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By Lindsay Kluge
Articles RNM Blog
The Impact of Blue Light on Sleep

We’re all spending a lot more time on our screens this year. Many of us have transitioned our jobs into our home office, and our computer screen time (i.e blue light exposure) has likely skyrocketed as the line between work time and home time has become less distinct. Our screens have also become the lifeline we have with our friends, community and family, not to mention how many people “relax” and also stay up to date on the world.

In short, many people are spending upwards of 8 hours or more a day on a screen.

This dramatic increase in screen time has some lasting effects on our entire body. WIth this constant exposure to blue light for such an extended time, we should be mindful of the effects that blue light has on our overall health and wellbeing.

What is “Blue Light”?

Blue light is one of the colors of light we all experience during our waking hours. Evolutionarily, we are adapt to respond to blue light with alertness and are accustomed to receiving this light while the sun is shining. However, with the advent of artificial lighting in our homes and the electronics we are all addicted to, we are viewing blue wavelengths well past the hours of normal sunlight exposure, which is very unnatural for our body’s natural circadian rhythm.

Read more: Harvard Health on the Effects of Blue Light 

Blue Light Disrupts Sleep Rhythms

The exposure of light at night has been shown to suppress the secretion of melatonin – the hormone necessary for us to fall and stay asleep. This includes blue light from our phones, TV’s and computers. In a time when the world seems to never sleep, it can feel impossible to naturally dim our lights and stay away from screens after sunset, and many people are certainly paying the price for it. Difficulty falling and staying asleep can be due to the disrupted circadian hormonal cycle when the body is not receiving predictable environmental signals to secrete melatonin and decrease cortisol. These environmental cues are essential for our long term sleep patterns and rest quality.

Read More: Circadian Rhythm Triggers and Good Sleep

How to Decrease Blue Light Exposure

Wearing blue light blocking glasses while on your phone or computer may be helpful in protecting your eyes from too much blue light exposure, especially at later or darker hours of the day and night. Also, limiting your screen time each day is very important. For the next week, really pay attention (even set a timer!) to how much time you’re on a screen. This includes every time you check your phone, write an email, or concentrate on your tasks for work. You may be shocked at how many hours you find yourself staring at the screen – particularly after the sun has set. Take screen breaks during your day. For 10 minutes each hour, step away from the screen and gaze outdoors, if possible.

If possible, remove all screens from your bedroom (and your children’s bedrooms). For many, this is a way we “zone out” or relax before bed, but the long term effects of blue light exposure on sleep should change your mind. This is a night time habit that was likely formed long ago. We can all make new habits – even when they’re tricky to implement for the first few weeks.

Read more: Sticking to a Habit: The Definitive Guide

If you or a family member are having trouble with maintaining a healthy work / life balance, or need support with achieving quality sleep, consider making an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine. Click Here to schedule an appointment.

 

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By Lindsay Kluge
Articles RNM Blog
Optimizing Weight Through Holistic Nutrition

Optimizing Weight Through Holistic Nutrition

The ease of gaining or losing weight can look different for each person. Many people have a difficult time losing weight as they age, or gaining weight after an illness or times of stress. It is natural for our weight to fluctuate with what life throws at us. Stress, injury, hormonal fluctuations, and our exercise routines all contribute to maintaining and optimizing a healthy weight over time. Educating ourselves on the foods that we eat, and taking a holistic nutrition approach can be a huge support in optimizing our weight as our lifestyles change.

What Contributes To Weight Gain & Weight Loss?

There is so much more to maintaining a healthy weight than just calories. This is where so many diet plans fall short, and this minimal line of thinking contributes to considerable misinformation among diet culture today. Our weight is a reflection of many things including:

Our weight will naturally fluctuate as we age, and is affected by the health of our organ systems, especially our thyroid and endocrine system. Our diet of course plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy weight, but it is not the entire picture. The quality of the foods that we eat is just as (if not more) important than the quantity of foods we consume.

How Can We Maintain a Healthy Weight All Year Long?

If you want to maintain a healthy weight for 365 days a year, then you need a nutrition plan that lasts for 365 days. Following a 30 day diet, or a 10-day “jump-start” is not sustainable to maintain a healthy weight for the long term. Rather, approaching nutrition and lifestyle practices that are sustainable and realistic for you is the best way to achieve a healthy weight all year long.

There may be underlying, less obvious contributors to your weight (gain or loss) that you may need extra support identifying, such as underlying health conditions, hormonal imbalance, or digestive dysregulation. This is where a naturopathic doctor and/or holistic nutritionist can be especially helpful.

