toxins

Mai,

What are toxins and why does our body need to get rid of them? What are ways to get the toxins out of your body?

-Riel

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Ohhhh what an exciting question Riel... sorry it took me a week to get around to answering it... here we go..

A toxin is simply a poison that can affect the body by internal or external means. A toxin can be a chemical which occurs naturally or in synthetic form.

External toxins enter the body through food, water, air or physical contact with the skin or mucous membranes.

Internal toxins are produced inside the body through normal metabolic processes or through the decomposition of foods in the small and large intestines. For example bacterial toxins or yeast overgrowth.

Under normal circumstances, the body is able to eliminate toxins from the body via number #1, number #2, breathing out or sweating. Thus, the major organs involved in elimination are the kidneys, liver, colon, lungs and skin. White blood cells are designed to neutralize microbial toxins. The liver is the organ primarily responsible for breaking toxins into harmless byproducts, which are eliminated into the stool or through the kidneys into the urine.

So thats enough of that... since what I think your really wanting to know about is detoxing and if it works or not. Detoxing is generally something that is promoted through alternative medicine. There is no proof that our bodies even need to be detoxed and it is not something practiced in mainstream medicine. Detoxing dates all the way back to the Greeks and is used in cultures all over the world including Chinese medicine. Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out by removing and eliminating toxins. Some believe it can help prevent you from disease and sickness.

So how do you detox..

First you start out by lightening up your toxin load. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fast, all of which act as toxins in the body and are obstacles for the healing process. Also minimize use of chemical-based household cleaners and personal health care products (cleansers, shampoos, deodorants and toothpastes), and substitute natural alternatives.

Stress also releases hormones into your system that slow down detoxification enzymes in the liver. So meditation and yoga are good ways to keep stress at a minimum while detoxing.

Next it's recommended to follow a fasting detox to rest and clean the organs. One that I found was only drinking fresh fruit or vegetable juices and water for 3-7 days.

10 Ways to Help Your Body Detox

1. Eat plenty of fiber, including brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods.

2. Cleanse and protect the liver by taking herbs such as dandelion root, burdock and milk thistle, and drinking green tea.

3. Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.

4. Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily.

5. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.

6. Transform stress by emphasizing positive emotions.

7. Practice hydrotherapy by taking a very hot shower for five minutes, allowing the water to run on your back. Follow with cold water for 30 seconds. Do this three times, and then get into bed for 30 minutes.

8. Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration.

9. Dry-brush your skin or try detoxifying patches or detox foot spas / foot baths to remove toxins through your pores. Special brushes are available at natural products stores.

10. Exercise for an hour a day. Sweating is a natural way to release toxins. Yoga is also very good for you. Also try qigong, a martial-arts based exercise system that includes exercises specifically for detoxifying or cleansing, as well as many other exercises with specific health benefits.

List of Foods Allowed on a Detox Diet

Vegetables - All fresh vegetables. Vegetables thought to be particularly good detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables

Fruit - Fresh or frozen fruit.

Rice - All forms of rice, including rice cakes, rice crackers and rice pasta. Brown rice is typically preferred.

Other Grains - Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice.

Beans - Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easiest to digest and require the least soaking time. Other good options include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.

Nuts - Unsalted nuts or seeds can be sprinkled over salads or eaten as a snack. Good options include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Nut butters are permitted. Peanuts and peanut butter are usually not recommended.

Oil - Extra-virgin olive oil is a preferred oil.

Condiments - Vegetable salt, sea salt, vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, all herbs or spices.

Teas - Herbal teas, green tea.

Other Beverages - Water, lemon water, pure unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk.

Daily Detox Do's

- Drink 8 glasses of water a day

- Take the time to chew food extra long, especially grains.

the healthy foods

Dearest Riel,

When you told me about how cinnamon was good for you, (your heart I believe?), it made me start using it a lot more. I like knowing the health benefits of the food I'm eating because then I'm more inclined to make an effort to eat them. But sadly, I don't know many other ones. We've all heard an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Popeye ate spinach for strength etc. etc. I've also been told that fresh ground pepper speeds up your metabolism.. as does green tea if you drink it within a few hours of eating a meal. So I'd like you to tell me about some more. Include cinnamon again because I forget. But also tell me other foods or spices that are good for you and why.

mucho gracias!

Mai

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The Healthiest Foods..

Apricots- Have Beta- carotene in them, which helps prevent free- radical damage and protect the eyes. The body also turns beta- carotene into vitamin A, which may help ward off some cancers, especially of the skin. When an Apricot starts turning soft it loses its nutrients.

Avocados- Have Oleic acid in them, a unsaturated fat that helps lower cholesterol and raise levels of HDL. Avocados are also a good dose of fiber.

Raspberries- Have Ellagic acid, which helps stall cancer- cell growth. These berries are also packed with vitamin C and our high in fiber, which helps prevent high cholesterol and heart disease.

Cantaloupe- Is packed with Vitamin C and beta-carotene, both powerful antioxidants that help protect cells from free- radical damage. Half a melon has almost twice as much potassium then a banana, which helps lower blood pressure.

Cranberry Juice- Helps fight bladder infections by preventing harmful bacteria from growing.

Tomatoes- Has Lycopene one of the strongest carotenoids, acts as an antioxidant. Research shows that tomatoes may cut the risk of a bladder, stomach and colon cancers in half if eaten daily. If you eat fresh and drizzle with olive oil, because lycopene is best absorbed when eaten with a little fat.

Raisins- Are a great source of Iron, which helps with the blood transport oxygen and which many women are short on. Eat especially during your period.

Figs- A good source of potassium and fiber, figs also contain vitamin B6 which is responsible for producing mood- boosting serotonin, lowering cholesterol and preventing water retention. The pill depletes B6, so if you use this method of birth control, make sure to get extra B6 in your diet.

