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Some Nutritional FAQS
Just some bits and pieces of information or viewpoints I have picked up here and there and thought were worthwhile sharing. Have a quick browse through. Hopefully, there is something useful for you.
Eating curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The key reason is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric. Curcumin prevents the spread of amyloid protein plaques, which are thought to cause dementia...
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What is the single most effective change I can make to improve my health immediately? |
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The answer is simple - drink more pure water! At least 8 glasses per day. And if you do have a coffee or soda or two, drink the equivalent amount of water soon after to help flush the toxins out of your body. But how do you make sure your tap water is pure? Use a good filter on the tap you use for your drinking water (see the bottom of this FAQ for pointers on picking a good drinking water filter).
Drinking pure water is an essential element of staying healthy. Unfortunately most people believe they can obtain their water requirements from sodas, coffee, highly processed fruit juices, and superficially healthy options like Gatorade. Replacing these junk fluids with pure water is simply one of the most powerful lifestyle changes you can make to start improving your health.
Drinking pure water regularly is so important that its at the TOP of my recommended choices to make to get healthy. Fortunately many people are realizing this and they are choosing water over junk fluids. However many people are drinking tap water which is loaded with chlorine, fluoride, chemical wastes from farm runoff and industrial pollutants, drugs flushed down the toilet, arsenic, and even rocket fuel.
Drinking bottled water is a major improvement over junk fluids and straight tap water. However, up to 40% of bottled water is actually just bottled tap water that may or may not receive additional treatment and filtering. Bottled water can contain chlorine and fluoride and a 4 year study found 1/3 of the water bottles tested contained synthetic organic chemicals and bacteria. The typical plastic used for bottled water is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - this material potentially leaches antimony and other toxic chemicals into your water. Landfills polluted with discarded plastic bottles further contribute to the deterioration of our environment. Buying bottled water is expensive - it's estimated that a $1.50 bottle of water costs just $0.22, leaving $1.28 per bottle in profits. If you're concerned about how to carry your water with you, there are safe alternatives to the typical PET plastic bottles and potentially risky water inside. You clearly want to avoid PVC plastic containers. These are typically milky white and the type that most milk used to come in years ago. They leave a clear and obvious odor to the water because they leach loads of toxic plasticizers in the water. You can use these safe plastics which aren't known to leach harmful substances into your water: Polypropylene, designated "#5 PP", High-density polyethylene, designated "#2 HDPE" and Low-density polyethylene, designated "#4 LDPE."
So, what source of clean, refreshing water remains? What about tap water flowing freely from your kitchen faucet?you could be filling your glass with the potential hazards of chlorine, fluoride, bacteria, pesticides, disinfection byproducts (DBPs), arsenic, rocket fuel, discarded potent pharmaceutical drugs and much more... Tap water can be full of all types of hidden contaminants you can't see with the naked eye. These contaminants not only can affect the taste and odor of home tap water, but they can potentially interrupt the balance of your body's natural functions. Even if your water looks and tastes fine, bear in mind many contaminants are tasteless, odorless, and colorless. Some contaminants can be so harmful they're measured in "parts per million" or "parts per billion". Only one drop of one of these harmful toxins in a gallon of water can be extremely harmful to your wellbeing. Disinfection byproducts are one of the most toxic elements in the water supply and we didn't even know about them until relatively recently. What concerns me more though is that there are likely other even more harmful elements in tap water that today's technology can simply not inform us of.
Please remember that nearly half of bottled water is filtered tap water and most municipal water supplies are contaminated with fluoride. Additionally some water companies actually add fluoride to their bottled water. If you are still confused about fluoride and believe it is healthy I would strongly encourage you to review the evidence. A quick Google search will be very enlightening. The very brief summary is that in an attempt to reduce cavities, many countries began adding fluoride to their municipal drinking water supplies. They did this because they were convinced that most "experts" were in favor of water fluoridation. However, like many areas related to health, this issue was manipulated by special interest groups to conveniently dispose of industrial byproduct poisons. It didn't take long for some countries to put the pieces together, which is why Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, France, and the Netherlands ban fluoride from their drinking water.
