The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
L-Tryptophan
Posted by Pam (Sacramento, Ca Us) on 02/13/2013
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I am a diabetic and have tried L-Tryptophan for sleep. It works great for sleep but it raises my blood sugar. I searched for articles regarding this and found many that stated tryptophan can cause a rise in blood sugar levels. I had excellent control of blood sugar levels and started taking tryptophan. Everytime I took this supplement at night my blood sugar would be high in the morning. When I quit taking it, no problem. Such a bummer too, because the tryptophan helped me get a good night sleep without prescription sleeping meds. I am going to try GABA now and see how that works.
Castor Oil
Posted by Sheila (San Diego, Ca, USA) on 04/15/2011
★★★★★
Castor oil has given me the best nights' (plural) sleep in a very long time!
Sheila
Cherry Juice
Posted by Mommy2 (Atlanta, Ga, Usa) on 02/11/2013
★★★★★
My husband travels a lot and does not rest well when he sleeps. I'd heard so much about how Tart Cherry Juice helps with sleep issues, so I decided to give it a try. We both had a cup one night about 2hours before bed. Wow!! What a wonderful surprise. I was awaken about 3am. He said he didn't know what was going on, but he was "in the mood". 3 orgasms for him! Needless to say, tart cherry juice is a staple in our house. I did notice I was more aroused too.
We joked about it the next morning. But, guess what. When I searched the benefits online, it did what it was supposed to do.
As for our sleep... I have noticed a deeper sleep and he's noticed less grogginess when in the morning.
ACV, Baking Soda and Cayenne
Posted by Butterfly (Greenfield, Ma) on 01/10/2013
Hi, I wish I could take acv, but due to candida, I feel awful when I take it, my pain increases and I feel just rotten. Is there another way to take it with out the side effects? or a substitute? Thanks, butterfly
5 HTP
Posted by Baldev (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) on 11/09/2012 184 posts
Hi Judy, Some times we miss the things available in our own kitchen. Try a pinch of ground Nutmeg in a cup of milk before going to sleep. It works. Good Luck, Baldev
5 HTP and GABA
Posted by Juliette (Reston, Va) on 11/08/2012
★★★★★
5htp and GABA supplements were sooo helpful for my insomnia. Taken in the late afternoon and right before bed. The GABA especially just knocks you out feels like a xanax and 5htp really helps quiet the worrisome thoughts.
5 HTP
Posted by Tina (Houston, Usa) on 11/07/2012
Hello Judy from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - Please google Rutavala Essential Oil. Rub it liberally on your back neck, temples, wrists (and bottom of feet) about 1/2 hr before bedtime, and you will find that it miraculously lulls you into sleep.
I generally do a sea salt bath with lavender oil for about 20 mins. Then rinse off with soap/water, and do the rutavala oil routine before turning off the lights.
I also know folks who put 2-3 drops of rutavala oil in empty 00 size capsules and drink with water (however I have not needed to try this) since liberally applying oil takes care of my 20 yrs of insomnia.
Good luck, T
5 HTP
Posted by Steve (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 11/07/2012
I have found that valerien root, passion flower, melatonin, and 5htp all help me to get a good night sleep. You have to experiment a bit to see what is the right amount of each to take. If you have emotional issues, worry, anxiety etc that are keeping you awake I recommend doing EFT or emotional freedom techniques. You can google EFT tapping points for insomnia and get lots of info/videos.
5 HTP
Posted by Judy (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) on 11/07/2012
I am having a real hard time finding something to help with my sleep problems. I have tried the magnesium, niacimide and soda with apple cider vinegar. No luck so far for myself but, amazing results for insomniac daughter. Thinking about trying 5 htp next. Any thought or suggestions would be appreciated.
Cilantro
Posted by Toni (Brea, California) on 10/27/2012
I store the fresh cilantro in a plastic container in the refrigerator with water to soak and it stays fresh for about 2 weeks.
Kefir
Posted by Gina (Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada) on 10/18/2012
★★★★★
I've been plagued with insomnia for a very long time and had a little success with melatonin and 5-HTP.