Papaya- Papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin A, three powerful antioxidants. They are suppose to prevent colon cancer, lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns. This fruit is a choice for preventing such illness as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu. If you or someone you know is a smoker, then eating vitamin A rich foods, such as papaya is a healthy choice and may save your life.

Bananas- Are rich in Vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Lack of B6 in your diet can cause weakness, irritability, and insomnia. The potassium found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Coconut- Is known to boost energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance. They increase the metabolic rate of the body, which means that energy is consumed faster and excess body weight is burned off. It also contains a PH that is good for your skin, supporting the natural chemical balance of the skin. It softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking. It can prevent wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots.

Rhubarb- Is regarded as a fruit, but botanically it is a vegetable. It is known to relive hot flashes in prementopausal women. It is also rich in potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Goji berries- Hailed as the new superfood, goji a himalayan berry has inspired a surge of interest for its use in treating diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer and other ailments. Goji berries pack more vitamin C then some oranges and more beta-carotene then carrots.

Lemons and Limes- Limonene, furocoumarins and vitamin C, all of which help prevent cancer. Squeeze over salads, fish, beans and vegetables for fat free flavor.

Onions- Have Quercetin in them, which is one of the most powerful flavonoids( natural plant antioxidants). Studies show it helps protect against cancer.

Artichokes- These odd vegetable contains silymarin, and antioxidant that helps prevent skin cancer, plus fiber to help control cholesterol.

Ginger- Contains gingerols may help reduce queasiness, other compounds may help ward off migraines and arthritis pain blocking inflammation-causing prostaglandins. It is also knows as one of the best foods you can eat, especially when you have a cold.

Broccoli- Contains indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane, which helps protect against breast cancer. It also has a lot of vitamin C and beta- crotene. Don't over cook broccoli to preserve phytonutrients steam lightly.

Spinach- Contains Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that help fend off macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness in older people. Plus studies shoe this green fountain of youth may help reverse some signs of aging.

Bok Choy- Contains Brassinin, which some research suggest may help revert breast tumours, plus indoles and isothiocyanates, which lower levels of estrogen, make this vegetable a double barrelled weeping against breast cancer.

Squash( butternut, pumpkin, acorn) Winter squash has huge amounts of vitamin C and beta- carotene, which may help protect against endometrial cancer.

Arugula- Has Phenethyl isothiocyanate, which along with beta- crotene and vitamins C and E, may help keep cancer cells at bay.

Garlic- The sulphur compounds that give garlic its pungent flavour can also lower LDL("bad') Cholesterol, lower blood pressure and even reduce your risk of stomach and colon cancer. Bake a whole head for 15-20 minutes, until soft and spread of bread instead of butter.

Quinoa- Has way more protein then any other grain, plus iron, riboflavin and magnesium.

Lentils- Contains Isoflavones, which may inhibit oestrogen-promoted breast cancers, plus fibber for heart health and an impressive 9 grams of protein per half cup.

Bulgur- High in fibber and protein, and low in fat and calories. Bulgur is extremely beneficial to the digestive system and can help avoid constipation, heart disease and cancer. A cup of bulgur has fewer calories, less fat, and more then twice the fibber of brown rice.

Peanuts- Studies show that peanuts or other nuts( which contain mostly unsaturated " good" fats) can lower your heart- disease risk by over 20 percent. Keep a pack in your purse, gym bag or backpack for a protein- packed post workout nosh or an afternoon pick me up, that will satisfy you until supper.

Pumkin seeds- Has been treasured by American aboriginal people for its dietary and medicinal properties. Of all the nuts and seeds typically consumed as snacks, pumpkin seeds are among the leaders of phytosterols, a naturally occurring compound with an established reputation for cholesterol- lowering properties. These seeds provide a healthy dose of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and is a good source of minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, making it one of the most nutritious and flavourful seeds around.

Flax seeds- It has been discovered that the omega- 3 gat and high fibber in flax may play a role in the fight against diabetes. A study shows that participants who ate flaxseed bread had blood sugar levels 28% lower an hour after eating then their counterparts who ate bread made with wheat flour. Flax is also a cancer fighting agent.

Yogurt- Bacteria in active- culture yogurt helps prevent yeast infections, calcium strengthens bones. If you are lactose intolerant, never fear, yogurt should not bother your tummy.

Shelfish (Clams, Mussels)- Filled with Vitamin B12 to support nerve and brain function, plus iron and hard-to-get minerals like magnesium and potassium.

Salmon- Cold water fish like Salmon, Mackerel and tuna are the best sources of omega-2 fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of cardiac disease.

Crab- A great source of vitamin B12 and immunity- boosting zinc. A 3- ounce portion has

Tumeric- May ease aches and inflammation. In Ayurveda ( the tarditional medicine of India), this herb has been used for thousands of years to treat arthritis and other ailments. Some suggest that turmeric may help relieve some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Cinnamon- Studies show that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowers the cholesterol. It has an ant-clotting effect on blood. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of honey is good for helping with arthritis. In traditional medicine, cinnamon has been used for digestive ailments such as indigestion, gas, bloating, upset stomach and diarrhea. It also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect and helps slow the spoiling of food.

Green tea- Dating back more then 4000 years. Green tea is good for boosting energy, mental clarity, lifts your mood, eases digestion, improves skin texture, boosts immune function, reduces risk of cancer, lowers blood pressure, stabilizes blood sugar, reduces total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, increases HDL cholesterol, and promotes weight loss.

Lemon honey ginger tea- A healthy tea to prevent colds and get rid of colds is a " Lemon, Ginger and Honey tea". Slice a 2 or 3 inch piece of ginnier into thin strips with no bark left on it. A big teaspoon of honey and a good squeeze of lemon.