How Toxic Are You?: The Basics of Natural Detoxification
April 9, 2009 | 
Author Spring is on it’s way and with this season of new growth and renewal, we tend to focus a lot of our energy on spring cleaning. In winter, our modern world dictates a season of over consumption. We eat and drink our way through over commercialized holidays: Christmas, Valentine’s, St. Patty’s Day and Easter. And now the buzz is about detoxification – a spring cleaning for the body. But let’s face it, the newness of each spring shouldn’t mean that we have to clean up the mess we make every winter. Detoxification for two weeks does not balance the re-toxing that’s done the rest of the year.
Before the natural health product industry made it into the newest fad-diet, detoxification referred to the pathways in our cells that transform toxic material into relatively inactive substances that can be readily excreted via the urine or bile. It is a NATURAL process. Our bodies were built to do it every day! Problems arise when our systems are overwhelmed or insufficiently functioning. When not detoxified and excreted promptly, the majority of toxic substances are stored in tissues and organs. With all of our body systems intricately connected to one another, impaired detoxification processes in any one system will lead to low energy and decreased vitality which can ultimately result in chronic illness.
The primary goal of natural detoxification is elimination. Systems of elimination work 24/7 to help maintain a clean internal environment. The lungs handle around 20% of all body elimination through more than 23,000 breaths each day. By breathing deeply and healthfully we improve the volume and the cleansing ability of our lungs. The skin, removes about another 10% of body waste, through sweating. The digestive system is extensive and highly coordinated. Remember, one bowel movement for every meal is ideal for preventing toxic build up in the bowels. If waste is sitting in your gut, the opportunity for toxins from that waste to be reabsorbed into the body is greater – especially if the friendly bacteria or mucous membranes of the gut have been compromised by poor eating habits, food sensitivities, alcohol, coffee, and antibiotics. The kidneys handle about 30% of the body’s elimination. Water soluble waste from the blood is literally flushed out.
In order for many wastes to be eliminated, they must first be processed and transported. The liver, our master detoxifier and one of the most precious organs of the body performs many vital functions. It filters harmful chemicals and bacteria from the blood, breaks down and eliminates hormones, and creates bile which is used to break down fat and carry away waste in the bowels. The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that drain toxins from between the cells in every corner of the body, delivering waste back into the blood circulation, destined for elimination.
This spring, centre yourself with renewed view of detoxification. Focus on year round support of your natural routes of elimination. That’s what your self care practices are all about – dry skin brushing supports the skin and lymphatics; castor oil packs nourish the digestive system and enhance lymphatic and liver functioning; hydrotherapy showers circulate blood and lymph; healthful breathing strengthens the lungs and promotes relaxation; drinking plenty of pure, clean water, flushes the kidneys. For more details and to make all of these practices a part of your daily routine, speak to your naturopathic doctor today and ensure your continued journey to good health.
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Tags: Breathe, Detoxification, Hydrotherapy, Self Care, Spring | 
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The Cold & Flu Bugs Are Winning: Now What?
In November, we discussed nutrition for boosting your immune system to prevent colds and flus, the how to set up your defenses. So what happens when the bugs win and you start to feel a cold coming on? Here are a few additional tips that I often provide to my patients this time of year:
Nutrition: Keep up the good work, getting those immune boosting foods into your body. Make yourself a great immune boosting vegetable soup including lots of onions and garlic along with a rainbow variety of vegetables and some herbs and spices like thyme, rosemary, turmeric and sage. They are all great immune boosters and infection fighters. Avoid sugar. I know it can be hard, but a half teaspoon of sugar can knock your immune system flat for hours! Avoid dairy products. They tend to produce a lot of phlegm in the body. Alternatives include organic soy milk, rice milk and almond milk; all found in the health food section of your local grocery store. Most of those alternatives are now fortified with calcium and many of the foods you are eating also include an abundance of it: almonds, collards, spinach, Swiss chard and blackstrap molasses.
Rest: Remember, the best way to stop a cold is to rest and relax. This provides your body with extra energy to fight off the bug that would otherwise be taken up dealing with stress. Take a nap. Give yourself a couple of extra hours of sleep. You’re body is sending you a message that you need it!
Warming Socks: And overnight treatment, warming socks reduce congestion in the head, face, throat and chest to help you get a better night sleep and give your immune system a great boost. They are great for sore throats, bronchitis, nasal congestion, sinus congestion and infections, congestive headaches, coughs and upper respiratory infections.
Supplies: 1 pair of thin cotton socks, 1 pair of thick wool socks, towel, warm bath or foot bath
Directions: Before bed, gather your supplies. If you are someone who tends to have cold feet, make sure your feet are warm to start by sticking them in a warm foot bath for a few minutes and then drying them off. Next, soak the cotton socks in cold water, wring them so they’re not dripping and take both pairs of socks to bed with you. While sitting on the side of the bed, put the wet cotton socks on your warm feet and the dry, thick, wool socks over top and into bed you go. Now I know you’re thinking: cold wet socks on my feet, is this woman crazy?!?! But within a few minutes, your feet will begin to feel warm as your body carries warm blood towards your toes and pulls the congestion away from your upper body. When you wake in the morning your feet will be warm and dry.
The moral of the story: give your immune system the resources it needs to do the healing it was created to do. Along with the preventative nutrition outlined in November’s newsletter, all of these suggestions work with your body’s innate healing wisdom and keep you on your journey to health.
