This episode of the Healthy Family Project podcast is all about how to get better sleep. We’re joined by Jackie Vega, author of The Wellness Solution and host of The Busy Moms Kitchen Podcast. Jackie shares tips the whole family can take advantage of to get better sleep including which foods to eat more, supplements to try, and how to adjust nighttime routines.

Tips for a better sleep

Are you getting enough sleep? Lack of sleep can cause can affect our hormones, ultimately affecting our mood, energy levels and productivity. As parents, we can immediately tell when our kids are not getting enough sleep. Jackie Vega joined us to share lots of tips and insights to help the whole family get better quality sleep.

There’s lots you can do to improve your sleep quality from supplements and vitamin B rich foods to switching up nighttime routines and avoiding certain foods before bedtime.

Listen to the episode

What We Cover:

Want to skip straight to a hot topic? See timestamps below. But of course, we recommend listening all the way through to get all the great tips and tricks!

  • 4:08 Welcome back, Jackie!
  • 7:20 Why are teens always so tired? 
  • 11:50 How lack of sleep affects hormones  
  • 12:50 Change nighttime routines 
  • 16:15 Foods to keep on hand for energy & for bedtime 
  • 23:07 How does Magnesium help with sleep?
  • 25ish Supplements that help with sleep 
  • 31:20 Foods high in B vitamins
  • 35:40 Benefits of drinking tea before bed  
  • 39:40 Bedtime snacks

About Our Guest, Jackie Vega

Jackie is a registered dietitian, ACE-certified personal trainer, wife, and mom of two. She is the founder of the Wellness Solution where she offers guidance to her clients on all things health and fitness.

Jackie recently launched the Busy Moms Kitchen podcast where she invites you into her kitchen to listen in on conversations about life as busy moms, reaching health and fitness goals and other things that only you and your girlfriends will understand.

Other Podcast Episodes to Check Out:

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Transcript for Episode 69

This transcript was produced by Otter.Ai. Please forgive any misspellings and grammatical errors.

00:09
Welcome to the healthy family project by produce for kids, covering the hot topics in the world of health,
food and family with a dose of fun. Welcome back to the healthy family project. I’m your host, Amanda
school is nearly out for us here. And I’m just trying to get a grip on life as we enter into the next phase of
what I hope is post COVID life. A couple reminders to sign up for our weekly e newsletter find the link in
the show notes or unhealthy family project.com. We have summer content on the blog. We have new
recipes, summer ideas, summer cookout ideas and summer Family fun for for you to check out over on
healthy family project calm. We love Instagram, so find us there. Or please join or not or do all of these
things. Of course, you can join our healthy family Project Facebook group. I love the Facebook group.
We’re talking all things family and parenting over there not just food. Truly, I think right now there’s a
thread about ideas to keep the family from going nuts in the car on your summer road trip among other
hot topics that are going on. So please do check that out. You can ask to join just a couple simple
questions to answer and then you will be admitted into the group. So topic for today. In the past year,
sleep has become kind of a tricky thing for me, especially and in my family. I think, you know, the stress
over the past year altered eating habits. A lot of stuff leaving us feeling rundown, sometimes for no
reason. Of course, you know, I have a teen and then as soon to be tween and the time in their life, you
know, going through hormonal changes and things like that can certainly affect your sleep. So we’re
going to cover off on all of that. Today, we’re going to cover off on supplements and foods that you can
be eating to get the vitamins you need to help you relax to help you sleep. To keep you going through the
day. We’re going to talk about all of those things today with my friend Jackie Vega. She has been on the
podcast previously. She is a registered dietitian and author of the wellness solution.com. She’s the host
of busy moms kitchen podcast, where I have actually been a guest and looking forward to being a guest
soon again here in the near future. She’s been on several past episodes, like I mentioned, and I really
just adore her take on everything, parenting and life. She does great work all around but she was also
does the rehabilitation work with young adults dealing with substance abuse. She’s just really hands
down a good person. And I truly enjoy her perspective. So let’s get chatting with Jackie. Welcome back
to this show. Jackie, I always love having you here with us. And I know in many of our episodes, we often
say, Well, we could do a whole podcast on this topic. And so justifiably so. You are back and I’m so
excited. Today we are talking about sleep and keeping our families and kids energized when they need
to be. If you are new to the podcast, you absolutely need to go back to listen to Jackie’s episode. I
believe it’s 58 realistic self care for parents, and then episode 41 Developing a positive relationship with
food. Those are the two most recent I felt like we had we we’ve probably had a two before that as well.
So we’ll link up to that in the show notes. Okay, so welcome, Jackie. Why don’t you tell listeners a little bit
about you in case they’re new to the podcast.
04:05
So yes, I am always so happy when I get those texts from you. Again, it definitely brightens my day,
especially during these crazy COVID days. And I look forward to that podcast when I don’t have to say
COVID days.
04:21
Yes, maybe we can do one in person since we’re not that far from each other.
04:25
Yes, for sure. So I’m a dietician and a personal trainer, most importantly, a mom of two kids recently, they
each just turned 15 and 13. So I’m teaching my daughter how to drive which really freaks me out, but I’m
getting through it. It’s a relief to know that she’s gonna have many hours behind her before she actually

