Health and Fitness M.D. Creekmore Page 4 M.D. Creekmore M.D. CREEKMORE

by Denise H

Consider “sleep” …What is sleep? What good is it? Why is it important? How can I help myself to get adequate amounts? Am I doing the things for me to get the restorative rest I require? Are there relatively safe things I can do, to assist when I have a wakeful night? What am I doing to sabotage healthy sleep habits?

These are the things I have been struggling with for some time. I had many things that break the rule of good restorative sleep. Some of those things were beyond my control. Since my responsibilities have changed, I no longer have an excuse for sitting up late, drinking coffee late at night, and remaining awake until zero-dark thirty! Now is the time, for me to make changes to reduce the stress, and restore my health. This is a journey, and mine is not complete, but I am making headway and you can as well.

I found have found several tips that have begun to help me. Evaluate your life and see if they could help you.

In general, I found if a sleep issue is still bothering you, after one month, you should see a Dr./ PCP. It could be a symptom (of an illness) OR a side effect of a medication. An occasional night of “late wakefulness” is not something to stress over, but adds to your overall stress and health issue flares.

Proper sleep is necessary for our health and safety, and for the sanity of those who care for us.

There are many things that can interfere with restful sleep…including the medical issues of restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea. If you believe you have one of these things, go get it treated to start things off.. and apply these tips to help set you up for sleep success.

Tips: In no particular order……General… with specific notes.

1. MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY. How?

Set a specific time for sleep and wakefulness.
Go to a quiet place for meditation, and/or quiet reading with reduced light stimulation. Turn the lit clock dial away, turn off/ block the light from all electronics. Reduce electronics at least one hour before bedtime. The light at night prevents the body’s natural release/production of Melatonin that regulates sleep cycles.
Avoid all stressful things just before sleep.
When you awake, get out in the bright light as soon as possible. The bright light stimulates the melatonin production which regulates sleep cycles.
Get a quality mattress and pillow. Put good covers on the mattress, box springs, and pillow to reduce allergens.
Limit bed sharing to your spouse…not children or fur children.

2. CONTROL DIET. What? How? When?

Limit caffeine, allow at least 6 hours before bedtime…
Reduce sugars and chocolate during this time, too
Stop most liquid intake at least three hours before bed…if it goes in, it will come out even if it is in the middle of your sleep time.
Generally, Night meal should be lightest, with fewer spices, for ease of digestion.
Reduce alcohol use. Even tho you may be initially sleepy after ingestion, it can disturb your ability to remain asleep.
Seek natural foods or fluids to enhance your sleep cycle.

3. UN-WIND … after your routine day.

Take time for meditation/ evaluation.. soon after you get home, then put your work away…
Do some kind of exercise, change it up!
Enjoy your companions, whether 2 or four-footed
Avoid afternoon naps, in any case, limit to 20 min max.

4. SET A SOOTHING BEDTIME routine…It could include…

Reading time
a favorite calming tea with a light snack
Cuddle (or more,) time with your sweetie
Special night-time routine with your child
A calming bath
Reduce outside noises. This can be done by turning off a dripping faucet or wearing earplugs.
Use white noise, if sleep still an issue… a wind machine, low calming music …whatever you find calming

NOTE: Of course, bedtime medications and regular nutrition for management of medical conditions are exempted from this rule. Some persons must eat at night to maintain blood sugar levels, or to maintain hydration in the case of extremely small capacities. If you are in trouble see your DR. These are general guidelines, garnered through observation and assimilation of varied materials.

POSSIBLE SLEEP SOLUTIONS… Common remedies for the occasional night of late wakefulness.

List… is in no particular order, some with a rationale…

A. FOODS

Certain foods…that boost tryptophan/ one of sleep hormones… like turkey.
Foods high in carbs, like whole grain crackers…
Foods high in B6… wheat grain, sunflower seeds, Bananas
Foods high in Magnesium and calcium
Herbal teas: There are some commercially prepared…Two of those are called Sleepytime and Sleepytime extra. common ingredients are chamomile, passion-flower and/or Valerian.

These are all available as separate herbs, but use them with caution. …IF you are unsure of your response to them.. ex…Valerian works well for some people with no adverse effects, but I have a poor tolerance to it…it produces sleep very well, for too long with me!! The amount in the Sleepytime extra is minimal because I do well with it.

If you are in doubt, Here is MY solution, brew it for a shorter time, (3-5 min.) in a whole cup of water. Drink half, for the first serving..if still awake after an hour, drink the rest..

