Thankfully there are some things you can try that may make a huge difference in how well you sleep. Improving your sleep will likely involve some trial and error, but most notice that one or more of the following changes have brought about a greater number of hours slept during the night.

- One thing all the experts agree on is the need for complete darkness. Cover the lighted clock, turn out the night-lights and block out the street lights for optimal sleep. Light stops your body from producing important hormones and tells it that it’s time to wake up. If you cannot block out the light wear a cover of some kind over your eyes.

- Only get in your bed when it is time to go to sleep. Do not watch tv, read or other such things from your bed. If you take naps in the middle of the day use the recliner or couch for nap. Save the bed for nighttime sleep only.

- Believe it or not the temperature of your bedroom cannot be too warm or it will disrupt your sleep. Research shows that if it is cooler than 60 degrees or warmer than 68 degrees it will affect your ability to sleep.

- Go to bed as soon after the sun sets as you possibly can. Your body does repair work between the hours of 11pm. and 3am. that cannot be gotten at any other time. Once you have established a bedtime, try to stick with that time of sleeping and rising. It will help your body to develop a regular sleep pattern.

- Remove as many electrical devices from your bedroom as you can. All electrical appliances, TV, radio, exercise machines, etc. produce waves that can affect sleeping patterns.

- Most of us know not to drink much in the way of liquids before bedtime and make the effort to use the bathroom right before bed. Doing these 2 simple things eliminates the need to get up in the middle of the night and disrupt good sleep.

- Do not eat ANYTHING right before bed. However a couple hours prior to your bedtime is a good time to eat foods containing protein (nuts, nut butter, cheese, meat, etc.) and a very small piece of fruit (which helps the protein be used beneficially at night).

- Little things can facilitate better sleep such as a hot bath or shower late at night, wearing socks or using a heating pad on your feet, listen to soothing music or sounds of nature, avoid caffeine and suspense novels, avoid alcohol and sweets and exercise for a half hour earlier in the evening.

- Other things you may want to try are having a medical check-up for hormonal changes, adrenal problems and other such conditions; try taking a supplement called melatonin, get regular massage, stress reduction therapy, and invest in your spiritual life.

Some people have had insomnia for so long they seem to have grown used to it. Others continually suffer from side effects of fatigue, lowered immune system, impaired mood, etc. Many of us are unaware of the potential damage to our health as a result of lack of sleep. Here are just a few of the accumulative dangers of insomnia:

- ulcers
- constipation
- heart disease
- poor immune function
- impaired memory
- increased stress
- increased risk of diabetes
- increased risk of tumor growth
- foggy thinking
- decreased problem solving ability
- more rapid aging

Generation Solutions, At Home Senior Care Company, is now serving the Smith Mountain Lake area. They provide quality care, (home health care, private duty services, medical equipment/supplies) in the privacy and comfort of your own home.  Call Sheila Andrews at 434.841.0073 to discuss their services. www.GenerationSolutions.net.

SMLRV will host a 4 part series of Alzheimer’s education seminars every Tuesday night in September from 6p-7p.  Q&A time will follow and refreshments will be served.  Please call 540-719-1300 by noon on Monday of each week to reserve your seat. They look forward to having you visit!

Confused about the new Health Care Reform Act and how it will affect you?  Call BMS Consulting, 540-721-4045, to get the latest update.  Or stop by our office at 13245 Booker T Washington Hwy, Westlake.  We offer free competitive quotes for your health care, dental, disability, and retirement plan needs.

The Centre at VitaZen now offers yoga classes 6 days per week. Try our newest classes on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday at 9:00am. The Centre at VitaZen is located at 12787 Booker T Washington Hwy. (rear entrance). For more info call 721-9365 or go to www.VitaZen.net/yoga.

Please join the Alzheimer’s Association of Central and Western Virginia at Hollins University on September 25  at 8:00am for the Roanoke Memory walk or at Riverside Park on October 16 at 8:00 a.m. for the Lynchburg Memory Walk.Go to www.lynchburgmemorywalk.com  or www.roanokememorywalk.com for more details.

But even if you do not enjoy the taste of cucumbers, you may be amazed to know some of the other things they are used for besides food. The following list has not been researched and proven to our knowledge, but it can’t hurt to experiment a little on our own right?