However, after reading a book on controlling low blood sugar, I found a total insomnia cure. Simply have about 3/4 cup of plain yogurt or Kefir immediately before going to bed, and anytime you wake up at night. You will fall asleep easily, quickly, soundly. It's important that it's plain yogurt (either cow or goat) NOT soy, NO additives, NO fruit, and NOT just milk (all of these have natural or added sugars or lactose which will wreak havoc on your pancreas and defeat the purpose) Plain yogurt and kefir are essenitally free of lactose (milk sugar) because the probiotic bacteria have already digested this substance. Goat and Cow yogurt are both high in tryptophan , a natural precurosor to melatonin, htp, and seratonin, which are the chemicals your brain produces to cue your body to relax and sleep.
I incidentally cured my reflux with this, too. Even though you are told Not to eat at bedtime if you have reflux (gerd), I think the probiotics in my kefir snacks actually healed the lower esophogeal sphincter ( which controls the reflux)
Block Blue Light
Posted by Rachel (Newark, New Jersey) on 10/15/2012
The book I mentioned is by Richard L. Hansler, titled
Great Sleep! Reducd Cancer! : A Scientific Approach to Great Sleep. It's an inexpensive book, but you can read parts of it anyway on the Amazon site. Here is a press release from 2006:
Reducing the Risk of Cancer by 50 Percent Appears Possible by Blocking Blue Light in the Evening
Blind people have half the incidence of cancer, most likely because they make melatonin 9 or 10 hours a night according to a recent study at Harvard University. The body can only make melatonin when in the dark. For most people this is 6 or 7 hours a night. It's the blue component of light that causes melatonin suppression. Glasses that block blue light worn a few hours before bedtime allow melatonin to flow for 9 or 10 hours.
University Heights, OH (PRWEB) March 8, 2006
Blind people have about half the risk of cancer as people with normal vision according to a large study by the National Health Service. The most likely reason is that they produce melatonin and other secretions from the pineal gland for 9 or 10 hours a night while the rest of us only make them for 6 or 7 hours a night. Melatonin is a powerful cancer fighter, but the body only make it when in the dark. Exposing the eyes to light shuts down the pineal gland.
But there is good news. Not all colors of light cause melatonin suppression. It's only the blue rays that cause the problem. This means that blocking the blue light from entering the eye the pineal gland can continue making melatonin.
The fact that blind people only have half the rate of cancer was first discovered in the 90s and has been confirmed by more recent studies. A related study of women who consistently sleep unusually long found that the incidence of breast cancer for women who slept nine hours or more a night was only about one fourth that of women who slept 6 or 7 hours a night. A subsequent study found that women who slept unusually long made melatonin for a similarly unusually long time.
Concern about the use of light at night began when it was found that nurses who worked night shift from time to time had a higher incidence of breast cancer. Something about disrupting the circadian rhythm of the body was causing a higher risk of cancer. Studies in animals show that continuous exposure to light accelerates the rate of growth of cancerous tumors. The mechanism is thought to be the lack of melatonin.
Last fall the results of a milestone study were published. The response of human breast cancers to blood with and without pineal secretions was studied. Breast cancers grew rapidly when exposed to blood without melatonin but only very slowly when the blood contained melatonin. Dr. Blask who led the study said that "Melatonin puts the cancer to sleep at night". Unfortunately exposing the eyes to light at night wakes up the cancer and lets it grow rapidly.
Wearing glasses that block the blue light for a few hours before going to bed lets people regain the long hours of melatonin flow that is experienced by blind people. The glasses allow the yellow, orange and red light to pass through so one can read, watch television or work on a computer with no problem. Users of the glasses also report a marked improvement in sleep, which supports the idea that more melatonin is being produced. This minor change in life style could cut cancer risk in half.
Block Blue Light
Posted by Rachel (Newark, NJ) on 10/14/2012
Block Blue Light
Posted by Rachel (Newark, New Jersey) on 10/13/2012
Hi all you unwilling Night-Owls: I came across some life-saving information on the benefits of blocking the blue part of the light spectrum before bedtime. Please look at the 3 links below, since they explain this better than I can. Note that blue light is emitted from all light bulbs, and most especially florescent and energy-saver bulbs, as well as from computer monitors and TV screens. You can wear special glasses that block these blue waves for a few hours before bed time. The first link is an inexpensive book, and you can read portions of it on the Amazon site. The author claims that blocking blue-spectrum light waves before sleep also slashes cancer risk by half, since blue light waves diminish melatonin, and melatonin is cancer-protective. Keep in mind that if you suffer from Seasonal-Affective disorder, you WANT the blue light waves. However, confine the blue light waves to your DAY hours, since getting them in the night hours can ruin your sleep, and thus contribute to depression.
