RightHealth Daily Dose » carbohydrate http://dailydose.righthealth.com We feature the one health item you simply cannot afford to miss. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:56:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Can Turkey Really Make You Sleepy? http://dailydose.righthealth.com/diet-nutrition/can-turkey-really-make-you-sleepy/ http://dailydose.righthealth.com/diet-nutrition/can-turkey-really-make-you-sleepy/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:00:16 +0000 Steven http://dailydose.righthealth.com/?p=2385 It’s time again for the annual dispelling of that old Thanksgiving myth: turkey contains tryptophan which can make one sleepy. While turkey certainly contains tryptophan (an amino acid used by our bodies to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain which helps to regulate sleep), so do most other meats. Surprisingly, gram for gram, cheddar cheese contains even more tryptophan than turkey! So, why does turkey get the dubious honor of sleep-inducing meat of the year? Probably because it is the centerpiece of what’s typically the largest meal of the year, full of fat and carbohydrates which increase the caloric content of the average Thanksgiving meal to upwards of 3,000 calories. After consuming more than the daily recommended amount of calories in a single meal your body will work hard to digest it, thus making you sleepy. Furthermore, alcohol is often involved, which has a sedative effect on most people. So, if not falling asleep after this year’s Thanksgiving meal is your goal then eating in moderation, as always, would be your best bet.

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]]> http://dailydose.righthealth.com/diet-nutrition/can-turkey-really-make-you-sleepy/feed/ 10 Stave Off Diets To Fend Off Flu http://dailydose.righthealth.com/allergy-immunology/stave-off-diets-to-fend-off-flu/ http://dailydose.righthealth.com/allergy-immunology/stave-off-diets-to-fend-off-flu/#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:14:09 +0000 Steven http://dailydose.kosmix.com/?p=1033 Michigan State University researchers are suggesting that improper dieting may result in a weakened immune system that can increase your chances of getting hit hard by the flu. When looking at mice receiving adequate nutrition versus a lower calorie diet, those on the diet were not able to produce the amount of immune cells needed to fight an infection, despite consuming adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. Although this was a mouse study, we probably didn’t need it to tell us why the results make sense on a human scale. Our bodies need energy in order to fight infections, and although vitamins and minerals are necessary, they do not provide the majority of energy we need to fuel our bodies – that role is reserved for carbohydrates, fats and proteins. This is why I always tell my patients to eat well and sleep well during flu season. Therefore, don’t believe the old saying telling you to “starve a fever.” It simply is not true.

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