B.NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS

These include but are not limited to Valerian, chamomile, passion-flower, holy basil, L-Theanine, 5 HTP. Chamomile tea is also very soothing to the intestines, so is a good choice, when I just feel yucky.
A warm bath with Epsom salts could have a profound effect as it is high in magnesium. Magnesium and Calcium supplements assist in all kinds of muscle issues that often make us, just uncomfortable enough, to not be able to go over into dreamland.
Vitamin supplements with vitamin D3, B- supplements and specifically Niacin.. these should be taken routinely during the morning, especially the Vitamin B, as a dose can provide an energy boost. Gastric acids destroy much of the dietary B vitamins, so sublingual are the preferred method.
There are OTC herbals and sleep supplements to boost your sleep routine into a set pattern…they are many and varied…if you do not get satisfaction from one, there are many… Do your due diligence.

C. AROMATHERAPY Aromatherapy is very simple and inexpensive. It is practiced by placing a soothing fragrance on a cotton ball, sniffing it a couple of times and laying it near your pillow. Some common products used for this are Lavender, Clary sage and Roman Chamomile oil.

D. MEDICATIONS There are OTC meds for the occasional night, if nothing else has worked Pharma has given us anti-histamine and they do make most people sleepy, Benadryl is in most of the OTC sleep preparations. When these are not effective it is time to see a Medical professional… to check for underlying conditions and medication side effects. It could take some time and testing many products to find one that you tolerate. Do not despair, there is something that can help you to find a night of peaceful rest.

E. OTHERS. There are several other things that can be done for sleeplessness. Many of these I have explored briefly. I will mention them briefly, with and without comments.

Meditation… Calm thoughts, dwelling on meditative readings such as the Word of God..can take you away from the cares of the world and direct attention to things most important in life. This would include Prayer.

Hypnosis can be done alone, with training… I used this for childbirth with success. It can be applied to whatever area of your life you choose. I was trained, for that purpose by a licensed psychologist. Had not considered putting that to use for this until studying this subject.

Light Therapy… Light in the morning, when too low, affects sleep hormones that are released at night. Lack of proper light in early evening can have a similar result. A sleep log and weather/light log can be kept to help a healthcare professional work you through needs. There are broad-spectrum light bulbs that help some people through seasonal disorders. Those same bulbs are not expensive and could help here too if appropriate.

Acupuncture… I have not and AM not exploring needles in any form, but it has a history of working for some people and for some things…I just am not desperate enough!

Traditional Indian and Chinese Medicine practices, I know nothing about these, but they care for large populations of people with basic herbs and compounds and have for many centuries, so I am not knocking them.

Common sense notes, and thoughts…

I try to limit my use of even herbals to no more than two nights a week. The rest of the time I use the other methods to limit my sleep disruptions.
Try to go to bed with a clear mind, this is one of the benefits of doing what you can where you are and leaving the rest to a loving Creator.
Most common sleep issues can be addressed without medications. In general, they can create a bigger monster and produce their own side effects
If you are having sleep issues… frequently.. a health check is in order to determine any underlying issues and treat them.

Note: Nothing in this article should be perceived or taken as “medical advice”, this information is presented here for informational purposes only. If you have any reacquiring sleep issues please consult a certified medical professional for treatment.

Please share your tips for getting a good nights sleep in the comments section below this article… thank you.

Legally I have to write a disclosure here, I PURCHASED THE BOOKS BEING REVIEWED HERE WITH MY MONEY and did not receive anything in exchange for a review of any type. Additionally, I am not a doctor any advice given is done so as part of a review and any questions or issues should be addressed to a medical professional. I did attempt to clarify some minor points such as his background and biography, however, he was unavailable for comment at the time of submission.

Books are among the most important tools that I can invest in when it comes to my children and the future through them. Specifically, literature that allows them to be better prepared where they live and outside these areas as well. One of the most important books I have in my extensive collection is, Herbal Medicine: Trends and Traditions. Additional works from this author include but are not limited too, Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest by Charles W. Kane as well as several others.

It is my opinion that some people make good teachers, others make great doers and lastly, there are a few who are both great doers and great teachers. I strive to simply do most days, this being said Charles W. Kane is someone who easily fills the role of teacher and doer. He is quite the opposite of what most people would expect, maintaining a low key life and attempting to stay out of the spotlight whenever possible. I believe, however, that his work is easily among the most important of the modern herbalists available.