Also keep in mind that taking melatonin as a SUPPLEMENT, I mean in pill or capsule form, can bring on depression. So if you have a depression issue, I recommend getting your melatonin (and good sleep) by blocking blue light waves at night, instead of by taking melatonin supplements. You can find online a lot more information about all this. Pleasant dreams!
Theanine, Taurine
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 10/05/2012 2048 posts
Steven, by another of those "cosmic connections" I, only minutes ago, recommended both Glutamine and Taurine to V to help mental function as well as sleep. Anyway, if you wish to increase your dream awareness during sleep, try any otc herbal sleep aid combination that includes at least Valerian and Passionflower. If this doesn't much good, try some Calea and Lucid Dream inducing music or any meditation/relaxation music (many of which found on YouTube). In addition to Melatonin, i've recently had real good results w/ 5HTP before retiring.
Theanine, Taurine
Posted by Steven (Jersey City, Nj, Usa) on 10/04/2012
UPDATE: I found the last ingredient that is allowing me to sleep solidly throught the night with no awakenings - L-glutamine (1/4 tsp[1 gm] in the morning)! It has been working for two weeks now. The only catch is I guess I'm sleeping so soundly I have no recall of dreams anymore. Taurine and Theanine seemed to increase dream recall for awhile. I reduced my dose of b-12 also which I believe was contributing to an increase of dream recall, so that is something to play around with, but for now I'm happy with solid sleep so I can live during the day instead of dreams.
Theanine, Taurine
Posted by Steven (Jersey City, Nj, USA) on 09/26/2012
★★★★★
After three years of crippling insomina and trying every remedy under the sun (supplements and drugs) I finally found relief with a combination of taurine and theanine. I'm still not a champion sleeper with actual energy, but I don't feel like I'm dying everyday. I am able to fall asleep fairly promptly, and now when I wake up in the middle of the night I actually return to solid sleep and not fragmented. I still could use more sleep in the morning if if it weren't for having to go to work, but I can actually catch successful naps at lunchtime now too, just from the one dose at night time. The one catch is after about a month I was having insomnia again for a week and I had to increase the theanine dose from 100mg at night to 200mg, and it did work. Which is the recommended dose anyway, but I hope I don't have to keep increasing. But at least I know for a fact the theanine is helping. I've never taken the taurine on its own (500mg), so I'm not being a good scientist, can't say for certainty that helps, but other have recommeded this combo, and it's working for me.
Oil Pulling With Safflower Oil
Posted by Sammygirl (Park Hills, Missouri) on 09/26/2012
★★★★★
I have trouble sleeping, I have been watching Dr. Oz and talking about belly fat blasters so have been taking safflower for that. My husband and I both were taking them in the morning and I was falling back asleep and he was getting super sleepy during his drive to work. We left the safflower out because I had remembered reading somewhere that safflower can be beneficial for insomnia, so we stopped taking in the the morning and were fine. Now I take them at night and works way better than melatonin!
Iodine
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 09/19/2012
Kelp tablets are not efficient. You need to take 5-10 of them to get a single gram of iodine. I recommend Lugols, and increased seafood consumption. For those outside of the US, you may be able to buy iodine tabs in higher doses. I know iodoral is available some places.
Borax
Posted by Lucinda (London, On, Canada) on 09/06/2012
Re: Nightmares, sleeplessness. In the book, FOOD AND THE GUT REACTION, page 11 tells us that milk/dairy products can cause terrible nightmares or night terrors. This was the case with our son, as a teenager. A chance conversation alerted us to this information, and his nightmares stopped immediately. Good luck.
Reasons
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa) on 09/02/2012
I just received this video and thought I should share it. This is an amazing video of Dr. Christy Weston speaking on why so many people have difficulty sleeping through the night. It's extremely informative and helpful in understanding what is going on.
She also talks about the importance of earthing. I use earthing pads in my bed and also when I'm in front of my computer.