Posted in newsletter, tips | Tags: Cold and Flu, Hydrotherapy, Nutrition, Steam Inhalation, Warming Socks | No Comments »
Ready, Set, Labour
Guest Writer: Robyn Berman, CD (DONA), PCD (DONA)
Labour support. The idea is a simple one. Many women innately seek comfort from others during the labour and birth. Recently, more families are turning to professionals for support. A doula is an experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother and her family before, during and after childbirth.
In working with a woman before her baby is born, a doula is sharing information and knowledge that empowers the woman during labour. A trained doula understands the physiology of pregnancy and childbirth. She can help a woman comprehend medical events and practices, and will encourage a woman to see birth as a normal process in which she can make decisions for herself and for her baby.
A trained doula will also talk to parents about different types of comfort measures that can be used during labour, practicing these techniques with them so that they feel as prepared as possible for the onset of labour. Many studies have shown that women who have continuous support are less likely to have interventions during birth, including cesarean birth, vacuum extraction or forceps delivery. Women who have continuous labour support are also less likely to have interventions during labour such as epidural anesthesia, unnecessary intravenous access, and continuous external fetal monitoring.
There are physical and emotional benefits for a mother and her family to having continuous labour support. A woman feels completely cared for during what can be an uncertain time. Subsequently, her partner is supported in his/her role as a vital member of the birthing team. Feeling physically and emotionally supported may improve obstetrical outcomes and, strengthen family ties between a woman and her partner/support person as well as between mother and baby.
A doula can also help parents prepare and adjust for life after baby is born, sharing information regarding breastfeeding and basic infant care practices. A family therefore feels more prepared having had some education regarding life with a newborn. Studies demonstrate that these families feel more cared for, have greater success with breastfeeding, and develop less post partum depression.
In summary, a doula that is trained in labour and postpartum support can have a tremendous positive impact on a woman and her family. A doula’s primary focus is to support a woman in having a satisfying experience with childbirth. Her role encompasses education, constant physical presence, and non judgmental emotional reassurance. Ideally this translates to instilling a woman with self-confidence in her innate ability to labour and birth her baby.
Robyn Berman CD(DONA), PCD(DONA) is a birth and postpartum professional serving Halifax and the HRM. For more information about this service visit: www.halifaxdoula.com; or, to find a list of doulas serving the HRM visit www.dona.org.
Sweet Sauteed Red Cabbage
Sweet Sauteed Red Cabbage
(from ‘Simply Vegan’ by Debra Wasserman)
½ red cabbage shredded
1 apple chopped
1 small onion chopped
½ cup water
½ cup raisins
½ tsp cinnamon
Heat over medium heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
The Cold & Flu Battle: Are Your Defenses Armed?
‘Tis the season…not only for sleigh bells to start ringing…but for those cold and flu bugs to start their annual attack! With the cold weather on its way, we tend to stay indoors more and more, with less natural ventilation and an increased exposure to the bugs from others around us. Are your defenses armed? This month starts a two part series on giving your immune system the boost it needs throughout the winter, to not only prevent you from getting sick, but also to help you get over a bug once you’ve got it!
We’re going to begin by exploring nutrition for immunity. There are three goals to focus on to provide your immune system with the strong and efficient army it needs:
- Clean, whole foods
- Liver lovers
- Immune boosters
Eating clean, whole foods means choosing organics whenever possible and avoiding processed, packaged and “fast” foods. Doing so reduces the overall stress on your body. And remember, an increase in stress of any kind disarms your immune system quite significantly. When you are grocery shopping, read the labels on products. Avoid artificial colours, sweeteners and additives. They do more damage in our bodies than good, adding to our overall stress levels. Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (flax oil, olive oil, sesame oil, nuts & seeds) and lean proteins (chicken, turkey, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh).
The overall health of the liver is important in immune system functioning for two main reasons. First, it helps manufacture some of the primary building blocks in the immune system. And second, it breaks down and removes toxins and waste in our bodies, to reduce the overall stress on our tissues. It’s interesting that many of the foods that promote healthy liver function can also be classified as immune boosters. In general, immune boosters contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support the immune system (and many other systems) in its overall functioning. Below is a list of foods that are particularly helpful to your immunity. All those that are followed by an asterisk are also liver lovers.
Carrot* Sweet potato Onion* Garlic* Red Bell Pepper Butternut Squash Broccoli* Cauliflower* Cabbage* Beet (root & greens!)* Spinach* Kale* Watercress* Apple* Cantaloupe Red/Purple Grapes Lemon* Mango* Papaya* Passionfruit Pineapple* Blueberries Blackberries Raspberries Beans (all varieties)* Lentils*
One of my favourite side dishes for this time of year uses many of the vegetables in this list, so I thought I would share it you:
Roasted Root Veggies
2 Large Sweet Potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
4-6 Medium Beets, cut into ½ inch chunks
3 Large Carrots, coined
2 Large Parsnips, coined OR ½ small rutabaga, cut into ½ inch chunks
½ Large Onion (white or purple), coarsely chopped (about 1 inch pieces)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (can add more to taste)
Toss all of the above in a little olive oil &/or sesame oil, enough to lightly coat the vegetables. Sprinkle on generous amounts of black pepper, basil, oregano, rosemary and turmeric. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350F for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are soft, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
I encourage you to experiment with all of the liver lovers and immune boosters and to keep your general winter nutrition focus on clean whole foods. Keeping your immune system armed through nutrition will help you win the battle against cold and flu bugs and keep you on your journey to health.
Posted in newsletter, recipe, tips | Tags: Cold and Flu, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Immune, Nutrition, Recipe, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free | No Comments »