What about Chlorine? Chlorine is a chemical used in municipal water supplies. It was first introduced into U.S. water supplies in 1908. Chlorine has been enormously effective at reducing water borne illnesses such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and hepatitis. What may surprise you is that although chlorine can kill these bacteria its is relatively non-toxic to you and your family. However almost all water supplies have dissolved organic matter in the water that is a result of leaves and twigs that float into the water. This is where the problem starts as chlorine interacts with these organic materials to produce disinfection byproducts more commonly referred to as DBPs. The two primary DBP categories are called trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5s). These DBPs have been linked to potential...
- Damaging effects to your cardiovascular system
- Harmful impacts to your respiratory system
- Unhealthy functioning of your renal system
- Disruptions to your central nervous system
- Weakening of your immune system
These DBPs may be up to 10,000 -100,000 times more toxic than the chlorine in your water. Most experts actually believe chlorine causes virtually none of the damage in tap water. Instead, it's predominantly due to these DBPs. You'll also find other hidden toxins in your tap water like arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, mercury, perchlorate (primary ingredient in rocket propellant), various pharmaceutical products, and polonium-210 (a radioactive element that decays into lead). And what about lead? While most homes today have PVC pipes, even modern faucets have lead-containing joints that potentially contribute to lead in your drinking water. So, the bottom line here is your tap water coming straight from its source can contain chemicals and byproducts harmful to your health.
And if you live in a more rural area where you draw your water from wells, you avoid some of the problems. However, ground water pollutants can also seep into this water source. And because private wells are shallower than water receptacles used for public water supplies, there can be a greater potential for contamination and toxic pollutants - especially from pesticides and herbicides sprayed on lawns and farmlands. Fecal coliform bacteria like E. coli are the most common contaminants potentially found in well water. Septic fields are typical sources for such contamination by way of animal or human wastes. Nitrates from animal or human wastes or fertilizers are also commonly found - along with lead, radon and other chemical and biological toxins. So, if you have a well, you're not out of the woods from potential drinking water contaminants.
Overall, your best option to ensure you have pure uncontaminated drinking water is to buy a good home water flitration system that can do the following:
- Filter out chlorine as well as fluoride
- Remove inorganic contaminants like lead, aluminum, mercury, iron, sulfur, and lime scale
- Remove organic contaminants like herbicides, pesticides, THMs (disinfection byproducts)
- Remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that may effect the quality, odor, and taste of your drinking water
- Create a bacteriostatic environment - Must remove bacteria from the water
- Be environmentally smart and help conserve water and energy
- Deliver a low cost/gallon filter ratio (inexpensive)
- Be very easy to install - No drilling, cutting, or need to call your plumber to get up and running |
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Why should I buy locally produced food? |
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Why should you buy locally produced food?
- Local produce is picked fresh and tastes great. Foods imported from other locations are often picked before they are ripe and are forced to ripen during shipping.
- Buying foods from local farmers will help your family understand where their food comes from and will connect you to people who produce the food you eat.
- Buying foods from local farms supports the local economy and helps keep them in business. It also helps create local jobs.
- Buying products close to home is good for the environment because it reduces pollution from extra packaging and transportation.
- Buying local is a great way to reduce your "ecological footprint" or personal impact on the environment ("ecological footprint" is a calculation of the resources needed to produce the crops, food, roads, buildings, and other goods and services we use and consume).
- All-in-all, buying local helps make Peel a better, more liveable place to be!
Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga boast some fine farms and markets anywhere – agriculture has been a way of life here for over a hundred years! From apples to watermelons and asparagus to zucchini, local produce tastes great and is good for you, too. Best of all, you can get them close to home when they’re in season and at their best! There are 23 farms and markets that are sell to the public within a 45 minute drive of any location within Peel; many of the locations are even closer. In addition to vegetables and fruit, you’ll also find meats, honey, maple syrup, baked goods, garden supplies, wine and much more.
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Toxic Metals. We are all exposed to them. How do we reduce that exposure? |
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Even when people follow healthy dietary and nutritional guidelines, they can still have serious health problems. They may digest their food poorly, experience digestive distress, or be generally sickly. One reason may be toxic metals like: Mercury, Aluminium, Cadmium, Arsenic, Lead, Nickel and other metals that flood the environment and invade your body. These toxic metals can cause or contribute to a long list of diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain and neurological disorders. While the medical establishment recognizes the acute toxicity that comes from high levels of metals in your body, far more people suffer the adverse effects of low-level, chronic exposure.