Here's to health, Lisa
Xiao Feng San
Posted by Sophie (Sydney, Australia) on 08/21/2012
★★★★★
I have been suffering from insomnia for a few weeks, mainly caused by hypnic twitches. My problems involve trouble falling asleep and waking up and having trouble falling asleep again. I tried magnesium citrate and magnisium oil on the skin which I think helped a bit. I saw my TCM acupunturist who gave me Xiao Feng San for inflammation and sleeplessness. I could fall asleep as soon as I went to bed, but I was still having trouble with waking up in the middle of the night and taking a bit to get back to sleep (caused by stress). It worked the day I started taking it, and when I ran out of it I couldn't sleep again. If you suffer from this please see a TCM specialist, just give it a try. Oh and it also worked for the inflammation.
Amino Acids
Posted by Rosali (Mumbai, India) on 05/09/2012
I would suggest you to try homoeopathic remedies for insomnia for a long lasting relief. These remedies are prescribed based on the constitution of the person. They work on our body by calming and strengthening the nerves, slowing down your thought process and relieving your anxiety, helping you fall asleep more easily and improving the quantity and quality of sleep which will keep you refreshed and energized. Some of the frequently used remedies for the treatment of insomnia are Sleep CM INS formula, C35 INS formula, C55 neurocalming formula, etc.
Soursop Tea
Posted by Caribbean Gal (Atlanta, Georgia) on 04/30/2012
Try one of the Jamaican stores, I brought a pack recently for roughly $2.00
Kakao (Raw Chocolate)
Posted by Jennifer (Sunrise, Fl) on 04/21/2012
★★★★★
Cacao is rich in magnesium, which helps to promote sleep. That is why some people also have relief from insomnia from taking magnesium orally or taking epsom salt baths. :)
Sound Waves/ Vibrations
Posted by Susan (Sunnyvale, Ca) on 04/19/2012
Yeah try some guided meditations. Sometimes you just get the right voice and words and POW out light a lightbulb.
Castor Oil
Posted by Jennifer (Buffalo, Ny) on 04/09/2012
How is eye now? My mom has one.
Borax
Posted by Quixote (Las Vegas, NV) on 03/11/2012
maybe you need some vitamin B-1-it helps with nightmares but you should also take a balanced Vitamin B complex so you dont cause an imbalance-usually about 20 miligrams handles it for me.
Sea Salt
Posted by Jennie (Adelaide, South Australia, Australia) on 03/09/2012
★★★★★
I have had great success with this over the past week!
"Sea salt is very important for regulating sleep. It is a natural hypnotic. If you drink a full glass of water then put a few grains of sea salt on your tongue and let it stay there, you will fall into a natural, deep sleep. Don't use salts on your tongue without drinking water for repeated use of salt alone might cause nosebleeds". http://nzungseraphine.hubpages.com/hub/SOME-HIDDEN-MIRACLES-OF-SEA-SALT
Nutmeg
Posted by Kevin (Burbank, Ca, Usa) on 03/01/2012
★★★★★
For insomnia, the best remedy I've ever used is a level teaspoon of NUTMEG. I know that sounds stupid to use a spice.... However I thought the same thing and I tried it. IT WORKS. Just don't take any more than two tablespoons at night or you might feel "high" the next day like you smoked weed. But that won't happen if you only take one teaspoon. NUTMEG is an MAOI drug so you need to follow a LOW TYRAMINE DIET when nutmeg is in your system otherwise you may get a bad headache/unwanted symptoms. But if you follow low tyramine diet and take the level teaspoon before bed you will see it works and after a few days probably will cure insomnia. A low tyramine diet is pretty much just eating veggies/fruits.
Eliminate EMFs
Posted by Kaz (Boston, Ma) on 02/29/2012
I had same issue.. Really troubled sleep, trouble getting to sleep, waking up and trouble getting back to sleep, waking before dawn and just giving up. I actually bought myself an EMF reader like the ones the ghost hunters use in order to find EMF free place in bedroom. The ONLY high EMFs were from my clock radio that I had for years. I first moved it the length of the cord away from the head of my bed and for the first time in years slept all through the night. I got rid of it and bought battery alarm clock and have in past two months only had two bad nights sleep.. Both I believe from drinking sugary and chocolately martinis!
