She Health: Top 4 Sunscreens For Kids

Summer is in full swing and many families are looking forward to outdoor activities, road trips and vacations. Although summer is a time when children of all ages get to spend more time outside; there are some things you can do to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.

Did you know that we need sunlight to help our skin convert 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D3? This reaction is very important and provides our bodies with the best form of vitamin D. If you slather sunscreen or sun block on before reaping the benefits of the sun rays you may become deficient in vitamin D.

A good rule to follow is to wait 20 to 25 minutes so that the sun can convert 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D3 and then if you stay out in the sun for longer than that put on a sunscreen that has lower levels of chemicals.

During the summer we are constantly reminded to wear sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer. According to the Environmental Working Group some of the sunscreen that we put on our skin and on our children may actually cause the cancers they claim to prevent. I have picked out 4 Sunscreens that EWG says are the least harmful, which means they have lower levels of cancer causing chemicals like avobenzene.

Here are the Top 4 Sunscreens for Kids

Baby Time Episencial Sunny Sunscreen 
Alba Botanical SPF 30 Very Emollient Mineral Sunscreen for Kids
Badger Kids Sunscreen Cream SPF 30
Yes to Cucumbers Natural Sunscreen Lotion for Kids SPF 40


The sunscreens are rated by EWG by the degree of protection and levels of harmful ingredients listed on the label. The sunscreens are rated on a scale of 0 to 10; 0 has low levels of harmful chemicals and 20 has the highest levels of harmful chemicals. Out of the four sunscreens, #’s 1-3 are in the low hazard (0-2 range) and # 4 is in the moderate hazard (3-6) range. If you would like more information you can go to the EWG website.


I hope this helps you and your family stay safe in these hot summer temps!!



Dr. Blessing 
Earnest Holistic Health

She Health:: 4 Easy Ways to Get Better Sleep

Hi. It’s Dr.Blessing and today I want to give you 4 Easy Ways to Get Better Sleep.

We all know that sleep is important for good health, increased productivity, better mood and increased energy.

But did you know that there are 5 stages of sleep? Each stage lasts about 90 minutes and we cycle through these stages at least 5 times throughout the night if we get adequate sleep (7.5 – 8 hours).

If you don’t go through all stages of sleep (takes approximately 8 hours) you will wake up fatigued and exhausted instead of feeling refreshed when you get up in the morning. Did you know that deep sleep helps regulate your appetite hormones? Getting a full night’s sleep suppresses ghrenlin, the appetite hormone and stimulates the release of leptin, the satiety/fullness hormone.

Did you know that caffeinated drinks like coffee and medications that contain caffeine can stimulate parts of the brain and decrease your ability to sleep? 

Back to the Basics

REM and Non- REM sleep

The first four stages of sleep make up Non- REM sleep and the last and most restorative stage of sleep is REM sleep.

5 Stages of Sleep

Stage 1 Very light sleep (transition into sleep)

Muscle activity decreases; muscle twitching

Make up 5% of sleep

Stage 2 Light sleep

Breathing and heart rate slow down

Body temperature decreases

45-55% of our time asleep in the light stage of sleep.

Stage 3 Deep sleep

Deep sleep begins

Slow delta brain waves

Growth hormone is secreted and body repairs start

12- 15% of sleep is spent in this stage of sleep

Stage 4 Very deep sleep

Rhythmic breathing

Limited muscle activity

Body temperature and blood pressure decrease

Stage 5 Restorative Sleep, REM sleep

Dreaming occurs

Brain waves speed up

Brain is awake

Arm and leg muscles temporarily paralyzed

Increase in heart rate

Breathing is rapid and shallow

Here are some tips to help you get better, more refreshing sleep.

1.     Avoid caffeine and caffeinated products before bed

This includes coffee, energy drinks, and some medications.  Caffeine triggers the release of cortisol; this is our stress hormone.  Our stress hormone prepares our body for fight or flight and keeps you alert.

2.    Avoid that nightcap

Did you know that alcohol triggers cortisol release in the body?  Even though alcohol may help you feel relaxed; studies have shown that alcohol interferes with REM sleep.

REM sleep occurs in the fifth stage of sleep and is the most restorative stage of sleep. And as we get older, this stage is a little bit shorter.

In order to get the best sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning; you don't want to do anything that will interfere with the amount of restorative sleep that you get.

When sleep is disrupted, you wake up groggy, angry; you’re forgetful and less productive.

3.    Don’t take your electronics to bed with you

Our society is very technologically advanced, and we have so many gadgets like the Kindle and our iPhone, and this has allowed us to bring our work literally into our bedroom. So people are doing work (like sending and checking emails) in their beds instead of sleeping.

Getting enough sleep helps prevent weight gain, decreases your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.

So keep your electronics in another room. If you're going to do work, do it in a room that’s not your bedroom, and stop at least hour to two hours before bed.

