Health

I love socialising with friends; eating out; visiting the local pub; and all these things make life worth living.  But, when I’m not out busy going out, I do really enjoy having an early night.  There’s nothing to beat the feeling of sliding in between fresh, clean bed sheets and knowing you can just doze off into the land of nod.  For many though that’s not so easily done because things get in the way of falling easily to sleep.

For me the key thing is to have the right environment as I find that helps me get a good night’s sleep are these:

A Good Mattress

You can’t beat a good quality, natural mattress as a great start on getting a full night’s sleep.  A good base can make such a difference.  You need to pick out the right sort of mattress for your sleeping style e.g. side sleepers will generally need a softer mattress than those lying on their backs.  Another key consideration should be the materials used in your mattress as choosing one made from natural, non toxic products will help your health and well being.  Make sure you replace your mattress reasonably regularly as old mattresses aren’t good to sleep on.

Pillows and Duvets

Picking out pillows and duvets to suit you as a sleeper will have a beneficial effect on the quality and amount of your sleep.  A well made pillow that offers the right sort of support for you is key.  Another consideration is a duvet that provides the right amount of warm for you as you snooze.  I generally have a summer duvet, a winter duvet and a lightweight cover for the hottest nights of the year. Again it’s worth changing these regularly.  If you suffer from allergies you’ll need to ensure that your duvet or pillows aren’t making things worse.

Bed linen

Good quality bed linen is key too.  Sleeping on a sheet that has a high thread count is a pleasurable experience and feels much smoother.  Some people prefer to sleep on silk sheets or use bamboo bed linen to the usual cotton. Cotton is very variable and there are many different types and grades of cotton.  It pays to do your research before buying and it’s worth visiting a store so you can feel the fabrics yourself.

Darkness

Sleeping in a darkened room makes a great difference to my sleep.  It doesn’t just help me fall asleep, as I feel it helps me stay asleep for longer too.  I use blackout blinds and curtains together to cut out as much light as possible.  If you have appliances on overnight, try to limit to those that don’t have a light to show they are on – if you are shutting out light from outside the room, you don’t want to introduce more light from within in the room.

Once you have the sleeping environment right, you should find that you sleep better straight away.  You may have to tweak things to get the perfect combination.

We’ve all had that stiff, painful feeling after we have exercised hard or done something our bodies aren’t used to doing.  Others suffer with aches and pains on a more regular, long term basis.  If either apply to you, you’ve probably tried everything from hot baths to heat packs to get some relief.  Pernaton Gel is a product made from green lipped mussel extract. Green-lipped mussel is a shellfish and it’s possible to extract a substance called perna from the shellfish.  This is often used by those suffering from  rheumatoid arthritis or other connective tissue and joint issues. It is also used to help prevent sore muscles after exercise.  It’s simple to use as you just apply the non-greasy gel direct to the problem area.  It’s very quickly absorbed and has an instant cooling effect, which is followed by a warming sensation. Pernaton is manufactured in Switzerland using a special formula which also includes menthol, pine and other essential oils. The gel is non-greasy, absorbs immediately and has a fresh and pleasant aroma.

For more information or to purchase Pernation visit: https://www.pernaton.co.uk/.  The range starts from just £10.95.

Two lucky winners can win a 40ml Pernaton Gel, (RRP £6 each) formulated to help relieve the aches and pains of everyday life. Enter via the Gleam widget below.

Competition Terms and Conditions

1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries allowed.

2. Entrants must be aged 18 years or older and resident in the UK.

3. The winner or winners will be chosen by a random draw using the competition widget.

4. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter to enable prize fulfillment.

5. The winner’s name may be published on this site.

6. Competition closes at the end of Sunday 1st March 2020.

Pernaton Gel

As I get older, I take my health a lot more seriously than when I was a bit younger.  I want to have the strength and the energy to do all the things I need to do and that I want to do. It’s not much of a life if you get your daily chores done and then start feeling like you are ready for a rest.  Obviously, getting your diet right has a huge impact on your health and well being.  Making sure your diet contains right nutrients such as nutrients can make all the difference to your energy levels and have a real impact on how much you enjoy life.

A Little Luxury For Me has teamed up with Wassen, the food supplement and mineral experts, to get some ideas on how to make our diets better.  Their Wellbeing Expert, Jayne Wilson, tells us which three minerals we should consider including within our diet.  Minerals are inorganic substances found in rock, soil, plants and animals.  Jayne has selected three of the key minerals our bodies need and some tips on how to introduce more into the diet.

The first mineral is magnesium which is an essential mineral that plays a key role in releasing energy from the food we eat. It also contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to the normal function of muscle contributes to healthy psychological function.

So how can you improve magnesium consumption through your diet?

• Eat more dark, green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach as well as nuts, seeds and legumes.
• Try adding a side salad of green leaves to your meal.  Add pine nuts with olive oil and lemon juice to make it really tasty.

Next up is selenium. Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system, as well as normal thyroid function. It also contributes to the maintenance of normal, healthy hair and nails, to the normal function of the immune system and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

Ways to improve selenium consumption 

• Make sure you eat oily fish regularly such as fresh tuna, halibut or sardines.
• Other foods to include in your diet are whole wheat spaghetti, brown rice and brazil nuts.

Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system and is important in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as contributing to normal cognitive function and to the maintenance of normal hair, skin and nails.

 How to improve zinc consumption 

• • A healthy intake of red meat, poultry and seafood can be an excellent source of zinc.
  • If you are a vegetarian you’ll need to make sure you include lots of cashews, almonds and peas.
  • Zinc is also found in sesame seeds and chickpeas, which is great if like me you love hummus.

If you need a little extra help introducing these minerals into your diet, Wassen has a range of food supplements including Magnesium-B, Magnesium-OK and Selenium ACE+D. Available from Boots the Chemists and at www.wassen.com

Readers have the chance to win a mineral supplements bundle from Wassen.  Enter via the Gleam widget below.

Competition Terms and Conditions

1. 1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries.
   2. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older.
   3. The winners will be chosen by a random draw via the Gleam widget.
   4. The winner will be notified by email and will have a week to reply and claim their prize. Should they fail to respond within this time, an alternative winner will be selected.
   5. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter.
   6. Competition closes on 21st July 2019.

Minerals