Iodine
Posted by Linda (San Francisco, Ca, Usa) on 02/10/2012
Hi Francisca, I think you're way safer ingesting it with food and water, than off by itself. Iodine is some pretty strong stuff. I like to have a buffer around it, just the same as when I take Cayenne Pepper. Just because you can get it past your teeth and down the hatch doesn't mean it won't burn something else. Those are tender little mucous membranes down there.
I take 5-8 drops of Lugol's every morning, I just drip it into the last half-inch of coffee in the bottom of my coffee cup and slug it down during breakfast :-).
I also drop it into Orange Juice if I'm not having coffee that day :-).
I like strong tastes to wipe out the chemical flavor of Iodine.
I think about it this way: after Iodine was removed from bread is when more people began to be deficient in it. So it works when baked into bread. Nobody ingests bread without eating :-).
Don't stress over the timing too much.
Linda :-)
Iodine
Posted by Linda (San Francisco, Ca, Usa) on 02/09/2012
To Francisca from Zug,
The number of milligrams per drop can differ very widely dependent upon the size of the dropper used, and additionally the exact mg amount will differ dependent upon whether the drop is released from a dropper held exactly vertically, or from a dropper which is slanted sideways at the time the drop is released. So it is a ballpark, but not precise to talk about how many drops = 1 milligram, etc.
Exact precision with Lugol's 5% (that's what I have) is not usually critical, unless there is some special case-specific medical circumstance. Lugol's has been in extensive use in the USA for more than 100 years. Its use and effects are well-documented and easily findable on the web.
Dr. Brownstein is a good source of info on this. Also there is an Iodine Supplementation forum (VWT Forum) on Curezone where many knowledgeable folks have posted their own experiences with it for several years.
I have taken from 1 drop per day to more than 15 with a standard-sized eyedropper orally off and on for months at a time, for probably 12 years now. So IMHO not necessary to stress about a milligram difference here and there. Just always start with less and err on the side of caution, and work up very slowly. I would not take it without having food in my stomach *first*.
If I am uncertain about its effects, I can paint it on my skin.
Linda
Iodine
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/30/2012
Thanks Linda, I will pick it up on Friday evening so will start on Saturday morning. Funny enough I can't find the instructions of how to take it in Dr. Brownsteins book. Are you sure that one should take it one hour before eating? I hope that it can be done during the day or else I will have to wait for 1 hour before having breakfast, which is not always possible! I underline the books I read in order to find anything of importance more easily but I couldn't find that information....
Iodine
Posted by Linda (New Haven, Connecticut) on 01/29/2012
Francisca, I am taking the same strength as you, although I bought mine from J. Crows. I began with 1 drop a day (which is 6. 25 mg) and worked up to 8 drops a day (which is 50 mg) as Dr Brownstein reccommends. I'll continue with that dose for 2-3 months and then taper down to a daily maintaence dose of 2 drops a day (12. 5 mg) for life as recommended.
Just be sure to take it on an empty stomach and wait an hour or so before before eating or taking any supplements (read my post earlier in this thread).
Linda :-)
Iodine
Posted by Linda (New Haven, Connecticut) on 01/29/2012
Mamallama, from all that I have read, Vitamin C (which is in your juice) is not to be taken at the same time as Lugol's. Lugol's is comprised of iodine and iodide and the Vitamin C will convert the iodine to iodide. For this reason I always take my Lugol's in water & wait at least an hour or more before I eat or take my suppliments (including my Vitamin C). Hope this helps.
Linda :-)
http://curezone.com/faq/q.asp?a=13, 281, 2962&q=630
"Let's go through the titration process with a specific example: the titration of vitamin C by iodine. The chemical name for vitamin C is ascorbic acid. When Iodine and ascorbic acid are combined in solution, a chemical reaction takes place. In this chemical reaction, the ascorbic acid molecule loses electrons, which are transferred to the iodine molecule. Chemists call this type of reaction an oxidation/reduction reaction (or redox reaction for short). The ascorbic acid is oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid, and the iodine is reduced to Iodide ions. Oxidation-reduction reactions always occur in pairs like this. The molecule that loses electrons is oxidized, and the molecule that accepts the electrons is reduced."