takes that driving test next year. So for years I had worked with super healthy kids, so I feel very well
versed when it comes to children, but my current position is revolving around substance use disorder.
And in that clinic that I’m at most of my clients, there are young adults like in their 20s. So I really work
with a lot of different people. And definitely always focus back in on, you know, just helping people in
general as far as how to get healthy. And a lot of times it doesn’t turn out to be just food related. So and
then of course, I do my podcast, which I took a long break from an I’m getting things organized to
relaunch that in a new season and a new feel, in a way because of so many different things that I’ve
seen and heard and have gone through over the year. And I’m not saying COVID related, but I’m just
saying in the new light of different clients that I’ve worked with. So it’s a lot of fun.
05:58
Awesome. Well, I’m excited to to listen, and hopefully I know we chatted, maybe be a part of a part of the
fun of the new shuffle of the podcast. I always appreciate your vast perspective, having kind of had your
hands and a little bit of everything over the years, and always doing great things, which I think we both
can relate to having a passion for doing something day in and day out that hopefully is helping others to
live that healthier, balanced life. All right. Okay, so let’s jump into our topic. Maybe to kick off, maybe
understanding? Oh, can you tell me? Oh, just be real direct? Can you tell me why my teen is always so
tired? No, I’m just kidding. So that’s, that’s kind of what led me on this topic. Because I have a 10 year
old who’s kind of moving into the space. And a teen who I watched over those years of like that, you
know, 12 1314 she’s now 15. I think she’s coming out of it a little bit, but but seeing them become a hate
the word sluggish. But it’s almost like you watch them go through that. So what are your thoughts? I
know, we’re going to talk on sleep in general. But is it the hormones? What’s going on? I? Or is it just me
and my kids?
07:22
Well, honestly, as I always try to let people understand, of course, there’s a lot of things that I feel that I
know, but I never, I am never going to be the expert in anything. And especially when it comes to the
health of our kids not being a pediatrician. But I do this through small research projects, and just listening
to what our pediatrician has said. And then for myself, you know, sleep there, there is that hormonal
craziness that that goes on. And obviously, when we’re dealing with those preteens into teens, hormones
are changing. You know, my daughter is 15, like your oldest, and over the last couple of years, it was
puberty, you know, period. And things are going crazy. And the body just is going to take a long time to
adjust. And like I had told you pre recording, I feel like my daughter’s getting to that point where things
are balancing out to her new balance, right for lack of better words, because she’s not needing to sleep
all day like she was before. And then my 10 year old or not my 10 year old, you have the 10 year old, I
do. My 13 year old, my son, he has just over the last. I don’t want it to the last year because everybody’s
gonna say oh, it’s because it’s COVID It was definitely before. So he’s in seventh grade now. So
definitely towards the beginning of sixth grade, I noticed that he was able like not, I don’t wanna say able
either he was staying up later. And not even forcefully, it was like, it’s weird. It’s almost like their bodies
work differently for some reason. And then he was sleeping later, which was great, because our middle
school doesn’t start until 930. I don’t know what it’s like up there in Orange County, Central Florida. Being
in South Florida. We’re in Palm Beach County. And that’s how it is. And then throughout this year, he has
been staying up later again and this morning in particular. So it’s funny that we’re talking about sleep, it
was quarter after nine and I had to like shake him out of bed and he just didn’t want to move. So yes, he
was sluggish. And that’s when I will always go back and help my kids to understand that when you’re not
fueling your body properly the day before and even a couple of days before because there are some
things that takes a while for it to get through the body and process and go to where it needs to go or
eliminate or whatever is going to go on with those nutrients. We’re not going to find The right way. So
when I get on them about having too much sugar, or maybe they’re not getting the proper, you know, the
right types of carbs, things aren’t going to function the right way. And then, of course, I always will go
back also to how much time they’re spending on their devices outside of internet or virtual school that’s
going on right now. So outside of COVID, there’s still a lot that goes into that. So yeah, it’s crazy.
10:37
It is. And I do think Sorry, I was just gonna say, I think that my mom, that’s funny, my mom always says
about me, she’s like, Well, you always need you are my sleeper, you always needed so much sleep. And
if you didn’t have your sleep, you were, you know, your eight hours, you’re grumpy. And, and I even think
now, for me that that’s true. So, again, like, like you said, I am not an expert. This is just going off my own
personal experiences when it comes to sleep is that some people need less sleep is that do you agree? I
do. Okay.