Despite these dire warning signs, giant corporations and industry advocates like DuPont and The American Chemistry Council are fighting tooth and nail to block any and all proposed bans on toxic agents that happen to be part of their profit-making schemes. According to EnviroBlog, the latest army of lobbyists is trying to crush U.S. Senate Bill 1313, which calls for a ban of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent from food packaging, for example. And California State Senate Bill 1713, which would ban BPA from baby bottles and toys, is also under attack by hired guns who are trying to scare everyone into believing this bill will put an end to all canned and jarred goods. If there ever was a time to get more involved in the political process – as these are serious survival issues -- now might be a good time.
Acute heavy metal toxicity is a lot easier to diagnose than that of chronic exposure. Indications of acute toxicity include:
- Sudden, severe cramping and/or convulsions
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Headache
- Difficulty breathing
- Impaired cognitive, motor and language skills
Symptoms of toxic build-up due to chronic heavy metal exposure, however, are much more subtle, in large part because these symptoms are so “common,” such as:
- Fatigue
- Digestive distress, and reduced ability to properly assimilate and utilize fats
- Aching joints
- Depression
- Impaired blood sugar regulation
- Female reproductive problems such as menstrual difficulties, infertility, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension and premature birth
Sound like anyone you know? Add to that your exposure to toxic fluoride in your municipal drinking water, which actually increases your body’s uptake of aluminum, in addition to all the other health damaging effects it has in and of itself, and it’s no wonder you’re feeling less than great. In addition to limiting your exposure to toxic metals, which I will go over shortly, you need to focus on eating a healthy diet, preferably based on your nutritional type to reap the maximum overall health benefits. The Weston A. Price diet recommendations, which were written in 1920 and still, like all truths, hold true today, includes these timeless guidelines:
- Eat foods that are natural, unprocessed, and organic (and contain no sugar except for the occasional bit of honey or maple syrup).
- Eat foods that grow in your native environment. In other words, eat locally grown, seasonal foods.
- Eat unpasteurized dairy products (such as raw milk) and fermented foods.
- Eat at least one-third of your food raw.
- Make sure you eat enough healthy fats, including those from animal sources like omega-3 fat, and reduce your intake of omega-6 from vegetable oils.
Optimal nutrition is essential when dealing with heavy metal toxicity because if you are deficient in essential metals, your body will use toxic heavy metals as “stand-ins” instead. For example:
- Calcium is replaced by lead, which deposits primarily in bone, and disrupts the formation of red blood cells. Lead contributes to poor bone health such as osteopenia and osteoporosis.
- Zinc is replaced by cadmium, which tends to accumulate heavily in your kidneys. Cadmium overload is associated with peripheral neuropathy.
- Magnesium is replaced by aluminum, which, among other things, induces neurochemical changes and has been identified as a contributing factor to developing Alzheimer’s.
- Manganese is replaced by nickel, which is carcinogenic.
Secondly, you also need vital nutrients to aid your natural detoxification process. It may seem like a fight you’re destined to lose, however I firmly believe you can reduce you exposure to heavy metals quite dramatically, thereby giving your body a fighting chance to eliminate accumulated toxins and restore health. These guidelines can help limit your exposure:
- Use glass, cast iron, carbon steel, titanium, and enamel cookware. Both aluminum and Teflon are well known for their toxic dangers, and stainless steel can expose you to carcinogenic nickel.
- Minimize consumption of restaurant food as restaurants are required to use stainless steel pots and vats.
- Avoid stainless steel thermoses; the glass lined kinds are best.
- Avoid cosmetics with aluminum bases, mineral powders that contain bismuth, and aluminum-laden antiperspirants, which have been shown to increase your Alzheimer’s risk by as much as 300 percent!
- Avoid vaccinations that inject mercury or aluminum directly into your bloodstream.
- Avoid and remove dental amalgam fillings (make sure your use a dentist who takes the appropriate precautions when removing amalgam fillings)
- Avoid stainless steel orthodontics such as braces and palate wideners.
- Avoid costume jewelry if you are sensitive to metals.
- Avoid smoking and second hand smoke as it causes cadmium poisoning.
