Of course, with vitamins or supplements, were there just ONE adverse "possible side effect", they'd be pulled off the shelves by Swat Teams ...
Also, a banana will help you sleep - it has L-Tryptophan in it, like turkey (which is why you feel sleepy after the Thanksgiving Day meal...
Another of my favorites is old fashioned cocoa made with cocoa powder, sugar, light cream, tiny pinch of salt and then, just before serving, stir in a good splash of pure vanilla ...imitation wont work
Lots of ways to get HEALTHY sleep = I tried Valerian for a bit - grows wild in the fields. It works, but it smells like dirty gym socks -
Melatonin has made me slightly groggy the next morning.
Actually, turkey and the tryptophan inside is what gets turned into maltonin - that’s why you snooze after the thanksgiving meal!
I’m not gonna say much about it, but melatonin is very high on the list of anti-aging supplements - and from the studies I’ve read, very rightly so. In some cases, almost miraculous.
Speaking of chloresterol, you might be interested in researching homocystiene levels - that research is now pinpointing as the bad guy in heart problems over cholesterol...
Here's a Stanford study
http://www.stanford.edu/group/hopes/treatmts/antinflm/i7.html
excerpt: High homocysteine levels are associated with many health problems and may contribute to the progression of HD; consequently, it is important to keep homocystein levels low. In the first processing pathway, homocysteine becomes cysteine, which can become glutathione. The first pathway is important to people with HD because glutathione can help protect against oxidative damage. ... In the second processing pathway, homocysteine becomes methionine, whose creation depends on an enzyme that needs folic acid.
Also, scroll down to the "Folic Acid and HD"
Stanford's report is, of course, more technical that others,,,but a GOOGLE or an ASK.com can bring up gobs of info on homocysteine and HD - heart disease
You can also mess yourself up real good self medicating with “natural” remedies, many of which can cause severe interactions with other “natural” remedies or prescription drugs.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t try them if you think they help you, but be very careful and look up what the active ingredient in them that is supposed to help your condition is, and make sure it doesn’t react with anything else you may be taking.
Sometimes you can find a herbal remedy that has the same active ingredient in it that the pharmaceutical does, and save yourself a pile of money.
You should never think however, that all pharmaceuticals are “bad” either. Many or most of them refine their active ingredients from plants as well, just in a more refined way.
Above all, don’t risk your life on something that is totaly unproven just because a couple of con artists promoting herbal remedies and “secrets from China”, (remember their life expectancy is well below ours in the west) there are a lot of snake oil salesmen out there.
Research, research and research some more before you try anything.
Here’s the snope on Tryptophan.
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/turkey.asp
There are several reason it is probably not what makes you sleepy after a Thanksgiving turkey.
“Lots of ways to get HEALTHY sleep = I tried Valerian for a bit - grows wild in the fields. It works, but it smells like dirty gym socks -”
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An old friend recommended Valerian to me. I got some capsules, I guess it works, but I’m betting that if Animal Planet or the Discovery Channel ever does a “Most Extreme” episode on the natural world’s smelliest substances, lo’ Valerian’s name will outshine all the rest.