11:12
I definitely do. I mean, I don’t, I would say under six hours is probably ridiculous. We shouldn’t be doing
that, especially on a regular basis. Yes, here and there. I understand there’s things going on, you know,
we were talking about what’s going on at your company. And probably there are times that you are
getting less sleep. But I think it will go back to how often like how many days in a row, right, there’s just
such a larger picture to it, then I feel we are doing and to back to the the hormones. One of the things
that will happen when our hormones are out of whack. Like for instance, when we’re not sleeping,
cortisol raises, so stress levels are going to increase. And one of the ways that our body will try to
combat stress and stressors is that it’s going to crave more sleep. So when the kids aren’t getting
enough sleep, yeah, they’re gonna look sluggish, they’re gonna get cranky. So like, it is it’s just this crazy
vicious cycle.
12:17
Well, and I, which, you know, it’s like, why don’t why do I have to? Why do I have to live through these
things? To figure them out? Why can’t I just know them like that? That sounds ridiculous. But I was
noticing this year, especially, you know, we commiserate on having teens and teen girls in particular. But
it’s, I was, I don’t know why but, you know, a conversation about grades or, you know, maybe something
going on, or whatever. I was having those. And again, here we go, I’m taking us off topic, but still it’s
around sleep. But I was having these conversations before bed with my daughter. So and then it would
end up like kind of blowing up and like end up in an argument. And she was defensive. And I was trying
to just, like, share some insight, useful parents insight, of course, and just talk through some things. And
I thought, What am I doing wrong here? And then I thought, Well, maybe it’s because it’s right before
bed. And she’s tired from her long day. And I’m coming in asking about a grade or asking if something
was turned in, or what’s going on with this. So I switched up, you know, my game, I guess, if you will, to
make sure that I was not having those conversations at that time, where I where she was, you know,
winding down and ready to go to bed. I felt like it was not giving it was not allowing her to get good sleep
or for me to get good sleep, because it would always end up in a, you know, some type of disagreement
or argument. So I I shifted to have no I have this conversations midday.
14:03
Now, you know, and I think that should be like number one. I mean, if we’re going to label out what we’re
talking about today, I think that should be number one. Because How simple is that? Right? I know his
chain right to change how you’re doing things as opposed to trying to change what what they’re doing.
So
14:24
right, no, I just and my husband kept being like, why are you guys fighting every single night? And I’m
like, well, she’s just not, you know, Baba, but I’m just going along and then, you know, light bulb moment
where I’m like, Well, of course I’m having this conversation at this time every day. And so I think that
Well, I, again, I always I’ve been saying hey, there’s all these books for toddlers and potty training and
What to Expect When You’re Expecting and then you kind of get dumped off into the abyss of unknown
when you get to the teenage years. And so I think that Those types of things, you know, knowing, like
kind of mapping out when the best time is to have conversations like that makes so much sense. And
they, again, back to those books you hear all the time how important the bedtime routine is, how
important the winding down is for your sleep. And so it I think it makes total sense to for when you move
into the teen years that you still have to have some kind of routine. Maybe it’s not like lullabies and
bubble baths. But you know, why not? I know I wish.
15:35
No, that’s so true. And it’s it’s funny. I’m kind of seeing a pattern. When we talk, we always go back to
those books. Where’s the book for the team? I know, like, where is my guide? Dr. Spock, where are you?
15:49
Seriously? Well, what about types of foods? So I, you know, when we were having our text exchange
earlier this week about what we wanted to talk about, I was thinking, you know, what should I be loading
my refrigerator up with? Are there things that keep energy up when they need to be up? And then also,
are there foods that help at bedtime? You know?
16:15

