stopper. When the hotel had a particularly important banquet scheduled for pool-side, a messenger would be sent to the local holy man. |
The sarong-clad wise man would trudge to the temple closest to the hotel grounds with his tools-of-the-trade in a requisite black and white checked cloth. |
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(Sidebar - Cloths that were black and white checks or bright yellow were the respectful colors worn at Balinese temples and holy places.) He carried a live chicken and several incense sticks. While intoning ancient prayers and imprecations, he would sacrifice the chicken and commune with the forces that governed the weather. |
The Rain-Stopper’s reasonable stipend of a few rupiahs per ceremony was an approved line item in the Hotel’s annual Food and Beverage budget. He received no payment if it rained on the event. Incredibly more often than not, no rain would deign to fall on the grounds where the banquet was set up. Yet, a mere 75 to 100 yards away a soaking rain could be falling. Given the mostly daily or twice daily gentle rainfalls in Bali, his success rate was astonishing. |
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Contact us for more Summer Barbeque Ideas 760.479.1746
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Easily prepared, this colorful, lightly-spiced, savory chicken dish is delicious hot or cold. It is a perfect addition to a casual dinner, barbecue or picnic. |
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Grilled Chicken, Balinese Style |
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(Ayam Bali)
Serves 4 |
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Ingredients: |
4, 6 oz chicken breasts skin on
(or 1 whole 3 – 4 lb chicken, cut into pieces)
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1 tsp salt
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2 tsp ground black pepper |
| 4 tbs oil |
4 shallots, peeled and chopped
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| 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped |
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2 (or to taste) fresh, chopped chili
(Serrano or Jalapeno work well) |
| 1 tbs fresh chopped ginger |
| 6 macadamia nuts, chopped |
2 tbs ketchup
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| 1 tbs brown sugar |
1 tbs soy sauce |
| Lime (or lemon) wedges |
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Rub chicken with the salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes. |
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Using a mortar or blender, pound or process the shallots, garlic, chili, ginger & macadamia nuts to a coarse paste. |
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Add oil to a sauté pan and heat. |
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Add the chicken and sauté until lightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of oil. |
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Add paste mixture to the pan and sauté lightly for about 2 minutes, stirring. |
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Add the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce and stir until the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and let cool. |
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Rub the cooked mixture into the chicken, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 30 minutes. (Can be left out of the fridge during marinating process.) |
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Broil or grill the chicken until fully cooked through, basting often with the marinade. |
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Serve with lime wedges, a fresh salad and fluffy, fragrant Basmati rice. |
| Advance Preparation: cook 1 day ahead. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature prior to serving. |
www.theculinarywizard.com
E-mail: wizard@theculinarywizard.com |
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