We need ioDINE AND ioDIDE:
From "Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It":
"It was thought that the intestinal tract could easily convert iodine to iodide, but research has shown this is not true. Different tissues of the body respond to different forms of iodine. The thyroid gland primarily utilizes ioDIDE.... the breasts, on the other hand, primarily utilize ioDINE....
Because different tissues concentrate different forms of iodine, using a supplement that contains both iodine and iodide is preferable to using a supplement that contains only one form, As mentioned above, the breasts concentrate iodine. The prostate gland concentrates iodine. The thyroid gland and the skin primarily concentrate iodide. Other tissues, including the kidneys, spleen, liver, blood, salivary glands and intestines can concentrate either form. With different tissues responding to different forms of iodine, it would make common sense that a greater therapeutic benefit from iodine will be achieved by using a COMBINATION OF IODINE AND IODIDE. My clinical experience has proven, beyond a doubt, that a combination of IODINE/IODIDE (e. G. , Lugol's or Iodoral) is much more effective than an iodide only supplement (e. G. , SSKI and most other liquid iodide formulations)."
Iodine
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/28/2012
Thanks Timh, yes, melatonin percursor are allowed here. I tried one but it didn't really have any effect. I am not waiting to go the the UK next week and pick up the Lugol's I ordered on the Internet at my sister-in-law's. Actually my biggest problem is my husband's snoring. Once he wakes me up I have trouble going back to sleep and by now I am not used to sleeping all night anymore. When he leaves early in the morning I often sleep like I am in a coma just then I wake up too late and have difficulty sleeping in the evening again!
Iodine
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/28/2012
Lisa, now I feel even more hopeless... You say that one drop is 6,25 mg, Dr. Brownstein says it is 12,5mg.... I will try to find that Yahoo group and maybe I just start with one drop. I am taking vit. C, 1000mg a day, am using magnesium chloride transdermally (dilute myself in water) and will buy some selenium soon (I do eat walnuts most day as I picket a lot during the Autumn). I also take a bit of Celtic Salt now and then, apart from what I take in my food!
Iodine
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/28/2012
Eva, I do live in a small town now but I used to live in France near Switzerland and Germany. I looked everywhere but I never found any melatonin, they told me that it wasn't allowed in the EU, only melatonin percursors. I am not sure but I think that I also asked in De Tuinen when I was in Holland last year. I am going to the UK next week and I can try again in a very good health food store where I mostly go to.
Iodine
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 01/28/2012 2048 posts
Francisca, if Melatonin is on the EU ban list, try 5 Hydroxytryptophan (5HTP) before retiring as it stimulates the penial gland to secrete melatonin. If 5HTP is not available try regular L-Tryptophan or foods high in T like Turkey.
Vitamin D
Posted by Kathi (New Brunswick, Nj) on 01/27/2012
★★★★★
It has now been 3 years since I started the vitamin D. Yes I still take it, and yes it still works! In fact my winters have been much much healthier since. I take 4000 iu D3 most mornings. also vit c, krill oil, probiotic, 1-2drops of lugols. 200 mg magnesium citrate near bedtime. I make fresh green veggie juice most days too, regular walking and yoga. Sleeping soundly most nights and waking up ready for the day. Feel like I am finally living my life, not just dragging through it.
Iodine
Posted by Eva (A'dam, Nl) on 01/27/2012
Francesca, you can relatively easily buy iodine in Europe, just need to google it while entering the right keywords. By the way, Melatonin is sold in drugstores in the vitamin section, I did not enter a store yet where it was not sold and I have also seen it in several countries. I am not sure if you live at a really small place, or you don't look at the right place, but I would be more careful with generalizations about what you can and can't find in such a large area as Europe.
Iodine
Posted by Lisa (Rabat, Morocco) on 01/27/2012
Francisca, one drop of Lugol's (5% iodine, 10% iodide) is 6. 25 mg. There isn't really a set amount to take, it all depends on the person. I think it is generally believed that a maintenance dosage is 50 mg. Many people take more depending on what illnesses they may have. It might be best to start out slow and gradually increase your dose since many people can have detox symptoms. I have been taking Iodoral (pill form of Lugol's) since last March and I am up to 62. 5 mg. I have some thyroid issues and uterine fibroids along with sluggish adrenal glands. It is also recommended that you supplement iodine with Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium and unrefined sea salt (like Celtic). I think it is best to take it all at one time early in the day since taking it too late can cause sleep problems in some.