Yeah, well, of course, you know, the easy part of it, the foods that we should be serving for energy, the
first one that comes to mind for me, and there’s going to be so many people that are gonna say, oh, no, I
can’t have carbs. Yes, complex carbs. And if you want to make it super simple, like, whenever I teach the
little kids in kindergarten, I always say, Hey, kids, if it grows from the ground, or runs around, you know,
vegan aside, then that’s like the best food. So I’m not saying breads, I’m not saying pasta, I’m not saying
what a lot of people feel is a forbidden food. I’m talking about the potatoes, the rice, the quinoa, the
pharaoh, those types of complex carbs. And then of course, the carbs that are going to come from our
vegetables. And, you know, you can throw in like pumpkin and the squashes and things like that, that are
going to give you you know, a lot of fiber and even more nutrients that are going to play into the whole
mix of how nutrients interact with each other to help different hormones release. Melatonin is one. So
that’s where I would start as far as what do I serve them. And you also want to make sure that and this
isn’t just for kids, this is all of us. It would be interesting, you know, if we’re thinking about moms and
dads, and whoever else is living with our kids, to journal, how you’re feeling each day, and then look back
at what it was that you were eating, I’m huge on journaling. And you can kind of pinpoint what it is that
that’s bothering you. And you want to do it for at least a week or two at the least because you need
several days because there are times that there’s certain nutrients that will take a while to do what it
needs to do and cell turnover rate and all that microscopic type of stuff. And you can really see, oh, well,
that week, I will or that those couple of days, I was eating the bread and we had the pasta dinner and I
thought I was feeling great. And then in a day or two I started feeling really sluggish. Well, that was
probably it. Because then you’ll see on another day, I had some rice and I tried the cane raw and we had
the oats for breakfast and I was feeling amazing. And I wasn’t even hungry because you know you’re
getting those better food options. So that would be what I would make sure that they’re having. And that’s
just the beginning aspects. So things that are going to help with sleep. Foods that are high in
magnesium, these ones are really big because magnesium is going to help the body to relax the muscles
to relax. And this is leafy greens. So spinach, arugula, romaine, nuts and seeds, bananas, salmon,
legumes, just a cup of black beans is going to give you about 30% of your daily needs of magnesium.
And that’s huge. And I know that seems like a lot, but cut it in half and then eat the rest of it the next day.
When I was working with super healthy kids, one of the things that I helped the members to understand
is that you don’t want to look at just a day or two of your child’s intake and this goes for us as well. You
do want to look at a week at the least. So if they’re going to have that cover beans to help increase
magnesium, then just space it out a little bit 10 Pay soy beans, whole grains, which whole grains are
exactly what I was talking about. If it’s good gonna grow from the ground, you’re going to get the best
whole grains, avocados, and my favorite dark chocolate. But you want to make sure that the dark
chocolate is 70% or higher got it because if it’s not, then you’re getting into the amount like those semi
sweet chocolate chips. I do a lot of baking. So that’s why it’s coming to my head.
20:21
I was actually because my kids when I they are into painful for me, but they love chocolate chips, I
cannot keep them in my house and not even baked in anything I’m talking like I have a container that I
have for baking and they like to melt said chocolate chips in bowls and then dip strawberries, or
whatever they want to dip into the chocolate. But then I just had a big I had a big sit down with the family
and said if you are choosing to melt chocolate in a bowl, you are then in charge of washing the chocolate
out of the bowl because they will just set it in the sink. So this is a total tangent but I’m glad you
mentioned that those are not the dark chocolate you’re talking about.
21:13
Yeah, cuz if you look at the ingredients, there’s the chocolate the the ingredients listing, it’s Gosh, hello,
Jackie spit it out, there’s going to be the the amount of chocolate is going to be a lot less, it’s not going to
be as robust, I guess is not going to be as rich and when you it’s the same thing with Well, I don’t know, I
don’t know what I was going to compare it to. But what I didn’t want to forget to say is that that’s actually
a really great snack tree type of thing. I’ve always been big into the dips. And if it’s a little bit of chocolate
so eat strawberries are. Oh my gosh. Raspberries are great in chocolate too.
21:53
They are. Don’t tell them this because they’re going to continue if they’re going to wash the dish because
I don’t know if you’ve ever had let like melted chocolate sit in a dish before and not wash it right away.
But it is a really joyous to wash that out.
22:08