- Make sure you purchase your natural herbal remedies from a reputable source with strict quality testing. Some colloidal silvers can lead to silver poisoning, and some folk remedies can be high in mercury, lead and arsenic, either due to alleged medicinal properties or through unintentional contamination.
- Avoid conventional household cleaning products.
- Avoid conventional insecticides and herbicides. Also be VERY cautious when using the “natural alternative” Borax (boric acid), which can also cause serious health problems, including death.
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What is the difference between a Holistic Nutritional Consultant and a Registered Dietician |
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Dieticians – base their dietary recommendations on the Canada Food Guide. They are trained in the mainstream sciences and depend on scientific research studies on which to base their recommendations. You often find Dieticians working in hospitals in association with doctors to provide dietary guidelines to treat the symptoms of an illness. Dieticians often recommend things like artificial sweeteners, and fat substitutes and they tend not to promote organic and free-range products. Much of their educational funding comes from major food manufactures such as the Dairy Board. Registered dietitians generally utilize the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) determined by the government to make nutrient dosage recommendations for all of their clients. Registered dietitians focus mainly on dietary factors.
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What is Holistic Health? In this age of trendy terminology, “holistic health” is used a lot. The word holistic refers to looking at an organism as a whole: the vigor of all its parts is necessary for "the whole" to truly thrive. Holistic health is the philosophy that a person's physical, mental, and emotional well being should be taken into account when assessing overall health. Symptoms are not considered and treated individually, but rather assessed in the context of the rest of the body. Put simply, holistic treatment is concerned with addressing the whole body, mind and spirit. In essence, the theory states that we cannot address one small part without considering the whole. Good health will not come with diet alone, but also needs exercise, rest, stimulation and play. Holistic healing is not by any means a new concept, holistic medicine and holistic health can be traced back to India and China over five thousand years ago.Science has proven the validity of the "mind body connection". For example, a 2008 article in Science Daily states that cortisol, the hormone that is produced when we are under stress, actually suppresses our immune cells' ability to renew themselves, therefore leaving us more susceptible to illness and disease. Holistic healing tools include a nourishing diet, hydration, movement, herbs, vitamins and minerals, and ways in which to reduce stress and increase inner peace. One of the root ideas of holistic health care is that of prevention. By working to maintain optimal health, we are less likely to wander down a path that might require more invasive treatments.
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Holistic Nutritional Consultants: take the mind, body and spirit approach and deal with the whole person. They work toward getting to the root cause of the illness or imbalance and help the body to heal itself. Since everyone of us is biochemically unique, Holistic Nutritional Consultants deal with each person individually, offering recommendations specific to their personal needs. They will make suggestions for lifestyle changes, food choices and supplement suggestions but ultimately the power belongs to the individual. Holistic Nutritional Consultants look at the long-term impact and implications of additives, preservatives, pesticides, antibiotics, herbicides, and genetically modified organisms and don’t trust short-term studies that suggest these are safe for human consumption. Holistic Nutrition can be used as a preventative health approach for the average person without any ailments or as a modality for healing or symptom management for people living with chronic illness or other medical conditions
A nutritional therapist looks at each person as being biochemically unique. By assessing their individual nutritional needs, the nutritional therapist can determine which nutrients and what levels of those nutrients are right for the individual in order to promote optimum health.
When assessing a client's overall health, a nutritional therapist takes their environment, stress level, and emotional wellbeing into consideration.
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What is Bioenergetics? What is Energy Medicine |
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Content coming soon.................... |
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Why are Far Infrared Saunas so useful for Detoxification |
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Far Infrared energy surrounds your body and travels deeply into your joints, muscles, tissues speeding up oxygen flow and increasing circulation. Some of the benefits of Far-Infrared Sauna therapy include: Stress Reduction, Detoxification, Pain Relief, Skin Purification, Weight Management and Weight Loss. Far-infrared saunas can also provide relief to patients suffering from arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, autism and certain skin conditions. Look for a Far Infrared Sauna that is constructed from Hemlock Hypoallergenic whole-wood that has not been fumigated and does not contain chemicals or formaldehydes. Because the scent of hemlock wood is not nearly as strong or toxic as cedar or spruce, people who react adversely to the pure oils and odor of cedar will be happy to find that hemlock is completely safe. This allows an individual with chemical or allergy sensitivities to enjoy their sauna safely.
