Different guys need different amounts of sleep. So how do you know how much is right for you? Sorry, there’s no standard formula. But there are tests you can take to find out. And don’t worry: They’re strictly pass-fail.
The feelings test: Drowsiness during the day or early evening is a dead giveaway that you need more sleep. The problem is that you may never slow down long enough to find it out. So schedule some quiet time and pay attention. “If you fall asleep reading or just sitting quietly before your usual bedtime, you’re not getting enough sleep,” says Dr. Michael Stevenson of the North Valley Sleep Disorders Center.
The alarm clock test: Did you use your alarm clock this morning? “Anybody who answers yes to that question is at least partially sleep-deprived,” says Dr. Michael Bonnet of Wright State University School of Medicine. The idea is that if you’re allowing yourself the right amount of sleep, you should wake up just before the alarm goes off.
“Start going to bed a half-hour earlier this week, and if your alarm is still waking you up, keep going to bed a half-hour earlier each week until you find the point where you don’t need an alarm,” Dr. Bonnet recommends.
The max-out test: Next vacation, do some sleep research on yourself. A common study technique is to put volunteers in bed for 10 or more hours a night for weeks at a time to see how long they’ll sleep when they have more time than they need to do it. Try it. When you wake up, see how long you slept. That’s how much sleep you need, says Dr. Timothy Roehrs of the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center. If you’re like most study subjects, it’ll be around 8 hours.
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The most common type of gall-stone is made of cholesterol and is the result of altered bile metabolism produced by dietary changes in the West. It is difficult to be sure exactly how common gall-stones are because many produce no symptoms at all and are discovered by chance on X-ray or at autopsy. However, accurate enough figures enable us to say that the proneness to gall-stones of westernized countries varies between 30 and 60 per cent-the highest figures being from Chile, Sweden and Czechoslovakia. Third World countries have much lower figures, for example: Uganda 3 per cent; Thailand 4.4 per cent; and Ghana 0 per cent. A survey of hospitals in Africa, India, Arabia and New Guinea confirmed that gall-stones are extremely rare in the rural parts of these countries. On the other hand, in the urbanized black population of Johannesburg, gall-stones are quite common (12 per cent in elderly women).
Since World War II there has been a worldwide increase in the number of people undergoing surgery for gall-stones. The increase has been between 2.5 and 6 times, depending on the country. There has been an increase not just among older women -the most susceptible section of the population-but also among young people and in men. This suggests that whatever is causing gall-stones has increased its influence since the last war.
All this evidence suggests that gall-stones are directly related to a western way of life. It is also interesting that people with one of four other western diseases are much more likely to have gall-stones. These other conditions are obesity, diabetes, diverticular disease and hiatus hernia. A woman with gall-stones has on average put on more weight since maturity than one without, even if she is not seriously overweight.
The common factor between all these conditions is the over-consumption of refined foods and of high-energy foods. A reduced calorie intake is the best treatment for maturity onset (Type II) diabetes as we have seen; it also reduces harmful blood fats and is slimming. But-more to the point when it comes to gallstones-it results in a lowered concentration of cholesterol in the bile and so in fewer gall-stones. Wild animals rarely have gall-stones but they can be made to have them by being fed artificial diets such as our western diet. Of all the dietary factors that have been studied in the laboratory and clinical trials the lack of dietary fibre and too much sugar and white flour are the main culprits. Increasing the intake of these reduces the likelihood of an individual forming gall-stones.
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SAME TIME
1) Discontinue using products which contain large amounts of phosphates. Phosphates are chemical compounds containing phosphorous, and are found in most detergents. Use a low-phosphate or a phosphate-free detergent.
2) Put a stop to unwanted junk mail. Some statistics suggest that if only 100,000 American families stopped their “junk mail”, the nation could save up to
13) Whenever possible, use natural pest controls instead of herbicides and pesticides.
14) Try organic gardening and/or buy organically grown produce and grains.