Holistic Nutrition Tips To optimize Your Weight

  • Focus on whole, real foods. Fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and quality (un-processed) protein sources are ideal.
  • Eat at consistent times every day. The more sporadic our meals (or skipping meals), the more unstable our blood sugar becomes.
  • Minimize processed sugar intake to less than 25 grams per day. Pay attention to your ingredient labels (especially in drinks!), and add this up each day. It gets to 25g quickly!
  • Ensure you’re eating enough fiber, ideally 25-35 grams per day. This comes from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds especially.
  • Learn how to mindfully and intuitively feed yourself. Check-in with your hunger levels before each meal, and while you’re eating. You may not always need to clean your plate if your body is telling you that you’re full for now. Intuitive Eating Resources here.
  • Meal prep once a week if you’re scrambling for healthy meals during busy weeks. This is the easiest and best way to ensure you have at least one healthy meal per day, already prepped, when your schedule becomes too full to make a healthy meal. Meal prep tips here.
  • Eliminate late night / after-dinner snacking. Our cells and metabolism are not conditioned to metabolize optimally after dark, and especially not while we’re sleeping.
  • Drink plenty of water. Half of your body weight in ounces is a good rule of thumb. Proper hydration supports every body system and cellular function, detoxification pathways, and optimal blood flow.

If you would like support creating a custom nutrition plan that fits your lifestyle, health needs, and weight goals, consider making an appointment with Dr Beliy  – Naturopathic Doctor and Nutritionist here at Richmond Natural Medicine.

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health tips
By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
10 Naturopathic Health Tips for 2020

We are halfway through 2020, and it has already been quite a full year. There has been an unusual amount of happenings in the world affecting all of us collectively. Many of our lives and routines were unexpectedly turned upside down, and new stressors arise every month. In 2020, we all need to take a little extra time to tend to our physical, mental, and emotional health.

Remember, even taking just one step, or working on one practice to support your health is a positive practice. Don’t feel like you need to accomplish all of these health tips. Each serves a unique purpose, and each can support you no matter what.

10 Naturopathic Health Tips for 2020
  1. Tend to your mental health. This can look like taking 5-minute breaks every hour to breathe deeply, sit quietly, and calm your nervous system. Taking a walk in the woods a few times a week. Seeking a counselor or therapist to help you process new stress. Calling a friend or loved one to check in on each other. This can look different for everyone, and it’s OK to seek external or professional help if you need extra support.
  2. Devote time and intention into your sleeping space (and aim for 7+ hours per night). Is there something within your control that is impacting your quality and quantity of sleep? If so, take the necessary and available steps to enhance your sleeping space to support optimal sleep.
  3. Eat well, and seasonally. When possible, consume 5 different colors of whole foods, fruits, and vegetables every day to make sure you’re getting in the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants your body needs. As Michael Pollan says, “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. Summer is an especially good time to incorporate more colorful produce into your meals! If you need help with this, consider seeking support from our nutrition expert.
  4. Foster human relationships in your life. As much as possible, maintain those friendships and kindred relationships with those around you and at a distance. Maintaining our social connections is so positive for our mental health and for feeling supported ourselves.
  5. Practice gratitude and compassion. The attitude of gratitude really does enhance our health. When we can shift our internal focus to the things we are grateful for, our narrative shifts to a positive and uplifting inner dialogue. Think of the power of your own words on yourself and how you can make yourself feel when we are in a foul mood, or angry. We have such effects on our own health by just the emotions we carry, and much of this is within our control to change.
  6. Write down your stories. We have a lot to process this year, and many of us are experiencing things and learning things we never have before. Writing down a bit of your daily story each night can help you process what’s coming up for you, and chronicle what you’ve been learning.
  7. Grow something in your own home. Whether it’s a large scale backyard garden or a single potted plant on your porch, this is a grounding practice of connecting with the environment immediately around you. So much of our sensory intake is expansive into screens, the worldwide news, and worry about things far away. A small plant ally you can tend to is a remarkable centering companion and a tender place to focus your energy.
  8. Do something that brings you joy every day. Stop and ask yourself – what brings me joy on a daily basis? If nothing comes up for you, really sit with that, and consider what you could reasonably incorporate into your day that is a joyful activity or moment. Perhaps waking up 10 minutes earlier to enjoy that morning cup of tea or coffee. Taking your lunch outside. Reading a new book before bed instead of scrolling through social media. Writing and receiving letters from friends. Making crafts. It doesn’t have to take a long time, but it should be something that makes your heart and soul happy, each day.
  9. Drink plenty of water. Aim for about half of your body weight (in ounces) daily, not to exceed 100oz. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, that’s approximately 70 ounces of water per day. Herbal tea counts towards this too! Consider making chilled holy basil or turmeric teas, mint teas, or nettle!
  10. Continue supporting your health with naturopathic care. Every few weeks during this year, it may be helpful to have a check-in with your naturopathic doctor to assess any changes, support you in areas you’re struggling, and to recommend additional lifestyle habits to get you through stressful times. Beyond these health tips, our ND’s are here to support you through any life stage and answer your questions. Request your appointment here.
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