Nutrition
Overcoming insomnia with diet
Insomnia
Some people with insomnia may fall asleep easily enough but wake up too soon. Otherssimply can’t fall asleep, or they have trouble both falling asleep and staying asleep.
The result is low-quality sleep that doesn’t make you feel refreshed when you wake up. Often, insomnia is a symptom or a side effect of some other problems like:
• Illness, such as heart or lung disease
• Pain, anxiety, or depression
• Drugs that delay or disrupt sleep
• Caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and other substances that affect sleep
• A poor sleep environment or a change in sleep routine
If the cause of the insomnia is known, then the insomnia should improve once the underlying cause is treated. However, there is a type of insomnia (primary insomnia) which is not as a result of any underlying disease and usually last at least one month.
Nutrition and lifestyle changes go a long way in the battle against insomnia.
Below are some of the foods that may help:
• Melatonin rich foods such as oats, nuts, fish and berries.
• Tryptophan rich foods such as spinach, eggs, and crabs.
• Niacin rich foods such asmushrooms, tuna, turkey, and anchovies.
• Vitamin B6 rich foods such as avocados, carrots, bananas, and organ meat.
Lifestyle changes
• Avoid late night watching of movies, TV shows, social media, etc.
• Have a separate bedroom away from all sorts of destruction
• Change uncomfortable beds, pillows, and sheets
• Avoid late night eating and drinking of water
• Take warm baths in the evening
• Add some forms of exercise to your lifestyle routine
It can be very unsettling dealing with insomnia, especially when we don’t know the cause. But applying the dietary and lifestyle changes mentioned above can not only treat insomnia, but also improve our quality of life in general.
Going to sleep should be a breeze in no time, with sweet dreams just around the corner.
By Dr Bernice Korkor Asare
Kind courtesy of:
Holistic Health Consult
“Your diet your health, your health your wealth”
E-mail: info@holistichealthconsult.org
Mother’s Day is a celebration to honour mothers and individuals in the society. To commemorate the day tomorrow, The Spectator nutritional page today offers to prepare a sumptuous Guinea fowl meal with an accompanying snack to celebrate our mothers.
Ingredients
-2 cups of cooked rice
-Oil
-2 pounds of Guinea fowl
-1/2 tablespoonful of grinded ginger
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 onion
1 cup frozen peas
-3 large carrots
-3 eggs
-3 tablespoonful of soy sauce
-2 tablespoonful of diced green onions
Preparation
-Cut guinea fowl into bite-sized pieces. Add ginger, salt, and garlic and allow it cook for about 2 minutes.
-Fry guinea fowl until it turns golden brown.
-Put a saucepan of fire and add a tablespoonful of oil.
-Stir in diced onion, garlic, and peas and carrots and other vegetables.
-Add rice and stir to coat. Stir occasionally until rice is warmed through.
-Add soy sauce to the rice and stir well
-Remove from heat and serve.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
The familiar curl of smoke from a mosquito coil may seem like a small comfort against buzzing pests, but behind that comfort lies a hidden danger.
According to Dr Lawrencia Osae-Nyarko of the Public Health Research Unit at CSIR-WRI, the smoke carries synthetic chemicals that once inhaled, can irritate lungs, trigger adverse reactions, and silently worsen the health of vulnerable groups-children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Her remarks framed discussions at the second stakeholder meeting of the Clean Air Fund (CAF) project, spearheaded by the Presbyterian Relief Services and Development (PRESED) in collaboration with CAF, on Tuesday.
The gathering assembled community leaders, facilitators, and experts to review recent data collection and chart a way forward in tackling air pollution and e-waste challenges.
According to Dr Osae-Nyarko, the smoke from the mosquito coils and other material burn to ward of mosquito or other insects rather exposes users to a number of dangerous substances that slowly create problems.
“In Ghana’s urban slums, where cramped living spaces often lack proper ventilation, the risks are magnified,” she warned.
“What people breathe in daily is not just mosquito coil smoke; it is a cocktail of pollutants from waste burning, traffic fumes, and household emissions. These exposures compound vulnerabilities and deepen health injustices,” she added.
Dr Osae-Nyarko, also an Advisory Member of PRESED, stressed that advocacy must highlight the disproportionate impact of pollution on marginalised groups.
She underscored the importance of involving children early: “When children learn about air pollution, they not only protect themselves but also become powerful messengers. Through artwork and storytelling, they can express the dangers and inspire change.”
International studies echo these concerns. Research in China and Malaysia found that burning a single mosquito coil indoors can release fine particulate matter equivalent to 75–137 cigarettes, along with carcinogens such as formaldehyde and bis (chloromethyl)ether (BCME)—both linked to lung cancer.
One study published in Environmental Health Perspectives reported that formaldehyde emissions from a single coil equaled those from 51 cigarettes, while the particulate matter load was comparable to heavy indoor smoking.
For children, pregnant women, and the elderly, these exposures are especially severe. Frequent use in poorly ventilated homes magnifies the danger, leading to respiratory irritation, asthma flare-ups, and long-term cancer risks.
The meeting agenda included an overview of the data collection process, key findings, and the formation of action groups to champion specific objectives. A newly developed training manual will guide facilitators and community members in communicating both the science and the lived realities of pollution.
Her advice was practical yet urgent: “If mosquito coils must be used, ensure proper ventilation. But more importantly, communities need safer alternatives and collective advocacy to demand cleaner air. This is not just about comfort—it is about survival.”
The call to action extended beyond households. Mr Emmanuel Nyarko Ankama, Coordinator for PRESED, urged Assemblies to enforce the registration of waste collectors, especially operators of ‘Aboboya’ tricycles.
“The fact is they can dump waste anywhere, which ends up being burnt and contributes to air pollution,” he cautioned.
Mr Joseph Oberesekun Kiddy-Kodua, Environmental Officer at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), reinforced the point: “By Ghana’s waste management policy, every waste collection company should be registered by the Assembly. Otherwise, it is an illegal activity.”
“As the project advances, the message is clear: everyday practices—from burning coils to disposing of waste—must be re-examined. With children, elders, and mothers at the heart of the struggle, the fight for clean air is as much about justice as it is about health,” noted Mr Ankama.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