1. Skin Tightener: Have you ever wondered why women put cucumbers on their eyes? The photochemical in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten, which reduces puffiness. Did you know that you can rub a cucumber on a problematic spot of cellulite anywhere on your body to tighten and make it less visible? Did you also know that it has the same effect on wrinkles? You can also rub a little bit under your eyes after a long bout of crying to avoid that swollen depressed look.

2. Window Cleaner: Do you hate the fog on the mirror after a shower? Try rubbing a slice of cucumber on the mirror before you hop in and not only will you get a fog-free mirror, but you’ll have a nice smell that will boost your mood.

3. WD-40 Alternative: Did you know you can get rid of a squeak by rubbing a cucumber on the hinge? Who would have thought?

4. Bad Breath?: Take a slice of cucumber and put it on the roof of your mouth. Hold it there with your tongue for 30 seconds. The photochemical that women love for reducing puffiness, can also kill the bacteria that is causing your bad breath.

5. Tarnish remover: If you’re finding tarnish on your stainless steel kitchen faucets and appliances? Rub it off with a cucumber slice. Not only will it remove years of tarnish, it will leave it streak free and your hands will thank you, and your kids won’t be put at risk from a dangerous chemical.

6. Energy booster: If you’re feeling tired in the afternoon, don’t give Starbucks your money. Instead, grab a cucumber. There are just enough carbohydrates and B vitamins to give you a longer-lasting and healthier boost of energy than soda, coffee, or those health hazard energy drinks.

7. Frugal facial: Slice up a cucumber and boil it in a pot of water. The chemicals inside of the cucumber will mix with the steam. Remove the pot from heat and lean over it, letting the steam hit you. Your skin will be more radiant and healthy, and you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

8. Pest control: Put three or four slices of cucumber in a small pie tin and place them in your garden. The chemicals in the cucumber have a reaction that pests hate. You won’t smell it, but it will drive them from your garden all year long. Replace them periodically.

9. Sunburn: Sometimes sun block doesn’t always protect you and your little ones from sunburn. If you have sunburns and no aloe, rub some cucumber on them. Many doctors even use cucumber to treat patients with irritated skin and sunburns.

10. Blood pressure: Believe it or not Cucumber concentrates have long been used to treat high blood pressure. If you have it, add cucumbers to your daily diet. There is also ongoing research into the use of cucumbers for lowering cholesterol.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can lead to permanent damage and even death, and not just for the sick and elderly. Anyone of any age can be overcome by severe heat. If you have a medical condition you may need to come in out of the heat sooner than your neighbor, but everyone of all ages should be careful not to get too hot.

Heat exhaustion can rapidly lead to a heat stroke and permanent damage if not death. It is critical to be able to recognise the symptoms of heat exhaustion if you are outdoors or exercising this summer. 

If you have, or notice these symptoms in someone else, go immediately to a cooler place and drink plenty of water or electrolyte replacing drinks, and contact your doctor for further instructions. 

- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache and dizziness
- Muscle cramping, clammy skin
- Fast heart beat and fainting

Heat exhaustion can lead to a heat stroke, which can be life threatening. Know that you can become hot enough to have a heat stroke even if you are not exerting yourself physically. Some of the symptoms of heat stroke:

- Extreme headache, fever
- Confusion, delusions, dizziness
- Lack of sweating, with hot, dry skin
- Muscle spasms, seizures
- Fainting, passing out
- Death

Go to the hospital or call 911 immediately if any of the above signs are in evidence. Heat stroke can kill!

Preventing illness is far better than having to try to cure it. You can take steps to avoid heat related sickness:

- First check your weather and try to compensate for the hottest days by planning around them.
- Be sure not to wear tight clothing. Clothes that fit loosely and are made of cotton help keep you cool.
- Do not go outdoors between Noon and 5pm. on hot days. If you don’t have AC, plan to be somewhere you will not get too hot during those hours.
- Drink plenty of water, and stay away from caffeine and alcohol. They do not mix well with excessive heat.

Just don’t forget that same beautiful hot sun can be very dangerous. Many folks think that heat stroke is a condition that just hits the elderly, or the very young, or those already weakened by illness. That is simply not the case.

