Hi Terri!

I can't comment on all of your questions, but what you have described happens to me if I eat fruit too late in the day, or the wrong fruit for me at the present time. For example, three bites of melon may be okay at lunch, but three bites at supper might have me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed far earlier in the morning than normal. Berries are better most of the time. My journal tells me. ~smile~

I don't use meds/pills either, but sometimes I think I could use melon as having caffeine-like properties if I needed to in a pinch, LOL. Neat how our bodies work, hey?

I use carb and protein snack when I have 15 hour days with college evening classes, but otherwise a bit of sweet potato works like a charm for me. And all things change over time. I never hit on something that will work forever. I go with the flow and trust my body.
Just my experience.

HTH,
Susan S

: Hello! : Things for me have been progressing : nicely along on step 3 for a few : weeks now. I'm not steady on that : step yet and will stick with it : for a while longer. What is really : puzzling me is that I've been : waking up between 4 and 5 a.m. : consistently for about 3 weeks now : and I typically go to bed around : 11. I've gone to bed earlier and : it just makes me awaken earlier so : it's an ongoing dilemma. I eat a : snack about 30 mins before bed of : a protein and carb like an egg and : brown rice cake. That was holding : me a few months ago so could it be : that it is not enough carb? : I seem to be hungry when I wake up : which is surprising since I eat a : snack before bed. I know that is : low blood sugar from what I : understand but what I don't : understand is why now and not a : few months back. I've been doing : the same routine consistently : since beginning of the year. I've : been eating my amounts at meals as : well, as far as I can tell. My : meals hold me 5 hours which is : what I gage it by. : Sleep is the one thing I battle with : more than sugar, ... I'm not a : person who takes pills for things, : not even headache medicine. I've : usually done essential oils on the : body or on the pillow for sleep : but lately that's not working : either. : I've been approaching the steps ever : so slowly this go round and look : forward to seeing if the potato : works for me this time. In the : past have had restless legs with : it. Do some people continue on the : carb and protein if that's what : they were doing previous to step : 4? I'm open to any suggestions. : I feel in desperate mode again to not : have my sleep so interrupted as it : fouls up my whole day. I'll sleep : 4 to 5 hours then be awake for 2 : and back for 2 more. Some days I : don't get back to sleep until the : afternoon and then that throws me : off of getting to bed on : time.....vicious cycle. I probably : should have posted when it first : started to happen but always want : to give it some time to see if it : continues or resolves on it's own. : Could sure use some advice on this or : what's worked for others. : Warm regards, : Terri F