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Did you know that we spend up to one-third of our lives sleeping?Good quality and restorative sleep are crucial to our overall health and well-being. Here are some ways to train your body to get restful sleep and also boost your immune system at the same time: Start the day with a healthy breakfast.   Eating a balanced breakfast  can have  great health benefits. It tunes in your  internal clock to let your body know it is time to wake up and start moving.  Skipping breakfast on the other hand can delay your blood sugar rhythms, lower your energy, and increase your stress, all factors that may disrupt sleep. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day.  This helps set your body’s internal clock and optimise the quality of your sleep. Avoid sleeping in at the weekend, as this disrupts your sleep rhythm. Choose a time to go to bed when you normally feel tired, so you will go straight to sleep.   Create a comfortable environment . Adjust the room temperature so it is not too warm or too cold, and keep curtains and blinds drawn. Create a consistent night time routine. Wind down slowly listening to some relaxing music or read a book or magazine. Stay away from alcohol and coffee.    Avoid drinking alcohol or coffee too late in the evening as it can remain in your system for longer and can disrupt sleep patterns. Keep hydrated and ensure that your diet supports your immune system with lots of varied healthy vegetables!    Avoid exposure to blue light. Turn off mobile phones in the evening and try to turn any electronic equipment to night time mode. Quality sleep doesn’t need to feel like a distant dream. We’ve put together a list of our favourite sleep aids that will help support healthy sleep: Nutri Advanced:  Mega Mag Night Formula Magnesium Powder: containing a combination of vitamins and nutrients to soothe and provide support for restful sleep Pure Encapsulations B Complex Plus: offering a comprehensive blend of B vitamins packed into one easy to take supplement Bio-Kult Migréa: an advanced multi-action formulation with magnesium and vitamin B6 targeting the digestive tract and supporting the nervous system Nutri Advanced Ashwagandha 500mg :supports the reduction of stress and anxiety and supports memory and cognition   Designs for Health 5-HTP Supreme: a synergistic formula to support a healthy mood or appetite and to support restful sleep.

Endometriosis Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about this hidden and often unrecognised condition, in which the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue occurs outside the uterine cavity. Endometriosis most commonly involves the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial-like tissue may be found beyond the area where pelvic organs are located. With endometriosis, the endometrial-like tissue acts as endometrial tissue would — it thickens, breaks down, and bleeds with each menstrual cycle. But because this tissue has no way to exit your body, it becomes trapped. When endometriosis involves the ovaries, cysts called endometriomas may form. Surrounding tissue can become irritated, eventually developing scar tissue and adhesions — bands of fibrous tissue that can cause pelvic tissues and organs to stick to each other.  Endometriosis can cause pain — sometimes severe — especially during menstrual periods and fertility problems may also develop.  There is fantastic research on specific supplements to support endometriosis and help to provide relief for many of the symptoms. The following supplements have been shown to improve quality of life with endometriosis, reduce chronic pain, pain during sex, urinary and bowel pain, and have led to regression or resolution of endometrial lesions and endometriosis-related ovarian cysts. Designs for Health:  Curcum-Evail, a highly bioavailable curcuminoid formulation that has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties   Pure Encapsulations: NAC 600mg: NAC is an amino acid derivative that helps decrease inflammation and abnormal cell growth. BioKult:  Bio Kult Migrea: advanced multi-action formulation with magnesium and B6 targeting both the digestive tract and the nervous system Metagenics: Berberine: an anti-inflammatory that repairs intestinal permeability, and being anti-microbial, addresses the bacterial aspect of endometriosis by neutralising toxins. Pure Encapsulations: Zinc:  is a key anti-inflammatory nutrient and has been demonstrated to be deficient in endometriosis sufferers. Zinc repairs intestinal permeability and reduces prostaglandins and pain. For further help, please contact us at info@gutandhealth.co.uk and we would be delighted to assist you.