Yeah, yeah, you’re speaking to a mini choir here. Especially since everybody’s still home. I’m not sending
my kids back until the fall. My my kitchen is just never cleaned. And yeah, I’ve become a mean mom.
Okay, no, no, hey, side, no strawberries. In one medium strawberry. There’s two milligrams of
magnesium. I just looked at us. Oh, that’s wonderful. Yeah, I think that’s crazy. One medium strawberry
as a whole. So magnesium, magnesium.
22:44
So magnesium. And I just bought a pint of strawberries. And they’re really big strawberries in there. So
maybe I’ll just say alright, people, everyone line up and eat one of these giant strawberries for your daily
dose. So you’re talking about magnesium. So is magnesium. Important for sleep?
23:06
It is because it helps the muscles to relax. Okay, so basically, if you’re getting enough magnesium, which
again, it’s a whole vicious cycle, there’s more to it. But if you’re depleted in magnesium, if you’re
deficient, it is going to be more difficult for you to relax. This is a nutrient that I look into when I’m working
with my clients on the substance use disorder because many are they have mental, like schizophrenia,
or there’s just like, or anxiety or there’s all these things and magnesium is one of those things that I look
at, you know, where are your levels of magnesium? Does? Is it like a magic nutrient that’s going to help
everything? Well? No, but it’s just one of those pieces to the puzzle.
23:58
Yeah, I know. And I’ve spoken openly on the podcasts in the past of my battles with anxiety and
depression over many years, and I know that magnesium is something that doctors have, you know,
preached to me and I’d love to say that I’m super consistent and take like in supplements, you know, like
in a vitamin form, not just in food. But I’m not always the most consistent with taking that magnesium
supplement but I do know that that always comes up in every conversation I ever have around, you
know, foods that help with anxiety and depression but it makes sense if you’re talking about like being
able to relax and and those types of things. So
24:45
you know that there’s a supplement that actually just started using it again. It’s calm, that’s the brand and
they have a bunch of different things in one of them is a It’s a combination with magnesium and
ashwagandha. And because I will I get like the ashwagandha. It’s a, it’s all that like stress and anxiety
and all that. So I actually get that at Whole Foods. And then when I found that it was in this little
supplement, which it’s actually a drink, but honestly, it tastes like garbage, but I still use it. And when I’m
like, Really, when I’m just going crazy at night, and all I’m thinking about is, is this melatonin really going
to work for me tonight? I’ll drink that. And it really does. I mean, I have to step away from the devices too,
but I’ll I’ll drink it. And I do feel a sense of relaxation. So who knows? Maybe it’s just the, the, what’s the
placebo? Right?
25:49
And so I guess that leads me to question it sounds like there’s a lot of ways that we can get magnesium
and and melatonin to write in foods. But what are your what’s your, I don’t wanna say your stance,
because that sounds very serious. But like supplements, I mean, in even supplements for kids, because I
am telling you, I am seeing in the vitamin aisle, I was buying probiotics for my 10 year old. And I never
saw so many like sleeping things for kids like the melatonin for kids and like, easy sleep for kids. And I’m
like, wow, there’s a lot here. And I should I be afraid or is this like a good thing that these things are out
there? I don’t know. What do you think?
26:33
Well, in my experience, I have used and I still do I have melatonin. I take it almost every night. My son,
it’s kind of intermittent. It’s not all the time. And with him, he’s 13. So I give him three milligrams. And that
was advice from the pediatrician. Yeah. And then my daughter, I asked her as well for her. She’s 15. She
takes it, she takes it often too. And that is fine. five milligrams.
27:10
i It’s hard I and I had I had this conversation with one of my friends on one of my other podcasts. And I
don’t I don’t want it to be a crutch. But I feel like there’s certain times in our lives and this being one
where if it’s going to help us get over the hump, then I think it’s okay. Especially if everything else we’re