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During the past quarter century, Japanese and Chinese researchers have completed extensive research on far-infrared medical treatments and have reported numerous beneficial discoveries. A far infrared saund does not heat the surrounding air to the same degree that a traditional saund does. Instead, it heats the body directly with infrared heat waves, raising the bodys core temperature instead of its surface temperature. The result is a dramatically lowere ambient temperature, typically in the 100F to 130F range. Is is subsequently not necessary to raise the humidity within the sauna, which means that a Far Infrared Sauna wont be filled with steam in the same way. Far Infrared Saunas also require a significantly shorter warm-up time that traditional saunas, again because it isnt necessary to raise the air temperature as high in order to begin your sauna therapy session.
As a result of these lower temperatures, infrared saunas are better suited for those who find the extreme temperatures of traditional saunas to be claustrophobic or oppressively hot. Similarly, they may be more appropriate for those who suffer from chronic illnesses and who would be looking to take daily sessions, as they can be more effective at releasing toxins from the body. Finally, these lower temperatures allow you to stay in the infrared sauna for longer periods of time. This in turn results in more sweating than you would by using a traditional sauna for, say, half the time. You would likely sweat similar amounts if you were to stay in either sauna for the same periods of time, but the infrared sauna just makes staying in the sauna longer much more feasible.
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The Benefits of using a Far Infared Sauna include: |
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Stress Reduction: Stress is one of the biggest factors in determining overall health and well being. The most immediate health benefit of a Solaris Sauna is stress reduction through simple relaxation, as it melts away the problems and tensions of daily life. Far-infrared sauna therapy causes your muscles to relax, causes an increase circulation and blood flow and may help with insomnia. Within minutes you will start to feel rejuvenated, renewed and relaxed.
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Detoxification: Everyday people are exposed to thousands of chemicals in our air, water, food, cleaning products, plastics, artificial additives, artificial preservatives, and many other items used in daily life. These toxins are absorbed through breathing, eating, or through the skin and are either metabolized or stored in the body. The body eliminates many toxins naturally through sweating. Far-infrared sauna therapy significantly heats up the body causing profuse sweating which will speed up the body's natural detoxification process. Detoxification from a Far Infrared Sauna is 7 to 10 times more effective than a conventional sauna.
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Skin Purification: Far-infrared sauna therapy improves blood flow and circulation to the skin, and through profuse sweating expels dirt, chemicals, and dead cells on the surface of the skin. This leads to a more soft and clear skin tone. In addition increased blood circulation to the skin has been known to help alleviate common skin issues such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and the healing of cuts and scars.
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Pain Relief: Far infrared sauna therapy has been effective in providing pain relief to those suffering from bursitis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, sprains, strains, and other muscular-skeletal ailments. The Far Infrared Sauna improves blood flow and circulation, bringing relief and healing for muscle and soft tissue injuries and reducing inflammation. Much of the stiffness and soreness that comes with aging is reduced or eliminated using a far infrared sauna.
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Weight Loss: As the body heats up and sweats, there is a substantial increase in the heart rate and metabolic rate to cool itself. An increase in the heart and metabolic rate results in burned calories. In the Journal of the American Medical Association in August 1981 it was stated: "Regular use of a Sauna imparts a similar stress [as running] on the cardiovascular system, and its regular use may be as effective a means of cardiovascular condition and burning of calories as regular exercise." Far-infrared Sauna technology causes the core body temperature to rise which results in passive cardiovascular conditioning. To demonstrate this all that you need to do is wear a heart rate monitor during a session in a Solaris Sauna and you will be surprised by the results! Your heart rate can increase by 50-75% during one 30 minute session. Although results vary among different individuals it has been reported that a single 30 minute session can burn up to 600 calories (kcal). In comparison, a half hour of jogging burns 300 calories and a half hour of cycling only 225.