His in-depth, well researched and proven methodologies allow for little argument from informed individuals who want to bolster their knowledge base or further increase it, to their great benefit. Additionally, his experience in the military, specifically in Afghanistan is something that does come into play with Herbal Medicine: Trends and Traditions.² Overall, I highly recommend his work regardless your place of residence, and especially if you live in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico.

I personally have lived in and around the American Southwest and other minor areas for over 3 decades now. Having moved to Cochise County, Sulfur Springs Valley specifically as a child in the 1980s the high desert is very much in my blood. In the 30+ years, I have spent in and around the Southwest easily 30% or more of that time has been spent quite literally living with the land. I know the plants, animals and even environmental habits of this arid land I love so very much. So the review of Charles W. Kane and his amazing masterpiece Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest is easily accomplished. My personal knowledge and experience in herbal medicine are not as in-depth as many here on this site.

Pros –

The work is concise and informative without being overbearing or discombobulated like so many tend to be.
Easy to read descriptions and step by step approaches allow for the well-read individual to easily navigate and utilize the information included.
Mr. Kane treats the reader as an adult, his approach is educated without being preachy, an important and very nice difference compared to many authors.
Pictures and descriptions are included with English, Spanish and even Latin names of plants included.
He also includes information with citations of that information if is based in medical journals and guide books.
My favorite information included is the techniques used for collection of EACH included plant as well as preparation techniques per medical information prior to the modern medicine approach.
He disabuses the notion that herbalism alone or western medicine alone are enough, quite in line with the simple approach of balance in all things.

Cons –

Pictures are included with blooming plants, however, in the Southwest, we have far more time spent with plants not in bloom, I understand the depth of work he put in so this is not a true problem though it may be something to consider for the future.

“How an herb is prepared is as important as how it is dispensed.” ¹ This is the constant reality that he promotes regularly. He is clear in showing that each individual plant may, in fact, have different approaches best suited to its preparation and the application of said herbs. Per the author, “I have included an extensive glossary, but know it is better to stretch yourself mentally than stay in the confines of “if you have xyz ailment take xyz herb”. Additionally, he states, “The usefulness of this book hinges on two questions: When should I use herbal medicines and how should I use them?” ²

I firmly recommend these books and others in the series for anyone interested in a serious examination of herb-based medicinal approaches. As the author states, “I have attempted to clarify the therapeutic value of the most popular plants currently used in western herbal medicine” and his strident warnings resonate with myself who have been the recipient of misinformed holistic care resulting in further degradation of issues not fixable with herbs. He writes, “Do not use herbal medicines as replacement for ambulatory care. Herbs perform poorly of used for organic problems when an organ or tissue group is broken beyond repair.” ² As a firm believer in a balanced approach, something akin to Taoism in my own life there is a very real need for a balance of physical, spiritual and emotional within our persons. Regardless our definition of spiritual, the idea is that we must, in fact, nourish the aspects of our individual person if we want to see a net benefit overall.

While these amazing books do not outline much in this regards he understands that herbal medicine is not, in fact, a cure-all. A most important distinction that many individuals fail to recognize within their own approach and a failing that I have seen quite often among the independent and individualistic persons that make up the homestead community at large; most especially within myself. We all have approaches that have worked for us over time, and in many cases, we have clung to our fixes and approaches at the potential exclusion of additional valuable information from others. It is my goal as with all of my reviews to present you with information that may assist you in better preparing your life and that of your loved ones for success on the homestead and in our daily prepping journeys.

While I am certain there are many knowledgeable individuals with regards to various herb-based medicines, I am also well aware of far more who have decided to ride the wave of old wives tales and bad information that plagues the internet and this sadly is not a good thing. Knowledge of and ability to use herbal medicine can be a very valuable, valid item to add to anyone’s chest of skills on the homestead; this being said, misinformation can kill you. Follow the precautions laid out by those who know and avoid approaches sold as a “cure all”. I for one have little to no real time or energy for individuals who peddle snake oil. This author and the many valuable books he has written are not snake oil, rather they are extremely beneficial additions to anyone’s chest of tools on the homestead.

Free the mind and the body will follow

¹ Kane, C. W. (2016). Medicinal plants of the American Southwest. Oracle, AZ: Lincoln Town Press.

² Kane, C. W. (2009). Herbal medicine trends and traditions a comprehensive sourcebook on the preparation and use of medicinal plants. Oracle, AZ: Lincoln Town Press.

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