Spring has Sprung!

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How often does this happen? You're just about to turn in for the evening and hopefully drift off to a good nights sleep when you decide to reach for your smartphone to check one last thing. Since you have your phone out why not check email? Someone sent you a funny video... may as well check that out too. Then there are those related videos, they look pretty good too, so you watch a few. Now an hour has passed, you're wide awake, and you still haven't gotten any shut eye!

According to a recent article published on Mashable.com this is actually quite common behavior. With 95% of people saying that they typically go online or watch TV around an hour before bedtime. But those gadgets are keeping you awake. Studies found that exposure to the light from your gadget could reduce the amount of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, by up to 22%. This decreased production of melatonin could affect your circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleeping pattern.

Check out this informative infographic from OnlinePsychologyDegree.net and the next time you go to bed, say goodnight to your gadgets too!

Fibre is good for your health but most people don't know how much they should get each day.

One great way to find out if you get enough fibre is to track the foods you eat. There are many different ways to keep track of what you eat. Popular applications such as MyFitnessPal will add up the nutritional value for you. You can even scan the UPC code of packaged foods. How convenient is that? At the end of the day, review your nutritional values and check to see how much fibre you're getting.

So, how much fiber do you need?

The average adult only gets about 15 grams of dietary fiber per day. According to the Institute of Medicine formula, women should get 25 grams and men need 38 grams per day, based on getting 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories.

Filling the Fibre Gap

There are plenty of ways you can get more fibre into your diet. You can boost the amount of fiber in your diet by eating fibre-rich foods. The top sources of fibre are: all kinds of beans, peas, artichokes, whole wheat flour, barley, bulgur, cornmeal, bran, raspberries, blackberries, and prunes. Other good sources of fibre include: dark leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, corn, nuts, raisins, pears, strawberries, oranges, bananas, blueberries, mangoes, and apples.  Avoid refined grains such as white flour and replace it with whole grains is a great way to get more fibre!

Supplement Your Diet

Professional health organizations such as the Canadian Diabetes Association place emphasis the benefits of fibre. Organic ChiaNutra is a powerhouse superfood that can be easily incorporated into anyone’s diet. Just one tablespoon of ChiaNutra provides a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, soluble fibre, easily digestible protein and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron. Also add ground flaxseed, and/or PGX^® Daily to foods such as yogurt, oatmeal, and baked goods.  

Remember to increase fibre slowly into your diet, while increasing your water intake, in order to avoid common side-effects such as changes in bowel movements and bloating.

Image source: CBC