doing as far as health goes, is, is good. You know, they’re actually they are getting sleep in. We know
that. You know, they’re in a dietician, Tom. So they’re getting the best.
27:48
No, no, no, no, there’s no perfection here. That was a joke. You know?
27:57
There’s so there’s, there’s a lot to it. And I don’t I don’t think that it’s a bad thing. It is overwhelming. And it
is crazy. Because even when I walk into CVS, the first thing that I see on their end cap is melatonin. And
I never saw it before. But is it because I’m actually using it? Now? You know how they say, you’re right.
There’s a thing with cars drive around. And once you actually look at a white car and you want a white
car, that’s all you ever see. So I don’t know. And I don’t know, did it happen after COVID? I don’t know.
But bottom line, check with the pediatrician. Yeah, because there may be other things that the
pediatrician wants to look at. Or, you know, I always go back to my gynecologist, because, you know,
she’s gonna deal with the hormones. And if there’s someone that she thinks I should see, besides her to
look at hormones and see where things are, because she doesn’t think it’s normal, per se, then go from
there.
28:55
I agree. I have over the years and I want to say it’s hereditary because my my grandmother was always
up and down anemic. But there are times where my iron levels are really low. And I get regular blood
work once a year. And sometimes I’m fine and sometimes are like whoa, lady like you need, you know, to
take us iron supplement. How are you even moving around? And so, Mike Well, I eat a very balanced
healthy diet most days. And so I don’t know if I’m predisposed to it or what but I do know that like you
said, if you you are seeing your kids really struggling with sleep or you’re really struggling with sleep, or
you know all of that getting some blood work and talking to your doctor is definitely obviously
incorporating all of these wonderful foods that we talked about into your diet is a great way to get you
know, kick started but I think talking to your doctors Definitely, highly recommended.
30:02
Yeah, for sure. And you know, because I have I want to go over the one other nutrient too. But before I
forget it, think about, like, if you want to test it, you know, for instance, my daughter doesn’t use
melatonin over the weekend. So do you when do you know that it doesn’t matter what time you get up
the next morning and how you’re going to feel so is a really an issue. Now that I’m on have the weekend
and I feel a little bit more relaxed is, you know, I guess kind of play around with it too. Before you dive
into everything, crazy.
30:38
Yeah, exactly. Ask your doctor. And I know here with my older daughter with melatonin, there’s just some
times that I’m like, Hey, like, how about like melatonin, I think I can just tell that she just hasn’t had good
sleep in a while or like, when she’s, you know, going through finals and has been up late studying and
getting up at, you know, for high school, they’re up at 6am and out the door by 640. So it’s like, then I’m
like, alright, you know, I think you need to get some really good sleep. And so I’m the same. I usually do
like a three milligram with her. And it does the trick and
31:18
yeah, yeah. So the other one is foods high in B vitamins, because that helps to regulate tryptophan, you
know, that wonderful amino that’s in Turkey. It helps to create serotonin, and serotonin is that hormone
that will induce sleep. And that’s going to be and this is what’s really cool. So I said magnesium. And
you’ll see that there’s a lot of repetition. When it comes to B vitamins. We have leafy greens, legumes,
whole grains, whole eggs, people whole eggs, it’s okay to eat the yolk. And that’s where the tryptophan
is. Salmon. Salmon is really cool. Because just a three and a half ounce servings a salmon has b one b
two, B three, B five, b six and B 12. And B 12 is associated with energy. So, and that’s, it gives you 51%
of the daily needs, nuts and seeds, chicken and turkey and then some yogurt too. And yogurts a great
thing too, if you can add in some sort of I was gonna say some sort of dairy, but we all know that yogurt,
all different types of soy, the coconut, the almond, all that. So yogurt is great. Probiotics. So it’s like a lot
of amazingness in all of these foods because you’re getting more than just those vitamins. Right? And
then like I said before, with the magnesium, the B vitamins are also really important when it comes to
mental health. So