15) Dispose of all household hazardous wastes properly. Do not dump toxics down the drain or into the sewer system. You can dispose of such materials in a number of “safe” ways, including recycling and municipal incineration. You can also
150,000 trees every year. You can have your name taken off mailing lists, and you can recycle the junk mail you already have.
3) Save water by aerating your household faucets. An aerator is a simple device that can be attached to the water faucets in your home and result in a significant saving of water.
4) Use reusable containers to keep food in your refrigerator instead of using aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
5) Avoid using oil-based paint. Such paint is toxic, and the by-products of its manufacture are environmental pollutants. Use latex paint instead of oil- based.
6) Don’t leave the water running while you are brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing the dishes. You can save thousands of gallons of water a year by learning to avoid waste.
7) Since the ozone layer is being depleted by manmade gasses that are common in homes and offices, it is critical that we stop using such products which contain those gasses. Avoid aerosols containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) or halons (found in some fire extinguishers).
Keep your car properly tuned up to conserve fuel and help reduce toxic emission.
9) Use rechargeable batteries instead of alkaline batteries to lessen the hazardous waste problem.
10) Don’t use polystyrene foam. If you eat at fast food food restaurants, ask for paper cups and plates.
11) You can help conserve energy by making sure your home is adequately insulated.
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4) Listen— much of what we attribute to a poor memory is actually a failure to concentrate on what we are hearing. The way to correct this is to learn to listen actively, rather than passively. Don’t expect to sit and listen passively and then have automatic recall of everything you heard. You must think along with the speaker, ask questions, and actually be involved. In order to listen actively, you’ll need to eliminate distractions and give your undivided attention to what others are saying. Once you have learned to do that, you’ll notice a marked improvement in your memory.
5) Write it down— the act of writing out information you want to remember is an excellent way to improve your short-term memory. It serves to reinforce your ability to recall specific information. Whenever possible, jot down on paper what you need to remember.
6) Improve your vocabulary— if you have trouble remembering words, it’s probably because you aren’t using them. Studies have shown that a good command of the language enhances memory. The best way to improve your language ability is to read as much as you can.
7) Relax— that old nemesis, stress, which contributes to so many problems, can also be a culprit in forgetfulness. Your short-term memory can be impaired if you are preoccupied with stressful problems and situations. Learn to relax with relaxation techniques, and try to clear your mind.
Associate names with faces— many people have a great deal of trouble remembering the names of people they’ve just met. This sort of memory lapse can be overcome by making some sort of instant and permanent association between the
name and the person’s face. For example, you may observe that Bob bobs his head while he is talking, or that Rose has rosy cheeks.
9) Use your imagination— if you need to remember something, you can devise your own memory aids. For example, if there’s something you need to take with you when you leave the house in the morning, set the item in front of the door before you go to bed for the night. It’s a sure bet you’ll remember to take the item with you when you leave.
10) Memory joggers— do something unusual that will serve to jog your memory. For example, wear your watch on the other wrist or call your answering service to leave messages for yourself.
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Skin Disorders
Clinical tests suggest that while beta-carotene supplements can alleviate many skin disorders, such as acne and psoriasis, vitamin A derivative drugs may do a much better job. The tests seem to indicate that Accutane is effective against cystic acne, while Tretinoin (the active ingredient in Retin A) works well as a treatment for acne vulgaris, which is the most common form of acne. There have been some good results using Tigason (etretinate) in the treatment of psoriasis. Tests have shown that etretinate may be as much as 80 percent effective when taken for 3 to 4 months. Researchers say that is a much higher rate of effectiveness than is found with any other drug currently being used to treat psoriasis.
It is important to note that women of childbearing age who are not using birth control pills, and pregnant women should not take Accutane or etretinate because they have been linked to certain birth defects. And everyone—both women and men—should consult with a physician before using these vitamin A derivative drugs.
Another vitamin A derivative, Retin A, which was initially developed as a treatment for acne, is now proving to be a fairly effective treatment for sun- damaged skin. According to recent studies, the overall improvement provided by Retin A to skin which has been damaged by exposure to the sun is, in most cases, modest.
