Foods that help insomnia, bloating, other common ailments

LOS ANGELES

From fast food, to processed food, to just plain bad-for-you food, it's the standard American diet.

"Or SAD diet," said Dr. Tanya Edwards, director for integrative medicine at the Wellness Institute in Cleveland. "Honestly most of the ailments that we deal with is because we're eating the wrong foods."

What you eat can impact how you feel, starting with bloating. It's caused by too much sodium. Choose foods high in water and loaded with digestive enzymes like papaya and pineapple.

"Eating foods that are high in magnesium, things like, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds," said Edwards.

Battling acne? Target toxins in your body by increasing glutathione.

"It is the master detoxifying thing in our body. Those are things like cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage, as well as onions and leeks," said Edwards.

Trouble sleeping? Try some tart cherry juice a half hour before you go to bed.

PMS is a sign women are low in iron and magnesium.

"Eighty-five percent of Americans don't get even 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance," said Edwards.

Low magnesium levels can cause insomnia, mood swings, headaches, constipation, and Charlie horses. Try eating more spinach and vitamin B6 found in eggs, dark green veggies, and whole grains.

Want to protect your skin? Add more beta carotene to your diet. Carrots and endive are packed full of it.

If you feel like you're on an emotional roller coaster, it's probably a glucose imbalance. Start your day with a proper breakfast. Greek yogurt has twice as much protein as regular yogurt, and the mineral selenium helps regulate your thyroid. A couple of Brazil nuts will give you 100 percent of what you need each day, and so will tuna, eggs and turkey.

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