A Good Night Sleep Is The Best Tonic
Research says 1 in 4 people is sleep deprived. You can eat all the right things and exercise many hours a week. If you don’t sleep well or enough, no amount of cardiac program or magic pills will make you feel the best.
The ideal sleeping pattern is go to sleep at no later than 11 pm and get 7-8 hours. If you don’t get that, a 20 minute siesta or power nap in the afternoon can give you a lift much better than coffee or energy drinks. Try not to do anything too physically or mentally strenuous in the hour before you go to sleep. Otherwise you might wake up in the early hours thinking about stuff. Avoid looking at the screen just before bed as the blue light prevents melatonin release from your brain. This substance helps you fall asleep. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they can affect the quality of sleep. Half an hour of exercise during the day also improves your sleep. Have you ever woken up from a decent sleep? Your brain functions better and your skin glows.
If you do all these and you still suffer insomnia, there may be more complex issues such as menopausal syndrome, chronic pain and anxiety. I would seek help from natural therapies.
Here is a simple recipe made up of two dry foods (also Chinese medicinals), egg and rock sugar. It tastes great. It’s a nice and warming dessert just before bed.
Lily Bulbs and Lotus Seeds Dessert Soup
Ingredients (Found in Chinese groceries and Chinese herbal pharmacists)
1/2 Cup Dry lily bulbs (Bai He 百合)
1/2 Cup Dry lotus seeds (Lian Zi 蓮子)
1 to 1.5 Litres Water
Yellow rock sugar (黄冰糖)
2 Eggs
Cooking Instructions
- Bring to boil the washed lily bulbs and lotus seeds and water in a pot.
- Add rock sugar to taste.
- Simmer into soup for about one hour or until the bulbs and seeds are soft.
- Turn off the pot. Then crack the eggs into the pot. Then stir and serve.
Makes about 4 servings.
For blood deficiency, add 10 Goji berries and 5 red dates. For a more calming effect, add 10 dry longans.
How Do The Herbs (foods) Help You?
Lily bulb (or Bai He 百合)
– Clears heat from Lungs and Heart and calms emotions.
– Moistens the Lungs and generates body fluids.
– Used for palpitations, insomnia, restlessness and irritability.
Lotus seed (or Lian Zi 蓮子)
– Nourishes the Heart and calms emotions.
– Strengthens digestion and stops diarrhoea.
– Strengthens Kidneys and stops spermatorrhoea and vaginal discharge
Yellow rock sugar (黄冰糖)
Yellow rock sugar has higher nutritional value than white sugar because it is not refined. It is nourishing to the Spleen, Stomach and Lungs. It is used in traditional Chinese desserts.
Raw egg
– Nourishes Heart and Kidneys and improves sleep.
Remember to listen to your body. If it’s screaming out to you saying it’s tired, then get some sleep. I’m going to have my power nap now. See you!
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