Natural Way To Improve Your Eyesight. And Night Driving, Too
You can prevent night blindness by eating an adequate amount of vegetables high in vitamin A—especially in carotene form. Yellow vegetables such as carrots are high in vitamin A, which is required for the maintenance of good vision. An early sign of a deficiency in vitamin A levels is the loss of vision in near darkness or night blindness. By regularly eating vegetables that are rich in vitamin A, you can prevent night blindness, and you may actually improve your night vision.
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The National Cancer Institute has provided several mealtime tips on how to incorporate the 5 a day program into your diet.
Breakfast
A) Add fruit, such as strawberries or sliced bananas to cereal.
B) Have a bowl of fruit such as peaches or melons.
C) Top pancakes and waffles with fruit instead of syrup.
D) Drink a glass of fruit juice.
Lunch
A) Eat a salad or soup that has vegetables.
B) Put lettuce, sprouts and tomatoes on a sandwich.
C) Add carrot, celery, or zuchini sticks to your menu.
D) Have a piece of fruit— an apple, orange, etc.
Snack
A) Munch on grapes, raisins, apricots, prunes, figs, or cut raw vegetables.
1) Eat from 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
B) Drink a glass of juice.
Dinner
A) Put raw vegetables or fruit in a green salad.
B) Add vegetables to main dishes, such as broccoli to pasta.
C) Order extra side dishes of vegetables when eating out.
D) Garnish main dishes with fruit. Dessert
A) Add fresh fruit to a plain dessert.
B) Add pineapple or papaya to frozen yogurt.
C) Add chopped fruit or berries to cakes, cookies or muffins.
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Health And Live Longer
Anyone who has ever had a dog or a cat knows such pets need adequate “health care” if they are to stay healthy. There are several things you can do to help your pet remain in good health and live a longer life.
1) Have your dog or cat tested by a competent D.V.M. for worms, including hookworm and tapeworm.
2) Make sure your dog or cat gets all the required vaccinations. These include shots for rabies and distemper. Consult your vet about what vaccinations your dog and/or cat should have, and how often.
3) Proper diet is an important part of a dog or cat’s health maintenance. Your vet can recommend what sort of diet is best for your pet.
4) There are several ways to relieve your pet’s misery from an infestation of fleas. Many veterinarians recommend “traditional” insecticide dips as the most effective way to rid your dog or cat of fleas. Ask your vet for advice about the appropriate dip for your pet.
Some sprays and powders can also be helpful if the flea infestation isn’t too heavy. It is also important that you treat the animal’s bedding with an appropriate dip, spray or powder.
5) Ticks, while extremely nasty, are easier to control than an infestation of fleas. If your pet spends a great deal of time outdoors, especially in fields or wooded areas, you should give it frequent “tick inspections”. One good way to do this, and to remove any ticks that haven’t attached themselves yet, is to brush your pet with a fine-toothed flea comb. You should pay particular attention to the animal’s neck and under its ears.
Many flea dips will also kill ticks, so you may be able to rid your dog or cat of ticks and fleas at the same time.
6) Ridding your dog or cat of pesky ear mites usually requires prescription medication that is placed into the animal’s ears. While your pet may not enjoy the treatment, it will certainly be better off without the parasitic mites.
7) Bothersome skin conditions, such as “hot spots” on dogs, are usually caused by a “flea allergy”. The reaction results from the flea’s saliva and causes your dog to irritate its skin trying to relieve excessive itching. The best way to eliminate skin conditions resulting from flea allergy is to eliminate the fleas. This can be done in several ways, as noted earlier. You can also help to ease the animal’s discomfort by treating the affected area. Trim the hair away from the “hot spot”, then clean the area with warm water and apply a powder to dry it out. Many vets recommend Domeboro which is available over- the-counter.
Keep your pets well-groomed. A well-groomed dog or cat is less likely to have health menacing parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites.
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