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Boost Your Immune System: The deep heat from a Far Infrared Therapy raises your body temperature, the equivalent of an artificially induced fever. Combined with the induced detoxification resulting from intense sweating, your bodies recovery time may be reduced and your overall immune system strengthened. |
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| Some useful Holistic Health Tips |
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Get some exercise each day outside in the sunshine whenever weather permits. Our bodies were meant to synthesize vitamin D based on the action of sunlight on our skin. A lack of vitamin D has been linked to rickets, osteomalacia, thyroid issues, depression, breast and other cancers, obesity and much more. Just because some people have developed skin cancer in the past from over exposure to the sun, doesn't mean that everyone else in the world should get zero sunshine exposure. The key is to get a balanced amount based on your skin color, and sunshine levels based on your geographic area. |
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Eat a wide variety of foods and vary your diet each day. That way you are more likely to not overload on certain vitamins and minerals from foods you eat all of the time. |
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Filter your tap water for baths and showers. Most people fail to realize that taking a typical shower can expose you to nearly ten times more chlorine than you would receive by drinking unfiltered tap water all day long. “We conclude that skin absorption of contaminants in drinking water has been underestimated and that ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure.” Studies like this one published in the American Journal of Public Health are finally exposing what has been suspected for a long time: exposure to chlorine on your skin can potentially be dangerous to your health.
For many years, researchers thought that the “exposure” came only when chlorine was ingested. But, current studies are showing that drinking the water is not the only risk. And is likely not even the most severe - Research shows that the dangers of vaporized chlorine are 100 times greater through inhalation and bathing than drinking. When you take a hot shower, toxic chemicals are liberated from the water and released as gasses, including chloroform (50% more released) and trichloroethylene (TCE) (80% more released) -- both known carcinogens. And, the longer your shower, the bigger your potential risk. As you double the length of your shower, you quadruple the amount of harmful gasses that are accumulating.
The only real way to reduce your exposure is to install effective filters on your shower and bath taps, as well as on taps you use for drinking water. Also ensure that where you use humidifiers, the water used by the humidifier is effectively filtered. |
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Buy organic foods if you can afford it. This site includes a number of Links to organic food sources in the Mississauga and Oakville areas. Keep in mind that approximately 80% of the processed food in your local supermarket contains GMO (genetically modified) food. GMO foods are a huge health experiment on an unsuspecting population with an as yet unknown outcome. The only way of avoiding GMOs is to buy organic. Avoid all Soy products, even organic soy, unless they specifically state they are not GMO. Almost all North American soy is now genetically modified. |
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Eighty-five percent of all GM seeds are engineered for herbicide tolerance, most of these being Monsanto’s “Roundup Ready” cotton, corn, soy, and canola seeds. This allows plants to withstand significant amounts of pesticides being sprayed on it, in effect promoting pesticide use. As a result, there has been an increase in pesticide use in the United States since the introduction of GM seeds. Since the introduction of GM crops in the United States, more than 120 million pounds of additional pesticides were used.
It’s unfortunate that Canada and the U.S. have yet to follow the decision of several other countries that have already banned genetically modified crops. Germany, for example, recently became the sixth country in the European Union to take a stand against GM corn. Meanwhile, tens of millions of acres of GM corn are being planted in Canada and the U.S.
Avoiding GM products in your diet means avoiding an ever-growing number of ingredients, or choosing organic versions of them. This is not an easy task, especially if you eat processed food. However, the four most prevalent GM ingredients to look out for are: Soy, Corn, Cottonseed and Canola. You’ll also want to avoid the offspring of these products, which includes items like maltodextrin, soy lecithin, and high fructose corn syrup. |
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Take responsibility for your own health. Listen to your medical doctor but also do your own research, too. Get second opinions, research on the web, buy books, etc. If you have a health concern that is obscure, it may take quite a while and a number of doctors and perhaps specialists to find out what is really wrong. The important thing is DO NOT GIVE UP! It may be a lot of work to find a health practitioner who can really help you, but when you have found someone, and your health has improved, it will have been worth it. Both conventional medicine and alternative health have roles to play - be open to considering all options - for most people, an answer to your health issues di exist somewhere - it's just finding them that is hard work |
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Forget the food pyramid. It is based on flawed logic and input from special interest groups in the food processing industry. There is no one diet that is appropriate for everyone in the world. The food pyramid with its emphasis on grains is probably the biggest contributor to obesity, fungal infections and diabetes in North America. |
