Help to Getting Sound Sleep from the Kitchen Print E-mail
By Dane Pearson

 The health benefits of sleep extend beyond the refreshed feeling that is experienced in the morning. It not only recharges one's energy levels, but also replenishes the major body systems. Sufficient sleep nourishes the immune system and enables it to function at its best. When people sleep, the body repairs itself, building bone, muscle, and other tissues that are needed by the body to function at its best. Improved mental well-being is also one of the health benefits that can be achieved through sufficient sleep. It allows the mind to unwind, regroup, and adjust to the stress and issues that are experienced in daily lives. Sleep is essential in keeping neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brain balanced allowing the body to promote proper well-being.


However many individuals fail to gain from these health benefits because of sleep difficulties that are encountered. Nutritionists and dietitians advise these individuals to head to the kitchen and munch on foods that may relax tense muscles, calm the mind, and promote the production of serotonin and melatonin-hormones that are known to induce sleep. Here is the list of top foods that may promote sound sleep.

Bananas. This fruit is said to be rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted into melatonin and serotonin. This fruit also contains magnesium, a known muscle relaxant.

Warm Milk. Protein naturally found in milk may improve sleep quality and alertness the next day. It contains alpha-lactobumin which is rich in tryptophan. Milk promotes sound sleep and without the side effects that are often experienced after taking sleep-inducing medications.

Honey. Honey may act as a sedative because the right amount of glucose tells the brain to turn off orexin, a neurotransmitter that is linked to alertness.

Oatmeal. Oats may sooth the digestive and nervous system. The easiest way to improve sleep is consume a serving of oatmeal everyday. But begin with small servings because too much oatmeal may cause gas.

Turkey. This meat is probably the most abundant source of tryptophan. However, tryptophan works when the stomach contains food made up mostly of carbohydrates. Two lean slices of turkey on whole wheat bread are perfect sleep inducers.

If these food choices still do not help improve one's quality of sleep, people with sleeping problems may use over-the-counter and prescription medications as treatment for their sleep disorder. But before using them, these individuals are advised to seek the approval of health professionals. They may recommend certain medicines that are required for your health needs.

Sleep is composed of distinct stages with each stage giving the body different health functions and benefits. The benefits are achieved when individuals sleep the the number of hours the body needs which is about seven to eight hours for adults and longer for teens and children. This allows the body to to go through all the stages properly and promote improved overall health. If individuals don't get the enough sleep they may end up getting stressed, sluggish, and sickly. In addition, extreme cases of sleep deprivation may lead to depression or stroke.

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How to Use and Maintain an Autoclave

By Dustin Hines

 In order to provide the highest standards in infection control, a perfectly maintained autoclave or sterilizer is of utmost improtance.


While most surgical instruments nowadays are manufactured from stainless steel, care and attention is still required to enable the instruments to provide better services and to ensure that they remain in the best condition even after a prolonged period of use.

Here are some simple but important operational steps to be followed to ensure your steam autoclave works to the desired purpose and to ensure they would be well maintained.

Instruments to be autoclaved are to be done so in distilled water, tap water or soft ware as hard water have the tendency to leave behind deposits on the instruments, and affect the joints of the instruments, often making them stiff.

After the instruments are used, clean and decontaminate all instruments in cold or lukewarm water. The primary purpose of doing so is to ensure that the instruments do not become stained and so that the joints do not become stiff.

Generally, put the instruments that are to be sterilized into the dressing drum of the autoclave, making sure that the holes of the dressing drum are opened to allow the steam to enter the dressing drum and reach the instruments to be sterilized, and place the drum into the autoclave.

After placing the lid on the container, tighten the lid by opposite locking nuts.

As soon as the pressure gauge shows a pressure of 2lbs, allow the enclosed air to escape by opening the air exhaust valve.

As the pressure reaches to about 15 lbs or the equivalent of 1.05 kgf per square cm, the main safety valve will automatically come into operation and start blowing off excess steam maintaining pressure of 15 lbs inside the autoclave.

To open the container, apply some firm force by holding the lid handle and turn it towards the right, till both the arrow marks on the lid and container co-incide. Then lift and remove the lid using the lifting handle.

When unloading an autoclave, it is a good idea to open the door and wait 10 minutes in order to assure proper evaporation and drying before removing the cart.

The most frequent reason for sterilization failure is lack of contact between the steam and the germs that you are trying to kill.

Air usually moves to the bottom of the autoclave because it is heavier than steam and is then forced out through the drain.

It is essential that packs are placed on their sides to make sure that the air is not trapped and cannot escape.

It is also easier for the air to be forced downwards between the packs than to go through the many layers of packs that have been placed flat.

By operating the autoclave using an operational checklist, and by maintaining an operational log, it is possible to reduce human errors of operation and to troubleshoot difficulties that arise during operation.

Where it is a health service such as a hospital that requires sterilization service, a Central Supplies And Stores Department or CSSD manned by qualified and experienced CSSD technicians and nurses will be necessary to enable the highest standard of health care and to ensure the surgical instruments and supplies are well sterilized, enabling the autoclaves to have the optimum lifespan of service as they are well taken care of and maintained.

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