Graveyard Shift Woes

The last week and these 3 days have been a blur. That’s because I am in the dreaded vampire shift. The graveyard shift. I am conducting training from 9:30 pm till 6:30 am. I am tired and sleepy and I feel like I could fall asleep at any moment from the time I woke up. Like today I feel like I did get a lot of sleep but I am still tired. I shutdown my system after letting my batch go home at 6:30 am and quickly toasted some buns for breakfast. I ate that in a jiffy and lay in bed watching The Rookie.

I fell asleep as soon as that was over and slept till 11:45 am when I woke up and drank some water and then went back to sleep again till 1:15 pm. I went to the washroom, brushed my teeth and washed my face and then combed my hair. I ordered a small burger with fries & a drink plus chicken nuggets and watched more tv while waiting for it the food and then ate it while sitting and watching a Planet of The Apes episode. Then I got into bed and watched some Big Bang Theory (yes I am in the first rerun of the show).

I still slept a bit more after that, like maybe 90 minutes as I was very tired and sleepy. I needed that a lot. Coffee and a snack and later on a long, cold shower but I am still tired and sleepy. I hate this shift a lot. It is so tiring.

Benefits Of Eating Cranberries

Cranberries are small, round, deep-red berries related to the blueberry. They have a very sharp, sour taste, so are rarely eaten raw; they’re more commonly enjoyed dried or juiced. Cranberries grow on vine-like plants similar to strawberries, and typically come from North America or eastern Europe, although you can grow them in the UK under the right conditions.

Top 5 health benefits of cranberries

1. Rich in antioxidant compounds

Cranberries contain plant compounds that have a protective antioxidant effect. Most of these are found in the skin of the berry and may as a result be lost during the juicing process.

2. May help prevent urinary tract infections

Cranberry juice is probably most well-known for its management of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Cranberries contain compounds known as proanthocyanidins, which have natural antibacterial benefits and may help prevent the bacteria Escherichia coli from attaching to the inner surface of the bladder and urinary tract, causing an infection.

There are many studies that demonstrate drinking cranberry juice may help prevent a UTI and its reoccurrence, but it appears to be less effective once the infection has taken hold. Some studies also suggest this may not work for everyone. If you are going to drink cranberry juice for its potential UTI benefits, an unsweetened 100% juice should be chosen.

3. May support heart health

A number of human studies support regular consumption of the juice or an extract of the berry to be beneficial for heart health, reducing a number of the key risk factors for heart disease. These include improving cholesterol balance, lowering blood pressure and reducing a compound called homocysteine, which is known to damage the lining of the blood vessels. However, it’s worth noting that some conflicting findings have been reported from other similar studies.

4. May protect against gastric ulcer and stomach cancer

Cranberries contain a plant compound that may reduce the risk of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Consuming cranberry products, which are naturally rich in this compound (known as A-type pro-anthocyanidins), appears to suppress the growth of the bacteria and as a result reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer.

5. May protect against certain cancers

Cranberries are one of the best food sources of ursolic acid, a plant compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential anti-cancer effects. It has been seen to be particularly useful in prostate cancer.