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Avoid supplemented foods. Some people have nutritional deficiencies and may benefit from an individualized supplement routine. However, random supplementation (calcium in orange juice, zinc in cereal) may throw off your body chemistry. A lot of foods are supplemented with calcium, which can actually reduce magnesium levels, causing more harm than good in people who are already magnesium deficient. |
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Use natural unscented health, beauty and cleaning products where possible. Try not to rub anything on your skin that you wouldn't feel comfortable eating. The less toxins and irritants your body is exposed to, the less it has to detoxify and they easier it is to preserve vitamins and minerals like zinc and magnesium that might otherwise be used up in the detoxification process. |
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 Get rid of any mold and mildew around the house. Along with a high sugar and high carbohydrate diet, they help set the stage for mold sensitivities and can deplete vitamins and minerals needed to neutralize the toxins in the mold. There are many health risks associated with mold exposure. Get rid of any mold around your house. Think twice about buying used items that can't be washed or bleached |
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Throw away your Aluminium pots, pans and baking dishes. Use glass, cast iron, carbon steel, titanium, and enamel cookware.Both aluminum and Teflon are well known for their toxic dangers, and stainless steel can expose you to carcinogenic nickel. |
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If you decide to take cholesterol-lowering drugs instead of addressing the underlying problem, you are not only stopping your body’s natural healing process, you are exposing yourself to drugs that are loaded with side effects -- not the least of which is depleting your body of Coenzyme Q10, which leads to fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and ultimately heart failure. If you chose to continue taking statin drugs, then it’s vital that you understand the mechanism of action of these drugs. They typically work by reducing an enzyme in your liver, which not only reduces the production of cholesterol, but it also reduces the production of coenzyme Q10. When you lower the production of coQ10, you increase your risk of a variety of different health problems. |
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Toxins in our Environment: Out water, our food and the air that we breath is saturated with environmental toxins - chemicals and other materials from industry, agriculture and carelessness. Many of these toxins are things that you can't see, smell or feel, at least not right away. One of the major problems with them is just that. We don't realize that we're being affected until we come down with a chronic disease after years of subtle and often consistent exposure to a combination of these toxins. This makes it almost impossible to pinpoint a specific environmental toxin as the source of illness, yet when you look at the facts -- the increasing numbers of cancers, immune system disorders, neurological problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities, allergies and hormonal disturbances that are facing the nation -- it is hard NOT to take notice. |
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Toxins and Statistics. Consider this...
- Some 77,000 chemicals are produced in North America
- Over 3,000 chemicals are added to our food supply
- More than 10,000 chemical solvents, emulsifiers and preservatives are used in food processing
- 1,000 new chemicals are introduced each year
Where do all of these chemicals end up? They are absorbed into our groundwater, rivers, lakes and oceans, spewed into our air, and added, quite intentionally, to our food supply. |
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The Effects of Toxins on Your Body: A study in a recent British Medical Journal estimated that perhaps 75 percent of most cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, including exposure to chemicals. Another report, this one by the Columbia University School of Public Health, estimated that 95 percent of cancer is caused by diet and environmental toxicity. This is really not surprising when you consider that estimates show most North Americans have somewhere between 400 and 800 chemicals stored in their bodies, typically in fat cells. Some of the short- and long-term effects of these toxins include:
- Neurololgical disorders (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, etc.)
- Cancer
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Hormonal imbalances
- Enzyme dysfunction
- Altered metabolism
- Reproductive disorders
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Obesity
- Muscle and vision problems
- Immune system depression
- Allergies/Asthma
- Endocrine disorders
- Chronic viral infections
- Less ability to tolerate/handle stress
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The 10 Most Common Toxins: The following toxins are among the most prevalent in our air, water and/or food supply. This list is by no means all-inclusive, as thousands of other toxins are also circulating in our environment. Keep reading to find out tips to avoid these toxins and others as much as possible |
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PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): This industrial chemical has been banned in the United States for decades, yet is a persistent organic pollutant that's still present in our environment.
Risks: Cancer, impaired fetal brain development
Major Source: Farm-raised salmon. Most farm-raised salmon, which accounts for most of the supply in the United States are fed meals of ground-up fish that have absorbed PCBs in the environment and for this reason should be avoided. |
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Pesticides: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides are known to be carcinogenic. Alarmingly, pesticide residues have been detected in 50 percent to 95 percent of U.S. foods.