You will know how much time you need to wind down so make sure you fit that into your sleep routine.

4.    Keep your bedroom dark.

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, people went to bed as soon as it was dark outside. We know that is not the case now; we have lights 24/7. Our bodies don’t know the difference between day or night; especially when we are constantly surrounded by artificial lighting

Anytime a light is on, the light goes through the eyes and hits the pineal gland telling it to stop secreting melatonin and to start secreting cortisol.  When we are exposed to light the body thinks it’s daytime, even if it’s not. When it’s dark, the body stops secreting cortisol and starts secreting melatonin because it thinks its night and it prepares you for bed. There is a fragile balance between melatonin, the relaxation hormone and cortisol, the hormone that stimulates alertness.

I hope you enjoyed 4 Easy Ways to Get Better Sleep.  Working out early in the morning helps me get better sleep. What are some things you do to get better sleep?

She Health:: 5 Things You Need To Live a Happier Life

Blessing here with She Health.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live a happier life? Our society promises us that  we will be happy if we are thin, more successful and rich but at the end of the day chasing what society tells us will make us happy only makes us more dissatisfied and tired. This article focuses on the 5 Things You Need To Live a Happier Life.

Spiritual health.

This is one of the most overlooked areas of health. Spiritual health affects every area of our health and includes mental and physical health. There is a lot of health advice that can be found in the bible.

For example:

Be anxious for nothing.*

Let’s face it anxiety is a form of stress and stress leads to the release of cortisol. Many of us are chronically stressed and this leaves us at higher risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, dementia, diabetes. It also leads to the dysregulation of the appetite hormones (ghrenlin and leptin) and can lead to unwanted weight gain. Ghrenlin tells our bodies when we’re hungry and leptin tell us when we’re full and lets us know when it’s time to stop eating. When we take our cares to Christ, who cares for us, we don’t have to worry about our circumstances.

It is important to set aside some time for your devotions and prayer. This helps you be better prepared for the day by decreasing your stress levels, building your spiritual health and improving your overall health.

Be Content.

Be content with such things as you have. **

We tend to take this as a suggestion instead of a command. In our flashy, perfectionist and self- centered society, the search for fulfillment and success in the eyes of others can make you become ungrateful.

Just as gratitude has good health benefits, being ungrateful has its own negative health risks. Being ungrateful changes your body chemistry, increases secretion of cortisol and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, as well as obesity. It makes you more susceptible to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety; it increases aggression, disrupts quality of sleep, puts extra stress on heart and may increase your cancer risk.

God created you to do a specific job here on earth and when you waste time comparing yourself to others or living someone else calling it can affect your health.

Nourish your body.

Our body needs fuel in order to function well. We have our choice between the types of fuels that we want to put in our bodies. When you feed your body nutrient dense, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, legumes and grains, your body can do what it needs to  maintain your blood sugar and energy levels (so you don’t have to depend on energy drinks, coffee or sugar to stay awake).

Exercise

Did you know that exercise helps boost your feel good hormones? Exercise raises your levels of serotonin and dopamine (which decreases cortisol levels and increases your quality of sleep). In addition to supporting mental health, exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity, manages blood sugar levels, decreases your risk of chronic disease, helps manage your weight, and is a natural mood booster as well as a stress reliever.

Manage Stress

There are seasons in our life when it is hard to find “balance” even when you prioritize; this is why it is important to find ways to manage your stress though everyone is different; some people manage stress by exercising (make sure you don’t over-exercise), listening to music, talking to friends, crafting, painting, and the list goes on. Find something that you love that helps you relax.

In order to live a happier life you need to make sure you don’t neglect your spiritual health. Since spiritual health affects your mental and physical health. In order to stay healthy and prevent chronic diseases, you need to eat foods that nourish your body and give it the energy it needs to function. And last but not least, stress management is important too. Managing stress is necessary for good health and it is important to note that over exercising is a form of stress. When it comes to finding ways to manage stress; don’t go overboard when it comes to exercise or treating yourself.

* _{Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-8}

**<sub>Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

Photo:The Cut</sub>

She Health:: 3 Things To Help Live a Stress Free Life

Hello Ladies! Blessing here, with some real health talk and that word that we all hate. "STRESS".



We are constantly bombarded with images of perfection from the media, to social media, and our peers. Spending time worrying about things that don’t matter, comparing yourself to others, or chasing other’s ideas of success and perfection will only leave you dissatisfied, anxious and unhealthy in the long run. Here are 3 ways you can refocus on what is important to you.

1.    Prioritize

With so many distractions and responsibilities pulling us in many different situations it is easy to become overwhelmed by life. The most important thing is to set apart some time and decide what is most important to you. Do you want to focus on family, personal or spiritual growth?