A friend who lives here is Franklin Co. used to raise border collies. A couple of summers ago, she learned a lesson about the danger of a hot day – the hard way. Some friends and family were at the lake and she tied her beloved female border collie in the shade of a big tree with a bowl of water,  near where they were visiting. After just a couple of hours, the dog had collapsed and we rushed her to an emergency vet, who bathed her in cold water and gave her fluids. She died that night and the vet said it was a simple case of heat stroke. Don’t forget the dog was in the shade and had a water bowl and she was not an old dog.

Around 500 people die each year, and not from over-exercising on a hot day. A fair number of them were sitting in a chair doing nothing when they were struck down. You see heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Does this happen more when a person is unwell? Yes, that is a contributing factor, but is not the only risk factor.

Michael McGeehin, PhD, MSPH, director of the division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects says that most people underestimate the risks of extreme heat and get into trouble very rapidly.

So while you are loving the summer sunshine, be very careful to stay cool and hydrated in the heat.

Next time learn how to avoid overheating, the signs of heat stroke and what to do.

I learned recently that diabetic eye diseases (such as diabetic retinopathy) are the most common cause of blindness in the US.  However, the risk can be significantly reduced by early blood glucose control and treatment of vascular risk factors. Ophthalmologic screening visits in diabetics even without visual symptoms are necessary to ensure early treatment. Once visual function is impaired, it is often irreversible. This makes early detection essential.

The second leading cause of blindness is glaucoma – which also can be slowed or treated to prevent further vision loss, with early detection. (Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. Experts estimate that half of the people affected by glaucoma may not know they have it. Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. It is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain.)

Third and last, after age 50, blindness is primarily caused by age-related macular degeneration, a progressive disease of the retina wherein the light-sensing cells in the central area of vision (the macula) stop working and eventually die.

As you can see, routine eye exams are extremely important if you value your eye sight. We have several good Optometrists at the lake. If you have not had an eye exam in the last year, call and make an appointment to have one. Your vision is precious, don’t lose it when simple check-ups can keep you informed in time to make a difference.

We know the heavy pollen season will pass, but in the meantime what can be done to help those of us who have every allergy symptom in the book, to cope? A little research and a few conversations with folks at our local health food stores reveals a few natural allergy aids.

- Quercetin is very popular with customers who say the bioflavonoid significantly reduces their allergic responses.

- Vitamin C is touted as a natural antihistamine and immune system strengthener.

- Alfalfa is rich in many nutrients that fight allergies, especially chlorophyll (the green stuff in all plants).

- Aller-Pure by Irwin Naturals is a best seller that combines a variety of herbs and vitamins to combat allergies.

- Most important of all is to build your bodies ability to combat all immune issues by eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies and avoiding processed, refined, sugary foods that weaken your immune system.

Don’t just sit there and suffer or think that over the counter meds that make you drowsy are your only options. Join the ranks of those who have gotten relief naturally.

According to a Harvard Medical study on eggs, this popular breakfast food is not bad after all. There are other studies that show some positive benefits of eggs such as the presence of carotenoids, vit. d, choline, etc. as well as an absence of other studies to prove that they are harmful to your health.

The only way that eggs have been shown to have detrimental effects is “scrambled” or cooked/fried in some nasty kind of oil such as lard or other hydrogenated/saturated/refined fats.

Below you will find the essence of the Harvard study and you can go to PubMed to see even more info. if you so desire. In the meantime, buy some organic eggs and poach, boil or fry while keeping a soft yolk………and enjoy!

Dietary cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients: a review of the Harvard Egg Study and other data.

Jones PJ.

Nutrition and Functional Foods, Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. peter_jones@umanitoba.ca

Recently I had heard several people mention how they had gotten something at their health food store which cured their sinus problems. With some investigation, I found that the herb under discussion was oregano oil capsules. It did not take long from there to discover that oregano has a long list of purported healing properties.

Here is a partial list of the qualities you can find listed in various places for oregano oil as a supplement: anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. They say it can kill parasites, cure sinus and respiratory problems, digestive problems and candida.

Some folks use it for these external conditions as well: toothache, ringworm, athletes foot, psoriasis/eczema, warts and rashes.

I will not go into the research here but you can find a good deal in the way of clinical studies if you read the literature of one of the original companies to market oregano oil, North American Herb and Spice.

I have personally used this herb successfully for several health issues and found it to be incredibly beneficial. It might be worth some consideration as far as an addition to any medicine chest.