Risks: Cancer, Parkinson's disease, miscarriage, nerve damage, birth defects, blocking the absorption of food nutrients
Major Sources: Food (fruits, vegetables and commercially raised meats), bug sprays |
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Mold and other Fungal Toxins: One in three people have had an allergic reaction to mold. Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) can cause a range of health problems with exposure to only a small amount.
Risks: Cancer, heart disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, diabetes
Major Sources: Contaminated buildings, food like peanuts, wheat, corn and alcoholic beverages |
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Phthalates: These chemicals are used to lengthen the life of fragrances and soften plastics.
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VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products.
Risks: Cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment
Major Sources: Drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellants, air fresheners. |
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Dioxins: Chemical compounds formed as a result of combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels (like wood, coal or oil).
Risks: Cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, chloracne (a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions), skin rashes, skin discoloration, excessive body hair, mild liver damage
Major Sources: Animal fats: Over 95 percent of exposure comes from eating commercial animal fats. |
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Asbestos: This insulating material was widely used from the 1950s to 1970s. Problems arise when the material becomes old and crumbly, releasing fibers into the air.
Risks: Cancer, scarring of the lung tissue, mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer)
Major Sources: Insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes and healing ducts from the 1950s to 1970s. |
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Heavy Metals: Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body.
Risks: Cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer's disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels
Major Sources: Drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials, dental amalgams, chlorine plants |
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Chloroform: This colorless liquid has a pleasant, nonirritating odor and a slightly sweet taste, and is used to make other chemicals. It's also formed when chlorine is added to water.
Risks: Cancer, potential reproductive damage, birth defects, dizziness, fatigue, headache, liver and kidney damage.
Major Sources: Air, drinking water and food can contain chloroform. |
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Chlorine: This highly toxic, yellow-green gas is one of the most heavily used chemical agents.
Risks: Sore throat, coughing, eye and skin irritation, rapid breathing, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pain in the lung region, severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (a type of asthma)
Major Sources: Household cleaners, drinking water (in small amounts), air when living near an industry (such as a paper plant) that uses chlorine in industrial processes. |
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Tips to Avoid Toxins: It's impossible in this day and age to avoid all environmental toxins. What you can do, however, is limit your exposure as much as possible with the following tips:
- Buy and eat, as much as possible, organic produce and free-range, organic foods. If you can only purchase one organic product it probably should be free range organic eggs. Fortunately most grocery stores now have these available. If they don't contact the store manager and encourage them to carry them. Additionally I believe raw milk products are a key to staying healthy. They are best obtained locally but many people have a great challenge finding them.
- Rather than eating fish, which are largely contaminated with PCBs and mercury, consume a high-quality purified fish or cod liver oil like Carlson's. Contact your favorite health food store for it or another high quality brand.
- Avoid processed foods -- remember that they're processed with chemicals!
- Only use natural cleaning products in your home. Most health food stores will have these available or you can search online for them.
- Switch over to natural brands of toiletries, including shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. Same sources here, either your local health food store or you can search on line.
- Avoid spraying insect repellants that contain DEET on your body. There are safe, effective and natural alternatives out there, like Neem-Based Botanical Outdoor Gel.
- Remove any metal fillings as they're a major source of mercury. Be sure to have this done by a qualified biological dentist. Although nearly any dentist is technically qualified to replace your amalgam fillings, far less than 5 percent have any clue on how to do it properly so your risk of mercury exposure is minimized. Please avoid having your fillings replaced by a non-qualified dentist. Do it right the first time and save yourself the expense and grief. If you don't personally know a qualified biological dentist, many people find one by contacting several of the health food stores in their area and asking the employees who they know. This is typically an excellent resource as they are usually networked quite well in the local health community. Alternatively, you can ask Bernadette.
- Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners or other synthetic fragrances as they can pollute the air you are breathing.
- Avoid artificial food additives of all kind, including artificial sweeteners and MSG
- Get plenty of safe sun exposure to boost your vitamin D levels and your immune system (you'll be better able to fight disease).
- Have your tap water tested and, if contaminants are found, install an appropriate water filter on all your faucets (even those in your shower or bath).
- Seek to build your health up through nutritional therapy the nutrition insights , and then limit your use of drugs (prescription and over-the-counter) as much as possible. Drugs are chemicals too, and they will leave residues and accumulate in your body over time.
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