33:01
yes, this I know as well. I’m a B 12 A B 12. Advocate. I definitely just for me personally, I know that taking
a B 12 supplement. Definitely I saw a change. When I started incorporating that again, go for the foods. I
feel like if you can get you can get what you need out of the foods. Definitely do it that way. But I do take
that B 12 everyday. Yeah.
33:30
And honestly there. There’s no like there’s no problem with doing it by supplement. That’s totally okay.
With it with the B 12. Especially, that is a nutrient that if you are like vegan, especially vegan, that’s
something that they have to watch out for too, because it’s coming from those animal products. But yeah,
so we’re gonna like jump around here. No,
34:02
I was gonna say, Well, I was gonna say nutritional yeast. I’m a huge fan of nutritional yeast and it’s,
there’s a ton of B 12. In
34:10
Yeah. Who was I talking to you about that. There was somebody I was just talking to about it and oh, it
was a client. And I’ve put that on my I’ve sprinkled it on my egg muffins that I’ll you know the the ones
you’re actually the eggs that you whisk you put vegetables in it and you put them in the oven so they kind
of bacon the muffin tin, right I’ll sprinkle on the nutritional yeast and it’s it’s like Parmesan cheese.
34:38
It really is I put it in. I will put it into different recipes all the time. I like stuffed peppers. I’m sprinkling it in
there and mixing up my stuffing, you know to put inside the peppers. I put it in pasta sauce. I put it in
good Ida eggs. I sprinkle it on popcorn. Believe me I’m like give me all the veto
35:01
I’m not gonna be able to put on the popcorn. My daughter loves popcorn. I feel like if I sprinkle that on,
she’s gonna look at me and say, you know, it does taste amazing.
35:11
It is like loads, gourmet treats, but I’m telling you, I started using it last year right before the pandemic, I
was in California and a friend because I, my husband and I were eating vegan at the time. And so she
doesn’t eat a lot of meat, either. And she introduced me to it. And then I was like, Oh, this is amazing. I’m
putting it on everything.
35:37
That’s funny. So, if we go back to supplements, we just talked about melatonin a little bit. Something else
too, that I recommended on several occasions is chamomile tea. Yeah. And then also turmeric tea, or
turmeric is just I don’t think it’s so much the turmeric itself, because when I think of turmeric, I think of anti
inflammatory. But it’s it’s just that soothing. Any kind of tea. The warmth, the the ritual, per se. I feel like
it’s gonna help.
36:13
Yeah. And growing up my family. We always had tea in the evening before. Oh, really? Yeah, it was.
36:20
Are you British?
36:21
We are not. I mean, somewhere in my mixed heritage. Yes, I am British. So maybe that’s why. For real?
Are you just joking? No, I am. But I’m a really a mix of a lot of things. So when we did when I did, we did
our ancestry like, wow, I am a kinky person. But no, my parents always drink tea, and they still to this day
drink tea. My mom likes to drink just plain black tea. which some would say like, Wow, that’s crazy before
bed, you know. And it’s interesting because when you say British, they also add a splash of milk to their
tea. Which totally why which is a very when I visited London. Several years ago, I was like, wow, I
thought my family were the only people that added splash of milk, but then I was there and I’m like,
That’s a normal thing.

37:17
Do you how I do the only time I won’t is if I’m doing like the whole lemon?
37:22
Yes. Like for sore throat or cold? Yeah. Honey Lemon. Yeah, I’m with you. But my teen. She I’ve tried. I
swear I bought every flavor of tea and I cannot get her. I mean she’ll she’ll drink an iced tea from
Starbucks. So like, refresher tea, but I know. But it’s like to get her to drink the hot tea. has been but she
doesn’t like hot like coffee either. You know?
37:48
That’s no Kayla. So you mean your 15 year old right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that’s that’s totally her like she’s
dog sitting and the lady she’s dog sitting for she’s like, Oh, you can use the coffee maker if you want. And
Mikayla told me nice. I go. But she don’t drink her coffee. She goes I know. But if I want I’m like, Okay.
38:09
I know. I know. I wish though, because there’s so many great teas out there when you you look, you
know not even at the health food stores anymore. It’s you can at your regular grocery store. Publix or
wherever there’s so many tea options or sore throat tea. There’s to help you sleep tea. There’s, you
know, just teas for
38:29
forever. Yes. tummy troubles. And yeah, there’s a lot of them.
38:35
We could do a whole podcast. No, just make note.
38:42
So and then the other thing I feel okay, so we talked a little bit about the hormones, the nutrients that we
want to look at magnesium and B vitamins, the natural supplements melatonin can a meal like different
teas. It’s also where I feel that not necessarily to Well, yeah, I can help you sleep. But there’s a lot of
people that will come to me and say, but what if I get hungry and even with kids, you know, as they’re
growing? Like I’ve noticed, I’ve noticed this with my son. He will get hungry to usually eat around five or
six. And maybe around nine
39:22
Yes. Welcome to my
39:23
hungry cat and I’m going in my daughter was never like that. And even still, she’s not sometimes she like
she’s watching the movie. She’ll grab popcorn, but she doesn’t want to like you eat. He wants to eat so
he has this granola cereal that he loves. Sometimes he’ll put some of the flax milk that we have in there
sometimes you will.
39:45
That’s what I was gonna ask you. I actually had jotted that down about bedtime snacks because I can’t
have I have a clear visual of my mother. who I love dearly. I promise. She I have a clear visual of her
saying that Kitchen is closed, like it would you know, cuz she was done like looking back and I’m like,
yeah, no wonder because she was like I keep doing dishes and like, You guys aren’t helping and I
understand her frustration know better than I did and I have to say, but I understood her saying like the
kitchen is closed and it would be, you know, nine or 10 at night and I’m thinking I’m so hungry, I want
something like, but now the kitchen is closed, and I can’t go in there and like have to sneak in but my
kids granted like now, the younger one is they do a lot of tennis. So sometimes we’re at activities in the
evening dance or theater or whatever it might be. And we do also eat around 536 o’clock. And then it
seems that at that time that nine between that nine and 10 hour, they’re both kind of like, so I’m on guard
where I’m like, Would you like some cut up apples and peanut butter? Like I try to like, get in there so
that I’m offering them so that they don’t go mindlessly to the pantry and just find whatever, you know, is
the first thing that pops up. Okay, but what do you think bedtime snacks are late? Or is it safe to eat
before,