2.    Create a workable plan

After you have prioritized and narrowed in on the most important things in your life; it’s much easier to say no to things that are not a priority to you.  The best way to do this is to start and keep a journal. Journaling helps you become more aware of what is important to you and sometimes you just need to write your priorities down.  People who write down their goals at the beginning of the year are more likely to achieve them when compared to people to don’t write down their goals.

You can even look back and see how your priorities change with your stage of life. Then you can decide to say yes to things that fit into your goals/priorities. For everything else say no.

3.    Avoid perfectionism.

Perfectionism is another form of procrastination. When you wait for everything to be perfect (and it never is) you fail to take action and this keeps you from achieving your goals.  With the increase in social media platforms and peoples obsession with “perceived perfection”; it’s easy to waste time comparing yourself to other people instead of being grateful for what you have.

Believe it or not in addition to increasing your productivity, contentment is good for your health. It decreases your risk of heart disease and stroke, decreases anxiety levels, improves emotional health and wellbeing and increases your quality of sleep. Sleep is often over looked but it is very important for hormone balance. Just losing 3 hours of sleep can increase stress hormone levels and cortisol increases levels of your hunger hormone, increasing your appetite. Not getting enough sleep over a period of time can lead to unwanted weight gain.
 

As women and business owners, it is important to create a plan for stress free living by setting your priorities, creating a plan and avoiding the trap of perfection. When you take time to set your priorities it is easier to say yes to things that align with them; and say no to things that don’t fit into your plan.

 How does prioritizing reduce your stress?

 Thanks, Blessing
Earnest Holistic Health

She Health:: 5 Ways to Eliminate Mood Swings

Hello Ladies! Blessing here with another She Health post..

We’ve all had (or know someone) who has mood swings. One moment you’re happy and the next you are furious and you don’t know why. Mood swings can be linked to uncontrolled, unmanaged stress, too much sugar, a sedentary lifestyle and sleep deprivation. All these things trigger the release of cortisol which affects the function mood hormones, serotonin and dopamine.

 

1. Get enough sleep.

Everyone is different and you may only need 6 hours of sleep while someone else needs 8 hours. Find out how much sleep you need to feel refreshed, alert and ready to face your day. Not getting enough sleep and sleep deprivation can lead to increased stress levels and increased levels of cortisol; which raises your risk of mood disorders and chronic diseases like high blood sugar, diabetes and stroke.

High levels of cortisol can interfere with the way neurotransmitters and hormones control mood. People who are sleep deprived are more moody, irritable, unable to focus and anxious when compared to people who are not sleep deprived.

Have you noticed how strong your cravings are for processed foods rich in simple carbohydrates like cookies, cake and ice cream after a stressful day?

Your body burns through serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affect mood. Serotonin gives you a feeling of wellbeing and when you are chronically stressed, the body depletes serotonin stores. The body will then trigger carbohydrates cravings to help replace the serotonin that was used.

2. Avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol before bed

You should avoid drinking alcohol and stimulants like caffeine at least 4-5 hours before bed because these drinks will trigger the release of cortisol. Cortisol makes you more alert and when cortisol levels are high, melatonin (sleep and relaxation hormone) levels are low and it is harder for you to get to sleep. Alcohol and stimulants, like caffeine interrupt REM sleep. REM sleep is a phase of deep restorative sleep that you need to recharge after a long day.

3. Exercise

The most cost effective, yet most overlooked mood booster and stress reliever is exercise. We have all heard about the benefits of exercise: it reduces the risk of chronic disease, increases your quality of sleep and releases endorphins that boost mood. Regular exercise is not just good for your mood it improves heart health and reduces your risk of depression and dementia. You can pick the type of exercise you want to do (make sure you enjoy it) and work out 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes.

4. Avoid Processed Sugars

Have you experienced the afternoon, after lunch slump? You feel sluggish and find it difficult to focus on work. Then you try to boost your energy with a candy bar or cookies from the nearest vending machine. It works for an hour or two and then you crash again. Did you know that you feeling or sluggishness and your inability to focus are linked to low blood sugar levels?

Eating processed sugars as an energy pick-me-up is a short term solution that will increase your risk of chronic disease and may even add to your mood swings. Instead of eating sugary processed foods eat protein or fruit. Protein slows down the absorption of sugar in the blood; giving you energy over a period of time. Fruits have natural sugars that are paired with fiber which also slow down the absorption of sugar.

5. Be Grateful

Being content and practicing gratitude reduces any stress and anxiety that you may feel after comparing yourself to someone else. Being grateful allows you to embrace and experience what you have instead of stressing out and worrying about what you don’t have. It lowers cortisol levels in the body which leads to lower blood pressure, improves your quality of sleep and reduced stress.

In order to eliminate mood swings you need to incorporate stress management, gratitude, exercise and avoid alcohol and stimulants before bed. In order to eliminate mood swings for good you have to be intentional; especially when it comes to exercise, diet and self care.

What is your go to when you’re in a bad mood?

Photo: Via Pinterest: by Marco Barchesi