Happy Thanksgiving. Here's a reprint of last year's post on turkey, tryptophan and sleep.
In honor of the holiday, here's a Thanksgiving-related food fact, taken from Good Night:
Myth:
Turkey will put you to sleep because of the enzymes it contains, which promote sleep.
Reality:
Sleep-friendly
foods, such as turkey, may help you relax and fall asleep, but don't
view them as "sleeping pills". You'd have to eat about forty pounds of
turkey to get enough of the enzyme tryptophan to make you sleepy.
Since the average grocery store turkey weighs about 15 pounds, that's 3.5 turkeys, all to yourself. That's a lot, even for the heartiest diner.
So if you're looking to get a good night's sleep after your meal, remember, overdoing it on the turkey won't help you. In fact, if anything, it may hurt, because the body has to work extra hard while you're asleep to digest all the extra food.
So dine in moderation this holiday, and try and stay away from that late-night turkey sandwich if you're hungry right before bed -- a high-protein meal without accompanying carbs can actually keep you awake. (Bring on the dinner rolls! And while you're at it, throw in a glass of milk or egg nog too. Calcium helps the brain convert tryptophan to melatonin, which will help you sleep.)
Enjoy a happy and restful holiday!
A good intake of Magnesium and Calcium will help sleep. I suppose there's also the placebo effect to consider. If someone thinks that eating turkey will help sleep, it might just do that.
Posted by: Phil on Sleep Deprivation | November 24, 2007 at 02:58 AM
I drove up to the Dekalb Market in Atlanta yesterday to buy some Durian fruits.
They are huge, ugly, spiky, Martian-like critters that are the most nutrient rich foods on the planet. I think they give Goji, Noni and mangosteen a run for their money.
The inside of the fruit tastes like custard. Yum! I ate about a half of one as I usually overeat after I shop at Dekalb.
And, last night, after two weeks of insomnia, I slept like a baby (and for ten straight hours)!
According to David Wolf’s “Eating for Beauty”
“Durian contains high levels of tryptophan. This is an amino acid and a tryptamine (similar to serotonin, melatonin, and DMT). Researchers have discovered that tryptophan helps both anxious, depressed, repressed people, as well as insomniacs.
Tryptophan works by raising serotonin levels in the brain.When serotonin levels increase, a euphoric feeling is felt as a free passage is cleared for nerve impulses to travel.
Durian is such a strong blood cleaner that eating a few durian a day can change the odor of urine (urine is filtered out of blood).What gives durian its strongest beautifying characteristics is its high concentration of raw oleic fats (and vitamin E), sulphur compounds, and soft proteins.
Durian actually contains one of the highest concentrations of protein of any fruit, making it an excellent muscle builder.” Organic sulfur compounds among other properties in durian are very cleansing for the body. Durian provides “more concentrated healthful energy in food form than any other product the world affords” - to keep the body vigorous and tireless; the mind alert with faculties undimmed; the spirit youthful
I have posted many reports and videos about the Durian on my new site www.isthereacure.info.
Posted by: Michael | December 06, 2007 at 04:10 PM