41:12
I feel like there’s two different scenarios here, maybe three, one, your situation is different from what I’m
talking about. Because if they’re going out there and getting active, they could easily use like a small
meal. Because they you know, you you need to replenish, they need to get those nutrients back, you
know protein and complex carbs. So that when they go to sleep between those hours of 10, and two,
that’s where a lot of that repair is going on, whether it be you know, musculature or brain wise and all that
those are like our important hours that we want to definitely be asleep and in REM. So they’re probably
legit going to need more than not that I’ve seen that it’s bad, but they’re going to need more than an
apple and peanut butter. It may not cut it for them, like tummy wise as far as healing satiated, as well as
like what’s going on underneath the skin. Right so. And then, even with us like for me. But there are
many times when everybody’s done shutting down and come at 830. That’s a lot of times where I’m
finding the time where I’m doing my workouts, it’s not the best time to do it. But for me, this is what
works. And for me, it actually helps to decompress. It helped me to get into that sleep mode, because I
won’t be closer to 1111 30, sometimes midnight, because there may be other things that I’m trying to
finish up with cleaning and what have you. So yeah, I will have more than just, you know, a little snack, I
will have like a full shake that has everything in it that I would normally do is like maybe a meal
replacement or something. So you want to think about what’s going on there. Or if there’s there are many
parents who will work those crazy hours and they’ll come home. And maybe they ate dinner while they’re
at work. But it’s like their end of the day. So they may need a small like half of a meal, so to speak. So
like for our kids, I always say a small smoothie. So like about a third of the typical ingredients, whole
grain cereal with milk, like what my son is doing. And so it’s a little bit smaller. But if it’s like a whole full
blown sports event, it go like a normal breakfast, you know, if you’re going to do like the whole grains and
the milk and then up fruit or something like that. Maybe a slice of whole grain toast and a tablespoon of
peanut butter. If you want to do the apple slices with that, that’s fine too. So in with those choices that I’ve
given, those are going to have those nutrients that I talked about the magnesium and the B vitamins, so
it’s also going to help to induce sleep. I wouldn’t go to bed, whether it’s a small snack or a small snack
like that, or it’s that what I was saying with your girls, they may really need to eat again. I wouldn’t go to
bed right away for sure. Give yourself about an hour if you can a couple of hours, because your body
needs that time to get that digestion process started. Right.
44:27
Well, I think this has been amazing. I think we’ve shared a lot of all as usual, like we’ve shared a lot of
good ideas and tips and of course me going on tangents as usual.
44:41
That’s fun. Yeah. Sure. Don’t tangents are fun. That’s what Mark That’s what lets the ladies always do
this with the girls always do. There’s never like a normal consistent. I’m gonna start here and this is
where we’re gonna end. No, no, but
44:57
I think we’ve covered a lot I think it’s been really helpful. I know my wheels are spinning in my head,
especially with summer coming up, which I know kind of usually like flip flops, everyone’s schedules and
things are happening at different times. And so it might be a good time for me to kind of revisit some of
the some of our snacks and try to get a little more consistent on some of the things that we’re eating so
that I can actually, like you said, with the journaling, see, be able to notice real results from from what
we’re doing so. But thank you for joining us today. And I guess before we close out, can you tell listeners
where they can find and connect with you?
45:41
Yes, super easy. Just go to Jackie vega.com. And then all social stuff. Is there. My podcast. Like I said,
it’s going to be revamped, and that’s the busy mom’s kitchen. And
45:55
one, that’s the easiest way to go. Awesome. Well, we will link up we will link up to a lot of things in the
show notes. What we’ve talked about here today, share all the links and then we’ll share Jackie’s website
as well. And I’m sure she will be back because I don’t let her get too far away from me as a guest soon.
So thank you, Jackie, and we will talk to you soon. Thank you. Bye. Thank you for joining us today. It has
been a wonderful conversation. I hope everyone is going to be sleeping a little more soundly. I know I am
walking away with a lot of great tips tip that I will be implementing as we move into the summer months.

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