If you want to get some really good information I would suggest joining the iodine Yahoo group. The moderators are very knowledgeable and have lots of experience using iodine. The group owner had thyroid cancer and used very large doses of iodine to help cure herself.
Iodine
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/27/2012
Hi, I have just ordered Lugol's (5% iodine, 7% potassium iodide) because I am quite sure that I am iodine deficient. As you can't buy it anywhere in Europe I ordered it online. It is Hulda Clarks recipe and I have no idea how many drops to take. I saw the label on the site and it says one should take 6 drops a day, max. 3 days. This sounds like nonsense to me.... The lady selling it told me that in Hulda's book she advises 6 drops 4x a day for up to a week for stomach bacterial infections. All very confusing...... Dr. Brownstein says in his book that 1 drop of Lugol's 5% iodine and 10% potassium iodide amounts to 12,5mg. I think that the fact that Lugol's can come in so many combinations makes it very difficult to know how much to take. Right now I am at a loss so if anyone can help I would very much appreciate!
As far as insomnia goes I also hope that Lugol's will help me. Please keep us informed of any other changes you notice, I will do the same. I will be taking Lugol's for the insomnia, falling, weak hair, puffy eyes, dry skin..... By the way, I thought that Melatonin was a great thing after reading a book about it. It is not sold here in Europe so it is not something I can try!
Iodine
Posted by Mamallama (Deerfield, Ma) on 01/26/2012
★★★★★
I agree, iodine has helped my insomnia. I would have to take 2-3 mg melatonin every night and hated feeling dependent. I have been taking Lugol's for 5 days now (started with 2 drops of the 2% solution and have increased to 4) and I see an improvement. I have been able to decrease the melatonin to 1.5 mg and I feel pretty confident that I'll be able to eliminate the melatonin entirely! Even when I was woken in the night (something that would have me up for hours, normally), I was able to fall back asleep within 10 minutes or so.
BTW, I take the iodine in the morning, in cranberry juice.
I have had other positive effects with the iodine but will post about them after I've been using it for a couple of weeks.
Horlicks
Posted by Lorayne (Sun City, Az) on 01/23/2012
I wouldn't use Horlicks, since it contains milk which means it probably contains rBGH (genetically modified bovine growth hormone). Go to
www.mercola.com to read up on the dangers of GMOs. They are in dairy, soy, corn, canola, zucchini, yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya, cottonseed and alfalfa at present. Organic food cannot be GMO. So if you want to eat these things, choose organic. The Environmental Working Group has a petition of it's website to force labeling of products that contain these poisonous GMOs. Go to
www.ewg.org to sign the petition.
Cilantro
Posted by Courtney (Granite Bay, Ca) on 01/22/2012
Suzy - Do you take the tsp. of Cilantro before bed? Or, did you find that taking 1 tsp. At any point during the day helped you sleep at night?
I want to give it a try, but also want to make sure I am taking it properly. Thanks!
Cilantro
Posted by Suzy (Cranbrook, Bc) on 01/18/2012
I have read that both cilantro and chlorella bind with heavy metals so maybe that author has found a powerful combination. I have taken chlorella before and noticed my eyes become lighter. Also cilantro works very well for my deep sleeps.
Ted's Alkalizing Remedy
Posted by Tina (Houston, Us) on 01/17/2012
Can you please specify what this remedy is, since I suffer from insomnia and am willing to try anything at this point.
Many thanks!
Ted's Alkalizing Remedy
Posted by Megabells (Philadelphia, Pa) on 01/17/2012
★★★★★
I took Ted's Alkalyzing remedy for my candida and it cured my insomnia! It helped my husband's long standing insomnia issues too. We are sleeping through the night!
Cilantro
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/17/2012
Hi Suzy, I had heard about the detoxifying properties of Coriander and even started growing it in our garden but now I read in the book Transdermal Manesium Therapy that one needs to be careful not to use Coriander without using something else to flush the toxins away as the Coriander alone does get them floating through the body but does't get rid of them. I think that you need to use it together with Vit. C and Chlorella. Is he right? I don't know....
