ServiceMax Blog: Archive for November, 2014

Will Thanksgiving Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

Thursday, November 27th, 2014

We’ve all heard it before: you feel so sleepy after a Thanksgiving meal because of the main event: the turkey. For years, people have credited extraordinary levels of tryptophan in turkey as the reason we all feel the need to nap after the annual feast. But contrary to this popular mythology, tryptophan is probably not he largest responsible party for your post-meal exhaustion.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means it’s something that our bodies need but do not produce naturally. Your body uses tryptophan to help make vitamin B3 and serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that sends chemicals to the brain to aid in sleep. But in order to get this essential amino acid, we have to eat foods that contain it.

Turkey has somewhat high levels of tryptophan, but so do many other foods, including eggs, peanuts, chocolate, nuts, bananas, and most other meats and dairy products. In fact, ounce-for-ounce cheddar cheese contains a greater amount of tryptophan than turkey. In order for tryptophan to make you feel sleepy, you would have to consume it in excessive amounts, and serotonin is usually only produced by tryptophan on an empty stomach.

The truth is, overeating is largely responsible for the “food coma” many people describe post-Thanksgiving. It takes a lot of energy for your body to process a large meal, and the average Thanksgiving plate contains about twice as many calories as is recommended for daily consumption. If anything, high levels of fat in the turkey cause sleepiness, as they require a lot of energy for your body to digest. Lots of carbohydrates, alcohol, and probably a bit of stress may also be some of the reasons it feels so satisfying to lay down on the couch after the meal and finally get a little bit of shut-eye.

If you feel the need to indulge in a heaping dose of tryptophan this year, go ahead! Turkey also contains healthy proteins and may even provide a boost for your immune system.

Here at Malek Heating & Cooling, we hope your Thanksgiving is full of joy and contentment this year. Happy feasting!

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Why Is Air Duct Cleaning Necessary?

Wednesday, November 19th, 2014

For most homeowners, air duct cleaning is something that rarely ever gets done. This is usually because they can’t see the benefit to investing that much time and money in cleaning a part of their house that they never see anyway. It’s not like the ducts are some complicated mechanism with lots of moving parts that may need maintenance. They’re long rectangular boxes or tubes designed to direct air flow, and that’s about it.

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Why Is My Heat Pump Still Blowing Cool Air?

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

It’s officially heating season and time to switch your heat pump from cooling to heating mode. Heat pumps don’t blow blasts of hot air out like forced air systems do, so the air coming through your vents or ductless blower can feel cooler than some traditional heating systems. However, if you feel air that is definitely cool/cold, there may be an issue with your heat pump in Wilmette. Heat pump systems are complicated, so if you experience any type of problem with your system, call Malek Heating & Cooling and schedule an appointment with one of our heating experts.

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What You Should Look for in a Heating Maintenance Plan

Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

Your heating system benefits greatly when you enroll in a quality heating maintenance program. Heating maintenance is a service in which a technician visits your home in order to make a few adjustments to your system, clean dirty components, and perform a full inspection so you can find out about any failing parts that may need replacement. This could make your system last longer and operate efficiently among many other advantages.

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