Not posted for a very long while as I am working with a professional sports nutritionist for the past 5 months and am making very quiet and steady progress and I will send a more detailed note towards the end of the year to pass on what I have learnt - in essence his input has been unbelievably helpful and changed the quality of life significantly.
Having said all of that sleep has been more elusive in 2023 than in any other year in my life sadly. i have tried all the usual supplements, eating patterns you name it. Well to cut a very long story short I recently started a course of Berberine in a formula with a range of supporting herbs Cinnamon, Gymnema & Fenugreek.
I have immediately added over a full hour of sleep from 5 to 6 hours which is hugely appreciated and when i start sleep I simply drop into an incredibly deep trance like state and simply do not move - which for a bloke in his 50s is a great help to remove any need for night time bathroom visits.
If you are a light sleeper with a hair trigger between your sleep and waking all night long it is truly the most amazing experience to be "knocked out" for 6 hours like I imagine most of humanity takes for granted every night.
I read an old thread here on Berberine - many try it and feel no great shakes. Well whatever it may or may not do for immunity, heart, weight I simply do not give one if it can keep in this sleeping pattern for life. So don't be upset if this does not work for you, but for me it a life changer
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Danielj1
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I am having trouble sleeping for the first time in my life. I wake up and generally lose about 2 hours per night. Thank you it sounds good I am about to try it.
I love natural products and use Hawthorn extract for lowering my blood pressure, it works wonders. Berberine here I go!
That's why any decent nutritionist will look at a person individually and their current medications to ensure there aren't any DNIs or contraindications.
The idea is to keep blood sugar levels, level all day and night. So that they don't keep rising and dipping. By staying away from sugary foods and eating fruit or veg every couple of hours during the day, helps to keep insulin levels healthy and so promotes good sleep.
High insulin levels on a chronic long term basis I am told Is an even more dangerous risk than spikes to blood sugar day to day … both matter just insulin is the thing that gets you …
Swanson berberine complex - you will see if you take one a day it has perhaps a very small percentage of the high dose items i.e. c.100 instead of 500-1500 units. I suspect the other items contribute too. So you might call this a very low dose berberine version....
Its a shame they put Magnesium Stearate in it as an additive, as it can really mess with your immune system. I personally try to buy supplements without that in.
side effects of magnesium stearate, a concerning issue is the source from which this magnesium salt is isolated. As per a survey conducted, the commonly used sources are palm oil and cottonseed oil (after hydrogenation). The process of hydrogenation produces altered products that are toxic for the body. Also, palm oil and cottonseed may contain hazardous pesticides.
Also, in large doses, magnesium stearate damages the skin and causes liver toxicity. So its worth checking to see if nearly every supplement and drug you take contains it, as it will build up in the body over time.
thanks for the information on magnesium stearate - was not aware but am unsure how to respond as I have never considered this before. All I can do is to start to dig deeper into this area...thanks again
the amounts are minescule though - Dr Berg on you tube has a video on this?
I’m glad Berberine is working well for you. I stopped taking it as it upset my stomach. I suppose that you’re aware that it lowers cortisol and blood sugar so take care.
I achieved a similar effect with L Theanine. Have stopped taking it as it lowers blood pressure (quite remarkably and quickly) and I’ve just been prescribed something else for hypertension.
Thanks for clarifying - I do notice the blood sugar effect deffo - but I stress this is 10-20% of the typical dose, I am actually more interested in the additional gymnema herb as I have read so much stuff about this. I should perhaps have called this out as the Gymnema thread (plus a little Berberine) but am unclear if anyone has actually even heard of this so perhaps not the most helpful title
Thanks for sharing your story. Good to hear something positive about a nutritionist. Are you an athlete or do you exercise a lot? What formula are you taking?
the past 5 months with a sports nutritionist have been utterly life changing - having read so much stuff and tried every option known to man without sufficient success I reached out for an expert - and very pleased I did
So many points yo learn about protein levels , insulin resistance use of vinegar/olive oil/chia seeds and much more …also lean muscle development and managing blood sugar and improving insulin resistance …
to add my 99 year old hypothyroid mum was really struggling with her digestion for ages and I asked the nutritionist to help her and it has literally saved her with better diet principles - thank goodness
So pleased to hear this. People with thyroid issues are definitely predisposed to compromised digestion. What exactly did the nutritionist recommend? Supporting good levels of stomach acid are especially key.
key priorities are hormone management covering cortisol, insulin and other hormones.
Key mechanisms relate to improvements in mitochondria, lean muscle, gut biome , autoimmune health with resistance training aerobic exercise and matched diet plan with priority focus on quality protein and fats and lower carb.
In my view now diet and supplements on their own can get half way there only - you need equal attention to the physical health development - it is stunning how well significant addditional lean muscle can soak up glucose and reduce hypoglycaemia and improve insulin resistance
Being a sports nutritionist can assist in getting the holistic package to work - again imvho
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Sleep...
Sleeping problems
Has anyone used sleeping pills short term to help get their sleep pattern back on track?