Cilantro
Posted by Suzy (Cranbrook, Bc) on 01/16/2012
★★★★★
Chinese Parsley (also known as Cilantro or as Coriander) I started to take Chinese Parsley when I read about its great ability to clean the system of heavy metals - but I found out that the very first day that I took some I had a very deep sleep. Now if I stop taking it for awhile and my sleeps start to break up again I just start taking it again and the deep sleeps immediately continue on the first night.
I take about 1 tsp. of dried Cilantro (with my favorite syrup and take it down with a liquid- really it can be taken down any way you want! )
I've also used 1-2 fresh sprigs (stem and all for me with my meal)and that works the same but the bunch of them start to wilt before I can finish them that is why I buy it dried.
Suzy
Soursop Tea
Posted by Lanos (So.calif, Usa) on 01/16/2012
Jacqui, ... May I suggest you might search the tonic called 'GRAVIOLA' online. This is a soursop product.
Good luck..
Soursop Tea
Posted by Jacqui (Scottsville, Ky Usa) on 01/15/2012
I have a British Facebook friend who lives in the Carribean. I was telling her I have a lot of trouble going to sleep at night, and I wake up completely exhausted, this friend told me they use Soursop tea, and this will make me very sleepy. I looked up the Net about it, and this Soursop seems to be quite a remarkable tree, the fruits are used to eat with icecream etc, the leaves are for making Soursop tea.
This Soursop sounds quite an amazing tree. I was wondering if any of your readers can tell me more about it, and if it can be bought in USA, I would definitely want to know the soarce of where the Soursop came from too. I read where Amazon sell the dried tea cost around $7.. But some woman had left a review of her disappointment not on what the product can do for our health, but she said of the way it was packed etc, I mean, how would we know it was the real thing. If there was anyone out there who could help me find some leaves I can purchase online from a reputable soarce, I would appreciate please. I am a New Zealander living in Kentucky USA
Thank you, Regards Jacqui
bjbr[at]nctc[dot]com
Sound Waves/ Vibrations
Posted by Jackie (Grand Rapids, Minn) on 12/31/2011
★★★★★
i just found the videos on youtube that use sound waves or vibrations very helpful with sleep problems or trouble relaxing and very helpful in other areas such as boosting self esteem, boosting serotonin levels and self confidence. There are so many of them. The one that really helps me sleep is called Boost Your Energy Level with this Amazing Hypnosis Session and Feel Great. All you have to do is sit down and relax and go to youtube! Wish everyone health and happiness in the new year. Jackie
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Ravi S (Dallas, Tx, Usa) on 12/26/2011
Tofu with soy bean sprouts, one hour before bed time works wonders for me.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 12/16/2011
Small glass of tart cherry juice at dinner. Or, eggnog with nutmeg (or any drink like warm apple cider with nutmeg). Don't look at bright lights 2 hours before bedtime. Melatonin supplements are good--take one around an hour before bedtime or read the bottle.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Tina (Houston, Usa) on 11/20/2011
★☆☆☆☆
Any suggestions for insomnia will be greatly appreciated.
I have tried magnesium, standard process min-tran, and terrible pills like ambien and lunesta, but nothing seems to help.
Ted can you please give some guidance.
Many thanks, T
Sea Salt
Posted by Kelly (Alexandria, Va) on 10/26/2011
What brand sea salt did you use?
Sea Salt
Posted by Janice (Seattle, Wa) on 10/25/2011
What brand of sea salt did you use for insomnia?
Valerian Root
Posted by Susanp (Melbourne, Vic) on 10/23/2011
In my experience, nothing works like NOW food's melatonin. But other brands are good too. To anybody that's on the fence, definitely go and buy melatonin. At least give it a try.
Herb Tea
Posted by Jc (Boston, Ma) on 09/22/2011
I have and still use the Yogi Bed Time tea from time to time. I helps a little bit for me but not a significant difference. If you drink too much after 8pm it may wake you to urinate. This effect needs to be balanced with many herbal bed time teas.
I find the Nighty Night tea by Traditional Medicinals to be a biy more effective. But again, nothing dramatic, sublte and no urge to urinate at 4 AM.
Can anyone recomend any Chinese Herbs for sleep?
